Brains….brains….I need brains…..mmmmm…..
Yeah. That's what I expected when I read Dead Meat by Chris and Patrick
Williams. I mean, c'mon. With a title
like that, I figured the book would be all about zombies eating human flesh and
walking around with no real destination in mind. Granted, there is some of that
in this book, but there is so much more!
First of all, the word zombie isn't ever mentioned. Gavin, the
narrator, can't deal with thinking of them as once being human, so he nicknames
them bees. And they are kind of like that. These zombies sway and swarm
together looking for a pattern to the world around them. Their world was once
called River's Edge, a small town where rabies or "something" has
become rampant. Though we never really find out what's up with that, it doesn't
matter. River's Edge has a big problem with its residents eating each other and
that's enough for Gavin and his new buddy, Benny, to try and leave town.
Unfortunately, the government appears to have other plans for them and due to
the "Exterminators" (soldiers at the edge of town who shoot both the
living and the dead), their evacuation plan becomes harder than they imagined.
This is a gory book. It's graphic in its violence and though
I consider myself pretty seasoned when it comes to reading about death, this
had me shuddering from time to time. However, that being said, I would not say
that this is your typical zombie story. It really isn't about working together
as a team or defeating the military. It's about survival and how far you are
willing to trust another human being. Benny and Gavin's relationship is a tenuous
balance of power and allows growth in both characters. I went from hating Benny
to really thinking he was pretty cool and the kind of guy I might want around
at Doomsday. Gavin is our every man who has to deal with what's happening and
then figure out who he really is--wimp or fighter?
I have to admit the ending did not make me happy. I sorta
saw it coming, but I'm not a fan of first person narratives that end in this
particular way. But that's just me and I won't spoil the outcome!
You can pick up your copy of Dead Meat at the following locations:
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