Tomes Of The Dead: Tide Of Souls

Tomes of the Dead: Tide of Souls by Simon Bestwick. Originally published by Abaddon books, January 2011. Approx. 320 pages.

Over the past few years, I've really been enjoying these Tomes of the Dead titles that were released in 2010-2011 by Abaddon Books. And, with each new one I read, I can appreciate more how they tried to present innovative takes on the zombie genre - they struck when the iron was hot, and didn't cause more gridlock with the same old, same old. These books posit new origin types for outbreaks of the undead, or utilize different historical periods as settings. In short, they were a breath of fresh air.

Tide of Souls kind of got shuffled to the back of the Tomes reading pile for some immature reasons; first, the cover isn't as catchy as some of the other excellent ones (very unfair of me), and two, I have no problem trying new authors, but sometimes I hesitate when reading first novels (again, unfair and uninformed). However, once I did pick this story up, I tore through it with all the enthusiasm of, well, of a zombie at a brain buffet (forgive me that bad joke, please). Tide of Souls is an excellent story, and not just an excellent zombie yarn, for two primary reasons: one, it has the richest characters of any of the Tomes stories that I have read so far, and two, the zombie depictions are great (although the green eyes can be kind of off-putting).

The set-up of Tide of Souls is simple, but horrifying. Succinctly put, the icecaps melt and the world floods. And from these new depths emerge the "nightmares"; innumerable armies of the walking dead. Shambling, persistent creatures in various stages of decomposition with one constant: the glowing, green eyes. That, and a shared malevolence.

The events, as we bear witness to them, unfold in England. We see them through the eyes of a trio of first-person narrators, three central participants whose fates will intertwine and interweave as the truths are uncovered. Be forewarned; even though I try to keep these reviews as spoiler-free as possible, just going over the outline of how the book is put together will unleash some reveals. Feel free to scroll down a bit is that's an issue.

Bestwick does a superb job in structuring these memoirs. The first is that of Katja, a young Polish woman who fell victim to the human trafficking epidemic in Britain. Katja is a strong, intelligent woman, and very capable; as the daughter of a special ops soldier, she possesses critical survival skills. These are the only things that kept her sane and alive during her time as a prostitute; an experience so harrowing that "rising of the dead was....a godsend."

It is important that we see the first events through Katja's eyes. Like her, at this point, we are confused, and helpless. She has to piece together what is going on, and how she is going to survive, especially since she finds herself looking out for a young, fellow prostitute named Marta. The duo has to beat a hasty egress from flooded Manchester, all the while avoiding the undead horrors. Along the way, they fall in with a widowed survivalist named Derek, who reinforces the idea that kindness and goodness are two separate entities.

Katja's tales culminates with them reaching an island (well, a former hilly town), which is currently occupied by a detachment of soldiers.

Here begins the story of Robert McTarn. McTarn is a former standout soldier who gets called up for a special mission in the midst of this most unnatural disaster. As with most situations of this magnitude, the high-ranking government officials have enacted their contingency plans, while the populace, well, drowns. McTarn is charged with coordinating the extraction of a high-value asset along with the RAF. This particular asset is a mentally damaged scientist named Stiles, who just might have some sort of inkling as to what caused this mess; and, hopefully, can concoct an idea of how to stop it.

McTarn's account takes over from where Katja's leaves off; where everything was new and frightening before, it all becomes about survival now. As the original mission becomes impossible to complete, McTarn must rally his few soliders and the local townsfolk to stave off the undead hordes while they try to get a solution out of Stiles.

Stiles. To a degree, he might be the most important man on the planet at this point. And also a complete mess. Physically and emotionally broken, perpetually drunk and strung out on painkillers. What few utterances he makes are incoherent babblings. Somehow, though, Katja is able to strike up a semblance of a rapport with him. Will this yield enough information before the survivors are overrun?

After the action reaches a dynamic climax, with a possibility of some kind of resolution in sight, the third and final (and shortest) account begins. This is Stiles' own account. It is here that we finally learn the beginning, and the end.

Every zombie outbreak needs a reason, or a cause. What online criticisms I have seen of Tide of Souls consider this to be the weak link in the story. I totally disagree, but again, no spoilers here. Bestwick puts forward a solid, original idea here.

