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Stealing Propeller Hats from the Dead
A collection of horror fiction that's both a love letter and a middle finger to the zombie saturation of our culture. It's the backlash to the backlash, as zombies are finally unfashionable enough to be cool again. Inside, you can rehearse end-of-the-world scenarios with the staff of a deadly tourist trap, follow an undead love triangle struggling to survive a tipping point of post-modern, pop-culture references, and enjoy one small apocalypse after another as the living continue to adapt to a new world of the dead, where they'll finally discover once and for all who is hungrier. Don't let these poor souls dine in vain.
Also includes the irresponsible zombie movie drinking game "Send More Paramedics," which you can play while you read, drink, drive, and die, over and over again.
Also includes the irresponsible zombie movie drinking game "Send More Paramedics," which you can play while you read, drink, drive, and die, over and over again.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
256 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2015
2 people are currently reading
522 people want to read
About the author
David James Keaton
54 books186 followersDavid James Keaton received his MFA from the University of Pittsburgh and was the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Flywheel Magazine. His first collection of fiction, FISH BITES COP! Stories To Bash Authorities, was named the 2014 Short Story Collection of the Year by This Is Horror. Kirkus spotlighted his debut novel, THE LAST PROJECTOR, calling it "rapidly paced and loaded with humor... a loopy, appealing mix of popular culture and thoroughly crazy people." His second collection of fiction, STEALING PROPELLER HATS FROM THE DEAD, received a Starred Review from Publishers Weekly, who said, "The author's joy in his subject matter is obvious, often expressed with a sly wink and a wicked smile. Decay, both existential and physical, has never looked so good.” His most recent novel, HEAD CLEANER, was recommended by Booklist and Library Journal, who called it "light and breezy with dark undercurrents that keep the reader off-kilter" as well as "great fun." He also teaches composition and creative writing at Santa Clara University in California.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 23, 2021
"Zombies got so unfashionable they're fashionable all over again!"
"Which makes us the backlash to the backlash to the backsplash."
Once again, I was suckered in by a great title.
I really enjoyed the first story in the book - Greenhorns - which is sort of a deadliest Deadliest Catch, but everything kind of shambled downhill from there, with tales of amputated arms being sold as back-scratchers, and a car wash sudsing gone wild. (I even heard all the dead baby jokes before!) And, speaking of dead babies, Keaton really nails it with The Ball Pit, a kick in the gut for anyone who's ever loved a living, breathing tiny human. Sadly, my least favorite story - the title track - was also the longest, clocking in at over 100 pages.
True zombie fiction aficionados may want to check this one out for the author's many, many pop culture/film references. (There's even a drinking game at the end of the book. Drink . . . when a lone ethnic character is the first or last to die. But, I'm guessing others won't mind giving it a miss.
For me, it was a 3.5, but I'll round up because of Ball Pit.
"Which makes us the backlash to the backlash to the backsplash."
Once again, I was suckered in by a great title.
I really enjoyed the first story in the book - Greenhorns - which is sort of a deadliest Deadliest Catch, but everything kind of shambled downhill from there, with tales of amputated arms being sold as back-scratchers, and a car wash sudsing gone wild. (I even heard all the dead baby jokes before!) And, speaking of dead babies, Keaton really nails it with The Ball Pit, a kick in the gut for anyone who's ever loved a living, breathing tiny human. Sadly, my least favorite story - the title track - was also the longest, clocking in at over 100 pages.
True zombie fiction aficionados may want to check this one out for the author's many, many pop culture/film references. (There's even a drinking game at the end of the book. Drink . . . when a lone ethnic character is the first or last to die. But, I'm guessing others won't mind giving it a miss.
For me, it was a 3.5, but I'll round up because of Ball Pit.
May 16, 2016
I have a grudging appreciation for the writing of David James Keaton in general, but I have to admit this was quite successful. To be blunt, if you're looking for a zombie stories collection that's going to keep you in your "Walking Dead" mood, this is going to take a big dump on your emotions and that is exactly why I loved it. STEALING PROPELLER HATS FROM THE DEAD is a mischievous, iconoclast and surprisingly postmodern project! It has everything for an obsessive nerd like me to go crazy over.
