The Dead That Walk was released November 2009 and published by Ulysses Press. There are twenty-four short stories written by Richard Matheson & Richard Christian Matheson, Yvonne Navarro, Michael Marshall Smith, Mark Samuels, Joe Hill, Weston Ochse, David J. Schow, Nancy Holder, H. P. Lovecraft, Ramsey Campbell, Lisa Morton, Brian Keene, Gary McMahon, Joe R. Lansdale, Kelly Dunn, Clive Barker, Christopher Fowler, Robert E. Howard, Stephen Woodworth, Harlan Ellison, Robert Shearman, Kim Newman, Scott Edelman, and Stephen King. Before each short story, there's a brief biography of that story's author as well as listing some of their previous works and experience with writing about zombies. The Dead That Walk focuses on zombie short stories.
"Introduction: Shoot 'em in the Brain" by Stephen Jones
This was an interesting look into how zombies and zombie culture has made its way into the mainstream, along with giving the history of zombies. This is just a neat history lesson and a great way to begin an anthology.
"Where There's a Will" by Richard Matheson & Richard Christian Matheson
A man is buried alive and is seeking a way to free himself. However, what he learns makes him wish he were still buried.
Overall: 5/5
Thoughts:
"Where There's a Will" is a very short story done right. There is a real claustrophobic feeling to the story and what the main character is going through. Then you have the twist at the end, which was just fantastic.
"For the Good of All" by Yvonne Navarro
Father Stane arrives to the home of a woman named Fida, in hopes that those who live with Fida can be saved by faith and belief.
Overall: 5/5
Thoughts:
"For the Good of All" is a good story with a get premise. The dark tone is played off well enough that the story doesn't feel dark until the end. After that point, the entire story really comes off as dark. Along with the interesting idea that the undead can be 'saved', this short story is wonderful.
"The Things He Said" by Michael Marshall Smith
A man living off a mountain tells of the advice his father gave him, along with his daily schedule.
Overall: 3/5
Thoughts:
"The Things He Said" isn't a bad story, but its way too slow. There are quite a few interesting and great moments, but in the long run it's just a man telling us of his daily schedule. It's simple, and that was good, but it felt like it needed more.
"The Last Resort" by Mark Samuels
After a zombie outbreak, Davies finds his rural home surrounded by the undead. Armed with only a shotgun, he has to survive, or use it as a last resort.
Overall: 2/5
Thoughts:
"The Last Resort" isn't a bad story, but it doesn't add anything new. It's predictable and you would get a feeling that you've seen this story before. Thankfully, the rural setting does give the story something unique about it and did remind me a bit of Night of the Living Dead.
"Bobby Conroy Comes Back from the Dead" by Joe Hill
On the set of George Romero's Dawn of the Dead, Bobby Conroy spots his former love in Harriet Rutherford, zombie make-up and all.
Overall: 4/5
Thoughts:
"Bobby Conroy Comes Back from the Dead" was a unique and fun story. The ending felt kind of weak, but it still was a funny and cute short story that I wouldn't have minded if it was longer.
"The Crossing of Aldo Ray" by Weston Ochse
Aldo Ray has to get into the United States to save his son and the only way to cross the Mexican-American border is to go across with los muertos, the undead. Things don't go as planned.
Overall: 4/5
Thoughts:
"The Crossing of Aldo Ray" is an interesting take on illegal immigration, just with zombies. There are a few flashbacks that appear in the story that don't really add anything that important to the plot. There are a few surprises that to pop up.
"Obsequy" by David J. Schow
Doug has to get out of Triple Pines. He has to leave the city. However, before he is able to, the dead come back, alive. After the love of his life returns from the beyond, can he leave?
Overall: 3/5
Thoughts:
"Obsequy" is a good story hampered by one problem; its characters. No one aside from the main character seems to be developed enough for the reader to really care about them. Even with the main character, I had a hard time getting into. It seems like the character development was second or third to explaining the story. Thankfully, "Obsequy" has an interesting take on zombies. In the story, they are living, non-brain eating beings who just happened to have been dead. In fact, they seemed more like vampires, feeding off the livings heat. It's an interesting take.
"Zombonia" by Nancy Holder
Survivors of a zombie apocalypse find a refuge in the desert, but as the party goes on, it becomes clear that it'll never end.
Overall: 3/5
Thoughts:
"Zombonia" may leave you annoyed by the prose. It's annoying and headache inducing, if you don't like that "valley-girl" accent. Thankfully, at barely four pages long, it's a quick enough read that you almost overlook it.
"Cool Air" by H. P. Lovecraft
A New York writer finds a new place to live. After finding the place and learning of the other tenants, a heart attack seizes him. Thankfully, one of the tenants is a doctor and the writer goes to him for aid. However, there isn't something quite right about the doctor.
Overall: 5/5
Thoughts:
"Cool Air" is a wonderfully suspenseful and terrifying story. The build-up and the pay off were just fantastic. There was a distinct sense of the unknown and of dread that really came off well.
"Call First" by Ramsey Campbell
An older man continues to use a phone in the library. Same time, everyday. The librarian at the desk finds this particular activity odd and goes off to find out who he is calling, but learns that it may have been best to not investigate.
Overall: 4/5
Thoughts:
"Call First" is a very suspenseful story. The beginning did come off as slightly confusing because you don't understand his reasoning why he becomes so obsessed with finding out who the older man is talking to. It just felt forced. However, the ending and the build up in suspense was just great.
"Joe and Abel in the Field of Rest" by Lisa Morton
Joe lives alone in a farmhouse that him and his father owned. A year after his father's death, Joe has been alone. Thankfully, his loneliness is saved by an unlikely source.
Overall: 3/5
Thoughts:
"Joe and Abel in the Field of Rest" is a good story that could have been something more. The only problem is with the mentions of Joe's father, which never seemed to amount to anything. The story is simple enough to allow you to get into it quickly and is just as enjoyable.
"Midnight at the Body Farm" by Brian Keene
Hector Bolivar isn't alone with the dead bodies in the body farm.
Overall: 3/5
Thoughts:
"Midnight at the Body Farm" is a short, but good story. The shortness of it does make it feel quick, but it's still fun and exciting. There is a slight feeling of continuity concerning this short story and Brian Keene's novel titled Dead Sea, but it's only slight. All in all, this short story is very quick and to the point, but could have been slightly longer.
"Dead to the World" by Gary McMahon
A man and his wife are surviving in a zombie ravaged England, but one can't escape their past and the other just needs to survive.
Overall: 4/5
Thoughts:
"Dead to the World" is a cold, distant, but good story. The story really felt depressing and almost lifeless, but it still worked. The relationship between the two main characters was something different and unexpected. The ending was just satisfying and different, which is the best way to sum up this story.
"The Long Dead Day" by Joe R. Lansdale
A family is living in a walled off homestead in a zombie infested world, but tragedy strikes as the daughter is bitten by a "dog".
Overall: 3/5
Thoughts:
"The Long Dead Day" is an average story due to its short length. There was no room for character development and the characters relationships really seemed to be direct and to the point. However, the story does play tragedy well.
"A Call to Temple" by Kelly Dunn
A mother tries to live with an infected son, unwilling to end his life.
Overall: 4/5
Thoughts:
"A Call to Temple" is a fairly good story. The ending was weak and didn't have the poignancy that it was trying for. The relationship between Hannah and Sam really did feel like a mother and son relationship. You can see Hannah going to the lengths she goes through for her son. Also, the non-apocalyptic, subtle zombie infested world felt different and unique. This give the zombie attacks feel more shocking and disturbing.
"Haeckel's Tale" by Clive Barker
A group of friends are exchanging stories and gossip when one brings up a past experience with a necromancer.
Overall: 5/5
Thoughts:
"Haeckel's Tale" is a twisted story. The atmosphere really does help with the twisted and deranged feeling. This is one story that I won't be forgetting anytime soon.
"The Rulebook" by Christopher Fowler
Young Paul spread a rumor about his neighbor, Mr. Hill, killing his wife. But when Paul and his mother are offered to stay at his home due to a leaky roof and Mr. Hill going to the hospital for minor surgery, Paul discovers that you shouldn't tell rumors.
Overall: 5/5
Thoughts:
"The Rulebook" really stands out in this anthology. Not only was it entertaining, but it had a very different feel to it. It was a lot lighter and not as depressing as the rest of the stories, thus far.
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