4.5 stars for Dead City (Dead World book 1) by Joe McKinney.
I have always thought that I have seen enough zombie movies to last me a lifetime though I can easily count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I have watched such shows. Due to this reason which I am not even sure how it originates, I have not the inclination to actively seek out books related to the walking dead. So, it is by pure luck that I chance upon the Dead World series.
To be honest, I am a little put off by the not-so-appealing picture of a book cover on Dead City. While the cover picture is typical and illustrative of its content, it does neither to excite nor guarantee me a good story. The good thing is, I have long since learnt that sometimes the best of a story can hide behind the facade of a not-so-attractively designed book cover. With this in mind, I put my luck and chance to work and suddenly find myself coming to life in this city of the dead and living a series of nightmares through the eyes of lead character, Officer Eddie Hudson.
It all starts with hurricanes. Mind you, not one but five major hurricanes that hit the City of Houston - less than 250 miles away from San Antonio where eventually all actions take place - in a span of four weeks. What follows in the wake of these extremely large, powerful and violent storms is flooding, debris and death; basically, destruction beyond our worst imagination.
Dead City, fast-paced and action-packed, is a story so utterly engaging that even with knowing it to be a tale of horror and terror has not stopped me from reading it late into the night and scaring myself silly. Once the lights are out, I literally jump into bed and cover myself up with a blanket. Yes, the zombies in Dead City are genuinely scary; though the rational part of me says there are no zombies in the real world, I cannot help that my imagination takes on a life of its own and runs wild.
For a debut novel running on the theme of horror, the writer has unquestionably hit the nail on the head and made an impressive impact. The writing is smooth and the story flows realistically well, so much so that I feel as if I am one with the protagonist facing off the undead with brutality, bloodshed and gore; something straight out of a nightmare.
Reading Dead City feels like watching the transformation of humankind from a pleasant dream to a dream gone horribly wrong. I like the story so much that I find myself singing its praises to friends alike. The only plaint I have is the final event leading to the wrap up of the story, which in my opinion, is a tad too good to be true in the apocalyptic destruction of the Lone Star State.
Through the story, the author also raises thought-provoking questions about humanity, about life and death.
First, there is this question that revolves around the subject of consciousness. How much of it do the undead have left? If they retain even a tiny fraction of cognizance, should they be guilty of attacking the living? Second, should the zombie or even a near-zombie be arrested for killing and eating somebody? Should the uninfected shoot the undead in self-defense or in pre-emptive attempt for fear of being attacked? Third, do the livings have an obligation to contain the infected and find a cure for whatever virus is plaguing them? Or should they take the utilitarian approach and kill all the infected before they have a chance to spread the virus to the rest of the world? Indeed, the legal and ethical issues brought up by the author are food for thought.
All things considered, this adrenaline pumping novel of horror in first person narrative is worth every minute of my time reading. I will highly recommend it to those of you - not for the faint-hearted - who are seriously up for a horror challenge.
Publisher: Pinnacle; Reprint edition
Publication date: 1 Oct 2010
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Battered by five cataclysmic hurricanes in three weeks, the Texas Gulf Coast and half of the Lone Star State is reeling from the worst devastation in history. Thousands are dead or dying--but the worst is only beginning. Amid the wreckage, something unimaginable is happening: a deadly virus has broken out, returning the dead to life--with an insatiable hunger for human flesh. . .
The Nightmare Begins
Within hours, the plague has spread all over Texas. San Antonio police officer Eddie Hudson finds his city overrun by a voracious army of the living dead. Along with a small group of survivors, Eddie must fight off the savage horde in a race to save his family. . .
Hell On Earth
There's no place to run. No place to hide. The zombie horde is growing as the virus runs rampant. Eddie knows he has to find a way to destroy these walking horrors. . .but he doesn't know the price he will have to pay. . .
*Blurb from Goodreads*
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