Customer Reviews

Road Trip of the Living Dead

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The fearsome threesome is back in Road Trip of the Living Dead. When Amanda gets a letter stating that her mother is dying, her first instinct is to pitch the letter and forget about it. After all, what did her mother ever do for her? Wendy and Gil appeal to the softer side of Amanda's conscience. When things go wrong with a client in Gil's new resurrection business, off they go to the middle of nowhere to pay one last visit to the woman who gave birth to Amanda. Along the way, they encounter some unusual characters. And of course, they also manage to encounter more trouble. Will Amanda be able to keep from bashing in her mother's head with a bedpan? Will she be able to retain her youthful good looks while in the middle of danger?

I have to admit, I had bought Happy Hour of the Damned about two days before meeting Mark Henry at RT last year. It was nowhere near the top of my reading list, but when I came home, I sat down and started to read it. As I read the first chapter, I was not sure I wanted to keep reading the book, but by the time I finished it, I was glad I did. I knew I could not wait until he finished the next book. To find out that it would not come out until the following year was pure torture. Imagine my pleasant surprise when I got my hands on a copy for review. I loved it! Road Trip of the Living Dead is definitely worth 5 tombstones.

Amanda Feral is not your typical zombie and if it were not for her eating habits, you would never guess that she was anything but a diva. Road Trip is very snarky and, at times, very funny. Mr. Henry uses footnotes throughout the book as well as playlists and various other little unexpected surprises. By the time you finish the book, there is almost no way that you can dislike Amanda, Wendy and Gil, even if they do seem shallow and selfish at times. I do caution the faint of heart to read this a little bit at a time, as reading about zombies does tend to be a little...gross at times. Pick up Mark Henry and give his series a try. Road Trip is a fantastic read and you will not be disappointed.

Reviewed at Bitten by Books Paranormal Fiction Review Site by Virginia

This is no club opening. Zombie Amanda Feral, gal pal Wendy, and vamp cohort Gil are on the road, making a mad dash away from the newly-vamped gangster who is out to end Gil's unlife. Facing such savage threats as werewolf thugs, vengeance seeking girls with guns, overly-polite cultists, and K-Mart shopping, the gang makes their way to the deathbed of Amanda's mother. Amanda's not interested in closure, but she wouldn't mind making sure her Mommy Dearest is ushered off into the next world permanently. Besides, what better way to let a gangster cool his heels than flee town? But of course, things are never that simple, and we lucky readers get to delve not only into Amanda's past (showing some depth beneath that shallow exterior), but get taken along for the chaos of the road trip of an after-lifetime. Read my full review at http://www.flamesrising.com/road-trip-living-dead-review/

Look out Max Brooks and Candace Bushnell here comes Mark Henry with his leading lady Amanda Feral. It's a glorious read for the fashion minded, action loving set with a thing for the undead.

Plot Summary: The notoriously hip zombie, Amanda Feral, was part of a disastrous vampire-raising with her friends Gil and Wendy. The newly risen vamp wants revenge, so this undead trio must hit the road post haste in a P.O.S. Winnebago. Since Amanda's mother is on her deathbed in the middle of the country, they have the perfect excuse for a road trip, no-never-mind that Amanda hates the old biddy and could care less about a bedside farewell. Along the way, they encounter skinheads, werewolves, Wal-Marts (gasp), and weirdness at every turn.

I just can't get over some of the things I read in this book. It was raunchy, saucy, and so funny that I couldn't keep reading because my whole body was shaking with laughter. Henry is completely fearless with a sick sense of humor to boot, and he writes about the kinds of things that polite people are happy to leave unsaid. If you're the sort of person who snorts at good bathroom humor (my hand is raised), then you'll probably howl at several scenes here. If you cannot abide by coarse, lewd, or filthy jokes, pass this one by, because at some point this book would offend your delicate sensibilities like a juicy fart in an elevator.

Hanging out with Amanda and her chums is like entering the glittering, superficial world of professional party girls, and yet amazingly, I did not hate their guts. I quickly got a sense that their flash on the outside was just a coat of makeup, and when I scraped it away, I found that Amanda, Gil, and Wendy have a friendship in the truest sense. They are so full of themselves, so fabulous darling, that when they get into trouble it's like watching Paris Hilton try to do emergency brain surgery. It's comical in the extreme.

Since this is my first Mark Henry novel, I assumed that the heroine was a vampire based on the title. I am so glad that she's not, because casting Amanda as a zombie is unique, disgusting, and refreshing all at the same time. I don't get to read many stories about zombies, which is too bad, because they can make me cringe in ways that make vampires seem boring. Several times I tried to eat while reading this book, and I found my food becoming less appetizing with each page until I had to abandon my plate. It was so deliciously disgusting at times, and I loved it.

This is the second book to feature Amanda and gang, so if you want to read these in order, start with "Happy Hour of the Damned." Truthfully, I had no problem jumping into this book without reading the preceding one. Reader's choice.

In Seattle nightlife lover Amanda Feral wishes American had more of a fashions sense especially those people she dines on when she eats their brains; though if they understood fashion, she might not use them as dessert. The zombie fashion hound learns her abusive mother Ethel is dying so she decides to pay her respects to the wicked witch of the northwest. She persuades her friend zombie Wendy Miller to go with her to Rapid City, South Dakota, home of the fashion-challenged and mommy meanest.

The two zombiettes decide to stay in town for one more night before the trek to mommy meanest. However, their friend gay vampire Gil angers a strip club owner, making it imperative he leave town immediately. The trio flees as werewolves give chase while Amanda's pickups seem to lose their heads, but their biggest fear is the shopping horde at Kmart.

This is a wild zany bawdy urban horror thriller (see Happy Hour of the Damned) starring no heroes. The story line is fast-paced with plenty of graphic blood, guts, and sh*t letting. The road warriors are a crude but fun bunch while the tale needs to carry two warnings: don't eat while reading this novel and cover your genitals with armor at all times. Sort of placing Divine of Pink Flamingos fame in a George Romero movie as Mark Henry is over the Rocky Mountains with this wild ROAD TRIP OF THE LIVING DEAD.

Harriet Klausner

We are six months after the end of Happy Hour of the Damned, and everyone has pretty much moved on since the zombie outbreaks. Gil has started his own Resurrection business, making money turning people undead. While waiting for a client of Gills, recently deceased wealthy-rich man, to rise from the grave Amanda mentions to Wendy and Gil she received a call from her mothers hospice care nurse saying her mother is in ending stages of stomach cancer. With the rising of the new vampire things start to go seriously wrong. A ghost who hates vampires does something to the newly birthing vampire as he is breaking from the earth. Markham is now pissed (ha ha...) and wants a refund and threatens to kill Gil. But Gil hopes a few days away will calm him to the point of talking and not killing. Leaving town for a road trip to Amanda's mom's, the crew goes ~ some wanting and willing, and one dreading it.

Oh this road trip is a tragic comedy of events. But we are with a group of meat eating undead here and there are crazy happenings with the crew as they are chased through the country to Amanda's dieing moms. Fun. As the trip starts off as a way to get away from troubles awaiting in town, the start to think they might be being followed. But then when they think they've lost their stalkers other events take place and we meet new characters that being a new twist to the story and new destination stops in the road trip. All stops end in a wild happening. And the humor like in Happy Hour.

We learn more of Amanda's upbringing through her memories of her mom while meeting new characters that fit, and don't fit, into the group. There are new men and women. And each finds their own place here, if they have one. Amanda is the great sassy character I remembered her to be. Wendy seemed to be not as active for me in this book. But we do meet some new characters which I enjoyed, Honey and Scott. I love the connections the feel with a few of the characters. Nice! But, there's a murder mystery too! Not knowing who is doing the murders and working on the suspects. So, who is killing these people? Which ones will end up lunch meat? You'll have to read to find out.

Amanda Feral, along with her best friends Wendy and Gil are back for more (mis)adventures in this sequel to "Happy Hour of the Damned". As in the first book, the footnotes will make you laugh more often than not, and the story will never stop amazing you with its twisted hilarity. I laughed out loud so often while reading this, I drove my poor hubby up the wall. Mark Henry is definitely high on my list of favorite authors.

For those of you not familiar with Amanda Feral, she's a zombie. But not just any zombie. She's the original Diva of the Living Dead. So when the Road Trip of the Living Dead opens, we find our heroine camped out in a cemetery with fellow zombie gal pal Wendy and gay vampire sidekick Gil. While Gil prepares for the "coming out" of a newly turned vamp, courtesy of his latest enterprise -- Luxury Resurrections Ltd. -- Amanda ponders the course of action she should take regarding her mother, who is wasting away in a hospice. Should she stay or should she go and visit the old bag before she bites the big one for the last time. The decision is taken out of her hands, thanks to your friendly neighborhood ghost who unleashes a stream of ectoplasmic piss on the newly risen vamp. Who turns out to be none other than Richard Markham, a Mafioso type figure who tends to hold a grudge. Rather than hide out until things blow over, Wendy suggests a road trip, thus fulfilling the "moderately accurate" prediction of Madame Gloria, Wendy's telephone psychic.

The trio (quartet, actually, when you take into account Mr. Kim, Amanda's ghostly hood ornament) take to the road, destination Rapid City, South Dakota and Amanda's mother. However, nothing with Amanda is ever simple, as she lives for drama. From the minute they hit the road, the body count starts to rise. Will Amanda and company "live" long enough to say good-bye to Mommy Dearest? To find out, you'll just have to pack a bag and tag along. But please make your you bring your own Depends, because with the laughter that ensues, you may just find yourself in need of some relief with no rest stop in sight.

While it's not necessary to read Mark Henry's Happy Hour of the Damned before taking a Roadtrip beyond your wildest imaginings, I would highly recommend doing so to become familiar with America's favorite Living Dead Diva, Amanda Feral.

In Mark Henry's second Amanda Feral book, we find the gang needing to get out of town. First, Gil, Amanda's vampire pal has decided to start his own business, Luxury Resurrections. What better way to make some money than to turn people into vampires? He offers a premium service, unfortunately his first client, Richard Markham gets urinated on by a ghost as he rises from his grave, which wasn't really included in the million dollar price tag. Markham is pissed and as Gil, Amanda and Wendy flee the scene, he promises revenge.

Concurrently, Amanda's mom is on hospice dying from cancer. This actually makes Amanda very happy. She hates her mom - like, really, really hates her. She had an awful childhood because of her and could care less her mom is ready to kick the bucket. Gil thinks maybe Amanda needs closure, and with an enraged Markam on their tails, they decide to go on a road trip! A road trip is not necessarily the flashy, high profile life that Amanda prefers, but as she says, "country folk have cute country flavors."

During the road trip, we meet several new people. First, we are introduced to Fishhooks, a man that is suppose to be Amanda's dinner, but was smart enough to swallow several fish hooks, that of course no zombie will go near now. He mumbles, is usually high, and is really well hung.

Mr. Kim's, or Kimmy is back, (kimmy is the ghost from the first book), and we are introduced to his sister who desperately wants to find a way to see him again. We meet a family that is just too perfect to be real - and have twins that may like to make-out with each other. There are also werewolves and zombie attacks, and the cute cop from the first book is back and Amanda can not resist.

Road Trip of the Living Dead is better than the first book in my opinion. The pace is fast throughout and Mark Henry again delivers a book that will have you laughing nonstop. I can't express how funny his books are. It's the combination of humor and shock value that make these books so entertaining. For as funny and snarky as the first book is, I really think it is a challenge to write a second book on that level, and he makes it happen.

We get a lot of glimpses into Amanda's life in this one as she contemplates why she hates her mother so much and how she turned into the person (or zombie) she is today. We even see a bit (just a little) of humanity in her as she copes with a Wendy who is down in the dumps and Kimmy's sister who wishes to see her dead brother in his ghost form. Don't get me wrong, Amanda is still a bitch - but she cares for Gil and Wendy and they make a great trio. Wendy is battling an addiction to Twix bars, which she tries to hide from the gang, but with chocolate smears on her face and the runs coming out the other end, it is a problem that all her friends know about. I actually wish we had more with Gil this time, he seemed to be left behind.

We do get more with Scott, the police officer from the first book that comes to Amanda's aide. He is a fun character and gives a something to Amanda that makes her undead heart a little more smutty, if that is possible. I could sit here and type out a dozen or more quotes that had me laughing out loud, but it is better if you read it for yourself. You need to get into Amanda's snarky, sharp-witted mind and go along for the ride.

Road Trip of the Living Dead is fun, fast-paced and different than any other urban fantasy series out there. I am really impressed with this series and can't say enough how entertaining it is.

Rating: 4.5/5

I opened up Road Trip of the Living Dead and prepared myself to be entirely grossed out by Mark Henry's sick and twisted sense of humor again. He did not disappoint and I quickly found myself gasping and giggling at Amanda Feral and her "pottymouth." I mean how can one not love her?

""I'm a total shoe slut. Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin: this is an open invitation. Feel free to run a train on me. The cost? Stilettos, duh"

In Road Trip of the Living Dead Amanda, Wendy, and Gil find themselves up to their supernatural asses in trouble and are forced out on the run (all because of some really gross ghost urine!). The gang uses the need to leave town as an opportunity to visit Amanda's deathly ill mother. However, nothing is ever simple for these three and their road trip quickly turns into an adventure filled with action, danger, gold grills, and fleshlights (google if you must, but I warn you... do it when you are completely alone! its errrr interesting).

While I found book 1, Happy Hour of the Damned, to be heavy on the character plotting, book 2 was a nice blend of character and interesting storyline. If anything I think Gil and Wendy took a smaller role about halfway through and I missed them a tiny bit! The mystery and suspense was better and more to the forefront than the previous book. I was engrossed in the oddly developing story and simply did not want to put this one down! Mark Henry brings in some new characters that are sure to make you laugh, including a sexy new werewolf named Scott. We even got a smexy scene that will make you snicker!

I have only one itsy bitsy complaint (or I would have given this 5 stars) ~ I wanted more with Amanda's mother. We get such a tiny glimpse of her at the end and I was slightly confused as to what happened to/with her. There was quite a bit of setup as to Amanda and her mother and that plot line seemed to take a bit of a backseat in the end. However Amanda did make a few comments that lead me to believe this was intentional and more is coming.

With Road Trip of the Living Dead Mark Henry had me once again laughing hysterically, out loud, causing the hubby to look at me like I had lost a few marbles. If you haven't yet jumped on the Save Amanda Feral bandwagon, don't worry, there is still time! Book 1, Happy Hour of the Damned, is being re-released as Mass Market Paperback on January 26th