The Sullen Dead

by Pat Black

Beautiful flat. Well appointed, all mod cons. Zombies outside.

52 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 9, 2016

Reviews

[Karen Eisenbrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This darkly comic novella centers on the domestic life of Elsie and Darren, who have taken refuge in a luxurious gated community abandoned during a plague. Outside the barricades are walkers (those who died of the plague virus but continue to shamble through the habits they had in life) and rotters (resulting for a more aggressive strain of the virus, and more aggressive themselves); inside are food, fine wine, laundry facilities—all the comforts of modern life, at least for now. Their friend Oliver has a mysterious connection to government researchers trying to solve the puzzle of the virus and the walking dead. He's also interested in Elsie, and offers to help her escape a possible drastic solution if she'll leave Darren behind. Then they discover they have neighbors, and those neighbors are armed. So is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Through this small cast of ordinary, relatable characters, Black digs into how extreme circumstances bring out the best and worst in people. Who can be trusted? Who is the real monster? For answers, you have to read to the end.

[Angelika Rust · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only reason it took me so long to read this was that I had trouble getting the stupid Kindle connected to the wireless. Once I had finally managed that, I read the story almost in one go. It's exceptionally well written (and edited, and proofread), at times funny, at times sinister, with a very realistic feel to it. The characters are completely alive and very human. The ending is perfect, if a little abrupt - thing is, I didn't want it to end, as I wanted a front row seat on every single character's demise.