Great Story, Solid First Novel - Classic Zombie Survival Tale
(Click Book to purchase from Amazon.com)
This first novel from John McCuaig has developed something of a cult following here in the UK and I am shortly reviewing for another publication so thought I would share my thoughts here as well.
Firstly, this is a first person novel - something I find quite rare these days and maybe something we are less used to reading. Some publishers avoid them like the plague. It puts so many restrictions on the story etc etc.
But, you know what, it wasn't always like this, it was very popular at one time, particularly with horror writers and it works here.
The story is a classic zombie survival tale set in London. It's gritty and real but moves along at a good pace. The cunning Mr McCuaig used his short chapters to keep me hooked unlike any book I've read since one of Michael Crichton.
The story really creeps up on you, one minute I'm reading like any other book, next I'm thinking about it a work, then trying to squeeze into one more chapter before bed.
The novel has some great twists and turns - the focus on battling survivors is really a refreshing change. Like many good zombie stories, it's a novel about people and many of the real highlights happen when folks need to decide a next action - trouble is good and bad just don't exist anymore...not after the zombies.
All in all, a very solid first novel and a great story. If you like 28 Days Later then you will certainly enjoy this although John's zombies are of the slow, lumbering type.
