Zom-B

( 23 )

Overview

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 ...
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Zom-B

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Overview

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.
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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
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.)
Booklist
"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."
VOYA - Laura-Ennis Lehner
B Smith is a tough cracker--living with a father like Todd, anyone would have to be tough, if just for self-defense. Todd has a habit of getting drunk and beating up on his family. B takes the beatings, then goes out and bullies other kids, especially those who have a different skin color or a different cultural background. B does not want to hate these people, but Todd’s training is deeply instilled in the teen’s psyche. Into this bleak world enter the zombies; when they attack the high school, B and friends must try to escape the maze-like building but are fighting a losing battle as one after another of them falls to the horrible and hungry undead. Horror with a social conscience--that best describes this first installment in a planned twelve-book series by the self-proclaimed “Master of Horror.” B does not want to be a bigot or bully, but racism prevails in this thought-provoking, cautionary tale about giving up too much of yourself in order to please your parents and win their love. The need for Todd’s love is so strong that B becomes a clone of him, in spite of knowing deep down that it is wrong. 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. It is fast paced and unpredictable, a great choice for teen boys and girls who like the gore and grizzle of a good horror story. Ages 12 to 18.
Children's Literature - Susan Cotter
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL ALERT: Zombies attacks have been reported in small villages in Ireland, Africa, and South America. Unless it is just a hoax. Antihero B Smith does not even blink; there is much tougher stuff at home to deal with, such as a racist, wife-beating, drunk of a father. As far as B is concerned, it is the zombies who had better watch out. For two-thirds of the book, zombies are backdrop rather than centerpiece. Set in London, the slang is pure British; but the kids do American things like eat fries, play soccer and get Cs (at best) in school. Suddenly, having skipped over mid-size and less remote towns, the zombies rudely burst into B's high school in the middle of the afternoon, a time of day one presumes one would be safe from such monsters. Stiff, unnatural dialog punctuates the free-for-all that ensues. As the kids fall like dominoes, B makes some difficult, bizarre choices. Near the end, mysterious mutants take the time to inform B that while today the zombies are merely taking over London high schools, tomorrow the rest of the world will fall. So you can ignore the travel alert. No place is safe. The most original part of the story are the nicknames of B's friends and classmates, which makes it all the more odd that B does not have one. However, horror fans no doubt will eat up Shan's latest, like some warm, sweet brains from a freshly cracked skull. Yum. First in the "Zom-B" series. Next will be Zom-B Underground.
Kirkus Reviews
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)
Children's Literature - Toni Jourdan
Life's tough enough for B growing up in England with an abusive, racist father and a mother that B needs to protect by jumping in the way when fists fly. B tries so hard to get Dad's positive attention that making racist remarks and beating up black kids at school is just a normal day for him. One evening the news shows a zombie outbreak in Ireland. Videos cram the internet so no one really knows if this is actually happening or just a publicity stunt for some new film. Besides it is happening in Ireland and as B's Dad believes, it would not hurt to lose a few of them. Most of the book deals with B's day to day survival. B's gang is full of lawbreaking youths with nicknames as colorful as their pasts. Vinyl, La Lips, Copper.... B holds in such anger that it is bound to burst out sometime, since the person that should be on the receiving end lives in the same house as B and seems untouchable. The dialogue is trendy British and Emma Galvin brings B and the rest to life in a colorful, sometimes sorrowful way. When listening to the story it is hard for one to pull away from all the racist remarks and family abuse. It is right in your face, or at least your ear. The zombies play a backseat role for most of the book but when they surface, boy, oh boy, are they on the attack—slurping brains and viciously gnawing on whomever they stumble upon, even though B believes that there is a method to their madness. The First book in what is meant to be a twelve book series. After this one you will wonder where it can go from here, but you will never be bored by this fast-paced thriller. Reviewer: Toni Jourdan
School Library Journal
Gr 7–9—B Smith (gender not revealed until the end) is a punk, a bully, and a thug, easily falling into the trap of racism because of an overbearing father. B silently questions that ignorance but ultimately finds it easier, and safer, to conform to Dad's ideals rather than take a stand, as well as another beating. When the zombies attack, B is able to channel this aggression and anger and help lead fellow students trying to find a safe haven and escape. Finally, B's father comes to the rescue and, for a brief moment, all is well. An unfortunate choice, however, causes B's fragile faith to crumble and even worse tragedy ensues. B's self-loathing and doubt make this more than just your average zombie tale, and the subject will strike a chord with many teens, especially those who may find themselves at odds with the beliefs of their parents. Once the zombies attack, however, the soul-searching is put to rest and the action comes fast, furious, and relatively gory. This is the first book in a 12-volume series (with other titles being released at a projected rate of four a year), and it leaves plenty of questions unresolved. This is a promising beginning, and it's sure to have teens eagerly anticipating the next installment.—Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780316214407
  • Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
  • Publication date: 10/16/2012
  • Series: Zom-B Series
  • Pages: 192
  • Sales rank: 35,848
  • Age range: 12 - 17 Years
  • Lexile: HL710L (what's this?)
  • Product dimensions: 5.50 (w) x 8.10 (h) x 0.90 (d)

Meet the Author

Darren Shan
Darren Shan is the New York Times bestselling author of Cirque Du Freak, The Demonata, and the Saga of Larten Crepsley series. He lives in Ireland, and his books have sold more than 25 million copies worldwide.
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 23 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(10)

4 Star

(6)

3 Star

(3)

2 Star

(2)

1 Star

(2)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 23 Customer Reviews
  • Posted October 11, 2012

    more from this reviewer

    Good zombie book...

    B is a troubled high school student- disrespectful, shoplifts, gets into fights and basically writes off school. But all that is the least of B's problems. B has a horribly racist and abusive father, who physically abuses both B and his own wife. While B does not share the father's racist views, it is easier to fake them than deal with the father's fist. But when does faking stop and become a true characteristic of a person? Reports of zombie attacks elsewhere have been aired on television and most believed them to be a hoax, but when the school is attacked, B and a group of students have to fight their way to safety. ----- Zom-B is a young adult book, but don't think that means Shan pulls any punches. You would expect a book about zombies to be violent, bloody and gory, and Shan absolutely delivers. Nothing is sacred, not even babies, so be warned. ----- The father is truly horrible. Both B and the mother are always on guard for fear of waking the father's wrath and subsequent fist; there is a scene when the father beats the mother. In addition, the father is a racist. This racism is a major theme of the book and turns out to have some really horrifying consequences. ----- With all that said, while it is not the best zombie book I have ever read, it is actually a very good book. The zombie attack doesn't start until about the last quarter of the book, but the buildup is interesting. And prepare yourself for a couple of complete surprises and a really good cliff hanger. In fact, one of the surprises was so good that I went back and scanned parts of the book to make sure I had read and understood it correctly, and then to try and figure out if there had been clues that I had missed. I honestly thought I was confused and read incorrectly. ----- There are a few details that promise to make this a very different and interesting 12 book series. I absolutely recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the zombie sub-genre.

    6 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 7, 2013

    Toxin

    HEYYOOOO!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 17, 2012

    Eh

    Bad i love darren shan but the ending sucked plz b carful this book should b read at yr local library not worht buying

    1 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 1, 2013

    Awsome so far

    I have only read the free sample of the book, but I have read the Cirque Du Freak by Darren Shan series and it was amazing. I expect this book to be just as good and so far it does not disapoint.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 30, 2013

    Darren Shan does it again!

    I have always been a Darren Shan fan, and I thought nothing he did would surprise me. How wrong I was! I read this in one day because I couldn't put it down! Darren Shan never fails to amaze me with his amazing plots and amazing writing.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 21, 2013

    B is a girl?

    To much gore

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 19, 2013

    Blah:(

    This book is just using all the scary zombie materal that hundreds of other authors have used. If you insist on reading it, then rent it from your local library. Its not worth buying.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted February 11, 2013

    This book is AMAZiNG

    I love thid book sooooooo vmuch vey cool nothing scary but vet excitibg cant wait for the third nd fourth one

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  • Posted January 11, 2013

    more from this reviewer

    Holy unexpected plot twists, Batman! I read an ARC of Zom-B, and

    Holy unexpected plot twists, Batman! I read an ARC of Zom-B, and the first page of the book is a note from Darren Shan, encouraging reviewers to be very careful not to spoil any surprises when reviewing the book. So, this review probably won’t be as “complete” as others I would write, for that reason. I won’t spoil anything, because that would ruin the entire reading experience.

    The main character, B, is tough-as-nails and not afraid to pick a fight to save face. B has to be tough, growing up with an abusive racist for a dad and a mom who takes the abuse without complaint. B tries hard to shield her from the violence, but that usually ends up with them both being beaten. The whole town think it’s a huge joke when the news starts reporting zombie outbreaks in nearby towns, and nobody takes it seriously. All of the students are shocked when the threat turns out not only to be real, but actually shows up at their school.

    It took a while for the actual zombie action to start (aside from a little bit in the beginning). There was a lot of backstory about B’s family and friends. We learned how B met them all, how they got their nicknames, how they all get along… It got to be a bit too much for me. I kept thinking, “Let’s get on with the action already!” But once it did, it was fast paced and exciting. The book is short and really zipped along; I read it in only a few hours. There was a lot of chasing and hiding, gore and ickiness and bravery and cowardice.

    And now, on to the plot twists: there were 3 that I consider major. The first surprise showed up in the beginning, right when I’d gotten into the groove of the book and thought I knew what to expect. The second was a shocker and made me stop to consider everything I’d read so far in a new light. And the ending-I did not see that coming! Every time I got comfortable, Darren Shan surprised me. That’s a great thing to be able to say, especially in a genre that sometimes feels like it’s run its course.

    The cover is okay and sufficiently creepy; there’s no mistaking it for anything other than a zombie story. I actually prefer the old monotone cover, though. It’s simplicity is a perfect cover for all of the chaos inside the novel itself.

    The sum up: Campy, gory and unexpected, this is a fun new take on the zombie genre.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 1, 2013

    This book is just the beginning of a bloody series!

    I had just read the rest of your reviews including my own right beneath this one and agree with all of yours! Even that guy who put " Eh " for his headline had a point. The end was a little weak, but the second book comes out tommorrow and the third comes out in April.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted December 31, 2012

    Pretty interesting.

    For a short book, it was fairly interesting . I am a bit confused now as to whether or not B is a boy or girl. That was weird. I liked the detail and the story. It was interesting that the author used racism as a main point and then it turned to zombies. But the details at which B's father was a racist were sstonishing. It helped you understand B better.

    Spoiker though...I did not expect B to possibly turn into a zombie. Ithought he/she was the hero/heroin of the book. I know there is a second book out, so I am a little bit confused now. Guess, we will wait and see what happens.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 28, 2012

    Bestlist

    Amazing ine of the best books I've ever read. The twist in the end left mr hungry for more.

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  • Posted December 26, 2012

    more from this reviewer

    One of the greatest zombie books I have read. The end took a twi

    One of the greatest zombie books I have read. The end took a twist that threw me off, but i really enjoyed the book. Can't wait to see what comes next.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted December 3, 2012

    Wow

    I thoughr that B was a dude at first man i wish it was a boy wow that was a serrious shocker and i am mad about it.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 20, 2012

    Best Book

    Personally I think this is going to be the scariest of all Darren Shan's books.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 18, 2012

    Great!

    Ive read all of his books
    Vampire
    Demon
    Now zombie!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 17, 2012

    Amazing

    One of the best books i cant wait for another

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 13, 2013

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 1, 2013

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 5, 2013

    No text was provided for this review.

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