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Dying to Live #2
Life Sentence
At the end of the world a handful of survivors banded together in a museum-turned-compound surrounded by the living dead. The community established rituals and rites of passage, customs to keep themselves sane, to help them integrate into their new existence. In a battle against a kingdom of savage prisoners, the survivors lost loved ones, they lost innocence, but still they coped and grew. They even found a strange peace with the undead. Twelve years later the community has reclaimed more of the city and has settled into a fairly secure life in their compound. Zoey is a girl coming of age in this undead world, learning new roles-new sacrifices. But even bigger surprises lie in wait, for some of the walking dead are beginning to remember who they are, whom they've lost, and, even worse, what they've done. As the dead struggle to reclaim their lives, as the survivors combat an intruding force, the two groups accelerate toward a collision that could drastically alter both of their worlds.
220 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2008
10 people are currently reading
849 people want to read
About the author
Kim Paffenroth
63 books139 followersI am a professor of religious studies, and the author of several books on the Bible and theology. I grew up in New York, Virginia, and New Mexico. I attended St. John's College, Annapolis, MD (BA, 1988), Harvard Divinity School (MTS, 1990), and the University of Notre Dame (PhD, 1995). I live in upstate New York with my wife and two wonderful kids. In the horror genre, I have written Gospel of the Living Dead: George Romero's Visions of Hell on Earth (Baylor, 2006) - WINNER, 2006 Bram Stoker Award; Dying to Live: A Novel of Life among the Undead (Permuted Press, 2007); Orpheus and the Pearl(Magus Press, 2008); and Dying to Live: Life Sentence(Permuted Press, 2008).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
May 11, 2024
pretty interesting story, just didnt expect to read the n-word in a book about a zombie apocalypse🥰
November 28, 2008
Exactly one year ago I wrote my very first article for Fear Zone. It was a book review of Kim Paffenroth's zombie novel Dying to Live: A Novel of Life Among the Undead. To say that this book completely and forever changed my perception of the zombie genre is a mild understatement. Dying to Live was not only gruesome and grisly in a perfectly post-apocalyptic manner, but it was also one of the most elegantly and eloquently written novels I had ever read. To have the ability as a writer to blend truly disturbing horror with a poetic, philosophical voice that brings the reader near to tears at times bespeaks of genius. It is a genius that transforms not merely the words upon the page into a story to withstand the ages, but also transforms the audience on almost a spiritual level. It alters one's perception of, not only a specific genre, but the encompassing universe surrounding them. The pure philosophy that is integrated into Paffenroth's work is astounding and profound, a veritable vault of material that could be pondered and discussed for years by musing minds. Kim Paffenroth writes as if he himself survived a zombie apocalypse, allowing genuine emotion and realistic reactions to pour through his characters creating a world that is extremely believable. Indeed, Dying to Live: A Novel of Life Among the Undead was the best zombie novel I had ever read...that was, until I read the sequel Dying to Live: Life Sentence... READ THE REST OF THIS REVIEW ON FEAR ZONE HERE: http://fearzone.com/blog/dying-too
Want to read
November 30, 2008I'm sure this is as good or even better than the first, but I think I'll wait to pick it up until it is re-issued with a better cover.
March 31, 2012
Hands down, the best zombie book I've ever read. Intense from start to finish. Kim Paffenroth is truly a master writer.
November 5, 2010
Kim Paffenroth has gone beyond what he did in his first zombie novel in many ways and in many different directions. I am both pleased and disturbed by this book, which I guess is to say that I both enjoyed it a great deal and yet was exasperated by it. But then again, so few books do that, I consider that to be a good thing.
The plot is as different from the traditional zombie tale as you can get, with two parallel storylines. We see the world through the eyes of Zoey, a young girl who lives in a community that believes it is the last of its kind on earth, with the living having come to terms with the undead that surround it. She is on the edge of becoming an adult and taking on new and more challenging responsibilities. We get to see her perspective change as the world around her changes, expands, and also contracts in many ways, tightening and wraping itself around her as she comprehends more of it, both the good and the ugly.
We also see the world through the eyes of Truman, a incredibly rare zombie that has retained much of what he once was when he was alive. Unlike nearly every other rotting stiff that dominate this world, he has a understanding of what he is and how he is different from the living. His intelligence is essentially the same as it once was though he is limited by his deteriorated body. Despite that, he is able to adapt and learn, not only about who he has become but what it means to be a human being, as he is exposed to more and more of them.
Their two stories intertwine as each character grows and transforms into something more than what they once were. Both characters start out filled with questions. In the end, they still have many questions but their experiences also grant them some knowledge, not only about themselves but of everyone else around them and perhaps of their purposes in the world.
It is hard for me to say I am actually fond of the idea of a intelligent and more importantly, sensitive and humane zombie. Perhaps this is because I already feel that zombies, at least the traditional Romero archetype, are not necessarily evil. They do what they are driven to do by instincts more powerful than anything else. Leave the evil up to us humans, who have the intelligence to perpetrate actual evil quite readily. Devious, diabolical evil. Truman not only resists what drives all zombies but he also does not have the drives and hungers that make humans what they are either. Given this lack of human needs and urges, he becomes almost transcendent. He is sincere, kind, caring, and has no distrust of his fellow zombie. He can feel love but not pain or the burn of sexual desire. He can ruminate on how wonderful and terrifying the human animal can be yet at the same time feeling guilt for what he is, despite the fact that he has done very little wrong in his entire existence as a zombie and certainly nothing wrong outside of defending himself from the hatred and fear of others.
Dr. Paffenroth has created a new variation on Bub, the zombie featured in the movie "Day of the Dead". But the difference here is that Bub slowly learns how to become human again--he learns how to appreciate friendship and communication but at the same time the idea of revenge and hatred are not alien to him either. Truman has lost some of his memories of his life as a human being but still retains most of his intelligence and learning as a Professor of Philosophy. Thus he essentially is an observer who ruminates on what it means to be human but can not absorb those meanings and identify with them himself, at least not as far as the more crass parts of what it means to be human.
