THE DEAD TIMES

RATING:

ZOMBIE RATING:

DESCRIPTION:

This is the follow-up book to the excellent Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End. The Zombie infection has ravaged the entire world, the "safe havens" set up by various governments have fallen, society has crumbled into a lawless "live or die" survival scenario. The lawyer, his cat Lucullus, his new-found friend Pritchenko, the 17-year old beauty rescued from a hospital and a nun who stayed behind to help the sick, have escaped the madness of Spain in a helicopter. In desperation, they travel to the Canary Islands - chasing the rumour that the deadly virus did not reach that area. However, with ever increasing numbers of the living dead and humans that seek only their own survival, the quest for safety is quickly becoming a one-way journey into Hell.

MY VERDICT:

This was a disappointing sequel to such a wondrous first book. It's not that it is badly written or lacks excitement, it just seems to suddenly end when the story gets intense. It feels very much a book written to join book 1 to the eventual book 3 - the literal glue to keep the over-arching narrative moving forward but ultimately, offering nothing dramatically new or inspired. The text structure is replaced by a conventional chapter-separated narrative, abandoning the unique journal-style entries, a shame though an understandable one considering that the lawyer abandoned his diary when leaving Spain. However, the mediocre sequel is not totally unworthy of merit. There are enough twists and turns in the plot to keep lovers of the first book entertained until the end. The focus shifts from simple survival in a frightening undead world and escape from hostile Spain, to "acceptance" into the rag-tag community on the Canary Islands which stops the story repeating old ideas. Overall then, an above average read, just not the quality I expected and an ending that will leave you wanting more.