Comments on The Book Zombie: Review ♦ One Second After

Very good review. Thank you. I just finished read...

2011-08-02T16:58:58.377-03:00

Very good review. Thank you. I just finished reading this book and found it to be a wonderful story, terribly told.

The scenario the author envisions is well thought out and probably an extremely accurate prediction. However he seems so incapable of weaving a tale to engross the reader that his only resources were stock characters, poorly defined and near constant references to films, wars or battles, and periods in history. He relies on these to convey an image or emotion to the reader - to telegraph what we should imagine or feel at a given point - The devastation was like something from World War II. The starvation was like what must have been experienced during the Civil War. The hoard was like something from the middle ages. It reminded him of Dr Strangelove. It reminded him of On The Beach. It reminded him, yet again, of a movie he had seen.

I personally thought the book was quite good. I ju...

2011-05-16T20:52:18.917-03:00

I personally thought the book was quite good. I just finished reading it about thirty minutes ago. This review, in my opinion, is complete and utter disgrace in regard to the novel. For one, the sentences in the dialogue were disjointed because people in America talk that way. Dialect is extremely important in making a novel seem realistic. The other point regarding the roles of women is simply due to the fact that the author is a male. Also, men are more apt to do things for the community during a time of crisis. I too, am a woman who read the novel. Also, every time that a quote such as "but this is America" was made, is simply done because that's the way that Americans feel. America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. We are not a third world country and we do not witness these atrocities in our own backyards. The use of these sayings are perfectly in line with the way America feels. America feels indestructible, even though, clearly, we are not. The statement made that America in the novel feels too perfect is true becuase that's the way it feels. If a person wishes not to read this book only due to the fact that this review says that women are degraded, America is glorified, and the dialogue is disjointed, will be missing out on a great piece that holds some truth and possibilities. The novel over all, was amazingly written. I recommend this novel for any mature reader, only due to graphic content.

I noticed the female notations as well. All the ma...

2010-01-22T12:07:13.945-04:00

I noticed the female notations as well. All the main characters had finality (Tom, Charles, the Doc, even the dogs) but - unless I missed something - the mayor's fate is never mentioned. After the battle, the author focuses primarily on the female casualties (one draped over Washington, one with fatal stomach wound, other shot multiple times who John comforts, singer on operating table, etc). The men who died were somewhat thrown out casually (Ben, Jeremiah, etc).

What struck me was the "lesson" at the end - the town did comparatively well because it "stuck together." Yet you read very little evidence of that. John never takes anyone into his home, outside his two daughters and in-laws. No neighbors. No young children. He interacts with others yet never makes a real offer of assistance.

Late in the book you read of looters killing a family - two adults, two children. Is there not strength in numbers? Would there not have been more pooling of resources, strength in numbers, under one roof?

I live in the mountains of NC, and I can't imagine - three months after such an incident with threats of looting and violence - that a "local" family would be alone to itself like that.

nice post. thanks.

2010-01-07T01:37:05.872-04:00

nice post. thanks.

It sounds as though the idea was very interesting,...

2010-01-06T17:43:11.348-04:00

It sounds as though the idea was very interesting, but the execution very poor. These types of books are not usually my thing, but I might have been swayed if you had given it a thumbs up. Too bad this book was such a disappointment, I am sure now that I won't be picking this one up.

My dad gave me this as a gift because he REALLY li...

2010-01-04T19:35:27.709-04:00

My dad gave me this as a gift because he REALLY liked it, but yours is the first blog review I've seen of it. Hmmm...

I wonder if the book has really been discussed in ...

2010-01-04T18:00:23.604-04:00

I wonder if the book has really been discussed in Congress or if that is hype. I don't think this book is for me.