Book Review: Sea Sick (Ravaged World #1) by Iain Rob Wright

I will give this book 5 stars. IT served the purpose it was supposed to do. 

This is the 5 book within the damnienverse which include Sam, Asbo, Final Winter, Housemates (already read), then we've got Ravaged World series which this one is the first and finally there is another series called Hell on Earth.

In this book we follow Jack Wardsley which is a police officer but due to some past offences in the force had to take a break. So on he goes in a cruised called The Spirit of Kirkpatrick (which was something hinted on The Housemates). Apart from that mention, there is also the mention of Black Remedy company - think Umbrella Corporation. You can enter this novel without anything else read.

Right from the start we are introduced to a couple of characters like Jack, Claire a young woman  who has a brute of a boyfriend, holly a young girl and her parents (who it hinted to be connected to another novel or my name isn't Paulo) Tally the romani waitress & Joma (another waiter) then all hell breaks lose and we have zombies all around us.

In the second day he kindy feel deja vu, but on the third day , he understand something is happening. It's groundhog day on a ship with zombies. So with each day you follow Rob trying to find out what is happening but soon after several dozens times you see him change and even killing himself just to wake up at 14h as alwalys. After a while he understands that there is one of the persons he met that is like him and remember the day and so they talk and he is told that there is a being resetting time again and again. IT seems it's something that must be done so something can be change. After several dozen days or probably hundred he meets Donovan which is a security guard guarding some money and medicine in the last deck.

After he meets all of these people he understand that something must be done and the story goes berserk with the pace - although all the book reads quite fast. I read this book under 3h. I started on the 29th of august for a hour and finish on the 30 within 1h30. 

I enjoyed and I want to read the second novel on the trilogy. Probably going to buy the remaining books. 92/100

TV series Review: Freakish (2015/2016) October Horror Fest (12/31)

 I watch the all two seasons in 2 days. 10 episode each with 23 minutes it's an easy watch to be fair. 

Well what's the story and why didn't I ever heard about it? This story is about several people being trapped in a school after an explosion in a nearby chemical plant. This chemical didn't kill people but made them like freaks - zombies if you will (although alive not dead).

So must of the people initial try to leave only leaving 8 or 9 there. These boys and girls are all different yet feel all the same. You got the jockey, the nerd, the mysterious one, the rich one and so on. You understand the drill. 

So, the first impact you have with the characters it's one of hatred toward each one - for different reasons. There is not a single really "root" kind of guy/gal. All are crap. BUT to me that's no problem - after all these people have to do everything to survive and don't like all do-gooder people.

But as the days go by their difference become a strength (how poetic) as they have common goals. Unfortunately the changes are so major in only a couple days. People that are the most hateful enemies now are the best and change again and so on. It feels a teen drama at times - which it is since they are all teens. Then the dialogue makes no sense. This is high school almost all of them look they are at least 24 or so...

Unfortunately the drama focus a lot more on the romance than the plot because it really never got going - I mean we know the plant is responsible and you've got this guy who supposedly came to help but instead he was there to kill all witness while taking one of the survivors away (he was the son of some lead scientists) but we never really learn that why was he in school since he wasn't on detention- was it to investigate? was it on purpose? We never knew. Most storylines had no conclusion because the series was cancelled.

Is it worth watching? Nope.. Just because of the open storylines - it made me upset I bet you too. 

TV Series Review: Fear of the Walking Dead Season 1,2

Fear the Walking Dead

First Episode
The story begins with a young teen (Nick -18yo) in bed trying to discern what is happening since he wake up alone... He finds his girlfriend eating someone and escapes the villa. He is then hit by a car.

Later on, Madison learns that her son has been hit by a car and heads to the hospital. Travis stays at the hospital with Nick while Madison goes to work (councilor teacher). She helps some boy called Tobias which tells her that he is carrying a knife to protect himself from something the government is not talking about. Death's in five states and stories about living dead.

After learning that Nick was drugging himself on a church Travis goes there to see it. He finds a lot blood - more than any person could sustain and does nothing? Damn that's plausible. And Madison doesn't even care... " A lot of bad things happen there... stabbing and shooting" Why call the police?

Afterwards Nicks escapes and Madison & Travis goes search for him at the church. Again, a lot of blood but nobody calls the police. Afterwards the TV shows the first "documented" case of the walking dead. Afterwards the school is closed after many students became absent.

