The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury (The Govenor Trilogy, #2)

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The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury (The Governor Trilogy #2)

3.57 of 5 stars 3.57 · rating details · 1,775 ratings · 292 reviews

The first book explained how the Governor was created; this thrilling sequel toThe New York Times bestsellerfurther reveals his ruthless, inhuman conquest of Woodbury

The zombie plague unleashes its horrors on the suburbs of Atlanta without warning, pitting the living against the dead. Caught in the mass exodus, Lilly Caul struggles to survive in a series of ragtag encampme...more

Hardcover, 277 pages

Published October 16th 2012 by Thomas Dunne Books (first published 2012)

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Dec 03, 2012 Christopher H. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, american-authors-translators, fantasy-scifi, horror, read-in-2012, the-walking-dead, zombies

Like I expressed in my review of The Walking Dead--The Rise of the Governor, this novel is not particularly well written. I did a little on-line research and found that Robert Kirkman actually gives Jay Bonansinga a fairly in-depth and detailed outline, and then Jay wrote the book. I am sure that Jay is probably a fine writer in his own right, but I am not sure that this was the most effective way of actually telling the backstory of "The Governor". Frankly, I don't quite understand why Kirkman...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Kaitlynn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy, zombies, owned

This book was received for free as an advanced reading copy through GoodReads’ FirstReads giveaway.

The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury is a horror novel that follows a small band of survivors in Kirkman’s zombie apocalypse as they try to find a safe haven from zombies…and other survivors.

This is a prequel, parallel, or companion novel to the main comic series, depending how you approach it. The main characters have been introduced in the comics as Woodbury residents under The Governor, but ha...more This book was received for free as an advanced reading copy through GoodReads’ FirstReads giveaway.

The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury is a horror novel that follows a small band of survivors in Kirkman’s zombie apocalypse as they try to find a safe haven from zombies…and other survivors.

This is a prequel, parallel, or companion novel to the main comic series, depending how you approach it. The main characters have been introduced in the comics as Woodbury residents under The Governor, but have not been deeply explored.

The first thing you notice about the novel is the sheer number of adjectives and adverbs. It’s the hallmark of newer writers and feels clunky. In the first few chapters we are treated to run-on sentences that initially seek to physically describe the characters. Inevitably these end with descriptions of personality. Telling, not showing, is a real issue in this novel. There are some amazing descriptions in there though, like diamonds in the rough, such as zombies crawling out of cars ‘like a malformed fetus being born.' The narration is written in third person present tense, which is a bit awkward.

The characters were hit and miss. Lilly feels a bit like a blank slate with few strong characteristics. Josh feels like a walking stereotype. Scott wasn’t really present enough to matter. Megan I felt was the most flawed, interesting, and realistic character, but unfortunately she was only used as a whore for comparison, to show how virtuous our Lilly is. Bob was also flawed, and evoked some real sympathy from me. What screen time the Governor has was well-used, exploring his sick pathology a bit. (Please note that I have only read the comics, not The Rise of the Governor novel.) At under 300 pages, the novel could have been expanded a bit to flush out the characters more.

The plot was simple but worked well for the novel. The pacing was excellent and the action well-written. The inter-character conflicts were well-presented and realistic, including Lilly’s shame about running away rather than helping Josh during a zombie skirmish. The Governor’s ascension within Woodbury is brusk and effective and pretty much word-for-word from the comic source.

There was one issue that really stuck in my craw. Throughout the novel is this, perhaps inadvertent, theme on slut-shaming. Meagan’s promiscuity is discussed as a great evil time and again. Girls are captured by groups of men and pinned down regularly. Men coerce women into prostitution. There are vague threats of sexual assault. There is violent sex. And yet, and yet the author skirts around the word ‘rape’ very carefully and purposefully, especially considering the narrator is a woman. I felt like this in general was both unrealistic---and yes, even in a zombie apocalypse novel I expect some logical responses from characters---and damaging to women. Women are treated as sex objects, vilified for voluntary sex, and forcible sex is never addressed even when it is threatened at every turn. I found that a bit insulting. Comparing this to the treatment of Andrea or Michonne from the comics heightens the difference.

That all being said, it is still a solid zombie novel and miles beyond other popular works in the genre, such as those by Brian Keene.

Note: Do not read this if you only watch the TV show. There are some reveals in this that I feel are better revealed in the comics or in video.

