World War Z - One Of The Best Zombie Books Ever Written

I'm not going out on a limb by calling World War Z one of the greatest zombie books ever published, as those who have already read it can back me up on that, but those of you who haven't read it may need a little convincing. That's where this article is going to come in handy.

You're probably here for one of two reasons. The World War Z book was recommended to you by someone or you've heard all the chatter about the World War Z film that's in production.

Although I have little faith in Hollywood to adapt this wonderful horror novel into a good film, I am a huge fan of the story itself. World War Z by Max Brooks will remain high on every horror fans list of scary literature, but it could possibly retain the number one spot for best zombie book forever.

Photo courtesy of Mike Hoff / flickr.

Max Brooks

Maximillian Michael "Max" Brooks was born in New York City on May 22, 1972 to Mel Brooks (director, writer, actor) and Anne Bancroft (actress).

A Few Other Things He Has Done

Written for Saturday Night Live (2001 - 2003).

Wrote the book The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead.

Has acted on TV shows such as Melrose Place, Roseanne and 7th Heaven.

Done voice-over work on animated series such as Batman Beyond and Justice League.

Have you ever imagined what the world would be like during a worldwide zombie outbreak? World War Z doesn't put you in the middle of the action, but instead takes place after humanity's victory over the walking dead. The story is told in an interview style format from the notes of a UN worker that has interviewed a wide range of people about their experiences during the outbreak. The entire book relays interviews from survivors that take place from the initial turnings to individual and military encounters with the dead up until how we are presently dealing with the virus and its creations.

My experience with reading this apocalyptic tale was a good one. Mr. Brooks is obviously a huge fan of the zombie genre and has put a lot of thought into writing this nightmarish novel. I very rarely find myself reading books more than once, but at the time of this writing I have, in fact, read World War Z four times in about a year. It's not too long and reads very easily. I dare say that people who give it a try will also find themselves wanting to revisit it within a few months. World War Z by Max Brooks is a strong buy for people who love zombies or the horror genre in general.

Instead of re-hashing my arguments for getting this book, I've decided to list just a few of the moments in which I find most cool. If you're not convinced to give World War Z a try after reading these, then maybe you want to look for another zombie book.

• A doctor relays his experience with his first encounter with the disease during a trip to a remote village in China. This is believed to be, though not for certain, one of the initial outbreak points.
• Israel is the first nation to take the growing zombie threat seriously by throwing full military and governmental support towards the problem. Dog were used to determine if people were infected and fences were put up for safety. They took in anyone who came seeking safety.
• The U.S. military engages the walking dead in one of its first major battles in Yonkers, NY. They get their butts kicked despite having tanks and explosives at their disposal.
• A heroic sacrifice in India tells how a mountain road was destroyed just in time to keep thousands of zombies at bay. The soldier on the safe side tells how the dead kept coming for him, even though they just fell off the shattered edge to the depths below.
• People who had practical skill sets, such as plumbers, welders and mechanics became a needed commodity. These people were necessary in rebuilding society and were held in high regards. The wealthy and untalented still pitched in to help by doing manual labor. There was one part in the book where a maid is teaching her former employer how to sweep and clean.

The link below will take you to the World War Z book, but Max Brook's epic zombie tale is also available in other forms. Just do a search on Amazon for the World War Z audiobook (on CD) or the World War Z Kindle edition. I, myself, always prefer the paper versions.