Working from Dante's "Inferno" to draw out the reality behind the fantasy, author Kim Paffenroth unfolds the horrifying true events that led Dante to fictionalize the account of his lost years ... For seventeen years of his life, the exact whereabouts of the medieval Italian poet Dante Alighieri are unknown to modern scholars. It is known that during this time he traveled as an exile across Europe, working on his epic poem, "The Divine Comedy." In his masterpiece he describes a journey through the three realms of the afterlife. The most famous of its three volumes, "Inferno," describes hell. During his lost wanderings, Dante stumbled upon an infestation of the living dead. The unspeakable acts he witnessed--cannibalism, live burnings, evisceration, crucifixion, and dozens more--became the basis of all the horrors described in Inferno. Afraid to be labeled a madman, Dante made the terrors he experienced into a more "believable" account of an otherworldly adventure filled with demons and mythological monsters. But at last, the real story can finally be told.
Valley of the Dead (The Truth Behind Dante's Inferno)
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More About the Author
I am a graduate of St John's College, Annapolis (1988), Harvard Divinity School (1990), and the University of Notre Dame (1995). I work at Iona College. I am married with two wonderful children. I am blessed to be able to write about the things that interest me and share my ideas with others.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By Nick Cato
Format:Kindle Edition
Despite talks (within the genre) of zombies being just about "as played out" as vampires, there seems to be a fresh take on them nearly every month . . . but few have been as interesting (or intelligent) as Kim Paffenroth's VALLEY OF THE DEAD, which takes its cue from visions seen in Dante's INFERNO and imagines what he went through during his 17-year exile from Italy (a timeline of his life is provided for us mere mortals!).
The author's prologue itself is worth the cover price and dared me (and will dare any zombie fanatic) to keep reading long into the night.
Besides the uber-cool setup, Paffenroth's writing style here differs from his "Dying to Live" series, and the whole tone of the story seems (at times) like you're reading a lost account of a historical reality. The various characters he encounters (and befriends) along his journey seem quite real, and in their conversations (especially in Chapter 20) we learn nifty bits and pieces about Dante's past (hmmm---seems Dr. Kim set out not only to give his readers the willies, but 'learn 'em a bit, too).
While I truly enjoyed this, I'm not sure how many fans of the standard "shoot-'em-up/gut-munch" zombie tale will; but if you allow yourself to enter Paffenroth's speculative vision with no pre-conceptions, you might find it a hard place to want to leave.
The author's prologue itself is worth the cover price and dared me (and will dare any zombie fanatic) to keep reading long into the night.
Besides the uber-cool setup, Paffenroth's writing style here differs from his "Dying to Live" series, and the whole tone of the story seems (at times) like you're reading a lost account of a historical reality. The various characters he encounters (and befriends) along his journey seem quite real, and in their conversations (especially in Chapter 20) we learn nifty bits and pieces about Dante's past (hmmm---seems Dr. Kim set out not only to give his readers the willies, but 'learn 'em a bit, too).
While I truly enjoyed this, I'm not sure how many fans of the standard "shoot-'em-up/gut-munch" zombie tale will; but if you allow yourself to enter Paffenroth's speculative vision with no pre-conceptions, you might find it a hard place to want to leave.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
REVIEWED BY THE FUNKY WEREPIG
There are two main things you need to know about Kim Paffenroth's VALLEY OF THE DEAD. It's about zombies. And the book is based on Dante's `Inferno' from his classic poem The Divine Comedy. That's a serious mix of horror gore and incredible intelligence. I doubt very few writers could pull this combo off. But having met and chatted in depth with Mr. Paffenroth, I can also say that I'm not surprised that he nailed it.
With this novel, Paffenroth writes as if it's actual history. He follows Dante during one of the most depressing times of his life, his exile from his native city of Florence, Italy. Not much is known of Dante's life during this period but Paffenroth is more than happy to fill in those blank spots- with a zombie plague that has overrun the lands. And in doing so, his fictional story explains in a very matter-of-fact manner how Dante came upon his inspiration for his greatest and best known piece of work.
Told through Dante's eyes and words, he travels in search of some land that hasn't been overrun by the zombie plague. Along the way he joins a few companions- a soldier, a monk, and a pregnant peasant girl- who he forms unique bonds with as they journey literally through different levels of hell to a `safe' destination they're not sure even exists.
Where Paffenroth makes a brilliant choice is in having the living humans be the real horror. Oh yes, there are zombies all over the countryside, in the woods, the mountains and villages. You never know when they will attack and Paffenroth keeps the tension built throughout like a constant heartbeat. But it's in meeting the people who have survived the plague that offer the greatest threats.
Each chapter almost comes off as its own parable or tale. There's a continual flow of corrupt or immoral or insane or damaged characters that confront Dante's band of travelers at every turn. Each has a different perspective on the zombies and has a different means to handle the plague. Being true to human nature, rarely do these meet with unanimous approval. Dante is often as disgusted with the souls of humanity as he is with the soulless walking dead.
Those who love history and are familiar with Dante will applaud Paffenroth's loyalty to both the time period in general and the specifics surrounding Dante's personal life. Those who aren't as familiar or interested in factual representations will love this book because it's a great zombie story that goes beyond a particular time period. People are eaten. They are turned. And what's left of humanity has gone rogue.
I'm no literary scholar. I'm not a history expert. But I do love good horror. VALLEY OF THE DEAD is the smartest book you'll read all year. And it's quite possible that only a dude as intelligent as Paffenroth could make it a flat out creepy scary zombie novel as well.
There are two main things you need to know about Kim Paffenroth's VALLEY OF THE DEAD. It's about zombies. And the book is based on Dante's `Inferno' from his classic poem The Divine Comedy. That's a serious mix of horror gore and incredible intelligence. I doubt very few writers could pull this combo off. But having met and chatted in depth with Mr. Paffenroth, I can also say that I'm not surprised that he nailed it.
With this novel, Paffenroth writes as if it's actual history. He follows Dante during one of the most depressing times of his life, his exile from his native city of Florence, Italy. Not much is known of Dante's life during this period but Paffenroth is more than happy to fill in those blank spots- with a zombie plague that has overrun the lands. And in doing so, his fictional story explains in a very matter-of-fact manner how Dante came upon his inspiration for his greatest and best known piece of work.
Told through Dante's eyes and words, he travels in search of some land that hasn't been overrun by the zombie plague. Along the way he joins a few companions- a soldier, a monk, and a pregnant peasant girl- who he forms unique bonds with as they journey literally through different levels of hell to a `safe' destination they're not sure even exists.
Where Paffenroth makes a brilliant choice is in having the living humans be the real horror. Oh yes, there are zombies all over the countryside, in the woods, the mountains and villages. You never know when they will attack and Paffenroth keeps the tension built throughout like a constant heartbeat. But it's in meeting the people who have survived the plague that offer the greatest threats.
Each chapter almost comes off as its own parable or tale. There's a continual flow of corrupt or immoral or insane or damaged characters that confront Dante's band of travelers at every turn. Each has a different perspective on the zombies and has a different means to handle the plague. Being true to human nature, rarely do these meet with unanimous approval. Dante is often as disgusted with the souls of humanity as he is with the soulless walking dead.
Those who love history and are familiar with Dante will applaud Paffenroth's loyalty to both the time period in general and the specifics surrounding Dante's personal life. Those who aren't as familiar or interested in factual representations will love this book because it's a great zombie story that goes beyond a particular time period. People are eaten. They are turned. And what's left of humanity has gone rogue.
I'm no literary scholar. I'm not a history expert. But I do love good horror. VALLEY OF THE DEAD is the smartest book you'll read all year. And it's quite possible that only a dude as intelligent as Paffenroth could make it a flat out creepy scary zombie novel as well.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Divine Comedy by Italian poet Dante Alighieri is, arguably, one of the most studied and celebrated poems of all time. Religious scholars have spent centuries analyzing it for its theological content. Students of literature have sung praises for its prose for just long. On a personal level, Inferno (the volume of The Divine Comedy that deals with Hell) is one of the main things that sparked my dark interest in all things horror. The rhythm of the lines and the utterly macabre subject matter teamed with the violent yet beautiful imagery and I was hooked instantly. Now years later I've just finished Kim Paffenroth's Valley of the Dead, which is his fictional account of the years Dante spent in exile from his native city of Florence, and old horror is fresh again. He explains his influence, ideas, and drive for Valley of the Dead in his prologue. I read the entire book and thoroughly enjoyed it but I have to admit it only really took me the three page prologue to know I was gonna dig this ride.
In this account Dante enters a foreboding valley and is instantly drawn into an unholy adventure as both the dead and an army sent to destroy them ravages the first village Dante comes across. Dante, a man steeped in tradition and customs from his native land, saves the life of a pregnant peasant girl and together they flee the doomed town as the dead feast on its citizens and the army burns its buildings to the ground. The odd duo ride to the next town to warn of the dead and the approaching army but arrive to find the town swept up in frenzy against a supposed witch. One lone soldier, a deserter from the calloused and cruel army, stands against the crazed town folk. Again the walking dead appear and fire burns and Dante has another companion. The three unlikely allies flee the dead and end up seeking shelter at an odd monastery where they acquire a fourth member, a monk, to their motley band of survivors. The monk tells the three of a hidden pass high in the mountains at the end of the valley that leads away from the death and the dead found there. He vows to lead them there and the story kicks it into high gear through a virtual tour of a living hell on earth.
As the four companions travel across the doomed valley and up the dangerous mountains they encounter hordes of the dead and scores of despicable living souls. Each stop they make and every person they meet is a horror story unto itself. The way the people of the valley deal with the plague (which is a re-occurring thing in the valley), the dead, and the other living survivors will make you think as much as it makes your stomach turn. Before the story reaches its end it is hard to tell who the real monsters are in the story, for there are many, many monstrous things our brave and virtuous travelers must face on the path to safety.
Very well researched and very well written Valley of the Dead succeeds on many different levels. As a zombie novel there is enough undead action to appease both novices and die-hards. There are violent dead, hobbled and trapped dead, dead with collars, and dead with tricks to satisfy that craving for rotting flesh-eaters. There are literally enough different zombies that you will feel a rainbow of entirely different emotions for each undead soul Mr. Paffenroth has dreamed up for us. As a piece of speculative dark fiction the story behind the valley is enthralling and imaginative enough to grab your attention and keep those pages turning. Mr. Paffenroth gives each and every character, be they living or dead, a touch of life and realism that further draws you into his words. I am amazed at how well though out and delivered this incredibly original story is. I HIGHLY recommend this to fans of zombies, horror, dark fantasy (I told you it's a sword swinging solider, a hatchet wielding peasant girl, a monk who is a master of the staff, and a poet/apothecary packing a his own blade on this journey, right?), or just great damned fiction. This book should defiantly be on your bookshelf.
In this account Dante enters a foreboding valley and is instantly drawn into an unholy adventure as both the dead and an army sent to destroy them ravages the first village Dante comes across. Dante, a man steeped in tradition and customs from his native land, saves the life of a pregnant peasant girl and together they flee the doomed town as the dead feast on its citizens and the army burns its buildings to the ground. The odd duo ride to the next town to warn of the dead and the approaching army but arrive to find the town swept up in frenzy against a supposed witch. One lone soldier, a deserter from the calloused and cruel army, stands against the crazed town folk. Again the walking dead appear and fire burns and Dante has another companion. The three unlikely allies flee the dead and end up seeking shelter at an odd monastery where they acquire a fourth member, a monk, to their motley band of survivors. The monk tells the three of a hidden pass high in the mountains at the end of the valley that leads away from the death and the dead found there. He vows to lead them there and the story kicks it into high gear through a virtual tour of a living hell on earth.
As the four companions travel across the doomed valley and up the dangerous mountains they encounter hordes of the dead and scores of despicable living souls. Each stop they make and every person they meet is a horror story unto itself. The way the people of the valley deal with the plague (which is a re-occurring thing in the valley), the dead, and the other living survivors will make you think as much as it makes your stomach turn. Before the story reaches its end it is hard to tell who the real monsters are in the story, for there are many, many monstrous things our brave and virtuous travelers must face on the path to safety.
Very well researched and very well written Valley of the Dead succeeds on many different levels. As a zombie novel there is enough undead action to appease both novices and die-hards. There are violent dead, hobbled and trapped dead, dead with collars, and dead with tricks to satisfy that craving for rotting flesh-eaters. There are literally enough different zombies that you will feel a rainbow of entirely different emotions for each undead soul Mr. Paffenroth has dreamed up for us. As a piece of speculative dark fiction the story behind the valley is enthralling and imaginative enough to grab your attention and keep those pages turning. Mr. Paffenroth gives each and every character, be they living or dead, a touch of life and realism that further draws you into his words. I am amazed at how well though out and delivered this incredibly original story is. I HIGHLY recommend this to fans of zombies, horror, dark fantasy (I told you it's a sword swinging solider, a hatchet wielding peasant girl, a monk who is a master of the staff, and a poet/apothecary packing a his own blade on this journey, right?), or just great damned fiction. This book should defiantly be on your bookshelf.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good read
This book is very well-written. There are two things going on here - zombies and a behind-the-story novel about Dante's Inferno. Read more
Published 12 days ago by Elizabeth
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting adaptation of Dante's Inferno ...
I liked it, but it was a bit like Inferno by Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven. Some variations, but I don't want to be a spoiler. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Michael Knutson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow
This is exactly what I imagined it to be. The visions it left me with........astonished!! This really takes you there and makes you think.
Published 2 months ago by Tonya
1.0 out of 5 stars
Silly non history of a small portion of Danta life
To much silliness about the living dead. If you have a serious interest in history DO NOT
buy his book. Read more
buy his book. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Gregory Wilson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Valley of the Dead
Puzzling at first wondering where their journey will lead the travelers. But as the journey continues you have an idea where they are going even though you don,t want to know the... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Becky
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great read
My first zombie book. I really enjoyed it thought it was well put together. Kudos to the author for making a good world to walk through for a few days.
Published 4 months ago by fearz
4.0 out of 5 stars
Zombies in History!
Wheeee! Having not read The Inferno in . . . several decades, this brought back just enough reminders to make the story flow river-like though my day. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Khinasi
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fast moving
The only thing is that is a problem with this story, is it ended to soon. I really got into the tale and was sorry to see it end. Read more
Published 5 months ago by old reader
5.0 out of 5 stars
A faithful and lively re-imagining of The Inferno!!
I read The Inferno quite a few years ago, but still enjoyed this rendition. It is written in such a way that anyone with even a passing familiarity with the story will enjoy the... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Spencer C.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A new look at a Christian classic
This book is amazing though I should not be surprised because every book I have read from K. Paffinroth has been spectacular. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Jason Jimenez
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