I am not sure if this is a criticism of the book. It is more of rumination on Truman and what he really is. Is he both more and less than what we are? Is he better because he has resisted the most basic urge that drives his kind and essentially has no other drives or urges that might corrupt or taint him? What would he become if he or someone he cared for was hurt or killed? Would he show anger and rage or would he be able to rise above those base emotions? For me it is something that bears consideration.
This novel challenged me and I like being challenged. I will say that if you are looking for a straight forward tale of undead violence and destruction, it would be best to steer clear of this book. But if you are willing to take a closer look at the human condition and perhaps stretch your perception of what a zombie story should be all about then this book is something you might really enjoy...and perhaps be challenged by as well.
The plot is as different from the traditional zombie tale as you can get, with two parallel storylines. We see the world through the eyes of Zoey, a young girl who lives in a community that believes it is the last of its kind on earth, with the living having come to terms with the undead that surround it. She is on the edge of becoming an adult and taking on new and more challenging responsibilities. We get to see her perspective change as the world around her changes, expands, and also contracts in many ways, tightening and wraping itself around her as she comprehends more of it, both the good and the ugly.
We also see the world through the eyes of Truman, a incredibly rare zombie that has retained much of what he once was when he was alive. Unlike nearly every other rotting stiff that dominate this world, he has a understanding of what he is and how he is different from the living. His intelligence is essentially the same as it once was though he is limited by his deteriorated body. Despite that, he is able to adapt and learn, not only about who he has become but what it means to be a human being, as he is exposed to more and more of them.
Their two stories intertwine as each character grows and transforms into something more than what they once were. Both characters start out filled with questions. In the end, they still have many questions but their experiences also grant them some knowledge, not only about themselves but of everyone else around them and perhaps of their purposes in the world.
It is hard for me to say I am actually fond of the idea of a intelligent and more importantly, sensitive and humane zombie. Perhaps this is because I already feel that zombies, at least the traditional Romero archetype, are not necessarily evil. They do what they are driven to do by instincts more powerful than anything else. Leave the evil up to us humans, who have the intelligence to perpetrate actual evil quite readily. Devious, diabolical evil. Truman not only resists what drives all zombies but he also does not have the drives and hungers that make humans what they are either. Given this lack of human needs and urges, he becomes almost transcendent. He is sincere, kind, caring, and has no distrust of his fellow zombie. He can feel love but not pain or the burn of sexual desire. He can ruminate on how wonderful and terrifying the human animal can be yet at the same time feeling guilt for what he is, despite the fact that he has done very little wrong in his entire existence as a zombie and certainly nothing wrong outside of defending himself from the hatred and fear of others.
Dr. Paffenroth has created a new variation on Bub, the zombie featured in the movie "Day of the Dead". But the difference here is that Bub slowly learns how to become human again--he learns how to appreciate friendship and communication but at the same time the idea of revenge and hatred are not alien to him either. Truman has lost some of his memories of his life as a human being but still retains most of his intelligence and learning as a Professor of Philosophy. Thus he essentially is an observer who ruminates on what it means to be human but can not absorb those meanings and identify with them himself, at least not as far as the more crass parts of what it means to be human.
I am not sure if this is a criticism of the book. It is more of rumination on Truman and what he really is. Is he both more and less than what we are? Is he better because he has resisted the most basic urge that drives his kind and essentially has no other drives or urges that might corrupt or taint him? What would he become if he or someone he cared for was hurt or killed? Would he show anger and rage or would he be able to rise above those base emotions? For me it is something that bears consideration.
This novel challenged me and I like being challenged. I will say that if you are looking for a straight forward tale of undead violence and destruction, it would be best to steer clear of this book. But if you are willing to take a closer look at the human condition and perhaps stretch your perception of what a zombie story should be all about then this book is something you might really enjoy...and perhaps be challenged by as well.
July 21, 2013
This was sitting on the "new book" shelf at the library. I am kind of over zombies that aren't The Walking Dead, but figured I'd give it a shot. Not realizing this is a sequel. Bugger.
---
I like that there were two different points of view, one being an actual zombie. But the thought processes of both were pretty much dull. The rituals of the community were seemingly moronic (Shaving her head? Really? Make her bleed and yay?)
The compare/contrast to new world vs old world was very interesting, pointing out the seemingly illogical ways of the world. But really, this was not an interesting book.
---
I like that there were two different points of view, one being an actual zombie. But the thought processes of both were pretty much dull. The rituals of the community were seemingly moronic (Shaving her head? Really? Make her bleed and yay?)
The compare/contrast to new world vs old world was very interesting, pointing out the seemingly illogical ways of the world. But really, this was not an interesting book.
January 21, 2020
At the end of the world a handful of survivors banded together in a museum-turned-compound surrounded by the living dead. The community established rituals and rites of passage, customs to keep themselves sane, to help them integrate into their new existence. In a battle against a kingdom of savage prisoners, the survivors lost loved ones, they lost innocence, but still they coped and grew. They even found a strange peace with the undead.
Twelve years later the community has reclaimed more of the city and has settled into a fairly secure life in their compound. Zoey is a girl coming of age in this undead world, learning new roles--new sacrifices. But even bigger surprises lay in wait, for some of the walking dead are beginning to remember who they are, who they've lost, and, even worse, what they've done.
As the dead struggle to reclaim their lives, as the survivors combat an intruding force, the two groups accelerate toward a collision that could drastically alter both of their worlds.
In my Half-century of reading books, I've always made a point of always allowing gaps of at least a couple of months , between reading the same author again. For once I allowed myself to read
Life Sentence (Dying to Live, #2) by Kim Paffenroth, within 6 weeks of finishing the first novel in the trilogy. Why? Dear Knows? Anyway, It won't happen again! I could not get away with the fact that this novel, Has zombies in it that understand what goes on around them, One of them even plays the violin for god's sake!