Stiles' account might just be the most intriguing of all. Where Katja's juggled notions of fear, strength, and even hope, and McTarn's flew by with the practical, clipped statements of military jargon, Stiles' tale is almost poetic in its own way. Where we had only seen a disheveled shell of a man for the past 150 pages, we now get to see the man that was. Young Ben Stiles was a passionate diver, accomplished marine biologist, and consummate ladies man. This was all until a diving accident left him crippled, and unable to submerge again: a diver who fell from grace from the sea. Soul crushed, and soaking in alcohol and opiates, the visions soon began. Who would have known that those visions were actually portents of the horrors to come?

Let's look at the components of Tide of Souls bit by bit:

Characters: As mentioned, true winners here. If you look at the three narrators on paper, they almost look like stock characters; the beautiful young lady who can kill you with her bare hands, the efficient soldier with a past, and the mentally unhinged scientist. But I can't stress enough how well-rounded these characters are. Katja knows well that the time may come when her womanhood is the only currency that will get her by, no matter how tough or resourceful she is. McTarn realizes that no matter what he tries or believes, there is more of his abusive father in him than he can handle. In fact, inheriting his mother's kindness only benefits him in allowing him to appreciate and hate his darker side. And Stiles, for all his realized passions and achievements, is flawed, insecure, and afraid.

The secondary characters are fleshed out enough for them to be memorable. Some of the soldiers on McTarn's team stay as just names; he only really gives consideration to the ones that stand out in a meritous way.

Pacing/Overall Writing: Tide of Souls flows by at a nice pace. It never lags, and there is nothing superfluous. Bestwick does the first-person POV's well, letting them stand as three very distinct identities. There is a nice 28 Days/Weeks Later vibe going on here, and, even being a native of the States, I could envision the British setting well.

Action: Tons of it. And this isn't a case of all action, no story either. There are no arbitrary action scenes inserted simply to pass time. Also, Bestwick has done his homework (the extent of which is shown in part in the acknowledgements) regarding gunfights; untrained firearms wielders like Katja do not simply become overnight headshot machines.

Zombies: Even though it took me a bit to get used to the green eyes, I absolutely love Bestwick's take on zombies. He describes their various states of decomposition in ways that are truly horrifying. On top of this is the fact that these zombies are operating under the influence of some kind of leadership structure. Some of their attack patterns seem....calculated. And later, it's almost as if they adapt and learn from past mistakes. Normally they shamble, but occasionally they can launch into bursts of speed. And also, how is it that these creatures can stave off decomposition when they are constantly marinating in salt water? At first glance, this seems like their portrayal is somewhat inconsistent; however, when we learn more of the cause of their awakening, it all becomes clear.

Fear Factor: Pretty high, to be honest. It's that combination of the genuinely scary depictions of the zombies, coupled with the fact that you honestly do care about the characters. The initial attacks, at the beginning of Katja's account, are examples of some of the finest zombie fiction I have read. There are no "safe" victims either; we see children being attacked, and we see them shambling with the rest of the green-eyed monstrosities.

There you have it. Tide of Souls is an excellent zombie title, guaranteed to give you some Halloween chills. Kudos to Bestwich for this being his first published novel (he already had a number of short stories under his belt). Grab a used copy of the out of print paperback or buy an ebook from the Abaddon website.

Here's what it is:
One of the accolades on Tide of Souls credits Bestwick's "emotional integrity". I'd like to add "emotional intensity". Strong characters, scary zombies. Win-win.

Final Score:

9.5/10


Cover Score:

Not bad, but not up to snuff with some of the other Tomes covers. The green eye effect is well done. The color palette fits the tone of the story as well. However, occupying the center area with something reflecting the rising water/sea motif of the book would have been a better choice than a huge building. Especially since most of the action happens on rooftops, boats, and hilly villages.

Cover Final Score:

6/10

Tomes Of The Dead: Empire Of Salt

Tomes of the Dead: Empire of Salt by Weston Ochse. Originally published by Abaddon Books, April 2010. Approx. 301 pages.

