What do you think?
Rate this book
Zombie CSU: The Forensics of the Living Dead
Since Night of the Living Dead, zombies have been a frightening fixture on the pop culture landscape, lumbering after hapless humans, slurping up brains and veins and whatever warm, fleshy matter they can clench in their rotting limbs. But what if they were real? What would happen if, tomorrow, corpses across the nation began springing up out of their graves and terrorizing the living?
Employing hard science and solid police work—not to mention jaw-dropping (literally!) humor—Zombie CSU is the only guide you need to make it through alive—not undead. At last you can:
Employing hard science and solid police work—not to mention jaw-dropping (literally!) humor—Zombie CSU is the only guide you need to make it through alive—not undead. At last you can:
404 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2008
35 people are currently reading
2465 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Maberry
518 books7,776 followersJONATHAN MABERRY is a NYTimes bestselling author, #1 Audible bestseller, 5-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, 4-time Scribe Award winner, Inkpot Award winner, comic book writer, and producer. He is the author of more than 50 novels, 190 short stories, 16 short story collections, 30 graphic novels, 14 nonfiction books, and has edited 26 anthologies. His vampire apocalypse book series, V-WARS, was a Netflix original series starring Ian Somerhalder. His 2009-10 run as writer on the Black Panther comic formed a large chunk of the recent blockbuster film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. His bestselling YA zombie series, Rot & Ruin is in development for film at Alcon Entertainment; and John Wick director, Chad Stahelski, is developing Jonathan’s Joe Ledger Thrillers for TV. Jonathan writes in multiple genres including suspense, thriller, horror, science fiction, epic fantasy, and action; and he writes for adults, teens and middle grade. His works include The Pine Deep Trilogy, The Kagen the Damned Trilogy, NecroTek, Ink, Glimpse, the Rot & Ruin series, the Dead of Night series, The Wolfman, X-Files Origins: Devil’s Advocate, The Sleepers War (with Weston Ochse), Mars One, and many others. He is the editor of high-profile anthologies including Weird Tales: 100 Years of Weird, The X-Files, Aliens: Bug Hunt, Out of Tune, Don’t Turn out the Lights: A Tribute to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Baker Street Irregulars, Nights of the Living Dead, Shadows & Verse, and others. His comics include Marvel Zombies Return, The Punisher: Naked Kills, Wolverine: Ghosts, Godzilla vs Cthulhu: Death May Die, Bad Blood and many others. Jonathan has written in many popular licensed worlds, including Hellboy, True Blood, The Wolfman, John Carter of Mars, Sherlock Holmes, C.H.U.D., Diablo IV, Deadlands, World of Warcraft, Planet of the Apes, Aliens, Predator, Karl Kolchak, and many others. He the president of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers, and the editor of Weird Tales Magazine. He lives in San Diego, California. Find him online at www.jonathanmaberry.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
January 13, 2023
I found this non fiction to both ridiculously entertaining but also addicting to listen to. Obviously it doesn't contain real hard facts as far as I'm aware the zombie apocalypse haven't happened. I've been in more zombie kind of mood recently and this only made it "worse".
June 21, 2021
3.5 Stars
This was an entertaining piece of non fiction which will appeal to horror readers like myself. I normally find non fiction dry, but this one was focused on the science, politics and legal repercussions of a zombie apocalypse which made for a fun read.
I will admit that the book felt overly long, especially since it was based around a fictional scenario. I would have preferred a shorter version of this book. Also, this book is clearly a bit dated since it was published in the peak of the zombie craze, which arguably has now passed.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the audiobook from the publisher.
This was an entertaining piece of non fiction which will appeal to horror readers like myself. I normally find non fiction dry, but this one was focused on the science, politics and legal repercussions of a zombie apocalypse which made for a fun read.
I will admit that the book felt overly long, especially since it was based around a fictional scenario. I would have preferred a shorter version of this book. Also, this book is clearly a bit dated since it was published in the peak of the zombie craze, which arguably has now passed.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the audiobook from the publisher.
July 3, 2021
I received an audio copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley.
This was all it was advertised to be: A great analysis of the zombie craze that's been taking over popular culture in recent years. More specifically, it digs deep down, looking into the extensive police procedures and forensics in a sample case of a zombie outbreak. This gives a realistic approach to how a plague might begin and the likelihood of it raging out of control.
