Don of the Dead: A Zombie Novel [Paperback]

Nick Cato (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 15, 2009

Two mob families go to war after one family's main hitman switches sides--and to show his newfound loyalty, he has to whack his former boss, who also happens to be the current Don. The Don is buried alive on a mob-controlled construction site that was once the location of a church that had banned the same Don's ancestors, causing them to invent their own religion. The Barrlucio and Piranzza families battle for control of the underworld before their main henchmen find out a Don has been offed without permission. Major problems arise when a group of mysterious Sicilians arrive from Italy and manage to retrieve the Don's corpse. Well, his living corpse. Before long, the Don's undead state leads to the outbreak of reanimated dead, including a showdown at the Staten Island Mall and NYC's Central Park. Add to the mix a corrupt military general that is bent on using the outbreak to bring down the mob and the entire city and an even more corrupt Catholic priest who is responsible for the whole mess in the first place. Ah, nothing like a few bowls of scungilli, classy suits, bullets and zombies.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Zombies meet the mob—what's not to like? Nick Cato's Don of the Dead takes an oh-so-cool central idea and turns it into a tale that is at times funny, often gory, and 100% a hell of a good time! I freakin' loved it . . . capisce?" - James Newman, author of Animosity, People Are Strange and Midnight Rain

"Don of the Dead is violent, visceral and fascinating—a comedy darker than heart blood." - Simon Clark, author of Blood Crazy and The Midnight Man

"Don of the Dead is the coolest concept story I've read in awhile and Nick Cato delivers the goods. It's as if George Romero has eaten the brains of Mario Puzo, Martin Scorcese and Dave Barry and spit out fictional gold. An ambitiously entertaining tale of mobsters, monsters, and mayhem, told with an offbeat mix of reverence, humor and horror. Recommended reading!" - Michael Arnzen, author of Licker and Proverbs for Monsters

"Don of the Dead is insanely entertaining—a splattery, whacked-out novel with outrageous characters and a frenzied pace. Miss this one, and you might as well be wearing cement shoes while zombies eat your face." - Jeff Strand, author of The Sinister Mr. Corpse and Pressure

"Nick Cato takes a refreshing new look at zombies and knocks ’em dead . . . Italian-style!" - Monster Librarian

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 244 pages
• Publisher: Coscom Entertainment (July 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 192671203X
• ISBN-13: 978-1926712031
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,746,996 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

NICK CATO's fiction has appeared in BITS OF THE DEAD, DEATHGRIP: EXIT LAUGHING, STRANGE STORIES OF SAND & SEA, SOUTHERN FRIED WEIRDNESS (Volume One), and most recently in the bizarro horror anthology HOUDINI GUT PUNCH. His fiction has also appeared in genre magazines such as Dark Recesses and Wicked Karnival. His debut novel, DON OF THE DEAD, was released in 2009 by Coscom Entertainment.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Can't wait for the film version., July 12, 2009

By 

CHRIS RAMONES RULE (STATEN ISLAND,NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don of the Dead: A Zombie Novel (Paperback)

It's often been said that the best books are the type which read like a film treatment and an excellent example would be Nick Cato's DON OF THE DEAD. Straight-forward, to the point, and loaded with an array of interesting characters, Mr. Cato has done the incredible and melded the genres of Organized Crime and Zombie/Living Dead lore into a tale that would bring a horror filled smile to the face of any fan familiar with the works of Mario Puzo or George Romero. This work should also put the Staten Island community on full alert for signs of Living Dead activity. My only question is: When can we expect the film version?

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mobsters and Zombies!, June 18, 2010

By 

J. Krall "Horror/Bizarro/Noir Author" (Noir Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don of the Dead: A Zombie Novel (Paperback)

That's a pretty freaking cool combination. But with any cool combination (or mash-up, if you will) it can be a real hit-or-miss situation. Luckily with DON OF THE DEAD, it's a hit.

What this book has going for it the most is the humor. The author doesn't take his subject so serious as to be stuffy but he also doesn't bring his humor into goofy territory. He knows just went to hold back and when to go for the laughs. Writing a humorous zombie book could have easily turned into a parody but Cato has such a respect for the source material, DON OF THE DEAD ends up having a really strong backbone to hold up the funny stuff.

There is also a good amount of zombie violence which, if you are a fan of the genre, you have to come to expect. But Cato makes sure the gore is never boring.

One of the most intriguing things about zombie books (and movies) is learning about the origin of the outbreak. In DON OF THE DEAD, the source of the zombies is both hilarious and interesting.

It's evident that Cato is a big fan of horror/zombie movies and so he keeps the book moving swiftly with short scenes. The only downside is that sometimes it moves a little too fast but that doesn't deter from the enjoyment and I'd much rather it go too fast than too slow.

DON OF THE DEAD is the type of book that is just begging for a film adaptation. It'd sort of be a cross between the Sopranos, Street Trash, Dawn of the Dead, and a few Italian zombie flicks. What would that add up to? Pure awesomeness!

This will please fans of the zombie genre especially those who have a good sense of humor about the genre.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A handshake between Puzo and Romero, September 30, 2009

By 

Lorne Dixon - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Don of the Dead: A Zombie Novel (Paperback)

Nick Cato's DON OF THE DEAD doesn't exist in a vacuum. This story lives and breathes in the hearts and minds of everyone who has a deep affinity for '70s cinema. The benchmarks here- as the title suggests- are The Godfather and Dawn of the Dead. Cato rips into the story with admirable vigor, setting up the conflict in a few smart, quick strokes. This is a novel full of steam. It never slows down, instead pushing forward with every sentence, spiraling into stranger and stranger territory... but without ever losing its way.