Reviewed by Phydox
Basically this book is supposed to be a collection of personal accounts of a World War between humans and zombies. The book isn't a novel with the same characters from beginning to end, but rather a collection of interviews that an individual, hired by a government review committee, has put together to explain the outbreak, panic, blame, and failings of a war with humans infected by a virus that "raises the dead". Each interview is written as if it is a different speaker with different prejudices, and views of the world. Its very well done.
In a basic sense, this is a zombie book- the shambling, the moaning, eating the flesh of living, BUT its different. The horror of the book isn't blood spatter and gore. Max Brooks scares you in a more subtle way similar to a writer like HP Lovecraft. He makes you consider the "What If this were real, could our society really cope?". Sadly, I know I found myself often saying " You know I actually could see this kind of response happening." Mankind facing global extinction, and theres still selfish people trying to make a buck- even when money is useless.
The book goes a lot deeper then just being a zombie war book. Max Brooks also exposes many of the problems of our society: Greed, government incompetence, and reality TV. He also ties in a lot of current global events with the book, which makes it seem all that much more "real".
He does an excellent, well thought out job of presenting original ideas about what a war of this type would entail, and the problems of ignorance (and denial). The book is loaded with memorable scenes.
Even if your not really into the horror scene, this book, in a certain way, could be seen as a shout that exposes social ills in the world, and tries to be a wake up call to encourage society to fix these problems.