Later Nick is led by Cal under a bridge where he tries to kill him. Cal accidently shots Nick. He then tells his mother and Travis about the accident. When they go the place Calvin's car is there but not Cal's body. They think he is crazy but didn't they found odd that Calvin's car was there with his door opened and a gun in the floor? They find Calvin and Nick runs him over after he try to bite his mother.

But he doesn't died...

This is the first episode basically. I will not be spending much time on each other episode.

Characters from the First Episode
Madison Clark (Mother of Nick & Stacy) - Teacher
Stacy (Alicia's Daughter)
Nick (Alicia's Son)

Travis Manawa (step-father of Stacy & Nick)
Christopher (Travis's Son)
Liza Ortiz (Travis Mother)

Tobias - School boy

Calvin - Nick's friend
Matt - Alicia's boyfriend

Second Episode - Madison tries to struggle to help her son withdrawal and goes to the school to find some medication. There she finds Tobias who says that this is not going to pass. The both of them are force to kill an undead Artie (the principal).

Meanwhile Travis tries to save his son and gets into the city where they barricate themselves with a El Salvador family. 

As some of the episodes of the walking dead, it's pretty slow moving... My question is: Why don't they talk about what've seen?? Why the fuck they don't tell their children about the undead?? This is fucking stupid...

Fourth & Fifth episode
Unlike the Walking Dead this one begins before the chaos and during the initial days of the chaos. Unlike Walking Dead we never get to see what happened to the army. Supposedly they died and such BUT it's never confirmed it after all America is pretty big. At the same time we never get to see the rest of the world.

Here we get to see the Military being the evil organization doing the "things" that must be done to overcome everything.  Liza Ortiz was bitten and then Travis kills her


The last episode we get to see some couple characters like Victor Strand as well. I wonder why the government was keeping undead inside a football stadium. Odd and a bit of deus-ex-machina.
___________________________________________

Season 2 - Survivors (Families)

Madison Clark (Mother of Nick & Stacy) - Teacher
Alicia  (Madison's Daughter)
Nick (Madison's Son)

Travis Manawa (step-father of Stacy & Nick)
Christopher (Travis's Son)

Daniel Salazar (El Salvadoran refugee)
Ofelia Salazar (daughter of Daniel)

Victor Strand(Survivor kind of guy)


The second season I didn't do a step by step but overall review.

Well the first season it sounded a bit different from Walking Dead. Everything seemed different BUT in the second season sometimes I thought that X or Y person in FOTWD is very akin to other WD character.

I think maybe because in the first season of WD is already months ahead of the beginning so people were already conscious of everything. In FOTWD is something new to everyone.

This season they went to Mexico, by Victor request. They had several problems inbetween both in the water and afterwards. Several intense battles.

Nick went one way helping a group of survivors in a close village where he befriends a woman. Travis and Chris separate from them after Chris try to hurt both Madison and Alycia. While the rest of the gang go to a hotel where they also befriend some people who where taking refugee there. 

In the last couple episodes Chris separates from his father to go with some american guys while Travis finds Madison and Alycia. Meanwhile the guys Chris was travelling also arrive at the hotel demanding care and telling that Chris had perish. But after they tell how it happened Travis knew they had killed him (previously they had no problem killing one of their friends).

Travis goes into a rampage and kills them both but hurt another survivor who later dies. His brother wants to have revenge and when he was killing Travis and Alycia drives a knife killing him. Later they escape the Hotel (Travis, Madison and Alycia) while Victor stay behind.

In the end the village Nick was was evacuated and they headed to the boarder where they were attacked by army man (para-military of some sorts). Travis, Madison and Alyicia learn of Nick whereabouts and the episode ends while they are heading for the border as well.

Thoughts
- Travis is the character who doesn't want to lose faith of humanity but in the end of episode 15 of season 2 is driven to kill two humans that were responsable of his son death.

- Madison is Rick's counterpart but WD he had more time to ponder his actions and turning into a grey area of moral conduct. Madison when her sons are in danger quickly makes avaiable her animal insticts.

- Alycia is a character that in the beginning is a bit insecure doubting everying and almost in denial but as the second season progress she turns more determined to to anything to help her own family (althought feeling deeply remorsed by her actions). 

- Nick is just a cry-baby. Drug addicted, believes the dead are not to be killed and most of time blends covering himself of blood. Althought he kills the dead if needed. As I said drug-addicted turn messiah.

- Victor was an unknown but it seemed everything he did or do was to be together with his lover - but unfortunally he died. He had the chance to kill himself but chicked out.

- Ofelia is captive of some paramilitary kind of guy(s?).

Overall Thoughts
One interesting bit was the technique used of painting oneself in blood. In WD you watch that same technique how many times? Twice? Here is all around and everyone does it. It's like common knowledge.

Another interesting bit was that in WD they had problems with zombies pilling up in the fence but in FOTWD they had no problems whatosever - The zombies didn't even pile up against it. While in WD they did (probably WD the zombies had more hunger...)

There are some differences in both shows and I preffer WD, no doubt about it. The characters in FOTWD are copies of WD. The only ones I am interested is Alycia and Victor.

There are also 2 episodes that were web-released both not encompassing 20m. One is set in a aeroplane and another set in the border between mexico and usa.

Review: Deadlocked 2 - A R Wise

Deadlocked 2 by A.R. Wise
My rating: 7 of 10 stars

This second story starts right after the first tale. In this tale we follow Laura, David's wife, as she struggles - first to see her husband being eaten alive and second - to safe their two children with the help of Billy.

This tale follows the same directness of the first. Everything moves fast and there is no pause to take a deep breath.

As they travel through the river, with plenty of supplies stolen from a school they meet several people. Again the same thing as before. Not everyone is a nice as they are and best of all - the change that the writer did to Laura throughout 70 pages was quite good. We see Laura change from a mother that depends on her husband to a woman that attacks people that mess with her and her family.

Again the end was quite surprising. Almost the same formula as the first part. Read this two parts and be prepared to a turmoil of feelings. Herr Wise will punch your stomach!

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Review: Deadlocked - A R Wise

Deadlocked by A.R. Wise
My rating: 8 of 10 stars

First book (novella) that begins with in a Ferrari and ends up with a bang (of that Ferrari). Quick and very interesting but it didn't add anything new to the zombie mythology. It says that this pandemic was caused by someone but only hinted. I bet the next few parts of this series will add more.

So far, interesting main character David. We travel with him, as he tries to find his family and to safe them. In the way he meets some people who try to help him and others who become what we know would happen when society when down. People would become savages, most of them. Have no faith in society my friends. If society falls, humanity will fall. We live in society because we learn that way is easier but we are animals - with rules. I don't say everyone would be an animal but I believe that half would be unreliable. Well... returning to the tale I really enjoy as the story finish with a surprising ending, no doubt about it. The last two or three pages are thoughts given by the writer. Really interesting.

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Review: The Rezort 2016

Well, I've watch my share of Zombie films but I am always eager to see one more. The ReZort try to innovate because instead of dealing with a zombie apocalpyse deals with a zombie aftermath. Basically the zombie plague was purged (I like this word now) and with it 2 Billion people. 

A Spaniard isle became a elite reZort where the guests can go and kill zombies for pleasure. Everything is controlled so no risk and at the same time you kill some zombies.

After this innitial introduction given to us I thought... OK a small island... if you kill all zombies how do put more there? Strange place to make a reZort and why the world leaders would even allowed that to happen since they were so keen to destroy all of them. Strange premises...

In the plot we follow some people that are making that tour and kill some zombies. A ex-marine, two winners of a online game, a girl that took her ex-boyfriend and other safari-wannabees...

Of course the Jurassic Zombie Park goes wrong when a virus opens all the doors and they were unable to contain all the zombies.

Apart from the first 20 minutes the rest of the movie we follow the band killing and escaping zombies.


The end, as most Zombie movies, we are presented with an open ending as a TV crew is reporting about that incident a wave of thousands of zombies appear...

One of the interesting things and stupidiest of them all this movie show is this... 
As I said before how they "grew" zombies since they were on an island? So basically a refugee camp was set on that island and voila... WHAT?? What a dumb move writers/directors or whatever thought this would be a good idea. You've got all places ridden of zombies except that island and you put there the refugees...Yeah... no. That's stupid. 

But one thing they say it make sense... The owner of the Rezort says, do you think anybody cares about those refugees? I believe this to be true...

This movie has some political agenda behind it with the refugees crisis in Europe.

Should you watch it?
I cannot in good consience advice it to you but if you enjoy zombie films then go right ahead.

Movie Review: The Cooties 2014

Synopsis
"A mysterious virus hits an isolated elementary school, transforming the kids into a feral swarm of mass savages. An unlikely hero must lead a motley band of teachers in the fight of their lives."