The longest and most elaborate story in the collection is ZEE, BEE & BEE, a deconstruction of the "cultural" zombie that was really enjoyable in it, but it wasn't my favorite.I thought the infamous WHAT'S WORST? was about the most courageous and morally challenging story I've read so far this year. The fact that it's a zombie story about dead baby jokes is probably going to repel most of you, but it's actually NOT a zombie story about dead baby jokes. It just happens to feature lots of them.
STEALING PROPELLER HATS FROM THE DEAD was the most interesting zombie fiction I've come across since discovering the George Romero movies as a teenager.
The longest and most elaborate story in the collection is ZEE, BEE & BEE, a deconstruction of the "cultural" zombie that was really enjoyable in it, but it wasn't my favorite.I thought the infamous WHAT'S WORST? was about the most courageous and morally challenging story I've read so far this year. The fact that it's a zombie story about dead baby jokes is probably going to repel most of you, but it's actually NOT a zombie story about dead baby jokes. It just happens to feature lots of them.
STEALING PROPELLER HATS FROM THE DEAD was the most interesting zombie fiction I've come across since discovering the George Romero movies as a teenager.
June 28, 2015
You're always gonna be taking a chance when you read a book by someone with the same name as yourself, but sometimes I just roll the dice. I liked this one though. Reminded me of when I lived in Pittsburgh. Pure applesauce.
July 9, 2018
Keaton's writing style left me wondering what was going on most of the time. If I was talking with someone who spewed out words the way he does, I'd have to constantly ask them to repeat or clarify what they were talking about. Many of the jokes and references require a deeper knowledge of the zombie genre, especially the movies, in order to have the laugh appeal the stories should provoke.
The vagueness of what is actually occurring can be a great twist for the reader once the truth is discovered, but when the events never clarify and the story ends, it leaves one scratching their heads wondering what just happened.
Overall, I cannot justify more than 2 stars. Perhaps it would rise with a topic in which I have more knowledge and can appreciate the subtleties.
The language alone puts this out of reach for younger readers, let alone the story with the sexual scene and the gore one must expect with anything zombie related.
The vagueness of what is actually occurring can be a great twist for the reader once the truth is discovered, but when the events never clarify and the story ends, it leaves one scratching their heads wondering what just happened.
Overall, I cannot justify more than 2 stars. Perhaps it would rise with a topic in which I have more knowledge and can appreciate the subtleties.
The language alone puts this out of reach for younger readers, let alone the story with the sexual scene and the gore one must expect with anything zombie related.
October 10, 2015
If someone were to ask me if David James Keaton was normal, I’d have to say, “No. No he’s definitely not.” But when I say that, I mean it in the best of ways. Keaton is extraordinary. His abnormality is his reader’s reward.
In STEALING PROPELLER HATS FROM THE DEAD Keaton is shambling to a whole different tune than all other authors of zombie fiction. In the foreword to the book, David Tallerman says, "Surely it can only be a matter of time before the right editor gets fried with a thousand volts of Keatonesque pulp-literary goodness." Those last four words pretty much sum up the work of David James Keaton. Keaton has an organic, conversational style that grabs you from the first word of the introduction and doesn't let go until the last word of the last story. And the introduction is definitely one you should read. I don't usually read an entire introduction to any book, but I'm really glad I stuck with this one. Not since the early days of Stephen King have I read an introduction so entertaining as to keep me reading to its finish. But this one did. It yanked me in and jettisoned me out the other end with a momentum that didn't let up until the end of the book. And, as an added bonus, at the end of the book Keaton has included a drinking game that you should never, ever, EVER play.
With surgically deft strokes Keaton cuts to the raw beating heart of humanity in this collection in which one man learns what it means to fish or cut bait, a young woman receives the gift of her dreams, and the hilarious plight of toothless zombies somehow manages to break your heart. STEALING PROPELLER HATS FROM THE DEAD--the title inspiring novella "Zee Bee & Bee" in particular--reads like a b-movie cult classic as imagined by David Lynch and penned by Hemingway.
This is the first book I've read by Keaton but it definitely won't be the last. He's a precise and thoughtful wordsmith with a flare for the absurd and an eye for vivid imagery that sticks in the mind long after the last words echo into silence. If you only read one book of zombie fiction this year, make it this one and make it soon. Keaton's book is one of the literary highlights of the year so far.
In STEALING PROPELLER HATS FROM THE DEAD Keaton is shambling to a whole different tune than all other authors of zombie fiction. In the foreword to the book, David Tallerman says, "Surely it can only be a matter of time before the right editor gets fried with a thousand volts of Keatonesque pulp-literary goodness." Those last four words pretty much sum up the work of David James Keaton. Keaton has an organic, conversational style that grabs you from the first word of the introduction and doesn't let go until the last word of the last story. And the introduction is definitely one you should read. I don't usually read an entire introduction to any book, but I'm really glad I stuck with this one. Not since the early days of Stephen King have I read an introduction so entertaining as to keep me reading to its finish. But this one did. It yanked me in and jettisoned me out the other end with a momentum that didn't let up until the end of the book. And, as an added bonus, at the end of the book Keaton has included a drinking game that you should never, ever, EVER play.
With surgically deft strokes Keaton cuts to the raw beating heart of humanity in this collection in which one man learns what it means to fish or cut bait, a young woman receives the gift of her dreams, and the hilarious plight of toothless zombies somehow manages to break your heart. STEALING PROPELLER HATS FROM THE DEAD--the title inspiring novella "Zee Bee & Bee" in particular--reads like a b-movie cult classic as imagined by David Lynch and penned by Hemingway.
This is the first book I've read by Keaton but it definitely won't be the last. He's a precise and thoughtful wordsmith with a flare for the absurd and an eye for vivid imagery that sticks in the mind long after the last words echo into silence. If you only read one book of zombie fiction this year, make it this one and make it soon. Keaton's book is one of the literary highlights of the year so far.
February 26, 2016
Hell of a fun collection for zombie film fans. I dreamt of falling into a stadium filled with disembodied arms one night after reading this thing, and it wasn't even a nightmare. It was fun. Not sure what that says about me, really.
Anyway, my favorite story was probably "The Ball Pit." I actually wanted that one to go on a little longer, though. Felt like there was a whole world built into the story that I could hang out in for an entire novel, and still be satisfied.
Maybe the best thing about this collection is that it makes you want to revisit all of the movies it references, or brings to mind. I mean, I was reminded of the film "Who Can Kill a Child?" several times while reading this book, and I am not even sure if Keaton mentioned it within the pages. It just popped into my head every now and again, and I am now regretting getting rid of my scratchy used DVD years ago. Oh well, maybe we'll get a Blu-ray one day.
Whatever the case, I will surely be firing up the first three Romero zombie flicks sometime soon. And I might be asking friends "What's grosser than gross?" a little bit more often for a while now. For that, you can blame David James Keaton.
Anyway, my favorite story was probably "The Ball Pit." I actually wanted that one to go on a little longer, though. Felt like there was a whole world built into the story that I could hang out in for an entire novel, and still be satisfied.
Maybe the best thing about this collection is that it makes you want to revisit all of the movies it references, or brings to mind. I mean, I was reminded of the film "Who Can Kill a Child?" several times while reading this book, and I am not even sure if Keaton mentioned it within the pages. It just popped into my head every now and again, and I am now regretting getting rid of my scratchy used DVD years ago. Oh well, maybe we'll get a Blu-ray one day.
Whatever the case, I will surely be firing up the first three Romero zombie flicks sometime soon. And I might be asking friends "What's grosser than gross?" a little bit more often for a while now. For that, you can blame David James Keaton.
July 30, 2015
David James Keaton follows up his first two novels, impressive both, with a collection of zombie tales from Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing. Stealing Propeller Hats From the Dead is a work that finds success on multiple levels. It is a great set of entertaining genre stories that any zombie fan dive into and enjoy one bite at a time, but it is also a deep, well thought out commentary on the history of the subgenre. The individual stories all work, and, even though a few are rather forgettable, comprise an great book with with a few of the finest zombie tales of recent years. The book opens with a foreword by David Tallerman, in which he coins a phrase that well describes the stories that the reader is about plunge into as “Keatonesque pulp-literary goodness”.
We’ve all skipped Introductions to books and then lied about having done so. Don’t skip “Introduction: Scare Quotes and Coffin Rides” as Keaton uses a true story of his involvement with zombies as a launching pad for the fiction to follow. Keaton describes visiting the Monroeville Mall where the original Dawn of the Dead was filmed and the backroom pseudo-museum dedicated to the film as a way of celebrating the sale of his novella, “Zee Bee & Bee (a.k.a. propeller hats for the dead)”. It’s just one episode in what must have been, as the content of the book proves, a life full of zombie education.
“Greenhorns” is the first piece of fiction in the book and takes zombies in a very different direction. New recruits begin working on the famous crab fishing vessel Gone Fission from the Crab Monsters television program, a show is long since cancelled. Gone Fission is the only craft to survive the finale of the show’s last season. The story is terrifically suspenseful as it tells the true history of the boat from the middle out. While the reader learns about Jake and his current and future on the ship they learn the root of the disaster that wiped out so many ships and resulted in the show’s cancellation. Jake’s ultimate fate is directly related to the beginning of the problems for Crab Masters. “Greenhorns” is a skillfully crafted and entirely entertaining story.
The second story in the book is “... And I’ll Scratch Yours (or the one who had none)”, a tale of genetic engineering and how to properly care for one’s severed arm backscratcher. The story has a few callbacks to “Greenhorns” which actually makes “Greenhorns” a better story after the fact. There is something of a parallel to this story and the classic film Gremlins, that I was fully prepared to discuss here, but Keaton goes ahead and discusses it within the story itself. There’s no need to include more of that here, except to say that Gremlins fans will likely quite enjoy this one.
“Do the Munster Mash” and “The Doppelganger Radar” do not follow each other in order in the book but are certainly related. Between the two tales there are a rash of dog bites that may or may not be dog bites and a discussion of how people tend to look so much like their pets. These stories are best read in the order in which the appear, but reading them a second time back-to-back is recommended for a more complete reading experience.
For an extended riff on dead baby jokes and other repellant and honestly funny comedy, “What’s Worst?” is for you. “The Ball Pit” tells the story of how humankind faced a possible extinction event because of a rogue medication that causes priapism. It’s likely the first time a fictional boner has threatened the future of the world. “The World’s Second Shortest Zombie Story” is fascinating and leaves the reader wondering if they know what really just happened.
“Three Ways Without Water” is a story set in the same fictional world as Keaton’s novel Pig Iron. The story was written some time before the novel and presents an interesting challenge in describing how the two works are related. “Three Ways Without Water” includes elements that are scattered throughout the entire novel, which is about 175 to 200 pages longer. It could be considered a prequel, but that doesn’t quite fit that definition correctly. The best explanation of the story is that it’s an early version of a story that would evolve into something much larger and more complex. It’s a great stand-alone short story and a rare glimpse into the creative process.
The main course of the book is served up in “Zee Bee & Bee (a.k.a. propeller hats for the dead). It is a novella of good length that serves as an homage to, and a complete deconstruction of, the zombie story. With copious references to just about every significant zombie film ever made, this is the zombie story against which all should be judged going forward. Actors have created a combination bed and breakfast dinner theater-like experience that allows couples to spend a weekend in a rural house fighting off the zombie hordes. If you can have an honestly serious conversation about the Nazi zombie film Shock Waves or argue the spelling and chronology of Lucio Fulci’s Zombi 2, or Zombie, you will swallow up this piece in one sitting. There is also a great twist that takes the story to an ending that it’s unlikely readers will see coming. “Zee Bee & Bee (a.k.a. propeller hats for the dead)” is a crown jewel to this collection of stellar fiction.
Readers new to Keaton will find Stealing Propeller Hats From the Dead a smart and fun entry point to the author’s work. Pig Iron and The Last Projector are both excellent novels, but are both very challenging reads. Changeling in the best way, as they experiment with the most basic elements of narrative storytelling, taking old ideas in very new directions. Keaton does not shy away from the bizarre, nonlinear, and, most notably, the unapologetically anarchistic in his novels. He does the same, to a lesser extent, here. These stories are easier to understand than his previous books, but they do introduce the author’s unique style and do not pander to the reader.
The collection ends with the rules to a great zombie movie drinking game that you must absolutely never, ever consider playing.
We’ve all skipped Introductions to books and then lied about having done so. Don’t skip “Introduction: Scare Quotes and Coffin Rides” as Keaton uses a true story of his involvement with zombies as a launching pad for the fiction to follow. Keaton describes visiting the Monroeville Mall where the original Dawn of the Dead was filmed and the backroom pseudo-museum dedicated to the film as a way of celebrating the sale of his novella, “Zee Bee & Bee (a.k.a. propeller hats for the dead)”. It’s just one episode in what must have been, as the content of the book proves, a life full of zombie education.
“Greenhorns” is the first piece of fiction in the book and takes zombies in a very different direction. New recruits begin working on the famous crab fishing vessel Gone Fission from the Crab Monsters television program, a show is long since cancelled. Gone Fission is the only craft to survive the finale of the show’s last season. The story is terrifically suspenseful as it tells the true history of the boat from the middle out. While the reader learns about Jake and his current and future on the ship they learn the root of the disaster that wiped out so many ships and resulted in the show’s cancellation. Jake’s ultimate fate is directly related to the beginning of the problems for Crab Masters. “Greenhorns” is a skillfully crafted and entirely entertaining story.
The second story in the book is “... And I’ll Scratch Yours (or the one who had none)”, a tale of genetic engineering and how to properly care for one’s severed arm backscratcher. The story has a few callbacks to “Greenhorns” which actually makes “Greenhorns” a better story after the fact. There is something of a parallel to this story and the classic film Gremlins, that I was fully prepared to discuss here, but Keaton goes ahead and discusses it within the story itself. There’s no need to include more of that here, except to say that Gremlins fans will likely quite enjoy this one.
“Do the Munster Mash” and “The Doppelganger Radar” do not follow each other in order in the book but are certainly related. Between the two tales there are a rash of dog bites that may or may not be dog bites and a discussion of how people tend to look so much like their pets. These stories are best read in the order in which the appear, but reading them a second time back-to-back is recommended for a more complete reading experience.
For an extended riff on dead baby jokes and other repellant and honestly funny comedy, “What’s Worst?” is for you. “The Ball Pit” tells the story of how humankind faced a possible extinction event because of a rogue medication that causes priapism. It’s likely the first time a fictional boner has threatened the future of the world. “The World’s Second Shortest Zombie Story” is fascinating and leaves the reader wondering if they know what really just happened.
“Three Ways Without Water” is a story set in the same fictional world as Keaton’s novel Pig Iron. The story was written some time before the novel and presents an interesting challenge in describing how the two works are related. “Three Ways Without Water” includes elements that are scattered throughout the entire novel, which is about 175 to 200 pages longer. It could be considered a prequel, but that doesn’t quite fit that definition correctly. The best explanation of the story is that it’s an early version of a story that would evolve into something much larger and more complex. It’s a great stand-alone short story and a rare glimpse into the creative process.
The main course of the book is served up in “Zee Bee & Bee (a.k.a. propeller hats for the dead). It is a novella of good length that serves as an homage to, and a complete deconstruction of, the zombie story. With copious references to just about every significant zombie film ever made, this is the zombie story against which all should be judged going forward. Actors have created a combination bed and breakfast dinner theater-like experience that allows couples to spend a weekend in a rural house fighting off the zombie hordes. If you can have an honestly serious conversation about the Nazi zombie film Shock Waves or argue the spelling and chronology of Lucio Fulci’s Zombi 2, or Zombie, you will swallow up this piece in one sitting. There is also a great twist that takes the story to an ending that it’s unlikely readers will see coming. “Zee Bee & Bee (a.k.a. propeller hats for the dead)” is a crown jewel to this collection of stellar fiction.
