World War Z

Max Brooks' World War Z is a fascinating idea that on the whole works: an oral 'history' of humanity's stuggle against a global epidemic of zombies, it is a collection of short stories presented as interviews with the survivors of the war. From civilians through to the top brass, from many countries and all walks of life, Brooks has really given the story that he wants to tell a lot of thought. The picture that he paints is a totally changed world, and changed in ways that one can't imagine at first thought; a lot of zombie fiction shows the immediate change, or people slowly being picked off one by one. It was interesting to see a world under threat, but not so immediately devestated that a fight back is out of the question. His take on tactics and ways that humanity would have to change or a logical conclusion of the new threats that people would face.

The only downside to the scattershot collection is that sometimes it feels a little too disjointed. Some of the 'interviews' are longer, but there are times when I really felt like I wanted a much longer "survivor's tale"... However, as a collection it is well worth a read for sci fi and horror fans alike.