I really enjoyed the two Tomes of the Dead that I read last year, Stronghold and Viking Dead, so it was a given that I would review at least one this Halloween season. The first one I tried (not mentioning the name now, I'll give it another go another time and maybe a review next year) was pretty difficult to get into, so I shifted Empire of Salt to the top of the pile. Weston Ochse has spent way too long on my "to read" list, especially since I've heard nothing but rave reviews of his work in both the military fiction and horror genres.

So, what was Ochse's take on the shambler trope? And how did it fare? Empire of Salt is, quite simply put, an excellent zombie yarn. It combines a fresh take on the often stale undead formula, mixes in a good amount of shoot-em-up action, and incorporates a solid young adult underpinning that is enjoyable, not annoying or cloying. This is no mean feat.

The titular Empire of Salt is, in actuality, none other than the actual Salton Sea, the man-made sea resort in California, which is now derelict, and almost vacant, its penned-in waters an acrid, rotten, beer colored body of water, yielding daily bounties of dead and decaying fish.

Into this faded resort rolls a broken family; teen siblings Natasha and Derrick, their alcoholic father Patrick, and their live-in nanny, Auntie Lin. They've been drawn West by an economy in shambles, and the inheritance of a restaurant on the Salton Sea (due to Patrick's father dying in a sudden, rather gruesome manner). They leave behind the relative domesticity of Lancaster County, PA, in search of a new start. This is all quite hard on the teens, especially since they recently lost their mother as well. So, they have to place all their eggs in one basket and hope for the best. At least there is the promise of life near the sea.

Of course, as mentioned before, the current state of the Salton Sea is, well, less than ideal. Living among the decrepit trailers is an oddball mix of resident leftovers and castaways. Those who were too stubborn to sell or leave when things literally turned sour, and those who simply had no place else to go.

But there is more. Always, there is more. In addition to the inherent weirdness of the area, there is a sense of danger and foreboding. Rumors. Cryptic warnings to "beware the green", whatever that means. Mysterious traffic in and out of the local desalination plant. And then, just when Natasha and Derrick's family opts to stay and try to keep the restaurant going, people start disappearing.

Then things get much, much worse. Well, you can guess that there are zombies involved, naturally.

So let's take a gander at the story elements and see how they gelled into a solid tale.

Setting the scene: Ochse brings the Salton Sea to life for the reader. Given its current state of affairs, I cannot testify if that is a good thing or not. Seriously, though, he has a masterful grasp on descriptive writing. And it's not just in the background painting. Actions have a genuine fluidity as well. But as for the environment, Ochse throws us headfirst into a warped postcard with a panorama of piss-colored water and rusty trailers, hollow shells of dreams that once were.

Characters: Very good. The dramatis personae are all fun. The characters are given a lot of respect in honest portrayals. Every one is flawed; and most very much so. But all characters have something noteworthy, or catchy. They work well as comic book standouts, or memorable folks from a great B-horror movie (honestly, I would love to film Empire of Salt as an 80's style VHS horror flick). The core group, however, especially the teens, are outstanding. Don't get me wrong; I have nothing against teen leads, or YA fiction. It's just that it seems that much harder to do well, and maintain any semblance of authenticity. Oches does it here. In the acknowledgements, he mentions using his own kids as source material. He must have really been paying attention to what they said and how they acted, because he nails the teen portrayals.

Pacing: Pacing is good. We get a satisfying kill early on, that a good chunk of introduction before things take off. Some of the character interplay does not work as well as it should here. These folks are fleshed out well enough to carry the scenes, but it seems more written in a way to endear them, with all their individual quirks, to us.

There is no lagging in the middle of the narrative. The climax redefines breakneck. And brutal. Plus, even though the book ends in a somewhat open manner, it is a satisfying conclusion.

Action: Plenty. And it is some of the best described action you'll read in this type of book. The military sequences ooze authenticity. The zombie scenes play on all the potentials for horror these creatures bring to bear. There are some real tense moments, some scenes that made me jump a bit. That doesn't happen all too often, and it happened a few times at the end here.

