tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57173342025441258652024-03-19T22:43:26.804+11:00NecroScopeChuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.comBlogger218125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-39565891552710667422012-03-12T10:38:00.000+11:002012-03-12T10:38:14.466+11:00NecroScope Closes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib92gVMfjqaXlFEn8RCylS8WKmld7heyDM3vMxWV_4KS9nxE7Z0dXgSyb2-hNx-PYzRwQxu2g1CQPGjrNg2T5FTGrZQBLsG_47w3lPNRbk4AYJgJ3HhcCuy7hWmTzLr-BbzQKYoEuiPg/s1600/necroscope_FB.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib92gVMfjqaXlFEn8RCylS8WKmld7heyDM3vMxWV_4KS9nxE7Z0dXgSyb2-hNx-PYzRwQxu2g1CQPGjrNg2T5FTGrZQBLsG_47w3lPNRbk4AYJgJ3HhcCuy7hWmTzLr-BbzQKYoEuiPg/s1600/necroscope_FB.png" /></a></div>It is with great regret that we announce the official closure of <strong>NecroScope: the Australian Zombie Review Blog</strong>.<br />
Unfortunately, of late, the various personal commitments of the staff and management of <strong>NecroScope</strong> have precluded the regular updating of the site, despite the constant (and ever-increasing) influx of zombie-related product. For this reason, we feel it only fair to declare the site altogether closed rather than keep our faithful readers 'hanging on' in the hope of seeing further reviews posted here. That said, the existing site will remain online as an archival document; we hope it may continue to guide newcomers to the zombie genre towards worthy titles.<br />
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For those keen to stay updated on all things zombie, there are several excellent Australian sites we can recommend: <strong><a href="http://undeadstudies.wordpress.com/">Undead Studies</a></strong> is a scholarly site exploring 'zombies, culture and changing societal anxieties', and includes excellent media and literary reviews. <strong><a href="http://www.thirteenoclock.com.au/">Thirteen O'Clock: Australian Dark Fiction News & Reviews</a></strong> is an excellent new blog providing opinion, reviews, news and essays pertaining to Australian horror in general (with occasional forays into zombie-dom a certainty), thus filling the void left by<strong> NecroScope's</strong> much-missed parent blog, <strong><a href="http://www.horrorscope.com.au/">HorrorScope</a></strong>. Both blogs are recommended as must-visit sites for those serious about genre matters.<br />
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It's also worth mentioning that <strong>NecroScope's</strong> Keeper of the Dead, <strong>Chuck McKenzie</strong>, has recently opened a specialist SF, fantasy and horror bookstore in Chelsea, Victoria. <a href="http://notionsunlimitedbookshop.blogspot.com.au/"><strong>Notions Unlimited Bookshop</strong></a>, as you might expect, carries more than its fair share of dark fiction and zombie-related titles, and local <strong>NecroScope</strong> readers are invited to visit in order to catch up on the latest publications.<br />
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Finally: the staff and management of <strong>NecroScope</strong> would like to thank all who contributed to this blog over the past couple of years: guest posters, authors, film-makers, fellow undead enthusiasts, and - of course - our readers. The zombie genre is one that continues to expand, evolve and enthrall, shambling further and further into the mainstream, and generating an ever-growing horde of followers as it does, and it's been a genuine pleasure for us to chart, and - in some small way - contribute to this process.<br />
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Until we meet again, keep the infection alive, and enjoy the Apocalypse!<br />
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<strong>NecroScope</strong>Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-8458084683413780292011-11-29T11:30:00.000+11:002011-11-29T11:30:43.161+11:00News: NecroScope on Hiatus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjNc1j1DW9NprzqcO7Tyjpw2oA43wqIiajilHl_05_-1yiTUMGxeNE6CKDAcFoiBDtJJdrK4l6tdUOq9RLp-FKONfB94FgCzuFlaVkB9sO4EX-T3mbTQ6ABLN9ToVC0pyI_oLcPnACg/s1600/necroscope_FB.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjNc1j1DW9NprzqcO7Tyjpw2oA43wqIiajilHl_05_-1yiTUMGxeNE6CKDAcFoiBDtJJdrK4l6tdUOq9RLp-FKONfB94FgCzuFlaVkB9sO4EX-T3mbTQ6ABLN9ToVC0pyI_oLcPnACg/s200/necroscope_FB.png" width="200" /></a></div>NecroFans may have noticed a certain level of inactivity on the <strong>NecroScope</strong> website of late. The staff and management of <strong>NecroScope</strong> wish to apologise for any inconvenience (or indeed, boredom) this has caused. Unfortunately, behind-the-scenes developments (albeit positive ones) have made the consistent updating of the site impossible for the time being. While there are no plans to close the site completely, it's likely that <strong>NecroScope</strong> will be on hiatus at least until early next year.<br />
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In the meantime, any expressions of interest regarding the submission of reviews or news to <strong>NecroScope</strong> should be directed to the <a href="mailto:chuckmck1@hotmail.com.au"><strong>NecroKeeper</strong></a>.Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-57691904795589125442011-10-10T15:02:00.000+11:002011-10-10T15:02:31.525+11:00Music: The Little Black Bottles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-w6ykJOXcxG-PQFyQOup4eJ5JRGiC1qGx9xka4r_EmVtY402L60tToOlFEJshT_uG40sCtzMapBSO6GPe3ekoGsib2r75W4nhUD8MgqpooJhwFehzhylxoZ-ZKzE805wrsQOtDyhRQ/s1600/LBB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-w6ykJOXcxG-PQFyQOup4eJ5JRGiC1qGx9xka4r_EmVtY402L60tToOlFEJshT_uG40sCtzMapBSO6GPe3ekoGsib2r75W4nhUD8MgqpooJhwFehzhylxoZ-ZKzE805wrsQOtDyhRQ/s1600/LBB.jpg" /></a></div>More zombie-themed musical goodness this week! Founded by Jackie and Myke Fedyk as a two piece, the <strong><a href="http://www.thelittleblackbottles.com/the-band/">Little Black Bottles</a></strong> have taken their rollicking, ukulele-driven tavern sound and blown it out into a signature style that manages to range from country to rock and everything in between. Inspired chiefly by horror, sci-fi and classic literature, many of the band's songs will certainly appeal to fans of the fantastical, the bizarre and the Gothic. Below is a link to one of their undead-themed tunes, <strong>Zombie Romance</strong>. We thoroughly recommend that you check it out. Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQkCXOah0uc"><strong>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQkCXOah0uc</strong></a>Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-80225643993002886862011-10-10T13:43:00.000+11:002011-10-10T13:43:56.385+11:00Review: Eden: Resurrection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0CzF3f0J8g2HMnj8Bi7zFMTy85QslWyGVYDow3JpTir6YzcDLi6xlj4RTrYeToHLA2otACjpKPtGBLHBloQ1GS6fQdNFYNTpx78C74MjsBykc-EDtXGeZ4ToJKNIHPpQB6hiDVBSlg/s1600/edenresurrection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0CzF3f0J8g2HMnj8Bi7zFMTy85QslWyGVYDow3JpTir6YzcDLi6xlj4RTrYeToHLA2otACjpKPtGBLHBloQ1GS6fQdNFYNTpx78C74MjsBykc-EDtXGeZ4ToJKNIHPpQB6hiDVBSlg/s320/edenresurrection.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><strong>Tony Monchinski, 2011, Permuted Press</strong><br />
