Review: The Ultimate Zombie Book
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 05 18, 2014
I really like the main character of this book. Richard is a typical teenager with all the expected flaws of character, complexion, and confidence, but he exhibits determination, consistency, and loyalty in the face of overwhelming adversity. This is the main strength of this story: the contrast between Richard’s humanity and the lifeless malevolence of the zombies around him. The novel consists of his journal, which he writes in between fleeing the zombies, bashing their brains out with a baseball bat, and trying to find a cure for his zombified little brother, Chuck. In spite of the fact that Chuck keeps trying to eat him.You certainly can’t fault Mr. Kent for a lack of creativity. The number of ways he has originated to eat people alive is quite admirable. I was particularly impressed by the zombie babies in the preschool. The author warns us, “In the pages that follow is a gruesome, repugnant tale featuring horrific acts of violence sure to warp young minds.” He certainly delivers on that promise.However, plodding zombie-like through a series of gruesome events does not make a novel. The main weakness of the story is the tone. Because of the journal format of the writing, plus Richard’s fatalistic attitude towards the helpless situation he finds himself in, the whole story lacks something that all disaster tales must have: hope. Richard lets us know from the first that he doesn’t really expect to survive. He mentions it frequently as his situation goes from horrible to worse. And as his little band of survivors dwindles and the horde of zombies increases, the overwhelming mood of pessimism takes over the story. Not even Kent’s witty black humour can keep us from the suspicion that there is no hope of salvation in this plot.And without hope, there is no suspense, no emotional ups and downs. Just a zombie-like shambling along from atrocity to atrocity with no letup, as the hero sheds members of his group like putrescent limbs and comes closer and closer to his own demise.If you want a video-game-like profusion of blood and gore, then this story is for you. There are a lot of strengths in this book. I just couldn’t help but wish there was just a little more…well…life in it.I was given an electronic copy of the book in order to write this review.