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Zombies, Run!: Keeping Fit and Living Well in the Current Zombie Emergency
'OUR FIRST JOB IS SURVIVAL. IF WE SURVIVE, WE LEARN, WHEN WE LEARN, WE MAKE TOMORROW BETTER THAN TODAY. THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS TO BE WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP ON GOING' The zombie apocalypse is here. We have all lost a lot, but we are surviving. Together we will overcome the outbreak but we need every man, women and child to do their bit. This is an informational guide to help you stay fit and healthy in both body and mind during the crisis. It - Indoor activities that build the strength, stamina and flexibility you need to survive contact with the zombie hordes
- Expertly-designed running, cycling and swimming programmes to build up your distance safely when venturing out for supplies
- Advice on nutritious meals when resources are sparse and treats need to be rationed
- Tips on building and maintaining a community and remaining fit of mind when humanity is pushed to the brink The advice within the pages of ZOMBIES, RUN! will prove the difference between life and death in the coming days, weeks and months. Humans are wondrous beings; this is not the end of us. WE CAN BECOME STRONGER. WE CAN BECOME FITTER. AND TOGETHER WE WILL SURVIVE.
- Expertly-designed running, cycling and swimming programmes to build up your distance safely when venturing out for supplies
- Advice on nutritious meals when resources are sparse and treats need to be rationed
- Tips on building and maintaining a community and remaining fit of mind when humanity is pushed to the brink The advice within the pages of ZOMBIES, RUN! will prove the difference between life and death in the coming days, weeks and months. Humans are wondrous beings; this is not the end of us. WE CAN BECOME STRONGER. WE CAN BECOME FITTER. AND TOGETHER WE WILL SURVIVE.
205 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 27, 2016
37 people are currently reading
482 people want to read
About the author
Naomi Alderman
42 books4,559 followersNaomi Alderman (born 1974 in London) is a British author and novelist.
Alderman was educated at South Hampstead High School and Lincoln College, Oxford where she read Philosophy, Politics and Economics. She then went on to study creative writing at the University of East Anglia before becoming a novelist.
She was the lead writer for Perplex City, an Alternate reality game, at Mind Candy from 2004 through June, 2007.[1]
Her father is Geoffrey Alderman, an academic who has specialised in Anglo-Jewish history. She and her father were interviewed in The Sunday Times "Relative Values" feature on 11 February 2007.[2]
Her literary debut came in 2006 with Disobedience, a well-received (if controversial) novel about a rabbi's daughter from North London who becomes a lesbian, which won her the 2006 Orange Award for New Writers.
Since its publication in the United Kingdom, it has been issued in the USA, Germany, Israel, Holland, Poland and France and is due to be published in Italy, Hungary and Croatia.
She wrote the narrative for The Winter House, an online, interactive yet linear short story visualized by Jey Biddulph. The project was commissioned by Booktrust as part of the Story campaign, supported by Arts Council England. [3]
Alderman was educated at South Hampstead High School and Lincoln College, Oxford where she read Philosophy, Politics and Economics. She then went on to study creative writing at the University of East Anglia before becoming a novelist.
She was the lead writer for Perplex City, an Alternate reality game, at Mind Candy from 2004 through June, 2007.[1]
Her father is Geoffrey Alderman, an academic who has specialised in Anglo-Jewish history. She and her father were interviewed in The Sunday Times "Relative Values" feature on 11 February 2007.[2]
Her literary debut came in 2006 with Disobedience, a well-received (if controversial) novel about a rabbi's daughter from North London who becomes a lesbian, which won her the 2006 Orange Award for New Writers.
Since its publication in the United Kingdom, it has been issued in the USA, Germany, Israel, Holland, Poland and France and is due to be published in Italy, Hungary and Croatia.
She wrote the narrative for The Winter House, an online, interactive yet linear short story visualized by Jey Biddulph. The project was commissioned by Booktrust as part of the Story campaign, supported by Arts Council England. [3]
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
November 12, 2016
This was serious fun. It's written like a government information package being air dropped to isolated people during the zombie outbreak. It's fact told through fiction - something that we don't normally see - and it was fabulous.
