Leisurely Geeks

There is always speculation as to the cyclical prevalence of certain types of fiction that becomes popular. We love to analyze pop culture popularity. Especially the things we choose to frighten us. Often the media has the habit of seeing only the surface of things. Speculating, for example, that we like Vampires for their glamorous immortality and tortured souls.

Zombies, for a long time, have been symbolic for the monsters we could become. But too often, they were and sometimes continue to be used as monsters. Monsters that were likely created by or were part of an apocolyptic event. With that, many zombie tales are of the humans attempts to survive the situation. Which really makes that type of fiction survival horror stories where the zombies are just the tool which is used to push the human protagonists along the story. Revealing the strengths and weaknesses of humanity through the interaction of the living as they battle monsters that were once human. Don’t get me wrong. There is definitely a place for these types of stories. George Romero‘s films are legendary cult classics. Danny Boyle‘s 2002 film 28 days Later breathed new life into the genre with its fast spreading rage virus and zombie-like monsters that could sprint after you. And of course Robert Kirkman‘s Walking Dead comics and wildly popular AMC series, which feature classically styled zombies but take survivor tales to the next level. And don’t forget the fantastic Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z novel by Max Brooks.

Yet, the popularity of the comic and AMC series The Walking Dead is the tip of the iceberg of the resurgance of Zombie fiction. With the popularity at an all time high, many would believe that those previousely outside of the genre who are now creating zombie related fiction are just jumping on the bandwagon.

And here is where my review of I, Zombie by Hugh Howey begins:

Now that it has been released and it has already been delivered to my Kindle app on my iPad, time to take a bite. Or, if Hugh Howey’s other novels are an indicator, likely finish in under two days.

So in this book Howey  takes the Zombie genre and puts it on its head. For in this novel he explores the human souls who do not make it. The ones left to turning into zombies themselves with their humanity trapped by their condition. If Howey’s previous works are an indicator I will finish this book with many thoughts about humanity at its core. About whether or not we deserve to survive an apocalypse, Zombie or otherwise. Oh and in case you missed it. It is a Zombie book. And, I love zombie books.

The book is on sale now on Amazon: I, Zombie by Hugh Howey on Amazon

Check out Hugh Howe’s site here: http://www.hughhowey.com/

Cover courtesy www.hughhowey.com

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• Why haven’t you read Hugh Howey’s The Silo Series Yet?

After some consideration, I have decided to use my initial post at Leisurely Geeks to terrify.

A few days ago there was an incident in the genomic biology lab at the University of Illinois, where a shelf collapsed, someone was splashed with chemicals, and the university put out this tweet: “Hazardous materials released at Institute for Genomic Biology. Escape area if safe to do so. Otherwise seek shelter.”
https://twitter.com/IlliniAlert/status/207309505611051009

In a seemingly unrelated story, there was an incident in Miami where a homeless man was chewing the face off another homeless man. A policeman shot him, and HE DIDN’T STOP EATING!!! The officer had to fire half a dozen shots to stop him.
http://www.tampabay.com/incoming/miami-police-kill-naked-man-found-eating-another-mans-face/1232338

Perhaps no further comment is necessary, but I advise everyone to stock up on food, water, and ammo, and possibly board up your windows. We don’t yet know whether these are the slow kind or the fast kind, so I’d get ready for both, just to be safe.

Yes we have an insatiable hunger. Ravenous for human flesh. Or rather Movies, TV, and Books that feature such things. And we can’t wait for the next installment of The Walking dead. This movie seems cool. Kind of a Outlaw Josie Wales meets The Walking Dead. Check it out! The more we watch, the more we will be ready for the zombies when they come!!

http://www.exithumanity.com/