First of all, why did Elijah Wood made this movie? Why did he enter on it. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Or not. I know his company produce this movie and I know it earn less than 50.000 dollars plus 200K from foreign lands With a cast that size it was a box office flop. But it's was made to go video-on-demand by Lionsgate so I don't know. Well, don't know, don't care.

Now, for the movie...

There isn't much to be said about it. You've got Clint (Elijah Wood) a horror writer wannabe, returns to his old town to become a replacement teacher in a school he once been. There he mets his high school crush Lucy (Allison Pill) but discovers that she is dating Wade (Rainn Wilson). At the same time you've got this girl who eats a chicken nugget which has been tainted (Mcdonalds is evil I tell you). She laters becomes  ill and bits other kids (well they deserve it because they are spoilt brats... darn) but also Clint. They all became sick but Clint does not. Then there is mayhem. Several staff, principal and teachers are rapidly killed by the infected chidlren.  Only 7 grown ups escape and hid from the children. 

Later they escape to the music room and they also find a child who has not turn into a blood sucking zombie. They later find that this infection only contaminate children who are not yet in puberty. Afterwards they escape the house with the help of the Samurai Janitor and find out that the United States is burning and children everywhere are killing grown ups... Later they found out the reason for the infection and escape town to try to built a vacine.

Analysis
This movie is not that good. Boring and something that someone has already done before. Zombies are getting a lot of movies lately and this is one more of the same. The only redeeming quality is the introduction of children zombie and some how a comedy zombie movie. Usually some subjects are taboo for the filmmakers or at most are not that worth talking because of controversy. Sometimes they try and fail. 

An Apart
In the movie - IT follows we are dealing with a monster who are following and killing someone wo has sex and so a person "infected" by it must fuck someone else to pass the "problem". Maybe is an allegory to AIDS or to teenage sex or even to now banal act of love making. The new Star Wars has another taboo - a black guy and a guatemalan and a woman are the stars of the show. That upset some people but despise that hatred are you thinking that someone who is fan of star wars is not going to see it? I say he will. But if that happened in a another movie do you think the same apply? I think yes. 

Not going all racist and shit but most people who are into "Geek" subjects like star wars, online gaming, boardgaming (or even my genre of music metal) are white people. Those are you target audiance. So the new Star Wars take a leap of faith with this one. But, if you are really aware of your surroudings check the toys for the new Stars Wars. Most of them are either the evil guy, stormtrooper, the girl or old star wars movies. There aren't that much about the black guy. Coincidence? I think not. Because I want to see the movie and I don't care about the black guy or whatever. But buying a toy? I am sorry Disney but even you understand marketing ;)

End of An Apart

Now, returning to the movie in question - this time you've got children zombies. Nice one. Maybe is an allegory of what is happening with chidlren. They are freaking zombies, doing what they want and not caring about the parents and teachers. That is happening. Why? Because nowadays most children are hyper-active. Or are going to be. They have contact with technology from the early days and maybe that is alianeting the children. I don't know.

Well, I enjoy the movie but it's one of those movies you will watch it, share a laugh or a smirk, sigh a bit and then be done with it. You won't remember after a couple of days and probably never going to watch it again...

I rate it 3.5 out of 10

Review: Thunder from Fenris - Nick Kyme

Title - Thunder from Fenris

Author - Nick Kyme

Year - 2009

Stand Alone or Series - Audiobook

Pages - 80m

Reading Time - April 2011

As you all know I don't like audiobooks and even less e-books. I truly dispised them. Black Library launched a new short story about dark eldars and they made it only as e-book. I really want to read because they are my army and favoured race but I won't buy it until it's released as a paper book. 

But audiobooks are another story. I don't like it but I read them because as I work (sometimes) I can hear music. This particular audiobook I heard twice. It was fantastic. I truly want to read in paper version but I can cope with these.

Review:

Space Wolves vs Zombies

How can this go wrong?

And I must say it didn't go wrong for me.

I like the voice of the narrator but unfortunally he doesn't change the voice very often between characters. I also felt that the special effects behind the audiobook were poor and was a little let down. But, fortunally Nick Kyme made a good story about Space Wolves that made all worth it.

The story begins in a strange cold enviroment akin to the Space Wolves homeworld. As they battle Nurgle's minions and help the Cadia Imperial Guard, they are searching for a missing brother who may have fallen victim of Wulfen Plague amidst a Zombie Plague that ravages the land. They are space wolves but they are part of an elite of the already elite space wolves called Thunder Wolves. This thunder wolves ride or fight beside big wolves from Fenris. These Wolves are the most dangerous animal on a planet full of monstrosous beasts. 