I also now know to destroy stairs during an outbreak. I didn't know that before!
I also now know to destroy stairs during an outbreak. I didn't know that before!
February 9, 2021
Nuova guida che insegna come sopravvivere ad una apocalisse zombie.
Collegata all'app creata da Six to Start, permette di pianificare la propria attività fisica, organizzare il proprio rifugio e la comunità di sopravvissuti a cui ci siamo uniti, offre ricette e consigli per le attività ricreative.
Ovviamente la difesa dagli zombie è il tema predominante e con l'app omonima si può traslare parte delle attività nella vita reale.
Divertente e realistico, può tornare utile... che ci siano gli zombie o meno.
Collegata all'app creata da Six to Start, permette di pianificare la propria attività fisica, organizzare il proprio rifugio e la comunità di sopravvissuti a cui ci siamo uniti, offre ricette e consigli per le attività ricreative.
Ovviamente la difesa dagli zombie è il tema predominante e con l'app omonima si può traslare parte delle attività nella vita reale.
Divertente e realistico, può tornare utile... che ci siano gli zombie o meno.
January 25, 2021
Sat and blazed through this and y'know what? For what it is, and what it strives to be, it's five stars. It's a short n' simple how to get fit and live well, and while the zombie universe it inhabits is fictional, the advice applies to reality - especially COVID quarantine - very well!
I love the upbeat attitude of the book and how it's intensely pro-humans and pro-hope. We will survive, we will make it, and we will get better at walking or helping or living.
The zombies meanwhile are great flavor and I'm already attached to this universe as I use the titular app. The UK is not in great shape but it's neat to hear about it and help it out via the app, and I love that this is a book in that universe helping the characters.
In short: if you're interested, this book is worthwhile. It's snappy and informative and hopeful.
I love the upbeat attitude of the book and how it's intensely pro-humans and pro-hope. We will survive, we will make it, and we will get better at walking or helping or living.
The zombies meanwhile are great flavor and I'm already attached to this universe as I use the titular app. The UK is not in great shape but it's neat to hear about it and help it out via the app, and I love that this is a book in that universe helping the characters.
In short: if you're interested, this book is worthwhile. It's snappy and informative and hopeful.
Want to read
October 29, 2016I generally hate zombie fiction, because it's lame, but Zombies, Run! is a great app.
Is it a game? Is it a radio show? No, I got it. It's an immersive audiobook.
What it does is treat you as Runner 5, train you for long distance running, and then send you out on errands. So you get to run while listening to some people explaining things or bitching to you in between periods of just listening to your running playlist. They even have a radio show hosted by two of the guys in Abel! Sometimes a stray zombie shows up and if you don't run faster you lose some supplies. It's probably great for lonely people.
This is not that story. This is a book about what happened at Abel Township before you, the current Runner 5, got there. If you've played the app, you already know this book is going to end with , maybe with Amy watching.
I expect this book to be minority inclusive, LGBT+ positive, and British. I hope it will get me motivated to run again because it's so hard when it's too hot and I live in the fucking desert. :(
Is it a game? Is it a radio show? No, I got it. It's an immersive audiobook.
What it does is treat you as Runner 5, train you for long distance running, and then send you out on errands. So you get to run while listening to some people explaining things or bitching to you in between periods of just listening to your running playlist. They even have a radio show hosted by two of the guys in Abel! Sometimes a stray zombie shows up and if you don't run faster you lose some supplies. It's probably great for lonely people.
This is not that story. This is a book about what happened at Abel Township before you, the current Runner 5, got there. If you've played the app, you already know this book is going to end with , maybe with Amy watching.
I expect this book to be minority inclusive, LGBT+ positive, and British. I hope it will get me motivated to run again because it's so hard when it's too hot and I live in the fucking desert. :(
March 8, 2018
It's not bad, but not really what I expected. I would have thought it had more about running in it, but mostly it's more about all sorts of fitness and a bit of correct eating habits.
It was fun to read, and a nice collector's item for fans of the app, but neither did the non fiction parts have enough info to actually work as a real fitness guide, nor was the "in game aspect" high enough to work as "dystopian entertainment" for me. So while it did a bit of both, it did neither in a really great way.
I'll give 3,5* and don't regret buying it, even though it'll be something to have on the shelf rather than reading it again I think.
It was fun to read, and a nice collector's item for fans of the app, but neither did the non fiction parts have enough info to actually work as a real fitness guide, nor was the "in game aspect" high enough to work as "dystopian entertainment" for me. So while it did a bit of both, it did neither in a really great way.
I'll give 3,5* and don't regret buying it, even though it'll be something to have on the shelf rather than reading it again I think.
August 26, 2018
I love zombie apocalypses, and running, and Zombies, Run, and Naomi Alderman, so obviously this is a big win <3
May 25, 2019
This was the helpful book airdropped to survivors of the zombie apocalypse by the Ministry to give them vital tips about remaining fit and healthy, dispatching zombies safely, working towards a new community and living the best life possible under the circumstances. I've read several of these guides to apocalypses and this is one of the better ones. The chapters on indoor exercise are actually really useful for anti-social people who prefer to get fit in private rather than on display at a gym. I hope to be trying out quite a few of them! I really liked the 'real life case studies' of survivors who told often funny stories of things that worked and didn't work in the apocalypse. I could just imagine the British people sending in their stories like a reader's letters page in a newspaper!
I always thought that the app sounded like a good way to make exercise a bit more interesting rather than just pounding away on a treadmill but as I don't have a mobile phone and have no interest in getting one, I thought the book would be fun to read. I certainly did like it for entertainment and I'll find the indoor exercise guide helpful for the future!
I always thought that the app sounded like a good way to make exercise a bit more interesting rather than just pounding away on a treadmill but as I don't have a mobile phone and have no interest in getting one, I thought the book would be fun to read. I certainly did like it for entertainment and I'll find the indoor exercise guide helpful for the future!
February 7, 2017
The app, Zombies! Run! is both a fitness app, a serialized story akin to a podcast and a mini base-building game. And this book is both a fitness and health book, a guide for surviving the zombie apocalypse and a companion book to the app. So I think it's only fair that a review should touch on all three aspects.
So how is it as a fitness book? It takes that part seriously, all of the exercises can be done and will work to improve your overall fitness. But there's also some tongue-in-cheek humour when it comes to the applications of your new and improved fitness, like the illustration of how you can use squat movements when barricading a door against the living dead. I'm fond of saying that there might be better fitness apps with more features than ZR, but ZR is the app that actually gets me out the door on a regular basis. I'll say the same about this book. There might be more extensive and in-depth fitness guides out there, but this book could be the one that actually get me motivated to do the exercises.
As a zombie apocalypse handbook, it would be impossible to not compare it to The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead but while the subject is similar and they are both very good books, they are very different. ZSG is very dark and great at instilling a sense of urgency, but also of paranoia and even despair. ZR is much more optimistic and with more humour. Its basic message seems to be "you've made it this far, you're doing great; here's what you can do next". There are of course a lot of fitness tips, but also ideas for keeping safe, building a community and what to eat.
By the way, the book club for this book, started by an employer from the company making this book, was a great addition. It made you take all the tips and apply them to your own situation and really think about your home and your neighbourhood and even yourself, in a new way. How much vegetables can I grown on the balcony? There are three bike shops close to where I live; very good. What skills and knowledge can I contribute with in a post-apocalyptic society?
Finally, it's just a really great and fun book, if your already a a fan of the app. You don't get a whole lot of background information on the zombie apocalypse or how it happened; it's sort of assumed that you already know all that, but it gives great insight into the everyday lives of people after the living dead has started roaming the earth.
I'd recommend it to anyone who likes the app, but if you'd never tried it, you might not get a whole lot from the book. In that case, you should start with the app, it's amazing!
So how is it as a fitness book? It takes that part seriously, all of the exercises can be done and will work to improve your overall fitness. But there's also some tongue-in-cheek humour when it comes to the applications of your new and improved fitness, like the illustration of how you can use squat movements when barricading a door against the living dead. I'm fond of saying that there might be better fitness apps with more features than ZR, but ZR is the app that actually gets me out the door on a regular basis. I'll say the same about this book. There might be more extensive and in-depth fitness guides out there, but this book could be the one that actually get me motivated to do the exercises.
As a zombie apocalypse handbook, it would be impossible to not compare it to The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead but while the subject is similar and they are both very good books, they are very different. ZSG is very dark and great at instilling a sense of urgency, but also of paranoia and even despair. ZR is much more optimistic and with more humour. Its basic message seems to be "you've made it this far, you're doing great; here's what you can do next". There are of course a lot of fitness tips, but also ideas for keeping safe, building a community and what to eat.
By the way, the book club for this book, started by an employer from the company making this book, was a great addition. It made you take all the tips and apply them to your own situation and really think about your home and your neighbourhood and even yourself, in a new way. How much vegetables can I grown on the balcony? There are three bike shops close to where I live; very good. What skills and knowledge can I contribute with in a post-apocalyptic society?
Finally, it's just a really great and fun book, if your already a a fan of the app. You don't get a whole lot of background information on the zombie apocalypse or how it happened; it's sort of assumed that you already know all that, but it gives great insight into the everyday lives of people after the living dead has started roaming the earth.
I'd recommend it to anyone who likes the app, but if you'd never tried it, you might not get a whole lot from the book. In that case, you should start with the app, it's amazing!
July 31, 2017
So I am a longtime fan of the Zombies Run series and of late I am working my way through the Zombies Run 5K app.
Now the thing I love about the ZR series is not only is a more novel way to get fit, it also has a story that is updated with each instalment. The more you run (or walk or shamble) the more you find out about the survivors of the zombie apocalypse.
The ZR book is basically a book that tells you how to safely keep fit when the world has been over run with the shambling undead.
It has segments from some familiar faces (voices?) which gives you a little bit more insight in to their back story, apart from that it is full of survival and fitness hints and tips. It tells you had to safely build up your fitness without attracting those pesky zombs.
It does complement the apps perfectly but if you buying this thinking it purely a novel, it ain't! But it is a great addition to the series and for a fan like me was definitely worth a peek.
Now the thing I love about the ZR series is not only is a more novel way to get fit, it also has a story that is updated with each instalment. The more you run (or walk or shamble) the more you find out about the survivors of the zombie apocalypse.
The ZR book is basically a book that tells you how to safely keep fit when the world has been over run with the shambling undead.
It has segments from some familiar faces (voices?) which gives you a little bit more insight in to their back story, apart from that it is full of survival and fitness hints and tips. It tells you had to safely build up your fitness without attracting those pesky zombs.
It does complement the apps perfectly but if you buying this thinking it purely a novel, it ain't! But it is a great addition to the series and for a fan like me was definitely worth a peek.
August 14, 2017
This is a fun book! It's a really neat tie-in to the Zombies, Run! game. It doesn't contain any mindblowing new knowledge (for me), but it's a really clever book that gives zombie apocalypse themed tips for fitness, food, battle etc that are often both tongue-in-cheek but also applicable to life pre-zombie apocalypse ;-)
November 20, 2016
review will follow
February 10, 2022
It was at times quite eerie how relevant this book was, reading it during the pandemic. I only wish I read it in 2020 or 2021, when I was more frequently more isolated than I am now.
I'm only an occasional user of the app these days, but I did learn to run originally by using the Zombies, Run! 5k Training app. I failed repeatedly so I actually started that training program over several summers in a row. Ultimately it did get me to my first 5k! This book is a great supplement to the app, both in terms of giving more advice on running and training for longer distances, and just for adding to the atmosphere of the game's world! I'll certainly be continuing to reference it for the training plans.
I'm only an occasional user of the app these days, but I did learn to run originally by using the Zombies, Run! 5k Training app. I failed repeatedly so I actually started that training program over several summers in a row. Ultimately it did get me to my first 5k! This book is a great supplement to the app, both in terms of giving more advice on running and training for longer distances, and just for adding to the atmosphere of the game's world! I'll certainly be continuing to reference it for the training plans.
June 12, 2019
This book is an excellent guide not only to making sure your mind and body are sharp during the zombie apocalypse and that you survive, but also surviving in the every day. A must read for everyone, not only fans of the running app.
March 15, 2017
I picked up this book for several reasons. Since I was a fan of the app, I knew I would enjoy the book. But also, I think the book came out at a very opportune time. After November, I think a lot of us felt like we were entering an apocalyptic scenario. I know that I certainly did. And I guess I turned to Zombies, Run! as a way to cope with that.
As a fan of speculative fiction, I've seen a lot of criticism of the zombies genre as a whole. People criticize it for just being an excuse to create an enemy that can be mindlessly gunned down without pesky moral qualms getting in the way (as opposed to, say, the enemy being an army from another country, or another race). It's criticized for being excessively violent and grimdark, and some critics seem to assume that all of these qualities are somehow inherent in the genre.
But I think Zombies, Run! is an excellent example of zombies media that manages to be uplifting and empowering instead of pessimistic and troubling.
Zombies, Run! emphasizes personal and community wellness, hope, and surviving by empowering yourself instead of by enacting violence against others.
And I think that's a really good message, and a really good thing to latch onto in hard times. This book gives you tools that you can make use of in your life regardless of who you are or where you find yourself.
As a fan of speculative fiction, I've seen a lot of criticism of the zombies genre as a whole. People criticize it for just being an excuse to create an enemy that can be mindlessly gunned down without pesky moral qualms getting in the way (as opposed to, say, the enemy being an army from another country, or another race). It's criticized for being excessively violent and grimdark, and some critics seem to assume that all of these qualities are somehow inherent in the genre.
But I think Zombies, Run! is an excellent example of zombies media that manages to be uplifting and empowering instead of pessimistic and troubling.
Zombies, Run! emphasizes personal and community wellness, hope, and surviving by empowering yourself instead of by enacting violence against others.
And I think that's a really good message, and a really good thing to latch onto in hard times. This book gives you tools that you can make use of in your life regardless of who you are or where you find yourself.
February 11, 2017
Love this! It is a great companion to the app.
Read
January 30, 2017Very good idea. Written like a basic guide for a post-apocalyptic world. The advice is factual and useful, yet, presented in a fun way that is in-line with the story of the Zombies, Run world. The good thing about the workout information is that the majority of it is body weight or using something in the home. This is because we would likely not have access to a gym in a post-apocalyptic world. Highly recommended.
May 25, 2024
Love it! An entirely serious and credible read about a fictional event. Though some of us who are further into the game may be side-eyeing the Ministry slightly. :). I adore Zombies Run and am a mad fan, so it was super exciting to read about Our Faves, as well as the added bonus of seeing the artist move from Tumblr to print.
December 28, 2018
Fun book written like a government info pamphlet, I'm a big fan of the Zombies Run! app, and enjoyed this book as well.
January 7, 2017
loved it
May 26, 2017
a little too Zombies Run oriented. Some fun stuff. Too many empty pages (for notes). not for hardcore zombie apocalypse books lovers.
May 13, 2017
Surprisingly helpful in everyday life and unexpectedly touching and profound at points. If you let yourself sink into the post-zombie-apocalypse world of the book, and imagine approaching survival on a daily basis with the calm, systematic, dignified approach laid out herein, you can harbor hope that humanity can, in fact, survive a zombie apocalypse with its humanity intact. Then you return to the everyday world, and realize that most of the book also makes a great manual for zombie-free life: exercise (while being mindful of your body and taking your time to progress gradually and injury-free), eat well (while being aware of your body's needs), take care of your home and people you care about, take care of your mental health.
