Zombie, Illinois

Zombie #2

by Scott Kenemore

The sequel to the bestselling Zombie, Ohio, this explosive supernatural thriller from Scott Kenemore tells the story of three Chicagoans who have been thrown together by a bizarre, interconnected series of events during the first twenty-four hours of a zombie outbreak in the Midwest's largest city. A partnership is crafted between a pastor from Chicago's rough South Side, an intrepid newspaper reporter, and a young female musician, all of whom are fighting for survival as they struggle to protect themselves and their communities in a city overrun with the walking dead. Between the barricaded neighborhoods and violent zombie hunters, the trio encounters many mysterious occurrences that leave them shaken and disturbed. When the mayor of Chicago is eaten by zombies on live television, and a group of shady aldermen attempt to seize power in the vacuum, these unlikely friends realize that they have stumbled upon a conspiracy to overthrow the city . . . and that they alone may be qualified to combine their talents to stop it.

Zombie, Illinois will delight devoted zombie fans and put readers in mind of some of the best recent works of supernatural horror. You will be left shocked, horrified, and craving brains! This novel will grab you from the first page and not let go until the riveting finale.

Genres: Zombies, Horror, Fiction, Apocalyptic, Post Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Humor

392 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

Scott Kenemore lives in Chicago. He attended Kenyon College and Columbia University. He is the drummer for the pop-punk band The Blissters."

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is okay: lots of adventure, local color, gory but funny in parts, etc. My only problem with Kenemore's actual story is his apparent pre-occupation with fatness. For example, one memorable scene involves a main character being temporarily, and to hilarious effect, smothered by a falling, morbidly obese, zombie (naked but for an adult diaper, because you know, she's just soooo fat that... whatever.) Hahaha! So funny, those dead fat people!

But beyond the many weight "jokes," what I hate, hate, hated about the e-book edition of Zombie, Illinois was not just the many typographic problems, but the fact that the author's name keeps popping up randomly throughout the book. Scott Kenemore, Scott Kenemore, Scott Kenemore... again and again. First I thought it was a character, but there was no context, so after the fifth or sixth appearance, I realized that it was simply the author's name, sprinkled through the book for no apparent reason.

Also, near the end, several chapters are duplicated. Like, a guy dies, but then in the next chapter he is fine. Reader confusion ensues. Did he re-animate? That was quick. But wait, he seems pretty human. And then things start to look familiar, and aw crap, this is another chapter that is in twice. If the book had been free or even $.99, I would have easily overlooked these annoyances, but it was the price of a regular e-book. Very disappointing.

[Keith In Ky · Rating 2 out of 5]

The zombie tour bus should have stopped in Ohio.

[Mark Hartzer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Have you ever met someone who insists DID YOU KNOW?!?! at every personal experience no matter how banal? “DID YOU KNOW filet mignon is the tenderest cut of beef!?!? DID YOU KNOW sushi is made of fish and it’s really good!?!?! DID YOU KNOW that there is a little fuel pump gauge on your dashboard showing which side of the car your fuel cap is?!?!?” Etc… Not Donald Trump level of stupid, but close.

“DID YOU KNOW there are corrupt politicians in Chicago?!?! Well, Didja?!? DID YOU KNOW there are poor and rich sections of Chicago IN THE SAME CITY?!?! Huh?! Huh?!” I could go on, but you get the point. Now imagine huge sections of the book devoted to the exposition of the Captain Obvious narrative. OK, I can understand a couple of mentions. It’s set in Chicago. But after 2-3 DID YOU KNOW! sections, I went past eye rolling to teeth gritting. “Yeah, dumbass, we do know. Welcome to the adult world.”

And that, among others, is a huge flaw. It is patently obvious that the author (formerly of East Jock Itch, NY or wherever) is discovering THESE AMAZING THINGS about Chicago and wants to pass along these mysteries to the rest of us. For those of us who weren’t born yesterday, yes, there are tunnels under the city. Lots of us (millions) remember when they accidentally punctured one in 1992 leading to billions (with a B) of dollars of property damage.

OK, I’m not reading zombie fiction for the intellectual stimulation. But what I’m looking for in the genre is something fresh and fun. Zombie, Ohio was fun. Zombie, Illinois is a depressing slog. The big reveal as to Pastor Mack’s shameful vice is ‘oh, for fuck’s sake, really?’ It is too lame to repeat. Speaking of vice, wtf is this “Vice Mayor” BS? Chicago has a “Deputy Mayor”. Naming the bad cop “Burge” and having him murder people skates reallyclose to the real life Jon Burge, who albeit was a very bad man, did not murder anyone. If anyone in Burge’s family cared enough about this dreck to consider a defamation case, our cub reporter author would be wise to consider settling. The idea that the Latin Kings &/or Gangster Disciples would be in any way threatened by City Council members and clergy is simply laughable. Finally, in what can only be described as the utter LAZIEST of cliches, our author makes us suffer through the pointless appearance of undead Alphonse Capone. In the hands of a competent writer, that could have been interesting; funny; scary; whatever... you pick your adjective. But no. It is simply a walk on cliche.

