This story chronicles one man's entire existence spent with zombies.From the time he and his friends first discover that the dead are getting up and attacking the living while he is in college in Philadelphia, through his time in the protected camps where survivors huddle together while a moaning mass of former humanity scratch at the walls, to his time spent in the army taking back the United States from the mass of ghouls, to his time as a Undead Exterminator, or Head Hunter, after the war is over and ghouls are mostly relegated to the rural areas of the country that the military has been unable to clear out...but they have a tendency to wander into the streets and cities where most of humanity now live.
The premise here is a reasonable one for the zombie fan.Unlike most stories, we are given (as the late great Paul Harvey would say) the rest of the story.This is not a story about the first few days or even months or years of survival against the undead.It is not even like World War Z in that we are given the war stories alone.This encompasses more, in some ways, and much less, in others.It is one man's story and hits what he deems the highlights of his path of survival.
I will admit, the author has some zeal in telling his story.He did a good job with this independent work attempting to sell the reader on the idea that this book was written over forty years in the future, after he has retired and is reminiscing back through time.This includes copyrights in the 2060's and some fake reviews listed on the back jacket of this novel.
I love passion and enthusiasm for the topic of zombies but it has its issues which keep it from getting more stars from me.He tells the stories with obvious enthusiasm and the author's writing style is easily readible.Unfortunately, it is very clear he did not go over this book very carefully before having it published.I normally expect typo's, especially with a independently published novel.I am very tolerant of them for the most part.But it became downright distracting in this book.Someone a bit less tolerant might just go over the edge with some of the incorrect word usage tossed about in the book.They are not on every page but pretty close and I really would hope there was a cleaner copy to read.If the author had just gotten someone to help him proofread it one more time...
This is not my only issue with the book.While having a long timeline here was creative and it is obvious the author gets a thrill examining survival techniques and the outfits and other technology that would be used to fight off the zombies, the author does, as one of his "reviews" on the back cover states, tends to be rushed in some areas and meander in others (I guess it is fair that at least he acknowledges it).I got tired of hearing him say "but I am getting ahead of myself" as he drops obvious hints as to who is about to die or letting us know that some major plot twist is upcoming.
The author plugs in what amounts to several short stories in the life and times of the main character.He gives us scenarios both big and small (the initial days of trying to find a place to survive, army training, clearing out some very large zombie infested nests, the rural scenarios of survival, facing off against zombie worshipers, etc).Some are more interesting than others but I got the sense that the author had all sorts of zombie survival stories he wanted to put down on paper and this was the one way to do them all in one big bundle.Unfortunately, while the main character is someone we get to know, the writing style is almost distant, removed, giving us very little attachment to any of the other characters he develops.I realize this story was told in first person but there is just not enough here for me to be shocked or surprised when anything happens to anyone else.Especially when we know in advance (usually) who is about to die and who lives because of the author's penchant for dropping hints.It dilutes whatever tension there may have been getting ready to build up.
Something else that bothered me here was what I will call laziness on the part of the author.He tells us about a "token" black character in the story and acknowledges that this character is a stereotype, using all the slang and acting like he is in the 'hood.The writer acts as if because he acknowledges he is using a stereotype and is almost apologetic about it that it makes it okay that Tyrone is nothing more a basketball scholarship African American from the hood who is the only one amongst the survivors with a gun...as he speaks with every predictable form of speech we have come to expect from this type of character.
I think the author has some writing talent.I enjoy zombie stories greatly but there is plenty here to criticize.I am sure at least part of the reasoning is the logic used in taking on the persona of the main character trying to recall events, some of which occurred forty years in the past.Still, there is plenty here that could have been cleaned up in the editing process that would have made this a more solid book.
Still fun, but needs work.
Product DescriptionStores from the Zombie Apocalypse told from the perspective of a man on the ground surviving the first day, joining the army to eradicate the threat and going on to found a modern day zombie extermination company.
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Zombies!: Stories From My Life As An Undead Exterminator (Paperback)
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