Spring Break
Zombie survivors speak
Andrew Hackman
Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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It's the not-too-distant future, and humanity is recovering from almost certain extinction. Aptly named The Great Panic, the world populace tore itself apart looking for a way to survive the zombie infestation. Some put their faith in a miracle vaccine. Others followed the "expert" advice and went north, hoping the impending winter would freeze the undead. Still others barricaded themselves in and hoped they could stop the undead roaming the streets with an old shotgun.
This worldwide panic led to death on a scale never before seen. Countries that were once friends resorted to nuclear warfare. Roads became deathtraps as traffic came to a standstill, attracting every zombie in the region. Mankind was forced to retreat to a handful of easily defensible zones, leaving behind millions as bait. It is only in the past year that the mainland of America has almost been completely cleared of its millions of zombies. Normalcy has finally started to return to the average American.
It is here that Max Brooks, author of the Zombie Survival Guide, takes upon himself the task of collecting the stories of those who experienced The Zombie War. Brooks, the character, is an author and zombie expert who traveled to the farthest corners of the globe to interview survivors of the zombie war. His subjects range from a blind Japanese gardener to black market organ doctor to high ranking US officials.
Remember, there is no such thing as zombies. It won't always be easy when reading World War Z, I know. Brooks's style of writing creates a world that feels so like our own it is hard to separate fact from fiction. His use of a narrative, rather than just a simple history lesson, allows him to give the subject a very human face. The reader grows to feel for the people they are reading about rather than simply thinking of them as nameless victims.
Rather than simply telling you about events, he allows the stories of survivors to simply paint the edges. This creates a world centered around people but with so much more history and depth than seems possible. The world isn't limited by what you read, but rather by what you can contemplate. After all, nothing is more terrifying than the monsters in your mind.
This book is a must read for anybody out there who has ever enjoyed the brain eating, undead genre. Max Brooks is a true master of the zombie story. I can almost guarantee that anybody who reads this book w ill find themselves looking at their world a little differently. Would that door hold back zombies long enough? What weapons do I keep close at hand that could stop a zombie coming at me? Is that person over there walking a little zombie-like? Don't say I didn't warn you.
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