The New Dead: A Zombie Anthology

The New Dead: A Zombie Anthology

This book was kind enough to solve my issue with anthologies right on the front, with a blurb that said these were all new stories. You have no idea how much I appreciate that kind of thing!

Most of these stories were pretty fun, and well written.
Thanks to the convoluted idea that this should be some 'deep and meaningful' collection, the editor of this anthology threw in at least one real stinker. Not that the story itself was bad, but it just WASN'T a zombie story. AT ALL.

Other than that, most of the stories were really enjoyable. There were a few that I personally thought were really bad, and I explain why after the jump (where I review each story individually).


Individual Story Reviews Behind Jump!!!


Lazarus by John Connolly

Synopsis:
Lazarus is pulled from his tomb... and nothing is as expected.

Character Likability:
If you could possibly imagine a zombie that induces the image of "oh, woe is me" and proceeds in head hanging and foot shuffling (despite the fact that he talks about feeling nothing)... well... this is he. I really liked Lazarus... but never have I felt such empathy for a zombie.

Quality of Writing:
 Excellent, I could visualize all of it, the image was vivid and clear, and my pity for Lazarus was potent.

Ending:
FANTASTIC.

Plot:
Lazarus is resurrected by Jesus, Son of God, and finds that all of his relationships are just as dead as he is. He strives to feel something... anything... but cannot muster a single thing, emotional or physical.

Believability of World:
This one has more to do with believability of character, and I found them all very believable... and sad.

Adult Content: 
This one was actually pretty mild on the Adult Content. There is one scene where Lazarus' fiance comes over to try to make love to him, but when she touches 'it' nothing happens and she leaves. There is no graphic description to this scene at all.

Overall Grade: B

What Maisie Knew by David Liss

Synopsis:
Walter Molson has gotten himself into a whole heap of trouble. He has a wife with baby on the way and the seemingly perfect life, except for one little thing. The secret apartment where he keeps his reanimate, Maisie. He has to keep her though, he has no choice... she knows something that could destroy him, even though she shouldn't know anything at all.

Character Likability:
I spent a lot of time wondering about Walter at the beginning of this story. He keeps telling us how much he doesn't like what he's doing (which includes having sex with and torturing Maisie)... and at first I thought he was one of those guys who says things to convince himself he didn't like it... but, turns out, he really didn't like it, he was just scared. Now, I'm sure you're asking yourself, "What could he possibly be so scared of to warrant sex and torture," but the man does have a valid reason to fear What Maisie Knew.
Maisie was likable, if not a bit frightening... and the supporting cast of "Reanimate enthusiasts" were all just disturbing.

Quality of Writing:
The story flowed easily and kept me totally engrossed, even through the disturbing stuff.

Ending:
Terrifying. Truly Terrifying.

Plot:
This is really a surprisingly complex plot for so small a space. They talk about how Reanimates came about, how they were found acceptable by the public, what measures are taken so you don't recognize a reanimate, the character's past, the past of Maisie, their history together, and the history of the behavior of reanimates... not to mention quite a bit about the main character's wife.
There was really only one part I had a problem with, and that was near the end when everything was falling apart. The character made one very rash, instant decision in which he forgot some very important information... and it just seemed out of character for him, and a little rushed.

Believability of World:
I could see this happening, sadly.

Adult Content:
YES. Sex, Murder, Torture... it's all there, on full display.


Overall Grade: B

Copper by Stephen R. Bissette


Synopsis:
Veterans back from the war are having a hard time getting the help they need... perhaps they can find it through the old man, Copper, who sits on his porch in their neighborhood.


Character Likability:
The main character was very likable. He seemed lost and innocent and just wishing to be helped.
Copper was ok, he annoyed me a little at his stubbornness... but I suppose if you've spent any time with crotchety old men, this makes sense.

Quality of Writing:
This was actually jarring at first. It was like reading Mark Twain for the first time... you just aren't immediately used to how it's broken up, so you have to slow down a little and figure it out. Of course as the story progresses, the disjointed nature of it makes more and more sense.

Ending:
Decent enough, although a little contrived. It was the end I expected.

Plot:
This is the story of Iraq veterans who returned home, desperately sought out help, didn't find any, and took matters into their own hands, only to realize that it wasn't the end for them at all. Now they're vigilantes, of sorts, traveling from town to town, trying to remain under the radar, which is much easier than any of them expected.
I was a bit amazed at the soldier's restraint... I really would have expected more violence from them,
and not because they're soldiers. 

Believability of World:
Not quite as believable as the story before it, this one had points that felt more contrived and convenient... and certain things made no sense at all... possibly just from lack of explanation.

Adult Content:
YES. Violence and Murder


Overall Grade: C

In The Dust by Tim Lebbon


Synopsis:
They lived in the town where an outbreak had destroyed life as they knew it. Now they were prisoners there. Three survivors, trapped in by a fence erected by the government, and monitored all of the time. Made to do the scientists bidding.


Character Likability:
The characters were likable and believable enough. I'm not sure I felt anything particularly strong towards any of them... no great, connecting attachment... but I didn't dislike them either.

Quality of Writing:
It was a fast read, which I always equate to a decent writing style because that means it didn't pull me out of the story or force me to stop and try to figure out what was going on, text wise.

Ending:
I actually really loved the ending of this story. It was almost poetic.

Plot:
I can't say you didn't see this one coming... there wasn't anything terribly shocking or amazing about the plot... no twists or turns. It went the way you kind of expected it to... if you're at all familiar with zombie tales... but it was a very satisfying read, none-the-less.

Believability of World:
I could see all of this happening to one degree or another. Although I think I find it a bit hard to believe that NONE of the military people were inside their compound in the end.

Adult Content:
This one was actually pretty mild. There is one gunshot to a head, but that's it, and it's not described in gross and gory detail.
 

Overall Grade: C+

Life Sentence by Kelley Armstrong


Synopsis:
Daniel Boyd wasn't about to let Death stop him. He had just been giving a death sentence from Cancer, but, he was determined, with enough money and connections, to find a way to cheat Death. No expense would be spared. No cost was too great.


Character Likability:
Daniel was unlikable, but then, he was supposed to be. His assistant Shana was, at first, to me, unlikable as well... but as the story progresses you learn more about her and she becomes someone you don't hate.

Quality of Writing:
Another fast read... which as mentioned before, to me, equals decent writing. It didn't pull me out of the story.

Ending:
Another almost poetic ending. 

Plot:
This plot really hinged on Daniel's arrogance. He was a busy man, he couldn't be bothered, nor did he have time for the details. It also led him to huge oversights when it came to people's motivtions. Overall, a good plot that kept me interested and reading. I also enjoyed that this was set in Kelley Armstrong's paranormal world, where things like vampires and zombies existed and everyone knew about them... It made sense that Daniel would be able to do extensive zombie research because it would be plausible for something like zombie research to exist.

Believability of World:
The world was believable, but more unfamiliar than one set in this world. I have a feeling that had I read more Kelley Armstrong, this book's world would have felt much more believable, because I would be more familiar with it.

Adult Content:
Murder and Violence, but not graphically so.

 

Overall Grade: B+

Delice by Holly Newstein


Synopsis:
Delice woke up not knowing how she got where she was. She didn't recall much of anything...  but Ava Ani was there to help her... not only remember, but seek revenge.


Character Likability:
Delice and Ava Ani were both likable characters. Especially Ava Ani, who seemed to be running the show. Delice was a little bit... vacant... until she began to remember what had happened to her.

Quality of Writing:
I actually had a hard time getting into this one. I found the beginning was just not holding my interest for some reason. Maybe because nothing much happened other than Delice waking up and getting dressed... but I waded through it and was glad I did. The story picked up quickly after the first two pages.

Ending:
A bit confusing, honestly. I have no idea who the man who just shows up is, in relation to Ava Ani. I get a sense that there is a much larger story going on here and that we are seeing just a small act on Ava Ani's part, in a greater world of Necromancy.

Plot:
Ava Ani seems to be working solely to bring justice to those who did Delice wrong. If she has other motivations, they are not discussed in this story. Delice was a maid who was to meet a fate worse than death... and who chose death over that fate, but it didn't stop those who had done her wrong, and Ava Ani felt they needed to be brought to justice. This story is based deep in VooDoo mythology, and there are a lot of French and voodoo terms tossed around that aren't exactly explained... but you get a sense of what they mean by how they are used.

Believability of World:
I found it hard to believe that Delice's employers would have been left alone as they were, after what had happened... but I suppose money does buy a certain level of privacy. Overall, it was believable.

Adult Content:
There is some pretty gross description of torture, but other than that, nothing else.


Overall Grade: C

The Wind Cries Mary by Brian Keene


Synopsis:
Every night he watches his beloved Mary return to the home they once shared. Bloated with death, staggering on bone where once there was foot... she drags herself back. What she does during the day? He doesn't know... but he wonders what makes her return... do the undead remember?


Character Likability:
The main character loved his wife dearly, as a reader, you love him for that.

Quality of Writing:
Flowed quickly and easily.

Ending:
The ending was really interesting. I didn't see it coming at all.

Plot:
In a zombie ridden world, a man watches his dearly beloved return to the house they once shared, night after night. He's forced to wonder if Zombies can remember anything about their former lives. This story was truly a short one, 4 pages long... but that was really all it needed.

Believability of World:
Believable... but I don't have a lot to say about it, because it was only in there briefly, and I'm not sure how the rest of the world outside of this particular house was doing.

Adult Content:
Nothing terrible at all. YA novel readers who stay away from Adult fiction because of content could read this one, no problem.


Overall Grade: B

Family Business by Jonathan Maberry
**NOTE** This is the short story that Rot and Ruin the novel is based on... DO NOT READ THIS SHORT STORY if you want to read Rot and Ruin.


Synopsis:
Benny remembered watching his parents turn. He remembered being handed to his brother, Tom, and watching as Tom ran away. Benny has always hated Tom for running away. For leaving his mother to be turned by their father... but now Benny is older, and he needs a job. He tries everything else first, but in the end, he realizes he might just have to try the Family Business.


Character Likability:
Excellent characters, from the Imura Brothers (Tom and Benny) to the strange religious types to the not so honorable Bounty Hunters. I especially enjoyed Tom. He'd been through so much, and you really get a sense of how tormented his character is, but he holds it together and is mature beyond his years.

Quality of Writing:
There were no jarring moments, the story, while one of the longer ones in the book, still flowed smoothly.

Ending:
This ending was ok. You could see it coming... but somehow, I felt like it was a little rushed.

Plot:
It's Tom's job to teach his young brother about passion for both the living and the dead. Benny refers to them as zoms, and doesn't think of them as people at all until Tom forces him to look at things differently. It's a story about humanity, and questioning when it is lost.

Believability of World:
I felt that The Rot and Ruin (the world outside the protected community they lived in) seemed huge and believable... while the community they lived in seemed entirely different, and not in an entirely believable way. You got no sense of its size, how many people were there, or what exactly life was like.

Adult Content:
There is killing in this story, and one scene where zombies are tortured... but it wasn't, in my opinion, that bad. This story was more somber and bittersweet.


Overall Grade: B-

The Zombie Who Fell From the Sky by M. B. Homler


Synopsis:
A man falls from the sky and is impaled on the spire of town hall. No one can get it down, so they just leave him there. That was a huge mistake.


Character Likability:
I really kind of disliked the main character. He was a whiny, annoying dope who, to me, was just obnoxious. The military people were insane... like bad stereotypes and in the worst kind of way... I almost suspect this author hates all things Military. Possibly, the most likable characters were the dog (although his unfortunate name, thanks to the immaturity of the main character almost ruined it) and the zombie (also given a stupid name)

Quality of Writing:
This story made me sad. The IDEA behind it was fantastic, lots of fun and had potential... but the execution was so childish. Almost all of the characters in this story had what seemed like overly complicated names, or just plain stupid names (the main character decided to call the dog "Butt Muncher" which made me cringe every time I saw it). The author's representation of the military was downright insulting. (One military guy wore a clown mask and kept screaming Hoo-Hah at the beginning of every sentence) and the main character made decisions that just didn't even make sense. All of this ridiculousness kept pulling me out of the story.

Ending:
It ended with a poem, which isn't something I've seen before, so it was interesting. Unfortunately, it wasn't great poetry... but then, the author (the main character) was not really a great man.

