Dying to Live: A Novel of Life Among the Undead
by Kim Paffenroth
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Book Summary Information
Author: Kim PaffenrothEditor: D.L. Snell
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-04-01
ISBN: 097897073X
Number of pages: 216
Publisher: Permuted Press
Book Reviews of Dying to Live: A Novel of Life Among the Undead
Book Review: A good book, maybe for different reasons than stated
Summary: 5 Stars
I really liked this book and now have the sequel on order. Many good reviews and I won't revisit many of the great points (as there are many!) about this book but there's a few cool items that really had stood out for me. The introduction sequence was really great and original. This book opens up with the main character, Jonah, waking up from his preferred perch of a tree house. Upon waking from his safe perch, he had to quietly deal with the one lone zombie that had discovered him as he had slept the night before. Jonah quietly dispatches the zombie as to avoid detection from others but not before he takes note of who this zombie might have been before in his "living" existence. Though, I think after months of such survival, Jonah would have become intentionally immune to such pondering's... its human nature and avoidance of that internal conflict is necessary to survival and a straight mindset.
I've read well over 50 "zombie" books, and there was just something so unique about how this sequence and the way this character finds "out of the way" spots like tree houses and such, away from the typical hiding out in a room etc. Jonah had become expert in surviving on the run in this new world and the author had described very adeptly how this character had managed all aspects of his survival including where he chooses to rest as well as the more obvious points of staying quiet and sticking to the smaller towns where the zombie population was minimized. There was more later on that day that showed just how careful Jonah was in dealing with situations on his own.
Very early on in this book, Jonah does meet up with other survivors within a well barricaded fortress. I only wished there was more of Jonah on his own as it was really interesting. But then again, maybe less is more with good books. Several very interesting characters live within this makeshift fortress but by far the most interesting is Milton. Milton was elected as the leader because of his unique "condition." I don't want to give much of the story away but his "condition" is explained in very believable terms and, though this is a departure from the "classic" rules in the Romero/Zombie universe, its done very well that adds to the story and doesn't come off as being cute or different for the sake of it. Only a good writer can pull this off.
Another reason Milton was elected leader was because of his mindset or character. He is a bit quirky but has a good soul. It's actually within Milton where I think this book has been dubbed "a thinking man's zombie tale." In most other books, the character with the unique abilities is usually the bad guy. Milton isn't. Prior to the outbreak, he was a regular guy. Since then he had gained his ability and rather than using it for some sick or destructive means, he ponders upon his unique circumstance and the meaning of the whole outbreak, etc. While he's protective and giving to his "living" companions, he is also thinking of the undead and their fate. I cannot say much more without giving spoilers. The conversations he holds with Jonah are interesting and revealing without being heavy handed. It's actually Milton's actions at the end of the book that makes him a very memorable character among the many books I have read.
Another interesting aspect is the type of society and ritual that had grown within this barricaded society. Every society has something distinct that a member much achieve in order to be considered among the elite. In this new society, one must venture out into the city and bring back a luxury, whether it's women's make up, toys, or a book, etc; that individual must bring back something that adds something more than is really needed to this survalist culture. In a sense, this speaks of the need for the survivors to be human rather than just living day by day. Also, its a nod to a remarkable or "above the bar" action that any member of society must take in order to be considered a true contributor rather than being a number within the larger group that is being protected. A nice and interesting touch that obviously comes from this author's study of a common denominator among any society.
There's much more to this story... there's another group of survivors who are truly evil and its our main characters who have to deal with them. These particular characters were a little one dimensional but classic exploration in just how much worse the living can be than the undead. The scenes are visceral and their fate is well deserved.
This is a very good book with some very interesting elements not found in other books. To me, calling this "the thinking man's zombie book" is a little heavy handed. It did make me think a little afterwards but several other books that didn't have that inititial credit and were perhaps a little more subtle in that aspect, had prompted the same lingering thoughts after reading. However, there were some unique elements to this book that I really enjoyed and makes this book stand out for me.
Highly recommended if but for different reasons than already stated.
Summary of Dying to Live: A Novel of Life Among the Undead
Jonah Caine, a lone survivor in a zombie-infested world, struggles to understand the apocalypse in which he lives. Unable to find a moral or sane reason for the horror that surrounds him, he is overwhelmed by violence and insignificance. After wandering for months, Jonah's lonely existence dramatically changes when he discovers a group of survivors. Living in a museum-turned-compound, they are led jointly by Jack, an ever-practical and efficient military man, and Milton, a mysterious, quizzical prophet who holds a strange power over the dead. Both leaders share Jonah's anguish over the brutality of their world, as well as his hope for its beauty. Together with others, they build a community that reestablishes an island of order and humanity surrounded by relentless ghouls. But this newfound peace is short-lived, as Jonah and his band of refugees clash with another group of survivors who remind them that the undead are not the only-nor the most grotesque-horrors they must face.Horror Books
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