Zombies: So what does Ochse do to make zombies, which some may think are stale and oversaturated, something unique and fresh? First of all, he crafts his scenario to explain why the zombie outbreak here is a localized, contained threat, and not an epidemic. He also creates a unique backstory for the existence of the zombies, and this gives him room to play with appearance. These guys are pretty frightening; green, mottled skin, glaring yellow eyes, and physical capabilities on par with there condition at the time of infection. Plus, they are pretty hard to put down. Ochse does not do them the disservice of having them drop like ragdolls with any old glancing blow to the noggin. No, it takes a dead-on shot right through the brain (and Ochse also knows that that particular money shot is not always obtained on either the first, second, or even third shot). In short, these zombies are winners.

Fear Factor: Yeah, there are some scares here. You really expect some levity based upon the fun back and forth early on. It doesn't last. Then you realize that Ochse doesn't wear kid gloves when he writes for his characters. Absolutely no one is safe here. And that gets scary after you spent fifty or sixty pages getting to really like people too.

All in all, this particular Tome of the Dead comes highly recommended. Only in general release in ebook format right now, you can still get a paperback copy in the secondary market (although the price tag is sometimes a little higher due to Ochse's name value). I got my copy pretty cheap on eBay, and I think that it most have been an early edition that didn't go to market, because there are a bunch of typos throughout. Some pretty glaring ones too. Or maybe that's in all editions. If anyone has a copy and sees them, please let me know.

Anyway, grab Empire of Salt. Definitely great zombie reading.

Final Score:

9/10

Cover Score:

That's a great cover. Look at the color scheme and rot effects on that zombie. Plus, this is one of the few times where you do get the cover scene in the book. Most of these Tomes of the Dead books have solid covers, and this is one of the top ones.

Cover Final Score:

9/10

Tomes Of The Dead: Viking Dead

Tomes of the Dead: Viking Dead by Toby Venables. Originally published by Abaddon Books, April 2011. Approx. 345 pages.

Continuing along with "period zombie novels" in Abaddon's Tomes of the Dead series, we move on to a historical figure that I am guessing has not gotten a lot of zombie treatment yet: the viking raider. Toby Venables aims to touch on this very promising subject matter in his debut novel, the matter-of-factly named Viking Dead. Now, while I was stoked at the premise, you can't help but be wary of freshman novels. However, existing online reviews were promising for this title, so I dove in. Upon finishing it, I can say that there is some really good stuff here, some run of the mill things, and a major "WTF" turn that will either be embraced or hated by the reader. Let's read on...

Taking place circa 976 AD, Viking Dead focuses on Bjolf, captain of the longship Hrafn, and leader of a diverse group of veteran viking raiders. We meet them as they launch a raid on a small village, where things do not go as planned. Picking up a young villager in the process (who later becomes a full-fledged member), they then run into a rival (and much larger) raiding party. Escaping catastrophe by the seat of their pants, they find themselves embroiled in a much greater horror.

Strange occurrences begin manifesting themselves soon into the Hrafn's egress. Following the ominous warnings of a terrified villager (the new "recruit", Atli's, father), evidence appears that the dead may indeed walk the earth again. At first, the incidents are small, although still jarring. The crew tries their best to not believe it, but mounting evidence makes that impossible. Soon, desperate for supplies, they find themselves approaching a mysterious land. A land shrouded in mist and mystery, which will, of course, prove to be the epicenter of the bizarre, twisted resurrections.

Within this land is a small fortress, where a ragtag clutch of villagers cower under the continual harassment of a villain named Skalla, a dreaded character who somehow holds sway over an army of corpses, a man who is the most likely key to the pressing questions of "how" and "why". But of course, there is always more beneath the surface. So much more. Let's look at all the parts of Viking Dead and see how they stack up together.

Characters: Hmmmm, gotta be honest here. Pretty much stock characters throughout. I don't know if I should chalk that up to rookie writing or Venables playing it safe. The characters are picked from templates and then written competently, even if predictable. Although written in a third person POV, the focus shifts primarily between Atli (the village boy turned viking recruit) and Bjolf. Atli was a bit of a pleasant surprise; it is very easy for books, movies, etc. to get ruined by introducing a child character that isn't presented well. Venables doesn't try too hard to make him into a prodigy, or make him likable. His is a fairly accurate account, if you take the time to step back and put yourself in his young boots. Unfortunately, Bjolf is a bit more cookie-cutter. He is just right in every facet, and of course, he has a heart of gold. I am not saying that all vikings were ruthless miscreants, but I'm assuming that Bjolf's crew has taken part in some rapings and child throat slittings during their years at sea. So much attention is paid to historical detail throughout (more on that later), that it seems somewhat cheap to forcefully impart 20th/21st century morality sets on these characters just to make them more palatable to a modern audience. But I guess we must do what we must do. Secondary and ancillary characters are punched out of cardboard as well. For example, we have Gunnar, Bjolf's longtime friend and second-in-command. Of course he is the bigger one, a bit socially awkward, and the completely loyal comic relief. Other crew members get fantastic introductions, but then, only a handful remain memorable, leaving the rest idling in the background as zombie fodder. There are friendly ones, and gruff ones, ones that are built around a single skill and no more, and of course, all are reliable at just the right time. These are tried and true tropes, so, while they are easily identifiable, they also make for easy reading. There is a late interlude where we get to saunter around a bit in the mind of our bad guy, Skalla, and in that time we have the set up for a sympathetic baddie (the best kind!), but, alas, not much is done with it.

Overall writing style/Knowledge of material: Venables has a very promising writing style, although there are some rookie missteps abound (we just finished the drubbing based on the characters). One of the main problems is "action for the sake of action during journey scenes". Yes, I get it. Those long walking scenes are pretty tiresome, so I can definitely understand the temptation to punch them up with some excitement, but some of the scenes are so arbitrary that they leave little chance to feel engaged.

However, there is an undeniably robust writing style at play here. Venables paces this novel extremely well. I have read some other reviews complaining that it is too long before the zombies arrive (well, in any considerable number). Yes, that portion of the book doesn't kick in until nearly halfway in, but you don't feel it as such. The story never bogs. The scenes of introduction and bonding are lively and entertaining. The world building is intense, detailed, and immersive. And it is peppered with great action scenes throughout.

One thing I really enjoyed is Venables' grasp of viking history. A hack writer attempting to compose such a period piece might have limited themselves to broad terms like "use the word longship, everyone is blond with beards and axes, etc.". Not so here. Viking Dead is saturated with terms and traditions that give you an intimately accurate experience of what traveling on one of these ships might have been like. The very real urgency of resource gathering, making the most of limited space, when to raid, and when to prepare to barter. The crew, as well, reflects a diversity that was more likely evident at the time than the standard "bearded blond" viking template we are familiar with. The Hrafn has warriors that are Scandinavian, English, Irish, and even Arabian in origin. There is mention of the mixed religions observed. Some revere the old Norse gods, some the "White Christ", some a mixture of both, some none. Again, though, as most of the playersdon't get a lot of characterization, these nice touches aren't as fully realized as they should have been.

Battle Scenes: Excellent. Venables writes robust, rousing action pieces that are complete with berserk rages and flying gobbets. There is plenty of action abound; be it viking vs. viking or viking vs. zombie. The characters use a nice array of weaponry, and it is interesting to see the utilized based on their characteristics (i.e.: there are various types of axes used, all with different blades, and therefore different techniques).

Zombies: Here we are at the most important ingredient in this viking horror stew. I must say that Venables writes some pretty amazing zombies. This is the billed main event, and it delivers. Drawing upon creatures from historical viking lore known as draugr, the author makes them into a truly palpable menace. These are dread figures of the shambling sort, although they can put on little bursts of speed. They are a bit stronger than their musculature might imply, and they can be killed by the traditional head shot. Two things, however, elevate the portrayal of them here. First is Venables' descriptive prose. He does not stop with the physical descriptions of the shamblers, he also gives you a first hand feeling of what it is like to do battle with one. The vile, black ichor that weeps from their wounds, The smells from beyond the grave. Impotent body blows that feel as little more than "stabbing into jelly".He takes it from painting a picture to delivering an experience, and the book benefits greatly from it.