The brothers then follow the carnifice wrought by the zombie plague and their missing brother. The Imperial Guard troops as they are infected they turn into a mindless zombie but the augmetic space marines are almost imnune to it.  After some encounters with a friendly general and other chaos cultists (including Death Guard space marines) they encounter a daemon, probably the causer of all this plague. Here they do a titanic battle and are helped by their missing brother. After deating the daemon the brother yet again escape. They leave the place of the daemon and follow their brother but they encounter a fierce resistance and only one man stands and he wants to help his Wulfen brother. The audiobook ends with a clinfhanger never knowing what happens to either one.

The characterization is one of the good parts of the novel and we can see that as two battle brothers argue what's the best course of action after they encounter their fallen brother. 

Conclusion

To whom I advice this book? To anyone. You don't need to know almost nothing to fully enjoy this book. The only advice I give you is to search for "Wulfen" state that befells some Space Wolves because the book doesn't fully explain what it is. And yes, there are zombies in the warhammer 40k and warhammer fantasy albeit a little different from the zombies from our "world".

8.5/10

Review: Empire - David Dunwoody

Title - Empire

Author - David Dunwoody

Year - 2008

Stand Alone or Series - 1st of a Series 

Pages - 293

Reading Time - 7 days (January 2011)

Rating - 4/10

Review and General Opinion

I've read nearly every zombie book out there I guess so I had to read this too. This was new to me. When I read the blurb I thought "This is new and interesting. Let us buy" (I usually don't speak as Gollum, but it's the mood). This could be a great novel. The ideia behind Death investigating why the dead are not coming and about the life in a city that is being abanonded by the military. We follow dozen of characters in fortish chapters (inbetween we have some entries in form of a journal and five chapters with a special force that really don't do anything beside seing the apocalypse rider and trying to find it and confirm his presence. Faith is important here where some people still believe in god and the zombies a form of punishment and others that really don't care. The Goverment is atypical of other goverments where they don't care about anyone except themselves. It's quite a cliche.

It had some good premise but everting fails.First a cross-breading virus that makes thing undead. Not just people but also animals, fish and it's hinted insects as well. But would life still exist after 100 years? The zombies in the other end are a little better. As they feed on other animals they gain power and become runners or more powerful. The inverse what happen? They died? After 100 years is there any abundant life avaiable to them?

(More) Criticisms
- Too many characters: At times I could figure it out who was who or what they were. Until 3/4 of the book I tried to remember a couple of names and everybody else was confusing. And everyone dies and without purpose. They were cannon fodder.
- Dialogues & Writing: My god, what a mess. In one chapter we are with one character and without any indication in the next sentence another character in a different location is talking. It made the storyline falter at some points.
- Proff-reading and editing, anyone? Was it making a script for a movie/game or a novel?
- Pet Zombies & Zombies that just don't die. Interesting no? Well, no. How does a zombie survive without a head? Only a body?

Things that could be Good
- Death - Great character (the end where he made a choice that had dire consequences to him) but unfortunally it appears not so often to be good and it's not that well characterzied.
- It was in the year 2112 but with an unbelieveble scenario
- Maybe the sequel will be better but we will never see it because I won't be buying more.

Good
- Meh. Maybe chapter 41 where Death talks to someone in a higher place.

Conclusion

I pay almost 10 euros for a book for a tradepaperback with only 280 pages and with big letters. It would fit into a mass book with 200/220 pages easily. And unfortunally (again) it's the first of a series. I bought this one but I don't see myself buying the second. If you like zombies and read everything else then try this one. If you like Romero's movies or "normal" zombies or you are new to them then don't pick this book. There are a lot books out there greater than this one.

Review: Dead City - Joe McKinney

Book Dead City
Author Joe McKinney
Pages 288
Year 2006
Reading time 2 days
Rating 7.5 / 10

This review was taken from my former website www.perkunos.wordpress.com

“Battered by five cataclysmic hurricanes in three weeks, the Texas Gulf Coast and half of the Lone Star State is reeling from the worst devastation in history. Thousands are dead or dying – but the worst is only beginning. Amid the wreckage, something unimaginable is happening: a deadly virus has broken out, returning the dead to life – with an insatiable hunger for human flesh…Within hours, the plague has spread all over Texas. San Antonio police officer Eddie Hudson finds his city overrun by a voracious army of the living dead. Along with a small group of survivors, Eddie must fight off the savage horde in a race to save his family…There’s no place to run. No place to hide. The Zombie horde is growing as the virus runs rampant. Eddie knows he has to find a way to destroy these walking horrors…but he doesn’t know the price he will have to pay.”

