Ursula K. Raphael

Refreshing Zombie Comedy, February 11, 2012

In the past, I've read some of Tonia Brown's other work: Lucky Stiff (an erotic zombie novel), Chick Magnet in Hell Hath No Fury..., and Doomsday Ramblings in Eye Witness: Zombie. While I didn't mind her short stories, I disliked Lucky Stiff a great deal. I very rarely enjoy humor mixed with zombies, especially in a full-length novel, and I pretty much avoided reading anything else by Tonia Brown, for fear that it would resemble her writing style in Lucky Stiff. So, when I tell you that I loved Badass Zombie Road Trip,… Read more

Relationships Complicated by Science, Magic & Spirituality, February 8, 2012

Based on other reviews, I was expecting a tale of two women fighting for custody and/or the affection of the same child. The Darkness is actually a story about two women who find their lives drastically altered by crossing paths with a child who has been genetically engineered and produced for a science experiment. One woman, Artemisia, leads the Skyward Group that kidnaps the test subject; they are appalled at how the infant has been deprived by their scientific rivals, so they begin a special regimen to nurture the infant, Adam, to his full potential...without fully grasping what that potential is. Artemisia allows her emotions to disrupt the ongoing research with Adam, and, as an… Read more

Leans Heavily Towards Sci-Fi, imo..., February 7, 2012

Not only are all of these stories post-apocalyptic, but many of them are full of futuristic technology and/or take place years after a zombie outbreak. I thought several of them were more sci-fi than horror, but they are all pretty good, with some being more entertaining than others.

DANCING WITH THE DEAD by Barry Rosenberg features undead created by too much fast food & video games. The zombies are used for domestic service, and this POV centers on a residents' home. It struck as being one of the more sci-fi stories.

MEMORIAL DAY by Mike Barretta tells the story of a young man who recognizes his undead dad working on a county project. With a sci-fi tone, Barretta… Read more