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The Changed
It’s not the end of the world—it’s just zombies.
Chris is an ordinary guy with a boring job, a perfect fiancé, and plans for a happy, if predictable, future. But when the dead stop dying and become, instead, simply “changed,” ordinary isn’t so comforting anymore. Wandering stray animals suddenly develop a taste for flesh and brains, and while most of the human zombies might be harmless, can anyone really be sure?
With the help of a morning show shock-jock who has recently turned into a zombie and the burnt-out walking remains of a businessman, Chris becomes the backbone of a fight for undead rights among the fear, prejudice, and uncertainty dividing the living and the not quite dead.
Reviews
Burrow’s debut is a swift-moving, pathos-free, creatively amusing riff on zombies from the zombie perspective. On a day like any other, the newly dead just stop dying, and the world learns that zombie movies have gotten everything wrong. Christian Scott and his fiancée, Erin, have uncomfortable run-ins with the zombies, who call themselves “changed”; then Christian joins their ranks, as does Erin’s favorite shock jock, Nicholas Buckman. Disturbed that the living can call the military in to flambé any of the changed for any reason, Christian and Nicholas decide to start their own political party. While running for senator, Christian must constantly duck his gun-toting father’s attempts to put him down. In hilarious interludes, Paula Dean cooks a zombie fish and Elmo reconciles with a zombie Zoë on Sesame Street. The prose styling is nonexistent, but there’s plenty of charm. (Dec.)
--Publishers Weekly
“What’s a poor zombie to do when society cruelly discriminates against the undead and won’t even support their right to exist? That’s the tongue-in-cheek question explored in Burrow’s farcical first novel, which affectionately spoofs George A. Romero-style zombie motifs. When the newly dead denizens of morgues and crypts the world over begin to mingle with the living, the armed forces warm up their flamethrowers, and religious zealots and scientists alike search for explanations. It turns out that “the changed,” as liberal politicians dub them, only hunger for human flesh if their brains are damaged. So it’s no surprise when the changed gain a champion in Christian Scott, whose own sudden demise prompts his fiancee to pair him with her favorite, newly undead radio shock jock. Of course, the powers that be are incensed—until they begin “changing,” too. Burrow’s raw narrative style and gratuitous, gross-out interludes often leave much to be desired, but frequent dollops of biting satire and witty dialogue make the ride worthwhile."
--Booklist
Chris is an ordinary guy with a boring job, a perfect fiancé, and plans for a happy, if predictable, future. But when the dead stop dying and become, instead, simply “changed,” ordinary isn’t so comforting anymore. Wandering stray animals suddenly develop a taste for flesh and brains, and while most of the human zombies might be harmless, can anyone really be sure?
With the help of a morning show shock-jock who has recently turned into a zombie and the burnt-out walking remains of a businessman, Chris becomes the backbone of a fight for undead rights among the fear, prejudice, and uncertainty dividing the living and the not quite dead.
Reviews
Burrow’s debut is a swift-moving, pathos-free, creatively amusing riff on zombies from the zombie perspective. On a day like any other, the newly dead just stop dying, and the world learns that zombie movies have gotten everything wrong. Christian Scott and his fiancée, Erin, have uncomfortable run-ins with the zombies, who call themselves “changed”; then Christian joins their ranks, as does Erin’s favorite shock jock, Nicholas Buckman. Disturbed that the living can call the military in to flambé any of the changed for any reason, Christian and Nicholas decide to start their own political party. While running for senator, Christian must constantly duck his gun-toting father’s attempts to put him down. In hilarious interludes, Paula Dean cooks a zombie fish and Elmo reconciles with a zombie Zoë on Sesame Street. The prose styling is nonexistent, but there’s plenty of charm. (Dec.)
--Publishers Weekly
“What’s a poor zombie to do when society cruelly discriminates against the undead and won’t even support their right to exist? That’s the tongue-in-cheek question explored in Burrow’s farcical first novel, which affectionately spoofs George A. Romero-style zombie motifs. When the newly dead denizens of morgues and crypts the world over begin to mingle with the living, the armed forces warm up their flamethrowers, and religious zealots and scientists alike search for explanations. It turns out that “the changed,” as liberal politicians dub them, only hunger for human flesh if their brains are damaged. So it’s no surprise when the changed gain a champion in Christian Scott, whose own sudden demise prompts his fiancee to pair him with her favorite, newly undead radio shock jock. Of course, the powers that be are incensed—until they begin “changing,” too. Burrow’s raw narrative style and gratuitous, gross-out interludes often leave much to be desired, but frequent dollops of biting satire and witty dialogue make the ride worthwhile."
--Booklist
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 11, 2024
When dead people stop dying, only a few of them want to kill people while the others would be content to continue their previous life.
4.5 stars but I'm giving it 5 because it's rare to find a zombie book that has a fresh take on the topic.
I hate to break this to you, but everyone eventually dies. People start off appalled by the Changed, who gradually rot and decompose. They have to be taken care of - how about camps (but let's call them Retirement Centers)? Do we have to give them social security? Should they be allowed to vote? But as the military start to burn down Changed who they have even a suspicion of being dangerous, and people continue to 'die' of accidents such as falls or car wrecks, suddenly you/the reader/the point of view characters begin to realize that, however we decide to treat the Changed, we ourselves will eventually be stuck in that system.
The author impressed me with the thought he'd put into this and there were several times I stopped reading to think about things. I hope BJ Burrow continues to write!
4.5 stars but I'm giving it 5 because it's rare to find a zombie book that has a fresh take on the topic.
I hate to break this to you, but everyone eventually dies. People start off appalled by the Changed, who gradually rot and decompose. They have to be taken care of - how about camps (but let's call them Retirement Centers)? Do we have to give them social security? Should they be allowed to vote? But as the military start to burn down Changed who they have even a suspicion of being dangerous, and people continue to 'die' of accidents such as falls or car wrecks, suddenly you/the reader/the point of view characters begin to realize that, however we decide to treat the Changed, we ourselves will eventually be stuck in that system.
The author impressed me with the thought he'd put into this and there were several times I stopped reading to think about things. I hope BJ Burrow continues to write!
February 17, 2010
If you're a fan of zombie books and movies, you may think you've seen it all. It takes a rare kind of talent to bring something new to the zombie-fic genre, so good reads are few and far between. Then someone like BJ Burrow shows up and creates something original, well-written, and poignant that makes it seem like the genre may just have some more life yet. The Changed is an impressive debut, to be sure, but more, it's just a damned impressive novel.
The standard premise, a world where the dead start getting back up, is nothing new. But the premise that they go right back to work, feel better than they have in years, and act like living people is, to say the least, different. Lead character Christian opens the book with his dead office-mate getting fired for being...well...gross and disturbing to look at. Christian and his fiancé both have issues with the "changed," mainly because they believe the dead should stay buried. But when a freak accident involving a shorted-out coffee pot kills Christian, the shoe is on the proverbial other foot.
Romero made a career out of social commentary through his zombie flicks, and Burrow follows suit with deft glee. The whole book can be seen as an allegory of whatever type of discrimination a person decides to put in. Characters that start off as bigoted and angry discover, once the discrimination is directed at them, that such feelings aren't right, and they grow from it. Without being heavy-handed, Burrow drives his point home on many occasions, most notably of which is at the book's end.
Strengths for The Changed are many. The writing and storytelling are genuinely good, the characters are well developed, and the plot follows a logical pace. Burrow also injects his own sense of humor into many scenes (my favorite being the "changed" pro wrestler that now is sad when the crowd boos his heel character), and does not shy away from the gore, as evidenced in the first scene in the book in which a zombie cow eats a guy's face.
This is Burrow's first novel, but not his first forray into horror. His film Natural Selection (which was renamed Monster Hunter by the Sci-Fi Channel) starred David Carradine in 1999. Keep your eyes open for the next book of Burrow's. He's a writer that will just improve over time.
The standard premise, a world where the dead start getting back up, is nothing new. But the premise that they go right back to work, feel better than they have in years, and act like living people is, to say the least, different. Lead character Christian opens the book with his dead office-mate getting fired for being...well...gross and disturbing to look at. Christian and his fiancé both have issues with the "changed," mainly because they believe the dead should stay buried. But when a freak accident involving a shorted-out coffee pot kills Christian, the shoe is on the proverbial other foot.
Romero made a career out of social commentary through his zombie flicks, and Burrow follows suit with deft glee. The whole book can be seen as an allegory of whatever type of discrimination a person decides to put in. Characters that start off as bigoted and angry discover, once the discrimination is directed at them, that such feelings aren't right, and they grow from it. Without being heavy-handed, Burrow drives his point home on many occasions, most notably of which is at the book's end.
Strengths for The Changed are many. The writing and storytelling are genuinely good, the characters are well developed, and the plot follows a logical pace. Burrow also injects his own sense of humor into many scenes (my favorite being the "changed" pro wrestler that now is sad when the crowd boos his heel character), and does not shy away from the gore, as evidenced in the first scene in the book in which a zombie cow eats a guy's face.
This is Burrow's first novel, but not his first forray into horror. His film Natural Selection (which was renamed Monster Hunter by the Sci-Fi Channel) starred David Carradine in 1999. Keep your eyes open for the next book of Burrow's. He's a writer that will just improve over time.
April 17, 2010
The blurb on the back of The Changed will have you believe that it's about zombies, but not a zombie apocalypse book. Don't be fooled- hese zombies rot, gnaw human prey and will devastate the world we know... they just might not kill us. The Changed follows a handful of characters, some alive, some dead, who have "changed" into something else. Retaining their personalities and skills (and with the help of embalmers, retaining their bits as well), the Changed quickly become the world's largest minority, facing prejudice and oppression, plus flamethrowers. With open hunting season declared by the military (shown more as bullies than any kind of defense against the invasion) these undead can't be sure who are their friends, and who are their foes. Then Chris changes. A middle-of-the-road, plain-looking man, he finally finds a political cause that inspires him. Chris quickly organizes a new political party, The Changed, fronted by a shock jock DJ recently fired for having the gall to die. The whole landscape of America changes as The Changed party not only grows in number and drive, but becomes the only surety the living have to look forward to- how do you fight death itself? The Changed still manages to give zombie fans plenty of their favorite elements. There is a sort-of apocalypse, and plenty of violence and gore, and there are tongue-in-cheek asides hinting at what pop culture would be like if the undead walked. The Changed is an excellent addition to the zombie genre, something new and fun in a tiring routine. Recommended for public and private collections- it's an excellent read through and through.
Review by Michele Lee
Review by Michele Lee
May 28, 2011
Once again, an okay story with characters I just couldn't bond with. Worth a borrow, not a buy.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews