The Zombie Survival Guide : Complete Protection from the Living Dead

Rating:
Summary: A Survival Necessity!!
Review: This book is the product of an obviously creative and ingeniously original mind. Every possible connection with zombies is analyzed with exhaustive and painstaking detail. I was absolutely fascinated by the descriptions and in particular the uprisings in history section of the book. The book is totally engrossing and really gets you in the author's frame of mind. You can tell that this is something close to his heart or else he wouldn't have spent so much time on it. I know zombies don't REALLY exist, but after reading this you won't be so sure anymore. But as the book says, you better be prepared just in case they do, and this is the best way to get ready! Buy it, read it, know it, live it! Uh oh, they're coming!!

Rating:
Summary: Interesting...
Review: First of all, I don't really know why this is listed as humor... There's not really anything funny about this book. It's just odd.
It's written like a real survival guide. A few times I actually had to remind myself that zombies do not exist... right? lol
Anyway, if you like zombies then read this book. You won't be dissapointed. ^_^

Rating:
Summary: Forewarned is forearmed
Review: Funny and informative, The Zombie Survival Guide offers practical advice for avoiding those nasty preternatural creepies from beyond the grave. Brooks' book is full of interesting facts about the various types of zombies and the best ways to dispose of them. Legends, myths, and accounts of zombie attacks from around the world and throughout history are included in this truly unique book.

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Summary: Watch the living dead trilogy...then read this book!!!
Review: Firstly i have to congratulate Max Brooks on creating one of the most exciting and believable books and the only interesting survival guide i have ever read.

Max Brooks writes these hints and tips with such dedication it might leave you wondering whether or not zombies actually exist? Trying to veer away from the religious opinions of the undead (afraid of holy water crosses) and concentrating more on a scientific side (Max Brooks constantly tries to emphasise a sense of realism in his book) known as the virus "solanum"
A large section at the latter pages of the book concentrates on zombie attack stories ranging from thousands of years before christ to jsut a few years ago which are also as believable as the contents of the survival guide and make you wonder if any of the incidents are real.

A very good read and definitaly something i'd recommend.

Rating:
Summary: The best Damn Zombie Survival Guide I've ever read !!!
Review: When the Dead rise and the Apocolypse has begun, you have nothing but regrets if you haven't purchased this book. Without a doubt the best Zombie Survival Guide I've ever read. I knw come spanking wakes in HellTown, I'll be reading this book again and again. Thank you Max Brooks for making so few mistakes. Totally ignore Zombie through Posession of demonic soul!?! Well, what ya gonna do?


Rating:
Summary: I Am Ready
Review: I don't even remember how I even came about finding this book. I've always been a horror fan, whether it be zombies, or werewolves, or vampires. I just never thought a book quite like this existed. I can tell you right now that I'm glad it does.

The first thing I read before buying it was how it was supposed to be humorous, but when you read it, you quickly realize it never breaks its serious tone. It reads exactly like a survival guide, and never lets on that its all a joke. At least, it's supposed to be a joke.

I could go on about the depth of the book. The classes of zombie outbreaks, the details regarding weapons training, and the proper methods to use when trying to silently kill a zombie (a shotgun is surprisingly not the best bet), but I'd rather you picked up the book and figure it all out yourself.

This is a nice, short read, and something to have lengthy coversations about with friends. Not to mention, that after reading this fine piece of literature, I must admit, I sorta wanted zombies to attack, simply because now, I am ready.


Rating:
Summary: WELL WRITTEN, FUNNY AND INFORMATIVE
Review: Being a fan of Zombie films this book came out of nowhere to me and was quite a surprise. Author Max Brooks has compiled a thoroughly researched and altogether hilarious spoof of zombie culture with his survival guide. And who knows...if Zombies ever really do walk the earth someday, you'll be mighty happy you have this book.

While based in the lore of George Romero's zombie films, Brooks expands it further past film and fiction and explores real life zombies. For the first time we get and in-depth description of the virus that causes this plaugue and a well-thought out, step-by-step breakdown of how the virus attacks the body and what exactly happens. I love the medical analysis Brooks provides about the zombies sense of smell and taste, making you realize full well that you could NEVER disguise yourself as a zombie by shuffling down the street as they did in "Shaun of the Dead". The zombies would pick up the scent of your living flesh and tear you to pieces!

While quite humorous this book is really written rather seriously as if it was an actual text book and Brooks never lets down his guard and you become immersed in the text, making you wonder what would happen if the world were overrun by zombies. You'll get all the tips you need on battling and surviving zombie hordes with suggestions on the safest places to take refuge as well as weapon selection.

For any fan of Zombie films, The Zombie Survival Guide : Complete Protection from the Living Dead is an absolute must read...because you never know...


Rating:
Summary: impressively detailed
Review:
I was prepared for a cheesy gift-book feel when I opened this one up, and was surprised to find out how in-depth it was. Someone was taking this very seriously, and it's the kind of thing that can be read more than once. Nice!

Rating:
Summary: Funny but loses steam too fast
Review: The Zombie Survival Guide is very funny. The first half of the book had me in tears because of the author's satirical and witty sense of humor. This is a book that pretends to be serious about a possible zombie upheaval and it is surprisingly well researched, as if the author had spent many many hours looking at zombie movies in order to decide which escape plan would be best, which kind of gun should be use, and what to do in case of total annihilation.

Still, near the half mark, the book loses steam. And fast. I found myself skipping the last part of the book, which describes the different "reported" zombie attacks throughout history. That whole section (nearly 100 pages) is redundant and very repetitive. None of it was actually funny, or very interesting.

The book is recommended for its actual field guide section. What to do if zombies attack? Well, this book will answer this question and then some. Everything from food, to the types of guns and weapons best suited to fight these monsters, to the different types of possible attacks (according to the author, there are three), all of it is covered in depth and in a very funny manner.

I had a love-hate relationship with this book. Although it did make me laugh on numerous occasions, I was still slightly disappointed in the end. Read the first half, then skip the rest...

Rating:
Summary: The most humorous part of the book is the back cover.
Review: At some point, a one-note parody becomes the very thing an author is attempting to skewer. I'm certain Max Brooks intended this to be a tongue-in-cheek parody of Y2K and 1980s-era survival manuals, but I challenge the reader to draw the distinction between Brooks' work and those oh-so-very-serious guides for surviving catastrophe. In contrast, see the Robin Williams/Walther Matthau/Michael Leeson movie "The Survivors". Perhaps Brooks' vision would be better realized on film as well.

Unfortunately, this book fails as either humor or horror. On the positive side, I now have a fairly definitive, although sometimes contradictory, zombie outbreak survival manual in my library in case one is needed.