This book continues 12 years after the original novel. The story follows Zoe a 12-year-old living within the community, And a couple of Zombies who are starting to realise they are different from the hordes of other Zombie, that they can, in their own way communicate with each other, One Trueman, has a love of books, which he reads! & on discovering a typewriter starts to keep a journal of his & Lucy's ( Mrs Zombies) adventures! I did welcome the author's attempts to do something different with the genre. If your a traditional zombie genre fan, you'll not enjoy this too much, though it does have it's moments, the discovery of a clothes hire shop was enjoyable! As was an attack on one of the countryside retreats. The novel also makes you think of not just the blood & splat, but also what the reaction to those actions would be, the wider implications so to speak. The whole moral issue of dealing with dead & surviving is bought sharply into focus
However, I just could not get my head around a zombie reading & writing & another playing the Violin. It's asking the reader to suspend their belief just a bit too far.
Twelve years later the community has reclaimed more of the city and has settled into a fairly secure life in their compound. Zoey is a girl coming of age in this undead world, learning new roles--new sacrifices. But even bigger surprises lay in wait, for some of the walking dead are beginning to remember who they are, who they've lost, and, even worse, what they've done.
As the dead struggle to reclaim their lives, as the survivors combat an intruding force, the two groups accelerate toward a collision that could drastically alter both of their worlds.
In my Half-century of reading books, I've always made a point of always allowing gaps of at least a couple of months , between reading the same author again. For once I allowed myself to read
Life Sentence (Dying to Live, #2) by Kim Paffenroth, within 6 weeks of finishing the first novel in the trilogy. Why? Dear Knows? Anyway, It won't happen again! I could not get away with the fact that this novel, Has zombies in it that understand what goes on around them, One of them even plays the violin for god's sake!
This book continues 12 years after the original novel. The story follows Zoe a 12-year-old living within the community, And a couple of Zombies who are starting to realise they are different from the hordes of other Zombie, that they can, in their own way communicate with each other, One Trueman, has a love of books, which he reads! & on discovering a typewriter starts to keep a journal of his & Lucy's ( Mrs Zombies) adventures! I did welcome the author's attempts to do something different with the genre. If your a traditional zombie genre fan, you'll not enjoy this too much, though it does have it's moments, the discovery of a clothes hire shop was enjoyable! As was an attack on one of the countryside retreats. The novel also makes you think of not just the blood & splat, but also what the reaction to those actions would be, the wider implications so to speak. The whole moral issue of dealing with dead & surviving is bought sharply into focus
However, I just could not get my head around a zombie reading & writing & another playing the Violin. It's asking the reader to suspend their belief just a bit too far.
November 18, 2019
4*
Really enjoyed the second part of our journey and the originality of parts of the story and the characters.
After the outbreak that wiped out most of humanity, our survivors that we got to follow in the first book, are still recovering from the zombie apocalypse and building their own littel society with their own rules and even starting to farm again.
On the other side, some of the zombies seem to be waking up from their trance and start to think for themselves.
A great deeper exploration of what would happen after a zombie outbreak and how would the children that grew up in this new world think and see everything with a different perspective.
Can not wait ti get to book 3
Really enjoyed the second part of our journey and the originality of parts of the story and the characters.
After the outbreak that wiped out most of humanity, our survivors that we got to follow in the first book, are still recovering from the zombie apocalypse and building their own littel society with their own rules and even starting to farm again.
On the other side, some of the zombies seem to be waking up from their trance and start to think for themselves.
A great deeper exploration of what would happen after a zombie outbreak and how would the children that grew up in this new world think and see everything with a different perspective.
Can not wait ti get to book 3
December 12, 2022
Another brilliant zombie tale by Kim Paffenroth! I love this book. I enjoyed how the book continues the story of the first book bringing back familiar characters, while introducing new interesting ones. Truman was my favorite character. You'll have to read this book to find out more about him. Both "Dying to Live" books have been great. Kim knows how to create believable and likeable characters, who you want to follow on their adventures, while also giving you a realistic feel for the apocalypse. I just ordered the third book. I cannot wait to read it!
February 23, 2018
Much improved. Light on zombie action so I took a star away. By zombie action I mean threat of biting and eating. Nice fresh story with this one. Also you would think that folks would lose it over zombies with higher functions. Nope. Girl doesn’t even mention it to anyone. Milton is hardly used. Plot holes are s big problem that hold this story back from being better.
Read
January 15, 2025Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
If I can’t make it through the first book, I doubt the second is going to be much better.
If I can’t make it through the first book, I doubt the second is going to be much better.
March 18, 2013
Since the main reason I read books like this is to be entertained, well, I must say this one fit the bill and then some. I suppose one can't really go wrong with zombies...then again I thought the same thing about vampires once upon a time. But that's a thought best expressed elsewhere.
And rather curiously there's nothing I can see on the book to indicate it is the second book in a series. I did actually wonder about that, since (a) the title seemed a bit on the cumbrous side, and (b) nobody writes just one book about vampires, werewolves, zombies, tax auditors or any of the other creatures out of a nightmare any more. Even if they make them sunshine sparkly, fallen angels or necromancer slacker artists with a drinking problem.
Or to knock off the bloviating: I can report that this book works, and works quite well, as a stand-alone novel. I'll probably seek out at least the first book in the series at some point, but as of the time of this review, I've not read it and don't feel any overwhelming urge to go hunting for it. This is one you can read on its own. And enjoy.
However, I couldn't quite bring myself to rate this one as five stars due to some rather strange false leads planted in the reader's head, dead ends and other miscellany of the sort that should have been caught by some blue pencil wielding editor. If such beings have not yet themselves been confined to the realm of myth. (Or nightmare, I suppose, depending upon the author.) There were also some rather surprising omissions, though these are of the sort that I'm assuming authors do not typically owe anything to readers by way of explanation.
********
I'll give an example of each below, but though to my eyes they don't qualify as "spoilers," they might to some. Caveat emptor, etc...
>>> First, a "false lead:" at several points in the novel it is implied that Zoey has some sort of zombie connection, and that she is somehow supposed to be some sort of savior. Nothing ever comes of this. And in a book of only 230 or so pages. Huh?
>>> Second, an omission: We never find out what it is that makes Milton into the "Zombie Whisperer" (the possibly unfortunate nickname I pinned on him as I was reading along) that he obviously is. Not even a peep of speculation. As in, why do they do what he says, and more importantly, why don't they want a snack of Milton tartare? We never find out, indeed, all the characters take his special nature for granted.
But if these are complaints, they're mild ones. For what I'm looking for, this one worked. And possibly these and other issues are addressed in the rest of the series. But, as noted, I approached this book unaware that it was in fact part of a series. So I consider the issues raised fair game.
And rather curiously there's nothing I can see on the book to indicate it is the second book in a series. I did actually wonder about that, since (a) the title seemed a bit on the cumbrous side, and (b) nobody writes just one book about vampires, werewolves, zombies, tax auditors or any of the other creatures out of a nightmare any more. Even if they make them sunshine sparkly, fallen angels or necromancer slacker artists with a drinking problem.
Or to knock off the bloviating: I can report that this book works, and works quite well, as a stand-alone novel. I'll probably seek out at least the first book in the series at some point, but as of the time of this review, I've not read it and don't feel any overwhelming urge to go hunting for it. This is one you can read on its own. And enjoy.
However, I couldn't quite bring myself to rate this one as five stars due to some rather strange false leads planted in the reader's head, dead ends and other miscellany of the sort that should have been caught by some blue pencil wielding editor. If such beings have not yet themselves been confined to the realm of myth. (Or nightmare, I suppose, depending upon the author.) There were also some rather surprising omissions, though these are of the sort that I'm assuming authors do not typically owe anything to readers by way of explanation.
********
I'll give an example of each below, but though to my eyes they don't qualify as "spoilers," they might to some. Caveat emptor, etc...
>>> First, a "false lead:" at several points in the novel it is implied that Zoey has some sort of zombie connection, and that she is somehow supposed to be some sort of savior. Nothing ever comes of this. And in a book of only 230 or so pages. Huh?
>>> Second, an omission: We never find out what it is that makes Milton into the "Zombie Whisperer" (the possibly unfortunate nickname I pinned on him as I was reading along) that he obviously is. Not even a peep of speculation. As in, why do they do what he says, and more importantly, why don't they want a snack of Milton tartare? We never find out, indeed, all the characters take his special nature for granted.
But if these are complaints, they're mild ones. For what I'm looking for, this one worked. And possibly these and other issues are addressed in the rest of the series. But, as noted, I approached this book unaware that it was in fact part of a series. So I consider the issues raised fair game.
January 6, 2009
For me, this is the “To Kill A Mockingbird” of zombie stories.
While the world of Zoey and Will is not as nearly as innocent or idyllic as the world of Scout and Gem, it is still a tale of growing up and discovering first hand how wondrous and terrible the world can be. And the themes of racism and “justified” killing are just as poignant. What makes this even more interesting is it is told from two separate points of view. In “Mockingbird” terms, we not only see the events unfold from the point of view of Zoey (Scout), we also get to experience them from the perspective of Truman (a Boo Radley/Tom Robinson mix…sort of).
I was excited to jump back into the world of jack, Jonah, Milton and co., and I found the book to be a very original way to reintroduce the characters and locales from the first book. I especially enjoyed the fact that it was set so far after the initial zombie outbreak. There aren’t enough good books out there that spin a successful yarn about coping long-term with a dead world.
When I first realized that the book involved a “thinking” zombie, I just about threw it across the room with a cry of “Heresy!” on my lips. But Paffenroth’s siren-like prose and captivating characters brought me back and kept me glued to the pages.
It’s not often that an “apocalyptic” book doubles as a philosophical text, but this one offers as much thought-provoking speculation as it does gore. It almost makes you long for a simpler world, a world without mortgages, commute times, and a need for insurance…almost. As the cover snipe proclaims, this truly is the “thinking man’s zombie novel.”
And speaking of covers…what the hell?!? Why is there a “Sin City-ish” silhouette of a woman holding a bleeding baked potato on the cover?!? And judging by the little pool of blood on the bottom, she also has no legs or is standing in front of an invisible table or something. The cover is so BAD I was almost embarrassed to read it in any slightly public place.
Luckily, you cannot judge this book by the cover. Just create your own paper cover for it, and settle in for a tense, contemplative ride.
While the world of Zoey and Will is not as nearly as innocent or idyllic as the world of Scout and Gem, it is still a tale of growing up and discovering first hand how wondrous and terrible the world can be. And the themes of racism and “justified” killing are just as poignant. What makes this even more interesting is it is told from two separate points of view. In “Mockingbird” terms, we not only see the events unfold from the point of view of Zoey (Scout), we also get to experience them from the perspective of Truman (a Boo Radley/Tom Robinson mix…sort of).
I was excited to jump back into the world of jack, Jonah, Milton and co., and I found the book to be a very original way to reintroduce the characters and locales from the first book. I especially enjoyed the fact that it was set so far after the initial zombie outbreak. There aren’t enough good books out there that spin a successful yarn about coping long-term with a dead world.
When I first realized that the book involved a “thinking” zombie, I just about threw it across the room with a cry of “Heresy!” on my lips. But Paffenroth’s siren-like prose and captivating characters brought me back and kept me glued to the pages.
It’s not often that an “apocalyptic” book doubles as a philosophical text, but this one offers as much thought-provoking speculation as it does gore. It almost makes you long for a simpler world, a world without mortgages, commute times, and a need for insurance…almost. As the cover snipe proclaims, this truly is the “thinking man’s zombie novel.”
And speaking of covers…what the hell?!? Why is there a “Sin City-ish” silhouette of a woman holding a bleeding baked potato on the cover?!? And judging by the little pool of blood on the bottom, she also has no legs or is standing in front of an invisible table or something. The cover is so BAD I was almost embarrassed to read it in any slightly public place.
Luckily, you cannot judge this book by the cover. Just create your own paper cover for it, and settle in for a tense, contemplative ride.