TL;DR: A decent zombie apocalypse novel mired in flat characters and sexism still manages to edge out other zombie novels. Great read for fans of the series.
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Oct 24, 2012 Samantha Wallace rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, horror, zombies

Meh. If you have read "The Rise of the Governor" or are current with "The Walking Dead" graphic novels then the ending of this book is in no way surprising. The whole book felt like Robert Kirkman rushed through it just to get another book out there to sell. The characters were kind of lame and there was some serious slut shaming going on that was off-putting. Perhaps Kirkman was trying to identify with the ladies, but his idea of lady seems to be scared, fragile angel or slutty, pothead-prostit...more

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Dec 15, 2012 Danielle Wood rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: zombies, horror, thriller, sci-fi-fantasy

I'm torn on the book. I really love the Walking Dead, which is a surprise for me as I'm not usually one for the horror genre--- but something about zombie novels are just fun. I'll give the book a 3 out of 5 stars because I still like the storyline despite my problems with it. My friend has been a huge Walking Dead fan since the beginning. I've read all the graphic novels to date as well as the first novel. I know exactly how the team writes and something is off with this one.

I think this novel...more

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May 18, 2013 Charlotte McClain rated it 1 of 5 stars

While the action and the basic story were pretty good, the writing was awful. "Tight knots of spectators scattered across the stands"? And if the Josh (endlessly referred to as "the big man") had called his girlfriend 'babygirl' one more time I was going to scream. I wasn't impressed with the characters either for the most part. One of the main female characters regularly froze up when she was frightened. How is she supposed to survive a zombie attack? The deer in the headlights usually gets run...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Liam Mckenna rated it 3 of 5 stars

SLIGHT PLOT SUMMARY: POSSIBLE SPOILERS

The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga, is the sequel to The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor. This story, instead of following just The Governor like in the first novel, tells the tale of Lilly Caul as well, a character that had only made a brief cameo in the graphic novels. At the beginning of this book Lilly is emotionally unstable and it becomes clear she will have to find courage soon before it’s too late. This boo...more SLIGHT PLOT SUMMARY: POSSIBLE SPOILERS

The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga, is the sequel to The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor. This story, instead of following just The Governor like in the first novel, tells the tale of Lilly Caul as well, a character that had only made a brief cameo in the graphic novels. At the beginning of this book Lilly is emotionally unstable and it becomes clear she will have to find courage soon before it’s too late. This book explores her journey to Woodbury, the Governor’s new order, and Lilly’s emotional evolution in a post-apocalyptic world.

The story begins with Lilly and an encampment of survivors; things are going fine until a horde of the undead stumbles upon them while most of the group’s fighters are off scavenging. Lilly was in charge of the Bingham children at the time and while trying to save them, ends up losing one of the four children to the zombies. After this incident things quickly begin to deteriorate. The girls’ father, Chad Bingham tries to exact revenge on Lilly. He succeeds in hurting her badly, but is stopped by Josh Hamilton before he can kill her. During the rescue Josh kills Chad earning him banishment from the group. Lilly along with others choose to join Josh in his exile, sensing the groups increasing instability. Lilly, Bob Stookey, Josh Lee Hamilton, Megan Lafferty, and Scott Moon, all leave the encampment behind and journey unknowingly towards Woodbury. On the way relationships and tensions develop within the small group. By the time they get there the Governor has already taken over and Lilly and her friends quickly become incorporated into the town’s routine. What seemed to be a haven to Lilly and her friends, turns into a nightmare, for there is much more to the town and the Governor then what meets the eye.
Being a huge fan of The Walking Dead, I expect and look to the well done, in-depth character growth to relieve me of the monotonous zombie formula. I came with high expectations after being pleasantly surprised by the first book and this one couldn’t stand up. Main character development often felt choppy and inconsistent making the most intense character to character exchanges fall short. Many of the book’s characters have even slipped my mind due to the fact that they simply weren’t memorable. I couldn’t find myself mourning characters that had died when I felt that I didn’t even know them. It even borderlines sloppy when key plot elements to the series are cast aside just for more zombie action.

