Zom-B (Zom-B Series #1)

by Darren Shan, Emma Galvin (Narrated by)

Overview

When news reports start appearing of a zombie outbreak in Ireland, B's racist father thinks it's a joke. 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. 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781478924432
Publisher:	Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Publication date:	07/23/2013
Series:	Zom-B Series , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 6.00(h) x 1.10(d)
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, as well as the stand–alone book The Thin Executioner. Shan’s books are sold in every continent and in thirty–one languages, and have been bestsellers in countries including the US, Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Hungary, Japan, Taiwan, and the UAE. In total, they have sold over 25 million copies worldwide. Shan divides his time between his homes in Ireland and London.

Editorial Reviews

Shan, author of the Cirque du Freak and Demonata series, enters the zombie genre in a thoroughly bloody fashion with this slow-burning horror piece, which opens a planned 12-book series. This slim volume starts off quietly, introducing readers to narrator B Smith, an English teen who seems headed for a bad end, a born troublemaker following the example of a physically abusive, racist, and thuggish father. Struggling with violent impulses, a desire for paternal approval, and a lowbrow group of friends, B makes one wrong choice after another, leading up to the moment of truth, when a devastating zombie outbreak turns everyday existence into a life-or-death struggle. With the body count rising rapidly and everybody fending for themselves, B’s true colors finally show—at least one of the late revelations should catch readers off guard—setting the stage for the next entry. Character development is impressive for a relatively short book, and Shan executes the transition from normalcy to wholesale terror masterfully. It’s a strong start, but there’s a lot of story left to go. Ages 12–up. Agent: Christopher Little, Christopher Little Literary Agency. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

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