First off, I didn't realize when I began reading MONSTER NATION that it's the second in a trilogy. I'll now have to go back and read MONSTER ISLAND, just because I do want to read the entire story, but MONSTER NATION can and does stand on its own.

The story is basic enough: zombies are taking over the US; the career military person in charge, Bannerman Clark, wastes a lot of time refusing to believe these creatures are actually dead; there are a couple of more-intelligent-than-normal zombies trudging their way through the craziness.

That's the storyline in a nutshell. The problem, for me, didn't come until the end of the book, when what had been building up to a gigantic climax through 250+ pages was resolved (or, actually, NOT resolved at all) in a page and a half.

Don't ge me wrong. This book is entertaining, gross, and a verifiable zombie-lover's delight. It made we want to go back and read the first book in the series. But it's ending definitely leaves you hanging and frustrated. For those who love zombie stories, you'll appreciate the new and different approach to the genre. For those who hate abrupt endings, you'll throw the book against the wall. When all is said and done, though, reading MONSTER NATION was time well spent. ( )

Nilla can't remember much. She took her name from the box of cookies someone was nice enough to give her. But those are all gone now. She's just so terribly hungry.The one thing she does remember is waking up in a puddle of her own blood with a wound on her shoulder, as if someone had gnawed on her. And something strange is happening all over California. Dead people wake up, and walk, and bite. Doomsday is here. There are those who want to stop it, and those who want to revel in it. Unfortunately for Nilla, both factions believe she's the key to it all.

I loved Monster Island, the first book in the series, so I was anxious to read this second installment. I'm a firm believer that second books in trilogies are always a little awkward. There were a few moments that recaptured the brilliance of the first novel but I didn't particularly enjoy it. If I want to read an apocalyptic road trip across the USA, I'm going to stick with Stephen King's The Stand. ( )

Prequel to "Island"

Tells of zombie origins.

Okay. Lots of blood.

I'd read David Wellington's Monster Island and was a little underwhelmed. However, I've already purchased all three books in his Monster series and since I didn't hate the first one I've decided to give the other two a shake. Well, Monster Nation is definitely a better book than Monster Island.

This time around the main characters were at least a little more believable (and therefore more sympathetic) than those of the last novel. We follow three interleaved plot threads through most of the book. One dealing with our (human) hero: captain Bannerman Clark of the National Guard; one dealing with this novels' 'smart zombie' Nilla and a third that follows a 'traditional' zombie: Dick (this was my favorite thread).

The thing is, I just don't like his spin on zombies. Some of his ideas (the dark energy versus the light energy) are okay. I don't mind the supernatural being part of his zombie lore. But some of the stuff he came up with takes away from what makes zombies scary in the first place. It's mostly the 'super powers' that he can't seem to resist giving his zombies that aren't working for me. It's okay to branch out from a formula and stir things up. It's just that he doesn't seem to understand what ingredients work well together. Or I'm missing his point. That's always a possibility too I guess. At least he left out the goofy mummy 'super zombies'

Still, David Wellington really is quite a writer. I liked his writing in the previous book and he's really polished it up since then. Some of his comic book ideas (zombies that can turn invisible for instance) were annoying, but he was able to keep me turning the pages with his narrative voice in spite of the issues I had. Once a couple of his books are turned into movies and more people discover his writing, I think he could hit the big time.

I will read his third Monster book Monster Planet and am expecting to have the same issues. But I really am looking forward to reading his vampire novels. Now there's a creature where you can let your imagination run wild. ( )

David Wellington’s “Monster ____” series is pure fiction candy. I appreciate a lot about his work, especially in the latest, Monster Nation. Wellington manages to make what is, essentially, a pop genre novel into a REALLY GOOD pop genre novel.

Monster Nation begins before the events of Monster Island, and the prequel approach allows Wellington to reveal the zombie outbreak all over again. The novel revolves around the actions of Captain Bannerman of the Colorado Air National Guard and Nilla, another sentient zombie character. A diverse and well-drawn cast of supporting characters completes the novel.

Those who disliked Wellington’s tweaks and twerks of the zombie genre will have similar complaints about Monster Nation. But for zombie-lovers with open minds, Wellington is a true bard of the genre. He renders both zombies and humans expertly and he balances action, satire and the occasional emotionally charged scene with equal grace.

Monster Nation has kept me firmly committed to finishing Wellington’s series in print. The whole trilogy of novels is available from his website (http://www.brokentype.com/davidwellin...), free for the download, but I enjoy reading stories like this in print, on the go. ( )