What do you think?
Rate this book
Z: Zombie Stories
When the zombie apocalypse comes, it's not just those crusty old folks who will struggle against the undead, it's young people. What happens when you come of age during the zombie apocalypse?
Zombie Stories has the answer to that question.
Zombie Stories gathers together some of the hottest zombie fiction of the last two decades, from authors including Kelly Link, Jonathan Maberry, and Catherynne M. Valente. These stories focus on those who will inherit a world overrun with the living dead: a young man who takes up the family business of dealing with the undead, a girl dealing with her abusive father... who has become a zombie, a poet who digs up the wrong grave, and a Viking maiden imprisoned with the living dead...
Zombie Stories has the answer to that question.
Zombie Stories gathers together some of the hottest zombie fiction of the last two decades, from authors including Kelly Link, Jonathan Maberry, and Catherynne M. Valente. These stories focus on those who will inherit a world overrun with the living dead: a young man who takes up the family business of dealing with the undead, a girl dealing with her abusive father... who has become a zombie, a poet who digs up the wrong grave, and a Viking maiden imprisoned with the living dead...
416 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2011
2 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
November 4, 2011
Originally Reviewed on The Book Smugglers
Z: Zombie Stories is a collection of young adult zombie fiction, culled from assorted books and publications over the past two decades. All of the stories in this anthology (save the final entry from Thomas S. Roche) have been previously published - a fact that I completely missed when I started the book. Having read Rot and Ruin, imagine my surprise when I started Jonathan Maberry's "Family Business" only to find that it was the same (truncated, introductory) story! Luckily, that was the only entry of the bunch that I had read, so diving in was as simple and smooth as incisors biting through a pile of fresh, juicy, warm brains.
"Family Business" by Jonathan Maberry tells the story of angry, young Benny Imura, who resents his sickeningly responsible older brother Tom. In a post-apocalyptic world, Benny resists joining the family business of zombie killing - but as he's just turned fifteen, the law dictates he get a steady job and give back to society. Faced with no other alternatives, Benny reluctantly learns the ropes from Tom, and discovers that his older brother has depth and secrets he never could have imagined. This entry from Maberry is actually the first part of Rot and Ruin (a full length YA zombie novel), and focuses on the strained relationship between two brothers from the (irritating) perspective of young Benny. I wasn't the biggest fan of Rot and Ruin, though I eventually came around once Benny stopped acting like such a ginormous, self-entitled tool - unfortunately, "Family Business" focuses entirely on this early characterization, leading up to Benny finally realizing just how tough Tom's job is. It's a great character arc, and "Family Business" does a great job of insulating and encapsulating that larger storyline in a relatively small amount of space. I don't know why (other than some personal taste quirk), but Benny really, really annoys me and that high level of frustration distracted from my reading pleasure, both with the original novel and this shorter story. That said, he's not written badly - it's just a personal taste thing.
"The Wrong Grave" by Kelly Link features another douchey teenage dude protagonist. When Miles's girlfriend Bethany dies, he's distraught and romantically decides to bury his numerous love poems with Bethany in her coffin. Ten months later, though, he wants his poetry back to enter a contest (and, idiotically, Miles didn't save or make copies of his work). The only way to get his work back is to dig it up Bethany's grave... but he accidentally digs up the wrong dead girl. A strange, macabre story, written in Kelly Link's trademark quirky style, "The Wrong Grave" is a wryly funny and ultimately touching story about life after death - for both the living and the dead.
"The Days of Flaming Motorcycles" by Catherynne M. Valente is one of my favorite stories of the anthology, told from the point of view of Caitlin Zielinski, the last non-infected person in Augusta, who knows more about the so called "zombies" than it seems anyone else does. Eloquent, precise, and beautifully written, "The Days of Flaming Motorcycles" shows a different side of the infected - that of remnant intelligence and the ability to grieve.
"The Barrow Maid" by Christine Morgan is another clear favorite from this anthology, a Norse Viking tale of destiny and revenge from beyond the grave. When the great, heralded warrior Sveinthor the Unkillable is inexplicably killed in battle, his beautiful wife Hildirid proudly drinks poison and lies by his side at his grave to accompany him to Valhalla... except she wakes up hours later, still alive. Due to a profound act of treachery, the great Sveinthor and his king father have been betrayed and Hildirid has been spared, but that won't save the traitor or the invaders from Sveinthor's reach as he rises from the grave to mete out his grim justice with Hildirid, his beloved barrow-maid, by his side.
"You'll Never Walk Alone" by Scott Nicholson tells the story of a boy and his father as they take refuge in their church and faith from the zombie apocalypse, hiding from those that are "gray" and punsihed for their sins. Written in heavy-handed country dialect (i.e. "The sun come up higher and I wondered about the cows. Did the gray people eat them all? It wasn't like they ain't enough sinners to go around."), this story wasn't my favorite, but does examine the apocalypse from a different perspective than any other entry in this anthology.
"The Dead Kid" by Darrell Schweitzer feels a lot like Stand by Me (or, more appropriately, "The Body") from Stephen King. There are a couple of violent, sick bullies that find a dead boy that isn't quite dead, and decide to keep him around for fun. Davey wants to fit in with Luke and his tough crowd, but discovers that fitting in comes at a high cost - and inexplicably finds his life changed for the better by the dead kid. I liked the idea of this story and the examination of the draw that bullies have on others, but wasn't a fan of how the author chose to end the story (with a bit of a cheesy, moralizing look into the future and how senseless Luke and his whole crew were their whole lives - there's really no need for the explicit message-making).
"Seven Brains, Ten Minutes" by Marie Atkins is, if nothing else, memorable. Eerie. Super weird. Disgusting. There's this boy, see. He likes this beautiful, bitchy girl, and decides that to save her and impress her, he's going to win a competition...for zombies. He's not a zombie, but he pretends to be one in order to beat a brains-eating record. Need I say more? In what universe would this master plan end well? Delightfully squishy, and juicy, and entirely gross.
The Third Dead Body" by Nina Kirki Hoffman tells the story of a reanimated murdered prostitute, following two other murdered prostitutes before her, finally has her revenge on her killer. Stumbling a little in its execution and a little unclear as to who Sheila really is and how she's become the way she is (embodying the spirits of the fallen, murdered women before her), I loved the concept of this story and its melancholy end.
"The Skull-Faced Boy" by David Barr Kirtley is another memorable entry, featuring two different types of zombies - the mindless, rotted corpses of old, and the newly converted dead capable of higher cognitive function and manipulation. Oh, and it's also a story about two friends fighting over a girl. One of them wins...sort of.
"The Human Race" by Scott Edelman was probably my least favorite of all the stories, only because the juxtaposition of zombies and terrorism felt extremely heavy-handed to me, not to mention the fact that an act of terrorism followed by the zombie apocalypse is just a *little* bit over the top.
