World War Z by Max Brooks

4/5 stars
****

I liked this book. I really really did. Zombies that actually become scary is a rare commodity in this world and let me tell you, when you live alone, and you have cats with a penchant to knock things over unexpectedly, this book becomes terrifying.


Told post the War, World War Z does an exemplary job on describing events that we, as a reader, need to believe changed our entire world. It isn't just one country effected. It wasn't just one category of people. This books spans a variety of cultures and gives voice to several different groups who are now forever united together in a single events that was meant to destroy them. In moments that are blindingly terrifying, this novel portrays zombies in a refreshing way. It does not spend hours focusing on how the zombies move or give us countless images of them gnawing on torn limbs, blood staining their face. It instead focuses on the survivors, what they think, what they had felt during the time, who they were concerned about and whether they thought the entire scenario was a joke or not. This leaves countless things up to the readers imagination and in this scenario, it works. This is the type of novel where less is a hell of a lot more because what the brain can conjure is always going to be much more personal and much more skin crawling, than what an author can try to give you.


What I think impressed me most about this book was that there was something for every type of reader. World War Z. Brooks had a story for every type of reader here and switched between voices with conviction and ease. That alone makes me sit back in awe of him. He didn't just have one story he set out to tell in this novel. He had dozens.

For example, I do not enjoy politics. When that point in most novels is reached where the authors spends pages going over a political structure or the on going push and pull between two parties, I zone out. It is a necessary thing to have in novels, especially ones that are trying to set up and brand new world. Often you'll see me complain about this because I am not the type of reader who cares how the world functions so much as how the people inhabiting it do. My brain registers the hints of a political rant or even a financial explanation, and starts to wander to more exciting moments that I wish were taking place instead. Max Brooks had his fair share of stories told from a politician or someone who knew way more about economics or even how the business aspect of the world worked. He also had stories about parents trying to keep their children alive just one more day, computer geeks escaping from a four story apartment complex, and pilots who became so delirious that they could not explain how they even logically made it out of the war zone alive. This type of story works in the structure that Brooks has set up and does not detract from the overall enjoyment of

I am genuinely excited to see the movie adaptation of this and am looking forward to buying the audio book to enjoy this experience all over again. World War Z was a novel that I did not expect to enjoy, nor did I expect the range of emotions that poured out of me while reading. It is one of the first critically acclaimed novels that I've read in quite a while, that actually lived up to its hype.

If you want to see what else I'm reading this month, visit here: http://papertales4u.blogspot.com/2013/10/october-book-reads.html

And don't forget to like me on facebook.  Also, if you like the Zombie propoganda posters that you see here, visit their website.  There are plenty more where these came from. http://www.behance.net/gallery/WPA-Style-Zombie-Survival-Guide-Posters/9388537

October Book Reads

If you've noticed, I did skip September mainly because I was behind on my reading choices for moths prior and I was honestly just tired of reading. Those moods hit me every once in a while where books are more of a chore than anything else. It takes a really good book to finally snap me out of it and thankfully, Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch did that for me. I'm back in my reading mood and hopefully, my blogging mood again. There are many little things to tell you, dear bloggers. Many many things.


But for now, here are my hopeful picks for September.


Enders Game by Orson Scott Card

I don't think there's a single Sci-Fi reader out there that doesn't know about Enders Game. I have been hearing about how amazing this book is for years now and after a good friend of mine plowed through it in a few days time, I decided it was time for me to give it a go as well. It's been sitting on my shelf ever since, haunting me with its blue cover that screams space wars . The odd thing about this book, is I couldn't begin to even tell you what the plot is. For a book that is so well loved, it is not one that seems to be common pop culture knowledge. I'll give it a go though and see if it breaks my stigma on books that are set in space, all being the same.

Review Now Up: http://papertales4u.blogspot.com/2013/10/enders-game-by-orson-scott-card.html

World War Z by Max Brooks

I haven't seen the movie. Let me get that out of the way first. I fully plan to watch it but I wanted to read the novel first, even though I hear that the novel and the movie have nothing to do with each other.


This is a book that I do know something about. Set in a post apocalyptic world, it shares the accounts of what the Zombie War was truly like. It intrigues me simply because it is a collection of stories from the perspective of people who lived through the war. It's a different take on the zombie movement and lets face it, the zombie movement is one that needs to be fresh if it plans to keep going. I've talked before about how much I love Zombies Run! But that is pretty much the extent of my love for zombies because.... well, because there never seems to be anything new about them. I'm not a big zombie person. I don't even like Walking Dead. I know. It's a slight against my nerd card but most of the time find that show boring. Although, maybe I'm just desensitized at this point.


Anyway, we will see if World War Z catches my interest. It has all of the components that I liked to see in an experimental novel such as this, but I can see where it could get stale very quickly.

Review Now Up: http://papertales4u.blogspot.com/2013/10/world-war-z-by-max-brooks.html

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Read the authors names and if you follow this blog, you know why I'm reading this book. John Green is my author crush. He can do no wrong in my eyes. I realize that this might make me biased before I even read this novel but that man has yet to let me down. Is he the greatest author I've ever read? Of course not. Is he one of the most truthful ones? Yes. I think that's an important distinction to make.


Hooded Man by Paul Kane

I was walking through the book store the other day when I spotted this. A picture of a man caught my eye as he stood before me, his head bent, a green hood shadowing his features. My response?


ROBIN HOOD?!?!


Like Peter Pan, I have this special affinity for the man in lincoln greens. There is something about that story that I've always swooned over in a very unladylike, fangirl fashion. If Robin was to show up at my window, I'd go with him in a heart beat. Peter on the other hand....?

I'm fully aware that just because a story is about Robin Hood, it does not make it good. However, I have to give it a shot because honestly, I have never read a portrayal of Robin Hood that I've enjoyed. Even the original by Howard Pyle didn't manage to captivate my attention like the idea of Robin does. I liked it. I even laughed. But it didn't encapsulate the snarky thievery that I've come to associate with Robin. Nor did the man come across as a hopeless romantic that cared too much for the people around him. The only version of Robin Hood that I've seen that has managed to portray all of this was the BBC version of Robin Hood. If you haven't seen it, go and watch. Then sit down in a ball and rock back and forth while weeping bitter bitter tears.


Also, it may have come to my attention lately that I really like thieves... I'm not sure that is something I should be admitting on the infinite interwebs.