What's Up With Zombies?

[David P]

Shomeret wrote: "Re Lesbian Samurai Zombies-- I like my characters to be quirky and I like unusual concepts, but I also like my protagonists to have a moral compass and at least experience angst if they do somethin..."

Interesting comment. It just so happens that my series has been both praised and blamed for having characters with a clear moral compass in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. ;) I'm not saying it's a Christmas Story, but I'm happy to see my third book on the Kindle Sci-Fi-Adventure Best sellers List since its release on December 12th. In fact, my free promotion of the first book over the weekend didn't match the sales of the third book. So I must be doing something right. You might actually like my zombie party. ;-)

Voyage of the Dead
Flotilla of the Dead
Deluge of the Dead

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

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[John]

Taylor, it depends on the author, but most zombie movies have pretty clear rules established by the most popular zombie franchises.

Most zombie stories are tales of mob mentality. They spoof mindless consumerism, fanaticism, overpopulation, groupthink, and Sartre's observation that "Hell is other people."

Zombies are a reflection of what frustrates us about society.

They are the collective stupidity and greed of mankind come to life. And like the worst attributes of humanity, they are cruel, they are destructive, they are omnipresent, and they are virtually unstoppable.

The rules are flexible, but certain elements can be found in nearly every franchise.

Generally, zombies are perpetually ravenous, mindless (with animal cunning or rudimentary intelligence), feel no pain and have no instinct for self-preservation, and can be stopped only by disabling the brain.

In some franchises, zombie-ism is spread by contamination, usually a virus. Contact with the blood or saliva of the infected will cause reanimation on death. In a few franchises, everyone is an infected carrier, and may reanimate upon death.

One or two franchises feature pseudo-zombies, demonic possession or alien infiltration that look like zombie behavior, but have little in common with the traditional zombie tales.

The key to a "realistic" zombie tale is not slavish adherence to previous works, but rather, to create a plausible framework and rules that govern your zombie-infested world, and to borrow the time-honored elements of zombie stories that make them recognizable to your readers.

There's significant variation in vampire tales as well. Some are allergic to garlic and fear Italian food. Some burst into flames when exposed to sunlight. Some are dead; some are infected with a virus; some are demons inhabiting the body of a human. Some can change shape: wolves, bats, mist. Some fear religious symbols. Some are affected by silver.

And some are not.

Vampires are just as variable as zombies. Like zombies, they draw on common roots, but the details are part of their creator's world vision, not a prescription to be followed to the letter.

Bend the rules, break them, abandon them completely if you like! There are no zombies here, following each other in mindless herds -- just us authors trying to survive. =)

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

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[John]

LOL! Godforbid!

[David P]

John wrote: "Taylor, it depends on the author, but most zombie movies have pretty clear rules established by the most popular zombie franchises.

Most zombie stories are tales of mob mentality. They spoof mind..."

Excellent post, John. I'll prove your point with a few teasers/spoilers from my own books. In my "Sovereign Spirit Saga" the zombies are victims of the Super Rabies virus (released by terrorists with a diabolical plan). I never describe my "zombies" as reanimated corpses. They are no longer normal people, but have become "undead cannibals" who prey on anyone who is not infected.

The Super Rabies infection also has some distinctive symptoms, most notably hydrophobia. Yes, my zombies fear water! This opens up a whole new approach to defending against zombies. ;-)
Voyage of the Dead

[L.W.]

I havent' actually read too many Zombie books, though I do have World War Z and Rot and Ruin. Anyone read either of those two?