"Deepwater Miracle" by Thomas S. Roche brothers speed away from pirates and zombies on a boat. That's unique. Action packed, zippy, and the only story in this anthology that is original to the anthology, I enjoyed this fun, nautical zombie take.
Like any collection or anthology, some stories are bound to be stronger than others and such is the case with Z: Zombie Stories. I'm not sure that the anthology truly is indicative of YA/coming-of-age zombie fiction, but the highs of the book outweigh the few duds. Recommended for the short fiction fan.
Notable Quotes/Parts: From "The Days of Flaming Motorcycles":
Rating: 6 - Good
Z: Zombie Stories is a collection of young adult zombie fiction, culled from assorted books and publications over the past two decades. All of the stories in this anthology (save the final entry from Thomas S. Roche) have been previously published - a fact that I completely missed when I started the book. Having read Rot and Ruin, imagine my surprise when I started Jonathan Maberry's "Family Business" only to find that it was the same (truncated, introductory) story! Luckily, that was the only entry of the bunch that I had read, so diving in was as simple and smooth as incisors biting through a pile of fresh, juicy, warm brains.
"Family Business" by Jonathan Maberry tells the story of angry, young Benny Imura, who resents his sickeningly responsible older brother Tom. In a post-apocalyptic world, Benny resists joining the family business of zombie killing - but as he's just turned fifteen, the law dictates he get a steady job and give back to society. Faced with no other alternatives, Benny reluctantly learns the ropes from Tom, and discovers that his older brother has depth and secrets he never could have imagined. This entry from Maberry is actually the first part of Rot and Ruin (a full length YA zombie novel), and focuses on the strained relationship between two brothers from the (irritating) perspective of young Benny. I wasn't the biggest fan of Rot and Ruin, though I eventually came around once Benny stopped acting like such a ginormous, self-entitled tool - unfortunately, "Family Business" focuses entirely on this early characterization, leading up to Benny finally realizing just how tough Tom's job is. It's a great character arc, and "Family Business" does a great job of insulating and encapsulating that larger storyline in a relatively small amount of space. I don't know why (other than some personal taste quirk), but Benny really, really annoys me and that high level of frustration distracted from my reading pleasure, both with the original novel and this shorter story. That said, he's not written badly - it's just a personal taste thing.
"The Wrong Grave" by Kelly Link features another douchey teenage dude protagonist. When Miles's girlfriend Bethany dies, he's distraught and romantically decides to bury his numerous love poems with Bethany in her coffin. Ten months later, though, he wants his poetry back to enter a contest (and, idiotically, Miles didn't save or make copies of his work). The only way to get his work back is to dig it up Bethany's grave... but he accidentally digs up the wrong dead girl. A strange, macabre story, written in Kelly Link's trademark quirky style, "The Wrong Grave" is a wryly funny and ultimately touching story about life after death - for both the living and the dead.
"The Days of Flaming Motorcycles" by Catherynne M. Valente is one of my favorite stories of the anthology, told from the point of view of Caitlin Zielinski, the last non-infected person in Augusta, who knows more about the so called "zombies" than it seems anyone else does. Eloquent, precise, and beautifully written, "The Days of Flaming Motorcycles" shows a different side of the infected - that of remnant intelligence and the ability to grieve.
"The Barrow Maid" by Christine Morgan is another clear favorite from this anthology, a Norse Viking tale of destiny and revenge from beyond the grave. When the great, heralded warrior Sveinthor the Unkillable is inexplicably killed in battle, his beautiful wife Hildirid proudly drinks poison and lies by his side at his grave to accompany him to Valhalla... except she wakes up hours later, still alive. Due to a profound act of treachery, the great Sveinthor and his king father have been betrayed and Hildirid has been spared, but that won't save the traitor or the invaders from Sveinthor's reach as he rises from the grave to mete out his grim justice with Hildirid, his beloved barrow-maid, by his side.
"You'll Never Walk Alone" by Scott Nicholson tells the story of a boy and his father as they take refuge in their church and faith from the zombie apocalypse, hiding from those that are "gray" and punsihed for their sins. Written in heavy-handed country dialect (i.e. "The sun come up higher and I wondered about the cows. Did the gray people eat them all? It wasn't like they ain't enough sinners to go around."), this story wasn't my favorite, but does examine the apocalypse from a different perspective than any other entry in this anthology.
"The Dead Kid" by Darrell Schweitzer feels a lot like Stand by Me (or, more appropriately, "The Body") from Stephen King. There are a couple of violent, sick bullies that find a dead boy that isn't quite dead, and decide to keep him around for fun. Davey wants to fit in with Luke and his tough crowd, but discovers that fitting in comes at a high cost - and inexplicably finds his life changed for the better by the dead kid. I liked the idea of this story and the examination of the draw that bullies have on others, but wasn't a fan of how the author chose to end the story (with a bit of a cheesy, moralizing look into the future and how senseless Luke and his whole crew were their whole lives - there's really no need for the explicit message-making).
"Seven Brains, Ten Minutes" by Marie Atkins is, if nothing else, memorable. Eerie. Super weird. Disgusting. There's this boy, see. He likes this beautiful, bitchy girl, and decides that to save her and impress her, he's going to win a competition...for zombies. He's not a zombie, but he pretends to be one in order to beat a brains-eating record. Need I say more? In what universe would this master plan end well? Delightfully squishy, and juicy, and entirely gross.
The Third Dead Body" by Nina Kirki Hoffman tells the story of a reanimated murdered prostitute, following two other murdered prostitutes before her, finally has her revenge on her killer. Stumbling a little in its execution and a little unclear as to who Sheila really is and how she's become the way she is (embodying the spirits of the fallen, murdered women before her), I loved the concept of this story and its melancholy end.
"The Skull-Faced Boy" by David Barr Kirtley is another memorable entry, featuring two different types of zombies - the mindless, rotted corpses of old, and the newly converted dead capable of higher cognitive function and manipulation. Oh, and it's also a story about two friends fighting over a girl. One of them wins...sort of.
"The Human Race" by Scott Edelman was probably my least favorite of all the stories, only because the juxtaposition of zombies and terrorism felt extremely heavy-handed to me, not to mention the fact that an act of terrorism followed by the zombie apocalypse is just a *little* bit over the top.
"Deepwater Miracle" by Thomas S. Roche brothers speed away from pirates and zombies on a boat. That's unique. Action packed, zippy, and the only story in this anthology that is original to the anthology, I enjoyed this fun, nautical zombie take.
Like any collection or anthology, some stories are bound to be stronger than others and such is the case with Z: Zombie Stories. I'm not sure that the anthology truly is indicative of YA/coming-of-age zombie fiction, but the highs of the book outweigh the few duds. Recommended for the short fiction fan.
