Helpful Score: 2
First off, I didn't realize when I began reading MONSTER NATION that it's the second in a trilogy. I'll now have to go back and read MONSTER ISLAND, just because I do want to read the entire story, but MONSTER NATION can and does stand on its own.
The story is basic enough: zombies are taking over the US; the career military person in charge, Bannerman Clark, wastes a lot of time refusing to believe these creatures are actually dead; there are a couple of more-intelligent-than-normal zombies trudging their way through the craziness.
That's the storyline in a nutshell. The problem, for me, didn't come until the end of the book, when what had been building up to a gigantic climax through 250+ pages was resolved (or, actually, NOT resolved at all) in a page and a half.
Don't ge me wrong. This book is entertaining, gross, and a verifiable zombie-lover's delight. It made we want to go back and read the first book in the series. But it's ending definitely leaves you hanging and frustrated. For those who love zombie stories, you'll appreciate the new and different approach to the genre. For those who hate abrupt endings, you'll throw the book against the wall. When all is said and done, though, reading MONSTER NATION was time well spent.
The story is basic enough: zombies are taking over the US; the career military person in charge, Bannerman Clark, wastes a lot of time refusing to believe these creatures are actually dead; there are a couple of more-intelligent-than-normal zombies trudging their way through the craziness.
That's the storyline in a nutshell. The problem, for me, didn't come until the end of the book, when what had been building up to a gigantic climax through 250+ pages was resolved (or, actually, NOT resolved at all) in a page and a half.
Don't ge me wrong. This book is entertaining, gross, and a verifiable zombie-lover's delight. It made we want to go back and read the first book in the series. But it's ending definitely leaves you hanging and frustrated. For those who love zombie stories, you'll appreciate the new and different approach to the genre. For those who hate abrupt endings, you'll throw the book against the wall. When all is said and done, though, reading MONSTER NATION was time well spent.
I got this book for my Mom and she loves it. She enjoyed the whole series. Great read.
Part 2 in the Monster Island trilogy. Zombie goodness.
Weird,fun & enjoyable read. Number two in the Zombie trilogy. You did`t have to read the first one to enjoy this one.Looking forward to read Monster Planet to complete the trilogy.
In the second book of Wellington's Monster trilogy he gives us a lot to chew on.
Similar to Gary, the thinking zombie from Monster Island, Nilla finds herself waking up in an oxygen bar with the mask still on her face. She doesn't know who or where she is when she discovers she's dead. She chooses her name from a cookie packet someone gave to her when she met Mael, also known from the first book, for the first time. He tries to persuade her to help him to end mankind but Nilla's human consciousness is resisting. During the book she struggles to define herself as what she is and what her cause might be. All the time she is followed by Mael who desperately tries to keep her away from a certain point in the east Mountains. Resisting Mael she finds her way and meets the source to blame for killing the human race and learns there is no stopping.
The difference between Nilla and Gary is, that Nilla feels her hatred against the humans because they are trying to kill her but she also feels for them most of the time.
The book has another "hero" as well. Captain Bannerman Clark who in the end leads the only functioning facility save from the undead. Thanks to Mael this has an end and he has to flea together with his old friend Vikram and Nilla. Unfortunately the helicopter crashes and the author never tells us if Bannerman survived the attack of his now zombie friend Vikram.
The book is supposed to happen shortly before Gray and Mael meet in book one and few readers might think the timeline is a bit off. I like to remind those, that our main character from book one came via ship from Somalia to New York and we don't know how long Gary hit until he decided to become a zombie himself.
The book itself ends with Nilla deciding to walk towards New York.
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Overall I enjoyed reading the book but feel a bit sad to not know if Bannerman was able to defend himself from Vikram and with an open ending for Nilla I sure hope I'll meet her again in the third book "Monster Nation". I think the book showed us much more substance than the first one. Enjoyable and more thoughtful, even as a horror novel.
Similar to Gary, the thinking zombie from Monster Island, Nilla finds herself waking up in an oxygen bar with the mask still on her face. She doesn't know who or where she is when she discovers she's dead. She chooses her name from a cookie packet someone gave to her when she met Mael, also known from the first book, for the first time. He tries to persuade her to help him to end mankind but Nilla's human consciousness is resisting. During the book she struggles to define herself as what she is and what her cause might be. All the time she is followed by Mael who desperately tries to keep her away from a certain point in the east Mountains. Resisting Mael she finds her way and meets the source to blame for killing the human race and learns there is no stopping.
The difference between Nilla and Gary is, that Nilla feels her hatred against the humans because they are trying to kill her but she also feels for them most of the time.
The book has another "hero" as well. Captain Bannerman Clark who in the end leads the only functioning facility save from the undead. Thanks to Mael this has an end and he has to flea together with his old friend Vikram and Nilla. Unfortunately the helicopter crashes and the author never tells us if Bannerman survived the attack of his now zombie friend Vikram.
The book is supposed to happen shortly before Gray and Mael meet in book one and few readers might think the timeline is a bit off. I like to remind those, that our main character from book one came via ship from Somalia to New York and we don't know how long Gary hit until he decided to become a zombie himself.
The book itself ends with Nilla deciding to walk towards New York.
-
Overall I enjoyed reading the book but feel a bit sad to not know if Bannerman was able to defend himself from Vikram and with an open ending for Nilla I sure hope I'll meet her again in the third book "Monster Nation". I think the book showed us much more substance than the first one. Enjoyable and more thoughtful, even as a horror novel.
