Zombies: The Recent Dead by Paula Guran

Zombies: The Recent Dead Reviews

• 
  Jack

  8 Twisted, by Kevin Veale.
  Ended too suddenly. Would have liked more.
  
  5 The Things He Said, by Michael Marshall Smith.
  
  9 The Naming of Parts, by Tim Lebbon.
  Creepy, good.
  
  Dating Secrets of the Dead, by David Prill.
  WTF?
  
  9 Lie Still, Sleep Becalmed, by Steve Duffy.
  
  5 The Great Wall: A Story From the Zombie War, by Max Brooks.
  Loved WWZ, but out of context this wasn't so great.
  
  7 First Kisses from Beyond the Grave, by Nik Houser.
  Kinda weird. I didn't get the ending.
  
  6 Zora and the Zombie by Andy Duncan.
  
  8 Obsequy, by David J. Schow.
  
  10 Deadman’s Road, by Joe R. Lansdale.
  Awesome. Super awesome.
  
  Bitter Grounds, by Neil Gaiman.
  Listened to this in Fragile Things, so skipped.
  
  8 Beautiful White Bodies, by Alice Sola Kim.
  
  7 Glorietta, by Gary A. Braunbeck
  Cool premise, did nothing with it.
  
  5 Farewell, My Zombie, by Francesca Lia Block
  
  5 Trinkets, by Tobias S. Bucknell.
  
  7 Dead Man’s Land, by David Wellington.
  Crappy ending.
  
  9 Disarmed and Dangerous, by Tim Waggoner.
  
  7 The Zombie Prince, by Kit Reed.
  
  8 Selected Scenes from the End of the World: Three Stories from the Universe of ‘The Rising,’, by Brian Keene.
  
  8 The Hortlak, by Kelly Link.
  Plain ending
  
  5 Dead to the World, by Garry McMahon.
  
  9 The Last Supper, by Scott Edelman.
  Really cool take.
  
  145/20=7.25/10 so 3.625, round up for the good ones.
• 
  Bogdan

  I must admit that I liked more the second volume of this series. Not that there are bad stories here, but I felt that the other ones were at a better level than those here.
  
  I'ved enjoyed some of them, but surprisingly there weren't any texts out of the ordinary. Good ones, true, but not at the level I've been expecting it.
• 
  Tara

  Like many collections of short stories, this one was a combination of hits and misses. I've realized that I'm a bit of a classicist when it comes to zombie stories. I want my zombies to be ZOMBIES; I don't want them to be seducing people in their bedrooms (are you kidding me, Kit Reed? If you want to write a vampire story, write a fricking vampire story), or having a teenage crisis about dating other zombies (no offense, David Prill, but what *was* that?), and I don't even want them to be maybe not really zombies at all, but just people who've lost all feeling or meaning in lives (a rare misfire for Neil Gaiman, sorry). I want them to be MINDLESS HORDES OF BLOOD AND DESTRUCTION, AND YOU BETTER GET YOURSELF TO A MALL OR AT THE VERY LEAST A NICE PUB AND HOPE LIKE HECK THE SWARMING MASSES DON'T OVERRUN YOU WITH THEIR SHEER POWER OF THEIR INSATIABLE HUNGER!
  
  So what did I like? Well, I loved Tim Lebbon's Naming of Parts, a totally classic tale about a family struggling to survive the apocalypse; I enjoyed Michael Marshall Smith's cracked survival tale, The Things He Said; loved the scare-tastic Lie Still, Sleep Becalmed, by Steve Duffy; and really adored Joe R. Lansdale's Western zombie fic, Deadman's Road.
  
  Special kudos to Alice Sola Kim's Beautiful White Bodies, because despite being not a classic zombie story at ALL, I still loved it. Awesome little jab at the culture of worshipping beauty, and definitely made me think about what I would have done in this setting (especially in my sadly unpopular teenage years).
  
  From a previous review of mine, it's probably obvious that I think Max Brooks' WWZ is totally overrated, so it's no surprise that I found his vignette to be pretty forgettable.
  
  Negative kudos to David Wellington's Dead Man's Land, because a story that does nothing but create a world in which women are blissfully accepting of their role as a walking womb or choose to live a life entirely alone is an utter fail. What was his point? Dystopias are usually about a metaphor, but all I took from this was the idea that "all we need is a big enough crisis, and most women will happily accept being chattel again."
  
  Those were pretty much the high and low points for me, with all the rest being various degrees of okay or not okay. Still an interesting read, and definitely worth it just for the ones that really stood out as gems.
• 
  Todd

  This is supposed to be a anthology of zombie short stories, and the stories are zombie related, but besides "The Great Wall" by Max Brooks, and maybe a few others, there is very here for the hardcore zombie fan.
  
  The definition of a zombie is used loosely when it came to choosing stories for this book, which includes what I would consider ghost stories and other stories only tacitly zombie related.
• 
  Eva-Marie

  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. :-)
  
  
• 
  Lady Stark

  In a nutshell this book is a compilation of short stories about zombies. An amalgamation of creative minds and storylines surrounding the idea that is zombies.
  
  Some stories were great, some were gross but great and others just downright boring. Honestly, for a lover of anything zombie-related this was a smorgasbord of zombie worlds you could enter and leave. A select few could be a really good standalone novel.
  
  I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it especially for zombie lovers.
• 
  ML Downie

  a lot of good stories. hoping to read more of some of the writers at some point.
• 
  Daniel

  I like Zombies. I like Short Stories. Zombie short stories? Sure, why not? Yeah, I picked this book up because I love zombie/post apocalyptic novels and feel that sometimes all you need is a short concise story. I wanted to like it, but......
  
  This book lurked in my list for a long time. I would read a story (I really only found one I tolerated) and then put it off to the side, coming back every so often to bite a small chunk off, get bored and then put it aside again. So I would say I slogged through this book. And this is short story compilation, it shouldn't be like this, where every bite was just not satisfying, but it was. But I rarely give up (from determination or hope, but I rarely quit anything once I started it, be it real life or reading) so I finally finished it (3 months later!).
  
  I will say that the last story was one of the best, so it didn't finish on a truly sour note. But the best thing about this book? That I don't feel compelled to read it any more.
• 
  Deedee

  Every single one of the stories was readable and entertaining, in a lighthearted zombie way. The one novella, Tim Lebbon's "Naming of Parts" was excellent, as was "Dating Secrets of the Dead" by David Prill, "Deadman's Road" by Joe Lansdale, "Trinkets" by Tobias S. Buckell and "The Last Supper" by Scott Edelman. Recommended for those who enjoy Zombie stories that are a little bit scary and only a little bit gory.
  
• 
  Matt Ogborn

  I REALLY dislike "humorous" stories from the zombies' point of view.
• 
  Caridad cruz

  BORING!! i tried again and to no avail. this book is too boring, not one of the short story hooked me in!! :-)
• 
  Mike

  There are some anthologies that aren't mixed bags, that actually have more good stories than bad ones, or more bad stories than good ones. This was not one such anthology. Full review to come.
• 
  Stephanie

  didn't finish
• 
  Chuck Knight

  Another fantastic anthology of great zombie stories. Neil Gaiman and Brian Keene are worth the price of admission alone. Have fun!
• 
  Rachel Bridgeman

  There is nary a misstep in this reanimation of a classic genre creature, the zombie.
  
  From Roxanne Gay's devastating traditional voodoo tale which is brilliantly turned on its head, to Eric Gregory's 'The Harrowers',which is a post apocalyptic tale via The Dark Tower, this collection shows this corpse laden landscape still has more tricks up its sleeve.
  
  Zombies,by their nature are terrifying abominations that stand against morality, religion and science alike and yet they remain emblematic through modern TV shows and films of the way we shamble through society whilst opting out of it altogether.
  
  The motif of a zombie as a loved one returned to us by forces beyond our control,duels with the kill or be killed rhetoric that pits loved one's against each other.
  
  It may be the 21st Century but this meaty, thematically driven anthology has plenty to say via talented authors on what the nature of a reanimated corpse is.
  
  The genre invented by a 17 year old girl in the 1800's has so many more ways of being explored but it takes a talented editor to assemble such a fine collection where I had to read thoughtfully,slowly and think about each tale.
  
  Some have startling images if resurrection and survival tactics that make you question just how far you would go to make it.
  
  And , in the end,are we not all zombies in training as we advance towards our death and desperately try to make sense of what comes next?
  
  Highly recommended and not for the faint of heart.
• 
  Irene ♡

  While the majority of short stories were gripping and creepy as sin with interesting characters and refreshing premises, a few had me rolling my eyes so hard it hurt. That said, the gems are so good it's all worth it. My favourites include (in chronological order);
  
  Twisted by Kevin Veale:
  Interesting premise, left me wanting more.
  
  The Things He Said by Michael Marshall Smith:
  Admittedly not the most entertaining read, however it packs a punch and gives an alarming lasting impression.
  
  Naming of Parts by Tim Lebbon:
  The beginning of the end of the world from a child's perspective. Super creepy and sad.
  
  Lie Still, Sleep Becalmed by Steve Duffy:
  Stunningly terrifying and surprisingly poetic.
  
  First Kisses from Beyond the Grave by Nik Houser:
  Highly offensive but witty and hilarious!
  
  Deadman's Road by Joe R. Landsdale:
  Very American, with guns and bibles as their weapons of choice, though a truly grisly tale.
  
  Dead Man's Land by David Wellington:
  Disturbing, yet weirdly empowering.
  
  Selected Scenes from the End of the World by Brian Keene:
  The first one of the three storylines gave me chills.
• 
  T.A.

  As with all anthologies there were hits and misses in this collection, plus one of the narrator’s reminded me of David Attenborough which was just really odd when talking about zombies.
  
  For me too many of these zombie stories were just okay. There were maybe three that were unique takes, about the same classic Romero zombie style and the rest were just meh, loosely related to zombies but could easily been classed as another genre.
  
  Some people will love the stories I didn’t so probably worth a read/listen.
• 
  Donna Heard

  This is a book of short zombie stories. Some of the stories were really good others i was not a fan of. Like many books filled with short stories you are going to find some that are just not that interesting or the writing style isn't something you like. I found more stories I liked in this book then I didn't like.
• 
  Laura

  In this collection, there were two standout stories, some okay stories, and some... not so okay. The editing was also not the best.
  Unfortunately overall, I was not as impressed with this book I was hoping to be.
• 
  Rashie

  Thankfully the 2nd half of this book picked up considerably and while I still prefer the sequel, the stories in the last half helped make this book a pretty good read!
• 
  David

  Really uneven. Enjoyed a couple of the stories but the majority of them were "meh" 😕
• 
  Rob Foster

  About 50/50 in terms of quality, so far. Some stories you just have to skip and skipping a few in a row it's time to take a break. Definitely a few diamonds in the rough, though.
• 
  Melissa Dally

  This is a very solid collection of zombie tales with a small handful of "WTF???" thrown in. Would recommend for the zombie enthusiast.
• 
  Rhys Causon

  More of a miss than a hit in this short story collection for me anyway.
• 
  Shelly Steffler

  Hit and miss - I didn't read all the stories. I appreciated a different take on the regular zombie story i.e. zombie love.