Notable Quotes/Parts: From "The Days of Flaming Motorcycles":
Now, zombies aren't supposed to get sad. Everyone knows that. I've had a lot of time to think since working down at the Java Shack on Front Street became seriously pointless. I still go to the shop in the morning, though. If you don't have habits, you don't have anything. I turn over the sign, I boot up the register - I even made the muffins for a while, until the flour ran out. Carrot-macadamia on Mondays, mascarpone-mango on Tuesdays, blueberry with a dusting of marzipan on Wednesdays. So on. So forth. Used to be I'd have a line of senators out the door by 8:00 am. I brought the last of the muffins home to my dad. He turned one over and over in his bloody, swollen hands until it came apart, then he made that awful howling-crying sound and licked the crumbs off his fingers. And he started saying my name over and over, only muddled, because his tongue had gone all puffy and purple in his mouth. Caitlin, Caitlin, Caitlin.
So now I drink the pot of coffee by myself and I write down everything I can think of in a kid's notebook with a flaming motorcycle on the cover. I have a bunch like it. I cleaned out all the stores. In a few months I'll move on to the punky princess covers, and then the Looney Tunes ones. I mark time that way. I don't even think of seasons. These are the days of Flaming Motorcycles. Those were the days of Football Ogres. So on. So forth.
Rating: 6 - Good
August 11, 2019
This 2011 collection reprints 10 zombie-themed short stories that appeared in various publications from 1993-2010 plus one original story. There's enough variation here to avoid being bored by reading one zombie story after another. The Maberry,Schweitzer and Edelman stories are especially good. Z:Zombie Stories is an above average collection with only two of ten stories that fail to leave a mark.
The collection opens with "Family Business" by Jonathan Maberry, a good choice for starters. I've never been bored by anything from Maberry. "Family Business" is set in his Rot and Ruin universe. Benny doesn't want to go into the family business of killing zombies. However, in this post-catastrophic world almost every job opportunity is zombie-related in one way or another. Benny takes an internship with his brother and learns that all is not what it seems like. This was an extremely engaging story told with great flow and rhythm. It's also the first zombie tale I've read that I would call "heart-warming and touching"! Five stars.
Kelly Link pens an amusing story in "The Wrong Grave" wherein a third-rate poet seemingly deposits his best verses within the casket of a recently deceased girlfriend as a parting tribute to her. Later he needs to dig up the grave to retrieve his poems and gets a surprise. More of an 'undead' story versus true 'zombie' tale, but I'll gladly allow that. Four stars.
In "The Days Of Flaming Motorcycles" Catherynne M. Valente seems to be using zombies to symbolize the devastation of aging (senility, lethargy, alzheimers, dementia, strokes, etc) and the effect on a daughter living and coping with an elderly father. Zombies in this story, set in the sleepy town of Augusta Maine, are essentially harmless and go about their days in a state of confusion, unable to form words beyond guttural moans. The narrator gives enough detail to share her anxiety and anguish but there's a kind of complacency that fails to earn my empathy. The story just ends with more symbolism that serves to blunt the original message. Two stars.
"The Barrow Maid" by Christine Morgan is an epic Viking tale of revenge from beyond the grave. You just can't keep a good Viking warrior down. Written in vivid epic descriptions. Four stars.
A young man and his father hole up inside a church during a zombie invasion in "You'll Never Walk Alone" by Scott Nicholson. It's engaging reading until the end when it falls apart a bit and gets confusing. Two stars.
An undead emaciated boy is kept for entertainment and abusive purposes and hidden in a wooded hideaway by a gang of young thugs in "The Dead Kid" by Darrell Schweitzer. The first person narration by the now adult (who was eleven when these events occurred) is a warm coming-of-age tale of a troubled youth who tries to blend in with the wrong gang. Five stars.
"Seven Brains, Ten Minutes" by Marie Atkins is grisly amusing at the same time the depiction of human cruelty in the name of entertainment during tragic times is a disturbing commentary. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Four stars.
I was expecting a satisfactory revenge tale in "The Third Dead Body" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman and the ending surprised me. A prostitute is resurrected during the night of the living dead and goes out in search of the john who murdered her. Four stars.
"The Skull Faced Boy" by David Barr Kirtley puts a different spin on the living dead. If you died during the zombie infestation but were not killed by a zombie bite, then you are returned with a functioning brain. Two friends killed together take two separate directions in their second chance at life. Four stars.
In "The Human Race" Scott Edelman tells of a grieving daughter mourning the death of her family, and contemplating her own suicide just as the zombie event occurs and the dead return. She seeks to revive her father and has to make some difficult choices. Five stars.
The most entertaining story in the anthology is the original by Thomas S. Roche. "Deepwater Miracle" is all action as it centers on the efforts of two brothers to survive the zombie event while stranded in the ocean. Four stars.
The collection opens with "Family Business" by Jonathan Maberry, a good choice for starters. I've never been bored by anything from Maberry. "Family Business" is set in his Rot and Ruin universe. Benny doesn't want to go into the family business of killing zombies. However, in this post-catastrophic world almost every job opportunity is zombie-related in one way or another. Benny takes an internship with his brother and learns that all is not what it seems like. This was an extremely engaging story told with great flow and rhythm. It's also the first zombie tale I've read that I would call "heart-warming and touching"! Five stars.
Kelly Link pens an amusing story in "The Wrong Grave" wherein a third-rate poet seemingly deposits his best verses within the casket of a recently deceased girlfriend as a parting tribute to her. Later he needs to dig up the grave to retrieve his poems and gets a surprise. More of an 'undead' story versus true 'zombie' tale, but I'll gladly allow that. Four stars.
In "The Days Of Flaming Motorcycles" Catherynne M. Valente seems to be using zombies to symbolize the devastation of aging (senility, lethargy, alzheimers, dementia, strokes, etc) and the effect on a daughter living and coping with an elderly father. Zombies in this story, set in the sleepy town of Augusta Maine, are essentially harmless and go about their days in a state of confusion, unable to form words beyond guttural moans. The narrator gives enough detail to share her anxiety and anguish but there's a kind of complacency that fails to earn my empathy. The story just ends with more symbolism that serves to blunt the original message. Two stars.
"The Barrow Maid" by Christine Morgan is an epic Viking tale of revenge from beyond the grave. You just can't keep a good Viking warrior down. Written in vivid epic descriptions. Four stars.
A young man and his father hole up inside a church during a zombie invasion in "You'll Never Walk Alone" by Scott Nicholson. It's engaging reading until the end when it falls apart a bit and gets confusing. Two stars.
An undead emaciated boy is kept for entertainment and abusive purposes and hidden in a wooded hideaway by a gang of young thugs in "The Dead Kid" by Darrell Schweitzer. The first person narration by the now adult (who was eleven when these events occurred) is a warm coming-of-age tale of a troubled youth who tries to blend in with the wrong gang. Five stars.
"Seven Brains, Ten Minutes" by Marie Atkins is grisly amusing at the same time the depiction of human cruelty in the name of entertainment during tragic times is a disturbing commentary. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Four stars.
I was expecting a satisfactory revenge tale in "The Third Dead Body" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman and the ending surprised me. A prostitute is resurrected during the night of the living dead and goes out in search of the john who murdered her. Four stars.
"The Skull Faced Boy" by David Barr Kirtley puts a different spin on the living dead. If you died during the zombie infestation but were not killed by a zombie bite, then you are returned with a functioning brain. Two friends killed together take two separate directions in their second chance at life. Four stars.
In "The Human Race" Scott Edelman tells of a grieving daughter mourning the death of her family, and contemplating her own suicide just as the zombie event occurs and the dead return. She seeks to revive her father and has to make some difficult choices. Five stars.
The most entertaining story in the anthology is the original by Thomas S. Roche. "Deepwater Miracle" is all action as it centers on the efforts of two brothers to survive the zombie event while stranded in the ocean. Four stars.
November 8, 2011
Back in September, when I discovered that Night Shade Books was releasing a young adult zombie anthology, I wondered what that would look like (and I told myself to hope for the best). After checking out the author lineup, I knew I’d find stories equally interesting, weird and well-written in this volume. And I did. I just didn’t quite bargain for the crazy, gross and not-right that came along with. But, after all, it’s zombies. You’ll say I shouldn’t have been surprised.
All of the entries in this anthology (except for the final story) have been published previously in other volumes, and some of them were already familiar to me. Of course, that doesn’t diminish their charm. I’ll say a little something brief about each one, shall I? Great.
“Family Business” by Jonathan Maberry
“Family Business” appears to be the first several chapters of Maberry’s young adult zombie novel, verbatim. I reviewed Rot & Ruin here on the blog. This excerpt should draw you in and make you want to learn more about the Imura brothers and their quest to survive.
“The Wrong Grave” by Kelly Link
A disturbing and funny tale about a boy who digs up the wrong grave – and finds something entirely unexpected (and persistent). There’s a good dose of magic and side of uncanny in this tale. Fans should next look to Link’s Pretty Monsters.
“The Days of Flaming Motorcycles” by Catherynne M. Valente
If I’m honest with myself, this is the story I was most excited to read. Valente has a way with words, and it doesn’t desert her here. “Flaming Motorcycles” is about a girl living in the remains of Augusta, Maine, but it’s also a meditation on the nature of zombies, acceptance, and what could possibly be important after death. True and truly weird.
“The Barrow Maid” by Christine Morgan
I never thought I’d write this, but Viking zombies are the freakiest and best idea ever. “The Barrow Maid” combined epic storytelling in the style of Beowulf with the undead – a startling, unnerving, genius mixture of creepy and outstanding.
“You’ll Never Walk Alone” by Scott Nicholson
Would you like a chilling, atmospheric story that will drift into your mind like mist and never let go? This story’s spiritual overtones somehow made the apocalypse seem more eerie and terrible than ever. Beautifully written, and the sort of thing that might inspire nightmares, in a The Knife of Never Letting Go sort of way.
“The Dead Kid” by Darrel Schweitzer
Not what I would call a teen-friendly story, this one veers into horror territory. It is unsettling and all-around freaky.
“Seven Brains, Ten Minutes” by Marie Atkins
If you like your zombie stories gory, this one’s for you. Somehow until now I’ve managed to read a lot of zombie lit without reaching a level of gross-out. Well, I’m there now. Scott’s ‘evolution’ certainly made me queasy. Not for weak stomachs.
“The Third Dead Body” by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Hoffman does deeply disturbing very, very well. There’s no beating around the bush – this entry is HORROR, and it’s also full of revenge, twisted longing, and extreme violence. Adults only.
“The Skull-Faced Boy” by David Barr Kirtley
In this tale, it’s about die-and-live or die-and-kill, and the result is a battle not between the living and the dead, but between those with consciences and those without. It doesn’t end well, and in the end is a sickening portrait of the worst in humanity.
“The Human Race” by Scott Edelman
Terrorism, dark despair, and a zombie outbreak combine to create a perfect storm of hopelessness for one girl. “The Human Race” explores what people can withstand – and what will probably destroy us all.
“Deepwater Miracle” by Thomas Roche
To end the collection, a story with a bit of light-hearted survival. Okay, it’s not so light-hearted, but SURVIVAL. After the darkness in the middle of the anthology, this one brings you back out into the light. How? Two brothers stuck on a boat in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico figure out how to go on while the world on land ends around them. Gripping reading.
In Z: Zombie Stories, editor J.M. Lassen brings together well-written stories of mayhem and apocalypse. However, the level of scary and disquieting varies from story to story, and it is not for everyone. While each tale may feature a teenager, the entries are not necessarily young adult. For those seeking a gentler initiation into the world of zombies, check out Justine Lavaworm and Holly Black’s Zombies vs. Unicorns instead.
Recommended for: mature teens and adults accustomed to horror, and those who can’t resist the unsettling power of a good zombie tale.
All of the entries in this anthology (except for the final story) have been published previously in other volumes, and some of them were already familiar to me. Of course, that doesn’t diminish their charm. I’ll say a little something brief about each one, shall I? Great.
“Family Business” by Jonathan Maberry
“Family Business” appears to be the first several chapters of Maberry’s young adult zombie novel, verbatim. I reviewed Rot & Ruin here on the blog. This excerpt should draw you in and make you want to learn more about the Imura brothers and their quest to survive.
“The Wrong Grave” by Kelly Link
A disturbing and funny tale about a boy who digs up the wrong grave – and finds something entirely unexpected (and persistent). There’s a good dose of magic and side of uncanny in this tale. Fans should next look to Link’s Pretty Monsters.
“The Days of Flaming Motorcycles” by Catherynne M. Valente
If I’m honest with myself, this is the story I was most excited to read. Valente has a way with words, and it doesn’t desert her here. “Flaming Motorcycles” is about a girl living in the remains of Augusta, Maine, but it’s also a meditation on the nature of zombies, acceptance, and what could possibly be important after death. True and truly weird.
“The Barrow Maid” by Christine Morgan
I never thought I’d write this, but Viking zombies are the freakiest and best idea ever. “The Barrow Maid” combined epic storytelling in the style of Beowulf with the undead – a startling, unnerving, genius mixture of creepy and outstanding.
“You’ll Never Walk Alone” by Scott Nicholson
Would you like a chilling, atmospheric story that will drift into your mind like mist and never let go? This story’s spiritual overtones somehow made the apocalypse seem more eerie and terrible than ever. Beautifully written, and the sort of thing that might inspire nightmares, in a The Knife of Never Letting Go sort of way.