All in all we got some great perspectives from the professionals and experts, and their results were equal parts reassuring and frightening.
This made for a great audiobook too, as it was a very interesting listen that I could take with me while driving or doing other tasks.
The only thing I could add is that as this was originally written in the 2010-11 timeframe, it would have been useful to get an update on world events and zombie media in the ten years or so since then. While The Walking Dead comic series was mentioned, it would have been fun to include the television series. And more importantly, discussion of the COVID-19 pandemic would have made for some great comparisons. I wouldn't have rewritten the whole book, but perhaps a couple of add on chapters to address the recent events would have been useful.
Or perhaps...a sequel? hmmm
This was all it was advertised to be: A great analysis of the zombie craze that's been taking over popular culture in recent years. More specifically, it digs deep down, looking into the extensive police procedures and forensics in a sample case of a zombie outbreak. This gives a realistic approach to how a plague might begin and the likelihood of it raging out of control.
All in all we got some great perspectives from the professionals and experts, and their results were equal parts reassuring and frightening.
This made for a great audiobook too, as it was a very interesting listen that I could take with me while driving or doing other tasks.
The only thing I could add is that as this was originally written in the 2010-11 timeframe, it would have been useful to get an update on world events and zombie media in the ten years or so since then. While The Walking Dead comic series was mentioned, it would have been fun to include the television series. And more importantly, discussion of the COVID-19 pandemic would have made for some great comparisons. I wouldn't have rewritten the whole book, but perhaps a couple of add on chapters to address the recent events would have been useful.
Or perhaps...a sequel? hmmm
February 2, 2023
I now know more than I ever thought I would about how police subdue a violent criminal, emergency room procedures, and S.W.A.T. tactiques. Written in 2008, I have to wonder if Mr. Maberry and friends would change their mind about humanity's survival after seeing how people acted during COVID. I hope the next edition of this book (if there ever is one) includes an update addressing this. If I had read this precovid, this would have been a 4 star review for sure, but with my (sort of) post COVID lower faith in humanity, three stars.
September 10, 2024
"What if there were zombies? Could the routine and infrastructure of law enforcement and the combined strength of modern science be able to recognize and adequately respond to the threat?
You know…it just might.
Let’s go find out..."
Zombie CSU was a mixed bag for me. It is an extremely comprehensive examination of all things zombie. While I was looking for something a bit lighter than some of the books I typically read, the hefty size of this presentation was a bit much...
Author Jonathan Maberry is an American suspense writer, anthology editor, comic book writer, magazine feature writer, playwright, content creator and writing teacher/lecturer.
Jonathan Maberry :
As its title indicates, the book is a deep dive into the workings of fictional zombies. If it is zombie-related, it's covered here. And not just covered, but discussed in a very in-depth fashion. He's got bits of writing about different zombie movie recommendations, the eternal "slow" vs "fast" zombie debate (8 parts on this LMAO), and much more.
Fortunately, the book is written with a fairly lively and engaging tone, so it should be accessible to even the finicky reader. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, I found the overall presentation just too long for my tastes. The audio version I have clocked in at ~11.5 hours.
While I do somewhat enjoy zombie movies, I think that the target audience for this one are the die-hard fans of the genre. If that's you, then I think that this book will resonate a bit better than it did with me...
******************
While the author did a decent job covering all angles of this story, I found the book just too long and unwieldy. A subjective thing, for sure. If you are a huge fan of the zombie genre, I think you'll probably like this one. My reviews have to reflect my level of enjoyment, however, and that will see it get a 2-star rating. If it were any longer, I would have put it down...
You know…it just might.
Let’s go find out..."
Zombie CSU was a mixed bag for me. It is an extremely comprehensive examination of all things zombie. While I was looking for something a bit lighter than some of the books I typically read, the hefty size of this presentation was a bit much...
Author Jonathan Maberry is an American suspense writer, anthology editor, comic book writer, magazine feature writer, playwright, content creator and writing teacher/lecturer.
Jonathan Maberry :
As its title indicates, the book is a deep dive into the workings of fictional zombies. If it is zombie-related, it's covered here. And not just covered, but discussed in a very in-depth fashion. He's got bits of writing about different zombie movie recommendations, the eternal "slow" vs "fast" zombie debate (8 parts on this LMAO), and much more.
Fortunately, the book is written with a fairly lively and engaging tone, so it should be accessible to even the finicky reader. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, I found the overall presentation just too long for my tastes. The audio version I have clocked in at ~11.5 hours.
While I do somewhat enjoy zombie movies, I think that the target audience for this one are the die-hard fans of the genre. If that's you, then I think that this book will resonate a bit better than it did with me...
******************
While the author did a decent job covering all angles of this story, I found the book just too long and unwieldy. A subjective thing, for sure. If you are a huge fan of the zombie genre, I think you'll probably like this one. My reviews have to reflect my level of enjoyment, however, and that will see it get a 2-star rating. If it were any longer, I would have put it down...
November 5, 2010
So you love zombies? NO, I mean you really LOVE zombies? You spend time in chat rooms debating over the best methods to survive a zombie outbreak or zombie apocalypse. You argue with non-believers about how likely a zombie plague actually is. You love the mechanics of the various zombie incarnations and how society and more specifically the police, the military, and the every day Joe would actually react? You have dug so deep that you actually can vividly imagine the whole process of the zombie invasion would take place, including the discovery of "Patient Zero", the initial victim, and the expansion of the plague or whatever process would take place that caused the initial infection and where it goes from there.
This book is for you.
Jonathan Maberry has done exhaustive research, conducting interviews with over 200 experts in various fields who have as much of a fascination with zombies as he does. This book serves as a research tome for not only the zombie fan but those who might direct a zombie flick or write a zombie story. No stone was left unturned in the process of going through a theoretical zombie apocalypse...well, a lot of it argues the validity of the idea of an apocalypse actually occuring if we are talking about a plausible scientific explaination for zombies rather than a supernatural process. Slow vs. fast, spiritual vs. plague infected, it is discussed here and far beyond that.
My favorite parts of this book had to be the smaller insertions, including the ongoing debate of fast vs. slow zombies as discussed by numerous authors, directors, and other experts in the field. There is also a great deal of zombie art in this book with the artists comments on what they were conceiving and thinking about when they created a particular piece.
I have always felt that in many zombie movies the police and military are treated with limited respect-they are made to be less than competent so a zombie apocalypse is that much more likely. This book presents a fair and balanced view of how the police, SWAT, and the military might actually respond. Good stuff for a real zombie zealot but the author still acknowledges the excitment that goes along with the fantasy that is zombies. Perhaps this book peels back too many layers of this onion in exposing what is realistic and possible but the author says more than once in the book, as a reminder to the reader, that we are talking about zombies here, the modern variation concocted by George Romero in Night of the Living Dead, not something we have ever really seen or that has ever actually really existed...as far as we know.
This is the book for the zombie fanatic. Perhaps a little too dense and complex for the casual zombie observer, someone who digs the occasional zombie flick or book. But if you really are fascinated with everything zombie in all its gory incarnations, if you can imagine hunkering down in a bunker cleaning your guns waiting for the undead to break down your reinforced doors, then this book is a great read.
This book is for you.
Jonathan Maberry has done exhaustive research, conducting interviews with over 200 experts in various fields who have as much of a fascination with zombies as he does. This book serves as a research tome for not only the zombie fan but those who might direct a zombie flick or write a zombie story. No stone was left unturned in the process of going through a theoretical zombie apocalypse...well, a lot of it argues the validity of the idea of an apocalypse actually occuring if we are talking about a plausible scientific explaination for zombies rather than a supernatural process. Slow vs. fast, spiritual vs. plague infected, it is discussed here and far beyond that.
My favorite parts of this book had to be the smaller insertions, including the ongoing debate of fast vs. slow zombies as discussed by numerous authors, directors, and other experts in the field. There is also a great deal of zombie art in this book with the artists comments on what they were conceiving and thinking about when they created a particular piece.
I have always felt that in many zombie movies the police and military are treated with limited respect-they are made to be less than competent so a zombie apocalypse is that much more likely. This book presents a fair and balanced view of how the police, SWAT, and the military might actually respond. Good stuff for a real zombie zealot but the author still acknowledges the excitment that goes along with the fantasy that is zombies. Perhaps this book peels back too many layers of this onion in exposing what is realistic and possible but the author says more than once in the book, as a reminder to the reader, that we are talking about zombies here, the modern variation concocted by George Romero in Night of the Living Dead, not something we have ever really seen or that has ever actually really existed...as far as we know.
This is the book for the zombie fanatic. Perhaps a little too dense and complex for the casual zombie observer, someone who digs the occasional zombie flick or book. But if you really are fascinated with everything zombie in all its gory incarnations, if you can imagine hunkering down in a bunker cleaning your guns waiting for the undead to break down your reinforced doors, then this book is a great read.
July 15, 2009
Entertaining, interesting, and covers pretty much every aspect of the medico-legal and law enforcement angles of a potential zombie plague outbreak, which I liked. However, it was so riddled with editing errors that I wanted to take out my red marker and start having a go at it. Legendary director Val Lewton is referred to as "Hal" Lewton, and Ray Dennis Steckler's trash/masterpiece "The Incredibly Strange Creatures That Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies" is given the wrong title, as is D.L. Snell's zombie novel "Roses of Blood on Barbwire Vines." Later in the book, in a Top Ten List of Best Zombie Songs, Maberry actually includes a footnote after the band Mercyful Fate's name to indicate that this is a correct spelling, since the word "merciful" is spelled with an i. After seeing so many other spelling and editing errors, that actually made me laugh out loud.
To give Maberry credit, he did his homework and his research, and he's obviously a devoted and passionate fan of the zombie genre. He interviewed plenty of legal, medical, and law professionals in addition to zombie writers and zombie film actors. It's a book worth reading if you're a serious zombie fan.
To give Maberry credit, he did his homework and his research, and he's obviously a devoted and passionate fan of the zombie genre. He interviewed plenty of legal, medical, and law professionals in addition to zombie writers and zombie film actors. It's a book worth reading if you're a serious zombie fan.
September 30, 2009
This book was *very* cool. So cool in fact, that I have dogearred a bunch of pages so I can remember to go back and use some of the quotes for the project I'm writing as part of my postgrad degree at UofEdinburgh. I have some novel ideas about how I can use Zombies as a hook to make learning fun for 7 to 11 year olds. Admittedly, it might be stretching the connection a bit thin, but I think that a make-believe Zombie Apocalypse could very well be the catalyst needed to make it impossible for the kids to forget their experiences learning about geography, geology, natural history in Glasgow, and the local history surrounding the new school site. If escaping a zombie apocalypse requires drawing on critical knowledge gained during the academic sessions, then I've got a ready made (and hella exciting) method of assessing whether they "got" what it was I was trying to teach them.
June 27, 2021
Received as review copy of the audio version of this book narrator by Joe Hempel from NetGalley, this is an honest review. This is a rather intriguing premise for a book as the author takes you on an labyrinthine study of what makes a zombie a zombie and whether or not you could survive an attack by such creatures. With a procedural examination taken from an episode of Law & Order as the author ( and narrator) discusses the response police and medical communities' in their respected fields to such an encounter accompanied with a variety of quotes and insights from the different media genres zombies have been showcased. The audio version is a beautiful, immersive experience that gives you an appreciation to the creative existence of this odd creatures. Highly recommended.
July 23, 2021
I read over half of it and had to put it down. A book that glorifies the police, is casual in its racism, and vehemently insists that a global pandemic is unlikely to occur due to how united the countries around the world are is a hard book to swallow post-2020. Any credibility from Jonathan Maberry is completely destroyed in the first few pages in this "new" reality. It's not completely fair (it was published in 2008), and I was hoping I could look passed its faults for some zombie fun, but it got to a point where you couldn't ignore it any longer. It just... did not age well. At all.
Read
January 4, 2022DNF - 20% I had a tough time staying focused while listening to the Audiobook version. I want to delve back into this one via an eBook or physical copy.
I enjoyed the added snippets from various Authors’ takes on Zombies throughout. Sorry, no spoilers. ;)
Source:
Thank you, NetGalley and Tantor Audio, for loaning me an Audiobook in the request for an honest review.
Note: The Audiobook was archived on NetGalley before I reviewed this one, so I purchased the Audiobook version from Amazon.
I enjoyed the added snippets from various Authors’ takes on Zombies throughout. Sorry, no spoilers. ;)
Source:
Thank you, NetGalley and Tantor Audio, for loaning me an Audiobook in the request for an honest review.
Note: The Audiobook was archived on NetGalley before I reviewed this one, so I purchased the Audiobook version from Amazon.
August 1, 2024
I mean, there's like a 99.9% chance, I would like this. Two things I love, zombies and Mr. Maberry.
This was so entertaining to listen to.
This was so entertaining to listen to.
September 3, 2021
If you are anything like me, you are waiting for the Zombie apocalypse to begin any minute now.
We have seen in the past ear more plagues, fires, earthquakes, riots, and floods that zombies are the next logical event. So when they rise, will police, doctors, politicians, or the CDC realize soon enough what is happening?
In steps Jonathan Maberry to answer all those questions and hundreds you never even thought to ask.
Zombie CSU explores how the police, the first to encounter the aftermath of a zombie attack, deals with what could be just a drug-crazed nutcase, maybe a sadistic psychopath, or a hundred other types of killers, as they would any other murder.
If you ever wondered if zombies left fingerprints or DNA, this book will answer your questions and explain how and why that answer was reached.
Jonathan Maberry, a personal favorite of mine, has been the voice of the zombie genre for years now and is sharing all the knowledge he has gained through interviews with police, forensic specialists, Medical examiner, and infectious disease specialist.
A very interesting book no matter how you feel about zombies. And as always with Mr. Maberry, well written.
Thanks to @netgalley and Tantor Audio for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
We have seen in the past ear more plagues, fires, earthquakes, riots, and floods that zombies are the next logical event. So when they rise, will police, doctors, politicians, or the CDC realize soon enough what is happening?
In steps Jonathan Maberry to answer all those questions and hundreds you never even thought to ask.
Zombie CSU explores how the police, the first to encounter the aftermath of a zombie attack, deals with what could be just a drug-crazed nutcase, maybe a sadistic psychopath, or a hundred other types of killers, as they would any other murder.
If you ever wondered if zombies left fingerprints or DNA, this book will answer your questions and explain how and why that answer was reached.
Jonathan Maberry, a personal favorite of mine, has been the voice of the zombie genre for years now and is sharing all the knowledge he has gained through interviews with police, forensic specialists, Medical examiner, and infectious disease specialist.
A very interesting book no matter how you feel about zombies. And as always with Mr. Maberry, well written.
Thanks to @netgalley and Tantor Audio for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
December 14, 2008
If you are a fan of zombies, this book is for you. The author goes into great detail about how the authorities would respond to a zombie outbreak, if such a thing ever happened. He is not just shooting from the hip either. He interviewed hundreds of experts in various fields and then breaks down that information step-by-step. A great read, though there were some parts where it got a little dry.
The book did have some minor typos here and there, and one huge typo (attributing the First Amendment to Lyndon Johnson, instead of attributing the Freedom of Information Act to the former president). The author seemed to have been let down by his editor(s). But, as an editor, I know how very easy it is for something like that to slip by under deadline.
None of this detracts from the amazing job done on this book, which includes snippits from leading zombie authors, artists and more, plus zombie art.
The book did have some minor typos here and there, and one huge typo (attributing the First Amendment to Lyndon Johnson, instead of attributing the Freedom of Information Act to the former president). The author seemed to have been let down by his editor(s). But, as an editor, I know how very easy it is for something like that to slip by under deadline.
None of this detracts from the amazing job done on this book, which includes snippits from leading zombie authors, artists and more, plus zombie art.
May 31, 2011
This is the first book I encountered by Jonathan Maberry. After this I was hooked on his works. Originally I was going to use this book for a research paper in speech for the spring semester of school, then something happened. I realized what Jonathan Maberry has done with this book. A scenario was posed and extensive research around the scenario was was revealed. I went on to make a helluva grade. This book is fantastic. This is a must read for any zombie apocalypse survivalist theorist. Plus on the up and up....this book is litered with some bad ass zombie pop culture origins and history. Can't beat that with a stick.
July 6, 2014
Awesome book! I started reading it not having a clue what it was but was quickly became so engaged in the 'how would things actually go down' information in he he book. I loved that the author consulted with people in different industries to discuss such things. I would say this book is a must for anyone preparing for a zombie outbreak or horror film enthusiasts as there are lots of film references in the book.
September 26, 2009
Lots of useful information in this book. (Said with tongue in cheek.)
August 28, 2009
Check out my artwork on page 159! Filled with tons of amazing facts.
June 15, 2010
Funny, quirky, but not as good as the Zombie Survival Guide. Still worth a read though.
September 3, 2021
I’ve been undecided on this book for years. On one hand I love Jonathan Maberry and want to read all of his books but on the other hand the premise seemed a little silly. So when I got a chance to get an audiobook version for free from NetGalley I couldn’t say no.
This novel was an interesting, well written, yet silly novel. There was plenty of research and expert advice placed in this novel so the actual police procedurals into a crime investigation was quite believeable. However, some of these sections felt quite dry as there was so, so much information. Unless you’re a crime buff you will get a little bored in some sections (I know I was).
Each crime section was broken up by types of zombie literature, debates on the types of zombies (whether slow or fast zombies are scarier) and Maberry’s opinion on the best and worst zombies tv/movies. I really enjoyed these sections as I learned a lot more about zombie literature, especially obscure and unknown movies. I also got really into the debate about slow versus fast zombies as I never really gave it any thought until now. I’m a fan of the slow zombies.
The conclusion was good as Maberry discusses whether humanity would survive based on the various zombie scenarios from popular literature. This was my favorite part of the novel as I’ve always wandered whether humanity would survive after watching a zombie movie. But I also found this portion the most unrealistic as Maberry was basing his opinion based on the USA police tactics. There would be no guarantee that it would start in the US versus UK or China (for example), and you can’t base different countries ability to prevent a pandemic on American procedures.
I also wish that an appendix or ammendium could have been added to reflect the current COVID-19 pandemic and make comparisons.
Overall I would recommend this novel to diehard zombie or Maberry fans. Thank you to NetGalley and
TantorAudio for this audiobook.
This novel was an interesting, well written, yet silly novel. There was plenty of research and expert advice placed in this novel so the actual police procedurals into a crime investigation was quite believeable. However, some of these sections felt quite dry as there was so, so much information. Unless you’re a crime buff you will get a little bored in some sections (I know I was).
Each crime section was broken up by types of zombie literature, debates on the types of zombies (whether slow or fast zombies are scarier) and Maberry’s opinion on the best and worst zombies tv/movies. I really enjoyed these sections as I learned a lot more about zombie literature, especially obscure and unknown movies. I also got really into the debate about slow versus fast zombies as I never really gave it any thought until now. I’m a fan of the slow zombies.
The conclusion was good as Maberry discusses whether humanity would survive based on the various zombie scenarios from popular literature. This was my favorite part of the novel as I’ve always wandered whether humanity would survive after watching a zombie movie. But I also found this portion the most unrealistic as Maberry was basing his opinion based on the USA police tactics. There would be no guarantee that it would start in the US versus UK or China (for example), and you can’t base different countries ability to prevent a pandemic on American procedures.
I also wish that an appendix or ammendium could have been added to reflect the current COVID-19 pandemic and make comparisons.
Overall I would recommend this novel to diehard zombie or Maberry fans. Thank you to NetGalley and
TantorAudio for this audiobook.
June 10, 2024
READ ONLY (if you enjoy everything about zombies). This book dives deep into a lot of what-if scenarios for zombies while also going into a fair amount of police and government procedures for crime and protocol. This book also goes into great depth about the history and culture of zombies, from the 1960s and 1970s to the current time of "2008."Also, Jonathan Maberry does a great job of including a plethora of experts and professionals to give opinions based on years of experience. This book will bore you to death if you’re looking for a “survival” guide or something of that nature. This book is based on facts for the most part and is more of a biased “what if." (Due to a lot of the experts working for law enforcement) I thoroughly enjoyed sections of this book, more than some other sections, but overall the book kept my attention and gave me a deep dive into a basic understanding of how law enforcement and government entities would react if the dead walked the earth. -Christian Peralta
June 28, 2023
This was a really fun and interesting overview of the progression of zombie fiction, both written and for television and how it has evolved emphatically over time. It's also a really fun idea of the reality of that - what would it really be like if zombies took over the world?
I loved exploring some of the science here with Maberry; considering if viruses could actually make us zombies, if the undead could ever really be undead and whether the cops would realistically be able to work out what was going on or not. It was just a fun, totally tongue in cheek, exploration into the realities of the totally unrealistic. I enjoyed every minute.
It's absolutely a collection for Zombie-nerds - it's surely boring as hell if you don't care for zombies as much as Maberry evidently does (he built a career from it after all!), but I think it has enough nostalgia for anyone growing up watching zombie movies and reading graphic novels to work for most other readers in part too.
I loved exploring some of the science here with Maberry; considering if viruses could actually make us zombies, if the undead could ever really be undead and whether the cops would realistically be able to work out what was going on or not. It was just a fun, totally tongue in cheek, exploration into the realities of the totally unrealistic. I enjoyed every minute.
It's absolutely a collection for Zombie-nerds - it's surely boring as hell if you don't care for zombies as much as Maberry evidently does (he built a career from it after all!), but I think it has enough nostalgia for anyone growing up watching zombie movies and reading graphic novels to work for most other readers in part too.
May 22, 2022
Not a zombie tale. This goes without saying. This is a very clinical look at the intersection of zombie lore - magical to scientific - with the infrastructure we have built up as humans to respond to threats (police, military, health organizations, etc.) There's no plot and it can be rather dry, but if you are interested in zombies and how the real world might respond to a zombie threat, this is an interesting read. It is interesting to read this pre-pandemic book post-pandemic as much of the supposition about how the world as a whole might respond to a global pandemic kind of falls apart - though not entirely.
October 5, 2022
I didn't realize how much I wanted some zombie non-fiction until I listened to this audiobook! It takes as it's basis the scenario the author deems to be the most likely cause of an outbreak, and from there explores different areas such as the science behind the virus, how the police would deal with the situartion, the legalities, how it would be reported in the media, and also looks at zombies in pop culture. I think perhaps the book could have been improved by having an uodate following the experiences we have all had in the last few years through the pandemic, it would have been interesting to have seen a potential zombie outbreak through that lens, but I don't think the absence of that update detracts critically from the enjoyment.
The audiobook was great, narrator did a wonderful job, and I found myself doing extra chores around the house to have extra listening time. I think I'll be buying a physical copy in the future also, as I can see it being the sort of book that I take off the shelf from time to time to browse through and reread.
The audiobook was great, narrator did a wonderful job, and I found myself doing extra chores around the house to have extra listening time. I think I'll be buying a physical copy in the future also, as I can see it being the sort of book that I take off the shelf from time to time to browse through and reread.
September 4, 2021
Thank you #Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy of Zombie CSU by Jonathan Maberry in exchange for an honest review. This was an interesting book. I really liked how Maberry described what would happen if zombies did exist, and the reference to Argento St, was clever, as well as many other nods to horror writers and directors. I also enjoyed how he broke down where it all started, different cultures viewpoints and why they are so scary. Fun listen, thanks again.
December 28, 2024
Muy interesante, altamente recomendable.
Presenta el evento Zombie (de varios origenes) vs la realidad ( procesos : policiales, médicos, ejercito, armas, técnicas de eliminación , propagación entre otros )
Dato a mencionar, esta escrito mucho antes de la pandemia del COVID-19; tal vez por esa razón no incluyo la posibilidad de que el factor político pudiera llevar al fracaso cualquier estrategia para contener / erradicar una amenaza de contagio.
Presenta el evento Zombie (de varios origenes) vs la realidad ( procesos : policiales, médicos, ejercito, armas, técnicas de eliminación , propagación entre otros )
Dato a mencionar, esta escrito mucho antes de la pandemia del COVID-19; tal vez por esa razón no incluyo la posibilidad de que el factor político pudiera llevar al fracaso cualquier estrategia para contener / erradicar una amenaza de contagio.
February 9, 2025
The nonfiction side of zombies
The author uses experts in forensics, law enforcement, scientists, etc. to walk through what response would be like if a zombie attack occurred. Since I love reading about zombies, I enjoyed this. Scientifically, zombies can't happen. But if they could, would it be more likely to happen because of radiation? Plague? Would they be slow or fast? It's like the fun conversations you have with like-minded friends with research to back it up.
The author uses experts in forensics, law enforcement, scientists, etc. to walk through what response would be like if a zombie attack occurred. Since I love reading about zombies, I enjoyed this. Scientifically, zombies can't happen. But if they could, would it be more likely to happen because of radiation? Plague? Would they be slow or fast? It's like the fun conversations you have with like-minded friends with research to back it up.
July 4, 2025
There is a lot of interesting information in this book that both relates to zombies and general outbreaks or crises. There is also a lot of zombie history and a little trivia. Lots of artwork. A little dated but interesting to see the thoughts on pandemics preCOVID.
September 6, 2021
Thoroughly impressed by the depth of research, expert witnesses, and analysis of different zombie lore. Better in print where you can see the referenced art, but the audio was still well done.
March 26, 2022
*received for free from netgalley for honest review* tbh i don't care much for zombies but this book was awesome and so much fun to read! would totally buy
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews