This was pretty freaking awesome, my very first graphic novel and what an introduction. Like many others I picked thi...moreOpening Line: “This is not good.”
This was pretty freaking awesome, my very first graphic novel and what an introduction. Like many others I picked this up because I’m obsessed with AMC’s The Walking Dead and wanted, well I just wanted more. I was also curious about the graphic novels, I’d heard they were good but I’ll be honest I wasn’t expecting much, I mean they’re comics right, how engaging can they be?
However DAYS GONE BYE captured my attention from page one and managed to hold me hostage for the entire hour it took to read, giving me a real sense of sense of anticipation, anxiety and fear. I think what makes this so good (besides all the awesome zombie ass kicking) is that Kirkman has managed to capture the human story so well, which I didn’t expect. I found myself really caring about the outcome of the characters even the ones I didn’t know because they hadn’t made it into the TV series.
On that note probably the most fun for me here (and purists will hate this) was comparing the graphic novel to the TV series. What they used, what they changed, how the characters look etc. The outcome of this book is very different to the end of season 1 and surprised the hell out of me. And while the dialougue can be kinda corny the black and white artwork is awesome; detailed, -you can see their breathe when it gets cold, realistic(?) What I mean is they don’t look like superheroes all muscles, tiny waists and huge boobs. The zombies are seriously disgusting and the kill shots (on both sides) are amazing. Yup this was a great read and very, very addictive. Looks like I’ll be splurging on The Walking Dead Compendium after all. Cheers
Volume 1 follows officer Rick Grimes from pre apocalypse shootout through waking up alone in the abandoned hospital. We then trail him as he meets bicycle girl! the flat end of Morgan & Dwayne’s shovel and starts to adjust to life in his new zombie filled world, before setting off to Atlanta in search of his wife and son. No tank scene there but he rides that ill-fated horse and gets rescued by Glenn who takes him to the encampment and other survivors.
On the heels of my Walking Dead obsession, THE FIRST DAYS fit the bill perfectly and I would recommend it to anyone who’s a fan of the zombie genre. F...moreOn the heels of my Walking Dead obsession, THE FIRST DAYS fit the bill perfectly and I would recommend it to anyone who’s a fan of the zombie genre. From the very first page I was hooked, I mean how could you not be both intrigued and freaked out by passages like this …
“Tiny fingers. So small. So very, very small. The fingers pressed under the front door of her home were so very small. She couldn’t stop staring at those baby fingers straining frantically to reach her as she stood shivering on the porch.”
Jeez, and it only gets better too. Fast paced, scary and gore filled, Rhiannon Frater has created an imaginative and haunting new world here and I wasn't ever entirely sure where she was going to go with it. She never lets the pace up either; every chapter has some form of chaos, action or horror involved. Probably because this was first written as an online serial (later self published and now released by Tor books) There’s also hints of humour (mostly in the absurd) romance, and a multitude of new and interesting Zombie personalities. Old granny zombie comes to mind, still clutching her very much alive cat as it tries to claw its way free from her arms.
Both the main characters are unique and interesting. Jenni is pretty screwed up and had a tendency to be all over the place (huh?) but I still found it refreshing to read about a zombie apocalypse from the female perspective. (Think Thelma and Louise meet George A Romero) All the secondary characters they contact along the way (living and dead) leave lasting impressions too and I can’t wait to continue on with this trilogy.
The story begins with those tiny fingers; they belong to Jennie’s baby who, along with her young son has just been eaten by her abusive husband. All three have risen, transformed forever into ravenous zombies. Just as her husband manages to break through the living room window a truck pulls up, the female driver yelling at her to get in. The driver is Katie, a former prosecutor who has just lost her wife but somehow in the mayhem managed to secure a truck, a weapon and a dog. The two form an instant bond and hit the road, trying to get out of the infested city.
With no real plan Jenni suddenly remembers that she has a stepson away at camp so they head out to rescue him. Throughout this read our characters kept having revelations; like sexual orientation or how many members are in the family. This was somewhat annoying but at least it kept me guessing. Before long Katie and Jenni discover the joys of watching zombie heads explode, how the rules (established in the movies) don’t necessarily apply and to what means their world has changed forever.
They eventually meet other survivors; a husband and wife team holed up in a gun store and a large group of refugees building a walled fort in a small Texas town -where the girls decide to settle. Here we meet Travis and Juan, the love interests and leaders who set about establishing a new safe community while the dead scratch endlessly at the outside walls and the survivors slowly begin to turn on each other. Cheers 287jb4(less)
Opening Line: "David and I became warriors in the zombie plague on the first day, but I don't think that means we were front line soldiers or somethin...moreOpening Line: "David and I became warriors in the zombie plague on the first day, but I don't think that means we were front line soldiers or something."
Touted as “romantic comedy with…brains.” this was a fantastic, super fun read that had me laughing from page 1 and just didn’t stop. Alongside all the gore and zombie mayhem there’s also a well written, action filled, story here which I think anyone who’s been in a long term relationship or seen Sean of the Dead will be able to relate to. Following average Seattle couple, Sarah and David as they try to save not only their crumbling marriage but struggle through the first few days of a zombie apocalypse. With only each other to rely on it becomes as much of a struggle not to kill the other as it does to battle the rising undead.
I loved the way this was written, I loved that Sarah and David live in the real world, they talk like we do, they bicker, they swear at each other, they drive a crappy car, they figure out how to kill zombies from plotlines they’ve seen in movies. And the chapter headings are hilarious too, consisting of *helpful relationship advice quotes*, altered to take into account the whole zombie issue. Married With Zombies takes a light hearted look at marriage while kicking major zombie ass and it was a blast.
Sarah and David are on the verge of divorce so it’s no wonder they don’t notice a few strange sightings on their way to couples counselling. However when they find Dr Kelly eating the previous clients it gets their attention. Suddenly which radio station to listen to, or how much time David spends playing video games is the least of their concerns. Which piece of office equipment best disables a zombie is the new normal. As it turns out a letter opener, high heeled shoe or even a well aimed Dr Phil book will work in a pinch.
Learning as they go Sarah and David return home only to find their undead neighbour in their bathroom, -turns out you can also kill a zombie by crushing his head with a toilet seat, however this does make things a little awkward when his girlfriend shows up. Luckily she’s got a stockpile of guns and ammunition (never can tell about ones neighbours can you) Because Sarah and David are about to leave the city, I mean things have got to better in the suburbs, right?
You’ll be cheering this dysfunctional couple along as they stumble across plagues of the undead, religious cults, a visit to a zombie casino, looting (another new normal) first drives in luxury cars, broken limbs and a visit to the country fair (zombies on ferris wheel anyone) Through all the arguing, when it comes right down to it theres no one else Sarah or David would rather go through a zombie apocalypse with than each other. Cheers
Thankfully this is only the first instalment from the Living With The Dead Series, Flip this Zombie is next.
*Men are from mars zombies are from hell. *Balance the workload in your relationship. No one person should be responsible for killing all the zombies. *Make requests, not demands “please” kill that zombie honey, I’m out of bullets. *Support your partner in their interests. You never know when batting practice, kung fu movies or even poker night might come in handy during a zombie infestation. *Never go to bed angry, terrified is okay. *Give each other compliments every day. Even when the undead attack, its nice to feel pretty or badass. *Address one issue at a time. You can’t load gasoline, pick up food and kill 15 zombies all at once.
"I should have know that having "end of the world" sex wouldn't solve our problems. Though it was pretty great and I highly recommend it. Its one of the big benefits of an apocalypse that no one tells you about. It just makes everything...better, because you know it might be the last time every time."
"Have you ever wanted to smash a car? or break a television? Or maybe burn a big fire in the middle of a city square? If the answer is yes, then you'd have some fun during a zombie infestation. Its the little moments, you know?"(less)
Opening Line: "January 1st 0358 hrs. Happy New Year to me"
Wow, this was a surprise! Before I begin I should tell you that I’ve never read a Zombie boo...moreOpening Line: "January 1st 0358 hrs. Happy New Year to me"
Wow, this was a surprise! Before I begin I should tell you that I’ve never read a Zombie book in my life and I’m not a fan of the genre (although I did think Shawn Of The Dead was hilarious.) I generally read romance novels with the occasional biography thrown in. So you can imagine my surprise when I became absolutely engrossed in a book about surviving a plague of walking dead.
Day By Day Armageddon was unputdownable and had me alternating between being really freaked out,(checking doors and windows) despairing for the future of mankind (also afraid of the dark) and getting my personal survival kit (weapons, food, Band-Aids, Gin) ready for “that day” -Could I really kill my undead friends and neighbours?
Simply put this is more then just a zombie novel and this romance reader loved every minute of it.
DBDA has been written from the first person and in the form of a journal which for me increased the suspense factor. Because our unnamed hero sometimes starts out an entry with things like “0430 hrs- I’m still weak from blood loss” before going back and explaining. As the reader you’re like, holy shit what happened last night?
The narrator is a US Navel officer who begins his journal as a New Years resolution. It all starts out rather mundanely with day to day life stuff and a few ominous mentions like this one "It seems that something is going on in China; the local news reported some type of influenza virus sweeping them over there.”
The flu is of course the Zombie virus and it spreads to apocalyptic proportions within months. I found these parts really interesting; how the author saw the realistic(?) breakdown of society, media blackouts and the extents the US government ultimately took to eradicate the disease. In the early entries our hero spends a great deal of time describing (in a very calm manner) how he safe guards his home; locating and stockpiling weapons and ammunition, collecting food and water and having an alternate power/communication plan in action. He’s a super smart guy and although the military jargon and descriptions of guns got to be a bit much I’d definitely want him on my side.
With swarms of undead now parading through the streets our barricaded hero eventually teams up with his neighbour John and with no options left the pair flees the city, picking up other survivors along the way and dealing with a multitude of post apocalyptic problems. The futility of it all really got to me here as they struggle to stay alive under ridiculous odds. I had a hard time seeing a point to it all. (Good bet I wouldn’t survive)
This book is full of action and also a ton of well written suspense although it wasn’t as gory as I was I expecting. Don’t get me wrong though, it has its moments but its not gore for gores sake, all the kills are warranted. (Can’t believe I just said that) As silly as this sounds this book really made me think; what would I do? How could I prepare myself? Could I survive? I should also warn you that this is addictive reading and that the ending is well… more than a cliff-hanger. Just make sure you have book 2 Beyond Exile: Day by Day Armageddon on hand because the war on Zombies isn’t over yet.
Highly Recommended for lovers of apocalyptic fiction, Zombie fiction, horror, adventure, disaster stories, military buffs, survivalist fiction and the occasional romance reader. Cheers! (less)
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