There were some bright spots I enjoyed. Having some non white male lead characters was a good call and I enjoyed the casting. The actual zombie descriptions weren’t bad. Stewart Copeland is in fact an excellent drummer. Frozen zombies coming out of Lake Michigan-Excellent! More please.

If you’re NOT from Chicagoland, this book might actually be somewhat entertaining. But, if you know anything about the area, it is a tough not to wince at the caricatures. Raccoon City is scary. This is not.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since I'm about three quarters of the way through binge watching seasons 1-5 of Walking Dead, I figured I would broaden my undead horizons and read a book with a similar theme. This book really let me down... I lost interest after a few chapters and gave up about halfway through. This is a rather mundane book that focuses too much on political crime in a time when I would expect most people's primary concern to be the face-eating undead monsters ravaging their city. I felt that the author provided an unnecessary amount of backstory for each of the characters that just detracted from the plot.
There are some pretty gory scenes, such as when a morbidly obese zombie, naked but for an adult diaper, is killed on top of one of our protagonists. I wasn't a fan.
I wouldn't recommend this book. Good idea, poor execution.

[Jan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very slow and long winded. Pages and pages on what to preach about and what he has preached about. Long sections with information I had no interest.

[Asher · Rating 2 out of 5]

I stumbled upon this book in the recommended new reading section of the library. Initially, I had pegged this as "beach reading for bros"--and since I was looking for light fare and intrigued by the Chicago setting, I thought 'why not?' For the first two-thirds of the book, Kenemore exceeded my expectations with historical accounts of the city and some witty one-liners that gave me a chuckle here and there. The book fell apart for me by the third act though, a few plotlines bordering on being so ridiculous that I couldn't quite suspend reality (yes, I realize I was reading a book about zombies to begin with). What started out as a promising light and fun read with a Chicago twist, fell flat by the final act. I'd probably still take it to the beach with my baseball cap though.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've never read zombie fiction before, except for World War Z, which I love. This book intrigued me because of it's setting in Chicago. I read it really quickly, but didn't really enjoy it. The soul of this book is about exposing the corruption and soul-less nature of Chicago politics. The real enemies in the book were not the flesh-chomping zombies, but the immensely corrupt and homicidal alderman/women whose lawless and unethical behaviors posed more of a threat to human life than the undead. So, if you're looking for a screed against Chicago politicians and the mindless Chicagoans who elect them with a touch of throat-ripping zombie action, this is the book for you.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this for my book club with one of our reading goals being "a book set in Illinois" which is where we are from. This is my second zombie book (first being Girl With All the Gifts) but I really struggled to get through it. My family is originally from south side Chicago so I knew all the neighborhoods that he was talking about so that was kind of interesting. But none of the characters were overly likable or memorable. I know this is part of a zombie apocalypse series but I think this will be the only one I read from that series.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story was okay

The story line was okay. Dialogue left something to be desired as did the crazy stuff people did. Editing was horrible. Pages 357-363 at least just repeated each other.

[Badseedgirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first book in this series, Zombie, Ohio was an interesting take of zombies. It was not unique, but was interesting. Unfortunately, that is not the case with this second book. Although part of a series, these books are stand alone stories set in the same zombie apocalypse. Where the first book dealt with the zombie outbreak from the perspective of a zombie, and was full of dark comedy and horror, this second book set in Chicago is bogged down by a frankly boring power struggle in the upper echelons of the Detroit city government. There is so much politics in 90% of the book that the zombies almost become a mcguffin, something that is a turnoff in what is portraying itself as a zombie book.

The zombie action does pick itself up in the last 10% of the book, and there were some darkly humorous scenes peppered throughout the book, but for me this book was a disappointment. There is a third book in the series, Zombie, Indiana which is available to listen to for free with Audible, so I will be listening to it, but I'm not sure I would read it if I had to pay for it.

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than I though I would and more than the first book called Zombie, Ohio. Unlike the first book this one is told between the viewpoints of three different characters and I really liked that. You see how a punk rock chick, a pastor, and a writer for a political media company all react to a zombie apocalypse.

I did notice even though this novels title is very similar to another book by the author they have zero connections. There is no mention of anything that happens in Zombie, Ohio in this book.

