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mellabella's review against another edition
3.0
I like zombie books, movies, shows. But, only if they're good. Dying to Live was a fast read for me. Realistically told by survivor Jonah (who joins a group of survivors holed up in a museum). Dying to Live has action, and an odd character named Milton who was bitten by zombified animals therefore making him able to control the undead. It did what most zombie books did. That is to foretell the zombie apocalypse world as a place that's scary more so because of what humans will become.
nannyf's review
5.0
Review of Dying to Live and Fighting to Live (Zombie Overload Series 1 & 2) by C.M. Wright
Ok so zombie stories/films before go along the lines of this - a virus, dead people eating other people, people start coming together to fight the zombies off with the main character(s) being men. Yes? Think this one will be the same? Wrong!!
The main character in these stories is a sassy, funny, and brave woman with so much attitude in her, eventually, battered body!
These lines from the book made me laugh out loud -
“I go into the kitchen and grab my pretty pink hammer from the junk drawer.
Yeah. Pink. Gotta problem with that? If so, bite me!”
“we had agreed before saying " I do," that the only way out of this marriage
would be death...and I haven't killed him yet.”
“Fine. I'll freaking go. But if anything happens to me, I'm going to kill you both after I turn into a zombie bitch."
Jake grins at me. Apparently, the dumb-ass thinks I'm kidding!”
It follows the same idea as a lot of zombie stories - the virus strikes in a small town and the heroine, Canada, starts getting her family together to leave.
Her only thought is to get every family member together and to safety. She starts by getting her immediate family out, then heads to her mothers house.
On their travels the group meet Jake, who saves them from a group of zombies.
Jake, and eventually his brother, join forces with the growing family group.
The group have quite a few encounters with zombies as they try to find weapons, food and shelter. More than a few of their party are lost on the way. Canada finds herself bruised and battered by the end of the story, physically as well as emotionally.
The story has humour, bravery, and a bit of a love interest as well. The author has mixed just the right amount of each to make the story believable. The reader ends up rooting for the characters to win through, to survive and move on.
I highly recommend this story to anyone who likes zombies, blood and guts, and strong female characters!
Ok so zombie stories/films before go along the lines of this - a virus, dead people eating other people, people start coming together to fight the zombies off with the main character(s) being men. Yes? Think this one will be the same? Wrong!!
The main character in these stories is a sassy, funny, and brave woman with so much attitude in her, eventually, battered body!
These lines from the book made me laugh out loud -
“I go into the kitchen and grab my pretty pink hammer from the junk drawer.
Yeah. Pink. Gotta problem with that? If so, bite me!”
“we had agreed before saying " I do," that the only way out of this marriage
would be death...and I haven't killed him yet.”
“Fine. I'll freaking go. But if anything happens to me, I'm going to kill you both after I turn into a zombie bitch."
Jake grins at me. Apparently, the dumb-ass thinks I'm kidding!”
It follows the same idea as a lot of zombie stories - the virus strikes in a small town and the heroine, Canada, starts getting her family together to leave.
Her only thought is to get every family member together and to safety. She starts by getting her immediate family out, then heads to her mothers house.
On their travels the group meet Jake, who saves them from a group of zombies.
Jake, and eventually his brother, join forces with the growing family group.
The group have quite a few encounters with zombies as they try to find weapons, food and shelter. More than a few of their party are lost on the way. Canada finds herself bruised and battered by the end of the story, physically as well as emotionally.
The story has humour, bravery, and a bit of a love interest as well. The author has mixed just the right amount of each to make the story believable. The reader ends up rooting for the characters to win through, to survive and move on.
I highly recommend this story to anyone who likes zombies, blood and guts, and strong female characters!
gracingyouwithbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
anubis9's review against another edition
5.0
I'm always a little hesitant when picking up a zombie book. I have this fear that, like their celluloid cousins, the vast majority of them are crap. And unlike their brain-dead cousins, they waste more than 90 minutes of your life.
I had no need to fear with this book.
My love of all things zombie really began with Romero's take on the subject. I really liked the fact that there was a deeper social meaning behind the gore. There was a message and a warning.
This book took everything I loved about the zombie genre and moved it to the next level.
Taking a very humanistic and philosophical view of the apocalypse, this is definitely the "thinking man's" zombie book. I rate it so highly because it is as much about the struggle to hold on to what makes us human as it is the struggle against the hordes of flesh-hungry mindless zombies—but there's a fair share of that as well.
The ending is a little "different" but is very much in keeping with the themes and tone of the book, so I had no qualms with it's slight straying from the "Romero doctrine."
It is clear that the author is as literate in Romero as his is in philosophy and classic literature. And I couldn't ask for more from a zombie book
I had no need to fear with this book.
My love of all things zombie really began with Romero's take on the subject. I really liked the fact that there was a deeper social meaning behind the gore. There was a message and a warning.
This book took everything I loved about the zombie genre and moved it to the next level.
