I guess there aren’t a whole lot of ways to portray a zombie apocalypse. If you’re going to do it, though I say do it in the goriest, most violent way possible. Seriously. That is the whole point of a zombie novel and it’s entertaining as hell. Wellington managed to effectively create a world that is actually quite believable. Unlike many zombie novels, this one deals with the aftereffects of the zombie invasion rather than the events leading up to it. I suppose that will be a topic for the following books in the trilogy (as that’s what this is part of – a trilogy), but it was nice to see it open up this way, dealing entirely with plot and character development.

There were a couple things about this book that were hard to get through. While the actual action of the book concerns a man (a former UN worker) and his mission to travel to NYC and get life-sustaining HIV medications for the leader of Somalia (who, in return, will give him back his daughter – who she is currently holding), there were a lot of confusing twists and turns as far as who the important characters were and the place they had in the story. This actually reminded me a lot of Brian Keene’s books about zombies (which makes me feel like its time for a re-read there). The sort of hopeless, end of the world feeling this novel had was enhanced (as it is in Keene’s stories) by the fact that these were not just mindless, shambling masses of the walking dead for much of the book. The fact that they were able to be controlled and manipulated by varying evil powers in the stories (so they were basically very effective pawns used for killing) made them much scarier.

The narration was interesting and unique. Wellington switched from first-person for the main character of the story, alternating back to third-person for the main antagonist of the story – a man who voluntarily gave himself up to the ranks of the walking dead but managed to sustain his intelligence through the process and has now figured out (with the help of some confusing intervention from an old, dead, Irish guy) how to control the zombies in Manhattan and use them to his advantage. I was a bit confused about the odd narration pattern in this book until I got to the very end of the story – so it was obvious Wellington thought this out thoroughly and I was quite impressed.

All in all, this is a very entertaining zombie story. While the plot itself is not that unique, it is crafted well and the personal touches Wellington adds to it really make it… well, “come alive” isn’t quite the right phrase I’m looking for, is it? ;D This book, along with the others in the trilogy, are available free on-line, as they were originally published (http://www.brokentype.com/monster/) but I prefer hard copies of my books and I also prefer supporting talented authors by spending money on their writing. I’ll definitely be looking forward to reading the other books Wellington has written, as he seems to keep churning them out. I see a new one at my Barnes & Noble all the time. I know he has a vampire series out too, and a werewolf one in the works? I’ll be excited to read them! ( )

- Former UN weapons inspector Dekalb had his hands full trying to keep his daughter and himself alive during the devastating zombie global disaster, but when they’re both captured by militia survivors in Somalia a month after the breakout, Dekalb’s daughter is held as a well-treated hostage while he’s sent out to find AIDS drugs. The only place he can think to find any left is in New York City – a place crawling with the undead. Fast-paced, and quite a bit graphic, there was some spiritual stuff that bored me, but for a zombie story, pretty entertaining. Supposed to be first in a trilogy… ( )

Gary, being a medical student, was fully aware of what was happening to New York City when the Epidemic hit. In his desperation to survive he performs an experiment on himself. Now Gary is the only zombie in New York capable of rational thought and curiously, he also has the ability to control his fellow undead. Gary's zombie army is organized and purposeful and ready to do his bidding. Can the few humans who are left bring Gary down? is there any hope for Monster Island?

I don't believe I've ever read a zombie book before. If I have, it didn't leave an impression in my braaainnn (sorry). I bought this book because last year I read the first two books in Wellington's vampire series and he blew me away with his originality. I was betting that he could do the same with the zombie milieu. Turns out luck was on my side.
It's hard to write why I liked the book without giving away spoilers. But let me just say that what Wellington has written is dead on... um, spot on. This book is like everything you love about a zombie film but more. So much more. It's modern and smart and funny and it also has heart. I can't wait to read the second one. Pass the popcorn. ( )

Throughout the whole book I was wondering why Gary didn't try to make more intelligent zombies like himself. Wouldn't he want an peer to bounce ideas off of? Mael was too entrenched in religious fervor to think rationally. Then finally at the end I could sort of understand why he waited until Dekalb proved himself to be a worthy opponent and match of character.I'm still wondering why the Egyptian mummies were more agile then the other zombies. It also seemed a little unclear what their motivations were. ( )

Adequately told
tale of zombies in New York.
Demonic subplot.