The only negatives I really had was that the ending was pretty sudden and seemed somewhat unlikely to me. I also felt that the whole fight for power and to be the new mayor storyline was a little over the top.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an actual resident of Chicago I appreciate the effort Scott Kenmore obviously went through to due at least some research on the city. The geography seems to be about 90% right. Some fictional events seem rooted in actual news events. However, I must fault the novel for portraying a Chicago more in keeping with many well known cliches than with the actual conditions in the city. (Perhaps I should be grateful he spared us from reading about a bunch of tubby locals shouting "Da Bears!")

As a zombie mayhem novel it's action falls mostly within the realm of what one would normally expect of a humor-horror novel set on the night the world changes. Kenmore livens it up a little by presenting the story as a an interleaved memoir of three characters who survived the night. The perspective jumps from one character to another as each tells what happens next in his or her own words.

It's an effort that might have been great if the character's themselves did not mar it slightly. Maria Ramirez, a young punk musician, sometimes comes off sounding like the young adult she is supposed to be, and at others sounds more like a professional writer. Another, a South Side preacher named Leopold Mack too quickly forgets the duty of leading his parish to help our other protagonists. He goes from being responsible community leader to sounding a bit like the cliche M. N. who often helps the white people in books and movies ala Bagger Vance. Only Ben Bennington, a reporter bordering on middle age remains consistent, and humorously so, as a bumbling and inept warrior in the zombie apocalypse.

This book should entertain die-hard fans of the zombie genre, but it is not one I would recommend to anyone else.

[Barbara Z. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the schtick that Scott Kenemore has going here, and I love the ways in which it is unfolding. I loved Zombie, Ohio so much, I was almost embarrassed to have paid a pittance for it in an Amazon Kindle deal. So I was very willing to lay out a whopping $7+ to read the next book, set a couple of states to the west. I had no idea if it would be a continuation of the first story, or -- well, it was Something Completely Different.

Zombie, Illinois tells the tales of three survivors interlinked by fate (and deft storytelling), each in first person and in turn. The chronology is the same as "Ohio", but other than a global zombie apocalypse beginning in winter, there is no direct correlation. In fact, the style and tone of each book is very distinct. "Ohio" has a black comedy flavor, and catches you up with its unique and very engaging, deeply, ironically-flawed narrator. "Illinois" is a much more straightforward adventure novel, which works because it is so well-written, about true-to-life characters whose skills and knowledge and instincts probably echo your own. A nice, healthy racial and sociological mix, a sinister dose of Chicago politics and plenty of Oh Yeah! Zombies!

For it's genre it should probably get 5 stars, but I withhold one because it isn't a book that everyone MUST read. It's just a hella lotta fun. Also, my Kindle Edition -- full price, remember -- is filled with typographical and formatting errors which made this pleasant book a real chore to read. Toward the end (I haven't read other reviews, so I may be repeating info) several entire chapters are repeated, a very disconcerting thing! This doesn't detract from my rating of the book, but I hope an update is in the offing, and I hope the paperback doesn't have the same flaws!

[DE Jorgensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good one

I read other reviews that complained bitterly that the action took place only in Chicago. That is correct; the title could have been Zombie, Chicago. However, the book is well-written. Lots of zombie killing, shooting, running, fighting, and intrigue the way only Chicago can muster. The action is skillfully broken up with some history and explanations of how "The city that works" actually works. Without those breaks, the book would have just been too much. I'm glad I read this.

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

a fun book to read. the author clearly did his research on chicago, and the political system within the windy city. i even learned quite a bit about chicago politics from this book and, of course, the best ways to kill a zombie.

[zydecope♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I purchased Zombie Illinois and Indiana about six years ago and also received a second copy of Zombie Illinois as a gift. I am slowly making my way through my book collection and keeping only the books that heavily impacted me and I want to remain in my collection for years to come. I'll be donating my copies to a local library. Kenemore references a variety of locations in Illinois and Northwest Indiana which sparks an “oh I’ve been there before” moment while reading if you happen to live in the area which helped me bond with the book a bit more than if the story took place in another area. Kenemore also ties in some historical and political information. Initially when I began rereading Zombie Illinois I was a bit confused about why I loved this book so much. I purchased it around the time when The Walking Dead was really popular and I was heavily interested in zombies at the time. The politics and the background information can almost feel as though the author is going on a random tangent, but I think this is just his writing style and it does tie in. I personally enjoy tangents because minor details can still be appealing and make the story more interesting. The story is also narrated from three completely different characters perspectives. There is a drummer for a local Chicago Punk band, a preacher who is former military, and a reporter. I think Leopold Mack, the preacher from the South side of Chicago resonated with me the most. He was by far the most action-packed character and I wish the entire novel was told from perhaps his perspective. I understand why he chose to tell the story from different perspectives because it was a way to connect the group of characters and tie the plot together. However, while reading it was difficult for me to really connect to the reporter and the drummer because they lacked their own voice and their choice of language and thoughts felt a little forced which caused a disconnect for me. Zombies in the traditional sense are lacking. There are only a few scenes spread out throughout the book and I didn’t feel as though it quenched my thirst of wanting the gore and adrenaline rush of the chase…and the fear of being chased. I am not sure if he was attempting to convey the politicians and people in general of being the zombies and so maybe with the title and the subject matter it can help the reader question who the zombies really are…over all this wasn’t my favorite book in the world but I enjoyed it and would recommend reading it with an open mind.