Second, Venables employs a trick not often seen in zombie media, he makes the virus affect all creatures that taste the zombie blood. So, in a few choice encounters, the crew must face off against zombified critters. Nice.

Fear Factor: Fairly high here. There are some real claustrophobic moments, especially aboard the ship as the crew heads to their fate. The moments where our characters first discover evidences of the undead horrors resonate with the reader.

The Trouble With Quibbles: I've already mentioned the lack of unique characters and characterization, so for the time being I'll stop flogging that dead horse.

Ok, maybe just a few more strokes, you magnificent equine bastard!

There are a few more issues regarding some loose ends in the story, so as a warning, this bullet point list contains some SPOILERS:

• First, what exactly are the ramifications of the scratch Atli receives from the underwater zombie? Is he impervious to the contamination? Does he possess an immunity that a cure can be extracted from? Or did the importance of it just wear off?
• Second, what was the point of the "experimentations"? We know "the masters" were looking for a cure (or said they were), so why exactly were they stitching together zombie abominations? The scenes with these creatures were creepy, but what was the point?
• What exactly was the point of the zombie "on and off" switches (the liquid and powder that Skalla carried)? No, I know the literal function of them. But the reasoning behind why they were introduced is never given to us.

Finally, we get to the big issue: the old twist ending (although this one was pretty easy to guess about twenty pages before it happens). I am guessing this turn will really not sit well with some readers, and I'll give Venables credit, it takes a lot of balls to steer your novel in a completely different direction after following the same road for a little over 300 pages. And, in all honesty, if you can swallow viking zombies in your book, well, you should be able to take anything. All I'm saying is, you might hate the ending. I didn't mind the twist.

"And I loved it!"

To the author's credit, it left the window open for sequel(s) featuring the remaining characters, in a new setting, which, given how enjoyable the overall quality of this book was, would not be a bad thing.

Here's what it is:

It's all in the title. Vikings vs. the viking dead. And it's done fairly well too. You get the bonus of historical authenticity and some of the better zombies I've seen in print. Plus, zombie ants. Don't laugh. Imagine your last moments being spent getting stripped to the bones by millions of crazed zombie ants.

Final Score:

83/100

Cover Score:

I like it, but I don't love it. The color scheme is great, as is the arrangement of the zombies. I love the physicality of the central berserker (ties in to actual creature in the book). The only problem is that he is "too neat". It looks like someone drew a nice, fit viking and then tried to "deadify" him in Photoshop. For the two zombies on the wings, the one on the right is done very well, while the one on the left simply looks like he stepped on a Lego. A fate worse than death.

Cover Final Score:

73/100

Tomes Of The Dead: Stronghold

Tomes of the Dead: Stronghold by Paul Finch. Originally published by Abaddon Books, August 2010. Approx. 324 pages.

I had picked up Stronghold back in 2010 on the basis of two merits: firstly, it truly has a "cover that sells the book", and secondly, my interest was very piqued at the concept: a zombie horde terrorizing British knights in 13th century Wales. This seemed a very fresh idea in what is becoming a glut of zombie media. I don't know why it has sat on my shelf for the past few years, but I figured now was the time to give it a whirl (actually I am pretty much interested in most of Abaddon's Tomes of the Dead titles).

In the end, however, how does Stronghold fare? I can honestly say that there are some truly great things here, some solid things, and a few minor quibbles. Let's dissect this zombie yarn:

The year is 1295. A contingent of British forces under the leadership of Earl Corotocus (an infamous elector count and enforcer of Edward Longshanks) has completed subjugating a pocket of Welsh resistance and is moving on to claim their prize; the impenetrable Grogen Castle. However, this subjugation involved a particularly brutal method of brokering: all rebels that have just laid down their weapons are systematically slaughtered. There is a good reason that Corotocus has such a reputation that precedes him; he has solidified it with bloody swathes of brutality across all of his travels.

With the last batch of rebels put to the sword, Corotocus sends the local Welsh royal, Countess Madalyn, back to her people, keeping her recently violated daughter Gwendolyn as a hostage. As the Earl and his small army head to their bleak, yet formidable fortress, Madalyn seeks out to enact a retribution as complete as the treachery her people had suffered.

This retribution takes place, of course, in the form of an army of shambling zombies. This is what was promised on the cover and in the blurb, and it is delivered in spades. Stronghold is indeed about an army of the undead laying siege to a medieval castle (a literal siege, more on that later).

Going in to reading Stronghold, I wondered what device Finch was going to use to initiate the rise of the dead. I should have figured it out when I saw that the action was taking place in Wales (especially for someone who grew up loving the Prydain books so much). In seeking recourse, Madalyn goes to a secretive enclave of druids, who use an enchanted cauldron to revive the many dead bodies that pepper the Welsh lands. This cauldron is of course based on the Pair Dadeni, which featured in the Mabinogion, although here the cauldron is called the Cymedai.

Unfortunately for the Countess, the druids, led by one Gwyddon, have an agenda of their own.

What we have here are some unsavory types calling the shots from both ends of the chessboard, with war-weary knights and restless undead in between. So who do we have to root for in this story?

Our main protagonist is a young knight named Ranulf FitzOsbern, who, along with his father, is an indebted knight in the Earl's employ (a turn of horrid luck left their family destitute, and they entered into a ten year contract to erase their debts). Ranulf is a solid character in Stronghold, while he has a strong set of moral values, he also has a strong sense of duty. He is not a seemingly magically gifted fighter, but a battle hardened veteran of many historical campaigns. Ranulf's interactions with some of the supporting cast (especially some spirited scenes with the captive Gwendolyn) are high points as well.

So now that we've gone over some of the basics, let's examine what elements work and which ones don't:

Overall writing style: This is my first read by Paul Finch, and I really dig his style. It's a rough and tough, blue collar laborer by day/bare knuckle boxer by night style. He seamlessly infuses historical fact into this horror fiction; significant events, people, places, lifestyles, dress, cuisine, etc. He has obviously done his homework regarding the logistics of castle defenses, as well as siege tactics. What could have ended up being a standard zombie tale shoehorned into a random period is elevated by this knowledge.

Characters: Well, as mentioned, there are a lot of unsavory types, but that doesn't mean they are cardboard cutouts. Corotocus is not simply a Snidely Whiplash villain; he is a consummate tactician and commander, who utilizes his resources with the full knowledge that resources are to be depleted in the attainment of a goal. The druid Gwyddon, although intentionally presented as steely and unreadable, reveals the depths of his hatreds through commands relayed to the horde. There is also some great interplay between the Earl's head priest, Father Benan, and his surgeon, Doctor Zacharius. Personally, I would have loved to have seen some more discourse between these two, as they are both committed to saving lives in manners which are polar opposites. For the doctor, the theological tenets must seems fantastical, while for the priest, the new horizons being broach by medicine must have seemed near heretical. Still, what we get is good stuff. There are a few given tropes here though; from the Earl's unctuous, conniving banneret, to his twisted, deformed champion.

Battle Scenes: Excellent. Finch has medieval fighting techniques down pat, and that isn't limited to swordplay. All types of melee weapons are employed, as well as a vast array of siege weaponry (including the many types of projectiles utilized by these early weapons of mass destruction. There is a lot of action here as well. The zombies show up early and are there for the whole book, causing unholy havoc. Speaking of zombies.....

Zombies: Now we get to the meat of the potato. The audience showed up for the creatures, so how were they presented? We all know that there are various methodologies for presenting zombies, and none can really be considered "wrong", but, and I apologize for veering off course here, I have a personal preference for their presentation:

• A virus manifests itself in deceased humans, reanimating them for the purpose of being a delivery package in spreading the virus.
• The delivery protocol is through mock eating; the virus itself is already delivered in the bite; it is just the base amount of reinvigorated motor skill that prompts an "eating ritual".
• The speed and strength of a zombie should be in direct correlation with the remaining musculature, although with limited motor function the articulation would be jerky. Therefore, a zombie could conceivably run, if enough leg muscles were present, but without the presence of mind to focus on maintaining it, they'd probably fall flat on their face. However, a bite should be as strong as the maximum psi capable in the remaining anatomy.
• Zombies aren't people anymore; they aren't going to talk, evolve, or craft new social structures.

The zombies we get in Stronghold are not these traditional types at all. They are a horde controlled remotely by a "hive mind" (I've seen this a bit in Warhammer Fantasy stories with Vampire lords as the controlling force). Bottom line, they are reanimated by sorcery (the Cauldron), and they are controlled and directed for revenge.

What throws me off is that they are given quite specific tasks, such as assembling and utilizing siege weapons, building siege towers, operating battering rams, and employing missile weapons. None of this is presented poorly, so I can't say it's bad. It just takes a while to get used to.

Another thing about the zombies that threw me is that they all seem to have the same capabilities of strength (which is pretty formidable, by the way), regardless of the individual states of decay. They are also nearly unkillable; that's right, no easy headshot kills, the can still move after being burned, etc. This leads to a problem which I will address in the "quibbles" section.

But on the plus side, Finch portrays these shambling monsters in a truly frightening manner. All types of gruesome depictions are used to convey some of the horrendous wounds these things suffered in their lifetime and now.

Fear Factor: For a horror novel, rather low. There are extremely tense scenes throughout, and there are many moments of potential insurmountable odds where you the despair of the characters becomes palpable. And yes, there are one or two scary scenes.

And now, onto my few minor quibbles:

First of all is something that occurs quite often in books with pitched battles of this size. I'm talking about a force that is near impossible to keep track of the size of. We all know that Corotocus took a sizable force into Grogen, but since the moment the zombies show up, they consistently and repeatedly get their rear ends handed to them. And the way Finch describes it, you get the feeling that with each shot fired by a mangonel, at least 5% of their force is being put out of commission. Then, at one point near the end, they still have over forty men capable of fighting on hand. Maybe I wasn't keeping a proper mental tally, but it just doesn't seem to add up right.

Second, there is an inconsistency problem with zombie endurance. All throughout, it is beaten into our heads how indestructible they are. Lifelong warriors deal killing stroke after killing stroke, and they still get demolished by the walking dead. And yet, when Ranulf needs to get through a cluster of them, he can dispatch half a dozen at a time with a good stroke. Ok, I know he is the hero, and sometimes he needs to get from Point A to Point B. But these moments defy the logic laid down from the start.

Lastly, and this doesn't come up until near the end, is the sudden introduction of zombie longevity. All throughout Stronghold, we have reanimated corpses that run the gamut of recent dead all the way back to things that are little more than skin like parchment hanging off of bones. Yet, they all have comparable endurance. Towards the end, however, Gwyddon has to take into consideration how long they can last, for they may rot away over the course of the next few weeks. Wait, what? Some of these warriors were in the earth rotting for a darn long time, and if the same sorcery is in play in a few weeks, why is deterioration suddenly an issue? This didn't make sense to me. In the end, it takes nothing away from the story at large, but it did make me raise an eyebrow.

Stacking all the positives against a few minor quips, you can see that what you'll get in Stronghold is a very strong zombie/fantasy/historical revision epic written with a bruising, hard style. And with that, you can't go wrong.

Here's what it is:
King Edward's brutal enforcers get a true taste of the horrors they have been dealing out in a grand zombie vs. knight epic.

A few last notes:

I know I often describe books and stories that have a certain kind of pacing, and with battle scenes with a certain kind of flow, as having a "cinematic quality" to them. Stronghold is one of those. Wasn't I surprised when a quick search revealed that the rights to make a movie based on it were optioned back in 2010. Alas, as there are no recent updates, I guess it's not happening now. More's the pity. Done right, it might've been one for the ages.

Also, after reading this wonderful book featuring a legendary Welsh cauldron that reanimates the dead, why not enjoy some cauldron-themed tunes? Until next time, cheers!

Skip to 17:10 for the excellent Pair Dadeni. Or just listen to the whole album. It's a win/win.

Final Score:

91/100


Cover Score:

Oh, isn't that a beauty? Look at the detail on those creatures. Sure, they seem more monstrous or demonic that zombie-ish, but it is a great cover, well arranged. I know that some volumes have an alternate cover:

Nice, but I like the one I got a lot more.

Cover Final Score:

90/100