World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
Book Review: Terrifying, Heart Rending, a thoughtful book about a usually no brainer subject.
Summary: 5 Stars
I used to be terrified of anything affiliated with the horror genre, however in my early teens i began to watch more horror movies and read more horror books. I became particularly fond of zombie movies/fiction.I find these however to usually be no brainer guns blazing gore fests. World war Z is different. It's thoughtful approach to the subject of zombies took me completly by suprise (much like the outbreak in the book!) The battle of Yonkers is a particularly horrwing read, i found myself gasping in horror on more than one occasion.
Not all accounts are horiffic or engaging however. There are a broad spectrum of interviewee's which realistically makes some accounts rather boring. But in my opinion this makes the book better. It gives a real portrayal of peoples experiences and feelings in this fictional conflict no matter how big or small.
Even if your not a fan of the zombie sub-genre i'd stil reccomend you buy this and i must say that i am looking forward to the film.
Book Review: Another positive review
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm doing little more than echoing the praise of the other reviewers here, really.
As a long time fan of post-apoc films and lit, this book came as a real treat. Having read Mr. Brooks' Zombie Survival Guide, I was certain he would not disappoint.
WWZ is written as a retrospective, recent history of a war where the human race is almost wiped out by a global zombie pandemic. The story unfolds from the point of view of a UN-appointed interviewer, who has travelled the world to get first-hand accounts from those survivors who played significant roles in humanity's desperate fight-back and eventual victory over 'Zack'.
I would recommend this book to most people, but fans of the genre will not fail to be blown away by it.
Why only four stars? Some of the characters who live in countries foreign to Mr. Brooks stray dangerously close to stereotype. The British character for example was a predictable amalgam of stiff upper lip, eccentricity, and misty-eyed sentimentality at the thought of a threat to the royal family.
Don't get me wrong, I was as pleased as punch to find out there are plans to adapt this for cinema. I just hope Hollywood keeps the stereotyping in hand. Although that's not what it's famous for.
Book Review: The best book I have EVER read
Summary: 5 Stars
I read a chapter of this book in a bookshop a few days before I bought it and in the days in between I couldn't watch the news without thinking about it - it so mirrored the global concerns of the real world, and the idea of a zomble plague really didn't seem such a far fetched idea, all due to the brilliant writing skill of its author.
Once I got the book I couldn't put it down and when I had to put it down I counted the minutes until I could pick it back up again. I didn't want it to finish, so I've re-read it several times and each time I read it offers some aspect that I didn't pick up on last time around.
The great thing about re-reading it is that you can open it at any page and just start reading. Each character's personal account is like a short story in itself. This book is so good it has started me reading horror fiction again for the first time in decades. I cannot recommend it enough.
Book Review: DEFAMILIARIZING THE GENRE
Summary: 4 Stars
This novel represents the fruits of what I see as an effort to refresh and retell the living dead mythology. The format is, in itself, ingenious and innovative and Max Brooks manages to convey an eerie sense of realism in his novel by writing it as a group of loosely intertwined interviews to survivors of the zombie war (i.e. scientists, military, politicians, ordinary citizens etc.. Brooks manages to provide a structured and coherent explanation as to why people are turning into ghouls (not an easy feat)whilst entertaining the reader and making of each interview an independent story in itself. The only criticism I have is that he could have reserved some of his better pieces for the end which lacks a bit the "wow" factor. A formidable book though and a great read I would recommend. Book Review: World War Z
Summary: 5 Stars
After playing Resident Evil 4 for a while, I needed to extend my zombie fix even further, so I decided that this seemed intersting and unique so I brought it. Am I glad I did! This book is written in such a unique and detailed fashion that it does actually make the story sound like something that could actually happen. The only downside to this book would be that some of the accounts go on for a bit, other than that though this book is a brilliant read!