November 27, 2016
In Life Sentence, the second volume in his Dying to Live series, Kim Paffenroth continues to offer an original and thought-provoking take on the typical zombie/post-apocalyptic story. Set 12 years after the first Dying to Live novel, Life Sentence looks at the world a generation after the devastating zombie apocalypse. The book focuses on the young teenager Zoey and young adult Will (formerly known as Popcorn) and their roles in and perspective on the civilization they're a part of. It also introduces some new developments in the types of zombies that still roam the countryside.
Zombie 411 - For the most part, the zombies in Dying to Live: Life Sentence are your typical Romero-style walking dead, but Paffenroth serves up a new twist in the form of Truman, a zombie who is not only self-aware, but is horrified by what he and his fellow undead have done. He is joined by Lucy, another self-aware, but still quite vicious zombie, and they make an unforgettable couple.
Even in the first Dying to Live novel, you could tell Paffenroth wasn't content to pen a typical post-apocalyptic tale. There was a religious subtext to that book, and beneath the surface of Life Sentence there's a heavy measure of philosophical and societal observations that gives readers a lot more to chew on (yeah, I know) than what's obvious at first. This - along with a good grasp of action, character development and pure zombie mayhem - is what sets Paffenroth apart from a very crowded pack, and what makes these books worth revisiting when so many other zombie novels seem disposable.
The style of Life Sentence is a good deal more...thoughtful than the first Dying to Live novel, but it's hard to imagine anyone who enjoyed that book being less than satisfied by this one. For my money, this is the better book overall. Paffenroth took a big step forward with this one, and the recent follow up Dying to Live: Last Rites is better still. If you enjoy zombie stories but prefer a bit more substance than most, this book - and the series as a whole - is well worth reading.
Zombie 411 - For the most part, the zombies in Dying to Live: Life Sentence are your typical Romero-style walking dead, but Paffenroth serves up a new twist in the form of Truman, a zombie who is not only self-aware, but is horrified by what he and his fellow undead have done. He is joined by Lucy, another self-aware, but still quite vicious zombie, and they make an unforgettable couple.
Even in the first Dying to Live novel, you could tell Paffenroth wasn't content to pen a typical post-apocalyptic tale. There was a religious subtext to that book, and beneath the surface of Life Sentence there's a heavy measure of philosophical and societal observations that gives readers a lot more to chew on (yeah, I know) than what's obvious at first. This - along with a good grasp of action, character development and pure zombie mayhem - is what sets Paffenroth apart from a very crowded pack, and what makes these books worth revisiting when so many other zombie novels seem disposable.
The style of Life Sentence is a good deal more...thoughtful than the first Dying to Live novel, but it's hard to imagine anyone who enjoyed that book being less than satisfied by this one. For my money, this is the better book overall. Paffenroth took a big step forward with this one, and the recent follow up Dying to Live: Last Rites is better still. If you enjoy zombie stories but prefer a bit more substance than most, this book - and the series as a whole - is well worth reading.
May 21, 2009
Dying to Live, both the original and this book, the sequel, are heralded as "the intelligent man's zombie novel" and I can't think of a better description than that.
The second book picks up twelve years after the first as Zoey, the baby rescued at the end of the first book, prepares to be inducted into life as an adult-in-training. Between Jack, Will (aka Popcorn) and Milton (the other zombie Christ figure) the survivors have branched out quite a bit from their initial encampment in a museum. Now part of a prosperous town, with the zombie threat so far diminished that terror and survival has given way to a ritualistic reverence of the ambulatory dead, Zoey concentrates with precocious skill on the nature of their existence and surviving in a new kind of world.
As she faces danger from zombies and other humans she slices into the nature of the people around her (dead, living and somewhere between) with a painfully keen intellect. Harder-core horror fans shouldn't be disappointed. Through the commentary on human nature there are fights, gore, moaning undead and more.
There are also peculiar things happening among the dead, including a pair of zombies who seem to remember their lives before death, and who refuse to be dismissed as mere mindless creatures of hunger. Truman, once a philosophy professor, now a dead man, challenges the town's perceptions of the creatures who destroyed the world with his refusal to eat flesh and his joy of reading.
And because Paffenroth himself is a shrewd flayer of human behavior, there are not-so-subtle reminders that the walking dead are far less sinister than the living who embrace cruelty and savagery.
It's very readable, smooth and insightful. Intelligently horrific and outright beautiful in places, it's a must-read for zombie fans looking for something more than a zombie uprising story of a motley crew being picked off one by one.
The second book picks up twelve years after the first as Zoey, the baby rescued at the end of the first book, prepares to be inducted into life as an adult-in-training. Between Jack, Will (aka Popcorn) and Milton (the other zombie Christ figure) the survivors have branched out quite a bit from their initial encampment in a museum. Now part of a prosperous town, with the zombie threat so far diminished that terror and survival has given way to a ritualistic reverence of the ambulatory dead, Zoey concentrates with precocious skill on the nature of their existence and surviving in a new kind of world.
As she faces danger from zombies and other humans she slices into the nature of the people around her (dead, living and somewhere between) with a painfully keen intellect. Harder-core horror fans shouldn't be disappointed. Through the commentary on human nature there are fights, gore, moaning undead and more.
There are also peculiar things happening among the dead, including a pair of zombies who seem to remember their lives before death, and who refuse to be dismissed as mere mindless creatures of hunger. Truman, once a philosophy professor, now a dead man, challenges the town's perceptions of the creatures who destroyed the world with his refusal to eat flesh and his joy of reading.
And because Paffenroth himself is a shrewd flayer of human behavior, there are not-so-subtle reminders that the walking dead are far less sinister than the living who embrace cruelty and savagery.
It's very readable, smooth and insightful. Intelligently horrific and outright beautiful in places, it's a must-read for zombie fans looking for something more than a zombie uprising story of a motley crew being picked off one by one.
June 29, 2011
4 AND 1/2 STARS
This follow-up to Mr. Kim Paffenroth's book, "Dying To Live: Life Among The Dead" is everything I could have hoped for and more. If anyone thinks the zombie genre is growing tired or that there is nothing new to offer, they obviously have not read this book.
