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: An interesting take on a tired genre
Summary: 4 Stars
Zombies, and already you're mind is associating with terrible predictable films and trashy even-more-predictable novels. I did too, but I bought this having read a few extracts on the web and enjoyed it greatly, it's probably the best zombie-based novel ever written and (given the rights have been bought by Plan B) probably a great film later on.
What makes this book different is mainly it's format, it's made up of a series of interviews with survivors of a mass zombie outbreak that has taken place several years previously. This technique is actually very effective as it allows the story to have a much larger scope whilst keeping it personal and engaging. You are always involved with the stories but the short length of these interviews also keeps things quick moving.
The other unusual thing about the book is just how scary it is, the zombies themselves are at best moderately frightening but what actually chills you is the entirely realistic reactions of the world governments (in particular the way Russia deals with potential mutiny in it's army) that are exactly the sort of thing they would do in these situations.
The interviewees also react in perfectly believable ways, many having to go to horrific lengths to survive and many being driven insane by what they have had to do.
The thing that really haunts you after this book is the question 'what if...?', zombies are fictional but what if a non-fiction virus broke out, something fast spreading and deadly, something that couldn't be contained, just how far would you be willing to go to survive? How far would your government go to keep control? And it's the answers to those questions that really stay with you.
Book Review: an action movie of a book
Summary: 3 Stars
obviously, this is a book about zombies. if you like zombie films (like me), then you'll probably like this book (like me). I found the story compelling enough, and the chapters short enough, that i was reluctant to put it down, and finished it in a couple of days.
HOWEVER, you have to apply the same sort of caveats that you would to the films of this type. i found the book to be quite poorly written; this is not high brow literature. it is the novel equivalent of an action film, entertaining, but hardly an intellectual masterpiece.
The characters were stereotyped beyond what i consider reasonable, indeed the author uses this method instead of actually developing the characters at all. He also tries to be very clever throughout the book, and fails. He refers periodically to real life current affairs and famous people, but without any real purpose, except perhaps to let you know he's heard of them. He also links some of the storylines together, but it doesn't really work (for example, tales of an astronaut watching a very specific event via a satellite telescope: hard to believe). Finally, every other chapter ends in a "shocking" twist, but again, they feel contrived and unneccessary, like he's just trying to be clever, but it ends up reading like a high school homework assignment.
Having said all this, i did enjoy the book, i really did. don't be put off by my comments above, they're to let you know that if you expect this to be a literary masterpiece, think again. If you expect it to be a stupid but entertaining read to keep you occupied on holiday, then go get it now.
Book Review: Simply breathtaking
Summary: 5 Stars
I have never been into the Zombie genre before although I do like 28 days/weeks later which led me to buying this book.
I cannot recommend this book enough, the structure of the book allows insight into many different experiences of the conflict and although slightly qliched in places an excellent read. I strongly suggest you read this while listening to Iron Maiden or other suitable metal music, it really lends itself to the themes in the book.
Only downside is it might freak you out a bit, after reading this I disturbingly found myself thinking about the safest refuge in such a crisis and which tools in my garage would be best for Zack bashing!
Book Review: Amazing!
Summary: 5 Stars
I read The Zombie Survival Guide before picking up World War Z. At first I was a little disapointed with WWZ as i was dying for it to be a full on novel with a hero and a Point of view. I read the first few interweiws and i was hooked. I couldnt decide wether i liked it or not untill i realised i had been reading for 2 hours straight. I just couldnt put it down. It was just amazing. I particularly like the story of the reclusive japanese teenager who had to climb all the way down his high rise appartment building using bed sheets whilst being hunted by hordes of Zombies.
I cannot reccomend this book enough.
Book Review: read it!
Summary: 5 Stars
excellent! first class, its not a classic but definately one of the best zombie books ive read, a real page turner, not sure if there should be a sequel but certainly another angle would be good for another book, only wish it was longer, liked the bit with Windsor caslte! hopefully they might turn it into a TV series, a film wouldnt really do it justice...