[Jason Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
I picked this up after having read the first in the series, Zombie, Ohio. That book was original, interesting and well executed. This one was well written and interesting, but it just didn't grab me like the last one. The author tries to tell a story in all of these zombie books where the zombie apocalypse is like the backstory to something else that's going on. In the last book it was following a character that became a zombie. In this one it was a political coup set in Chicago.

I just didn't find the story on top of the story very interesting or believable. I had difficulty accepting that in a world where the populace is being torn apart by zombies, certain people would make a power play for control in the middle of the outbreak. That sort of thing would happen after the dust settled, and the ones in charge would be the strong and the armed, not the ones hoping to curry political favor in a world that may not survive to even care about politics or money.

Based on this read, I would read more of this author's work.

[Arely Ayala · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it is the 2nd in a series, but they do not interact i guess, the first book is a about a different character but each book does tie up everything pretty neatly at the end. I liked the characters pretty much and there is humor and gore but not to much. It is a pretty descriptive book, but other than that it flows pretty good. I would have given it 5 stars but what there were too many fat jokes/fat phobia idk, but it kinda ruined some areas of the book for me. There are also 1 or 2 chapters that repeat. its a pretty solid book, i might read the 3rd just to finish the series out.

[Emy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the first one, but this 2nd even more. The pure geographical, political, historical, & economical , racial awareness is impressive & personal perspective was beautifully depicted from 3 very different people. This would make a fantastic movie. Thank you for bringing a current pop culture topic into the real life reality of corruption & humanity at its most true - ugly & beautiful form. I recommend it, completely!

[Severina · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the midst of a zombie uprising, three disparate individuals try to prevent murder and a hostile city takeover. This was intriguing because it mixed the gruesomeness of zombies with political commentary on the corruptness of Chicago politics and the resilience of underprivileged and underserved neighbourhoods. It kept me interested on all fronts, and was a real page-turner. Unfortunately, the deus ex machina ending was a real disappointment, as were the punctuation issues with the dialogue.

[Jan Corona · Rating 2 out of 5]

Needed the brain floss that zombie novels provide. This takes place in Chicago in a 24 hour period. Three strangers are forced together to save Chicago. Lots of information about Chicago governance. Meets all the zombie genre expectations: Lots of zombies. Lots of headshots. Lots of destruction…but the good guys win. Sometimes it’s nice to get just what you expect in a story…even if zombies are involved.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story.
while there were zombies...it could have just been any generic apocalypse. I had hoped for more.
This used the zombie apocalypse as the background for a story about Chicago (nothing else in Illinois), and specifically about politics and the people there. interesting enough.
Definitely got invested in our main characters, nice to learn more as they progressed.
interesting style, telling from different people's point of view - for a contiguous story.

[Jana H Cleveland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chicago Zombies

Does it get any better than that? Humor, politics, religion, history and the dead are coming out of their graves. Oh, yeah. A lot of dead got conveniently disposed of over the years in Chicago, and ready or not, here there come. Told from the perspective of an elderly Black minister, a business reporter, and a Latina drummer for a band. Fun!

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. It was not as good as the first book. This was more like an expose of the corruption of Chicago's political system. The zombies seemed to play a minor role in the story. Maybe the next installment will be better.

[Tom C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was just ok. It had very promising moments and being from Chicago I greatly enjoyed the local feel....but two things. 1. Too much socio-political commentary and 2. Not enough zombies!

Overall a good book, it just doesn't seem sure of what it is.

[Nanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and intelligent read: not two words I usually combine, especially when referring to a zombie tale. A bit slow in places, a bit scary in others, a big bit of contrivance and coincidence, but still enjoyable.

[Lacey Bard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was a page turner and entertaining, however when the last 50-100 pages became political and the focus on chicago politics I was highly disappointed. Story had such high hopes if he focuses on Zombies, survivors, and the cause/resolution.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was great. I like how it used actual places in chicago

[Kate Zdenek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zombies and Chicago politics mix in this story. It was interesting and I got invested in the characters.