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Twenty years after the living dead swept the globe, the zombie wars are over. Whole continents have been cleared of the undead, but left uninhabited due to nuclear fallout. Humanity has begun to regain its footing in small, isolated communities around the globe. When a stranger carrying hints of Anthony's past walks into the tiny settlement of New Harmony, Anthony and his friends must set out on a life-changing trek that will swiftly degenerate into a brutal struggle for survival, as they come up against zombies, mutants, and the evil that humans still visit upon one another.<br />
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There is little I can say about <strong><em>Eden: Resurrection</em></strong> that I've not already said about Tony Monchinski's previous works (these being <em><strong><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2010/06/eden.html">Eden</a></strong></em>, and <strong><em><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2010/10/review-eden-crusade.html">Eden: Crusade</a></em></strong>): the plot is fast-paced, brutal, and completely engrossing; the characters wonderfully flawed, unique, and completely empathic (if not necessarily sympathetic); the prose and dialogue a joy to read. Also, rather than giving us 'more of the same', <strong><em>Resurrection</em></strong> refreshingly removes most of the focus from the zombie menace, and places it instead upon some of the more unpleasant human elements that have managed to thrive in the predatory vacuum left by the diminished undead population. Throw in a cliffhanger conclusion, which promises one hell of a follow-up novel, and you have what I can only refer to as an 'instant classic' of the genre.<br />
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Regardless of the almost ridiculously large volume of zomfic being produced nowadays, there's a comparatively small number of authors whose work falls almost exclusively into this genre, and a smaller number still who consistently produce work of truly <em>literary</em> quality (in the most admirable sense of the word). Tony Monchinski is definitely one of these authors, and his work should be compulsory reading for serious fans of zombie fiction.Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-83135684650597931972011-10-10T12:38:00.000+11:002011-10-10T12:38:13.507+11:00Review: Generation Zombie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeADm3sCMPOIaCW1rRp9mDzwn3Y72N6VNA6_On-W1A654_Q7Gx0b5_wyYhTHaVn2L6lv731CpHkHIzhdYuzCAX5NFgbSAAhB_fm3NUjWPf4Nz6zau_w5DeQ-_Y6wa1W0SNi8NowXBYfw/s1600/generationzombie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeADm3sCMPOIaCW1rRp9mDzwn3Y72N6VNA6_On-W1A654_Q7Gx0b5_wyYhTHaVn2L6lv731CpHkHIzhdYuzCAX5NFgbSAAhB_fm3NUjWPf4Nz6zau_w5DeQ-_Y6wa1W0SNi8NowXBYfw/s320/generationzombie.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><strong>Essays on the Living Dead in Modern Culture</strong><br />
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<strong>Ed. Stephanie Boluk & Wylie Lenz, 2011, McFarland Publishers</strong><br />
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<strong><em>Generation Zombie</em></strong> is a collection of 18 essays examining the effects of the popularity of zombies upon modern culture (and vice-versa), through fiction, movies, electronic games, and so on. Written by a wide range of experts, enthusiasts and academics, these essays cover numerous themes that should engage the interest of most zombie enthusiasts; <em>'Cyberpunk and the Living Dead'</em>, <em>'Zombies as Internal Fear or Threat'</em>,<em> 'Ztopia: Lessons in Post-Vital Politics in George Romero's Zombie Films'</em> and <em>'The National Strategy for Zombie Containment: Myth Meets Activism in Post-9/11 America'</em> are just a few of the specific topics covered herein.<br />
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<strong><em>Generation Zombie</em></strong> is a terrific read, and highly recommended to those whose interest in zombies and the zombie phenomenon extends beyond the short-term thrill of fiction and media.Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-56683769116608150942011-10-10T11:33:00.000+11:002011-10-10T11:33:24.501+11:00Review: The Zombie-Driven Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xYLAyFYSnT4zCSFgxhU4lEdr9CZxAg7vzKrlNE20fdejGS3-JPEKfYRcVWiAVWT3941d8LOk0d5ksCxHD32mO2yYBSZkVhsfN1v-TwWjzNdO_kSGfUGXx1WqW867UIfX9JBGXotklQ/s1600/zombiedrivenlife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xYLAyFYSnT4zCSFgxhU4lEdr9CZxAg7vzKrlNE20fdejGS3-JPEKfYRcVWiAVWT3941d8LOk0d5ksCxHD32mO2yYBSZkVhsfN1v-TwWjzNdO_kSGfUGXx1WqW867UIfX9JBGXotklQ/s320/zombiedrivenlife.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><strong>David Wood, 2011, Gryphonwood Press</strong><br />
High school nobody Kenan is doing just fine in the midst of the zombie apocalypse, thank you very much. But when his dream-girl, Katy, comes stumbling around the corner, Kenan finds his world turned upside down as the two of them embark on a nightmarish road-trip that will ultimately lead to a confrontation with the very person responsible for the plague of the walking dead...<br />
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<em><strong>The Zombie-Driven Life</strong></em> is a well-written and highly entertaining Young Adult novella, in which the story moves at an almost ridiculous pace, yet remains grounded by the POV narrative of the everyman protagonist. Great dollops of black humour and some wonderful characterisation round out this extremely enjoyable romp. Definitely one to add to the private library. Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-22739826919927238252011-10-04T10:28:00.000+11:002011-10-04T10:28:27.023+11:00News: Dymocks Southland Bestselling Zombie Titles for September 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vcfQ63ityiwYdOEOCt2VUkddCdkeZ9Z-GSbkQkRmDkWWOONea5gCZU_F5asL4NS4IiymQL2PsV2Uot_0ZoBSKwFR0HICQNy6wXe1LWwEztYbSsdGKgzJV-qsWaxG_BoADXyC9yTscw/s1600/zomendcap.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vcfQ63ityiwYdOEOCt2VUkddCdkeZ9Z-GSbkQkRmDkWWOONea5gCZU_F5asL4NS4IiymQL2PsV2Uot_0ZoBSKwFR0HICQNy6wXe1LWwEztYbSsdGKgzJV-qsWaxG_BoADXyC9yTscw/s200/zomendcap.JPG" width="153" /></a></div>A rather sad post, as this will be the final 'bestseller' post for the foreseeable future, as <b>NecroScope's Keeper of the Dead</b> leaves his crypt at Dymocks Southland for mouldier pastures. It seems fitting, then, that September was, again, a bumper month for sales of zombie-related fiction.<br />
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1. Dead Island <i>(game novelisation)</i> - Mark Morris<br />
2. The Fear <i>(The Enemy #3)</i> - Charlie Higson<br />
3. Alone #1: Chasers - James Phelan<br />
4. Rot & Ruin - Jonathan Maberry<br />
5. Dog Blood <i>(Hater #2)</i> - David Moody. <br />
6. Feed<i> (Newsflesh #1)</i> - Mira Grant<br />
7. The Zombies of Lake Woebegotten - Harrison Geilor<br />
8. Deadline <i>(Newsflesh #2)</i> - Mira Grant<br />
9. Flip this Zombie <i>(Married With Zombies #2)</i> - Jesse Petersen<br />
10. Flesh Eaters - Joe McKinney<br />
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New arrivals in store include <i>Ex-Patriots </i>(Peter Clines), <i>Eden #3: Resurrection</i> (Tony Monchinski), <i>Pay Me In Flesh</i> (K. Bennett), <i>Drop Dead Gorgeous</i> (Wayne Simmons), <i>Working Stiff </i>(Rachel Caine), and <i>Zombies Sold Separately</i> (Cheyenne McCray).Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-3480533082096080502011-10-03T10:20:00.000+11:002011-10-03T10:20:04.414+11:00Subscription Competition Winner!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0ZwmKd6-vg1aqGWZPXQavc5Kppf1b7ye6NG4diPFgzaGWQk1ZjTkw9bCBfHyspNXnPefZqn_GSAwS9b_ObXseZqKOQsNxprM_WpuL0TARq01L93kFeXLDg_YS7OQTgLlkVYT-yPjIg/s1600/zomeye.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0ZwmKd6-vg1aqGWZPXQavc5Kppf1b7ye6NG4diPFgzaGWQk1ZjTkw9bCBfHyspNXnPefZqn_GSAwS9b_ObXseZqKOQsNxprM_WpuL0TARq01L93kFeXLDg_YS7OQTgLlkVYT-yPjIg/s200/zomeye.JPG" width="186" /></a></div>Well, we didn't quite make it to 50 new Shamblers, but obviously a great many of you took the threat of No Prize seriously, as we did end up with a whole bunch of new zombies shuffling our way. And hey, you all knew we weren't <em>really</em> going to keep that prize pack for ourselves, didn't you? Eh?<br />
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Our lucky prize-winner, chosen at random by <strong>The Pointing Finger of Death</strong> was...<strong>Greg Chapman</strong>, from sunny Queensland, Australia! Congratulations, Greg - your prize will be arriving via hearse soonish.<br />
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To all our non-winners, commiserations - but stay tuned. There are plenty more goodies gathering dust in the <strong>NecroScope</strong> prize vault, and we'll be sure to have another clean-out soon...Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-19204497740211665442011-09-19T14:56:00.000+10:002011-09-19T14:56:13.334+10:00Review: Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1LMoaTfwLqihor3x612b6SA3pq-5BXgpP19RC6gk8msmQJSEzeY4JjFiQgUUcvseu7pxPZZ5PlyKm84S8nB-NIWhFJzFA9-gGZdJwuj63e3c2G__BOT1tXM3aBL4OhumUcwLgXjrsw/s1600/survingzombieapocalypse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1LMoaTfwLqihor3x612b6SA3pq-5BXgpP19RC6gk8msmQJSEzeY4JjFiQgUUcvseu7pxPZZ5PlyKm84S8nB-NIWhFJzFA9-gGZdJwuj63e3c2G__BOT1tXM3aBL4OhumUcwLgXjrsw/s1600/survingzombieapocalypse.jpg" /></a></div><strong>A Look at the History and Influence of Zombies on Popular Culture</strong><br />
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<strong>Ed. Christopher Wortzenspeigel, 2011</strong><br />
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<strong><em>Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse</em></strong> is something of an oddity: a book on zombies composed entirely of articles, links and references taken from Wikipedia, presented almost exactly as they would appear online. This obviously results in a fair amount of repetition of information (as certain articles reference the same sources), which - in a publication of a mere 125 pages - doesn't exactly scream 'value for money'. Additionally, the lack of any major effort to reformat and expand the information for print, in order to more obviously justify republishing free web content in a physical, comparatively expensive format, does beg the question of whether doing so has any real point.<br />
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This is not to suggest that online content can't make for a great printed book, as evidenced by the works of David Wellington, Madeleine Roux, and others. However, there's a world of difference between reading a self-contained piece of fiction in book form, even one that has been wholly transposed from the Internet, and reading a piece of non-fiction containing references and links that the reader is incapable of immediately accessing (or, if they own a mobile device of some sort, fully access...which again begs the question of why the book was needed in the first place). <br />
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At the end of the day, <em><strong>Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse</strong></em> certainly contains some intelligent and fascinating information...but ultimately there seems little point in purchasing what amounts to a hard-copy printout of a bunch of Wikipedia articles. I'd suggest that even the publishers are aware of this shortcoming, as the back-cover blurb fails to mention zombies at all, instead waxing lyrical over the 'convenience and utility' of a 'real book' that 'utilizes the unique characteristics of the Internet - relying on web infrastructure and collaborative tools to share and use resources in keeping with the characteristics of the medium'.<br />
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Hmm...Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-83278165187713247332011-09-19T13:57:00.000+10:002011-09-19T13:57:20.009+10:00Review: Field Combat Manual For Zombie Slayers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiverd3Sa1ezAyXj8SFuReBThAd_m-A5eHE9Z1V0nWTSiQXP50cgrvS1tAxB5L3cNly0RWlWz1v508dSZGXS54Tr_oLsYxdOvPk2uT9hupUgF3txEd1bgjiWvLwoW2zTZeUWXq3a7L8Fw/s1600/fieldcombatmanual.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiverd3Sa1ezAyXj8SFuReBThAd_m-A5eHE9Z1V0nWTSiQXP50cgrvS1tAxB5L3cNly0RWlWz1v508dSZGXS54Tr_oLsYxdOvPk2uT9hupUgF3txEd1bgjiWvLwoW2zTZeUWXq3a7L8Fw/s1600/fieldcombatmanual.jpg" /></a></div><strong>Marc Sherman, 2011, Rebecca J. Vickery (publisher)</strong><br />
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<strong><em>Field Combat Manual For Zombie Slayers</em></strong> is a slim volume falling into the 'survivalist' subgenre of zomfic, and which leans more to the serious side of the market, containing bona fide advice on survivalist techniques with genuine everyday applications. While there is a background story provided against which the necessity for zombie-slaying info is set, this background is not explored in any great depth. There's also a fair bit of authorial intrusion, as the 'character' of the author often mentions personal experiences that support specific pieces of advice, and also tends to sermonise at length (with religious fervour) on the destiny of humanity to reclaim civilisation, etc. Ultimately, the book fails to satisfyingly balance the fictional and non-fictional aspects, although there is certainly entertainment value here.<br />
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In a nutshell, <em><strong>Field Combat Manual For Zombie Slayers</strong></em> is one for the die-hard survivalist types only. For a more inventive, entertaining and in-depth take on similar topics, stick with Roger Ma's <strong><em><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2010/08/book-review-zombie-combat-manual.html">The Zombie Combat Manual</a></em></strong>.Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-60916501063226365452011-09-19T13:37:00.000+10:002011-09-19T13:37:05.019+10:00Reminder: Subscription Drive Ends Soon!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisb-E9G8w5Sm1DcSsVkKhhz3MD4XFLzIFrMbpM4vYpU-KTqQh3lpZQWaJOYGjMeHXSksdK_4OADP0lZKGOBSOwUMuQh9kEUnEqHXjoHiYB2aUGiD1A1Kbd5lt17RAnx08qUCuGnjXAEA/s1600/zomeye.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisb-E9G8w5Sm1DcSsVkKhhz3MD4XFLzIFrMbpM4vYpU-KTqQh3lpZQWaJOYGjMeHXSksdK_4OADP0lZKGOBSOwUMuQh9kEUnEqHXjoHiYB2aUGiD1A1Kbd5lt17RAnx08qUCuGnjXAEA/s200/zomeye.JPG" width="186" /></a></div>Just a reminder to all our loyal (and new) Shamblers that our 'anniversary' subscription drive ends very soon! Only eleven days are left in which to sign up 50 new subscribers (or else forfeit a <a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2011/09/news-subscription-competition-win-stuff.html"><strong>fantastic prize-pack</strong></a>), and thus far we're well shy of that number! Remember: all you have to do is convince your friends, family, colleagues, enemies, and so on, to sign up, and you'll automatically be in the running to win a heap of goodies, so get to it, folks!Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-9027120464070860712011-09-12T12:06:00.000+10:002011-09-12T12:06:57.844+10:00Review: The Zombie Handbook<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlUoDaImA8llIJyI_8B6QFA3D8QAkdRa2qjGABiKSWS0UjPLB67Is3erCJfkxIZVp5C4n2MTR3U8FV39s2e2jV1Ax__dFa-TzFrgKby8eHgLklZQPb4HRHqgK0kyDxFh8PsLKVVK5_w/s1600/zombie+handbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlUoDaImA8llIJyI_8B6QFA3D8QAkdRa2qjGABiKSWS0UjPLB67Is3erCJfkxIZVp5C4n2MTR3U8FV39s2e2jV1Ax__dFa-TzFrgKby8eHgLklZQPb4HRHqgK0kyDxFh8PsLKVVK5_w/s1600/zombie+handbook.jpg" /></a></div><strong>An Essential Guide to Zombies and, More Importantly, How to Avoid Them</strong><br />
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<strong>Dr. Robert Curran, 2011, Barrons</strong><br />
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<em><strong>The Zombie Handbook</strong></em> is a handsomely-bound 'zombie primer' aimed squarely at readers with only a basic knowledge of the subject matter, but which should nonetheless be of interest to more serious collectors of zombie lore. Focusing almost exclusively upon traditional voodoo zombies - as well as mummies, golems, and revenants from various folklores - this volume provides some fascinating information on the subject, although it must be said that most of the material herein is explored in greater depth and detail in Curran's earlier publication, <strong><em><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2010/06/zombies-field-guide-to-walking-dead.html">Zombies: a Field Guide to the Walking Dead</a></em></strong>. Nonetheless, <em><strong>The Zombie Handbook</strong></em> is a lovely publication in its own right - hardbacked, and beautifully illustrated - and certainly worth both reading and owning.Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-75403895863091846862011-09-12T11:29:00.000+10:002011-09-12T11:29:58.715+10:00Review: The Gathering Dead<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-U_ujzSpHyAfe6X6vpQi5qvJ0m7tpVkFgR7AfIPGYQgk2bqQQOaZU8U2R4MvBE7qrt3TklGtyw9DVDn-qg-cP0MxqwJERbcb7HXiF9RrSM6dlZnMxJbhDk7XVzxhIlkCA_5FmtR9Dow/s1600/gatheringdead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-U_ujzSpHyAfe6X6vpQi5qvJ0m7tpVkFgR7AfIPGYQgk2bqQQOaZU8U2R4MvBE7qrt3TklGtyw9DVDn-qg-cP0MxqwJERbcb7HXiF9RrSM6dlZnMxJbhDk7XVzxhIlkCA_5FmtR9Dow/s320/gatheringdead.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><strong>Stephen Knight, 2011, Severed Press</strong><br />
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The zombie Apocalypse has begun, and Major Cordell McDaniels is given the most important mission of his career: lead a Special Forces team into New York to rescue the one man who can cure the reanimation virus. But as a violent storm renders airborne extraction impossible, the team finds itself trapped and facing not merely a growing horde of undead citizens, but also the zombified members of another Special Ops. team...who appear to have retained their military skills...<br />
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<em><strong>The Gathering Dead</strong></em> is a full-blown military action/horror novel that hits the ground running from page one, and doesn't let up for a moment. While there's perhaps not as much attention paid to individual characterisation as in other recent, similarly-themed novels (such as <em><strong><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-tooth-and-nail.html">Tooth & Nail</a></strong></em>), Knight does a terrific job of balancing action and tight plotting against a vast amount of military detail and terminology, which - in less competent hands - could well have disrupted the flow of the tale. Some nicely original touches - such as the possibility of 'muscle memory' being retained by certain individuals after zombification - further contribute to a highly engrossing and enjoyable narrative that should please most fans of the zombie/military subgenre. Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-90816751301277688092011-09-05T19:22:00.000+10:002011-09-05T19:22:20.882+10:00News: Subscription Competition! Win Stuff!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhAqe8fUF42B0eEa0hGCAuPTTWGCsxY57P3y3LCTZ4wdxW2nsmnkj23MV2mFwNYEHsGoW4oM8bsRVqVy9zO9ULl-BhxzddFWnR8JyMSYj9w1nFXZGTKKhUfkDkN9CrulVaoAJ0xod_Q/s1600/zomeye.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhAqe8fUF42B0eEa0hGCAuPTTWGCsxY57P3y3LCTZ4wdxW2nsmnkj23MV2mFwNYEHsGoW4oM8bsRVqVy9zO9ULl-BhxzddFWnR8JyMSYj9w1nFXZGTKKhUfkDkN9CrulVaoAJ0xod_Q/s1600/zomeye.JPG" /></a></div>To celebrate our thirteen-month 'anniversary', <strong>NecroScope</strong> is holding a subscription drive, with one fabulous prize-pack to be won!<br />
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The drive will run from now until September 30, 12pm EST, with one lucky Shambler chosen at random, as our winner, by <strong>The Pointing Finger of Death</strong>. All Shamblers will be eligible to win, whether you are an existing subscriber or have signed up during the drive, and regardless of whether you live in Australia or overseas.<br />
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In other words, the only thing you have to do in order to be eligible to win is to sign up as, or continue being, a <strong>NecroScope</strong> Shambler (either here on the home blog or on <strong><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/NecroScope-the-Australian-Zombie-Review-Blog/128717680511955">Facebook</a> </strong>- see the menu on the right hand side of this page).<br />
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'Too easy!' we hear you cry. And you're right. There <em>is </em>a catch. And that catch is, <u>we require a minimum of 50 new Shamblers by the end of the drive</u>; if we don't get 50 new Shamblers, no prize. Simple as that. Oh yeah - we're tough! What this means, of course, is that if you're already a <strong>NecroScope</strong> Shambler, you need to urge all of your zomfanatical friends and family to sign up to <strong>NecroScope</strong> in order to be in with a chance of winning that fabulous prize pack.<br />
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And what exactly does this fabulous prize pack comprise? We're so glad you asked...<br />
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<strong>*</strong> A beautiful hardback edition of Robert Kirkman's <strong><em><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2010/08/review-walking-dead.html">The Walking Dead</a> Book #1</em></strong> (collating issues #1-12 of the cult graphic novel series)<br />
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<strong>*</strong> Copies of the 'modern classic' zombie novels <strong><em><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2010/06/day-by-day-armageddon.html">Day by Day Armageddon</a></em></strong> (J. L. Bourne), <em><strong><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2010/06/forest-of-hands-teeth.html">The Forest of Hands & Teeth</a></strong></em> (Carrie Ryan), and <strong><em><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2010/06/enemy.html">The Enemy</a></em></strong> (Charlie Higson).<br />
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* Copies of <strong><em><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-zombies-for-zombies-play-werk.html">Zombies For Zombies: The Play & Werk Buk</a></em></strong> (David P. Murphy) and <em><strong><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2010/07/book-review-how-to-be-zombie.html">How to be a Zombie</a></strong></em> (Serena Valentino), for the biotically-challenged amongst you.<br />
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* A copy of <strong><em><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-real-zombies-living-dead-and.html">Real Zombies: The Living Dead and Creatures of the Apocalypse</a></em></strong> (Brad Steiger).<br />
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* For the movie buffs, copies of <em><strong><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2011/05/review-chanbara-beauty.html">Chanbara Beauty</a></strong></em> and <strong><em>Zombie Honeymoon</em></strong>.<br />
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A pretty damn good haul, we think you'll agree!<br />
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So: at the time of posting this item, the <strong>NecroScope</strong> blog boasts 48 Shamblers, with 69 subscribers on Facebook. Time to get busy, fellow zomfans! 'Cos we'd hate to have to keep all of those zombolicious prizes for ourselves...Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-9605870537732511672011-09-05T16:20:00.000+10:002011-09-05T16:20:19.579+10:00News: Dymocks Southland Bestselling Zombie Titles for August 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlIfTOiKJA0jObZAsW0MMd7ZgiU5S7rwN-lPJmd74GurDvrTSpmGrMSUaDPLeIDKw0vfJSXE-hh_-W-kggUC4GTn-I1m7S4dzUTR-v6hhHXTGOsiDIH9PTQUsSrFI4lqEMYkThEzKuvw/s1600/zomendcap.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlIfTOiKJA0jObZAsW0MMd7ZgiU5S7rwN-lPJmd74GurDvrTSpmGrMSUaDPLeIDKw0vfJSXE-hh_-W-kggUC4GTn-I1m7S4dzUTR-v6hhHXTGOsiDIH9PTQUsSrFI4lqEMYkThEzKuvw/s320/zomendcap.JPG" width="246" /></a></div>In the lead-up to Fathers' Day (Australia), zombie titles sold <em>extremely</em> well (what this says about the sort of people raising the next generation is possibly an issue best ignored). Thusly, this month we present our Top 15 bestselling titles, rather than the usual Top 10.<br />
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1. Chasers <em>(Alone #1)</em> - James Phelan<br />
2. Dog Blood <em>(Hater #2)</em> - David Moody<br />
3. Survivor <em>(Alone #2)</em> - James Phelan<br />
4. The Dead <em>(The Enemy #2)</em> - Charlie Higson<br />
5. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies - Austen / Graeme-Smith<br />
6. Breathers - S. G. Browne<br />
7. World War Z - Max Brooks<br />
8. Cell - Stephen King<br />
9. Deadline <em>(Newsflesh #2)</em> - Mira Grant<br />
10. The Walking Dead Compendium - Robert Kirkman<br />
11. The Reapers are the Angels - Alden Bell<br />
12. Zombie Apocalypse! - ed. Stephen Jones<br />
13. Rot & Ruin - Jonathan Maberry<br />
14. Pet Sematary - Stephen King<br />
15. The Zombie Autopsies - Steven C. Schlozman, MD<br />
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Recent zom-flavoured arrivals in-store include (takes a deep breath) <em>The Zombie Handbook</em> (Dr. Robert Curran), <em>Gruesomely Grimm Zombie Tales</em> (Grimm/Brown), <em>Generation Zombie</em> (ed. Stephanie Boluk & Wylie Lenz), <em>Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse</em> (ed. Christopher Wortzenspeigel), <em>My Life as a White Trash Zombie</em> (Diana Rowland), <em>Alice in Zombieland</em> (Carroll/Cook), <em>Field Combat Manual for Zombie Slayers</em> (Marc Sherman), <em>Working Stiff</em> (Rachel Caine), <em>A Zombie's History of the United States</em> (Dr. Worm Miller), <em>Play Dead</em> (Ryan Brown), <em>Zombie, Ohio</em> (Scott Kenemore), <em>Zombie Pulp</em> (Tim Curran), and <em>Zombie Christmas Carol</em> (Dickens/Thomas).<br />
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Nope. Still no sign of that zomfic bubble bursting...Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-56655521728146620142011-08-29T15:54:00.000+10:002011-08-29T15:54:53.307+10:00Editorial: NecroScope Celebrates 13 Months Online!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIWcPBIoB7zQ9nB5RLD6WRb9fpQtygtfUKB7moaRu7yAzT4hJMb-KqwSsi22wNy8qW3v1pJoR4yM5xlJ6fbf0cFKLqT993yiizPomZi32Q-450f_onqzl9-vu0SLbFdYdf_jmOiB2rw/s1600/zomeye.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIWcPBIoB7zQ9nB5RLD6WRb9fpQtygtfUKB7moaRu7yAzT4hJMb-KqwSsi22wNy8qW3v1pJoR4yM5xlJ6fbf0cFKLqT993yiizPomZi32Q-450f_onqzl9-vu0SLbFdYdf_jmOiB2rw/s1600/zomeye.JPG" /></a></div>Thirteen months! Over 200 posts! It's been a busy unlife for the staff at <strong>NecroScope</strong> since we started blogging from the crypt, and the popularity of zombies in literature, film, TV, gaming, and pop culture in general shows absolutely no sign of waning anytime soon!<br />
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Your friendly <strong>NecroKeeper</strong> would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported us over this past 'year'; our staff and guest contributors, those who sent us notifications and material for review, and especially our slowly-growing horde of loyal Shamblers, who dutifully devour every new offering - either here on on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/NecroScope-the-Australian-Zombie-Review-Blog/128717680511955"><strong>FaceBook page</strong></a> - and offer feedback and encouragement. Keep it coming, zomfans - you're the reason we keep running this freakshow, and - with the next year looking to be an even more massive one for zombie culture - we look forward to giving you more of what you've come to expect from <strong>NecroScope</strong>.Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-16845875507465591012011-08-29T13:26:00.000+10:002011-08-29T13:26:00.166+10:00Review: Dead Men Walking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjG7SPhAwA02wUp-wWuZXFqGU0M3B0IwSWQqFSjFjHSbOclmyYpavfay67K3bB7FOsjiiy_QerT3fwax3ThDoGCUvxreACfkELb6NiaHlr65Fd8i82NP1YAFyCsaFzuiTKtgMYSy7oBw/s1600/deadmenwalking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjG7SPhAwA02wUp-wWuZXFqGU0M3B0IwSWQqFSjFjHSbOclmyYpavfay67K3bB7FOsjiiy_QerT3fwax3ThDoGCUvxreACfkELb6NiaHlr65Fd8i82NP1YAFyCsaFzuiTKtgMYSy7oBw/s1600/deadmenwalking.jpg" /></a></div><strong>Tales of Zombies and the Living Dead (Fantasy and Horror Classics)</strong><br />
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<strong>Various, 2011, Read Books</strong><br />
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<strong><em>Dead Men Walking</em></strong> is one in a trilogy of zombie-themed anthologies from Read Books focusing exclusively upon more traditional zombies, particularly those of the Vodou or 'dead seeking vengeance' variety. Overall, this volume is a pretty decent showcase of zombie fiction, comprising such well-known classics as W. B. Seabrook's <em>'Dead Men Working in the Cane Fields'</em> and G. W. Hutter's <em>'Salt Is Not For Slaves'</em>, along with lesser-known offerings such as <em>'The Hollow Man'</em> by Thomas Burke and <em>'White Zombie'</em> by Vivian Meik. <br />
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That said, <strong><em>Dead Men Walking</em></strong> may be more for the literary collector than the serious zombophile, even those whose tastes run more to the traditional, as not all of the pieces in this anthology have aged well since original publication during the early Twentieth Century. It's also worth noting that this volume is pretty pricey (AU$25) for such a slim publication (a mere 130-odd pages, comprising nine stories), and that the other two existing volumes in this series each include more than half of the stories already printed in <strong><em>Dead Men Walking</em></strong>. Odd, that.<br />
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Nonetheless, a sufficiently decent publication to warrant reading, although maybe one to pressure your local library for.Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-27855228527625721502011-08-22T18:27:00.000+10:002011-08-22T18:27:58.234+10:00News: Get Zombified In A Comic!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnwRddPSHCv0tmzBSS7fZuUwBUAnWPHh6JUAX9GAcow6PkU1xYBmR4a4Vl4dA6O3MGPa0h8pa-oxWqxQffsy_d0OrImye71dYuia0bP3q49xMYTRoCzb8k3YaiFI0ffYfKJRhSsb3qg/s1600/GeorgieS-BWR-1000pxL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnwRddPSHCv0tmzBSS7fZuUwBUAnWPHh6JUAX9GAcow6PkU1xYBmR4a4Vl4dA6O3MGPa0h8pa-oxWqxQffsy_d0OrImye71dYuia0bP3q49xMYTRoCzb8k3YaiFI0ffYfKJRhSsb3qg/s320/GeorgieS-BWR-1000pxL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Talented zombie-portrait artist <strong>Brendan Halyday</strong> has the following exciting news for fans of zombies, and comics. And comics about zombies...<br />
<div><blockquote>Have you ever wanted to appear in a comic book, as a zombie?? Now is your chance! I am illustrating an OzZombie story for the Horror comic anthology <em><strong>DECAY</strong></em>. The story is currently slated to appear in issue 10 (scheduled for release Nov/Dec this year). For $100 you can get yourself (or someone you love) drawn into a comic as a zombie that will get published and bought by loads of people. You will also receive a signed copy of the comic, after it is published. The original artwork for the comic will also be available for purchase at a price of $200 per A3 page of original art. Spaces are VERY limited so get in touch asap to take up this offer!</blockquote></div><div> </div><div>To get in contact with Brendan regarding this offer, as well as to view examples of his zombie-themed portraiture, you may visit his website at <a href="http://brendanhalyday.blogspot.com/"><strong>http://brendanhalyday.blogspot.com/</strong></a> (where you'll even find a pic of your own <strong>NecroKeeper</strong>! See if you can pick him out...) </div>Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-45778656572882920072011-08-15T00:02:00.000+10:002011-08-15T00:02:23.703+10:00Music: Pray For Daylight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5R8c1pjm0iO-HY7Gc8M5bgEDhU2t6ALf5DRWfkNM8LJmR-0eEC1fDoXwJixIuq0_k4JtV_Fx9hRnliDrm_AM2-23e69-z6ek2e8hpRSFLDQthSZ3MRcnGn-pwCELb50P-kODzpKRNvg/s1600/pray-for-daylight-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5R8c1pjm0iO-HY7Gc8M5bgEDhU2t6ALf5DRWfkNM8LJmR-0eEC1fDoXwJixIuq0_k4JtV_Fx9hRnliDrm_AM2-23e69-z6ek2e8hpRSFLDQthSZ3MRcnGn-pwCELb50P-kODzpKRNvg/s200/pray-for-daylight-cover.jpg" width="200" /></a>Yet more music for the zompocalypse! <em><strong>Pray For Daylight</strong></em> is a folk album that explores the global zombie uprising, love, loss, and other grisly stuff.<span> Chris Kiehne, the artist responsible, says of his work:</span> </div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;">'I’ve always felt that the particular element of zombie films that elevates the sub-genre is that first moment of transfiguration, where a character ceases to be him/herself and commences being something other.<span> </span>It’s a really profound moment, insofar as it represents the simultaneous presence of polar opposites, which is otherwise a practical impossibility.<span> </span>You’re standing there, watching your wife rise up from a pile of dirt, and she is right then two opposing things: she is both her and not her, alive and dead. It’s a debilitating situation and demands really devastating moral decisions. <span> </span>It requires Helen to murder her daughter, Shaun to murder his mother, Francesco Dellamorte to murder his fated lover.<span> </span>I guess in a way it’s sort of an allegorical examination of a diseased relationship, too.<span> </span>But it’s mostly just about zombies.'<span> </span></div></blockquote><strong><em>Pray For Daylight</em></strong> is currently available for free download, no strings attached, via <a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?69bjtkep3ama1ar"><strong>mediafire</strong></a>.Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-79438109489669424872011-08-14T14:41:00.000+10:002011-08-14T14:41:25.277+10:00Review: The Living End<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HUPsVb5YfctIC6vFjGdgRozwyQ20ync_919ztCQyu3fHavAXnoQe8gmugYw7c8Sd63Cj0CYyOwI6CGLM94OtmIul3KW4Mmxsugf2LBU13erNCKTzMhDBD7AD9C5jznQu8KUP7XigDw/s1600/thelivingend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HUPsVb5YfctIC6vFjGdgRozwyQ20ync_919ztCQyu3fHavAXnoQe8gmugYw7c8Sd63Cj0CYyOwI6CGLM94OtmIul3KW4Mmxsugf2LBU13erNCKTzMhDBD7AD9C5jznQu8KUP7XigDw/s320/thelivingend.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><strong>James Robert Smith, 2011, Severed Press</strong><br />
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<em>There are approximately 60 million domesticated canines currently living in the United States. When the walking dead rise, when society collapses...what happens to the dogs?</em><br />
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This is just one of the central issues uniquely addressed in <em><strong>The Living End</strong></em> that make this novel such a powerful and refreshing addition to the zompocalyptic genre. Simultaneously delving deeply into the role of religion in creating (or demolishing) societies, the feral dog thread - mostly presented from the POV of one of the canine pack-leaders - is utterly engrossing and original, not to mention genuinely frightening at times. There's an all-too-convincing nihilism to <strong><em>The Living End</em></strong> that puts one in mind of the excellent <em><strong><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2010/06/eden.html">Eden</a></strong></em> novels, and Smith's take on the zompocalypse is right up there with Tony Monchinski's work.<br />
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Convincing characters, excellent dialogue and prose, and a tension-packed plot that keeps the reader guessing all the way...I'm not going to use the phrase 'instant classic', here, but I will say that this is a zombie novel that <em>deserves</em> to be read.<br />
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In conclusion, <strong><em>The Living End</em></strong> is one of those tales that proves, once again, that skilled authors <em>can</em> keep cooking up the 'same old' zompocalypse, provided they can season each new dish with unique and exciting condiments. James Robert Smith has managed to do just that.<br />
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<em><strong>The Living End</strong></em> is available to Australian readers via <a href="http://www.severedpress.com/"><strong>Severed Press</strong></a>, or through selected bookshops.Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-21590004837979513402011-08-08T17:37:00.000+10:002011-08-08T17:37:07.870+10:00News: Run For Your LivesIn fiction, movies and games, zombies provide major motivation for the lead characters to keep moving in order to survive. So maybe it was always just a matter of time before someone came up with the bright idea of introducing zombies to stamina-based sports.<br />
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Welcome to <strong>Run For Your Lives</strong> - a genuine sports event being held in Baltimore this October...<br />
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<blockquote>Protect your brain and run for your life. This is one race where your legs giving out are the least of your problems. <strong>Run For Your Lives</strong> is a first-of-its-kind event, one part 5K, one part obstacle course, one part escaping the clutches of zombies — and all parts awesome. Runners will navigate a series of 12 obstacles throughout a 5K course in an attempt to reach the finish line — all while avoiding zombies. At the end of this adventure race, you get to celebrate survival (or zombie transformation) with live entertainment and music, local celebrities, vendors, food, and of course, beer!</blockquote><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cimg%20src=%22http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png%22%20style=%22background-color:%20#b2b2b2; height: 390px; width: 640px; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="BLOGGER_object_24" data-original-id="BLOGGER_object_24" />"><object height="300" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CFRfL0fmAOU&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CFRfL0fmAOU&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="500" height="390"></embed></object></a><br />
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Get your running shoes on and start training up now, sports fans. You'll need to be fast by the looks of it...<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Reported by Jessica Post)</span></strong>Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-67408477066329391472011-07-31T19:16:00.000+10:002011-07-31T19:16:21.130+10:00News: Dymocks Southland Bestselling Zombie Titles for July 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KGv5pLX_dwuwOdNkRQYVX4KGJiIyNXdbMYzm0E_267VGsklWkSZJI24eYtIiJvDDNbsoGsZBUGYFEO1F8qaniIc1o0c4H8WbP3mTGNYB8jnrvrWW2B5nE_NNZLQASK8RrUmRbWnh_A/s1600/zomstaff-awesome.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KGv5pLX_dwuwOdNkRQYVX4KGJiIyNXdbMYzm0E_267VGsklWkSZJI24eYtIiJvDDNbsoGsZBUGYFEO1F8qaniIc1o0c4H8WbP3mTGNYB8jnrvrWW2B5nE_NNZLQASK8RrUmRbWnh_A/s320/zomstaff-awesome.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>1. Survivor<em> (Alone #2)</em> - James Phelan<br />
2. Deadline <em>(Newsflesh #2)</em> - Mira Grant<br />
3. The Walking Dead Compendium - Robert Kirkman<br />
4. Feed <em>(Newsflesh #1)</em> - Mira Grant<br />
5. World War Z - Max Brooks<br />
6. The Zombie Combat Manual - Roger Ma<br />
7. Zombie Apocalypse - ed. Stephen Jones<br />
8. Rot & Ruin - Jonathan Maberry<br />
9. Apocalypso <em>(Xombies #3)</em> - Walter Greatshell<br />
10. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies - Austen / Graeme-Smith<br />
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It's worth noting, for the delectation of our Australian readers, that the highest-selling zombie title was penned by a local boy (James Phelan), while our second highest-selling <em>general</em> horror title for the month (the highest being Kiwi Paul Haines' <em><strong>The Last Days of Kali Yuga</strong></em>) was Brett McBean's collection, <strong><em>Tales of Sin and Madness</em></strong>, which just happens to contain several excellent zombie tales.Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-79552342675187856892011-07-31T18:08:00.000+10:002011-07-31T18:08:04.177+10:00Review: Flesh Eaters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPUHrnylYpV_CMZiBoRbV74wrl95OkDxaCQGzJeUrvRouH0Ajfq417pJC9_4S004lK5UEJ-Bg0r3dkn5tMbThlOBiRCRAYhazNGvE2rNr4ILKRRoFLua61O5S7Mwx7urBPMWo3jC_0g/s1600/flesheaters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPUHrnylYpV_CMZiBoRbV74wrl95OkDxaCQGzJeUrvRouH0Ajfq417pJC9_4S004lK5UEJ-Bg0r3dkn5tMbThlOBiRCRAYhazNGvE2rNr4ILKRRoFLua61O5S7Mwx7urBPMWo3jC_0g/s320/flesheaters.jpg" width="198" /></a></div><strong>Joe McKinney, 2011, Pinnacle Fiction</strong><br />
Out of the hurricane-flooded streets of Houston they emerge. Dead. Rotting. Hungry. With the city quarantined to halt the spread of the walking dead, Emergency Ops sergeant Eleanor Norton has her work cut out for her. But as things go from bad to worse, Eleanor must focus solely upon the people she loves; her daughter and husband. Because if she can't get them out of the quarantine zone, they'll all be dead meat...<br />
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<strong><em>Flesh Eaters</em></strong> is the third in a loose series of novels (beginning with <strong><em><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-dead-city.html">Dead City</a></em></strong> and <em><strong><a href="http://zombiefictionreview.blogspot.com/2011/05/review-apocalypse-of-dead.html">Apocalypse of the Dead</a></strong></em>), and is - in my opinion - the very best of the three thus far. Initially opting for chills and tension over action and gore, the tale opts for an approach - rare in zompocalyptic fiction nowadays - hearkening back to more traditional horror, with the protagonists utterly failing to even notice the zombie threat until a good third of the way into the book - and for a damn good reason. McKinney has his zombies emerge directly from the overwhelming aftermath of a natural disaster, where an already-decimated population is understandably more concerned with the utter lack of clean drinking water and medical assistance than with unsubstantiated rumours that some 'survivors' have been observed displaying cannibalistic behaviour.... <br />
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As in previous offerings, McKinney backs up a gripping plot and great prose with highly engaging characterisation. Nobody writes cops quite as well as McKinney, and his use of a female officer (who also happens to be a wife and mother) as chief protagonist adds yet another fresh touch to this hugely engrossing and engaging novel.<br />
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<em><strong>Flesh Eaters</strong></em> - along with the preceding novels in this series - is an absolute must-read, and is guaranteed to be enjoyed equally by Romero purists and those who applaud fresh takes on the zompocalypse.Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-84167090264982802312011-07-27T06:59:00.000+10:002011-07-27T06:59:33.065+10:00News: 'The Walking Dead', Season 2 TrailerPresented with no other comment than: October seems <em>far</em> too far away!<br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20width=%22640%22%20height=%22390%22%20src=%22http://www.youtube.com/embed/rMJxMkGRg0c%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20allowfullscreen%3E%3C/iframe%3E"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rMJxMkGRg0c" width="500"></iframe></a>Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5717334202544125865.post-26574001507699873612011-07-25T16:31:00.000+10:002011-07-25T16:31:34.896+10:00Review: The Complete History of 'The Return of the Living Dead'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeV-02mbfBJvZrAzW_FJZsmHgUuCwHcgeA0bbg1m-e47p1H5f6VR0M9xLv7HG5666iHRowOLdSdqCnXKkG83R1-084hu_W7pYnvU1EnV-DZKWv56qe3DDr3Whwze9xgbSNJ3BjFcvjw/s1600/ROTLD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeV-02mbfBJvZrAzW_FJZsmHgUuCwHcgeA0bbg1m-e47p1H5f6VR0M9xLv7HG5666iHRowOLdSdqCnXKkG83R1-084hu_W7pYnvU1EnV-DZKWv56qe3DDr3Whwze9xgbSNJ3BjFcvjw/s1600/ROTLD.jpg" /></a></div><strong>Christian Sellers & Gary Smart, 2010, Plexus Publishing</strong><br />
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<em>Welcome to the franchise that won't stay dead...</em><br />
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For fans of that <em>other</em> famous zombie movie series - the one that gave zombies their own catch-cry (<em>'Braiiiiiiiins!'</em>) - <strong><em>The Complete History</em></strong> holds a wealth of fascinating information on the conception, creation and release of all five <strong><em>Return</em></strong> movies to date. The behind-the-scenes story is presented chiefly through interviews with the cast and crew, with each individual step of production reflected upon in turn; a brilliant way in which to format such a book, as it not only gives the reader a real sense of the dynamics involved in making these movies, but also provides an engrossing (and often painfully honest) insight into the emotional investment of those involved.<br />
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Whether you love or hate the <em><strong>Return of the Living Dead</strong></em> movies (and I'm personally not a big fan), <em><strong>The Complete History</strong></em> is certainly one of the best behind-the-scenes tie-ins - for <em>any</em> movie - I've ever read. Definitely worth adding to the collection.Chuck McKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00345235976079614825noreply@blogger.com0