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128th out of 800 books
—
2,537 voters
The Living Dead 2 (The Living Dead #2)
by
John Joseph Adams (Goodreads Author) ,
Robert Kirkman, Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due (Goodreads Author), Paula R. Stiles, Adam-Troy Castro, Karina Sumner-Smith (Goodreads Author), Matt London
,
more…
The Living Dead 2 has more of what zombie fans hunger for: more scares, more action, more... brains! Experience the indispensable series that defines the very best in zombie literature with a shambling, ravenous herd of original stories. The Living Dead 2 also features a slavering horde of reprint zombie stories. All this adds up to a landmark volume that helps define what...more
Paperback, 496 pages
Published
September 1st 2010
by Night Shade Books
(first published 2010)
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Speaking from the perspective of a long-time zombie fan who has been carrying the torch for George Romero since the early 70s (when i got a glimpse of Night of The Living Dead at far too young an age for it), I am starting to run toward zombie overload. I love this stuff, but the way it has been coming out recently? We are getting almost as bad as Stephanie Meyer fans and her teenage lust-struck vampires. Thank goodness zombie apocalypse tales tend to be a bit more literate and a bit more varied...more
I will admit to skimming and skipping over a couple of the stories here. Overall I liked a lot of them (I'd originally gotten it just to read Reluctance from Cherie Priest).
The first 2 stories were wholly depressing (and in zombie anthologies, that is usually the case). There were a couple of stories, though, that were lighter. And one I really wished I had skipped (Zombie Gigolo - I know, I'm a tad embarrassed to admit I read it. I'm horrifically grossed out. I can take descriptions of ghoulish...more
The first 2 stories were wholly depressing (and in zombie anthologies, that is usually the case). There were a couple of stories, though, that were lighter. And one I really wished I had skipped (Zombie Gigolo - I know, I'm a tad embarrassed to admit I read it. I'm horrifically grossed out. I can take descriptions of ghoulish...more
While reading this one I was forced to acknowledge a sad truth about anthologies today: They just don't make em like they used to.
While there were some really great stories in this antho (largely by proven authors like Gary A Braunbeck, David J Schow, Brian Keene, Sarah Langan and Jonathan Maberry) most of them just weren't all that stellar and came off more as tales you could easily forget shortly after finishing the book. Maybe I'm a bit spoiled having gotten hooked on horror in the 90s when...more
While there were some really great stories in this antho (largely by proven authors like Gary A Braunbeck, David J Schow, Brian Keene, Sarah Langan and Jonathan Maberry) most of them just weren't all that stellar and came off more as tales you could easily forget shortly after finishing the book. Maybe I'm a bit spoiled having gotten hooked on horror in the 90s when...more
The Living Dead 2 is a mammoth collection of short zombie stories compiled by John Joseph Adams and featuring a host of zombie-famous writers such as Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead), Carrie Ryan (The Forest of Hands and Teeth), Max Brooks (World War Z) and Mira Grant (the Deadline trilogy).
Like most anthologies, it's a mixed bag. A few are so-so, a few are amazing (don't miss Steven Barnes' and Tananarive Due's Danger Word), and most are somewhere in between, but they're all entertaining enou...more
Like most anthologies, it's a mixed bag. A few are so-so, a few are amazing (don't miss Steven Barnes' and Tananarive Due's Danger Word), and most are somewhere in between, but they're all entertaining enou...more
I was going to do a story-by-story analysis of the book, but I ended up skipping or skimming so many stories it would be pointless. They all sucked, and the ones that didn't suck sucked harder. There was definitely one about a zombie gigolo that almost made me throw up after a couple paragraphs. Mostly the stories were unremarkable. Especially the one by Robert Kirkman. Is anyone but me willing to acknowledge that while Walking Dead is awesome, Kirkman's writing style is cringe-worthy? I guess m...more
I used this anthology in my Zombies in Popular Media class* this semester, to great acclaim. The story collection has 44 original zombie stories from a variety of notable writers. It's pretty great. Like the last collection, there's a mix of different kinds of zombie stories here, from the military action of Joe McKinney to the existential torment of Adam-Troy Castro. A few highlights, for me:
* "Zero Tolerance" by Jonathan Mayberry continues the saga started in Patient Zero, but mixes in the qu...more
* "Zero Tolerance" by Jonathan Mayberry continues the saga started in Patient Zero, but mixes in the qu...more
Anthologies are always a mixed bag, this one unfortuately wasnt stellar.