Plot:
The plot of this story was amazing. I loved it. It's such a pity the execution destroyed it for me. Body is impaled, townsfolk can't get it off of spire, so they leave it, horrible things start happening. Then cue the background story of where this zombie came from, and why things are happening the way they did... it's all excellent. To bad the characters all really suck.

Believability of World:
I had a hard time getting into this world because the main character was SO stupid, and the military people were SO nasty, and the scientists were SO stereotyped.

Adult Content:
There is strong language in this one and graphic description of dead bodies.


Overall Grade: D

My Dolly by Derek Nikitas


Synopsis:
A paramedic is going to see a man about a body.


Character Likability:
The characters showed real promise in the first half of this story... but by the end of it, I really didn't care about any of them.

Quality of Writing:
The prose were so bogged down towards the end that I did a lot of skimming. It's not that it wasn't understandable, it was just really boring.

Ending:
Pretty lame. Especially compared to the beginning which seemed so promising and interesting.

Plot:
This is the story of a paramedic who had been keeping a body he found, the last body before paramedic services were disabled, under ice, because he had some sort of theory about zombies. It consists of him going to get it, finding out the guy he made an arrangement with to store it was dead, so he has to deal with his beastly wife. There is a lot of talking and standing and staring... then he takes the body to the ocean and dips her in, because it's warm and it will reanimate her, but he rushes things (after waiting so long) and a storm comes in and he and the zombie almost drown. It really seemed like this story had potential in the beginning, what with the elaborate world filled with swarms of bugs and such... but... then it kind of meandered... flopped about like a fish out of water, and died. There was A LOT of time spent standing and talking while he was getting the body. Then there was the whole ocean scene. I find it hard to believe he'd act so hastily after waiting so long... and honestly, the ocean part didn't really make a lot of sense anyways, especially when you add in the guys who pulled him from the water. It was all just a bit of "WTF?... "

Believability of World:
The world itself was interesting with the bug swarms and post apocalyptic setting, but the characters actions were not believable.

Adult Content:
Not much. 
 

Overall Grade: F

Second Wind by Mike Carey


Synopsis:
A Stock Broker knows the end is coming. He's done well at his job... in fact, it's what's killing him... but that leaves him with the funds to prepare for an afterlife. So he does. What he doesn't count on is that his fortress isn't as secure as he though.


Character Likability:
I found these characters very likable. Nick, the Stock Broker knows what he wants and how he wants it. He's a no nonsense kind of guy and stays consistent. You have to admire his determination.
Janine is small and pathetic and you end up not being able to help liking her.

Quality of Writing:
This story had a really playful, amusing banter. The main character's voice was easy-flowing, a bit cocky and very likable.

Ending:
It was a bit of a bittersweet ending. Kind of sad... but kind of what you expected.

Plot:
This story wasn't so much about zombies... the main character was a zombie, but it was more about human interactions and routine and life. Being a zombie was more of a way to get the main character to step out of his former life, from which he never would have noticed the things he notices as the Undead. Essentially, it's about a man who is afraid to stop.

Believability of World:
There is a point where bums and vandals are breaking into Nick's Zombie abode, and I find the threat of that, and his fortifications to be the scariest part of this story... and very believable... but to think they'd eventually leave him alone, I'm not sure I believe that.

Adult Content:
There is some gross description of Nick's zombification process, but other than that, nothing.
 

Overall Grade: C+


Closure, Limited: A Story of World War Z by Max Brooks


Synopsis:
On a ship in a Fjord in Iceland, closure is something that can be bought.


Character Likability:
You can't help but like the Doctor's enthusiasm for his work, and his attention to detail. 

Quality of Writing:
This story made me want to read more Max Brooks novels. It was smooth flowing, interesting and kept me entertained the entire time.

Ending:
About halfway through this story, you saw where it was going, so the end was ok... although I'm not sure the client would have wanted all of that detail... it seems like it would take away from the experience of closure.

Plot:
Pretty much, this is a recreation tank, where the crew goes out and finds a zombie that looks similar to someone's lost loved one (sometimes facial reconstruction is done to add to this). They then recreate artifacts the person might have had on them that were specific to the client's memories... and then the client comes in... for closure.

Believability of World:
There really isn't that much detail on it... because it's not about the outside world. I'm sure if I read World War Z, that would help a lot with background.

