I'm still fairly new to the zombie genre so I'm not sure how much credit my reviews should be given. I've, so far, liked most of the zombies and/or end of the world books I've read.
I liked this as well. It seems as if the author knows exactly what he's doing when he writes about the zombies themselves and how people survive during an attack or outbreak.
The biggest thing I did not like about the book - and this is fairly large in this story - is the relationship aspect. I just can't stop thinking that any normal person, young or not, wouldn't act as Morgan and Alex acted. I understand crushes and love and all that good stuff but when zombies are trying to eat me? Yeah, I'm not giving a shit about a crush, love, OR sex. I'm giving a shit about not being torn to pieces by flesh eating monsters. So, I thought those parts of the book were horribly unrealistic and unfortunately there are many parts of the book that deal with this.
I think I can see where the author was going. Trying to add a twist in to the zombie genre and I suppose it could even be done well. Strike that - it has been done well. The first book(s) that come to mind that do the relationship aspect realistically are Rhiannon Frater's As the World Dies trilogy which includes The First Days, Fighting to Survive, and Siege. Those books hold a very realistic relationship (more than one actually) that have stayed in my minds through the past few years.
I'd like to actually state some differences between the relationships in Frater's trilogy and Knuth's After Life but I can't. I have to chalk it up to it's just the feeling I got.
That being said, I do believe Knuth has a knack for zombie writing. I mean, let's face it, it's not easy no matter what some people want to believe. Saying you can write or can write better than someone is definitely easy but actually doing said writing is a lot more difficult.
My favorite part of the book - and the most suspenseful IMO - was the time in the Wal-Mart. I sort of thought I knew where Knuth was headed but was off a little a time or two and it could be called 'edge of your seat' reading during those parts.
I'd very much like to read a more "typical" zombie book by Knuth, one not so focused on the characters finding love. But maybe that's because I haven't worked my way through the genre like more knowledgeable readers,
I liked this as well. It seems as if the author knows exactly what he's doing when he writes about the zombies themselves and how people survive during an attack or outbreak.
The biggest thing I did not like about the book - and this is fairly large in this story - is the relationship aspect. I just can't stop thinking that any normal person, young or not, wouldn't act as Morgan and Alex acted. I understand crushes and love and all that good stuff but when zombies are trying to eat me? Yeah, I'm not giving a shit about a crush, love, OR sex. I'm giving a shit about not being torn to pieces by flesh eating monsters. So, I thought those parts of the book were horribly unrealistic and unfortunately there are many parts of the book that deal with this.
I think I can see where the author was going. Trying to add a twist in to the zombie genre and I suppose it could even be done well. Strike that - it has been done well. The first book(s) that come to mind that do the relationship aspect realistically are Rhiannon Frater's As the World Dies trilogy which includes The First Days, Fighting to Survive, and Siege. Those books hold a very realistic relationship (more than one actually) that have stayed in my minds through the past few years.
I'd like to actually state some differences between the relationships in Frater's trilogy and Knuth's After Life but I can't. I have to chalk it up to it's just the feeling I got.
That being said, I do believe Knuth has a knack for zombie writing. I mean, let's face it, it's not easy no matter what some people want to believe. Saying you can write or can write better than someone is definitely easy but actually doing said writing is a lot more difficult.
My favorite part of the book - and the most suspenseful IMO - was the time in the Wal-Mart. I sort of thought I knew where Knuth was headed but was off a little a time or two and it could be called 'edge of your seat' reading during those parts.
I'd very much like to read a more "typical" zombie book by Knuth, one not so focused on the characters finding love. But maybe that's because I haven't worked my way through the genre like more knowledgeable readers,