“The Dead Kid” by Darrel Schweitzer
Not what I would call a teen-friendly story, this one veers into horror territory. It is unsettling and all-around freaky.
“Seven Brains, Ten Minutes” by Marie Atkins
If you like your zombie stories gory, this one’s for you. Somehow until now I’ve managed to read a lot of zombie lit without reaching a level of gross-out. Well, I’m there now. Scott’s ‘evolution’ certainly made me queasy. Not for weak stomachs.
“The Third Dead Body” by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Hoffman does deeply disturbing very, very well. There’s no beating around the bush – this entry is HORROR, and it’s also full of revenge, twisted longing, and extreme violence. Adults only.
“The Skull-Faced Boy” by David Barr Kirtley
In this tale, it’s about die-and-live or die-and-kill, and the result is a battle not between the living and the dead, but between those with consciences and those without. It doesn’t end well, and in the end is a sickening portrait of the worst in humanity.
“The Human Race” by Scott Edelman
Terrorism, dark despair, and a zombie outbreak combine to create a perfect storm of hopelessness for one girl. “The Human Race” explores what people can withstand – and what will probably destroy us all.
“Deepwater Miracle” by Thomas Roche
To end the collection, a story with a bit of light-hearted survival. Okay, it’s not so light-hearted, but SURVIVAL. After the darkness in the middle of the anthology, this one brings you back out into the light. How? Two brothers stuck on a boat in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico figure out how to go on while the world on land ends around them. Gripping reading.
In Z: Zombie Stories, editor J.M. Lassen brings together well-written stories of mayhem and apocalypse. However, the level of scary and disquieting varies from story to story, and it is not for everyone. While each tale may feature a teenager, the entries are not necessarily young adult. For those seeking a gentler initiation into the world of zombies, check out Justine Lavaworm and Holly Black’s Zombies vs. Unicorns instead.
Recommended for: mature teens and adults accustomed to horror, and those who can’t resist the unsettling power of a good zombie tale.
October 4, 2011
I got an advanced reading copy of this book through Netgalley(dot)com. This was an excellent collection of zombie stories. It started out really strong with some excellent stoires; most of the stories were well done and all-in-all it was an above average anthology of zombie stories. Most of these stories have appeared in other collections: the only story original to this collection is Deep Water Miracle by Thomas S. Roche.
The first four stories in the anthology were some of the strongest. Family Business by Jonathan Mayberry was so touching and creative that I want to go out and read his zombie series Rot and Ruin right now! The Wrong Grave by Kelly Link was a fun story and full of irony. The Days of Flaming Motorcycles by Catherynne M. Valente was beautiful and darkly sweet. The Barrow Maid by Christine Morgan was an interesting fantasy story with a very creative take on zombies; also exceedingly well written. My other favorite was The Human Race by Scott Edelman; this story was so beautiful and haunting just absolutely wonderful.
These stories encompass a wide breadth of new and known zombie mythology (to put it loosely). I think those who enjoy zombie stories and creative takes on them will enjoy these stories. The beginning of the anthology consisted of incredibly well done stories, I was very impressed. I like the collection of zombie stories in here much more than I liked the collection in Zombies vs. Unicorns.
Some of the stories are gory and most of them are a bit depressing (you know end of the world and all that) but they are aimed at a young adult level.
Overall this is a very solid collection of stories. Some of the stories in the beginning are especially remarkable. Fans of zombies should definitely check this out. See below for a full list and mini-reviews of the stories included.
- Family Business by Jonathan Mayberry (5/5)
A brother learns the family business of zombie killing from his older brother. A very touching story, very creative, and I absolutely loved it. This definitely convinced me to go and pick up the Rot and Ruin series by Mayberry. It's a great story.
- The Wrong Grave by Kelly Link (5/5)
A boy digs up his girlfriend's grave to get his book of poetry back and gets more than he bargained for. This was a super fun story and had some nice surprises in it. I enjoyed it a lot.
- The Days of Flaming Motorcycles by Catherynne M. Valente (5/5)
A beautiful and excellent story about a girl who learns that zombies can be sad. I loved how this story was written and loved the imagery in it. An absolutely terrific story.
- The Barrow Maid by Christine Morgan (5/5)
A Norse tale where an unkillable warrior is killed and then rises again to seek vengence on his enemies. A sweet tale, with some wonderful action and fighting, beautiful description too.
- You'll Never Walk Alone by Scott Nicholson (4/5)
About a country boy and his dad who run away and hide in a church during the zombie outbreak. The story is told from the son's point of view and is well done. It is a sad and distubring story and a bit ambiguous, but all in all I liked it.
- The Dead Kid by Darrell Schweitzer (3/5)
About a kid growing up who is trying to get in with a bad crowd. He ends up being saved by a dead kid.
- Seven Brains, Ten Minutes by Marie Atkins (3/5)
About a boy posing as a zombie who gets stuck in a brain eating contest and gets a bit carried away.
- The Third Dead Body by Nina Kiriki Hoffman (4/5)
About a young hooker who raises from the dead to find revenge on the man who killed her. Well done and creepy.
- The Skull Faced Boy by Daivd Barr Kirtley (3/5)
Two boys get into a car accident and turn into intelligent zombies. Okay story, but nothing super creative.
- The Human Race by Scott Edelman (5/5)
A girl whose family has just been killed by a terrorist attack wanders London only to find herself in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. Beautifully written, I loved this story. Edelman captured the depression and emptiness of the girl wonderfully. I love how through the mass death in London she finds the will to live her own life.
- Deep Water Miracle by Thomas S. Roche (4/5)
A couple of brothers outrun pirates and laughing zombies on a boat in the Gulf of Mexico. It was a good story. Well written and engaging.
The first four stories in the anthology were some of the strongest. Family Business by Jonathan Mayberry was so touching and creative that I want to go out and read his zombie series Rot and Ruin right now! The Wrong Grave by Kelly Link was a fun story and full of irony. The Days of Flaming Motorcycles by Catherynne M. Valente was beautiful and darkly sweet. The Barrow Maid by Christine Morgan was an interesting fantasy story with a very creative take on zombies; also exceedingly well written. My other favorite was The Human Race by Scott Edelman; this story was so beautiful and haunting just absolutely wonderful.
These stories encompass a wide breadth of new and known zombie mythology (to put it loosely). I think those who enjoy zombie stories and creative takes on them will enjoy these stories. The beginning of the anthology consisted of incredibly well done stories, I was very impressed. I like the collection of zombie stories in here much more than I liked the collection in Zombies vs. Unicorns.
Some of the stories are gory and most of them are a bit depressing (you know end of the world and all that) but they are aimed at a young adult level.
