Xombies: Apocalypticon [Mass Market Paperback]

Walter Greatshell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 23, 2010 | Series: Xombies (Book 2)

Survivors of a cataclysmic zombie-making plague leave a temporary safety of a refitted nuclear sub to scavenge for food and supplies on land. But they soon find themselves facing new terrors on the surface and mutiny below.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Xombies: Apocalypticon is more exciting, more action-packed, more gory, and more darkly humorous than its predecessor."

--BSCreview

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Ace; Original edition (February 23, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441018459
• ISBN-13: 978-0441018451
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,131,186 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Walter Greatshell is the author of XOMBIES (August 2004), XOMBIES: APOCALYPSE BLUES (September 2009), XOMBIES: APOCALYPTICON (February 2010), XOMBIES: APOCALYPSO (March 2011), and MAD SKILLS (January 2011), all published by Penguin Books. His short-story THE MEXICAN BUS is featured in the anthology THE LIVING DEAD 2, published by Night Shade Books.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Doom, Less Survivors, More Sci-Fi Zombie Chaos, November 2, 2010

By 

Jason Bradley Thompson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Xombies: Apocalypticon (Mass Market Paperback)

The sequel to the terrific XOMBIES: APOCALYPSE BLUES, Apocalypticon starts anew from the perspective of a minor character in the first book. When the submarine crew returns to the mainland USA to try to find clues to the origin -- and potential cure -- of Xombieism, it isn't long before everything goes horribly wrong. With fewer name characters and plot twists than the first book, Apocalypticon delivers running chase-and-battle scenes with hordes of running Xombies, as well as numerous world-building flashbacks to the very first minutes of the outbreak. Greatshell's sense of absurdity in full force, such as in the bizarre opening scene in a prison rodeo, adding lots of subtle humor to a series which manages to be incredibly violent and gory without being sadistic... since the Xombies don't feel pain no matter how much they're chopped up and blown up and immolated, and since what they offer to their victims isn't pain or torment (a la, say, the zombies in RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD or 28 DAYS LATER) but sweet sweet release from all the cares of humankind.

Apocalypticon also delves deeper into science-fiction explorations of the nature of Xombiehood, although it leaves many questions unanswered (and others answered only if you're really paying attention), and it introduces one particularly out-of-left-field sci-fi subplot which hangs in the air, tantalizing, at book's end. That's the only caveat about this dark, dark cocktail of apocalyptic posthuman sci-fi black-comedy horror: it does read like the second book in a trilogy, and although it doesn't end on a cliffhanger per se, I'm left wanting more. MORE XOMBIES! And while I'm at it, more of the Beatles cover band from the first book, who in Apocalypticon only get a brief nod. ;)

4.0 out of 5 stars Wildly Imaginative And Unpredictable, September 15, 2011

By 

William M Miller (Bronxville, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Xombies: Apocalypticon (Mass Market Paperback)

"Xombies: Apocalypticon" is author Walter Greatshell's followup to his acclaimed Berkley novel, "Xombies", also retitled "Xombies: Apocalypse Blues", under the re-release by Ace. Personally, I like the original title and especially the original cover a lot better, but marketing departments have the final say in the end, right or wrong. The original printing also has some slight text differences in a character's accent used in dialogue.

In this second story, Greatshell continues with the same characters and throws them in just as much danger as before. Only this time, they have to battle between each other as much as the outside forces of the Xombies. Food is dwindling and paranoia about the future quickly turns our submarine crew into panic mode. For a more rewarding experience, I would recommend newcomers read the first book in the series before diving into this.

Halfway through the book, Greatshell introduces a completely new concept to the zombie mythology that is, quite simply, a game changer for humans and their defensive tactics against the hoards of the undead. Here and there, I felt some descriptions or actions were a touch vague and a bit confusing, but overall it was clearly a successful novel. If you are looking for the same old zombie story, you'll want to stay away. These are not your father's zombies. This is a completely new and layered take on this sub-genre. Greatshell takes the rulebook on zombies and doesn't just throw it out, he blows it up.

4.0 out of 5 stars Dark and depressing., April 2, 2011

By 

J. Hart - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Xombies: Apocalypticon (Mass Market Paperback)

It's been years since I read the first book, so I was a little confused by some of the plot points, but I enjoyed this book as it was. There was a lot of disturbing stuff, and the ending is anticlimactic, but I definitely want to read the next book.