Placing the emphasis on the survivor's internal struggles (both the living AND the dead) of the world they live in, Paffenroth brings us back to our group of survivors into a climate - twelve years later - where many have never experienced a normal, civilized world. This community has adopted a very unique way of dealing with the undead. The characters here are incredibly well written and the twisting path Paffenroth takes the reader on is refreshing, thought-provoking, and utterly original.
While the construction of some of the sentences seemed awkward at times, I wrote much of that off as it being part of the character's personality, whether through narration or dialogue. My only other issue was the vocabulary of one of characters who was only twelve years old. Sure, she's a smart girl, but still, using words like dexterously, ubiquity, auspicious, visceral, intuited, and denouement seem a bit much.
Minor gripes aside, I encourage Mr. Paffenroth to continue his highly intelligent series. As strong as the first book was, I believe this one (Life Sentence) is even better. Even if you don't like the zombie genre, I am confident you will still love this book as much as I did. I've read A LOT of zombie novels over the years and this is at the very top of my list.
This follow-up to Mr. Kim Paffenroth's book, "Dying To Live: Life Among The Dead" is everything I could have hoped for and more. If anyone thinks the zombie genre is growing tired or that there is nothing new to offer, they obviously have not read this book.
Placing the emphasis on the survivor's internal struggles (both the living AND the dead) of the world they live in, Paffenroth brings us back to our group of survivors into a climate - twelve years later - where many have never experienced a normal, civilized world. This community has adopted a very unique way of dealing with the undead. The characters here are incredibly well written and the twisting path Paffenroth takes the reader on is refreshing, thought-provoking, and utterly original.
While the construction of some of the sentences seemed awkward at times, I wrote much of that off as it being part of the character's personality, whether through narration or dialogue. My only other issue was the vocabulary of one of characters who was only twelve years old. Sure, she's a smart girl, but still, using words like dexterously, ubiquity, auspicious, visceral, intuited, and denouement seem a bit much.
Minor gripes aside, I encourage Mr. Paffenroth to continue his highly intelligent series. As strong as the first book was, I believe this one (Life Sentence) is even better. Even if you don't like the zombie genre, I am confident you will still love this book as much as I did. I've read A LOT of zombie novels over the years and this is at the very top of my list.
June 20, 2015
THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS. READ AT OWN DISCRETION
I didn’t expect this book to give me much, after the fiasco with the first in the series, so i wasn’t extremely disappointed in this. The plot however was a massive let down. I have read some good zombie books which feature the plot of a zombie that can think but overall, it’s a massive overrated plot line which ruined this book for me..especially when he writing isn’t as good, and there’s literally no massive character death.
When i read a zombie book, i expect there to be blood and gore because that’s what zombie books are about. I want characters that have been newly introduced, who i can get attached to, who get an arm chewed. I want a zombie book that has characters in risk of being killed by zombies. What i don’t want is a zombie book in which the only beings in the book which are inflicting pain are human thugs. I don’t want any thinking zombies, or zombies who don’t realise they are zombies, there’s no pleasure in that.
Being the kind of reader that doesn’t like to live a series unfinished when there is only one book left, i am going to read the final book and hope that there is some zombie munching action.
I didn’t expect this book to give me much, after the fiasco with the first in the series, so i wasn’t extremely disappointed in this. The plot however was a massive let down. I have read some good zombie books which feature the plot of a zombie that can think but overall, it’s a massive overrated plot line which ruined this book for me..especially when he writing isn’t as good, and there’s literally no massive character death.
When i read a zombie book, i expect there to be blood and gore because that’s what zombie books are about. I want characters that have been newly introduced, who i can get attached to, who get an arm chewed. I want a zombie book that has characters in risk of being killed by zombies. What i don’t want is a zombie book in which the only beings in the book which are inflicting pain are human thugs. I don’t want any thinking zombies, or zombies who don’t realise they are zombies, there’s no pleasure in that.
Being the kind of reader that doesn’t like to live a series unfinished when there is only one book left, i am going to read the final book and hope that there is some zombie munching action.
August 14, 2010
Satisfactory zombie novel, fascinating social commentary.
Truman, The undead philosophy professor, is clearly Dr. Paffenroth's "Mary Sue" character. From his perspective, we see an interesting take on the survivors of the zombie plague -- living and otherwise. It's his insight into the human condition that makes this book work; the best parts are all from his POV.
The rest of the inhabitants of this world are kind of flat, and the author doesn't take full advantage of dialogue's power to establish character. Zoey, the other main character, writes about events that happened when she was 12 years old but, as it's hinted in the first chapter and formally stated in the epilogue, she is a few years older as she's telling the story. Even so, it reads very "Podkayne"-esque in between, as if an adolescent girl is telling you what happened to her last weekend. But that voice can toggle without warning to a much more mature, erudite voice. Truman's voice. And the same voice of every other character in the novel who isn't either an evil raider from the outlands or a moaning, cannibalistic ghoul.
Truman, The undead philosophy professor, is clearly Dr. Paffenroth's "Mary Sue" character. From his perspective, we see an interesting take on the survivors of the zombie plague -- living and otherwise. It's his insight into the human condition that makes this book work; the best parts are all from his POV.
The rest of the inhabitants of this world are kind of flat, and the author doesn't take full advantage of dialogue's power to establish character. Zoey, the other main character, writes about events that happened when she was 12 years old but, as it's hinted in the first chapter and formally stated in the epilogue, she is a few years older as she's telling the story. Even so, it reads very "Podkayne"-esque in between, as if an adolescent girl is telling you what happened to her last weekend. But that voice can toggle without warning to a much more mature, erudite voice. Truman's voice. And the same voice of every other character in the novel who isn't either an evil raider from the outlands or a moaning, cannibalistic ghoul.
March 26, 2012
Twelve years after the Undead first rose up communities have begun to spring up. This story deals with one such group and a young girl named, Zoey. Zoey is fast approaching the time when she will take her vows as a "protector" of her community. Taught to fight with various weapons and in martial arts, she also has to deal with the day to day life of survival.
What if all zombies were not mindless, wanting only to eat those who are not like them. Suppose some do have memories and talents that they possessed before they died. What would such an individual want and desire?