Adult Content:
Not really anything of note
 

Overall Grade: B+

Among Us by Aimee Bender


Synopsis:
Zombies are everywhere. In the horror-flick terms where we are comfortable with them, within our own heads, and working next to us.


Character Likability:
This story is pretty disjointed and jumps around. There is no one truly dislikable, just pity worthy.

Quality of Writing:
Each chapter jumps to something completely different from the last, so it's a little disjointed, but in a train of thought, leading sort of way.

Ending:
Sad and pondering.

Plot:
It's a story about how mindless we all can be. How self consumed. How alone and dead inside.

Believability of World:
It jumps all over, but it's believable in each section

Adult Content:
Some zombie eating action, but pretty mild.
 

Overall Grade: B+

Ghost Trap by Rick Hautala


Synopsis:
A US Coast Guard diver finds something totally unexpected while he's helping a friend collect wayward Lobster traps.


Character Likability:
Jeff Stewart is the main character, and very likable, are as his buddies, and the crusty old guy at the bar who tells him a haunting story.

Quality of Writing:
This one flowed quickly and easily for me, held my interest and left me wanting more of the history of the town. I'd like to read more by Rick Hautala.

Ending:
Terrifying and sad.

Plot:
The plot of this story hinges on the past. Evidently there was some sort of outbreak, way back when the main character was very young. It's been mostly forgotten, until Jeff mentions the dead body he found while drinking at the local bar. A crusty ol' local pipes up and says he knows who it is... and to leave the body well enough alone. Of course, by this point, Jeff has already marked it and reported it to the government (He works for the US Coast Guard retrieving bodies from shipwrecks)... but he strongly wishes he hadn't... and he should have heeded that warning.
The plot relying on the past of the town is really fascinating, and it makes you want to know more about the original outbreak... but it also leaves you wanting more of the 'after' of the story too... because this is kind of an 'inbetween zombie attacks' for this town's history.

Believability of World:
Very believable and someplace I'd like to explore more of.

Adult Content:
Some description of gore during a zombie attack. Not terrible though.
 

Overall Grade: A-

The Storm Door by Tad Williams


Synopsis:
Nightingale is a hunter of the supernatural... and something is going terribly wrong. The dead are rising... and no one is noticing.


Character Likability:
You like Nightingale and his uncle quite a lot.

Quality of Writing:
This one was another fast flowing work. There seems to be a lot of history here for the character Nightingale that I'd be interested in learning more about... I'd be interested in learning more about what happened after this short story as well.

Ending:
Shocking, it was not what I was expecting.

Plot:
The "Storm Door" to the supernatural world is opening, and new evils are slipping through. The dead are rising, shortly after dying, and Nightingale is going to consult his Uncle, from whom he learned everything, to try to figure out why, and to get help.
This story seemed like a small part of a bigger world, a world I'd love to read more about.

Believability of World:
Very. It's a fun kind of world, filled with monsters and scary things that go bump in the night... it's like the show Supernatural.

Adult Content:
Not really anything of note
 

Overall Grade: B+


Kids and Their Toys by James A. Moore


Synopsis:
A bunch of twelve year old boys find a zombie. You know this can't be good.


Character Likability:
Mr. Moore has always been skilled at writing characters that you like, one that scare the bajeebus out of you, and ones you downright despise. You will find them all here.

Quality of Writing:
I've always found James A. Moore stories to flow quickly and leave you turning pages and missing sleep. This story is no exception. I read through it quickly and was horrified, as was the intent.

Ending:
Oh Mr. Moore... I should have known. It ends horrifically, but I mean that in the best sort of way.

Plot:
The story starts out with these opening sentences:
Of course they poked it with a stick. What else would twelve-year-olds do with a freshly discovered corpse?
It's both humorous and gruesome... something Moore excels at. The story, in its short amount of time, explores the dynamics of a group of 12 year old boys as they hold a found zombie captive and play with it. You grow to care for certain characters through a surprising amount of background story, and you grow to fear other characters, seeing them as the ticking time bomb they are.

Believability of World:
Very. This could be happening down the street.

Adult Content:
VERY graphic torture. Mr. Moore never skimps on his description of the horrible things that happen to people, or the horrible things they will do to one another.
 

Overall Grade: A

Shooting Pool by Joe R. Lansdale

**NOTE** THIS IS NOT A ZOMBIE STORY. Seriously, it's not. The only way you even understand why this story is in here is by reading the forward at the beginning of the book. I'm going to go ahead and rate this story based on the quality of the story though, and not on the quality of it as a zombie story... because it would fail miserably then. The guy who put this anthology together included it trying to be deep... claiming it has to do with zombies because it looks at REAL death. No. That's hardcore BS. This is a campy zombie anthology, not a "Let's ponder the real meaning of life and death" anthology. This story had no place being in this anthology.


Synopsis:
Some locals are shooting pool when a new comer enters and wants to play.


Character Likability:
There are a few characters in this story. Rugger, the owner of the joint, who is ok. The narrator who isn't unlikable, but is kind of a machismo idiot. Ray Martin, who is a vicious son-of-a-!! and not very likable at all, Ross, the newcomer, who is the most likable of them all... and a few other supporting characters that either made me cringe (the handicapped kid) or didn't really matter.

Quality of Writing:
The story was well written, it flowed smoothly, and while you weren't sure what the EXACT outcome would be, you could see trouble coming a mile off. You CERTAINLY knew what Ross was all about.

Ending:
It's and ending that kind of leaves you hanging... waiting... which is fine for this sort of story.

Plot:
The plot of this story revolves around a bunch of tough guys in a small town. They all think they're pretty bad, but you find out who's truly nutty, and who was just putting on a show. The characters find out too, which makes it interesting. It's a pretty done plot though, so you can visualize the outcome of this story pretty easily... and see where it's going before it gets there.

Believability of World:
This was set in our world, there is absolutely nothing supernatural about this story... so it takes no stretch of the imagination to see this happening.

Adult Content:
Some rather strong and insulting language directed at a mentally handicapped character.
 

Overall Grade: C-

Weaponized by David Wellington


Synopsis:
A reporter has just uncovered the story of her life.


Character Likability:
The main character is a pushy, obnoxious reporter. Of course, she did things that they were told not to do... but you kind of expect that... and as far as reporters go, she was likable enough. The military men she was there with were likable enough... they were keeping their secrets, but that was expected.

Quality of Writing:
There was a lot of military jargon that broke things up for me, and a lot of description that seemed like extra... but we were following a reporter who was meant to notice things. It wasn't my favorite writing style of the stories I've read in this book, but it wasn't unreadable by any means.

Ending:
Kind of what you'd expect.

Plot:
This is the story of a reporter getting the story of her life. She discovers that the military is using the reanimated bodies of dead soldiers (with the families permission) as their new army. They are controlled by a chip made in China... you know that *has* to spell trouble at some point. Anyhow, the reporter has been forbidden from recording images, of course, so she has to find a way to get around that. Her desire to "get the story" almost costs her her life.

Believability of World:
Oh... sure, why not. Yeah, I could see this happening. The families agree because they need money, the military does it to save money. It all makes sense.

Adult Content:
Not really anything of note
 

Overall Grade: C+

Twittering from the Circus of the Dead by Joe Hill


Synopsis:
One disgruntled teenage girl twitters her family's vacation. It's a typical, boring family event until they elect to stop at The Circus of the Dead.


Character Likability:
The main character is a whiny teenage girl who has issues with her mother, but you can't help but like them both. You know her problems are those superficial ones all teenage girls have with their mom... and her mom has issues with the fake nature of things like blogging and twitter, so that makes it pretty fun... and her mom isn't entirely wrong! She also has a brother and a father who are described in enough detail to enjoy them as well.

Quality of Writing:
This story is 100% in twitter format. We see things in the form of the main character's twitter entries. It makes it a very fast, fun, scary, entertaining read.

Ending:
CREEPY as heck and PERFECT.

Plot:
The family trip is torture, so they think. Then they get to The Circus of the Dead and realize their family trip had been a happy dream.
It's entertaining to watch how people will believe what they want to believe, regardless of what is going on right in front of them.

Believability of World:
This one is very creepily believable. It might be the only one of all of these stories that will haunt me.

Adult Content:
Gore
 

Overall Grade: A+