Overall this is a very solid collection of stories. Some of the stories in the beginning are especially remarkable. Fans of zombies should definitely check this out. See below for a full list and mini-reviews of the stories included.
- Family Business by Jonathan Mayberry (5/5)
A brother learns the family business of zombie killing from his older brother. A very touching story, very creative, and I absolutely loved it. This definitely convinced me to go and pick up the Rot and Ruin series by Mayberry. It's a great story.
- The Wrong Grave by Kelly Link (5/5)
A boy digs up his girlfriend's grave to get his book of poetry back and gets more than he bargained for. This was a super fun story and had some nice surprises in it. I enjoyed it a lot.
- The Days of Flaming Motorcycles by Catherynne M. Valente (5/5)
A beautiful and excellent story about a girl who learns that zombies can be sad. I loved how this story was written and loved the imagery in it. An absolutely terrific story.
- The Barrow Maid by Christine Morgan (5/5)
A Norse tale where an unkillable warrior is killed and then rises again to seek vengence on his enemies. A sweet tale, with some wonderful action and fighting, beautiful description too.
- You'll Never Walk Alone by Scott Nicholson (4/5)
About a country boy and his dad who run away and hide in a church during the zombie outbreak. The story is told from the son's point of view and is well done. It is a sad and distubring story and a bit ambiguous, but all in all I liked it.
- The Dead Kid by Darrell Schweitzer (3/5)
About a kid growing up who is trying to get in with a bad crowd. He ends up being saved by a dead kid.
- Seven Brains, Ten Minutes by Marie Atkins (3/5)
About a boy posing as a zombie who gets stuck in a brain eating contest and gets a bit carried away.
- The Third Dead Body by Nina Kiriki Hoffman (4/5)
About a young hooker who raises from the dead to find revenge on the man who killed her. Well done and creepy.
- The Skull Faced Boy by Daivd Barr Kirtley (3/5)
Two boys get into a car accident and turn into intelligent zombies. Okay story, but nothing super creative.
- The Human Race by Scott Edelman (5/5)
A girl whose family has just been killed by a terrorist attack wanders London only to find herself in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. Beautifully written, I loved this story. Edelman captured the depression and emptiness of the girl wonderfully. I love how through the mass death in London she finds the will to live her own life.
- Deep Water Miracle by Thomas S. Roche (4/5)
A couple of brothers outrun pirates and laughing zombies on a boat in the Gulf of Mexico. It was a good story. Well written and engaging.
October 3, 2011
This was a fun bunch of stories, but I was kind of disappointed. Some of the pieces used for this anthologies have been around for awhile, and I was kind of hoping for totally brand new stories from everyone all around. Don't get me wrong - I loved these entries (especially the beginning of "Rot & Ruin" by Jonathan Maberry.
What was definitely the strength of this anthology was the sheer amount of variation there were between the entries. Some were very emotionally touching, some were funny, some had a dystopia-like living situation going on, and some were all of the above all in one story. I really enjoyed Kelly Link's contribution to this one, and loved the idea of her character keeping track of time with whatever picture is on the cover of her notebook (in this case, flaming motorcycles) - I thought that was incredibly clever, and it's definitely one of my favorites within this anthology.
But I do admit, as I said before, I do wish this had been something entirely new, and not just stories collected within the last two decades of YA lit. While I understand that YA lit has now grown to approximately 25% of the literary market, and gathering these stories is a great way of showing how YA has expanded in the last twenty years, I just wanted a completely shiny new anthology whose pieces I hadn't seen somewhere else had already been used.
But since the sheer amount of variation (and quite frankly, some of the best of the best) in the stories used really won me over, this is why it gets a four out of five.
If you're looking to get into zombie lit, or you're looking to get into YA lit through some delicious zombies, I highly suggest you try out this anthology. It's a great way to get into the Halloween mood, but it's also a great way to see how far we've come in terms of YA lit in such a short time. Just don't read it at night alone, or you might have a few nightmares (like I did). Or do so anyway, and enjoy those nightmares. Either way, give this anthology a try - it's definitely a fun read for all.
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
What was definitely the strength of this anthology was the sheer amount of variation there were between the entries. Some were very emotionally touching, some were funny, some had a dystopia-like living situation going on, and some were all of the above all in one story. I really enjoyed Kelly Link's contribution to this one, and loved the idea of her character keeping track of time with whatever picture is on the cover of her notebook (in this case, flaming motorcycles) - I thought that was incredibly clever, and it's definitely one of my favorites within this anthology.
But I do admit, as I said before, I do wish this had been something entirely new, and not just stories collected within the last two decades of YA lit. While I understand that YA lit has now grown to approximately 25% of the literary market, and gathering these stories is a great way of showing how YA has expanded in the last twenty years, I just wanted a completely shiny new anthology whose pieces I hadn't seen somewhere else had already been used.
But since the sheer amount of variation (and quite frankly, some of the best of the best) in the stories used really won me over, this is why it gets a four out of five.
If you're looking to get into zombie lit, or you're looking to get into YA lit through some delicious zombies, I highly suggest you try out this anthology. It's a great way to get into the Halloween mood, but it's also a great way to see how far we've come in terms of YA lit in such a short time. Just don't read it at night alone, or you might have a few nightmares (like I did). Or do so anyway, and enjoy those nightmares. Either way, give this anthology a try - it's definitely a fun read for all.
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
October 10, 2011
Zombies have been hot for the last few years, and this anthology showcases some of the latest works featuring teens in zombie scenarios. Many of the stories tell tales of post-apocalyptic zombie-infested zones. That isn’t all there is though: there is a story about a living dead boy who is made that way through magic, the faithful servants of a dead king who rise again when called upon, and the psychological changes that undergo a person who is pretending to be a zombie. Usually horrifying, often funny, this anthology has a story that’s sure to please every zombie fan.
The only disappointment I had with this anthology is that so much of the stories were first published elsewhere. I’d already read the Jonathan Maberry and Kelly Link stories in other books, and so I skipped over them. This was a real bummer because I’m such a fan of their work and was looking forward to something new. My complaint shouldn’t turn off people who haven’t read these already, though, since they are very strong stories and do add a different dimension to the anthology.
That said, all but two of the stories here were new to me, and I read a lot of zombie fiction. If you’re curious, take a look at the table of contents, and I’d bet that most of the stories will be new to you. After I finished each story, I felt compelled to move on to the next, which meant that I finished this anthology fast. And I feel that much more prepared for when the zombie apocalypse does arrive.
The only disappointment I had with this anthology is that so much of the stories were first published elsewhere. I’d already read the Jonathan Maberry and Kelly Link stories in other books, and so I skipped over them. This was a real bummer because I’m such a fan of their work and was looking forward to something new. My complaint shouldn’t turn off people who haven’t read these already, though, since they are very strong stories and do add a different dimension to the anthology.
That said, all but two of the stories here were new to me, and I read a lot of zombie fiction. If you’re curious, take a look at the table of contents, and I’d bet that most of the stories will be new to you. After I finished each story, I felt compelled to move on to the next, which meant that I finished this anthology fast. And I feel that much more prepared for when the zombie apocalypse does arrive.
October 19, 2011
Note: Advance reader copy provided by Netgalley.
Not so much a collection of zombie stories (although there are zombies) as a collection about reanimated corpses of various kinds. There were a couple of very enjoyable stories, namely Family Business by Jonathan Mayberry and The Barrow Maid by Christine Morgan. A couple of stories focus more on the horrors of humanity than flesh-eating, these include The Skull-faced Boy, The Third Dead Body, and Seven Brains, Ten Minutes. There were a couple of weaker stories, but overall this was an interesting collection.
Strangely, the strength of this volume is also its weakness. The diversity of the stories is excellent, but at times a bit distracting. This is a collection that it would be good to take down off the shelf, read a story, and put it back for a week or two rather than reading the entire thing through in one go. Additionally, most of these stories are produced elsewhere, so those who collect zombie books may wish to see if they are duplicating their stories. Overall, this was pretty good, but I was perhaps a bit underwhelmed.
Not so much a collection of zombie stories (although there are zombies) as a collection about reanimated corpses of various kinds. There were a couple of very enjoyable stories, namely Family Business by Jonathan Mayberry and The Barrow Maid by Christine Morgan. A couple of stories focus more on the horrors of humanity than flesh-eating, these include The Skull-faced Boy, The Third Dead Body, and Seven Brains, Ten Minutes. There were a couple of weaker stories, but overall this was an interesting collection.
Strangely, the strength of this volume is also its weakness. The diversity of the stories is excellent, but at times a bit distracting. This is a collection that it would be good to take down off the shelf, read a story, and put it back for a week or two rather than reading the entire thing through in one go. Additionally, most of these stories are produced elsewhere, so those who collect zombie books may wish to see if they are duplicating their stories. Overall, this was pretty good, but I was perhaps a bit underwhelmed.
January 3, 2012
My favorite story in this collection was "The Barrow Maid" by Christine Morgan. Not only does the author do an excellent job of incorporating the zombie motif into the world of the Vikings, but she also makes it read like a Norse saga especially through her use of alliteration. Too bad there aren't more stories like this out there.
Other noteworthy stories are "Family Business" by Jonathan Maberry (although ending is predictable), "Seven Brains, Ten Minutes" by Marie Atkins, and "The Third Dead Body" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman.
Overall, however, the anthology as a whole is about average and the stories all appear in other sources (nothing new for this collection). Also, a lot of the stories are not about zombies per se and there are better zombie anthologies out there.
Other noteworthy stories are "Family Business" by Jonathan Maberry (although ending is predictable), "Seven Brains, Ten Minutes" by Marie Atkins, and "The Third Dead Body" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman.
Overall, however, the anthology as a whole is about average and the stories all appear in other sources (nothing new for this collection). Also, a lot of the stories are not about zombies per se and there are better zombie anthologies out there.
November 7, 2011
This was a bit disappointing. I was really hoping for a new story from Jonathan Maberry; however, what is included here is the first several chapters of Rot & Ruin.
This anthology was really hit or miss for me. The only real highlight was The Barrow Maid by Christine Morgan that was interesting tale involving zombie Vikings.
I couldn't finish You'll Never Walk Alone (writing style "back woods country bumpkin" was terribly annoying) and Deepwater Miracle (simply wasn't interested as soon as I saw the word pirate).
This anthology was really hit or miss for me. The only real highlight was The Barrow Maid by Christine Morgan that was interesting tale involving zombie Vikings.
I couldn't finish You'll Never Walk Alone (writing style "back woods country bumpkin" was terribly annoying) and Deepwater Miracle (simply wasn't interested as soon as I saw the word pirate).
August 20, 2016
As others have mentioned, this anthology includes stories that have mostly appeared in earlier anthologies, which is a negative - but the editor made fairly good choices. I hadn't read the Catherynne Valente one, The Days of Flaming Motorcycles, before, and it was outstanding. I also really enjoyed the one story that hadn't previously been published, Deepwater Miracle by Thomas S. Roche, and I look forward to reading other work by him. All in all, a solid anthology.
November 8, 2014
I really had high hopes for these zombie short stories. I was intrigued by the very first sentence of the first story... "Benny Imura couldn't hold a job, so he took to killing." My kind of book.
But then it went down hill from then. I was dissapointed. :(
But then it went down hill from then. I was dissapointed. :(
September 20, 2017
YA Collection of zombie stories. Nice mixture of good and great stories.
October 20, 2017
Some of the stories were very odd to me, but most of them were interesting.
March 30, 2012
This anthology is a compilation "young adult" stories of the undead. There are many kinds of stories here -- some apocalyptic, some not. There are several stories about survivors against the horde, and several about young people who either by choice or accident join the horde (there's an interesting theme of community in such stories, of loneliness and the need to be part of a group, even if the group is the dead). And many varieties of story in between. Here are a few that stuck with me:
This is the third (or fourth) time I've read "The Wrong Grave," by Kelly Link, in which a young man digs up his girlfriend's grave to get back his poetry, only to find he's dug up the wrong one. It's just as creepy and fun to read the third (or fourth) as it was the first.
Marie Atkins' "Seven Brains, Ten Minutes" has to be the most viscerally horrifying of the lot. In it a young man goes to desperate (and disturbing) extremes to rescue and impress a girl he likes, leading to an ending that is terribly and delightfully unsettling.
Like most of Catherine Valente's stories, "The Day's of Flaming Motorcycle," is hard to sum up, but it's certain intellectually fascinating in the way it approaches the zombie. The story of a girl living in a town full of zombies -- without much hassle -- is entertaining, but there's also an underlining sense that this story should be analyzed in more detail, because it means something.
Then there's "The Human Race," by Scott Edelman, which is so, so heart-wrenching. About a girl whose family dies in a terrorist explosion while traveling in London. While she's traveling there to identify and collect her family's remains, a worldwide zombie outbreak occurs. I won't say more than that, because it's really a beautiful story that deserves to be taken on its own merits.
and finally - SPOILER - Johnathan Mayberry's story, "Family Business," is interesting to me from a conceptual point of view. I like the idea of respect for the dead, even if the dead are trying to kill you. In it a boy learns the "hunting" business from his brother, who leads him beyond the fences of the community to hunt the undead. But it's shown to be more complicated than just killing zombs, as there is an emotional reality that lies behind the dead walking.
It reminds me of a scene in Walking Dead, where the survivors say, "We bury our own, and burn the rest," which is to say, we take a moment to respect those who meant something to us and give them proper burial. Mayberry's story makes it clear that every zombie belongs to someone (is someone's father, mother, brother, sister) and therefore deserves a respectful burial.