Paffenroth tells the story of Zoey and the one time professor, Truman who is not one of the Undead. The story is told in stages with the journals that both keep and how they eventually come together.
The publisher calls this a "Thinking man's zombie novel" and it certainly is much more than the standard kill or be killed thrillers that many of this genre can be. I'd love for the author to write a sequel so that we can learn what happens to both of these interesting characters and the other community members with whom they relate.
What if all zombies were not mindless, wanting only to eat those who are not like them. Suppose some do have memories and talents that they possessed before they died. What would such an individual want and desire?
Paffenroth tells the story of Zoey and the one time professor, Truman who is not one of the Undead. The story is told in stages with the journals that both keep and how they eventually come together.
The publisher calls this a "Thinking man's zombie novel" and it certainly is much more than the standard kill or be killed thrillers that many of this genre can be. I'd love for the author to write a sequel so that we can learn what happens to both of these interesting characters and the other community members with whom they relate.
September 6, 2011
This book started slow and so I ended up having to return it to the library unfinished. Then it took a long time for it to find its way back into my hands... my point is that this book is much better than it would seem if you look only at the fact that it took my more than 2 months to read 200 pages.
I've been reading zombie novels for a little more than a year and this series is one of the best. The phrasing goes a little simple at times and the people... well, too many people who survived the zombie apocalypse are really good people (but maybe it's a product of the world they live in). Anyway, those are my only complaints about an otherwise awesome book.
This story is set 12 years after the zombie plague struck (unusual point #1) and half of it is told from the point of view of a zombie who is gaining some memories and skills (unusual point #2). The author does a great job weaving a story from these two viewpoints... it's interesting to see what they are both experiencing and becomes great when the storylines intersect.
I know that book #3 exists and that my library even has it. I definitely plan to read that book, too. I really want to know who the story will follow next.
I've been reading zombie novels for a little more than a year and this series is one of the best. The phrasing goes a little simple at times and the people... well, too many people who survived the zombie apocalypse are really good people (but maybe it's a product of the world they live in). Anyway, those are my only complaints about an otherwise awesome book.
This story is set 12 years after the zombie plague struck (unusual point #1) and half of it is told from the point of view of a zombie who is gaining some memories and skills (unusual point #2). The author does a great job weaving a story from these two viewpoints... it's interesting to see what they are both experiencing and becomes great when the storylines intersect.
I know that book #3 exists and that my library even has it. I definitely plan to read that book, too. I really want to know who the story will follow next.
October 4, 2014
This is a sequel to 'Dying to Live' but can be read in isolation without losing too much as it is set 12 years later. However, I recommend you start with the first book as some of the characters feature here too.
The settlement in the museum has grown since the first book and Zoey (the baby) has now reached an age where she is expected to undergo a ceremony to become an adult. A significant proportion of the book features her story, and her view of a world where zombies are considered normal. The adults that remember the world before refer to concepts that she can't understand.
Meanwhile Milton is still rounding up zombies rather than exterminating them. The other major part of the story features a zombie who has retained the ability to think and some of his old skills, like typing. This is a bit of a change from the first book, but is handled well and I was pleasantly surprised as I'm a bit of a purist and I hate it when authors introduce gimmicky zombies.
I can't say much more without giving spoilers, but this is a solid sequel and much better written than most zombie stories.
The settlement in the museum has grown since the first book and Zoey (the baby) has now reached an age where she is expected to undergo a ceremony to become an adult. A significant proportion of the book features her story, and her view of a world where zombies are considered normal. The adults that remember the world before refer to concepts that she can't understand.
Meanwhile Milton is still rounding up zombies rather than exterminating them. The other major part of the story features a zombie who has retained the ability to think and some of his old skills, like typing. This is a bit of a change from the first book, but is handled well and I was pleasantly surprised as I'm a bit of a purist and I hate it when authors introduce gimmicky zombies.
I can't say much more without giving spoilers, but this is a solid sequel and much better written than most zombie stories.
July 23, 2012
Zoey, hija adoptiva de Jonah Caine (protagonista de la primera novela) cuenta en su diario una experiencia sucedida cuando tenía 12 años. Esta experiencia es la narración de uno de los veranos más especiales de su vida: El verano donde tomó su juramento.
En la comunidad fundada por Milton (en la novela anterior) participan en un ritual donde identifican las leyes de la comunidad, "El defender la vida" y "Honrar a los muertos".
Este verano se llena de contradicciones y reflexiones filosóficas para Zoey desprendidas de un ataque de foragidos y la aparición de dos zombies muy especiales.
En esta segunda novela de la trilogía "Dying to Live" Paffenroth cuenta dos historias que se entrelazan al avanzar el relato. La histroria de Zoey y la historia de Truman un zombie consciente... (esperen, sigan leyendo, se que el tema de zombies con conciencia es delicado, pero den oportunidad).
Los temas narrados por Zoey y Truman son de profunda reflexión filosófica abordan áreas como la ética, la memoria, la estética y la percepción.
En la comunidad fundada por Milton (en la novela anterior) participan en un ritual donde identifican las leyes de la comunidad, "El defender la vida" y "Honrar a los muertos".
Este verano se llena de contradicciones y reflexiones filosóficas para Zoey desprendidas de un ataque de foragidos y la aparición de dos zombies muy especiales.
En esta segunda novela de la trilogía "Dying to Live" Paffenroth cuenta dos historias que se entrelazan al avanzar el relato. La histroria de Zoey y la historia de Truman un zombie consciente... (esperen, sigan leyendo, se que el tema de zombies con conciencia es delicado, pero den oportunidad).
Los temas narrados por Zoey y Truman son de profunda reflexión filosófica abordan áreas como la ética, la memoria, la estética y la percepción.
November 13, 2014
Part two of the Dying to Live series takes place twelve years later at the same compound. With new customs and rituals, the community has reclaimed more of the city and has secured many of the undead in a secure area. In this new era, we get to see the points of view from Zoey, who was just a baby in the first book, and an undead man named Truman, who is different than the majority of the undead.