THE GOOD
I bought this Anthology for one reason only: Robert Kirkman. I'm a huge fan of his comic The Walking Dead so I was excited to see his very first published prose story:
Alone,Together
This story is about a couple trying to stay alive after a zombie apocalypse. The narraton focuses on the reminiscence of Timothy about his former love and his current relationship. I really enjoyed this story,what it lacks in zombie viole...more
THE GOOD
I bought this Anthology for one reason only: Robert Kirkman. I'm a huge fan of his comic The Walking Dead so I was excited to see his very first published prose story:
Alone,Together
This story is about a couple trying to stay alive after a zombie apocalypse. The narraton focuses on the reminiscence of Timothy about his former love and his current relationship. I really enjoyed this story,what it lacks in zombie viole...more
Overall, i enjoyed this book very much. It had grossery (is that a word?) horror, humor, sadness, and some downright terrible stories that i couldn't make it through. I'm an avid fan of a good zombie story and i couldn't help picking this book up at the library. So here is an individual analysis of each story:
5 Stars*****
Obviously, my favorites
The Anteroom by Adam-Troy Castro
This was some good 2nd person prose. It was different, and i liked the twist on the afterlife and the possibility that zom...more
5 Stars*****
Obviously, my favorites
The Anteroom by Adam-Troy Castro
This was some good 2nd person prose. It was different, and i liked the twist on the afterlife and the possibility that zom...more
This review is only for "The Last Stand" by Kelley Armstrong. I'm usually pretty prejudiced about the short stories I read by my favorite authors; sticking to shorts that fit into a longer series. This story, however, is an original one. I found this type of zombie to be incredibly interesting, and much more to my liking than traditional archetypes of the creature. In fact, I wasn't sure which group were the zombies when I started reading! I would definitely read more in this universe if it beca...more
Far, far, better than the first anthology in my opinion. The first one had more than it's fair share of Voodoo Zombies that while interesting, really aren't what most people are dying to read about when they go for a giant book of Zombie short stories.
This one was different. This was darker, grittier, more bloody, and more apocalyptic than I could ever have dreamed. Total success if that is what the editor was going for in this instance and I like to think he was.
(Funny side story. I fell aslee...more
This one was different. This was darker, grittier, more bloody, and more apocalyptic than I could ever have dreamed. Total success if that is what the editor was going for in this instance and I like to think he was.
(Funny side story. I fell aslee...more
Yeah I bought this one for one story and one story only. Though I wound up enjoying the rest of the book. There is a short story in here by Jonathan Maberry. He wraps up a loose end from Patient Zero that I had no idea was a loose end. It was awesome how the story started out. I had no idea what I was reading at first. I had to go back and reread the beginning again because it was written so fluidly. By the end of it I was yet again left mouth open and impressed with what Jonathan Maberry has cr...more
I said zombies, I meant zombies. No space ships, though...
The trouble with reading on an eReader is it is hard to skip through to find the stand-out stories that you really, really liked (and don't be down on me if you have a Kindle, which does allow for ease of bookmarking - I know, and I don't have a Kindle!) or disliked.
Complete story list here - http://nightshadebooks.com/cart.php?m...
Good People was definitely one of the best - a "put the book down and think about it" story. If you want to...more
The trouble with reading on an eReader is it is hard to skip through to find the stand-out stories that you really, really liked (and don't be down on me if you have a Kindle, which does allow for ease of bookmarking - I know, and I don't have a Kindle!) or disliked.
Complete story list here - http://nightshadebooks.com/cart.php?m...
Good People was definitely one of the best - a "put the book down and think about it" story. If you want to...more
I've been thinking about zombies for two days straight now, having polished off this second volume. There are some great pieces here. Though nothing came close to the shear horror of Michael Swanick's "The Dead" from volume I, the best story here, by miles is Jamie Lackey's, 'The Other Side.' Four pages, no fighting or biting, not a single zombie makes an appearance, but it was absolutely gripping. Can't wait for volume III, but I'm off make sure the wife didn't get bitten.
