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Friends With Death
The debut novel by Indie author James Wright, Friends With Death is a cosy horror comedy that will have you laughing out loud, trembling with fear, and designing cosplay & fan art of this delightfully pleasant characterisation of the Grim Reaper.
"The embodiment of mortality comes into your kitchen and tells you that he doesn't really know why the world ended. Humanity is basically down for the count and that's it. It could make a person a bit snarky."
Steve is trying to keep his small street together as the world turns to shambles when he encounters a jobless and lonely Grim Reaper, who's just looking to make some friends. This kicks off a comedy of errors that could end up costing him what little stability he has left, maybe even his life!
Friends With Death is a horror satire about communication, social etiquette and the struggle of forming social relationships. There's also a good helping of zombie gore thrown in for the fun of it! It's a bit like a cross between Terry Pratchett and Dawn of the Dead.
If you've ever found yourself struggling to fit in, or suddenly without purpose in a world of confusion then this could be the book for you! Or else if you just like laughing at the misfortunes of others and don't mind graphic explanations of undead dismemberment. All of this can be found within!
"The embodiment of mortality comes into your kitchen and tells you that he doesn't really know why the world ended. Humanity is basically down for the count and that's it. It could make a person a bit snarky."
Steve is trying to keep his small street together as the world turns to shambles when he encounters a jobless and lonely Grim Reaper, who's just looking to make some friends. This kicks off a comedy of errors that could end up costing him what little stability he has left, maybe even his life!
Friends With Death is a horror satire about communication, social etiquette and the struggle of forming social relationships. There's also a good helping of zombie gore thrown in for the fun of it! It's a bit like a cross between Terry Pratchett and Dawn of the Dead.
If you've ever found yourself struggling to fit in, or suddenly without purpose in a world of confusion then this could be the book for you! Or else if you just like laughing at the misfortunes of others and don't mind graphic explanations of undead dismemberment. All of this can be found within!
231 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 2, 2021
9 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
James Wright
2 books14 followersJames Wright is a British author of genre fiction, mostly focusing on horror and comedy. He has published two books so far, with plans to release many more!
He is also a Librarian who specialises in book repair, you can find him wandering the shelves looking for interesting covers and novels in need of some tlc.
James is present on multiple social media platforms under the name JamesWriteSurprisingly, including: Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, Youtube & Tiktok follow him there for writing updates and lots of library content!
In his spare time, James watches lots of horror films, and especially loves comedy horror. He also plays board games and writes articles on wrestling, basically he's just a big ol' nerd!
He is also a Librarian who specialises in book repair, you can find him wandering the shelves looking for interesting covers and novels in need of some tlc.
James is present on multiple social media platforms under the name JamesWriteSurprisingly, including: Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, Youtube & Tiktok follow him there for writing updates and lots of library content!
In his spare time, James watches lots of horror films, and especially loves comedy horror. He also plays board games and writes articles on wrestling, basically he's just a big ol' nerd!
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 5, 2024
I don’t want to get too involved in the 3 star vs 4 star debate here, but a 3 star rating—for me— means that I enjoyed the read. This is actually a 3+ rating for me.
If you are a fan of zombie comedies like Shaun of the Dead or Zombieland, then this read might be for you. If you are a fan of Pratchett or Christopher Moore, and their depictions of Death as a character, then this read might be for you. Either way, check it out. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.
Also, you might notice that I have plenty of highlights and private notes for this thing. Most of those notes are quick little passages that I highlighted with the comment—Nice.
If you are a fan of zombie comedies like Shaun of the Dead or Zombieland, then this read might be for you. If you are a fan of Pratchett or Christopher Moore, and their depictions of Death as a character, then this read might be for you. Either way, check it out. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.
Also, you might notice that I have plenty of highlights and private notes for this thing. Most of those notes are quick little passages that I highlighted with the comment—Nice.
August 23, 2023
A zombie apocalypse forces the grim reaper out of his job. So he decides to take a more human form and all he wants is to make friends with the living.
This is the basic premise for this novel and it works wonderfully. What follows is a character driven, funny, bloody, and often horrifying story that deals with philosophical issues in a meaningful yet light-hearted way.
Death himself is confused at the way humans operate. But he's trying to fit in and make friends with a group of survivors who have barricaded themselves against the zombie hordes. Of course, things won't always go as planned and some very awkward situations ensue.
