The Best Zombie Literature

[Christen]

I wanted to start a thread to debate the best zombie reads out there.

My vote, until someone can convince me otherwise, is for The Complete Zombie Protection Guide and World War Z.

Any challengers?

[Mareklamo]

No argument from me about World War Z! I haven't read The Complete Zombie Protection Guide, so I can't comment on that. However I would like to suggest The Zombie Survival Guide.

[Christen]

HA! Mareklamo...that's what I meant :)

[Brandon]

I really liked the Autumn series, by David Moody. It is "classic" zombie. Nothing fancy, very down to earth. It feels very real. The first book is free online if you are interested.
http://www.djmoody.co.uk/Formats.htm

[Girly]

Plague of the Dead: The Morningstar Strain

[Robert "Comickaze"]

World War Z and the Survival Guide were good.

If you think you might enjoy a graphic novel (comic book) I'd highly recommend Remains by Steve Niles (co-creator of 30 Days of Night an excellent Vampire GN series and soon to be released movie). He also has a pulp fiction prose series, the Cal McDonald Mysteries that will be re-released soon and involves all kinds of undead characters and also has Graphic Novel versions. There is also an ongoing Zombie comic series called The Walking Dead bu Robert Kirkman. It has been collected into 6 Trade Paperbacks so far.

[Diane]

I really liked David Wellington's books, Monster Island, Monster Nation, and Monster Planet. I also liked the Walking Dead graphic novel series.

[Girly]

Chronicles of the Apocalypse Species

[Alex]

Ah! I just got Steve Niles autograph at Dragon*Con in Atlanta. He signed a 30 Days of Night movie poster for me. I'm so psyched.

As for lit, there's no question that WWZ and ZSG are tops. I adore I Am Legend for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that the story is more about how society reinvents itself and the fact that the antagonists are zombies is sort of secondary. Also, I love that the protagonist spends so much time trying to figure out what makes a zombie a zombie. It's just an all-around awesome read.

[Girly]

Already Dead by Charlie Huston
and
13 Bullets by David Wellington.

Yes, both are mainly about vampires (not the goth-blacklipstick-faggy kind) but both have zombie-types in them. Rotting half-deads and the like. The vampires are completely animalistic-rip-out-your-throat-mutant-looking types.

Both great books. Highly recommended.

[Trevor]

I completely love THE BOOK OF ALL FLESH -- a zombie short story compilation ed. by James Lowder. These short stories include traditional and non trad. stories. They're great. I think there are other books in the "series" but I still haven't gotten my hands on them.

WWZ is amazing -- anyone listen to the audiobook? Fantastic! Henry Rollins is one of the voice actors!

[Mareklamo]

I actually heard the audiobook of WWZ first - which then prompted me to read the book. I'm glad Goodreads finally let me enter separate reviews and dates for the audio and the print editions.

The cast on the audiobook is great. Mark Hamill is on it, as well as Alan Alda and Rob Reiner.

[Christen]

Wow no kidding! I wondered how they would handle all the different voices for the audio book. You know ...if they would have one person try to split their personality into like 100. Or just hire Robin Williams to do 100 different voices. That's fun for no one. I'm glad they opted to try and cast the different interviewees. I'll have to listen to it!

[Trevor]

Oh how I must sing the praises of out-of-system interlibrary loan!! For those of you who don't know about this, go to your nearest library and ask about it!!! I just got The Book of Final Flesh and The Book of More Flesh zombie short story anthologies! It cost me nothing! I know what I'm doing this weekend (aside from sleeping and eating)! =)

[Terry]

As a librarian, I'm totally seconding interlibrary loan! That's how I read Monster Island the first time.

[Trevor]

Hey -- Travis Adkins was his editor? Last month I finally read Trav's Twilight of the Dead and thoroughly enjoyed it. Anything with th Adkins mark on it, i.e. Jason S. Hornsby's book, will pique my interest. I'll also look and see if I am able to purchase it for my library through one of our vendors. Thanks for letting us know!

[Jade]

I wanted to throw in that the best zombie book I've EVER read is Jesus Freaks ne Zombie by Andre Duza. It isn't exceptionally wellknown, but it's awesome all the same.