Zombie Books

[Private Buttface]

I dont know if any of you guys read but do you know of any good zombie books out there. Also i heard that 28 days later was a book before a movie? Is this true?

[Stupoider]

I have no idea... but theres a graphic novel out.

As for books... I can't think of any really. Wouldn't make a strong enough story? :o

As I always believe, zombies belong in film, ever since Night of the Living Dead :D

[KashMunni]

yah i agree with stupoider fully

[Hunk]

In anticipation of this game I picked up Max Brooks (son of Mel Brooks) Zombie Survival Guide. It's exactly what it sounds like. A survival guide detailing how to equip, fight and survive 4 different classes of zombie outbreaks including a doomsday scenario in which the whole world is overrun.
Simply a fascinating book and pretty much a must have for any hardcore zombie fan as Max goes into insane amount of detail about what we know about zombie attack patterns, physiology and psychology. Why do they do what they do? Do they possess any kind of cognitive ability? How to protect yourself from infection, how to survive numerous isolation scenario's. Weapons of choice, fighting zombies at long and close ranges. Things you may think are a good idea but reasons why you shouldn't do them.

What I really found fascinating in the book was records of historic zombie encounters. He reveals information going as gar back as Romans encountering a zombie horde of around 9000 when an infection swept through Germanic tribes forcing the Romans to develop some inventive tactics fighting them. He recounts zombie incidents going right up until present day and how the government is going about masking them.

The Survival Guide is of course a set up for the main course. Max Brooks World War Z, also available in audio book format which I also have (book and audio), featuring a lengthy cast of voice actors from Mark Hammill, Rob Reiner, Jurgen Prochnow, Alan Aldo, etc.

World War Z recounts the stories of survivors of a class 4 zombie outbreak. Class 4 being the Doomsday scenario. The whole book is written in interview segments where Max as himself travels the world and interviews people from every facet of society to recount the harrowing events from the first spread of the 'Walking Plague' right up until humanity ended up being overpopulated by Zombies.
The book has lots of action but a lot of social and political commentary about what was going on in different countries and governments as the realization that the infection and spread of the zombies was uncontainable.

There some absolutely gripping tales. Patient Zero being the first account of what triggered the global epidemic in a remote fishing village in China.
Another amazing story is The Battle of Yonkers. A US soldier recounts the day 30,000 US troops dug into the city of Yonkers against an estimated 30 million zombies. State of the art weaponry and manpower would actually prove to be the military's undoing and the US would suffer monumental and demoralizing losses as soldiers remote Land Warrior systems broadcast their own horrible deaths to the world.

So yeah, to really prepare for Left 4 Dead, a class 4 doomsday scenario, I recommend getting BOTH of these books, if you plan on surviving.

[Hunk]

I should also add the movie for World War Z is in production by Brad Pitt's development company after the license was purchased for a 7 figure amount. The movie is due in 2008.

[squerl]

I bought the Zombie Survival Guide but haven't had the chance to read it yet.

I bought 28 Days Later graphic novel and it's really cool.. I'm not a comic book guy but I enjoyed it.

[dontleave]

I should also add the movie for World War Z is in production by Brad Pitt's development company after the license was purchased for a 7 figure amount. The movie is due in 2008.

I'll look forward to that if it has the Yonkers battle you mentioned

[hooray for zombies]

World War Z movie? YEEESSSS, can't wait.

[dontleave]

I think I'll just pick up an M4A1, strap a trench knife onto it and my trustee ol' metal baseball bat and im good to go.

Do either of the books mention why they dont just have Tanks roll over the zombies, I mean, if they're all on a bridge or something... And if its in the future why not develope tanks with interior gun traps, not that dumb thing on modern tanks where you have to pop out to shoot.

[Hunk]

Actually World War Z I believe takes place in the year 2010, so it's not really set in the 'sci fi' future.

Here's a synopsis on the Battle of Yonkers from Wikipedia and why it failed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_yonkers.

[hooray for zombies]

Do either of the books mention why they dont just have Tanks roll over the zombies, I mean, if they're all on a bridge or something...

It takes complete brain destruction to stop a zombie, if you just roll over them you're probably just get a bunch of zombies that are slightly less mobile but are harder to find.

[Teknobry]

I just bought the zombie survival guide (max brooks) for £2.49 off amazon :D

Looks great, will be reading it today.

[WitchDoctor]

Actually there are a few (very few) good zombie books out there:

"Day by Day Armageddon" at http://www.raptorman.us/ (follow the "Journal" link for the free preview)

"Autumn" at http://www.djmoody.co.uk/ (free)

"Rise" http://www.angelfire.com/empire/garething/apoc.htm l (free)

There's also a lot of really bad books. Buyer beware.

[Shrubberyjsc]

I actually don't like the Zombie Survival Guide. (From what I've read, which is only excerpts)

It seems that those zombies are really undead. What's the logic in trying to kill something that's undead?

IMO, Resident Evil was close to crossing this line too. I mean, the dead coming back to life because of the virus? Puh-leeze.

Undead < Resident Evil T virus < L4D's rabies virus

[Rufus]

Undead < Resident Evil T virus < L4D's rabies virus < 28 Days/Weeks Later &quot;Rage&quot; virus

Corrected :)

[Shrubberyjsc]

Heh... Well, IDK. I mean, I can't decide if I Like the L4D virus or the 28D/W L virus better.