A series filled with such greatness deserves a harsh critic and despite my comments I did enjoy the book. Where it lacked in character development, it made up for in the sheer fact that it is a story about the Governor! I would still recommend it as well and the fact that it will be a trilogy leaves the possibility of redemption. I remind you that it is a book for mature readers and does not completely rely on just killing zombies, so don’t read if you looking for over the top zombie gore. If my criticism still leaves you skeptical simply read this for the fact that it fills in the Governor’s story line, an invaluable part of the series as a whole.
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Feb 10, 2013 Bonita rated it 3 of 5 stars

I picked this up because it was on the shelf of my Library as I walked in. I enjoy the TV series Walking Dead because of the terrifying world that it builds for humanity and the characters it gives us to explore it. I have not read the graphic novels because that is not a style of story telling I spend any time with. The TV show lacks good character depth and I was hoping to find more here.

There was not as much depth as I hoped for and the writing was not the best (other reviewers have covered...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: zombies, horror, on-the-tv, apocalypse-and-dystopia

Okay. I LOVED the first book in the series. The ending blew me away. This book...was more day-to-day. We see more about The Governor becoming who he is, and learn more about some of the people who helped him get there. If you've read up until that point in the comics, you have the 'Oh! I know that name. So-and-so is still around , interesting.' feelings. Otherwise, every name you're unfamiliar with turns into a 'Well, that person bites it. But I wonder in what horrifying way."

Definitely not a ba...more

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Jan 07, 2013 J.M. Reinbold rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury is a horror novel that follows a small band of survivors in Georgia (USA) as they search for safety and try to rebuild "civilization" in the midst of a zombie plague.

Overall this was a good story. The Road to Woodbury is a page turner and has excellent character development. I gave it three stars because there were a few things things that I felt could have been done a bit better.

In general, I don't care for stories told in the present tense. In The Road to...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Joseph Barnes rated it 5 of 5 stars

The zombie plague unleashes its horrors on the suburbs of Atlanta without warning, pitting the living against the dead. Caught in the mass exodus, Lilly Caul struggles to survive in a series of ragtag encampments and improvised shelters. But the Walkers are multiplying. Dogged by their feral hunger for flesh and crippled by fear, Lilly relies on the protection of good Samaritans by seeking refuge in a walled-in town once known as Woodbury, Georgia.

At first, Woodbury seems like a perfect sanctuar...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, dystopian, zombies

Like The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor this is a novel. Now I’ve read all The Walking Dead books I have been able to acquire from my library system. (Except for The Walking Dead Compendium Two, which I’m hoping they’ll call and tell me is waiting for me to pick up Tuesday.)

I read a lot of media tie-in books, in which the number one rule is don’t mess with the world or the major characters. Up until the last paragraphs of this novel I thought/ feared/ was sure the authors had messed that up...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Cynthia rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a convincing world and though I have started somewhere in the middle, this book works as a stand alone story and will lead me back to others. The first sentence is compelling, and the characters are well drawn. The arc of both the narrative and the characters' adventures feel rich and satisfying; esp with the way people come together and move apart. It gives the novel a 'reality' texture. I do find that there is a great deal of fairly heavy foreshadowing for each impending zombie attack...more

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Dec 10, 2012 MissAnnThrope rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, library-book, painful, waste-of-mutha-effen-time, zombies

10 December 2012

*YAWWWWN*

Ho hum. After my lukewarm experience with The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor, I had hopes that the follow-up would be more interesting so that I would want to finish this trilogy. Unfortunately, The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury feels painfully drawn out. It doesn't really get exciting until you get about 160 pages in.

At the conclusion of The Walking Dead, Vol. 8: Made to Suffer, my curiosity was piqued. Who the heck is this Lilly? I wanted so badly to know more...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-sheila

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Road to Woodbury is told from the perspective of an outsider to the budding little town.

The Review:

Road to Woodbury is the second installment of the Governor Trilogy, following the events that shaped the Governor into the super villain he is today. While I am not really a fan of the show, I did enjoy the first book in this series. The second one….not so much. I had such a hard time listening to this audiobook, I was forced to quit before rea...more Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Road to Woodbury is told from the perspective of an outsider to the budding little town.

The Review:

Road to Woodbury is the second installment of the Governor Trilogy, following the events that shaped the Governor into the super villain he is today. While I am not really a fan of the show, I did enjoy the first book in this series. The second one….not so much. I had such a hard time listening to this audiobook, I was forced to quit before reaching the end.

This book appears to follow a new group of survivors on their personal journey leading them to the infamous Woodbury. While I may appreciate an outsider’s perspective on unfolding events, I find myself unable to properly describe in more detail of what went on. Let me explain.

