(by guest blogger Caroline Ross)
Traditionally the "living
dead" doesn’t move with great speed or finesse, but in the book publishing
industry Zombies have taken off like the speed of light. Over the past few
years, book stores have displayed an increasing number of zombie-related
historical fiction that has seemed to do quite well with the youth—so much in
fact that some titles are even appearing on required reading lists at select universities.
But of course you don't need to be a student to enjoy them. If you're looking
for a few good historical reads with a satirical, dark twist then check out
some of these titles just in time for Halloween.
Pride,
Prejudice and Zombies
Just like the title sounds, this parody
piece is a smashup of the classic 1813 Jane Austen novel Pride and Prejudice with sprinkles of brain-eating zombies,
courtesy of author Seth Grahame-Smith. It might seem a little bizarre to
picture a zombie infested 19th century England and a zombie-slayer
Mr. Darcy, but the story line actually works. Not only does Grahame-Smith do a
stellar job at creating an alternative universe within a classic story such as Pride and Prejudice, but he's also
successful at bringing out the laughs—this book is funny with a capital F.
(2009)
World
War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
Based off of the renowned The Good War, an Oral History of World War
II by Studs Terkel, this zombified fictional version gives us some insight
to the possibility of a real zombie apocalypse through viral infection. The
author, Max Brooks, is actually featured in his own novel where he plays an agent of the United Nations Postwar Commission. It's his job
to interview and collect personal accounts of the Zombie War for its 10 year
anniversary. During his interviews he learns about how the pandemic came about,
as well has how religion, politics, and the environment shifted. Unlike Pride, Prejudice and Zombies, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie
War is not a comedy. Producers are in the midst of creating a film adaption
set to release in 2013. (2006)
Zombies
vs. Nazis: A Lost History of the Walking Dead
Lastly is Zombies vs. Nazis, a book by Scott Kenemore that promises to unveil
lost "top-secret" U.S. documents that reveal how the German Nazi army
originally thought they were going to win WWII: manipulating Haitian voodoo to
create an army of super zombies and special weaponry. But to their dismay, the
Nazis learn that zombies aren't obedient creatures. (2011)
Of course these aren't the only zombie
historical fiction available. Do any titles come across your mind? Please
share!
Guest blogger
Caroline Ross is an education writer for
the online education website, www.accreditedonlineuniversities.com. When she's not digging up the latest trends
in higher learning, she can be found indulging in her second passion: reading a
good book. She welcomes your comments.
4 comments:
I had a copy of P&P&Z on my shelf for about two years before I finally decided I wasn't going to read it and gave it to a friend. Zombies have kind of always grossed me out and I couldn't seem to overcome it, not even for P&P.
I'll leave them to teenagers and YA. They tend not to like reading much, so if these fantasy books with supernatural elements make them willing to read, welcome to zombies and vampires!
There's also Jane Slayre by Sherri Browning Erwin (?), in which a young governess battles zombies, vampires and a werewolf! :D
I read Pride & Prejudice and Zombies and loved it! Great fun.
Also Abe Lincoln Vampyre Slayer. That books mixed real history with (obviously) fiction. It was great fun, too. I'm game to try more of these mix-ups :)
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