Helpful Score: 2
I'm going to rate this like I usually do with anthologies. Otherwise it'll all be forgotten. Here goes so far:
(2 stars) Twisted by Kevin Veale - Not so much. I liked the two main characters and I think I like the premise but the prose wasn't for me at all.
(3 stars) The Things He Said by Michael Marshall Smith - better than the first IMO and definitely a shocker and I again liked the premise.
(5 stars) Naming of Parts by Tim Lebbon - This may be the best one yet. Lebbon does a great job tackling feelings and the family aspect can't not tug at your heart. Loved the relationship between brother and sister. Definitely interested in more by him.
(4 stars) Dating Secrets of the Dead by David Prill - what can I say about this? I guess I can no longer claim to be new to the zombie genre. I am, however, still new to the zombie humor subgenre. I wouldn't have ever guessed I'd be interested but then again, I'd have said the same for any zombie book a few years ago. So... this is downright funny. I refuse to use the word 'realistic' but...
(4.5 stars) Lie Still, Sleep Becalmed by Steve Duffy - This has been the most terrifying for me so far. It may stay in first place. Zombies are a scary lot by themselves but throw in the water aspect and I'm done. I'm already scared shitless of any large body of water (this can be determined by whether I can stand and/or see bottom) and this is just a nightmare in writing. I may have been open to getting on a boat before... IF it wasn't going to be far from shore but definitely not now. I'll be thinking of this if anyone ever asks me.
(4.5 stars) The Great Wall by Max Brooks - anyone familiar with World War Z will feel right at home here. It's very, very short and made me want more. Like when I finished WWZ.
(4 stars) First Kisses From Beyond the Grave by Nik Houser - this was a lot like Dating Secrets for me and they both showed me I'm interested in more. Different from anything zombie related I've come across and there are numerous great aspects.
(5 stars) Zora and the Zombie by Andy Duncan - Wow. just wow. I was reminded of how very little I know about zombie fiction, folklore, etc. when reading this. For instance, I had never even heard of Tell My Horse. (Will be going out of my way to find that soon.) I'd love to read something full length by Duncan.
(4 stars) Obsequy by David J. Schow - I love the wide variety in all of these short stories. There are some that I wouldn't read an entire book about but that's personal taste. They're all so very different. This is another that tugs at your heart. Very scary to even imagine. I'm interested in maybe finding something else by Schow.
(n/a) Deadman's Road by Joe R. Lansdale - I skipped this. "Western" anything isn't my cup of teat so cowboy/zombie stories do nothing for me.
(2.5 stars) Bitter Grounds by Neil Gaiman - Even though I've never read any of Gaiman's books I've heard of him. I think you'd have to be living under a rock to have not heard of him. I've always related him to genres I don't really read so when I saw his name here I thought it may be one I'd skip. I didn't skip it and I did enjoy it but it wasn't one of the best for me. I think I just don't mesh well with his writing. I'm sure any Gaiman fan will adore the story.
(4.5 stars) Beautiful White Bodies by Alice Sola Kim - Whoa. This, if it hasn't already, would make an awesome full length book. I'm going to find out if it has been, or maybe will be. It's a crime to keep this a short story. I can't say much without giving the story away and I won't do that but it's definitely not one to be missed.
(3 stars) Glorietta by Gary A. Braunbeck - This one is very short, I'd have liked it to be longer. Some stories are easy to get a grasp of when they're this short and some aren't, this is an 'aren't' for me. I'd be more than willing to read the whiole book of this if it's out there.
(4 stars) Farwell, My Zombie by Francesca Lia Block - Block is another author I've heard of but haven't read until now. I'd definitely read more. I like the main character in the story, Jane, and even as short as it is I really started to feel for her. Not an easy feat for a story all of 11 pages.
(4.5 stars) Trinkets by Tobias S. Buckell - Definitely, definitely would read the entire story. Would love to read an entire story here. I love the premise of a freed slave taking revange on slavetraders. Love it. And I love the execution - it could have been pulled off in any number of ways but the manner here is just above and beyond.
(5 stars) Dead Man's Land by David Wellington - Awesome! I'd read an entire story around this in a second! Love the Wal-Mart aspect. Love the two main characters. This is a great addition to the anthology.
(3.5 stars) Disarmed and Dangerous by Tim Waggoner - This was a little too sci-fi for me. It's one of those stories where 50% of you loved it and 50% of you didn't. Papa Chatha and Matthew are great characters and I loved the twist with Maera butthere are some other parts that just didn't do it for me.
(2.5 stars) The Zombie Prince by Kit Reed - This was one of the stories I liked least. I can't put my finger on what made this so.
(2.5 stars) Selected Scenes from the End of the World by Brian Keene - This 'short story' consists of three even shorter stories. Maybe other people like this sort of thing but how can a story consisting of 3 pages pull me in? I saw the potential in each and I think I'm interested in reading more but I can't say for sure. A few paragraphs doesn't make a story for me, it makes a few paragraphs.
(4 stars) The Hortlak by Kelly Link - This is so, so different. When I started I was thinking I wouldn't like it much and it was fairly confusing for me, especially in the beginning. Eric and Batu make for some intense characters and even though the plot stayed somewhat confusing for me I was most definitely invested in the story.
(4.5 stars) Dead to the World by Gary McMahon - This is the kind of story that haunts me the most, the kind of story I gravitate towards in this genre. The personal, familial aspect pulls me like a magnet. That makes, IMO, this far more scary that any monster that could be thought up. This is another one I'd love to find a full length story about.
(4.5 stars) The Last Supper by Scott Edelma - Wow, I don't even know what to say about this one. It's shcokeing to be sure. I don't want to say too much because it's a killer last story and I don't want to ruin it for anyone. It's one of the best for sure.
Overall this is a great collection of stories. This is only the second zombie anthology I've read and I'm eager to read more. I only wish that more of the shorts would be chosen from novels. If that were the case readers could then find the authors/stories they liked the best, seek them out, and commence to reading to their hearts content. It's not a great feeling to fall in love with a short and then hit a brick wall. But, such is life and this is something I must deal with.
I definitely recommend for zombie lovers who like short stories. If you're more into the entire story stay away, you'll only piss yourself off. Luckily I can go both ways right now. :-)
(2 stars) Twisted by Kevin Veale - Not so much. I liked the two main characters and I think I like the premise but the prose wasn't for me at all.
(3 stars) The Things He Said by Michael Marshall Smith - better than the first IMO and definitely a shocker and I again liked the premise.
(5 stars) Naming of Parts by Tim Lebbon - This may be the best one yet. Lebbon does a great job tackling feelings and the family aspect can't not tug at your heart. Loved the relationship between brother and sister. Definitely interested in more by him.
(4 stars) Dating Secrets of the Dead by David Prill - what can I say about this? I guess I can no longer claim to be new to the zombie genre. I am, however, still new to the zombie humor subgenre. I wouldn't have ever guessed I'd be interested but then again, I'd have said the same for any zombie book a few years ago. So... this is downright funny. I refuse to use the word 'realistic' but...
(4.5 stars) Lie Still, Sleep Becalmed by Steve Duffy - This has been the most terrifying for me so far. It may stay in first place. Zombies are a scary lot by themselves but throw in the water aspect and I'm done. I'm already scared shitless of any large body of water (this can be determined by whether I can stand and/or see bottom) and this is just a nightmare in writing. I may have been open to getting on a boat before... IF it wasn't going to be far from shore but definitely not now. I'll be thinking of this if anyone ever asks me.
(4.5 stars) The Great Wall by Max Brooks - anyone familiar with World War Z will feel right at home here. It's very, very short and made me want more. Like when I finished WWZ.
(4 stars) First Kisses From Beyond the Grave by Nik Houser - this was a lot like Dating Secrets for me and they both showed me I'm interested in more. Different from anything zombie related I've come across and there are numerous great aspects.
(5 stars) Zora and the Zombie by Andy Duncan - Wow. just wow. I was reminded of how very little I know about zombie fiction, folklore, etc. when reading this. For instance, I had never even heard of Tell My Horse. (Will be going out of my way to find that soon.) I'd love to read something full length by Duncan.
(4 stars) Obsequy by David J. Schow - I love the wide variety in all of these short stories. There are some that I wouldn't read an entire book about but that's personal taste. They're all so very different. This is another that tugs at your heart. Very scary to even imagine. I'm interested in maybe finding something else by Schow.
(n/a) Deadman's Road by Joe R. Lansdale - I skipped this. "Western" anything isn't my cup of teat so cowboy/zombie stories do nothing for me.
(2.5 stars) Bitter Grounds by Neil Gaiman - Even though I've never read any of Gaiman's books I've heard of him. I think you'd have to be living under a rock to have not heard of him. I've always related him to genres I don't really read so when I saw his name here I thought it may be one I'd skip. I didn't skip it and I did enjoy it but it wasn't one of the best for me. I think I just don't mesh well with his writing. I'm sure any Gaiman fan will adore the story.
(4.5 stars) Beautiful White Bodies by Alice Sola Kim - Whoa. This, if it hasn't already, would make an awesome full length book. I'm going to find out if it has been, or maybe will be. It's a crime to keep this a short story. I can't say much without giving the story away and I won't do that but it's definitely not one to be missed.
(3 stars) Glorietta by Gary A. Braunbeck - This one is very short, I'd have liked it to be longer. Some stories are easy to get a grasp of when they're this short and some aren't, this is an 'aren't' for me. I'd be more than willing to read the whiole book of this if it's out there.
(4 stars) Farwell, My Zombie by Francesca Lia Block - Block is another author I've heard of but haven't read until now. I'd definitely read more. I like the main character in the story, Jane, and even as short as it is I really started to feel for her. Not an easy feat for a story all of 11 pages.
(4.5 stars) Trinkets by Tobias S. Buckell - Definitely, definitely would read the entire story. Would love to read an entire story here. I love the premise of a freed slave taking revange on slavetraders. Love it. And I love the execution - it could have been pulled off in any number of ways but the manner here is just above and beyond.
(5 stars) Dead Man's Land by David Wellington - Awesome! I'd read an entire story around this in a second! Love the Wal-Mart aspect. Love the two main characters. This is a great addition to the anthology.
(3.5 stars) Disarmed and Dangerous by Tim Waggoner - This was a little too sci-fi for me. It's one of those stories where 50% of you loved it and 50% of you didn't. Papa Chatha and Matthew are great characters and I loved the twist with Maera butthere are some other parts that just didn't do it for me.
(2.5 stars) The Zombie Prince by Kit Reed - This was one of the stories I liked least. I can't put my finger on what made this so.
(2.5 stars) Selected Scenes from the End of the World by Brian Keene - This 'short story' consists of three even shorter stories. Maybe other people like this sort of thing but how can a story consisting of 3 pages pull me in? I saw the potential in each and I think I'm interested in reading more but I can't say for sure. A few paragraphs doesn't make a story for me, it makes a few paragraphs.
(4 stars) The Hortlak by Kelly Link - This is so, so different. When I started I was thinking I wouldn't like it much and it was fairly confusing for me, especially in the beginning. Eric and Batu make for some intense characters and even though the plot stayed somewhat confusing for me I was most definitely invested in the story.
(4.5 stars) Dead to the World by Gary McMahon - This is the kind of story that haunts me the most, the kind of story I gravitate towards in this genre. The personal, familial aspect pulls me like a magnet. That makes, IMO, this far more scary that any monster that could be thought up. This is another one I'd love to find a full length story about.
(4.5 stars) The Last Supper by Scott Edelma - Wow, I don't even know what to say about this one. It's shcokeing to be sure. I don't want to say too much because it's a killer last story and I don't want to ruin it for anyone. It's one of the best for sure.
Overall this is a great collection of stories. This is only the second zombie anthology I've read and I'm eager to read more. I only wish that more of the shorts would be chosen from novels. If that were the case readers could then find the authors/stories they liked the best, seek them out, and commence to reading to their hearts content. It's not a great feeling to fall in love with a short and then hit a brick wall. But, such is life and this is something I must deal with.
I definitely recommend for zombie lovers who like short stories. If you're more into the entire story stay away, you'll only piss yourself off. Luckily I can go both ways right now. :-)