The larger casts of characters, both male and female, were given terrible voices by the narrator. Fred Berman, the same actor that did the first audiobook in this trilogy, had a hard time making truly distinctive voices for everyone. I realize the challenge he faced was quite large, but the only way I could tell one person from the next was from the context. By forcing myself to concentrate harder on the language to keep up with the story, I found myself unable to appreciate the whole experience. Audiobooks are meant to make things easier for a reader to enjoy a story, not harder.

If the narration were the only issue, I would have been able to endure it for the sake of a good story. Unfortunately, the entire middle (4 disks to be more precise) seemed to drag on. There was the occasional zombie fight that would shake things up but other than that, I found it to be boring. Lilly and company turned out to not be very relatable for me. As an example, Lilly herself was, on occasion, as fierce as a lion while the next moment she’d be doing her best impression of a dear in headlights. Her unpredictability overshadowed any redeemable qualities she may have exhibited.

While the main issues I had were related directly to the audiobook format, I might find myself reading the book in the near future. There were moments of brilliant imagery with dark and descriptive wording that would have had a larger impact on me in the written word. I may not like zombie movies anymore, but I do occasionally enjoy a good story of the undead. The Walking Dead is a wonderful terror that should be savored. I recommend reading the book in order to get the most from this prequel.

FTC Advisory: Macmillan Audio graciously provided me with a copy of Road to Woodbury. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment received came in the form of hugs and kisses from my little boys.(less)

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Nov 21, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 2 of 5 stars

The Road to Woodbury is the sequel to Rise of the Governor. In this novel we are introduced to Lilly Caul who is essentially the protagonist of the novel. Lilly suffers from crippling anxiety and has other mental health problem therefore being caught in the middle of a zombie apocalypse is not doing wonders for her. Lilly begins has joined with a group survivors to create a tent city but when her friend and soon to be lover is banished for killing the man who was trying to kill her, Lilly throws...more The Road to Woodbury is the sequel to Rise of the Governor. In this novel we are introduced to Lilly Caul who is essentially the protagonist of the novel. Lilly suffers from crippling anxiety and has other mental health problem therefore being caught in the middle of a zombie apocalypse is not doing wonders for her. Lilly begins has joined with a group survivors to create a tent city but when her friend and soon to be lover is banished for killing the man who was trying to kill her, Lilly throws her lot in with him and thus begins their journey to Woodbury.

Like all other incarnations of The Walking Dead series, The Road to Woodbury isn't actually about the zombies, but about how people survive when everything they have ever known has been ripped from them and they are forced to struggle to survive. Without laws to force conformity and reduce violence, baser instincts quickly kick in.

I wish that I could say that this book is compelling because I love The Walking Dead but I found The Road to Woodbury boring. It didn't add anything new to the cannon, nor did it develop any of the interesting characters in the series. Because we already know how the Governor dies, the ending of this book is absolutely anti-climactic.

I like that this book centered around a disabled character; however, I found it disturbing that as the book went on, her disabilities seemed to bother her less and less. For some this could be read as Lilly finding her strength and becoming numb to the horrors around her; however, because it is a common tactic in media to heal or disappear disabilities, I am not comfortable with this approach. The other major female character in this book is Lilly's best friend Megan. Megan does a lot of drugs and it is clear that she is self medicating. Megan also sleeps with a lot of men and ends up prostituting herself for drugs. Though Lilly remains her friend, it is clear that all around her perceive Megan to be a slut and this is a problem. There is no shame attached to the men who sleep with her but Megan clearly constructed as a home wrecker.

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Oct 31, 2012 Scott D. Danielson rated it 4 of 5 stars

"He seemed like a good man."

She looks up, focusing on the doctor. "Is that even possible any more?"

"Is what possible?"

"Being a good person?"

Fred Berman narrates this Walking Dead audiobook, written by Robert Kirkman (the creator) and Jay Bonansinga. I enjoy his narration very much. Even though there is a bunch of zombie fighting in this book, it's character driven, and Berman adds great touches to each character.

I watch the Walking Dead TV show, and The Governor was introduced just last week. I'm told he's a big part of the graphic novel story, and that this, the second book in a three book series, is a novelization of a storyline from those. My interest comes as a fan of the TV show - I have only limited knowledge of the graphic novels. This book does not follow the same characters that the TV show follows, but the stories take place in the same world.

My interest in the TV show and the audiobooks has not waned because it turns out that a zombie-ridden Earth is a fine place to tell a story that explores how average people cope when civilization disappears. History is riddled with terrible leaders, and this novel explores how a horrible man can end up leading people, and how those people can end up falling in line.

The novel follows several people as they travel and live and die, making their way across the post-apocalyptic landscape. Eventually, the group ends up at Woodbury, the walled community where The Governor rules. The characters are forced then to make a decision. They can follow this man that the alert ones quickly realize is mad, enjoy the safety from the zombies he provides, or they can take off again on their own, the mere thought of which would make anyone weary. The characters have many different answers. In a world where the characters are constantly threatened by the monstrous, some decide they need a monster of their own for protection, some will have no such thing, and some, despite what they've seen, are offended enough to try to change things.

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Jan 21, 2013 Angie added it

Shelves: adult-fiction, zombies

This is the second book in the Walking Dead trilogy. It tells the story of Lilly Caul and how she came to Woodbury. Lilly is a survivor from Georgia who is part of a large group. She and a few others leave the group and set off on their own. They eventually reach Woodbury. Some of the group find their place right away. Bob, the drunken Army medic, becomes a favorite of the governor. Megan becomes a prostitute selling herself to survive. Scott, Megan's druggy boyfriend, disappears. Lilly and Josh...more

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May 04, 2013 Katie Kenig rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: apocolyptic, horror

After recently finishing the first book in this prequel series of The Walking Dead, I was really excited to move onto the next; more learning about the history and motivation of characters, more in-depth analysis of the community at Woodbury and how exactly the people there became complacent to the horrors The Governor perpetrated.

Imagine my disappointment when this book turned out to be extra gory and extra violent with no real payoff in the character development department, leaving me with mor...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Pandora Richardson rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really wanted to give this book 4 stars. But in the end after thinking it over, I can't. The story is technically OK, the characters are rich, and you find yourself on the edge of your seat several times. Kirkman is like a zombie god. The only thing that could top his work is a collaboration with Max Brooks! LOL That said, what continually gnawed at me throughout this book was the fact that it adds nothing new to the series and I'm really tired of The Governor. Yes he was great in the comic, y...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Lydia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: abuse, adult, companion, dystopia, horror, zombies

Characters: This time the story is told from the POV of another survivor, Lilly, who (like Brian) is struggling to face up to the brutality of the Plague World and is too afraid to fight. Lilly’s group of friends is somewhat more relatable than the group in Rise of the Governor, and their fates have more impact. The story also gives a little more insight into the turbulent mind of the Governor as he struggles with his identity.

Plot: Lilly comes to Woodbury after a series of troubles trying to s...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars

As the follow-up to "Rise of the Governor," I expected more time to be spent at Woodbury. Of course this is "Road to Woodbury" and so the first half of the book was essentially just Lilly + cohorts getting there. I didn't really care for her as a main character, she seemed so cowardly even after reading the previous book through the character of Brian. Lilly takes too long to stand up for herself in any way. On the other hand, she was great compared to Megan, who honestly was just a slutty pothe...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Elizabeth Barone rated it 4 of 5 stars

The first in this trilogy is definitely my favorite, but ROAD TO WOODBURY still delivered. Bonansinga, as usual, displays a knack for crystalline, unique description, and interesting characters. His style reminds me of a more descriptive, less sarcastic Stephen King.

The gore and heart-pounding, adrenaline-laced pace in this book kept me up three nights in a row, past midnight, reading for hours straight until my eyes crossed.

The only real complaint I have is Bonansinga's repetitive use of certai...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: apocalyptic-dystopic, made-into-a-movie, pop-fiction, scifi-fantasy, thriller-adventure

I had a really hard time with Kirkman's first in this series, The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor because it was such a dark, dismal story. Okay, any apocalyptical story, whether there are zombies involved or not, is going to be dark. But Kirkman, more than other authors in this genre, is not afraid of creating central characters who are weak. Their cowardice and weakness is almost loathsome at points.

After having time to think about the changes that the Blake brothers underwent in the first...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Emily rated it 1 of 5 stars

It's only my love of the graphic novels and the tv show that keeps me coming back to these lesser cousins. The book goes for "literature" with unending sentences, instead of "good reading" with good sentences. I wanted to chuck it across the room the THIRD time the same characters were caught unawares by an oncoming clot of walkers. After the THIRD time you just deserve to die and give the page space to people smart enough to live! And when did "zombie" become part of the Walking Dead lexicon?!...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Jim rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

This book is nominally a sequel to Rise of the Governor; I say nominally because we don't see an of the characters or plot threads from that book until this one is about half over. So in that regard, right off the bat this book disappoints. What about in other regards? To be honest, it isn't very well-written. The characters are deeply stupid and the writing is incredibly repetitive, and that is a bad, bad combination. I lost count of how many times the narration would point out that because of...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Nicholas Burress rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of the series; Those already invested in this book series.

It was not the best book I've read. Kirkman had a lot of potential with this series. I did like the book and learning more about the town of Woodbury and the troubles they went through, but the book did not seem to have a true purpose. It was written fairly well, but the plot was just bland and...predictable. It doesn't help that I do have a lot of background information, being a fan of the Walking Dead TV Show and comic book.

The first book made me interested in the characters and the (for a la...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Forgotten Realms Queen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, zombies

The Road to Woodbury is the second installment of the novel series based (so far) on one of the most infamous characters of the Walking Dead series, both graphic novel and television. In the first installment, Rise of the Governor, we are introduced to Philip and Brian Blake, two brothers, one destined to become the Governor, the other destined not to live to see the second book. We're also introduced to little Penny and her fate in the apocalypse. So the first one's all back story really.

In Roa...more

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May 14, 2013 John Kirk rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you've read the previous book, you'll know what the writing style is like, and this is basically more of the same. I still disagree with putting the book in the present tense, particularly because there are a few bits where the authors talk about what will happen in the future. If this was all written in the past tense then it makes sense that future events for the characters would also be in the past for the narrator, but it's straining the concept a bit here. Also, in one of those sections...more If you've read the previous book, you'll know what the writing style is like, and this is basically more of the same. I still disagree with putting the book in the present tense, particularly because there are a few bits where the authors talk about what will happen in the future. If this was all written in the past tense then it makes sense that future events for the characters would also be in the past for the narrator, but it's straining the concept a bit here. Also, in one of those sections the text uses "would" when it should have said "will". I don't like to nitpick, but I'm aware of this because it distracted my attention from the story.

My main criticism of the first book was the misleading title, i.e. nobody ever even said the word "Governor". This book does better, i.e. it fills in some of the gap between the first book and the comics. However, I think it also cheats a bit by having a bit of a time lapse in between, so we don't see exactly how the Governor came to power: it's just presented as a fait accompli.

(view spoiler)

All in all, this is ok on its own merits, but it's certainly not essential reading; it doesn't really enhance the comics at all, and they tell a better story.(less)

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Oct 18, 2012 Felicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read, audiobook, audible-purchase-2012, 4-wine-glasses

Listened for Fun!
Overall Rating: 4.00
Story Rating: 4.25
Character Rating: 3.75

Audio Rating: 3.25

First thought when finished: The Road to Woodbury was much better than The Rise of the Governor! Also proved that the humans are scarier than the zombies!

What I thought of the story: The Road to Woodbury was really the journey of Lily and her experience with The Governer and Woodbury. To me, this is where the story shines because you really want to know how it works out for her. When she is the focus,...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Alexis Winning rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: zombies

Ummmm...ok...that was almost pointless.

I LOVE The Walking Dead. I think the graphic novels are possibly the best zombie story ever written. I love the show, and I liked "Rise of the Governor". There was at least a point to the storyline in "Rise". We learned the backstory of Phillip Blake (or Brian Blake-whatever), and it added to the whole Walking Dead World. It almost pains me to speak poorly of a member of the Walking Dead intellectual family with regards to this book.

Perhaps my expectation...more

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About Robert Kirkman

Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead, Invincible for Image Comics, as well as Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt. He is one of the five partners of Image Comics, and the only one of the five who was not one of the original co-founders of...more

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Books by Robert Kirkman

The Walking Dead, Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us

The Walking Dead, Vol. 3: Safety Behind Bars

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title link	preview: The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury
avg rating	preview: The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury Goodreads rating: 3.57 (1775 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13538757-the-walking-dead?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1366252376l/13538757.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13538757-the-walking-dead?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury by Robert Kirkman[/url]

The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury (The Governor Trilogy #2)

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