The book opens with a poster saying: 'Our first job is survival. If we survive, we learn. When we learn, we make tomorrow better than today. That's what it means to be human. We just have to keep on going.'
Close to the end of the book, one of the characters 'interviewed' says: 'In the zombie apocalypse we've all had to learn to do stuff that we never thought we could. ... Maybe we could have always done more than we thought. But we didn't have to. And now we've had to... I think we've all learned to respect ourselves more.'
This book is more than a high-quality add-on to a fitness app. In a way, it's a work in the best traditions of fantasy or science fiction: it uses a fantastical narrative to make you look at the familiar human experience from a new angle.
The book opens with a poster saying: 'Our first job is survival. If we survive, we learn. When we learn, we make tomorrow better than today. That's what it means to be human. We just have to keep on going.'
Close to the end of the book, one of the characters 'interviewed' says: 'In the zombie apocalypse we've all had to learn to do stuff that we never thought we could. ... Maybe we could have always done more than we thought. But we didn't have to. And now we've had to... I think we've all learned to respect ourselves more.'
This book is more than a high-quality add-on to a fitness app. In a way, it's a work in the best traditions of fantasy or science fiction: it uses a fantastical narrative to make you look at the familiar human experience from a new angle.
March 19, 2018
This is a very well written heath/fitness book, cleverly disguised as as Zombie Apocalypse Survival Guide. There is no doubt that some or all of the techniques outlined in this book could help in an apocalypse as well.
I rated this book five stars, but I also know the app that this book is based on. Zombies, Run! is a collaborative app between Naomi Alderman and Six to Start, focused on getting people to start (and continue) running. Each time you go on a run, you listen to a mission as Abel Township’s “Runner 5.” On these missions, you listen to the shenanigans of characters like Sam Yao and Janine De Luca (voiced by Philip Nightingale and Eleanor Rushton respectively), while also discovering secrets and even the origin of the Zombie Apocalypse.
If you know and use the app, this book is even more enjoyable - there are inside jokes and statements from characters you come to know and love, as well as new insights into your life as Runner 5 and in Abel Township and the apocalypse as a whole.
I do, however think, that even if knowing the app makes this book a bit more fun, it is still a great stand-alone book, especially if you want to prepare for the apocalypse or just get fitter or into better shape, whether that means learning how to do squats, run a 10k, decapitate a zom, or how to cook a squirrel (yes, that’s really in there), then this book will teach you how.
I had a great time reading this book!
I rated this book five stars, but I also know the app that this book is based on. Zombies, Run! is a collaborative app between Naomi Alderman and Six to Start, focused on getting people to start (and continue) running. Each time you go on a run, you listen to a mission as Abel Township’s “Runner 5.” On these missions, you listen to the shenanigans of characters like Sam Yao and Janine De Luca (voiced by Philip Nightingale and Eleanor Rushton respectively), while also discovering secrets and even the origin of the Zombie Apocalypse.
If you know and use the app, this book is even more enjoyable - there are inside jokes and statements from characters you come to know and love, as well as new insights into your life as Runner 5 and in Abel Township and the apocalypse as a whole.
I do, however think, that even if knowing the app makes this book a bit more fun, it is still a great stand-alone book, especially if you want to prepare for the apocalypse or just get fitter or into better shape, whether that means learning how to do squats, run a 10k, decapitate a zom, or how to cook a squirrel (yes, that’s really in there), then this book will teach you how.
I had a great time reading this book!
May 20, 2020
First of all what this book is not. It is not a novel to complement Zombies, Run! app. It is also not an in-depth training manual for working out or running. Once these two preconceptions are left at the door, you can sit down and enjoy the government manual on how to survive zombie apocalypse :)
The book is always in character and as mentioned above is written as a government manual that is airdropped to survivors. It covers such diverse topics as callisthenics, walking, running, scavenging, coping with stress, self defence, cooking, hunting and then some.
As you might imagine no single book would be able to cover all of the above in any significant depth and indeed Zombies, Run! does not try to. However it does handle all of the above with grace and by design serves as a tremendous inspiration to keep yourself in shape, learn about survival, experiment with new cooking recipes or start a small herb garden.
It is a very easy and enjoyable read and would be especially interesting to people who are already invested in either Zombies, Run! app or indeed anything zombies related.
Ironically it is especially poignant now as we are in the middle of covid-19 pandemic as the book does cover strategies for coping with isolation and keeping motivated and healthy throughout.
The book is always in character and as mentioned above is written as a government manual that is airdropped to survivors. It covers such diverse topics as callisthenics, walking, running, scavenging, coping with stress, self defence, cooking, hunting and then some.
As you might imagine no single book would be able to cover all of the above in any significant depth and indeed Zombies, Run! does not try to. However it does handle all of the above with grace and by design serves as a tremendous inspiration to keep yourself in shape, learn about survival, experiment with new cooking recipes or start a small herb garden.
It is a very easy and enjoyable read and would be especially interesting to people who are already invested in either Zombies, Run! app or indeed anything zombies related.
Ironically it is especially poignant now as we are in the middle of covid-19 pandemic as the book does cover strategies for coping with isolation and keeping motivated and healthy throughout.
November 20, 2017
Note: without the companion app, this book probably isn't for you. If you're a Runner 5, then yes, this is for you.
It's fun, funny, and a bit silly - just like the app. It's also very serious about what is important to the writers and creators at Six To Start, and that's to emphasise humanity and that we are better than we think we are, that we can be better than we are now, and that, essentially, we are better together. As apocalyptic tales go, that's a refreshingly grown-up take, and one worth telling.
The book is a mix of health and fitness tips, survival tips, and background story for the app. As someone who will happily consume the entire canon, I loved it. The tips are all do-able and practical, but this is not a keep-fit book in it's own right, and shouldn't be treated as one.
The book is also full of biographies and case studies - some for characters you know, some that you don't. Don't fear spoilers, this is all early season 1 stuff. The illustrations also are very good. Highly recommend.
It's fun, funny, and a bit silly - just like the app. It's also very serious about what is important to the writers and creators at Six To Start, and that's to emphasise humanity and that we are better than we think we are, that we can be better than we are now, and that, essentially, we are better together. As apocalyptic tales go, that's a refreshingly grown-up take, and one worth telling.
The book is a mix of health and fitness tips, survival tips, and background story for the app. As someone who will happily consume the entire canon, I loved it. The tips are all do-able and practical, but this is not a keep-fit book in it's own right, and shouldn't be treated as one.
The book is also full of biographies and case studies - some for characters you know, some that you don't. Don't fear spoilers, this is all early season 1 stuff. The illustrations also are very good. Highly recommend.
September 8, 2019
Companion book to the (excellent) running app.
This book is written as a government manual/survival training. Reads in the same tone to the app (think "radio mode").
Where the app specializes in running, the book pushes into other areas of life and lifestyle using a respectful tone. Written at an 8th grade level, it is accessible, informative, factual and kind of fun.
If you dig beneath the surface you can see that it seeks to establish an entry level of knowledge across a number of modern problems. Exercise, nutrition, mental health, PTSD, grief, communication/conflict resolution, situational awareness, community building, motivation, planning/priorities and self-defense. Even some subtext that is applicable to bullying and self-esteem.
Sections in the book are made to be filled in as you complete training. This book would be a good gift to anyone a fan of the app or the zombie-survival genre in general.
This book will sit on my shelf next to my other Zombie Survival Guide. They are different and complementary, Zombies Run reading to a slightly younger audience.
This book is written as a government manual/survival training. Reads in the same tone to the app (think "radio mode").
Where the app specializes in running, the book pushes into other areas of life and lifestyle using a respectful tone. Written at an 8th grade level, it is accessible, informative, factual and kind of fun.
If you dig beneath the surface you can see that it seeks to establish an entry level of knowledge across a number of modern problems. Exercise, nutrition, mental health, PTSD, grief, communication/conflict resolution, situational awareness, community building, motivation, planning/priorities and self-defense. Even some subtext that is applicable to bullying and self-esteem.
Sections in the book are made to be filled in as you complete training. This book would be a good gift to anyone a fan of the app or the zombie-survival genre in general.
This book will sit on my shelf next to my other Zombie Survival Guide. They are different and complementary, Zombies Run reading to a slightly younger audience.
August 21, 2017
Love this program as it has twice brought me back to running, and the book is fun if you continue to imagine yourself alone in the zombie apocalypse. I have found myself choosing foods at the market, imagining them being found in a few months and sustaining survivors.
I'm a little miffed it isn't canon. I don't know what COULDN'T be canon, but so had really wanted to learn a bit more, especially about other members of Abel Township. And I would love to know if Abel Township and New "Caine-ton" named themselves that way on purpose.
Guess that means I need to get running.
***oh, and I'm super excited to get my running to the point where I can run errands and return, which I always thought would require someone of Olympic-level ability. Not bringing home the milk, maybe, but other things. But the most important take-away from this book were some of Sam Yao's comments about how this apocalypse has proven what we are all capable of.
I'm a little miffed it isn't canon. I don't know what COULDN'T be canon, but so had really wanted to learn a bit more, especially about other members of Abel Township. And I would love to know if Abel Township and New "Caine-ton" named themselves that way on purpose.
Guess that means I need to get running.
***oh, and I'm super excited to get my running to the point where I can run errands and return, which I always thought would require someone of Olympic-level ability. Not bringing home the milk, maybe, but other things. But the most important take-away from this book were some of Sam Yao's comments about how this apocalypse has proven what we are all capable of.
March 1, 2018
As many others have said, this is a great addition to the Zombies, Run! app. It's a great little altenate-history, post-apocalypse world filled with zombies and danger and a little fun. The exercises are normal, easily performed exercises that will work to increase fitness. the dietary advice also seems to be, in general, healthy and good advice (even with it's caveats about "what you can find in an apocalypse). In all, someone out of shape and not motivated might find some motivation from this book AND each section had suggestions for books to look for if you wanted a more in depth look at any particular subject. I enjoy the app, even though I have not made it out of season one in forever and I like the additions the book suggests.
(Oh, and I read The Power without even realizing it was from this author, lol. that is also a good book, with a different type of alt-history)
(Oh, and I read The Power without even realizing it was from this author, lol. that is also a good book, with a different type of alt-history)
December 6, 2017
I own the app and picked this book up for a friend. Before handing it off, I read it cover to cover. Very fun and interesting pseudo-guidebook to surviving the zombie apocalypse with useful knowledge and tips that can be applied to everyday life, such as the importance of stretching at the start of the day. Of note is that the guide includes a section on deshaming asking for mental help, whereas mental health first aid is often the neglected child of disasters. Overall, the book isn't too memorable and I wouldn't particularly seek to keep it for years, but it was definitely a very fun read the first time around.
May 17, 2019
Kind of odd mish-mash of a book. Filled with practical how-to-get-fit for the zombie apocalypse, which has got to be the nichest of niche genres. I frankly skimmed most of the how-to-exercise stuff.
But it was also weirdly charming, inclusive & inspiring. It's nice to see a book about the apocalypse focused on how we can come together and be good to each other. And I loved that they specifically included people with disabilities, etc.
I'm a huge fan of the Zombies, Run! app, and this was a fun little book
But it was also weirdly charming, inclusive & inspiring. It's nice to see a book about the apocalypse focused on how we can come together and be good to each other. And I loved that they specifically included people with disabilities, etc.
I'm a huge fan of the Zombies, Run! app, and this was a fun little book
September 18, 2017
A fun little in-universe read, although ultimately I think I'd rather read a fully fledged fictional work/novel set in the ZR universe rather than quasi-non-fiction. Though the world-building tidbits in this one were certainly fun to read through, too!
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