What do you think?
Rate this book
Still Dead
An anthology of horror stories based on the universe of George A. Romero features stories by Nancy Collins, Douglas Winter, and Bram Stoker Award-winner Elizabeth Massie
CONTENTS
Foreword by Tom Savini
"Introduction: Nineteen New Ways to Kick Ass" by Skipp and Spector
"The Old Man and the Dead" by Mort Castle
"DONt/Walk" by Chan McConnell
"Necrophile" by Nancy A. Collins
"Rise Up And Walk" by K.W. Jeter
"One Step At A Time" by Glen Vasey
"The Ones You Love" by Skipp and Spector
"This Year's Class Picture" by Dan Simmons
"Night of the Living Dead Bingo Women" by Simon McCaffery
"Abed" by Elizabeth Massie
"Come One, Come All" by Gahan Wilson
"The Prince of Nox" by Kathe Koja
"Beer Run" by Gregory Nicoll
"Prayer" by Douglas Morningstar and Maxwell Hart
"Calcutta, Lord of Nerves" by Poppy Z. Brite
"I Walk Alone" by Roberta Lannes
"Undiscovered Countries" by J.S. Russell
"Moon Towers" by Brooks Caruthers
"Passion Play" by Nancy Holder
"Bright Lights, Big Zombie" by Douglas E. Winter
CONTENTS
Foreword by Tom Savini
"Introduction: Nineteen New Ways to Kick Ass" by Skipp and Spector
"The Old Man and the Dead" by Mort Castle
"DONt/Walk" by Chan McConnell
"Necrophile" by Nancy A. Collins
"Rise Up And Walk" by K.W. Jeter
"One Step At A Time" by Glen Vasey
"The Ones You Love" by Skipp and Spector
"This Year's Class Picture" by Dan Simmons
"Night of the Living Dead Bingo Women" by Simon McCaffery
"Abed" by Elizabeth Massie
"Come One, Come All" by Gahan Wilson
"The Prince of Nox" by Kathe Koja
"Beer Run" by Gregory Nicoll
"Prayer" by Douglas Morningstar and Maxwell Hart
"Calcutta, Lord of Nerves" by Poppy Z. Brite
"I Walk Alone" by Roberta Lannes
"Undiscovered Countries" by J.S. Russell
"Moon Towers" by Brooks Caruthers
"Passion Play" by Nancy Holder
"Bright Lights, Big Zombie" by Douglas E. Winter
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
2 people are currently reading
497 people want to read
About the author
John Skipp
103 books294 followersJohn Skipp is a splatterpunk horror and fantasy author and anthology editor, as well as a songwriter, screenwriter, film director, and film producer. He collaborated with Craig Spector on multiple novels, and has also collaborated with Marc Levinthal and Cody Goodfellow.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 16, 2007
This collection is a little more uneven than the first volume, but I particularly liked the Douglas Winter and Gahan Wilson stories, and thought the Dan Simmons was terrific.
January 14, 2008
The second and last collection of zombie fiction editted by Skipp and Spector, before their falling out. The book was divided into three sections, essentially before, during, and after the rise. There were some very original stories in here, and a few will be sure to disturb anyone.
October 14, 2010
A definite must for any fan of the Romero zombie world. Not one story in this thing will slow you down like a zombie though.
March 25, 2022
This was a very impressive collection of tales about the usual kind of zombie: you know, gross-looking, not too bright, staggering around L-I-I-I-KE TH-I-I-I-S (picture me with my arms stuck out in front, my hands dangling limply, my eyes wide and blank as I slowly advance), and chomping on the living and making them like themselves.
I put off reading this book until I'd seen Dawn of the Dead, because I thought maybe there would be references to the Romero movies, but I needn't have bothered. (That movie disappointed me. Some interesting parts, but there were long stretches that just dragged and bored me, unlike Night of the Living Dead. Thankfully the bikers livened it up.) These are entirely self-contained stories; the only thing they have in common with the movies is the same kind of zombie, which is very adaptable to different situations.
I wanted to read it because of Brooks Caruthers's contribution. I've been hunting down everything this Arkansan wrote ever since I read "The Real World" in Forbidden Acts, a wonderful novelette that was also about the dead coming back. But not like this.
On to the stories (not in order).
“The Old Man and the Dead,” Mort Castle: this was magnificent. You know the only foolproof way to kill a Romero zombie, right? And you know how one of the greatest American writers died in 1961, right? Not a coincidence, as it turns out.
“Rise Up and Walk,” K.W. Jeter: a moving, tragic story about an inmate left alone in a mental hospital when the dead begin to rise. He believes he’s Jesus Christ, but previous failures to perform miracles have shaken his faith. This is his big moment.
