An interesting take on the Zombie mythology. I was not a huge fan of the text going back in time, to take into account different perspectives of the same time frame. I think it would have been better to break the chapters up into smaller chunks to allow for less back in time stuff. I found it confusing when it happened, and it took me a little bit to determine I was repeating the same time period from a different persons point of view. Overall a good book though, I will be moving forward and finishing this series for sure. ( )

- 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.

I'd been excited to read David Wellington's Monster Island since I first heard about it. The core idea (the survivor of a George Romero zombie holocaust has to head in to a Manhattan island that has been overrun with the walking dead) is terrific. So it's Escape From New York meets Dawn of the Dead. What could go wrong?

Well, a couple of things. David Wellington makes a few unique twists to the standard George Romero zombie rules that I could have lived with, I guess. You have to expect that a writer is going to make a subject their own. But the mummies were just one step too far over the line for my taste. A little too comic-book-y for me. Also, the alternating Gary chapters would make for a neat short story maybe, but I wasn't too keen on following a thread showing things from a zombies' point of view through a whole novel (though Gary was a good idea overall).

The main problem is that I just failed to empathize much with the main character. His situation is just too outlandish. A U.N. Weapons inspector and a group of bad-ass Somali school girl guerrilla fighters as the main characters? I dunno. To me the key to horror is to have a very realistic and grounded main character as it makes it easier to accept the bizarre and supernatural hi-jinks that they go through.

Finally I was able to get over my disappointment with the characters and otherwise enjoy the ride. David Wellington is a pretty good writer, I will give him that. The book wasn't great, but he did manage to piece together a decent story. Not quite as good as I was hoping for maybe, but not bad.

The book is readable enough and I did finish it. Since I have already bought Monster Nation and Monster Planet I guess I’ll be reading those too. If I didn't own them already though, I may not be rushing out to pick them up. For a good zombie tale, I enjoyed (the not quite as well reviewed) Dead City much more . ( )

In Wellington's energetic horror debut, the first of a promised trilogy, Manhattan has become Monster Island after a plague has turned all its denizens into shambling, rotting animated corpses, except for a couple who have kept their intelligence and also acquired psychic powers. When an expedition from Africa arrives, composed of teenage girl-soldiers and a former U.N. weapons inspector, the zombie masters mobilize their forces to kill or eat the living humans.

Zombies take over the world...what more do you need? I recommend this book if you like the zombie nation stuff if not it might be a hard read. Overall I enjoyed it and plan on reading the next two in the series. ( )

Noteworthy for being an early experiment in RSS novel syndication, David Wellington’s novel, Monster Island, is an incredible take on the zombie genre. Although clearly well-aware of the conventions of zombie stories and films, Wellington manages to tweak the genre in some ways that make Monster Island anything but a typical zombie novel.

The story revolves around two individuals: A man who has survived the zombie outbreak by taking up with a band of armed rebels in Somalia and a medical student who has managed to maintain his living memories after his transformation into the undead. These two meet in New York City, and all kinds of things happen.

It would really be sad to give away the twists that will have zombie fans shocked and amazed. The reaction of the die hard zombie aficionados could go either way, but for my money, I found Wellington’s novel incredibly easy to read and satisfying. ( )

The first person narrative of a former UN Arms Inspector named Dekalb who is living in Africa during a zombie plague that wipes out most of the civilized world. At the request of a powerful female warlord, and to assure his daughter's continued safety, Dekalb agrees to undertake an expedition to Manhattan in search of much needed HIV medications.

A second narrator joins the story in New York. Gary, a former medical student, realized what was causing the outbreak and took steps to prevent the brain damage as his body transitioned from human to zombie. As a result of his experiment, Gary is the first intelligent zombie.

The novel traces the paths of the two main characters through post apocalyptic New York, combining a well-written, finely crafted story with realistic dialogue and complex characterization.

Wellington adds his own unique metaphysical interpretation and mythological origins to the genre. And we, the zombie-addicted readers, are better for having read his work. ( )

Really excellent book about Zombies who have taken over the world but has been most devastating to first world countries where weapons for civilians were largely lacking. A devastated New York City has succumbed to the Zombie infestation and bodies line the canals and rivers. The main characters must find a crucial medicine in the United Nations tower, but getting there won't be so easy. This is an exciting, gripping and frightening novel. The only negative critique is how the author throws a few supernatural elements into it which definitely take away from the realism. It was actually pretty annoying. Anyway great book and a suggested read. ( )

Ok, you have to like zombie lit to really enjoy this novel, but if you do, this is a real treat. Zombies in NYC, and Dekalb has to get AIDS drugs for an African leader from the UN building. He is supported by child warriors from Somalia, and is opposed by a couple of million walking dead people, zombie pidgeons, and one very smart walking dead named Gary, who can think and talk. Behind all this is the old Celtic Druid, who orchestrates the end of the world as we know it.

Exciting, decent prose, good characters, and great plot. ( )

ZOMBIES for the new millenium. ( )

Found this as a serial from the author's blog, an enjoyable story from a genre I didn't really expect to enjoy. ( )

In this, the first book of a trilogy, the zombies have taken over the civilized world and only the previously war-torn, militarized sections of the globe have survived relatively intact. Our hero, a former worker for the United Nations, accompanied by a squad of soldiers from Somalia, embarks upon a desperate mission to Manhattan to find AZT and other AIDS medication - knowing that there are millions of the walking dead waiting there between him and his goal.

Wellington is a fine writer, who knows when to use restraint and when to let himself go a little, and his plotting and pacing are wonderful. This novel is a fast, fascinating read, filled with new ideas and concepts relating to zombies and a ton of chases, fights, plots and action. I just bought the second book in the series, and am looking forward to it! Recommended. ( )

http://www.intergalacticmedicineshow.... ( )