Welcome to the world of the not-quite-living. With shows like The Walking Dead being a huge hit here in the States, saying that Americans have a fascination with zombies is an understatement. Rayne Hall puts together a fantastic collection of stories to increase that fascination ten-fold!
While zombies still have physical bodies, their minds are irrevocably changed. No longer governed by a conscience, incapable of reason, unrestrained by values of right and wrong, they often follow primitive instincts. If their new focus is overwhelming hunger, they let nothing get in the way of their urge to feed.
Confronted by a zombie, how would you defend yourself and those you love? What if it was your friend, relative or spouse, with remnants of their old personality – would you protect them or kill them? Is a zombie an individual with human feelings and rights, or is it a menace to be destroyed?
In this story collection, ten authors share their visions of the undead, each with their own style of storytelling and their own imagination of how ghouls may impact our lives.
Some of these zombies have been infected by virus-spreading bites, some were raised from their graves, and some have chosen the undead state for reasons of their own. Most have their wits about them, but their priorities have changed. They are single-minded in pursuit of what they need… which may or may not be living human flesh.
The story list for this collection is below. My personal favorite is the one written by Rayne Hall herself, entitled Greywalker. Would you go to any lengths to make things right with someone before you died? Such is the story of Turgan and Laina, his wife of many years. The wife that he treated with hard words, violence and disdain. Knowing that his life was coming to an end, he desperately wishes to make amends to her for his actions and enlists the help of a witch. A witch who can give him the time he needs, but at what cost?
Story List:
1. IMMUNITY by Jeff Strand
What if the body’s immune system can shake off the infection?
2. GREYWALKER by Rayne Hall
A dying man will pay any price to gain time.
3. LAST CHANCE TO SEE by Tracie McBride
You have twenty-four hours before death becomes permanent.
4. FURZBY HOLT by Jonathan Broughton
Collecting census information in this English village should be an easy job.
5. ANOTHER OLDIE BUT GOODIE by Paul D. Dail
Retirement home resident Margaret is hearing music that no one else can hear.
6. ZOMBIE MOTHER-IN-LAW by Tara Maya
Mama lives in the basement.
7. I’LL LOVE YA, FOREVER, BUT… by April Grey
Faithful to a fault, that’s my Fred.
8. DECISION OF THE COUNCIL by John Hoddy
The year is 2225. Is it safe to reanimate a person from the barbarous past?
9. THE REASON FOR ZOMBIES by Douglas Kolacki
My limbs are not as cooperative as they used to be.
10. FEEDING FRENZY by Matt Hults
These zombies are hungry.
All of these stories were wonderful (being one of those zombie fanatics myself) and I give this book a 5 star rating! You can find this book, and other collections by Rayne Hall, at Amazon.
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