“This Year’s Class Picture,” Dan Simmons: the great teachers never give up on their students. This was a moving story about the love a teacher has for her class of poor little monsters.
“Necrophile,” Nancy A. Collins: a gritty story about those edgy, subcultural people who go to midnight movies and are obsessed with death. A good one. Hard to read, but not as hard as some others in this collection. The narrator’s ex got what was coming (and what he wanted), but I'm worried about the narrator. She doesn’t deserve this.
“DONt/Walk,” David J. Schow (as Chan McConnell): a story about the alienation of a big city. Disturbing, but a little too dark to be believed. I don’t think urban alienation is this bad.
These stories were meant to go “too far”, and they did push boundaries.
To be continued.
I put off reading this book until I'd seen Dawn of the Dead, because I thought maybe there would be references to the Romero movies, but I needn't have bothered. (That movie disappointed me. Some interesting parts, but there were long stretches that just dragged and bored me, unlike Night of the Living Dead. Thankfully the bikers livened it up.) These are entirely self-contained stories; the only thing they have in common with the movies is the same kind of zombie, which is very adaptable to different situations.
I wanted to read it because of Brooks Caruthers's contribution. I've been hunting down everything this Arkansan wrote ever since I read "The Real World" in Forbidden Acts, a wonderful novelette that was also about the dead coming back. But not like this.
On to the stories (not in order).
“The Old Man and the Dead,” Mort Castle: this was magnificent. You know the only foolproof way to kill a Romero zombie, right? And you know how one of the greatest American writers died in 1961, right? Not a coincidence, as it turns out.
“Rise Up and Walk,” K.W. Jeter: a moving, tragic story about an inmate left alone in a mental hospital when the dead begin to rise. He believes he’s Jesus Christ, but previous failures to perform miracles have shaken his faith. This is his big moment.
“This Year’s Class Picture,” Dan Simmons: the great teachers never give up on their students. This was a moving story about the love a teacher has for her class of poor little monsters.
“Necrophile,” Nancy A. Collins: a gritty story about those edgy, subcultural people who go to midnight movies and are obsessed with death. A good one. Hard to read, but not as hard as some others in this collection. The narrator’s ex got what was coming (and what he wanted), but I'm worried about the narrator. She doesn’t deserve this.
“DONt/Walk,” David J. Schow (as Chan McConnell): a story about the alienation of a big city. Disturbing, but a little too dark to be believed. I don’t think urban alienation is this bad.
These stories were meant to go “too far”, and they did push boundaries.
To be continued.
January 31, 2013
Like many follow up collections. Still Dead fails to meet the high-water mark set by the original. Still, like a collection of mineral specimens there are shiny baubles to be had-- just remember to pick through the recent dead with care.
August 19, 2017
Fun, if not as much so as its predecessor. The first third of the stories felt very "done," although well written. It's the other 2/3 of the books that picks up and gets interesting again. Recommend for zombie fans.
March 6, 2009
Even more zombie stories
December 30, 2009
I changed my mind, zombie fiction is boring.
October 23, 2010
Abed was creepy. Great rereadable anthologies.
December 17, 2014
3.5 pretty good.
September 1, 2012
Worth reading. Gruesome in places.
September 15, 2012
I didn't out-and-out love this one the way I did the original "Book of the Dead," but it is full of fine moments and there's plenty of zombie gutmunch.
Read
October 7, 2024"This Year’s Class Picture" by Dan Simmons - Ms. Geiss refuses to give up on her job as an educator even after the zombie apocalypse. She captures zombie kids and uses a pliers to remove their teeth and nails then chains them to desks to learn their lessons. She attempts to motivate them with nuggets made from human flesh but despairs she is unable to reach them. After waking from a dream where the zombie children warn her that adult zombies are coming to cross the moat she has built across the school she takes up her rifle and repels the assault. She takes the kids outside and removes the chains to release them and dejectedly returns to her classroom where she examines this year's school picture. She is surprised to see that the children are smiling. The zombie kids return to their desks and Ms. Geiss goes to the chalkboard to write the new day's lesson.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2021
Really great collection of stories about the undead 🧟♂️
October 23, 2020
Of the two Book of the Dead anthologies, I think this was the one I liked least back in the 90s, and yet it is my favorite this time around. Less gross-out/go for the shock than Volume One, although there is plenty here, and fewer "name" writers. A lot more thoughtful stories from all the authors, particularly good ones from favorites Poppy Z. Brite, Kathe Koha, and Douglas Winter. Well worth a read and a good picture of horror writing at that time.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews