I started reading this before the world jumped headfirst into its own virus apocalypse, then got a bunch of library books and put it aside, then came back to it in the midst of everything. What a difference a few months makes!
First of all, I need everyone to know that the author is the son of Mel Brooks. That totally blew my mind. What interesting dinner conversations that family must have!
The zombie apocalypse has come and gone, and the world is recovering. A journalist travels the world, interviewing those who were instrumental in some aspect of the victory: soldiers, scientists, old blind men with swords, etc. It’s a tough book to latch on to, since there’s no overarching plotline or central character to follow. It was easy to put it down and then pick right back up months later.
The scope is impressive, and the thought behind every teeny aspect is kind of amazing. What would really happen if the dead started rising? How would the military react? Would our regular style of warfare work against such a threat? What kind of weapons would be needed? How would people in rural areas survive? In cities? It’s all laid out clearly and believably. Water would be dangerous, because zombies don’t drown. Cold (seasonal and geographical) would be an ally, as zombies would freeze. Sharing information would be key. Supplies would be precious.
An impressive amount of research and thought obviously went into this. The writing is good, and Brooks does a good job of keeping each little slice interesting. However, I wish I had liked it more. I guess I’m one of those people who needs a main character, or at least a main plot. The snapshots were clever and well done, but not enough for this reader.