William Doonan
author o...more
William Doonan
author o...more
Another day, another anthology. But this one features my favorite: ZOMBIES! According to the editor, John Joseph Adams, this anthology gives the newest of the new running the full spectrum of stories. It definitely delivered. I loved so many of these stories. I like almost all of the stories. I only disliked a couple. Out of 43, I would say 40 were enjoyable. That is quite a score for an anthology.
Here were my absolute favorites:
•Seth Lindberg “Twenty-Three Snapshots of San Francisco” — Interest...more
Here were my absolute favorites:
•Seth Lindberg “Twenty-Three Snapshots of San Francisco” — Interest...more
After the runaway success of The Living Dead, editor John Joseph Adams is back with a follow up collection featuring a whole host of new authors writing about the walking dead. So grab a big cup of coffee, a warm blanket, and sequester yourself in a dark, quiet room, with one window looking out onto you don’t know what, and take a trip into a series of meetings with beings who want nothing more than to eat you alive, while you scream.
The collection begins with a short introduction by Adams going...more
The collection begins with a short introduction by Adams going...more
The reviews of the stories that could not fit into this review are in the comment section starting at comment #10. Sorry but GR only allows reviews of less than 20,000 characters. :(
Alone, Together by Robert Kirkman (3 stars) - I would read a full length book if this story was/is expanded on. It's not the best one I've read so far, IMO, but it's definitely good. I'm not so into the whole 'love story in the middle of zombie territory' but some people can pull it off.
Danger Word by Steven Barnes &...more
Alone, Together by Robert Kirkman (3 stars) - I would read a full length book if this story was/is expanded on. It's not the best one I've read so far, IMO, but it's definitely good. I'm not so into the whole 'love story in the middle of zombie territory' but some people can pull it off.
Danger Word by Steven Barnes &...more
view all 11 comments
Absolutely a MUST HAVE for any fan of the genre. I typically judge an anthology based on the number of "duds" I find between the covers. Every collection of stories has 'em. Given the sheer number of shorts packed into this work, I was incredibly surprised to find only a handful (4-5). They run the gambit from your typical "zom-pocalypse" settings, to much more innovative, dare I say, thought-provoking, fiction. Some were suspenseful, other terrifying, and more than a few were hilarious (one sto...more
I found a lot of these stories were really well-written and brought something new to the zombie genre. Some of the stories have stayed with me, and randomly pop into my head when I'm doing something else.
Unlike the first anthology, I think I enjoyed almost all of these stories and wished for the majority of them to expanded.
Really, there's something for everyone -- Samurai zombies. Nazi zombies. Terrorist zombies. Gigolo zombies. Zombies for all!
Two thumbs up.
Unlike the first anthology, I think I enjoyed almost all of these stories and wished for the majority of them to expanded.
Really, there's something for everyone -- Samurai zombies. Nazi zombies. Terrorist zombies. Gigolo zombies. Zombies for all!
Two thumbs up.
I liked the stories in this one better than The Living Dead (though both books had some amazing stories!).
The standouts:
Alone, Together
Danger Word
Zombieville
The Anteroom
Category Five
Living With the Dead
Good People
Pirates vs. Zombies
Obedience
The Rapeworm
We Now Pause for Station Identification
Rural Dead-One of my very favorites
Therapeutic Intervention: LOVED this one!
Last Stand
The Thought War
Dating in a Dead World
The Days of Flaming Motorcycles
Zero Tolerance
And the next, and the next
The standouts:
Alone, Together
Danger Word
Zombieville
The Anteroom
Category Five
Living With the Dead
Good People
Pirates vs. Zombies
Obedience
The Rapeworm
We Now Pause for Station Identification
Rural Dead-One of my very favorites
Therapeutic Intervention: LOVED this one!
Last Stand
The Thought War
Dating in a Dead World
The Days of Flaming Motorcycles
Zero Tolerance
And the next, and the next
I'm preparing to purchase two more John Joseph Adams anthologies, so I figured I should read the last one I bought...
Standouts include:
Are You Trying to Tell Me This Is Heaven? - Sarah Langan
Tameshirgiri - Steven Gould
Zombie Season - Catherine MacLeod
Last Stand - Kelley Armstrong
He Said, Laughing - Simon R. Green
The Crocodiles - Steven Popkes
Good People - David Wellington
The Other Side - Jamie Lackey
Standouts include:
Are You Trying to Tell Me This Is Heaven? - Sarah Langan
Tameshirgiri - Steven Gould
Zombie Season - Catherine MacLeod
Last Stand - Kelley Armstrong
He Said, Laughing - Simon R. Green
The Crocodiles - Steven Popkes
Good People - David Wellington
The Other Side - Jamie Lackey
I'm an unapologetic fan of zombie stories. This volume, masterfully compiled and annotated by John Joseph Adams, continues to plumb the depths of the genre. All of these writers are playing in Romero's sandbox, but are constructing castles of their own. The best tales here are those that pick up on the tantalizing lead offered by Romero in Day of the Dead (Bud!), and there's an overall emphasis on the human side of the zombie apocalypse: the physical and emotional impacts, the re-ordering of soc...more
I enjoyed this follow-up to The Living Dead more than I did the original. Stories range from great to mediocre with only a couple of bad ones. A few really good ones make it worth reading: Danger Word, Good People,Rural Dead,The Skull-Faced City, & Last Stand. Even the weaker stories were entertaining. I recommend it to those who like zombie fiction....& who aren't squeamish about gore & violence.
So this was the last book of my self imposed Zombie themed reads, and it was much better than the original anthology.Though I did enjoy a couple of stories in the The Living Dead, this book's collection was much stronger. I would say what I loved the most was the variety of themes, it was not all typical zombie scenarios, a lot of the stories were extremely creative and dealt with the zombies in different ways to express themes of loss, fear, mental state, and even reality. Overall a very strong...more
Again, Adams puts together a really great collection of zombie stories. Zombies and pirates. Zombies and ninja. The only one I couldn't get through was zombies, cowboys, and dinosaurs. It was just a little too...I don't know, something.
Anyhow, a marvelous scope not just of those that survive, but of the dead as well.
Anyhow, a marvelous scope not just of those that survive, but of the dead as well.
It took me a while to finish reading this because there always seemed to be better books lying around to read. I didn't want to skim over this book like so many people have done before, but I'm afraid it's that sort of book. Not every story is a winner but there are some knew angles to the zombie genre, although nothing that's going to utterly surprise you. Personally, I have quite a short attention span and there are enough short tales to hold my attention, but there are a few that could have e...more
Some of these were really great and some not so great. Here is a list of the best in my opinion:
Alone, Together - Robert Kirkman (I love The Walking Dead, so I was the most excited to read this one)
Mouja - Matt London
Living With The Dead - Molly Brown
Good People - David Wellington
Obedience - Brenna Yovanoff (Most likely my favorite, I loved the main character)
Who We Used To Be - David Moody
Theraputic Intervention - Rory Harper
He Said, Laughing - Simon R. Green
Last Stand - Kelley Armstrong (It to...more
Alone, Together - Robert Kirkman (I love The Walking Dead, so I was the most excited to read this one)
Mouja - Matt London
Living With The Dead - Molly Brown
Good People - David Wellington
Obedience - Brenna Yovanoff (Most likely my favorite, I loved the main character)
Who We Used To Be - David Moody
Theraputic Intervention - Rory Harper
He Said, Laughing - Simon R. Green
Last Stand - Kelley Armstrong (It to...more
Loved it. I really enjoyed getting a sample of many different authors and many different takes on zombies. They had some fantastic ideas. They're all short stories so I didn't have to invest much time in the stories I didn't particular revel in.
I ONLY READ THE "Flotsam & Jetsam" story by Carrie Ryan. I actually read it as a stand-alone epub but the story itself was not an option to add to my list.
Only Reading the Carrie Ryan story "Flotsam & Jetsam" ~ This just made me sad. But I guess that's what the Zombie-pocalypse will do to you...
I don't really get into zombies though I really like apocalyptic fiction ... these stories are well written, well edited and interesting.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| I loved this collection! | 2 | 10 | Dec 01, 2012 06:37am |
John Joseph Adams—called “the reigning king of the anthology world” by Barnes & Noble.com—is the bestselling editor of many anthologies, such as UNDER THE MOONS OF MARS: NEW ADVENTURES ON BARSOOM, ARMORED, LIGHTSPEED: YEAR ONE, BRAVE NEW WORLDS, WASTELANDS, THE LIVING DEAD, THE LIVING DEAD 2, BY BLOOD WE LIVE, FEDERATIONS, THE IMPROBABLE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, and THE WAY OF THE WIZARD...more
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