World War Z: The Lost Files: A Companion to the Abridged Edition

World War Z

by Max Brooks

Fans of Max Brooks’ original abridged recording of World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War will be thrilled to add this companion piece to their audio library. Offering listeners five hours of previously unrecorded content, World War Z: The Lost Files features 21 Hollywood A-list actors and sci-fi fan favorites performing stories not included in the original abridged edition.
 
Narrators of World War Z: The Lost Files are Academy Award®-winning director Martin Scorsese, Spiderman star Alfred Molina, The Walking Dead creator Frank Darabont, rapper Common, Firefly star Nathan Fillion, Shaun of the Dead’s Simon Pegg, F. Murray Abraham, René Auberjonois, Bruce Boxleitner, Nicki Clyne, Denise Crosby, Ade M’Cormack, Parminder Nagra, Masi Oka, Kal Penn, Jürgen Prochnow, Jeri Ryan, Paul Sorvino, David Ogden Stiers, Brian Tee, and Ric Young. Max Brooks reprises his role as The Interviewer.
 
PLEASE NOTE: World War Z: The Lost Files offers the five hours of stories from characters not included in the original abridged recording, published as World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War. Also available from Random House Audio is World War Z: The Complete Edition which offers these five extra hours of stories integrated with the original abridged recording.

Genres: Horror, Audiobook, Zombies, Science Fiction, Fiction, Dystopia, Post Apocalyptic

5 pages, Audiobook

First published May 14, 2013

About the author

Max Brooks is The New York Times bestselling author of The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z. He has been called ”the Studs Terkel of zombie journalism.“

Brooks is the son of director Mel Brooks and the late actress Anne Bancroft. He is a 1994 graduate of Pitzer College. His wife, Michelle, is a screenwriter, and the couple have a son, Henry.

Reviews

[Rex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Max Brooks' original World War Z. In fact, I listened to the audiobook, loved it so much I bought the novel and read it. Then I listed to the audiobook one more time! I had no idea there as a companion until my daughter, who knows what a World War Z fan I am, told me about it. As before, I listened to the audiobook.

I thought it was a great addendum to the original. I liked what I perceived to be a more in-depth treatment by Brooks of the moral, political and personal implications of the zombie virus that almost extinguished mankind. While the original focused heavily on the first-repsonders, scientists and leaders dealing with the outbreak, The Lost Files went deeper into examining some of the opportunists and others who sought to benefit from the situation. He also seemed to include more of the international response - and the variations that came about from different cultures faced with the crisis. It was very broad-reaching and I was glued to the speaker in my car for the duration of a long drive.

There are a couple of segments that are much too long. They tell an extended story and go into a great deal of detail and depth, which for the most part was fine. I just found myself wishing the speaker would wrap it up so we could move to the next story. Also I wish Brooks had checked with native speakers regarding the use of very American idioms in their interviews. The accents employed by the actors were outstanding, but in a few places Brooks had them say what an American would say, just with a foreign accent. It seldom work that way in real life.

Speaking of the cast, I thought they did a tremendous job of conveying the story of their character. I found them believable and they drew me fully into their tale. It was easy to despise some of them for their despicable actions, while at the same time identifying and sympathizing with others. The standard set in the original World War Z audiobook as more than adequately meet in this companion edition.

I highly recommend this if you are a World War Z fan, as I am. (Of course we all just simply ignore the film version, which has nothing in common with Brooks' novel other than the title.)

[Jenni DaVinCat · Rating 2 out of 5]

From what I understand, The Lost Files was released after the World War Z movie was released. To me, this screams cash grab but I wanted to give it a chance anyways because the World War Z audiobook is incredible and I was hoping this would be the same caliber.

Unfortunately, it was not even close to being as good as the original audiobook, and again, I understand that these are mostly supplementary stories meant to be listened to with the original audiobook. Basically, these were cutting room floor pieces that weren't good enough to make the original. Unfortunately, many of the stories probably should have stayed there.

There were a few that captured my interest and I ended up really enjoying the story, but there were more that fell flat. They were either miscast/misread or ended abruptly or were just plain boring. It was so disappointing. I wanted to love it as much as I loved the original.

[book.to.frame · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened on audiobook and it was extremely boring. Just interview after interview. Nothing exciting. Maybe this would have been better read, then listened to.

[Jessica Veneto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the audiobook format for this as the book is told in interview style. I lost some steam at the end but overall really liked this one

[Jai · Rating 4 out of 5]

2020 reread: had to DNF this time a couple hours from the end due to *waves at everything,* but this collection includes some of the most viscerally memorable stories in the whole book - I’m always surprised they’re not in the main collection. [content warning for zombie apocalypse related violence & horror]

[Jessica Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

thus continues my obsession with zombies.... amazing!

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Voices are casted woooooh~

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent follow up. Was a little slower than the original but loved many of the additions.

[Kelly Dyment · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Wow. Wow. This was a really great 'read'. I actually did the audio book of this (which is what's listed here), since the audio version was a special 'extra' - more like 13 hours long instead of the regular book written a few years earlier which would clock in around 5 hours. This is narrated by the author and has a fabulous cast documenting the onset of the Zombie 'War' - from breakout, to middle, to end. Highly recommend. Such a great 'telling'. Felt authentic and was fascinating too. Characters are from everywhere on our planet.

[Tristan Donovan · Rating 3 out of 5]

~3.5; I actually listened to the complete version after listening to the original? (6hr) audiobook. This complete volume had twice the content (~12 hours) and filled in many of the gaps the first version left me with. If you’re going to dig in, I’d highly recommend the complete volume (though I don’t know how this shakes out in written form). Lot of parallels between zombie spread and covid.

[William Schommer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not only a great story but has amazing take aways and parallels for our real world. The voice acting cast of the audiobook is star studded and ads to the story with the different accents. This book speaks on every aspect of modern society reacting to a global threat, showing you how the average person reacts, the military, the logistics of rebuilding and the government.

[Anna Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are after a zombie horror, you will be seriously disappointed, because the zombies themselves are not prominent characters i this book. The history of the Zombie War. This is meant to be fairly contemporary and historically accurate, with actual places (cities, towns, countries) with actual names and culturally relevant occurrences that reflect historical events that preceded the war.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the book a few years ago, and liked it. Be aware that the Movie had almost nothing in common with the book. This audio is well done, with good voice actors, and I think it has more material. About 12 hours long. I liked it.

[Jennifer Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic continuation of the World War Z stories of the first book. I highly recommend this series though in the present world it's a bit unnerving, given the pandemic we're presently experiencing.

[Robert Segura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes scenes are appropriately deleted. They often times add nothing new or interesting to the story. Not bad but unnecessary. Read this tome first. Don't if you've previously read the abridged version of World War Z.

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular, brought even more of the human element to a story already rooted in humanity. Some accents a bit iffy, but overall, did the book justice in the way the movie very much did not. A must-listen for anyone who enjoyed the book.

This review is for the full, unabridged audiobook.

[Nox Veneno · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not nearly as good as the first edition, but a decent effort.

[Jorogarn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope someone is producing a series following the stories in the book, fantastic.

[The_Books_Music_Life · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3 stars.



So I don't understand the point of this small audiobook. It was actually written in the book but the audio version skipped it. Doesn't make much sense to me but oh well.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t sold on the new stories that were added. Some were great, but they didn’t add VALUE.

Glad I gave it a read, but will stick to the abridged, to be honest.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

if you read the book WORLD WAR Z, then this is enjoyable addition

[Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Hamill is amazing! Original book is better but this was worth a listen as the voice talent are all generally excellent and the additional material adds a bit of depth to the story.

[Kelly Iser · Rating 5 out of 5]

So interesting. Read through it in a week

[Yomaira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second time reading and love it just the same! (I do not reread books but I had to introduce my fiancé to one of my faves.)

[Will Sharp · Rating 2 out of 5]

Many complaints but oh my god can we PLEASE stop equating cannibalism with war crimes? Those are not even close to the same thing, Jesus Christ.

[Nova Blanco-Rico · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite zombie piece of work, such an amazing book, it had me engaged with every story to tell.

[Savannah Rabinowitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 - Very immersive and realistic. It’s strange to read this 4 years after the start of COVID, so many of the things written in this book having come true in during the height of the pandemic.

[Kelly (Abide) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic audiobook! The interview style really worked well in this format for me because it felt like listening to a podcast.

[McKenzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

thoughts are in the other version of this book

[Abbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am BEGGING this be released as an actual book, because the best chapters are in this edition! Man alive, publish the pages!