Group read – FantasyFavorites
Newsflesh (book 1)
It is 2039 and Georgia & Shaun Mason are up and coming bloggers. Solid betas they are on the look out for the story that will enable them to break away and start their own site, their own identity. And they are about to get their big break, because presidential hopeful Senator Ryman is about to start campaigning for the Republican nomination. And the Masons are going to be part of his media circus.
Oh, and did I mention the zombies?
This is a book that has featured quite a bit on blogs I read, and everywhere I’m hearing good feedback, but the synopsis just didn’t do it for me. Or at least, it didn’t make me rush straight out and grab it, but it did enough that I ordered it when I saw it was an upcoming read at the Fantasy Favorites group. Of course it got to me too late for that discussion, but better late than never.
I really liked it.
I think what I especially liked was that it wasn’t set during the zombie apocalypse, but in the aftermath of a zombie rising that has mostly been put down and where civilisation is continuing on, albeit in a different manner. Blood tests and security monitoring everywhere. Not to mention the damage done to the farming industry when you consider than any mammal that weighs more than 40 pounds is likely to reanimate when it dies.
I dived straight into this book and pretty much kept going. It helped that I took today off to keep Floyd company as he settles in. It meant hours of reading this morning before our trip to the vet.
I know there are plenty of people who have been put off by my mentioning zombies, they aren’t everybody’s cup of tea, but honestly, this book does it differently, and there is loads to enjoy. A central female character who isn’t sighing and drooling after a guy for one. I mean there is a teeny bit of romance in this, but it is a secondary character and handled off-screen. Makes for a nice change I can tell you.
I also really enjoyed the style of the book, it was easy to read, but with plenty of information. I mean read that opening line again. Now, already you know that it has been 26 years since the zombies appeared and that the main character has a brother, who likes to poke things with sticks.
Thoroughly enjoyable, now I’ve got to go order book 2 in the series.
Other reviews: Geeks of doom ; Books, bytes, and other bits ; Jim C. Hines (spoilers) ; Geek girls rule
Hmmr, haven't read anything about zombies in a while… I'm going to have to give this one a try.
She´s last blog post ..The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet – David Mitchell
It is very easy to overdose on Zombies, they seem to be everywhere recently.
I have never herad of this author, so thanks for mentioning her. I would not normally read a novel with zombies in it but this sounds different from the usual.
Caroline´s last blog post ..Louise Welsh- Tamburlaine Must Die 2004
It is. I mean it does have the "zombie attack" parts, but, as the main character points out, the zombies aren't the story. The story is the people and how they react.
I haven't read very many zombie books. So it's political too? I think I'll try it.
Political in that the two main characters are bloggers covering news events and are covering the presidential primaries. And I suppose in relation to the politics of fear and terror.