While the humor in this book will have you laughing at some of these situations, it's also violent and bloody at times (which makes sense as it IS a zombie apocalypse after all). Come to find out, the grim reaper is quite adept at dispatching the undead in brutal fashion (while still feeling somewhat guilty about it).
But it's the mindset of the characters, their quirks, thoughts, and attitudes that is the meat of this book. You'll recognise these feelings and viewpoints as I'm sure we've all had the same thoughts from time to time. This makes the novel feel more familiar even if the situation is the stuff of horror tropes.
This is a fun, quirky, often gory read that will have you rooting for death to win! I highly recommend it if you want some hilarity with your zombies!
This is the basic premise for this novel and it works wonderfully. What follows is a character driven, funny, bloody, and often horrifying story that deals with philosophical issues in a meaningful yet light-hearted way.
Death himself is confused at the way humans operate. But he's trying to fit in and make friends with a group of survivors who have barricaded themselves against the zombie hordes. Of course, things won't always go as planned and some very awkward situations ensue.
While the humor in this book will have you laughing at some of these situations, it's also violent and bloody at times (which makes sense as it IS a zombie apocalypse after all). Come to find out, the grim reaper is quite adept at dispatching the undead in brutal fashion (while still feeling somewhat guilty about it).
But it's the mindset of the characters, their quirks, thoughts, and attitudes that is the meat of this book. You'll recognise these feelings and viewpoints as I'm sure we've all had the same thoughts from time to time. This makes the novel feel more familiar even if the situation is the stuff of horror tropes.
This is a fun, quirky, often gory read that will have you rooting for death to win! I highly recommend it if you want some hilarity with your zombies!
September 6, 2023
Friends with Death is a trip into a future that is less than appealing, but humorous all the same. The elements in this story are reminiscent of Zombieland on paper. I must admit, not often is reading a book like watching a film, but in this case it was. Every page painted a scene that was strategically written to create a chuckle, giggle, or full-on laughing fit. In contrast to Zombie-like graphic novels like The Walking Dead, this world is aware of Zombie lore. I found this an interesting approach to the story. In The Walking Dead, the world has never heard of zombies. Therefore, the characters are living through an apocalypse with unexpected consequences. In contrast, Friends with Death includes elements of present-day society with characters that are fully aware of their current predicament.
Death is a reaper that is out of a job. It was fascinating to see how the Zombie lore in this book took into account the metaphysical essence of "death" from the eyes of a grim reaper persona. It is a unique element that I had never considered in literature or film until now.
Friends with Death is a wild ride, "Barry" is something else (insert chuckle here) and I recommend giving it a read if you enjoy dark humor and chaotic humor alike.
Death is a reaper that is out of a job. It was fascinating to see how the Zombie lore in this book took into account the metaphysical essence of "death" from the eyes of a grim reaper persona. It is a unique element that I had never considered in literature or film until now.
Friends with Death is a wild ride, "Barry" is something else (insert chuckle here) and I recommend giving it a read if you enjoy dark humor and chaotic humor alike.
September 26, 2023
Put aside your preconceived notions of Death, aka The Grim Reaper. He's actually quite a lovely fellow who is misunderstood, it turns out. With the onset of the zombie apocalypse, Death finds himself suddenly obsolete and at loose ends. He begins to walk the Earth in a corporeal form, and along the way begins to understand humans and the human condition a bit better. What I wasn't expecting from the book was a poignant exploration of themes such as isolation, loneliness, grief, and what it means to be truly human. There's plenty of gore and action to satisfy zombie story afficionados, but the humor throughout was a refreshing and welcome surprise. This book had me laughing out loud several times, which I was not expecting. The ending is satisfying, and just open-ended enough so that a sequel would not be amiss, and would in fact, be most welcome. Well done, Mr. Wright - this was a very enjoyable read!
September 28, 2023
Friends With Death is a fantastic read. Journey through the zombie apocalypse with Death itself as they enjoy their 'retirement' by trying to discover what it means to be human.
What I liked: The explorations of humanity and social norms are what really make this book an interesting read. There's also some good neurodivergent representation, both with how Death relates to the humans and in some of the human characters as well.
What I didn't like: There wasn't really anything to dislike about the book. I suppose it would have been good if there were more of it, but other than that, I have nothing bad to say about it.
If you like think pieces about the human condition, then this is the book for you.
What I liked: The explorations of humanity and social norms are what really make this book an interesting read. There's also some good neurodivergent representation, both with how Death relates to the humans and in some of the human characters as well.
What I didn't like: There wasn't really anything to dislike about the book. I suppose it would have been good if there were more of it, but other than that, I have nothing bad to say about it.
If you like think pieces about the human condition, then this is the book for you.
September 19, 2023
One of my top reads of all time.
James has this remarkable way of turning a phrase that has had me laughing out loud multiple times. His characters are so relatable. Imagine if Neil Gaiman and JRR Tolkein raised a child to be a writer. That’s James. His work is thought provoking, hilarious, and the perfect amount of dark. Is cozy horror a thing? That’s what this is. I’m going to be reading it again. I can’t tell you enough how much I enjoyed this book.
James has this remarkable way of turning a phrase that has had me laughing out loud multiple times. His characters are so relatable. Imagine if Neil Gaiman and JRR Tolkein raised a child to be a writer. That’s James. His work is thought provoking, hilarious, and the perfect amount of dark. Is cozy horror a thing? That’s what this is. I’m going to be reading it again. I can’t tell you enough how much I enjoyed this book.
April 22, 2024
“Hello. My name is Death. It is nice to meet you.”
I would rate James Wright's "Friends With Death" with 2 1/2 stars. So yes, apparently I'm going to be the Grumpy Gus in all of the current ratings and reviews. So chew me, um, sue me. I will also detail that this book was brought to my attention as a recommendation from my Urban Fantasy Fan Club friends. So soon we will be having an energetic and potentially physically intrusive discussion about what constitutes a good recommmendation. But I digest… oops, I did it again… I meant, digress…
Death often found most situations either glum or at best mildly amusing. It was only a job after all.
I did find that the book itself was CONCEPTUALLY ingenious, examining in part what it means to be literally Death with a capital-D in the midst of an unexplained but quite widely spread zombie apocalypse. It seems that in this reality, if you die through whatever is causing the zombification - no, not the chewing and all that, that's how it's spread - your soul does not depart (noting all deaths lead to one becoming a zombie). This then totally messes with the Grim Reaper's entire raison d'être as he's no longer being called upon to provide helpful direction in terms of showing where that bit of what makes you, well, indeed you should go. As friend Steve puts it: "You’d think a zombie apocalypse would be Death’s time to shine," which I'd have to agree with at first glance. Sadly though, the numbingly long back and forth of the inner dialogues of our cast - many of whom were either über-introverts and/or severe OCD-sufferers and/or utter unsociable bastards (this crew was a mess from A to Z) - were tedious, a fact which was not helped by what I consider to be an unacceptable quality of editing.
Death was so conflicted these days.
One thing that I also wish would STOP happening every time any person who speaks non-American English writes an urban fantasy book with a bit of humour (note spelling) in it is there immediately appears a promo blurb that compares their work to that of Sir Terry Pratchett. Why you might even see references to "Shaun of the Dead" or even "Zombieland" along the way, should films also be up your artistic alley. And in my eyes, this HURTS the reaction that I at least have when I'm reading simply because what lies before you will in no way resemble these almost religiously genius offers. And I personally think it's not even a little bit negative to say that "Friends" doesn't even come close because it simply couldn't. So stop setting the author up to fail brilliantly! It strikes me as calling some cake recipes "better than sex" where I just wonder if these poor bakers and their clients or families are having their physical needs met.
Death was starting to worry that he was enjoying all this dismemberment a little too much.
It is also very difficult to make a book that gets so lost in its own philosophising all that interesting. Poor, poor Steve, he is so very disconnected (his word, not mine!) from the world and its human occupants (or at least those that still remain, technically speaking). Can he ever find a way to properly socialise and break free from his relentless logic? Will he get the girl? Will he find his purpose? Is everything as perfectly organised as it should be? Do we have to be there for every snippet of his inner dialogue while he considers this? I mean, he is bluntly not an interesting person, even by his own admission! His thoughts then, well…
He felt like Batman. He looked like a deformed turtle.
Now Death on the other hand… what's going on there? He seems to be totally disconnected from the purpose he had before. He's also left wondering why he can no longer phase through walls and why his scythe won't appear at his beckoning? That was interesting … and in my opinion ultimately the saving grace of this wee adventure! If anyone needed to have the opportunity to sit back and wonder "what's it all about, really?" well, Big D would be the obvious personification of someone who deserved to do so! The rest? Well, except for the dog, I found myself struggling to regret the harming or even ultimately the demise of the lot of them!
It must have been a traumatic sight. It was trauma compounded by the previous trauma. It was trauma squared.
To put it slightly differently: the book is just a smidge over novella length but it reads a lot slower. And again, the editing just makes a great deal of this painful to get through. For example:
“Come on Lucy.” She choked. “We have to get rid of him.”
As written, these are 3 separate sentences. However, assuming as I did that the person speaking did not stop in the middle to choke, this passage should have been
“Come on Lucy,” she choked. “We have to get rid of him.”
To me then, the basic grammar and punctuation issues were extremely distracting.
The struggling made him feel happy. He was starting to understand things about the human condition.
I will say though that the mishaps created for me the most uproariously funny moment in the book. I'll leave you with this mental image, stressing again that a good editing - even if its just a bunch of your meanest friends giving your beta copy a final check - is a must!
Jenny had snuck up on him and was holding him by the waste.
All together now: ewWWwWwWwWwww!
I would rate James Wright's "Friends With Death" with 2 1/2 stars. So yes, apparently I'm going to be the Grumpy Gus in all of the current ratings and reviews. So chew me, um, sue me. I will also detail that this book was brought to my attention as a recommendation from my Urban Fantasy Fan Club friends. So soon we will be having an energetic and potentially physically intrusive discussion about what constitutes a good recommmendation. But I digest… oops, I did it again… I meant, digress…
Death often found most situations either glum or at best mildly amusing. It was only a job after all.
I did find that the book itself was CONCEPTUALLY ingenious, examining in part what it means to be literally Death with a capital-D in the midst of an unexplained but quite widely spread zombie apocalypse. It seems that in this reality, if you die through whatever is causing the zombification - no, not the chewing and all that, that's how it's spread - your soul does not depart (noting all deaths lead to one becoming a zombie). This then totally messes with the Grim Reaper's entire raison d'être as he's no longer being called upon to provide helpful direction in terms of showing where that bit of what makes you, well, indeed you should go. As friend Steve puts it: "You’d think a zombie apocalypse would be Death’s time to shine," which I'd have to agree with at first glance. Sadly though, the numbingly long back and forth of the inner dialogues of our cast - many of whom were either über-introverts and/or severe OCD-sufferers and/or utter unsociable bastards (this crew was a mess from A to Z) - were tedious, a fact which was not helped by what I consider to be an unacceptable quality of editing.
Death was so conflicted these days.
One thing that I also wish would STOP happening every time any person who speaks non-American English writes an urban fantasy book with a bit of humour (note spelling) in it is there immediately appears a promo blurb that compares their work to that of Sir Terry Pratchett. Why you might even see references to "Shaun of the Dead" or even "Zombieland" along the way, should films also be up your artistic alley. And in my eyes, this HURTS the reaction that I at least have when I'm reading simply because what lies before you will in no way resemble these almost religiously genius offers. And I personally think it's not even a little bit negative to say that "Friends" doesn't even come close because it simply couldn't. So stop setting the author up to fail brilliantly! It strikes me as calling some cake recipes "better than sex" where I just wonder if these poor bakers and their clients or families are having their physical needs met.
Death was starting to worry that he was enjoying all this dismemberment a little too much.
It is also very difficult to make a book that gets so lost in its own philosophising all that interesting. Poor, poor Steve, he is so very disconnected (his word, not mine!) from the world and its human occupants (or at least those that still remain, technically speaking). Can he ever find a way to properly socialise and break free from his relentless logic? Will he get the girl? Will he find his purpose? Is everything as perfectly organised as it should be? Do we have to be there for every snippet of his inner dialogue while he considers this? I mean, he is bluntly not an interesting person, even by his own admission! His thoughts then, well…
He felt like Batman. He looked like a deformed turtle.
Now Death on the other hand… what's going on there? He seems to be totally disconnected from the purpose he had before. He's also left wondering why he can no longer phase through walls and why his scythe won't appear at his beckoning? That was interesting … and in my opinion ultimately the saving grace of this wee adventure! If anyone needed to have the opportunity to sit back and wonder "what's it all about, really?" well, Big D would be the obvious personification of someone who deserved to do so! The rest? Well, except for the dog, I found myself struggling to regret the harming or even ultimately the demise of the lot of them!
It must have been a traumatic sight. It was trauma compounded by the previous trauma. It was trauma squared.
To put it slightly differently: the book is just a smidge over novella length but it reads a lot slower. And again, the editing just makes a great deal of this painful to get through. For example:
“Come on Lucy.” She choked. “We have to get rid of him.”
As written, these are 3 separate sentences. However, assuming as I did that the person speaking did not stop in the middle to choke, this passage should have been
“Come on Lucy,” she choked. “We have to get rid of him.”
To me then, the basic grammar and punctuation issues were extremely distracting.
The struggling made him feel happy. He was starting to understand things about the human condition.
I will say though that the mishaps created for me the most uproariously funny moment in the book. I'll leave you with this mental image, stressing again that a good editing - even if its just a bunch of your meanest friends giving your beta copy a final check - is a must!
Jenny had snuck up on him and was holding him by the waste.
All together now: ewWWwWwWwWwww!
April 6, 2024
A fun British horror-comedy that's sure to delight fans of Shaun of the Dead!
August 5, 2024
A slice of life, with Death himself!
FRIENDS WITH DEATH was a nice glimpse into what life would be like if Death happened into a zombie apocalypse with some gore, dry humor, and a little hint of romance.
There are many different points of view, so you get many slices of life all rolled into one big story. Even Tess the dog has a few scenes! And even though there are lots of different stories, they all come together to give a well-rounded tale of a group doing their best to survive the shambles. :)
I loved how Death had an almost childlike wonder when first encountering humans. It was a nice contrast from my mental image of the large imposing reaper with his scythe and long, billowing robes. His character arc was a fun ride, as well (vague for spoilers!). There were a few one-liners that even made me chuckle aloud.
The action scenes are really vivid, so you get to enjoy all the squish-squashy gore, too! While the action kept me enthralled, the characters had a habit of delving into their minds, and it slowed the pace for me. It did give insight into their pasts, but it was just a touch too slow in parts for me.
Overall, FRIENDS WITH DEATH was a quirky horror comedy slice of life tale, perfect if you like your zombies with physical embodiments of Death and the people he surrounds himself with. :)
FRIENDS WITH DEATH was a nice glimpse into what life would be like if Death happened into a zombie apocalypse with some gore, dry humor, and a little hint of romance.
There are many different points of view, so you get many slices of life all rolled into one big story. Even Tess the dog has a few scenes! And even though there are lots of different stories, they all come together to give a well-rounded tale of a group doing their best to survive the shambles. :)
I loved how Death had an almost childlike wonder when first encountering humans. It was a nice contrast from my mental image of the large imposing reaper with his scythe and long, billowing robes. His character arc was a fun ride, as well (vague for spoilers!). There were a few one-liners that even made me chuckle aloud.
The action scenes are really vivid, so you get to enjoy all the squish-squashy gore, too! While the action kept me enthralled, the characters had a habit of delving into their minds, and it slowed the pace for me. It did give insight into their pasts, but it was just a touch too slow in parts for me.
Overall, FRIENDS WITH DEATH was a quirky horror comedy slice of life tale, perfect if you like your zombies with physical embodiments of Death and the people he surrounds himself with. :)
October 2, 2023
This is some fine semi-absurd, dry British humor at its finest. Fans of Monty Python will enjoy this pull at loose threads in society that never breaks character.
But, deeper than that, it explores the loneliness created by our modern world. But not just a single version of loneliness. Each character has their own flavor of loneliness they explore. It is fitting that they never discuss their feelings with one another, just stiff upper lip through it all in the classic British way.
But, of course, to survive, they must band together, learn to trust each other and form a sort of family.
Or die trying. This is a zombie apocalypse, after all. Let's get real.
But, deeper than that, it explores the loneliness created by our modern world. But not just a single version of loneliness. Each character has their own flavor of loneliness they explore. It is fitting that they never discuss their feelings with one another, just stiff upper lip through it all in the classic British way.
But, of course, to survive, they must band together, learn to trust each other and form a sort of family.
Or die trying. This is a zombie apocalypse, after all. Let's get real.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews