Best Zombie Books
Everything You Can Imagine
With the prevalence of zombie fiction available today, we are hard-pressed to declare which ones are the best zombie books ever. This modern urban myth is to be found in the themes of popular books globally and includes zombie comics, recipe books, and other genres as well.
Adaptations of the classics, such as Alice in Wonderland and Huckleberry Finn, have now been made to include zombie characters in the stories. Here we will review some of the best books about zombies and leave you to decide which you like the most.
World War Z by Max Brooks
Almost a Non-Fiction
Almost a Non-FictionWorld War Z has been named as one of the best zombie books of all time because it reads like non-fiction and contains facts and figures that give it the feeling of being eerily true.
It was written by the famous author, Max Brooks, who is also known for being the son of the hilarious comedian, Mel Brooks. You might be forgiven for expecting this book to be light and comical.
Predicting Future?
This book is cleverly written to give the reader the opportunity of viewing the horror of a zombie apocalypse from the safety of the pages of a book. At the same time, it seems to be a prediction of future events that we would be advised to pay attention to.
World leaders had been warned about an impending apocalypse by leading scientists in the field of pandemics. However, they chose to ignore the warnings, and in the novel, World War Z, we have the revelation of how quickly and efficiently a virus can spread across continents in our tightly networked world.
Pandemic
The global havoc that ensues is the stuff of nightmares. The pandemic causes untold damage to health providers, the economies of the world and destroys the lives of millions of people.
True to life, the pandemic of the “Undead” starts in China and spreads rapidly around the globe. Mighty empires fall and humans go to extreme lengths to protect themselves from the resulting zombie invasion.
Credible
This book gets reviewed as the best zombie book ever because it is credible and flawlessly written. The author had researched his topic thoroughly and achieved a somber warning tone that suits the genre perfectly. You will not be able to put this book down and you will not be able to forget the dire warning that it contains.
The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks
Self-Preservation
Self-PreservationThe Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks is a favorite amongst readers of this genre and it gets fabulous reviews. For this reason, it has earned a place in the list of the best zombie books ever written.
In a zombie invasion, your knowledge of self-preservation techniques is all that is going to help you to protect your own life and the lives of your loved ones. The bestselling zombie book, Zombie Survival Guide, has the answers you are looking for if you are to stay alive in the coming apocalyptic times.
Prepare Yourself!
This is not your usual blood, guts, and gore zombie survival novel. This is a textbook to study so that you can be physically and mentally prepared for the bloody onslaught that will become your living nightmare if this invasion becomes a reality.
What makes The Zombie Survival Guide so popular? In it, you will find everything you need to know about protecting yourself from zombies. Each chapter is filled with information on tactics and strategies for keeping your head (and brains) together.
Everything You Need to Know
You will find out how to ensure that hiding places are secure, how to forage for food, and, most importantly, the most effective weapons for killing this manic enemy. Everything you need to know within the covers of this book.
Max Brooks was not trying to make light of a possible zombie invasion when writing this guide. He put a lot of thought and research into his writing to ensure that it would be practical and informative.
Invaluable
He makes sure that you know that the threat of a zombie invasion is not simply a topic for horror movies and books. As a reader, you are forced to contemplate the seriousness of such a global threat. This is unquestionably the best zombie survival guidebook and every fan of the genre will find that is an invaluable reference book.
The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell
Past 25 Years
Past 25 YearsThe Reapers are the Angels is Alden Bell’s attempt to put the reader in the character’s shoes amid a catastrophic zombie invasion. He does this with a unique style in this unusual young adult zombie novel.
The setting of this book is a world that has been enduring a zombie invasion for the past quarter of a century. It is all that the younger generation has ever known and life has been an endless quest for survival. It has been tough for everyone – not least for the main character, Temple.
Rough Childhood
She has not had the chance to enjoy a normal childhood. From the very beginning, she has had to learn survival skills and having reached adolescence, she is still alive, but also still alone. The very real threat of being attacked by flesh-eating zombies is her everyday reality. In addition to that threat, she has to guard against another enemy. The other fragments of humanity that are also trying to exist in this post-apocalyptic world.
Forgiveness
To survive, Temple has had to see and do terrible things and the memories of those events haunt her. She wants to experience forgiveness but she does not know how to achieve that state. She has also made some enemies along the way, and they are eager to seek revenge.
Any hopes of a peaceful future for Temple are only going to be achieved if she can find a haven where she can heal emotionally and physically. The zombies are a constant threat in her new reality and she knows how to survive in their midst. However, her greatest threat is within her and she needs to resolve her inner turmoil if she is to achieve a future that is worth living for.
Different Route
Readers relate to Temple and her anxieties, as well as her strengths. Her successes are celebrated and her despair is felt as deeply as if it is the reader’s own. Reapers Are the Angels is on the list of the best zombie books with good reason. Being able to engage with the characters and understand how people feel in the most awful of situations, takes great writing skill.
This book takes the zombie theme along a different route, while still packing the punch of blood-thirsty encounters and chilling scenarios you would expect from a zombie apocalypse story.
Day by Day Armageddon by J. L. Bourne
First-Hand Experience
First-Hand ExperienceThe author of Day by Day Armageddon has put his extensive knowledge about weapons and warfare to excellent use in the writing of this book. As a trained military officer, J. L. Bourne had first-hand experience which he could draw on in the writing of this novel, and it is apparent in the detail and authenticity of the information in this book.
The story is set against the background of an international zombie invasion and is written in the style of a diary. The reader gets to follow the daily battles that a soldier must win against his zombie enemy, while simultaneously trying to get on with the basics of living.
Engaging and Realistic
It is clear to the reader that J. L. Bourne enjoyed every minute of writing this book and his enthusiasm for the topic is infectious. With so many good books to choose from in the genre, Day by Day Armageddon gets into the list of the best zombie books because it is engaging, realistic and gives the reader a new perspective.
By writing it as a diary, the pace is slowed down to the small details that have to be endured daily. The reader gets to view the post-apocalyptic struggles for survival in horrific detail. It is like watching a car crash in slow-motion.
Riveting Storyline
When self-publishing, Bourne should be mindful of the need to proofread and edit carefully. Some readers were disappointed by this aspect, but for others, it was forgiven because he provided a riveting storyline.
The documentation of one man’s struggle to survive in a zombie invasion is certainly a strong contender for the title of the best zombie book.
The Girl with All the Gifts by M. R. Carey
Movie Adaptation
Movie AdaptationAfter reading this best-selling book, it is no surprise that The Girl with All the Gifts by M. R. Carey has been made into an inspirational movie!
Written from the perspective of the zombies, this plot has an interesting twist. The zombies are children who are being kept confined while they are used as guinea pigs in an attempt to find a vaccine against the zombie invasion.
Grim and Disturbing
The setting is grim and disturbing, and there is plenty of zombie attacking action to keep the most ardent fan satisfied. What makes this one of the best zombie books, however, is the sensitive and intelligent writing that draws the reader in from the first page.
We are filled with compassion for Melanie, a zombie child who has the unique ability to experience emotions and is even capable of developing relationships with the living. She is particularly fond of her teacher and the warmth of this theme brings some light relief to the otherwise bleak scenario.
Attachment
Melanie’s attachment to her teacher is due to listening to her stories about the world outside and becoming inspired to dream of a future outside the walls of the prison to which she is confined. The book is perfect for younger audiences.
Having an awareness that some children are disappearing is disturbing for Melanie and the reader in equal measure. We are left wondering whether Melanie’s dreams for the future are remotely possible or whether it will end badly for her and all the other zombie children.
Superb Work
This is a superb zombie book and reviews of The Girl with All the Gifts give it five stars for being emotionally intelligent and captivating.
Robert Hazley
Robert is a science fiction and fantasy geek. (He is also the best looking Ereads writer!) Besides reading and writing, he enjoys sports, cosplay, and good food (don't we all?). Currently works as an accountant (would you believe that?)
