Zom-B (Zom-B Series #1)

by Darren Shan

Overview

This young adult apocalyptic fantasy "packs in the bites, and..rips out enough entrails for even the most jaded zombie fan" (Kirkus Reviews).

When news reports start appearing of a zombie outbreak in Ireland, B's racist father thinks it's a joke— but even if it isn't, he figures, it's ok to lose a few Irish.

B doesn't fully buy into Dad's racism, but figures it's easier to go along with it than to risk the fights and abuse that will surely follow sticking up for Muslims, blacks, or immigrants. And when dodging his fists doesn't work, B doesn't hesitate to take the piss out of kids at school with a few slaps or cruel remarks.

That is, until zombies attack the school. B is forced on a mad dash through the serpentine corridors of high school, making allegiances with anyone with enough gall to fight off their pursuers.

Praise for Darren Shan's Zom-B series:

"A raw and deeply observant tale of a morally questionable kid trying, and usually failing, to move beyond the ingrained racism instilled by B's father. It is a brave move by Shan to posit such a bigoted hooligan as our protagonist." —Booklist

"Character development is impressive. . . . and Shan executes the transition from normalcy to wholesale terror masterfully." —Publishers Weekly

"Horror with a social conscience. . . . This compelling page-turner builds steadily to the climax then throws the reader off the cliff with a twist that is impossible to see coming." —VOYA

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316214391
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	09/24/2024
Series:	Zom-B Series , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	175
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Darren Shan is the bestselling author of the young adult series Cirque Du Freak, The Demonata, and the Saga of Larten Crepsley series, as well as the stand-alone book The Thin Executioner. His books have sold over 25 million copies worldwide. Shan divides his time between his homes in Ireland and London.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Zom-B:
"Shan packs in the bites, and he rips out enough entrails for even the most jaded zombie fan; the cliffhanger ending...closes on just the right note to leave the audience gnawing for more...A series opener to sink your teeth into."—Kirkus Review

"A raw and deeply observant tale of a morally questionable kid trying, and usually failing, to move beyond the ingrained racism instilled by B's father. It is a brave move by Shan to posit such a bigoted hooligan as our protagonist."—Booklist

"Character development is impressive...and Shan executes the transition from normalcy to wholesale terror masterfully."—Publishers Weekly

"Horror with a social conscience...This compelling page-turner builds steadily to the climax then throws the reader off the cliff with a twist that is impossible to see coming."——VOYA

From the Publisher

"A raw and deeply observant tale of a morally questionable kid trying, and usually failing, to move beyond the ingrained racism instilled by B's father. It is a brave move by Shan to posit such a bigoted hooligan as our protagonist."

Booklist

Shan's baaa-aaaack. For B Smith, school is a bore and home is a battlefield, with a racist and abusive father around whom to navigate. The years of hate have taken their toll, with B provoking fights against nonwhite students to earn parental approval and hiding friendships that would incur parental wrath. When zombies begin massacring B's fellow students, it turns into a survival challenge, and B must cooperate with a diverse set of survivors to flee the barricaded school. Shan brings back his tried-and-true shock and gore narratives, with gruesome brain scooping and death-defying action sequences. Troubled by divided loyalty between father and friends, B's character is well-drawn though occasionally naïve; B often elects not to make any choice in difficult situations, and Shan doesn't fully explore the consequences of those moments of inaction. The English slang may cause momentary trouble, but tension over immigration crosses the pond easily enough. Shan packs in the bites, and he rips out enough entrails for even the most jaded zombie fan; the cliffhanger ending, now expected by his fans, closes on just the right note to leave the audience gnawing for more. A series opener to sink your teeth into. (Horror. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews