Lets talk about the Dead - Zombies, Zombies, Zombies (The Dead Sagas)

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Greetings,
So I would like to talk about the Dead!

They go by many names: Living Dead, Walking Dead, Zombies, Walkers (if you watch that show), Infected… so many different names and takes on the concept of the reanimated corpse.

As some of you are aware, these undead creatures feature prominently in my new novel The Dead Sagas, Volume I, Part I. Now, some of you may be put off by the word “Zombies” and indeed it is not a word that appears in my novel – Not once! To me the word conjures up thoughts of 70s & 80s horror movies (which by the way I love!) and the myriad of remakes and re-workings which we have all seen many, many times since then. In fact, a whole “Zombie” genre has been spawned.
However, these creatures appear also appear in D&D and gaming and often in our beloved Fantasy genres. A certain, perhaps little known series (*laughs to himself) called “A song of ice and fire” or to the masses “Game of Thrones” even uses the rotting horror that is a risen corpse. It is a subject that seems to have captivated us throughout the ages whether we are a fan of them or not. But I didn’t want to write just another Zombie novel.

So for those of you who are a fan of the Zombie genre, you may be wondering what type I have used in the book?

Do I want running zombies or slow stumbling zombies? - Always a big question to the zombie genre fan.
G E Ramero’s slow zombies are a classic. Tabletop gamers will be familiar with them from D&D (possibly what inspired him). The slow shambling hordes, slow - yet inexorable. The same “walkers” still used today in the popular show TWD. Slow but still nonetheless scary.
Then, of course, there are the running types. These scary as hell running zombies feature prominently in some of the newer zombie film remakes or like those in ASOIAF.
Or, do I want not actually dead, but “infected” as seen in the films 28 days/ weeks later or I am Legend.
Now, personally I also love the Deadites from Evil dead – The idea of a greater evil which can re-animate the dead (amongst other things). But which would I use?

Well I wanted all of them, one way or another. I wanted all sorts of evil spirits and demons and possession and things like that too. I wanted a full on living dead experience for my readers.
So I set about planning and writing, testing different concepts until finally I think I cracked it and found a way to get everything I wanted.





*************** Concept Spoilers ahead*****************

No plot spoilers but a small glimpse into the Undead concepts I have used in The Dead Sagas

If you don’t want to know, stop reading now!!!















**************** Concept Spoilers ahead***************



There is no magic as such in the world of The Dead Sagas but there sort of is as well?
Confused, curious… good!
The Dead Sagas uses the idea of a terrible ancient darkness which can possess and animate a corpse. This darkness can overwhelm and bend a mortal mind to its will. Those touched by it can become possessed by it. But it is not strong enough to fully break through to the mortal world. It can be invoked into a corpse and re-animate it with its dark essence. This essence is a trace of darkness, not strong enough to achieve true conscious life, but instead leaves a mindless re-animated corpse bent on destroying life which it cannot have.
Those who are living, who are not taken by the darkness but instead are tainted with it through a wound are simply driven mad and become ghoul like fiends who upon their death rise up again in undeath.

So I have slow shambling, stumbling Dead (either re-animated or turned through death) who can spread the taint of darkness. (classic zombies)
The not yet dead ghouls who are tainted and cursed with the madness of the darkness – The cursed ones, who then die and join the ranks of the dead anyway. (scary clever running monster zombie type things)
And some few who are possessed and haunted by the greater consciousness of the evil darkness.

Now, how to kill the dead – you will have to read to find out but suffice to say it is not as simple as the conventional genre would have it.

So, without giving much more away, this concept allows me to come up with so many interesting and fun things to write about (and that’s just the dead – there’s still the cannibals, plagues, politics and wars, the characters and the overall story.) There is still so much more about the Dead I cannot mention without spoiling certain elements of the books – it gets quite interesting I can assure you.

But still, I hope this brief glimpse has piqued your interest and you would like to take a look into the world of The Dead Sagas.

Thanks for reading,

Lee Conley