I have this book on my possesion for some time but it was just laying there in the pile to read but never in the front… Last thursday I went to the hospital with my grandmother and pick a book in a hurry. This was what I got. I start reading and almost finish in th e same day. I’ve read dozens of zombies fiction and this one was neither on the top nor the botton. There were several things I didn’t enjoy but there were several things in it that made me want to read another book by the same author. I’ve read in http://www.graemesfantasybookreview.com/ that the author will be releasing another book next year.

Now the book… The story is on the first person and the main character is Eddie Hudson, a police of San Antonio (USA). He was on duty and was called because of disturbances. Arriving on the scene he sees the havoc created by the zombies. We don’t get to know why there are zombies. It’s speculated that it could have been because of the five hurricanes striking a zone and the moving of millions of people. The plot evolves as we see Eddie trying to go home to his wife and child while meeting several people that helps him (or not). We get to see the destruction of San Antonio step by step. The plot is always moving forward and in no way you feel it dragging. We get to know another characters but not for long. In the end, it was in my opinion, the weakest part. I think he could made much more but played safe… maybe he wasn’t counting in writing another book. Nevertheless it was a good book to read but as I said… it wasn’t the best zombie fiction I’ve read.

Let us see that this 4 year wait is worthwhile.

Review: The Rising: Selected Scenes from the End of the World - Brian Keene

Title: The Rising: Selected Scenes from the End of the World

Author: Brian Keene

Publisher: Delirium Books
Pages: 215
Reading Time: 3 days (15/06/2009 to 17/06/2009)

Rating: 8.5/10

I told ye all that I would be reading this book as soon as it arrived at my house. Well this is a combination of several short stories (thirty-two) that are interlinked and shared the same mythos with the previous Brian Keene's books The Rising and City of the Dead.

I must say I read this book a long time ago (and I also got a comment by the author himself) and so I forgot several things... I remember the plot and the different zombies Keene used but the name of the characters have already flipped from my mind...

Well now the short stories... All of them if I am not incorrect don't exceed the 1000 words. They are almost all of them 5/6 pages. The ones who are more are divided in two short stories (There are two situations but both short stories can stand on their own...

Highlights... (each story is one day so the number that appears before is the day the story happenend)

1. Don's Last Moch - It tells the story of a guy who goes to a metal concert trying to have a moch but instead it's bitten by a girl (he was flirting or trying to) who was killed in the concert. Here Keene's interest in metal bands is evidential... Unfortunally as mostly americans the Metal they hear is not the same as we hear here... Well some are but the metal in that side of the atlantic evolved for one way and ours to another. I think he deslikes Black Metal... Oh well we can't be perfect...

2. Family Reunion - A story about two gay guys who wait for the arrival of the members of the one of them. This story as nothing much to offer but I thought about the location they were was a good one... As before I talked about being in the artic but an island in lake is a good posibility as well... It can be easily defended to human zombies... if the zombie plague pass to the birds and fish then they are doomed.

6. Watching the World End -This story turns out to be as the reaction of the human psyche in terrible conditions.. aka zombies. How crazy people can become and this example is a good one... and I think would happen to alot of people... Most people crack in life and death conditions... I liked the story. I don't know why but like Bentley Little, Brian Keene kills cats too often but dogs no... It's an aversion of horror writers against cats?

7. The Fall of Rome - I liked the story. One man against an horde of zombies. On a bell tower killing zombie after zombie. After killing all he could kill he killed himself. Rather good story... I wish I was that guy...

8. 20 Walkabout - Two part stories - Great story of human love and dedication... but as other stories it doesn't end well...

9. Hellhounds on my Trail - Again another story of sacrifice and what people do for love... Two lovers are trapped over a double decker tour bus.. The zombies try making a deal that they will have a quick death if they come down... Instead of that the boy split the girl's head (so she don't turn into a zombie) and lit a light with a propane gas killing the zombies trapping them... Nice love story...