Taking a very humanistic and philosophical view of the apocalypse, this is definitely the "thinking man's" zombie book. I rate it so highly because it is as much about the struggle to hold on to what makes us human as it is the struggle against the hordes of flesh-hungry mindless zombies—but there's a fair share of that as well.
The ending is a little "different" but is very much in keeping with the themes and tone of the book, so I had no qualms with it's slight straying from the "Romero doctrine."
It is clear that the author is as literate in Romero as his is in philosophy and classic literature. And I couldn't ask for more from a zombie book
litwrite's review against another edition
3.0
Needed something to jump start me out of a reading slump so I wanted something quick and dirty (so to speak) with very little in the way of heavy thinking and a lot in the way of action and gore. This one has been appearing on my recommended lists from Goodreads for a while and I have to say, it hit the spot perfectly. It's not really elevating the zombie genre to anything new and exciting but it was an easy fun read that took what it was working with and worked it really well.
The story moved along at a great clip - protagonist and side characters were all likeable and appealing which made their travails facile and fun to follow. Liked some of the side twists that were thrown in such as. I liked when the story stuck to telling tales of every day regular Joe survivors and how they made it through the apocalypse and how they were rebuilding, but hated the third half twist of
All in all except for the 20 page detour into dark and unwanted territories this was enjoyable enough that I'll check out the 2 sequels.
The story moved along at a great clip - protagonist and side characters were all likeable and appealing which made their travails facile and fun to follow. Liked some of the side twists that were thrown in such as
Spoiler
Milton, the zombie Jesus who seems to repel the zombiesSpoiler
entering the prison. Felt like it went from good, b-grade zombie movie to bad, c-grade prison exploitation film with lots of horrible and unnecessary mentions of raping children and women added in for more shock value. Bleh. Bring back the zombies, please.All in all except for the 20 page detour into dark and unwanted territories this was enjoyable enough that I'll check out the 2 sequels.
tatyeo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
This book began with so much promise: good characters, plot twists, conflict. As things started getting good, I realised there were less than 100 pages left. "They can't satisfactorily resolve everything in time, " I thought.
And I was correct. Rather than resolution, you're left with one chapter saying, "here's what I imagine happened, but that was many years ago. I'm no longer a protagonist, I'm now merely a narrator. Ta-da! The end."
It was a VERY poorly written conclusion.
And I was correct. Rather than resolution, you're left with one chapter saying, "here's what I imagine happened, but that was many years ago. I'm no longer a protagonist, I'm now merely a narrator. Ta-da! The end."
It was a VERY poorly written conclusion.
imzadirose's review against another edition
3.0
I was hoping for something DIFFERENT than Walking Dead, cuz I miss the zombie days of the first Resident Evil games. Instead, I get a walled off community (though a peaceful one), a prison, a baby and even a dude named Milton who wants to help the zombies. SMH!! I should give it a 1 for lack of creativity but if I hadn't (stupidly) watched the first 2 1/2 seasons of Walking Dead, I probably would have enjoyed it more.
madamemidazolam's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
I had mixed feelings with this book, especially at the beginning.
What I disliked:
The characters. None of them were really memorable in my eyes. They all seemed to lack personality and I really didn't give 2 shits if they were eaten by a zombie. I want characters that stick out in my head and that I can easily root for. These characters all seemed to be a carbon-copy of one another, just with different names and histories. Only 2 characters stood out in my mind.
The theology. Ok, I know Kim is a theology major and I respect that. I just didn't expect to stumble into such subjects on a horror novel. Religion isn't my thing, and I do respect and admire his views in this book, I just... it doesn't click with me as much as other viewers. It was a very interesting twist on the world of zombies though and Kim put a lot of thought into the why's and how's of a zombie apocalypse. Not many authors approach these questions, and those who do don't touch on it quite as much as Kim.
What I liked:
The gore! OMG OMG OMG! This author is so descriptive and disgusting, and I love it! I could clearly picture each disfigured, rotting zombie he described. So nasty, yet so much more enjoyable then the normal hoo-hah most zombie authors write about. This guy is so descriptive. So descriptive. Just. Oh. Em. Gee.
The action scenes. Because with a descriptive author like this, they are bound to be GOOD.
Well, kiddies. It is late, I have strep throat, and my bed is calling my name. End of the review. I will definitely be finishing this trilogy.
I had mixed feelings with this book, especially at the beginning.
What I disliked:
The characters. None of them were really memorable in my eyes. They all seemed to lack personality and I really didn't give 2 shits if they were eaten by a zombie. I want characters that stick out in my head and that I can easily root for. These characters all seemed to be a carbon-copy of one another, just with different names and histories. Only 2 characters stood out in my mind.