However, I'm not sure I'm in love with the execution of the story, as ever step of the hunting trip leads the character to this ultimate understanding. The problem is that I could feel the straight line of the argument that was being mounted (not just for the character, but for the reader, too), and so the effect came off preachy. So..., not my favorite of the stories, but still very, very interesting.
This is the third (or fourth) time I've read "The Wrong Grave," by Kelly Link, in which a young man digs up his girlfriend's grave to get back his poetry, only to find he's dug up the wrong one. It's just as creepy and fun to read the third (or fourth) as it was the first.
Marie Atkins' "Seven Brains, Ten Minutes" has to be the most viscerally horrifying of the lot. In it a young man goes to desperate (and disturbing) extremes to rescue and impress a girl he likes, leading to an ending that is terribly and delightfully unsettling.
Like most of Catherine Valente's stories, "The Day's of Flaming Motorcycle," is hard to sum up, but it's certain intellectually fascinating in the way it approaches the zombie. The story of a girl living in a town full of zombies -- without much hassle -- is entertaining, but there's also an underlining sense that this story should be analyzed in more detail, because it means something.
Then there's "The Human Race," by Scott Edelman, which is so, so heart-wrenching. About a girl whose family dies in a terrorist explosion while traveling in London. While she's traveling there to identify and collect her family's remains, a worldwide zombie outbreak occurs. I won't say more than that, because it's really a beautiful story that deserves to be taken on its own merits.
and finally - SPOILER - Johnathan Mayberry's story, "Family Business," is interesting to me from a conceptual point of view. I like the idea of respect for the dead, even if the dead are trying to kill you. In it a boy learns the "hunting" business from his brother, who leads him beyond the fences of the community to hunt the undead. But it's shown to be more complicated than just killing zombs, as there is an emotional reality that lies behind the dead walking.
It reminds me of a scene in Walking Dead, where the survivors say, "We bury our own, and burn the rest," which is to say, we take a moment to respect those who meant something to us and give them proper burial. Mayberry's story makes it clear that every zombie belongs to someone (is someone's father, mother, brother, sister) and therefore deserves a respectful burial.
However, I'm not sure I'm in love with the execution of the story, as ever step of the hunting trip leads the character to this ultimate understanding. The problem is that I could feel the straight line of the argument that was being mounted (not just for the character, but for the reader, too), and so the effect came off preachy. So..., not my favorite of the stories, but still very, very interesting.
February 1, 2012
I received a copy of this book from Goodreads for free through the first reads program.
Overall, I was not impressed by the stories in this book. It's not that any of them are bad, but there wasn't anything exceptional about them either. I also question whether at least one of them is YA appropriate.
The exception to this is Jonathan Maberry's "Family Business," which was a fantastic read. However, it is supposed to be the beginning of the first novel of a series, so I wish I had read that instead.
Overall, I was not impressed by the stories in this book. It's not that any of them are bad, but there wasn't anything exceptional about them either. I also question whether at least one of them is YA appropriate.
The exception to this is Jonathan Maberry's "Family Business," which was a fantastic read. However, it is supposed to be the beginning of the first novel of a series, so I wish I had read that instead.
June 11, 2012
This is a good collection of stories about zombies! All of them made me look at zombies in a new light! The main problem is: How many times can you keep reading about zombies? Well, if you like zombies like I do--a lot! Sadly, some of the stories are just "okay" and drag on a little bit. I also feel like the first story of the collection is the best of the book so some of the others are a little bit of a let down in comparison. Overall, interesting stories! I enjoyed reading it but I probably wouldn't reread any others aside from "Family Business" by Jonathan Maberry
August 10, 2016
This is a collection of 11 popular zombie stories from the past 20 years. I won it in a First Reads contest, right on this site! The stand-out story to me is Jonathan Maberry's "Family Business," in which 15-year old Benny Imura, living in a world of zombies and forced to get a job, learns about compassion, respect, and saying goodbye. It was unexpectedly moving and makes you think about zombies differently.
March 19, 2012
Won this in a Goodreads contest. With books like this, I tend to skip around but still end up reading the whole thing. I think my favorite was The Barrow Maid. It was so different from other zombie stories that it really drew me in. I recommend this book, it's entertaining and a very quick read.
April 29, 2012
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. I didn't enjoy most of the stories. I liked "Family Business" by Jonathan Maberry best out of this collection. I would rate that story 3 stars. The rest of the stories I would give one or two stars. They weren't poorly written, they just weren't my thing.
March 11, 2012
Enjoyed some of the stories - others were a little hard to get through. Overall, this is a good anthology of zombie tales and you won't find a more diverse collection of undead stories! Read and be warned - the dead are not just mindless husks!
September 16, 2012
Just received my copy through Goodreads First Reads, and I'm so excited! With authors like Catherynne Valente and Jonathan Maberry contributing, I know this is going to be excellent. I know it'll catch the eye of my middle-schoolers. Thanks so much!
April 6, 2012
The first story, also the longest, was excellent!!! I highly recommend it. The others were all so-so. Many of them I started but didn't finish. None of them were memorable or all that enjoyable, to me.
March 3, 2012
while i understand the motivation behind including the story about the zombie hooker i don't think it was a good fit with the other stories. otherwise i loved this book. kept me looking over my shoulder for the zombie in the closet!
March 29, 2012
Overall this was a good collection of zombie stories centered around younger characters. All the stories fit the parameters of the anthology well. I really liked "Family Business" by Jonathan Maberry and "Deepwater Miracle" by Thomas S. Roche. Well worth the read.
May 8, 2012
There were only about three stories from the book that I enjoyed. Other ones were simply not for me, but all the authors are amazing. This was the first book that contained stories about zombies that I've read and it has opened my eyes to finding more books by some of these authors and more.
February 2, 2016
The blurb was somewhat misleading.
Most of the stories I had read before in other publications. Of the ones I hadn't, only two stood out as good:
"Family Business" by Jonathan Mayberry
"Deepwater Miracle" by Thomas S. Roche
Most of the stories I had read before in other publications. Of the ones I hadn't, only two stood out as good:
"Family Business" by Jonathan Mayberry
"Deepwater Miracle" by Thomas S. Roche
March 29, 2012
Really enjoyed this one. Had a few of my favorites and a lot I've never read before.
May 27, 2012
The first story was the best...the Kelly Link story is great but I'd already read it. Finished this in a night!
June 15, 2012
Most of the stories were pretty good. The book made for a fast read. I would recommend this book for those who are just getting into the "Zombie" craze.
October 15, 2012
Full of great stories, the best being The Barrow Maid, a tale of Norse legend now with zombies and a beautiful heroine.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews