Horror Books

High school cali girl/ 10th grader Suze Simon wakes up in her bed with a blood curdleing scream. Its a ghost, screaming and sobbing uncontrolably. "You have to tell Red he didn't kill me." Suze trys to put two and two together and looks up Red and finds Red Beaumount. When Suze schedules a meeting with Red Beaumount, she meets Marcus, Red's brother. Red thinks, well Red B. thinks he's a.... but he's not. But Red really is... And Marcus really tries to... and Jesse saves... and [blank] killed others too.

So as you see its really a good mystery, and trust I revealed nothing to you, so you have to read it to answer these blanks!

I really like Susannah's character because she kind of sassy and a "kick butt" kind of girl. She's got a really strong personality but it has many of the issues that a teen girl faces...being embarrassed...wanting a boyfriend, and all that.

All in all, this is turning out to be a solid series in the genre of urban fantasy and I highly recommend.

I really enjoyed the first book in the series, ( Shadowland (The Mediator, Book 1) ) it seemed unique enough. But this one... well first I'd like to point out that in this book Meg Cabot repeats a lot of things she said in the first book. I mean yes I suppose it's nice to make the books so you really dont have to start at the beginning of the series to understand what is going on, but there is a fine line between that, and repeating an ENTIRE PARAGRAPH WORD FOR WORD from the first book ( which Cabot DID do ). During most of this book it seemed to me that Meg Cabot just did not know what to write. It all seems like she just improvised, and, most of it is repeated stuff from Shadowland ( if not word for word, than the basic idea of it ). Thankfully, in the later books this doesnt happen so often, so if you can bare through this one, than the series is over all pretty interesting.
Also, it gets very annoying how obsessed Suze is with getting a boyfriend; like its the only thing that matters, ever. And how being a Mediator " Is so horrible Oh i just wish I was normal " ( This continues on throughout the series ).

The novel starts off with Suze being at a pool party. While Suze is at this pool party, she meets an attractive guy named Tad Beaumount. After the party, Suze wakes up in the middle of the night to a screaming ghost of a woman. The woman tells Suze to tell someone named 'Red' that he didn't kill her.

With the help of her friends CeeCee and Adam, Suze tracks down a multi-millionaire businessman with the nickname of Red. Suze also finds out that Tad Beaumount is the son of this multi-millionaire. Jesse warns Suze not to get in contact with Red and that it would only cause trouble. Suze ignores Jesse's warnings and gets in contact with Red. Soon Suze finds out that Jesse's warnings were right and that things are not as they seem.

'The Ninth Key' Was a really interesting book but I just don't think it was as great as 'Shadowland'.
Don't get me wrong, I definitely enjoyed this book but it could have been improved a bit.
There were events that were very suspenseful and had me on the edge of my seat but most of these events were kind of un-necessary (You'll have to read the book to find out because it would spoil the book if I said why they were unneccessary).
I also agree with another reviewer that said that this book would have been better if it had been a short story or if it had been a part in the first book.

Book #2 in the Mediator series by Meg Cabot opens about a week after the first book ended. Suze, mediator at large, is suddenly visited in the middle of the night by a screaming ghost begging her to tell "Red" that she knows he didn't kill her. With a cryptic message like that, Suze checks around to find out who might be called Red, leading her to a prominent businessman and his hunky son, Tad. Delivering her message is easier said than done, and Suze becomes uneasy when she's rushed out of the strange home of Red Beaumont (even though she's definitely attracted to Tad). Imagine her surprise when the ghost reappears, accusing her of not delivering the message at all, and she runs into a second ghost who tells her Beaumont is responsible for HER death. What's going on? Does Suze have the right person? Is Red Beaumont a cold-blooded murderer? Is he a vampire? What about Jesse, the hot ghost living in her bedroom? Will Tad ask her out?

This is a very good sequel to the first book in this series. Suze is finding an ally in Father Dominic, a fellow mediator, and her circle of friends is growing in her new home. We also meet her father, a ghost who has traveled across the country to give his daughter advice. This story, while of course focusing on the mediator aspect, also brings Suze into a more complex mystery and shows us her survival skills outside of her ghostly talents. There's a pretty good twist towards the end, and the tension between Suze and Jesse is intensifying. This is a fun series, not meant to be taken too seriously, and I look forward to reading more. Surprisingly well done, if you enjoy paranormal romance and suspense, you'll definitely like this one.

Smart, clever, witty, intresting; these are just a few words describing Suze's exciting mystery known as the RLS Angels, four successful teenagers who were murdered although the killer set it up to look accidental. Then theres Micheal. The one who crashed into the car the sent the RLS Angels plummeting off a mountian side to the untimley death. His sister in is a coma from falling into a pool drunk at one of the RLS Angel's parties. Everyone gave up hope on her ever awakining. There is Micheals motive but did he really kill four people. And is he the one who attempted to kill Suze's family? A real thrill, a must read series for all teens!

Such an awsome book the whole series is great everyone who loves romance action all in one should read!

I really enjoyed reading this book. It has lots of great details. When Susannah found out about this murder, she just had to investigate it. With the help of Father Dom and Jesse she finally got the killer but was put into hospital. It would help if you read the first two books or else you will get really confused with all the names and places. This book has lots of twists and turns and will keep you reading. You won't want to put it down!

whoa!! this book is SO amazing! it's about this girl, suze, and her supposed boyfriend, michael meducci, and he could be a possible killer of the RLS angels! he has had a grudge against them and only for one reason that he could be able to kill them; jealousy! jesse and father dominic have helped out quite a bit but not enough that suze ends up in the hospital! i HIGHLY recommend this book! and i cannot wait to read the next one!!!!

The Mediator 3: Reunion is about Suze Simon, a fifteen-year-old girl with a very special gift, she can speak to those beyond the grave. Awesome, right? Wrong. Ghosts aren't always the most cooperative people. So, when Suze tries to help four teenage ghosts that were in a car accident, they aren't very thankful, unless you'd say that trying to kill her is a proper "thank you". However, Suze will find out some secrets about someone she never thought would keep them from her and that this car accident might not have been an accident at all.
This book teaches readers always to be happy with who they are. Suze has to try to accept that she is a mediator and has to adapt to being haunted every day of her life. She's spunky and her attitude is as unpredictable as the weather but she's also very generous and always willing to help. It really shows people how we take everyday things for granted.
Meg Cabot does an extraordinary job with this book with a perfect balance of mystery, teen troubles, and family issues. It takes you deep into Suze's life and feelings. I couldn't pry my fingers off of it. The Mediator is an amazing series and I've read most of them, but this one was by far my favorite. So, if you like suspense and surprises, you'll love The Mediator 3: Reunion.

If you haven't read the previous volumes of Death Note, I'd really recommend that you do. Spoilers ahead!

A third Kira has appeared, complicating an already impossible case. L's main suspects, Light and Misa, have already been subjected to confinement and the killings have gone on without them. Light has given up the Death Note, lost his memories of his actions as Kira, and is now on the task force to find Kira, even though he's spending every minute handcuffed to L. As the task force closes in on the Yotsuba group and begins to eliminate suspects, Misa plays a vital roll in the investigation - one which leads to her learning about the Death Note, Rem, and the third Kira's identity!

So the action slowed down considerably in the last volume. If you thought there was a lot of talking and speculation in previous Death Notes, you ain't seen nothing yet! L is working overtime as he tries to discover the third Kira's identity while also questioning Light and Misa and using their relationship to his advantage. Adding to this is Misa's general silliness - even trapped in L's headquarters, she's only focused on dating Light.

In fact, the start of this volume is much more light-hearted (forgive the pun?) than previous ones. The drawing style, the dialogue, and the interactions between characters are brighter and somewhat tongue-in-cheek. Perhaps that's because we don't have to see Light grimacing and sneering all the time? Come to think of it, this really does show you a Light that's uncorrupted and unaffected by the Death Note. He will occasionally acknowledge that he makes the most sense as a suspect, and it makes him nervous and angry that he could be capable of such actions. Even when he's missing his memories of being Kira, I don't really like Light, but this gives us a chance to see the sort of personality the Death Note can draw out.

So after all that complaining about how slow this volume is, I will say that the action picks up drastically about 3/4ths of the way through. You'll definitely want to have the next volume on hand when you finish this one!

I have read the first couple, but not 3-5, so it seems this has gotten quite a bit more complicated.

There are now apparently two Death Notes around, and Light doesn't remember having one, and is actually working with L to catch yet another user of one of the Death Notes.

A girl is the other user in the past, and she is also involved with the hunting down effort, as well.

Tsugumi Ohba, Death Note: Give and Take (ViZ, 2006)

With no progress happening on the case, L recruits Misa into the investigation as an undercover agent-- the consequences of which could be devastating, as we found out late in the last volume that the current Kira has Misa's old death note-- and we know how Rem feels about Misa, don't we? Interesting things are afoot, and the series is really picking up steam again. *** ½

I love these books. They are well thought out and have great plot twists and turns. I recomend these books to anyone.

this is a very good continuation of the deathnote series containing plenty of suspense and mystery. it sets up the next book prefectly with yet another clif hanger ending that the series uses so well. i would definately recomend this book to anyone that has followed the series; if you are thinking about jumping into the sereies i would suggest starting at the first book because it would be a real spoiler to read it out of order.

Disappointed..........no where near as good as the other three in the series, it took half the book to even get into the story.

I've read a lot of paranormal romance and urban fantasy, and this ranks up there as one of my top favorites. First of all, I think it's great that Armintrout decided to end this at book 4 instead of dragging it out in an endless amount of installments, like some other authors do. It is the perfect balance for me of romance, action, and horror. This book had a satisfying and climactic ending which wraps everything up quite nicely. I won't give anything away in terms of plot, but if you have enjoyed books 1-3 then you must read this one, which I feel was the strongest of them all.

BAD GUYS GET DEAD - CARRIE GETS WED -SOUL EATER LOSES HEAD.
Thus ends (I think!) Jennifer Armintrout's very excellent 'Blood Ties' quadriligy. I loved everyone of these four books - unending excitement; ongoing suspense and a 'no wasted words' writing style.

And who of us does not relish the 'bad guy' getting his just deserts!?Moreover, our author has the ability to incorporate a dash of humour with all the gore.

With all of the supernatural, paranormal, subnormal and abnormal literature flooding the marketplace, it's great to 'hit' upon a skillfully written series such as this. Sure hope there are more!!!

Publishers Weekly in describing Book 1: 'The Turning': "This fast, furious novel is a squirm-inducing treat." Believe me when I say that this comment could apply to all four of these books.

I found this book a bit unbelievable but I did like the ending and the lack of crying that book two and three unfortunately had in abundance. Ziggy and his mate were hot hot hot, Bella and Max made a great family. I have no idea why Cyrus was even in this book but I enjoyed the ending for Carrie and Nathan. As for the series, I recommend the series if you are into paranormal romance with a ton of emotions and feelings. If you are into the fantasy story like myself, who prefers the romance/sex to be part of the story but not the focal point than this series will be speed reading for you.

In this final entry of the Blood Ties series by Jennifer Armintrout, we have a final showdown with Jacob Seymour, the Soul Eater. The Soul Eater consumes other vampire's blood and their soul. He has every intention of becoming a god. Carrie, Nathan and Max once again re-unite to bring about the destruction of the Soul Eater. I did not realize that this would be the final book. Jennifer, according to her website, is of the opinion that she would like the series to go down in a blaze of glory, not fizzle out. I have to agree that she definitely went down in a blaze of glory with this final installment. She took all the stories from the previous books and melded them into a fantastic last book. Carrie seems to finally come to a final decision as to whom she really loves. It is hard for her to separate the Sire/Fledgling relationship from the Man/Woman relationship. Does she love Cyrus because he sired her and later she sired him? Or does she love Nathan because she is his fledgling? All of the stories throughout the previous three books are nicely resolved. I never saw the ending coming. This book had a captivating story, wonderful action scenes and a touch of humor that I thoroughly enjoyed. I look forward to her new series that will be out August 2009. If it's half as entertaining as the Blood Tie series, it will be good.

I have been reading the whole series and this one keeps up with the others. I thought it was great. Definitely one to tell otehrs about.

I am reading all of her books in the series. I really enjoy them.

THE DARKNESS, the tenth volume in the Vampire Huntress series, is a twisted, socially conscious, erotically charged, violent, and thoroughly fun rollercoaster of a novel that grabs you by the throat and never lets go. Banks' ability to craft convincing characters in a fantastic setting makes both the chills and the romance completely believable, and she writes dialogue as well as anyone in the business.

THE DARKNESS, book 10 of the 12-book Vampire Huntress Legends (VHL) series, is captivating. Unexpected character cameos and new allies kept me up all night.

With the battle at Masada behind them, the team recoups in San Diego thinking Lilith's spawn has been defeated. Chairwoman Lilith also believes this to be true and expects He Who Shall Remain Unnamed to stomp her into a puddle of oil or worse. The outcome: she is given the daylight bite and the power to make daywalkers. The anti-Christ has survived, and in order to give him time to mature, Lucifer commands her to distract the Neteru team and restore the dark realms' numbers.

Lilith wastes no time. Fallen Nuit, Sebastian, and Yonnie are given the daylight bite. Yonnie's unexpected visit provides the team with much need intell as he walks the line between the Light and the Dark. When Level Seven's most infamous resident goes to church, the guardians reassemble, gather reinforcements, gain a new friend, discover a new talent, and take the fight to the street once again. Even though Carlos and Damali have learned to lead the team, both are in need of further assistance from the Council of Kings and Queens.

The interaction between Carlos and Damali reminded me of THE HUNTED (book three of the VHL series). I stopped reading several times just to catch my breath. Sensual, touching love scenes notwithstanding, Jamal's "balm" really works, and I'm sure readers of the series already know the power of sincere prayer. Restoration is granted. Ultimately convicted by Banks' beautiful words, I eagerly await THE SHADOWS.

Our favorite Neteru duo is back with their Guardian family....intent on locating the Antichrist and stopping Armageddon. With the help of Yonnie---Carlos's brother, who is acting as a double agent on the dark side--the team is able to gain valuable intel on what is going on with Lucifer and his dark agents in the bowels of Hell. What they have discovered is that councilman Sebastian has used his talents for reanimation to bring back from the dead two of the most evil women in history to fill council seats---giving the Guardian team even more to deal with. But with the help of the Kings and Queens on high, the team is once again able to stem the tide of evil that seems determined to take over the world. Will they be able to find the Antichrist before his birth? Or will Lilith and Lucifer prevail?

This tale shows all once again that Ms. Banks is the reigning Queen of Dark Literature. This novel has been somewhat relieved from the overuse of outdated slang (although, the cliche "fair exchange is not robbery" is still repeatedly used. Why, I must ask???), giving this novel the extra shine it deserves. And I must add...if her affinity for dark tales begins to wane, Ms. Banks most assuredly has a career penning erotica. This series contains some of the hottest sex scenes that I have ever read. A must-read for fans of the series.



DYB

Probably my favorite of the series. While the first book really introduces the characters and blue hour, this book really introduces the plot of the darklings. It is a much darker read than the latter, and will have you drooling for the last in the series!

I found this book to be more complex and mature compared to the first. There are additional characters, as well as fleshing out not only the five Midnighters, but also friends and family. Westerfeld introduces us to parents/families besides Jessica's, which is refreshing. Relationships and bonds are made, tested, and sometimes broken but it really moves the characters and story ahead. A good read before heading to bed.

This is a very good book...a great second book in the series. I personally enjoyed the first one better, but the Midnighters series will hold you interest and entertain you from start to finish. I have only read this book once, but am planning on reading it again soon. I have read the first one about 8 times...Great read for people who have read the first one. If you haven't read the first one I recommend go read it before reading the second. But overall, a great book!

Great book. An excellent sequal to the first. The characters have evolved and grown up so much. Its an excellent book for everyone.

Review of Midnighters trilogy:

Yet another YA science-fantasy winner from Westerfeld, with appeal well beyond the target audience, if your reviewer is a fair guide.

"Jessica Day moves into the small town of Bixby from Chicago, and although she hits it off with the "in" crowd, she also falls in with a bunch of weirdos who don't like the daylight, wear black a lot and are covered in metal jewelry. In the middle of the night she wakes up and discovers the world asleep with the exception of her weirdo chums and weird black slithery things..." -- from the best online review I saw of vol. 1; google farah-sf[dot]blogspot[dot]com

I know, it sounds sort of hokey and comic-booky, but actually works pretty well. The kids are fun, the action is fast & furious, and the pages turn most satisfactorily. There's even a nice touch of moral ambiguity in the wrapup volume.

Note that this is really a single novel, split into thirds by the publisher. You'll know by the end of #1 if you want to continue. I'm betting you will. But do start with #1! Midnighters #1: The Secret Hour

The story is set in Bixby, Oklahoma, now a suburb of Tulsa. I grew up about an hour away, and the problem with Westerfeld's Bixby is, it doesn't much resemble the real eastern Oklahoma. Westerfeld has numerous references to desert and salt flats, but this part of Oklahoma is pretty well-watered -- the native vegetation is a scrub-oak & pine forest. This won't affect your enjoyment of the story, really, but I have no idea why Westerfeld used a setting that would fit better in west Texas or New Mexico. Curious, seemingly pointless, and annoying.

Happy reading--
Peter D. Tillman

This story just keeps getting better and better! What more twists and turns can the author come up with? I'm an adult and I love this Manga. It is a page turner and keeps me on the edge of my seat. What will two Kiras do to ruin the world? Oh my god!

This is an amazing book! And probably even better was the person/company I bought it from. The item arrived fast and on time as promised in great condition.

Light and L off to uni.


The situation gets more complicated as Light is starting university, and at the opening ceremony he is to speak at, he finds he has a co-speaker, who whispers to him that he is actually L!

The cat and mouse game between them continues, and Light's father having a heart attack and the discovery of a new 'Kira' and Death Note do no make anything more straightforward. All the deviousness in this serious can certainly make your head hurt.

This is one of the most original manga ever written. Read other reviewers for great plot summaries. If you are reading these reviews your question must be, "Is this something I want to read?" Death Note, unlike a great deal of manga, you have to read. It has wonderful artwork, some of the best I have ever seen. But, the art does not carry the story, the words carry this story. In volume 1, Light finds the Death Note, and at first it seems like killing all criminals is a good idea. But, by volume 2, you begin to see what the power of the Death Note is doing to Light. Volume 3, introduces a new character to the story that complicates the story line, but in a good way. If this series was a movie it would be considered "film noir". It is dark, with many plot twists, microscopic viewing of the line between good and evil, and how that line can be twisted to suit the person doing the twisting. This manga is a thinking manga. After you finish each volume, you will find yourself thinking about it, worrying over some of the plots like a dog with a bone. think, think, think. Enjoy!

The general summary of the `Death Note' manga: Light Yagami, a High Honors student, still maintains his cool in playing the secretive part of Kira, the murderer who kills inmates with heart attacks. This is all accomplished by the Death Note, a notebook belonging to one of the Shinigami death Gods. The Death Note supplies the rules of how to use it, and Ryuk, the Shinigami owner of the notebook that Light now holds in his possession, has to stick around Light until the Notebook is handed to someone else, destroyed, or Light himself is killed. However, notorious super sleuth known as L is hot on Kira's (Light's) heels in sending the murder to his execution.

In Volume Three, Light manages to get Ryuk to locate the cameras and bugs around his room, planted there by L's authority, in exchange for a place to eat his apples in secret. To fool L into thinking that Light is not Kira, Light pretends to do the things he used to do before the Death Note fell into his life. Light knows that if L is watching him, he cannot screw anything up, and knows that if no murders have been reported while he is being watched, L would know that Light is Kira. To fool the man, Light plants a LCD Television in a bag of chips so all L sees when Light goes into his room is a young man studying hard for his entrance exams while having a snack. L dose not see the section of the Death Note taped into the bag of chips along with the LCD, and that each time Light sticks his hand in the bag, he writes one letter of a suspect's name that he watches while eating chips, then withdraws it. This is one of the many things Light has up his sleeve, but despite this, L is still watching him very closely.

L even comes up to Light in person, proclaiming that he is L after Light graduates from school, moving on to a college. Light, never seeing that L would ever come up to him saying he's L, panics for a while, but then regains his cool and decides that if he was to kill L without anyone suspecting it was him, he would have to be L's closest friend...before he was to finish him off. L himself is wondering whether or not Light is really Kira, but after overstress gives Light's father a heart attack and L sees the corny act that Light gave in his father's presence, L is starting to wonder if Light really isn't Kira. Despite this, he wishes Light work in capturing Kira, even though L still suspects Light to be Kira, if only for a small percentage.

However, when things seem to get worse for L, a second Kira is added into the fold. Now it is a race of time to see whether L or Light will get to the second Kira first to get a fair advantage of the situation. L, to find the whereabouts of the first Kira and to see how he kills his victims; and Light, who would use the second L for his own gain in the execution of L. For the second Kira possesses something only Light knows: the Shinigami Eyes, a deal made by the Shinigami who give humans the power to see the person's name and lifespan by looking at them, though this cuts their own lifespan in half.

This is a really suspenseful volume that really gets you reading. Very recommended.

I love this book!!! I think all of the Geronimo books I've read are funny. These are the funniest books ever!

I am in[..]and I read the Geronimo Stilton book called Cat and Mouse in the Haunted House for my final book report of the year. It was the best book ever! My favorite part about reading this Geronimo Stilton book was that it was very mysterious and had mummies, witches, and ghosts! That made the book even more exciting! I was holding my breath, waiting to see how the book would end. When I was reading, I could hardly wait to turn the page! I just couldn't read quick enough! Geronimo is a fun character, and I love reading about his adventures! Once I finished the book I was sad that it was over. I am so glad that there are many other books in the series! I definitely recommend this book and the rest of the Geronimo Stilton series to anyone reading this review. If you love great mysteries, I'm sure you will enjoy this book as much as I did! I hope my review was helpful and that you have a great time reading this book and other adventures about Geronimo!

Geronimo Stilton:
Cat and Mouse in a Haunted House




He's too fond of his fur! Cat and Mouse in a Haunted House is a spectacular book for anyone who loves fiction. The famous Geronimo Stilton, a mouse by the way, is also known for many other books such as the following: Curse of the Cheese Pyramid, Merry Christmas Geronimo and many others. On this adventure, Geronimo is off to see his great Aunt Sugarfur. On his way home, a storm blows in a Geronimo is stuck in the woods; which were deserted; or so he thought. That's when he discovers Cannycat Castle. Geronimo is a `fraidy mouse, but it's wet and cold outside and Geronimo is not liking the weather, so he decides to try out the castle. He finds the castle is haunted with past residents, including one with only one paw! He calls up his sister Thea, his cousin Trap, and his nephew Benjamin. Together they fight off ghouls, goblins and other creepy things to stay alive. If you like Harry Potter, you'll love this! This book is funny, scary, and action packed all rolled into one. It's number three in his fur-raising adventures, and another one you just don't want to miss.

Boo! Hi,I'm the ghost of Casey Gray.I just read a book called Geronimo Stiltion, Cat and Mouse in the Haunted House. It's a furr-azing book. If you like this book, there are over 20 others!!! I give it two thumbs up.In the back of the book, there is a map of were Geronimo works, what city he lives in, and what island he lives on. Oh No!!! The books are runing away!!! Come on, they're fast.

It's smart, it's humourous and it's clumpsy most of the time!

Kids of all age will love Geronimo. We have a quicker full set in Hong Kong printed in Chinese and I figure it's a great way to put the 2 language versions side by side to get kids interested in a 2nd / 3rd / 4th language! (Much easier than to get them sit down in front of TV in a foreign tongue.)

Don't I wish that I know Italian as well to apprecitate the original version.

Visceral horror and subtle ongoing character serial combine to make "The Walking Dead" one of the most engaging comic-book series currently being produced. This initial volume, "Days Gone Bye", takes the first six issues of the Image Comics series and edits them together into one seamless (no easy feat when it comes to compilations) 130-plus page epic. Subsequent volumes collect later issues, with new volumes coming out like clockwork once there are six new issues of the monthly comic book to collect.

With its realistic looking characters (no abs-of-steel guys or buxom bimbos here) and gritty day-to-day situations (often horrifying but never over-the-top with silly horror movie situations), "The Walking Dead" is a comic book that doesn't feel "comic-booky", and would be a good title to recommend to friends who don't normally read comics. If they enjoy horror stories, that is.

Quibbles? Robert Kirkman is telling a great story here, but sometimes the word balloons can be a little dense with verbiage. These characters DO go on a bit. But that's really about it.

As this is a comic book, I guess I should touch on the visuals. Tony Moore's art is wonderful: detailed, subtle, yet fast-moving, if that's way to describe comic book art. What I mean is that the art makes your eye fly from panel to panel, drinking in the action. But his detail and subtlety make the quiet scenes resonate the way they should, too. Though Charlie Adlard's art in future volumes is perfectly fine, and has its own plusses, for my money the series never looked better than in this initial collection.

Give "The Walking Dead" a try. Its unusual mix of subtle artistry and firing-on-all-cylinders outright horror will grab you and keep you coming back for more.

just like lays potato chips . the best zombie saga that george r. never wrote . all the books are compelling . i don't even miss the color . kirkman rocks .

Adds nothing new to the zombie genre and yes it starts out exactly like 28 Days Later (Widescreen Edition), convieniently makes the main character a cop so he has access to weapons ad nauseum. Add simpering weak-willed wife and 'Jonny Boy' cookie cutter son and you've got yourself the Walking Dead vol 1. And you think the drawings might even be okay. I hate manga pop a lot less than this black and white rendered blob.

This zombie fan gives it a big MEH.

I'd give it a negative star if possible for the crappy steriotyping alone. And the whole male cast is straight out of a Budweiser/Coors commercial complete with the token ethnic characters & square-jawed main manly characters.

Volume 1 (of 8 so far) collects 1-6 of Robert Kirkman's ongoing series for Image Comics. I had been recommended this book by many people so I snagged the first 4 trades cheap and ate them up like a plate of warm brains. Zombie humor. Of course, there is really no humor to be found in this series. It's gritty, rough and deeply interesting. This book is not so much about the zombies as it is the human condition - and how quickly it corrodes under apocalyptic circumstances. As is typical of Kirkman, the writing is excellent, building suspense and establishing characters while moving the story along at a satisfying pace. If you read the first trade, you'll want at to have the next few handy.

Some of the more negative reviews of this first Walking Dead book are quite merited. In many ways it feels derivative, even a bit lazy. I'd only like to add that the series does get better, a whole heck of a lot better. Read this first one just so you can get to know the characters, but if you're feeling put off, do yourself a favor and keep going. By the time I was halfway through the second book I was hooked hooked hooked, and I devoured the rest of them as fast as I could. These have some of the best character development I've ever seen in any media, let alone in comic books, which are NOT known for their depth.

Kirkman has made a decent name for himself in this business, and The Walking Dead series is a fantastic testament to his deserving respect.

I love the time period in which Jane Austin writes-these books are very good and also very captivating