Customer Reviews

Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator

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4 star:		(3)
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Set in California. The year is 2042. No one is sure exactly when or where the first zombie "Zombie Zero" happened. Some believe it all began around 2009, but the first zombie infestations were actually discovered in 2019. The OSHA regulations concerning the make of protective gear, tools and general working environment were first set in 2020 and it has never been updated since then to reflect what has been learned about zombies. This is part of why Neeta agrees to host a reality television show.

Twenty-six-year-old Neeta Lyffe is the host of Zombie Death Extreme (ZDE). Over the past six weeks, Neeta has been training apprentices on zombie extermination. As with most reality shows, these apprentices are out to win the one million dollar prize. However, by the end of the season all of them would be ready to begin working in their chosen career. Neeta's company, Lyffe Undeath Exterminations, has financial problems due to a law suit and the show will help her pay part of it off. But Neeta is growing to loathe Director Dave Lor, who only cares about the show's rating and nothing about the safety of the players. (In fact, Sharon, Dave's assistant, is so stressed out that she keeps her DoDroid SuperSmartPadPhone tuned in to anything about bunnies. They are safe, cuddly, and soothing.) Neeta could care less about glamour or glory. She even refuses to sponsor products for money. Neeta only wants to teach her plebes everything her late mother had taught her, to keep her plebes alive, and perhaps teach Joe and Jane Public that if a zombie invades their home, their best line of defense is not the butcher knife on the counter, but the household cleanser under the sink.

As the story opens, Neeta and her seven plebes are battling zombies in Warehouse Eight. Bernie has been too cocky and it is currently costing the hot surfer-dude his life. Director Dave, of course, wants to exploit Bernie's death, as well as the emotional after effects the horrific death has on the other plebes. One plebe is unable to take any more and walks off the show. The turnover rate is sixty-five percent a year in the exterminator business. Neeta is determined that her remaining five plebes will not only survive, but flourish. As the public watches, the plebes will learn to use various methods in dealing with zombie-ism. Whether it be using a chainsaw to decapitate a zombie, tossing napalm bombs/grenades, or using the delay tactics of undiluted household cleaners, Neeta is a hard core trainer. And after every epidsode's "challenge" each plebe must get on the ZDE web site and post a video blog. There is also a ZDE forum where viewers chat about the show and swap gossip on the ZDE cast members.

But when a horrible road accident has hundred os shuffling zombies en route to a civilian buffet, can Neeta and her plebes rescue the living from the walking undead?

**** FOUR STARS! Usually I tell if a book is funny, serious, or whatever. Well, this book is funny, serious, or whatever. I opened this book expecting something along the lines of a cheesy B-Grade movie. Though this story does have a bit of that tongue-in-cheek flavor, it is written in a serious tone. The ZDE forum breaks in on the story at times and I found these sections to be realistic of how today's on-line forums read. Each forum member has a handle with a small avatar/icon. The ZDE forum even has the typical, ignorant troll that everyone loves to hate and gang up on. (Note: The wrong icon is used once for the troll. At least, it is wrong in my Kindle version. Rigromortis's avatar is used in error.) The author tosses in some well known name brands, but gives them a futuristic tag. (Example: Neeta's chainsaw is a cheap Craftsman Treesplinterer 5000. Then there is mention of a PeopleSpace fan page, the 2041 Jaguar, the H5 [Hummer], and even a 2042 HumVan Sport.)

Producer Alberts is only given limited time in the story; however, other non-plebe characters are given time in the spot light. Many chapters begin with Gary Opkast, one of the show's writers, typing up a documentary, The Zombie Syndrome. Personally, I believe Gary's documentary sections to be a stroke of genius on the author's part. It gives the entire story a touch of realism, as does the forum threads. When it comes to ZDE's cast of plebes, each player has his/her own personality and set of personal quirks. They each have a well developed background which is slowly revealed as the story progresses.

All-in-all, I thoroughly enjoyed this insane look into the world's future zombie problem. Ignoring the spelling and grammar errors (that are on purpose) from the forum's troll, the only real irritating thing I noticed is that the editing got worse during the last quarter of the story. If I recall correctly, no promises though, it begins somewhere around the area that the troll's avatar/icon is wrong. Still, I am happy to be able to highly recommend this tale to zombie-genre fans, whether they prefer the movies or the books. Author Karina Fabian has a sassy, take-no-prisoner writing style that will keep you hooked from page one. ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Not since the glory days of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" has a female killer of the undead burst onto the scene. Karina Fabian's "Neeta Lyffe: Zombie Exterminator" is a chainsaw-wielding heroine who's not afraid to kick some major paranormal ass. Whether she is dousing putrefied reanimated corpses with industrial-strength cleaning supplies or lighting them on fire, she's not one to run the other way when confronted with the walking dead. Instead much like her day job of eliminating rats and fleas, she exterminates zombies who threaten to spread their disease by sinking their teeth into living human flesh. The only way to stop them is by severing the spinal cord, namely decapitation.

This gruesome work is so in demand by the year 2040 that Neeta is the star of her own reality show. Her mission is to train seven recruits through the staged trials of exterminator certification. Right out of the gate, the book opens with the death of one of her plebes, surfer-dude Bergie. This life-imitating-art form of entertainment is so full of sensationalism that his death is seen in living rooms across the country. Neeta knows she has made a deal with the devil - namely the show's producer, Gary - in attaching herself to such a project. However, faced with a lawsuit for burning down a property in order to save a group of people from a zombie attack, her monetary needs outweigh her moral objections.

Fabian shines in her ability to create believable supporting characters. Each participant on the show has a distinctive personality full of their own idiosyncrasies and quirks. It is a difficult enough for an author to mold a strong, multi-faceted protagonist, but Fabian succeeds in bringing an extensive cast to life as authentic individuals, not cliched stereotypes. Fashioning scenes of dialogue with eight people requires a skilled writer, and Fabian delivers with clear, precise conversations. The reasons behind the recruits' personal motivations are given just enough background information to make their actions understandable for the reader. Standouts include shy - to the point of stammering - Spud and attention-seeking, publicity hound Roscoe.

With zombie fever raging across America with the phenomenon of AMC's "Walking Dead," lovers of the genre will certainly enjoy Fabian's spin on things. While staying true to the story's horror/sci-fi theme, she also introduces a great deal of humor into the narrative. For example, the zombism outbreak originated with the unpredictable nature of the 2009 swine flu vaccine. Since then bodies have been digging themselves out of the grave traumatizing the living, mostly by barging into their homes and monopolizing their TV sets. Fabian also introduces a love triangle for Neeta involving Ted the cameraman and Brian, the big name Hollywood radio personality. Its resolution definitely leaves the door open to the possibility of a sequel.

Overall, Neeta is to zombies what Buffy is to vampires.

Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator is the most fun I've had reading a book in ages. I've already recommended it to several friends.

Neeta is an exterminator. She specializes in cockroaches and zombies. When the book opens, she has been talked into starring on a reality TV show training apprentice exterminators. It's fun and games for all!

Love the book completely. One of my favorite aspects is the way that they integrate things like blog posts, forum entries, and script pages into the text.

This is an award winning book, and it deserves to be read by anyone who loves zombie stories and fun. :)

In a genre that often takes itself too seriously, Karina Fabian uses the spectacle that is reality TV to make re-death fun.

Intelligently written, Neeta Lyffe will make you chuckle at times and laugh out loud at others. Fabian repeatedly sneaks in little jokes and humorous terminology. Watch closely or you might miss them.

The cover and title made me a little wary, but I quickly got over them as I read the distinct voices of her cast of characters.

Fabian gets zombies and gets reality TV, and the combination of the two is a hilarious thrill ride!

"Hell's Kitchen" with heart. Pretty much sums it up :). Neeta's got to whip her students into shape, so they can learn to slice and dice zombies. She's not the heartless terror that Chef What's-his-name is, but she can't afford to be soft when dealing with the undead.

I laughed SO hard while reading Neeta Lyffe. But humor is not Karina's only strong point. The book has an actual plot and real characterization--two things that often lack in parody and humor writing. I became a fan of Karina's writing with the first Dragon Eye, P.I. short story, and then a bigger fan after reading Magic, Mensa, and Mayhem. She did not disappoint me with Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator.

This is a fun romp through the zombie genre that is more akin to Shaun of the Dead than to the more "serious" zombie books I've read (World War Z, The Reapers Are The Angels).

The zombie apocalypse is actually somewhat in balance at the point in which this book takes place. Neeta Lyffe is following in her mother's footsteps as a zombie exterminator. Due to some legal problems she is in need of extra income which is why she agreed to participate in a television reality show in which she trains wanna-be zombie exterminators. The winner will win a million dollars and the others, should they survive, will have been trained in a useful occupation. Naturally, each person has their own reasons for wanting this training and we see a bit below the surface into each person's motivations. Neeta herself loathes the necessity that made her agree to the series but is determined that each person will be properly trained. This puts her into direct opposition with the show's producer who is all about the visual thrills and exploiting every emotion to titillate viewers.

Author Karina Fabian is very imaginative in her creation. For example, the zombies are repelled by common household cleaners. They have some dregs of habit left when they rise from the grave which makes them inclined to "visit" their loved ones or drawn to cultural icons they used to frequent. This is an amusing twist which Fabian exploits for full comic or adventure value as needed.

I truly enjoyed this light, enjoyable book. I became invested enough in Neeta to worry that she might be dating the wrong person, to worry about who might die in the ending climax, to become annoyed with the troll that haunts the a fan forum for the show. It is a quick read, but one that I anticipate rereading whenever I need a lift in spirits.

Though this is a book filled with humor, it also explores some deeper themes, which I appreciated. I'm not usually one to read horror anymore (did plenty of that in my youth, enough to last a lifetime), but though this has "zombie" in the title, I'd argue that it's a book more about human nature than it is about zombies. I'll be in line to read the next book, if there is one. Really enjoyed this one!

"Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator" is a gem of a book. It's not your average zombie story. It's witty and clever and fast paced. It comes in paperback as well as an ebook.