10. Spoilers - Dark comedy... That's the reason I enjoyed. A man trapped a zombie and instead of killing start talking to it. It asks his opinion on books and on videos but the zombie is limited to the knowledge of what the "owner" of the body knew... In the end the man starts talking of a book but other zombies enter the house and kill the man freeing their brother. As the body is decaying fast the zombies ask the captive if he wants that body destroy so he can go to another... The zombie says that he do but they must wait because he is waiting for another brother revive in that body so he can hear the rest of the story of that book.

13. Pocket Apocalypse - How a person can redeem themselves... I llike this story. Human mind at the work and while some crack others reveal themselves for what they are...

15. If you can see the mountain... It's a story of human surival. First when the leave the wounded... some disaproove but don't do anything to help them... It's the law of survival at it's best... I like this story.

16 You only live twice... At night I imagine what I would do in a apocalypse... And most of them I think I would leave somewhere with my cat and my 1500 books... maybe now I had the time to read them all... This story is about that. I enjoyed it because it's what I think.

25. Zombie Worm - Again another dark comedy story... I laught with this story and felt sorry for the zombie. It was a good story.

26. The Night the Dead Died - Another good story and the first that talked about the end of the first part of the invasion and the coming of the second... Elilum.

28. March of the Elilum -Another good story of survival and bitter end. Again I liked this part of the invasion even if this is too hopeless... If we can run away from zombies how can we run away from insects and plant zombies?

29. Best seat in the house - again another good love story and of Elilum. I enjoyed it even if it was a bid sad...

30. American Pie - Survival insticts at the maxim... This story describes a way to survival I talked before.. Cold!

31. Two suns in the sunset - There is no hope is the only thing I can think of... Good story.

32. Other worlds than these - A good story that connects other books by Keene and leaves hope several doors to more books in the mythos. I enjoyed it.

In the end was great read and I really hope he returns to this mythos. I don't give more than 8.5 because some short stories are not that good... they are not awful but some of them were rushed. I think he had a wordcount limit of 1000 words and I think some stories could have much more. Some of them could be told in a book...

I just want to say that he gave me some ideas and I will try write a short story... or a couple. Thank you Brian Keene. Keep up the excelent work.

Review: Dead Sea - Brian Keene

title: Dead Sea

author: Brian Keene

publisher: Leisure Books

pages: 337

reading time: 4 days (27/05/2009 to 30/05/2009)

rating: 8

I've already read and review several books from Brian Keene. Two of them were one of my favourite books in the Zombie Genre... The Rising and City of the Dead. I enjoy them both. Then I was away from this author for a couple of years (too many books to read)... Then I went back with Castaways which I didn't enjoy that much. But I knew the author and I know he is a great author so I tried again with Dead Sea and voila... Excelent book.

The plot is as simple as other zombie books are... a unknown plague that starts with infesting the rats and pass from specie to specie... some seem immune for some time but then they fall to it.

I like the plot and it's a conceivable one. If the land life is being overun by the plague where to go? I am not a normal person so I think about it (well more in a apocalyptic kind of view)... To run away from zombies there are two places that are the top choices... The Sea (as the author said) and the antartic or artic region. With zero temperatures there is less life and thus less probability to the plague get there. Besides with zero temperatures and a dead body the most likely event is the corpses being frozen... Both places have one minor inconvenience... food and water... Well you could go the sea in some lake and in the artic you have frozen water. Food then.

Well getting back to the book...

The book itself is in the first person and the main character is a gay black guy. I talked to my girlfriend and I thought the choice of the main character is an odd one but a good one nevertheless. Maybe only in portugal but when I think a gay person I think of a white person but okay... That didn't bother me.

Now the other characters... We have two children that the main character (Lamar) saves. We have some guy who happened to sold bibles (with particular interest in fire arms) that saves them all... And other minor characters...

I enjoyed the first half the book as they run away from the plague and get to the ship. The second half is the life itself on the ship and how they tried to survive.

Then not only land animals have the plague but also the fish... This infects one person on the ship and all hell break loses. They go to a oil platform and the main character, the two children and a girl are stranted there... They feed on birds that so far don't have the plague...

As other books from Keene in ends with a big question (because the birds are getting the plague as well)... the end is very good. It's open to a sequel but sincerily I can live with it. I think this question that he presents is worthwhile and make you imagine...

Interesting in the book one of the characters start talking of myths and the role of heroes. Abook by Joseph Campbell called the Hero of a Thousand Faces. I had the book and had been reading for a while... is not a book to read all in all...