Readers new to Keaton will find Stealing Propeller Hats From the Dead a smart and fun entry point to the author’s work. Pig Iron and The Last Projector are both excellent novels, but are both very challenging reads. Changeling in the best way, as they experiment with the most basic elements of narrative storytelling, taking old ideas in very new directions. Keaton does not shy away from the bizarre, nonlinear, and, most notably, the unapologetically anarchistic in his novels. He does the same, to a lesser extent, here. These stories are easier to understand than his previous books, but they do introduce the author’s unique style and do not pander to the reader.
The collection ends with the rules to a great zombie movie drinking game that you must absolutely never, ever consider playing.
June 21, 2024
When I read the synopsis of the collection, I couldn’t wait to get home and begin reading. However, the authors writing style seemed very scattered and at times, rambling. I loved the concept for Zee Bee & Bee but quickly lost interest. There was so much talk about movies, arguing amongst each other, and repetition that I had to reread parts over again just to make sense. And I’m still not sure what exactly happened. This collection definitely had potential and the ideas were fun. But it just wasn’t for me.
July 9, 2017
I thought the best story was the first in the book, and nothing else lived up to that. This was my first time reading the genre (the cover caught my eye), but there are a few in here I'd like to read again.
August 15, 2019
Spoiler alert: the zombies don’t die in the end, but there’s a hilarious drinking game included that will kill humans. I loved this book.
October 30, 2015
A TOP SHELF review, originally published in the October 30, 2015 edition of The Monitor
America is zombie-crazy, no doubt about it. “The Walking Dead” is more popular than ever, there are dozens of movies about the undead, hundreds of books and zombie walks are now officially a thing, with hundreds of grown men and women dressing up as brain-eaters and shuffling around in public. The “zombie apocalypse” has firmly ensconced itself in our collective imagination.
So it’s refreshing to come across a collection like “Stealing Propeller Hats from the Dead,” the latest from the unique mind of David James Keaton, recently released by Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing. These nine stories and one novella brilliantly and with gonzo abandon infect every zombie cliché with literary insight before killing, burying and unearthing the resurrected remains for our delight.
The pieces, most occurring during or after the cataclysm, are awash in pop culture references and twitch with Keaton’s signature manic conversational style. My favorites were “Greenhorn,” which explores the question of what happens to zombies once they've shuffled their way down to the sea; “… and I’ll Scratch Yours,” in which specially treated undead appendages are sold as the perfect back scratcher; and “Zee Bee & Bee,” a witty yet heartfelt novella about a bed and breakfast that recreates the zombie apocalypse for discerning newlyweds.
Complete with a compelling introduction and an insane zombie movie drinking game, “Stealing Propeller Hats from the Dead” is a must-have for undead enthusiasts everywhere.
America is zombie-crazy, no doubt about it. “The Walking Dead” is more popular than ever, there are dozens of movies about the undead, hundreds of books and zombie walks are now officially a thing, with hundreds of grown men and women dressing up as brain-eaters and shuffling around in public. The “zombie apocalypse” has firmly ensconced itself in our collective imagination.
So it’s refreshing to come across a collection like “Stealing Propeller Hats from the Dead,” the latest from the unique mind of David James Keaton, recently released by Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing. These nine stories and one novella brilliantly and with gonzo abandon infect every zombie cliché with literary insight before killing, burying and unearthing the resurrected remains for our delight.
The pieces, most occurring during or after the cataclysm, are awash in pop culture references and twitch with Keaton’s signature manic conversational style. My favorites were “Greenhorn,” which explores the question of what happens to zombies once they've shuffled their way down to the sea; “… and I’ll Scratch Yours,” in which specially treated undead appendages are sold as the perfect back scratcher; and “Zee Bee & Bee,” a witty yet heartfelt novella about a bed and breakfast that recreates the zombie apocalypse for discerning newlyweds.
Complete with a compelling introduction and an insane zombie movie drinking game, “Stealing Propeller Hats from the Dead” is a must-have for undead enthusiasts everywhere.
September 25, 2015
I received a copy of this from Netgalley and Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Very uneven collection of short stories all featuring the undead in some capacity. Some of these stories were actually great, but some parts of it made you wince and wish there had been a tough but loveable editor on hand, someone who wasn't afraid to use the red pen and circle sections that needed some serious reworking to hold up and make sense. Unfortunately this person was absent.
The ideas behind the stories though were all good, some I'd even say were great. Morbidly funny and it sparks loads of dark conundrums surrounding the meeting between living and undead. Some stories I'd gladly give a four to, but there were others in such dire need of editing that they pulled down the overall impression and somewhat tainted the good ideas behind the execution.
Very uneven collection of short stories all featuring the undead in some capacity. Some of these stories were actually great, but some parts of it made you wince and wish there had been a tough but loveable editor on hand, someone who wasn't afraid to use the red pen and circle sections that needed some serious reworking to hold up and make sense. Unfortunately this person was absent.
The ideas behind the stories though were all good, some I'd even say were great. Morbidly funny and it sparks loads of dark conundrums surrounding the meeting between living and undead. Some stories I'd gladly give a four to, but there were others in such dire need of editing that they pulled down the overall impression and somewhat tainted the good ideas behind the execution.
October 4, 2015
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am a fan of the zombie genre, but I have a hard time with anthologies. Mainly because there are such strong stories mixed with such weak ones. Some of the stories were fantastic. I really liked "And I'll Scratch Yours", but others I just skimmed because I couldn't really get into them.
Overall though, a good book. I'll definitely be reading some of these stories again.
I am a fan of the zombie genre, but I have a hard time with anthologies. Mainly because there are such strong stories mixed with such weak ones. Some of the stories were fantastic. I really liked "And I'll Scratch Yours", but others I just skimmed because I couldn't really get into them.
Overall though, a good book. I'll definitely be reading some of these stories again.
May 11, 2016
I received this as an arc from net galley in exchange for an honest review.
A collection of horror fiction that's both a love letter and a middle finger to the zombie saturation of our culture.
Wow.
I liked the story and the characters.
My favourite story was
.......and I'll scratch you.
They were good stories.
There was some really good stories.
I liked the ending too.
Highly recommended.
Definitely worth more than 5 *.
A collection of horror fiction that's both a love letter and a middle finger to the zombie saturation of our culture.
Wow.
I liked the story and the characters.
My favourite story was
.......and I'll scratch you.
They were good stories.
There was some really good stories.
I liked the ending too.
Highly recommended.
Definitely worth more than 5 *.
August 30, 2015
I received this book from NetGalley and Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing, in exchange for my honest review.
Some interesting and different zombie stories! The first couple of stories were okay. I enjoyed Zombie bee and bee a lot. The last couple of stories were creepy, something about zombie kids!! Would recommend to zombie readers!!
Some interesting and different zombie stories! The first couple of stories were okay. I enjoyed Zombie bee and bee a lot. The last couple of stories were creepy, something about zombie kids!! Would recommend to zombie readers!!
August 8, 2015
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A good collection of horror short stories that are both an homage and a parody of zombie stories. The collection (like most short stories collections) has some stories that are much stronger than others, but overall, it is a good collection that is a must for any zombie fans.
A good collection of horror short stories that are both an homage and a parody of zombie stories. The collection (like most short stories collections) has some stories that are much stronger than others, but overall, it is a good collection that is a must for any zombie fans.
October 18, 2015
A subpar short story collection
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/steali... or http://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/2... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/steali... or http://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/2... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
September 23, 2015
Review Coming Soon
May 17, 2016
This collection has an excellent and surprising range of stories for such a well-worn genre.
July 18, 2016
It was interesting but I found it hard to understand and follow a plot with many of the stories.
August 30, 2016
Engaging book and pleasantly different than others, in a good way.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews