tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post2582512445119582879..comments2024-03-17T14:31:21.769-04:00Comments on Fantasy Book Critic: “The New Dead” edited by Christopher Golden (Reviewed by Robert Thompson)Roberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15006565422867420980noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-42234500173744404782013-11-08T09:41:36.116-05:002013-11-08T09:41:36.116-05:00Just read this collection, and "Family Busine...Just read this collection, and "Family Business" was the best! (made me cry) There were MANY excellent stories in it; the majority were 4 and 5 stars.<br /><br />However, there were two stinkers, the worst being "The Zombie That Fell From The Sky". I could see that it was meant to be funny, but I totally agree with the poster who said that Homler should be ashamed of writing it. The sentence structures were very poor; the whole thing would be acceptable as a first draft. It desperately needs heavy editing. Maybe then the humor would be acceptable.<br /><br />I couldn't even give that story one star; otherwise, the anthology would have been over 4 stars, maybe even as high as 4.5 stars. <br /><br />I still recommend the book, highly!<br /><br />MeranAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-67811735575938405582013-09-22T14:28:45.720-04:002013-09-22T14:28:45.720-04:00The Zombie Who Fell From The Sky was hilarious. Is...The Zombie Who Fell From The Sky was hilarious. Is it not obvious by its characters' names, footnotes, bad poetry, that it was supposed to be a comedy?Kodanshihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11034518389655658322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-26645593846030124012012-08-28T22:16:23.571-04:002012-08-28T22:16:23.571-04:00I'm a high school Junior who loves Zombies- so...I'm a high school Junior who loves Zombies- so imagine my surprise when I find this book in the school library! I spent lunch hour the past few days reading it, and I have to say I agree with your sentiments on the book. The best stories in the anothology for me were "Closure, LTD", "Kids and Their Toys", "Twittering from the Circus of the Dead", and "The Zombie who Fell From the Sky".<br />Closure was the best for me in terms of reality and the aftermath of a zombie outbreak- not to mention I'm a huge fan of World War Z.<br />Kids and Their Toys had a good, childlike, "Goonies" vibe to it, up until the end, where the very tone of the story is deconstructed. Kids are already monsters- kids with a zombie are total psychos...<br />Twittering won the award for original storytelling. I've never seen a fully fleshed-out original story made entirely from social media clippings- just goes to show how creative people can be in this day and age. My only complaint for it is the fact that, as an internet addict and a <i>very</i> gullible/paranoid/impressionable person, I've always been a sucker for scary stories with a "This could be true, and it could happen to YOU!" kind of vibe- and by sucker, I mean they scare the living shit out of me. Cannibalistic "Mystery Meat" in school lunches, Companies with a secret agenda for murder; that kind of thing always leaves me shivering, and I don't mean that in a good way... Oh, who am I kidding, of course I mean it in a good way!<br />And of course, The Zombie who Fell From the Sky. This earns a spot in my favorites if only because after the dramatic, saddening, and disturbing horror of the rest of these stories, I can go back to this little gem and giggle my way back to a happy state of mind. The humor may be crude, and the storytelling is a <i>little</i> disjointed, but hey- it's a riot compared to the rest of the book.The Dirty Bluenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-21628758093983452342010-08-01T22:36:50.261-04:002010-08-01T22:36:50.261-04:00I agree with the above coment to a certain degree....I agree with the above coment to a certain degree. The zombie that fell from the sky, i feel, is more of a comedy. I also think that shooting pool didnt belong. It was a really well writen piece, but i didnt pick up on the 'emotional zombiism' as j.r.l. put it. Overall, a very good book though.Mrbennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-38754692394538719852010-07-05T17:48:19.401-04:002010-07-05T17:48:19.401-04:00M.B. Homler should be ashamed of writing that stor...M.B. Homler should be ashamed of writing that story. He starts with a zombie falling onto a spire in a town. People try to get it down and then decide that it’s too much bother and leave it there. This is so unrealistic it hurts. Police would be legally obligated to investigate. No one would just leave a corpse hanging on a building. His main character is named Danny McDanielson (groan) who gets dumped by his girlfriend. A zombie plague breaks out and he wanders around pining over his ex, ridiculously oblivious to the danger around him. <br />The dialogues between the characters throughout the story are so unrealistic! No one speaks the way he makes his characters speak! <br /> He relies heavily on stereotypes as well. All military personnel are stupid bullies who hate gays and want to kill people for fun. They do not act like trained professionals, but instead they act like drunken frat boys. The scientist who makes the zombie virus is a geeky loser who can’t get with women (and even though he’s smart enough to do genetic engineering, he’s apparently too stupid to recognize a virus). He acts so unprofessionally—asking the soldier to bring him a model to sleep with as reward for his work and dancing around with an uncorked vile of a bio-weapon which he spills on himself. <br /><br />The poetry that is spaced throughout the story is atrocious. “In death one must grin like a fish. That way you will look at home.” …is not poetry! The ending poem is much worse, but too long to include here. <br /> Also, the author has an infuriating need to name everything (and the names that he chooses are incredibly stupid). The main character and two soldiers have a very unrealistic argument about what to name the original zombie. They end up calling it “Sympathy”. Does anyone really believe in a zombie outbreak that people would bother name the zombies instead of just taking them down or running like hell?!<br />The main character is also apparently ADD because he is completely incapable of being present and aware of the situation at hand. Everything from zombies being blasted apart from gunfire to soldiers yelling orders remind him of his ex-girlfriend. No one in a crisis situation would stop and think about their ex. In a chaotic situation like he describes, people live and act in the now because distractions can lead to death. No one fighting for their lives would stop and remember their first kiss or how they made love. <br />I can’t believe anyone would publish that story. The only thing I can figure is that Homler is blackmailing the editor or was owed a REALLY big favor.<br />Shooting Pool by Joe R. Lansdale was disapointng too, not because of the writing but because it had NO ZOMBIES IN IT (this is a zombie anthology!). <br />Basically Christopher Golden wanted to make some quick cash by throwing together an anthology of previously unpublished stories and added in any unpublished work he could find, no matter how horribly written or irrelevant to the topic or the anthology. He should be ashamed to.<br />Don’t give this man your money.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-23027508873730934992010-04-10T04:25:42.341-04:002010-04-10T04:25:42.341-04:00I just bought this book today. I love to read othe...I just bought this book today. I love to read other peoples views on zombies... i embrace them all. i love each element of zombies, no matter what - fast zombies, slow ones, smart ones... it leaves so much to the imagination. there are so many different takes on zombies- vampires on the other hand.. in my opinion are lame as hell. lol. zombies forever!Jacihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01393584501512066125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-38651943517800758802010-02-10T22:55:08.510-05:002010-02-10T22:55:08.510-05:00Neil, "The New Dead" is one of the bette...Neil, "The New Dead" is one of the better anthologies I've read, but to be honest, I haven't read that many...<br /><br />Thanks for the comment Jonathan! Hope to see more anthologies like this from Christopher :) Also, keep an eye out for my review of "The Dragon Factory" sometime in the next few weeks...<br /><br />Glad you like the review Mihai and I hope you get the chance to read the book!Roberthttp://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-49412919423321150552010-02-09T09:12:11.934-05:002010-02-09T09:12:11.934-05:00This is one anthology that intrigues me, not becau...This is one anthology that intrigues me, not because there are zombies, but because of its editor and of a few names included in the line-up.<br />Thank you for the very nice review, Robert :)Mihai A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08534691063946241019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-9395474149404003162010-02-08T13:03:45.458-05:002010-02-08T13:03:45.458-05:00So glad you enjoyed 'Family Business'. It...So glad you enjoyed 'Family Business'. It was an honor an a pleasure to be included along with so many outstanding zombie stories by a kick-ass stable of writers.<br /><br />Christopher Golden deserves serious props for crafting an anthology that encouraging each writer to look deeper in order to bring freshness (pardon the pun) to the world of the living dead.<br /><br />-Jonathan Maberry<br />www.jonathanmaberry.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438041449595085165.post-25484282447383248512010-02-08T06:19:51.145-05:002010-02-08T06:19:51.145-05:00great books seems to be horrorgreat books seems to be horrorNeil Patrickhttp://writingcompanyreviews.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.com