Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls

by Steve Hockensmith, Patrick Arrasmith (Illustrator)

With more than one million copies in print, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was the surprise publishing phenomenon of 2009. A best seller on three continents, PPZ has been translated into 21 languages and optioned to become a major motion picture.In this terrifying and hilarious prequel, we witness the genesis of the zombie plague in early-nineteenth-century England. We watch Elizabeth Bennet evolve from a naïve young teenager into a savage slayer of the undead. We laugh as she begins her first clumsy training with nunchucks and katana swords and cry when her first blush with romance goes tragically awry. Written by acclaimed novelist (and Edgar Award nominee) Steve Hockensmith, Dawn of the Dreadfuls invites Austen fans to step back into Regency England, Land of the Undead!

Genres: Fantasy, Zombies

292 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2010

About the author

Steve Hockensmith is the author of the New York Times bestseller Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls and several other novels, including the Edgar Award finalist Holmes on the Range. He lives in Alameda, California.

Reviews

[Meko · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing the book I thought that it was great and fun to read. I loved the humor and the different personalities of each of the Bennet sisters. It was also fun to read about the sisters evolving from ladies into warriors. I thought that the author did a good job of keeping the story interesting with the relationships between the characters while still including the action with the zombies. Overall I think that this is a fun and interesting book to read.

[Elaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I read this one last because I didn't know this one was the first book in the series.

I'm glad I read it last to see how the story started. I wanted to read the other two books because I enjoy the movie Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. There wasn't a second movie after the way the first movie ended. I wanted to know what happened in the next book.

Anyways, this was an interesting book to read how the zombies or unmentionables started. The Bennet girls were fun to read about through the dark arts of becoming warriors to fight the Zombies and who taught them. I'm probably going to give this away, but I understand how Elizabeth's attitude changed to how she acts now from her experience in this book.

I enjoyed reading these books in October during the Halloween time. I finished this book a day early. I have another book to read called. Sense and Sensibility and the Monsters. I'm excited to know what this book is about!

[Els · Rating 1 out of 5]

Today on "things Els can't believe she picked up".

Curiosity is sometimes rather cruel to the cat.

Clever, though?

[Chantel Ratali · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and I have read it so many times. I thoroughly enjoyed the spin of the this book and the characters. I enjoyed seeing how the characters developed the most, these timid young women, with the focus of balls and marriage and being accepted in society and then they are training to fight and having to abandon the way they were raised to become warriors.

[Dina ElMaamoun · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was painful! Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was brilliant but I guess that’s because it is actually based on the real Austen novel. There were so many cheesy and tacky pieces of writing…
I do not recommend!

[E.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

1st book in the series

This book is sooooo good. It's everything you live from the Bennet sisters but with fighting zombies. The family dynamite are there and as a prequel to pride and prejudice it's a fun new take.

[Donna Gossett · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun book!

I liked this book! 1st time I’ve read this one, but my favorite is still Pride and Prejudice and Zombies!!

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed reading this book. I feel Steve Hockensmith did a pretty good job recreating Jane Austin's world. There were a few story bits that were a little meh/eye roll but over all it was fun. I wish it took place slightly closer to the events in pride & prejudice and zombies, maybe covering training in the orient, but I liked it.

[Kathy Lewis · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved Pride and Prejudice. I really enjoyed Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Laughed through it. Enjoyed how much it stayed in line with Pride and Prejudice. I was looking forward to reading Dawn of The Dreadfuls. After 104 pages, I understood why it was on a clearance rack for $4.00 at a local book store. It is dreadful.

[Tiesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was good. im sure it was made after pride and prejidus and zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-smith, but it's not really along the same lines. in pride and prejidus and zombies elizibeth and her sisters were instructed in shiolin, not in their backyard.

[Isabel Garay · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a funny read. however the book was just ok overall. Its a quick read but it leaves things so unfinished and I'm not talking about the zombies. I hoped for a true repressed English romance shoved into the mix. The ending was just....eh. No spark or pizzas.

[Paul Allard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A prequel to Pride and Prejudice with Zombies (which I haven't read yet) sees the Bennett sisters learning how to slay the zombie invasion of Hertfordshire. Quite fun and entertaining with many elements of Jane Austen's style and originality.

[Carfig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally able to finish this book after getting a complete copy from the library. The copy we bought at a used bookstore was missing 50 pages, with repeated pages from earlier in the book. Very entertaining read of how the Bennet sisters got involved with fighting Zombies.

[Sarah]

I think it is a awsome book so far

[Alyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect prequel to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Wonderful detail on explaining how the Bennett family is the way they are.

[Helena Sheibler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty thuddingly dull. I think you have to actually like Jane Austen to wade through this one.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watch out Elizabeth! <3

Short story, quick read. This was only CHAPTER 1 of the Dreadful series. I cannot wait to read the rest! I absolutely love Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. :D

[Khrisma M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personally i couldn't get through Pride Prejudice and Zombies, but this was more up to date and easier to read.

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A totally fun and fast read. The "prequel" to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Humorously and tastefully done. (Tee-hee.)

[Mary Kline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny, feminist zombie novel. Loved that Hockensmith doesn't romanticize the monsters whatsoever.

[Delia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice changes for the dreadfuls!

[Cresta McGowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, creative take on a classic.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun

[Vincent Andersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast, fun read with nice Austen stylistic touches. My favorite of the trilogy.

[Jessica]

I am not going to rate this book because I couldn't finish it. The writing is much better than in the first book (I couldn't even make it pass the 4th chapter in that one...), but I love Pride and Prejudice and Jane Austen too much to be able to enjoy this.

So, thanks, but no thanks.