I loved this part of the series more than the first one. The storyline was more captivating and seemed to have a bit more action than the previous book. And it was interesting to see two different perspectives in this new world, especially one who is one of the undead.
I was also glad all the characters were kept in this book as well. I liked reading how each of the main characters that were mentioned in the last novel grew over the twelve year time span. And the new characters were interesting to read about as well.
The only thing I didn't like was all the rules and regulations they all had to follow. I thought it was a bit much.
Dying to Live is a great series.
I loved this part of the series more than the first one. The storyline was more captivating and seemed to have a bit more action than the previous book. And it was interesting to see two different perspectives in this new world, especially one who is one of the undead.
I was also glad all the characters were kept in this book as well. I liked reading how each of the main characters that were mentioned in the last novel grew over the twelve year time span. And the new characters were interesting to read about as well.
The only thing I didn't like was all the rules and regulations they all had to follow. I thought it was a bit much.
Dying to Live is a great series.
September 11, 2009
I will begin by admitting that I was somewhat disappointed at the jump in time from the first in this series to its sequel. After the first couple pages, I was no longer disappointed and was very into this book.
Two perspectives are given in this story; that of an intelligent zombie and that of a young woman looking into her past.
At first, I suffered my usual level of disdain on the smart zombie idea. I will admit to bias on that subject. I have simply not liked smart zombies very much outside of Cemetery Man and a couple other comedic films. Paffenroth managed to do what no other author or director has done for me in the past; put me inside of the zombie in a meaningful way. Bravo, Mr. Paffenroth! Bravo!
I will not go very deep into the story, as I hate having plots given away and enjoy a level of mystery. What I will say is that this is a well-written story. Fans of zombies, horror, action, and literature in general should all find something of value in reading this.
Two perspectives are given in this story; that of an intelligent zombie and that of a young woman looking into her past.
At first, I suffered my usual level of disdain on the smart zombie idea. I will admit to bias on that subject. I have simply not liked smart zombies very much outside of Cemetery Man and a couple other comedic films. Paffenroth managed to do what no other author or director has done for me in the past; put me inside of the zombie in a meaningful way. Bravo, Mr. Paffenroth! Bravo!
I will not go very deep into the story, as I hate having plots given away and enjoy a level of mystery. What I will say is that this is a well-written story. Fans of zombies, horror, action, and literature in general should all find something of value in reading this.
September 7, 2009
This is not your typical zombie novel. If you're looking for gore and action, this isn't the book for you. Although I can appreciate Paffenroth's philosophical explorations (because I think the zombie genre certainly lends itself to many theories) his story is pretty far-fetched as far as zombie fiction goes. Come on, a zombie that can read or one that plays the violin??? That goes against everything I love about zombies!
I think Paffenroth took a few too many liberties in exploring his thoughts on life, living, violence, and humanity. Although this was great, he should have stayed true to the zombie genre and its intricacies. It was too much of a stretch.
If he hadn't taken so many liberties I would have looked past the fact that overall the book lacks the gore and the thrills of the first novel.
I think Paffenroth took a few too many liberties in exploring his thoughts on life, living, violence, and humanity. Although this was great, he should have stayed true to the zombie genre and its intricacies. It was too much of a stretch.
If he hadn't taken so many liberties I would have looked past the fact that overall the book lacks the gore and the thrills of the first novel.
April 7, 2010
Another fantastic story by Paffenroth. This one goes a little outside my comfort zone on how I prefer zombies to act, but the deviation turns out to be a clever way to explore the themes the author wanted to address. Paffenroth explores faith, redemption, human capacity for evil, and the tricky subject of people trying to reintroduce law and justice following a complete societal collapse and absence of recognizable authority. If you can forgive the semantics, I was tempted to put this book in the "literature" shelf. Great stuff - this book and the preceding Dying to Live are must-haves for zombie fans.
December 29, 2009
Good book. Think it was way to slow in the beginning and really did not have a climax to speak of.
What it did do though was delve into the murky places no one seems to want to go ... what happens after the zombies take over the world.
Paffenroth creates a people with vastly different cultures and customs that stem from where they live and what happens when zombies change and other group are combated against.
It is definitely a thinking zombie mans book as you look at how people live and change. Overall good and I would not mind seeing one more story here. He could easily go on the tangent and look at other characters mentioned in book 1 and 2 and see their outcome.
What it did do though was delve into the murky places no one seems to want to go ... what happens after the zombies take over the world.
Paffenroth creates a people with vastly different cultures and customs that stem from where they live and what happens when zombies change and other group are combated against.
It is definitely a thinking zombie mans book as you look at how people live and change. Overall good and I would not mind seeing one more story here. He could easily go on the tangent and look at other characters mentioned in book 1 and 2 and see their outcome.
January 12, 2013
I enjoyed this one also, to me it wasn't as good as the first. But to be honest it was alot different. It was more of a thriving vibe than the survival horror. They are well established now in their ever-growing community. The introduction of the Zombies getting smarter was a nice change in pace to the norm of the genre. Usually if a Zombie got smarter they became more deadly, but these two Zombies were more along the compassionate and loving side of humanity instead of the barbaric and ugly side.
Overall I enjoyed the book.
Overall I enjoyed the book.
October 24, 2013
When I first started this book I was thinking BORING... It's told alternately between Zoey (a baby in the prequel) and, Truman (a zombie).Truman is different than the other zombies. He thinks, and feels. he is a former professor. while he might not remember everything from before. He remembers enough. If you are looking for action, look elsewhere. There is none Which makes it different than the book prior. But I guess all zombie books can't be fast paced terror. A good book if you want different viewpoints on a zombie aftermath years after by a teen and a zombie.
February 12, 2009
Absolutely loved this sequel to Dying to Live. This story of the survivors takes place 12 years after we left them in the last book. The story is told by Zoe, who is the baby that was rescued in the first book, as well as by Truman, a Zombie who retains the ability to read and write. Unlike the first book this one is not so much a story of survival as it is a story of hope.
I really look forward to finding more work by this author as I was very impressed with his talent as a writer.
I really look forward to finding more work by this author as I was very impressed with his talent as a writer.
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