Spoiler
Frank, because he actually seemed to posses emotions and he was easy to root for and relate to. It just was too bad he was only present for like 30 pages before being murdered. Then there was Copperhead, who only stood out because he was a major douche-nozzle. Again, he is only around for about 20 pages.The theology. Ok, I know Kim is a theology major and I respect that. I just didn't expect to stumble into such subjects on a horror novel. Religion isn't my thing, and I do respect and admire his views in this book, I just... it doesn't click with me as much as other viewers. It was a very interesting twist on the world of zombies though and Kim put a lot of thought into the why's and how's of a zombie apocalypse. Not many authors approach these questions, and those who do don't touch on it quite as much as Kim.
What I liked:
The gore! OMG OMG OMG! This author is so descriptive and disgusting, and I love it! I could clearly picture each disfigured, rotting zombie he described. So nasty, yet so much more enjoyable then the normal hoo-hah most zombie authors write about. This guy is so descriptive. So descriptive. Just. Oh. Em. Gee.
The action scenes. Because with a descriptive author like this, they are bound to be GOOD.
Well, kiddies. It is late, I have strep throat, and my bed is calling my name. End of the review. I will definitely be finishing this trilogy.
patchy710's review against another edition
3.0
The first thing I noticed when I picked up "Dying To Live" was that Jonathan Maberry (author of Ghost Road Blues) describes the novel as "not just a thinking man's horror novel, it's a zombie book for philosophers." This is interesting because on one level every zombie novel carries the same theme of a group of survivors trying to survive a war against the undead. Apart from varying story lines, there honestly isn't much of a difference between the lot (I like to think of each novel taking place during the same outbreak event). Now, on another level every zombie novel, film, story, etc has a deeper philosophical meaning that ties back to humanity's lust for consumerism (see Romero's Dawn of the Dead) and ultimately the animalistic nature of humans, both living and dead. That said, I was interested to find out what made THIS novel THE book for philosophers...
Unfortunately I was unable to find the answer. Don't get me wrong though, this was a very good novel, but certainly no different than the rest. Granted, there were scenes throughout that definitely beg the question "How can God exist?" One particularly brutal tale involving a pregnant woman who becomes infected comes to mind. However disturbing it still doesn't separate this novel from it's fellow companions.
Now, that was a more direct response to the comment by Maberry, so putting that aside I will say that I generally enjoyed this read; there were some tense sequences involving characters trapped within a dead city and later an inmate-overrun prison, as well as an uplifting hopeful community attempting to rebuild civilization starting within the confines of a fortified museum. I'm attempting to be cautious not to let details slip, but I have to say that the way one major plot point plays out in the epilogue seemed slightly ridiculous and forced, as if the author liked and used the idea without fleshing out the pros and cons to making the story believable (as believable as a zombie novel can be). Coming in at a short 180 pages, more could have been done to elaborate on the cause of said plot point, or how it came to play out in the end.
Being so short in length, I felt deprived of a further, rich story on the events between the finally and epilogue. Sometimes "3 weeks later" just isn't good enough!
Overall, again a good fun read that only suffers from a slight lack of detail!
Unfortunately I was unable to find the answer. Don't get me wrong though, this was a very good novel, but certainly no different than the rest. Granted, there were scenes throughout that definitely beg the question "How can God exist?" One particularly brutal tale involving a pregnant woman who becomes infected comes to mind. However disturbing it still doesn't separate this novel from it's fellow companions.
Now, that was a more direct response to the comment by Maberry, so putting that aside I will say that I generally enjoyed this read; there were some tense sequences involving characters trapped within a dead city and later an inmate-overrun prison, as well as an uplifting hopeful community attempting to rebuild civilization starting within the confines of a fortified museum. I'm attempting to be cautious not to let details slip, but I have to say that the way one major plot point plays out in the epilogue seemed slightly ridiculous and forced, as if the author liked and used the idea without fleshing out the pros and cons to making the story believable (as believable as a zombie novel can be). Coming in at a short 180 pages, more could have been done to elaborate on the cause of said plot point, or how it came to play out in the end.
Being so short in length, I felt deprived of a further, rich story on the events between the finally and epilogue. Sometimes "3 weeks later" just isn't good enough!
Overall, again a good fun read that only suffers from a slight lack of detail!
mayhap's review against another edition
3.0
Kim Paffenroth's first zombie novel hearkens back to his excellent nonfiction work, [b:Gospel of the Living Dead: George Romero's Visions of Hell on Earth|110496|Gospel of the Living Dead George Romero's Visions of Hell on Earth|Kim Paffenroth|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171641876s/110496.jpg|106481], and prefigures his ambitious [b:Valley of the Dead: The Truth Behind Dante's Inferno|6672041|Valley of the Dead The Truth Behind Dante's Inferno|Kim Paffenroth|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1249351324s/6672041.jpg|6867003], but in spite of the frequent Dante references in the descriptive prose, it is rightly St. Augustine who shares top billing with George Romero in the dedication. A kind of fledgeling City of God contends with a City of Man in this thoughtful zombie fable.
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