I think the only difference is how you get infected.

Let's start a poll. Which do you think is better? The L4D virus where it's airborne, and if you are naturally immune, you are fine, but if you're the other 90+% of the population you have no escape and get infected by chance,

Or,

Do you think the 28D/W L virus is better where it's contact with blood or fluids of an infected that gets you infected.

I really don't know which one I think is a cooler concept, But if it was IRL, I would rather that I was naturally immune, but if I couldn't be immune I'd rather that the virus was passed by direct contact.

Which virus do you like best? Which would you hope it was IRL?

[Rufus]

IRL, I know I'd rather have a 28 Days/Weeks Later style virus going around. The odds of me being immune to a L4D style virus are probably very, very small (after all, the 4 immune survivors in a city of Infected? Not good odds that I'd be one of those lucky 4).

That said, what kind of chance would we have even if it was a 28DL virus and we could only get infect via the blood? Realistically, it's probably not too much higher. At least I'd have some experience in Infected slaying by the time the virus hits :)

BTW, this probably deserves a new thread instead of hijacking this one.

[MarxismIsOk]

I strongly suggest the Walking Dead graphic novels to anyone who is into past apocalyptic zombie horror. Its freakin' AMAZING, both in writing and in art. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy is probably the most depressing book I've ever read; it chronicles the journey of father and son across a broken, nuclear radiated, cannibal infested America, and is AWESOME...(dont have a goddamn CLUE as to why its in Oprah's book club), World War Z is pretty much a fictionalized journalistic masterpiece, I loved every second of it. The Zombie Survival guide is a total bathroom reader; more of a reference book than something you'll read front to back(though I did). I could go on a bit, I work at a used book/electronics shop so I have a pretty good line on books and all that crap.

[dontleave]

But still, if they are limbless and aren't moving would it be easier to mow them down, and then the task really falls on to how much ammo you can supply while the boys take shots at the people.

Anyhow, I'm getting World War Z from a book store next week, its pretty far but the only place that has it. And im all booked for this week so... Can't wait to get my hands on it though.

[The One]

You guys do know that these books were made just for humor right?

[hooray for zombies]

You guys do know that these books were made just for humor right?

Yeah, but Max Brooks' books treat it like reality and go into such detail that it's pretty easy to believe this (if only for the time of reading)

But still, if they are limbless and aren't moving would it be easier to mow them down, and then the task really falls on to how much ammo you can supply while the boys take shots at the people.

This is assuming that this one section is worth dedicating that much manpower to. When you read World War Z The impression you get is that it just isn't worth it, you're trying to stay alive and having the tanks and infantry required to do such a thing just isn't worth it.

[The One]

True, seems like reality................but will never happen................

[fantimm]

I agree with MarxismIsOk. Walking Dead comics are amazingly good. Those comics are what really made me appreciate the zombie genre. Before that I used to think zombie stuff was totally stupid (with the exception of 28 days later which I thought was fairly good). But after reading the Walking Dead graphic novels I am totally into zombies, and after reading them I went back and watched 28DL and thought it was way better than the first time I saw it.

Seriously, if you are hyped for L4D, go down to a comic book shop and tell them you want to get the first couple of trades of Walking Dead(For all you non-comic people: trades or &quot;trade paper-backs&quot; are a compilation of usually 6 issues in a row of a comic book, all compiled into a nice book form with no ads and is much easier to read. So getting the first 2 trades of the comic will give you the first 12 issues). The comic is in black and white only which can be a little annoying at first, but after a while you get so into it that you barely even notice.

[MarxismIsOk]

Fantimm; the long delayed sixth trade paperback has come out for Walking Dead. Get it before it gets you! Mwa ha ha.

[Shrubberyjsc]

BTW, this probably deserves a new thread instead of hijacking this one.

Oops. =( I get going, and I just don't think. Should I really make a new thread? I kinda think nobody would answer. Heh.

[Alonzo]

I don't know if you guys are into table-top RPGs, but there is a great rule book for zombie survival role playing. The game is called All Flesh Must Be Eaten (All Flesh for short) and it's a lot of fun. Anyways, if anyone is interested, the website is www.allflesh.com.

I don't really know of any good zombie novels though.

[Prometheus]

I've actually read both of Max Brook's books.

I thought the Zombie Survival Guide was so-so.

World War Z was a very interesting read but I thought it got confusing at the end trying to recap some of the earlier parts of the book.

[DoubleTap]

I agree with the previous poster about the Max Brooks books. I've also read the Alpha Dog web journal (nice, but sloooow), the Morningstar series (Very, very nice), the Walking Dead graphic novels (also nice) Stephen King's &quot;Cell&quot; (Not really zombies, but nicely apocalyptic), and the Raptorman one. There's a Diamond Dead journal on the web somewhere that has a couple good moments, too.

I'm now reading &quot;Cobble&quot;. Short, but a nice variation on the theme. The first of the Autumn books will be next, I've heard good things about them.

...I think I'm addicted.

[dontleave]

Still haven't gotten my World War Z... Pissed off.

&quot;Cell&quot; That books a joke, one of Stephen King's worst in my opinion.

[DoubleTap]

&quot;Cell&quot; That books a joke, one of Stephen King's worst in my opinion.

I wouldn't be so harsh. The first third of the book's very good. Then, well... meh.