Rotby Michele Lee
Published: 2009
Genre: Horror, Zombies
Paperback: 56 pages
Rating: 5
Inspiration: my R.I.P. challenge, Helluva Halloween challenge and Weekly Zombies (check out this week's zombie reviews and blogosphere finds) and Helluva Halloween
Description from author site:
Rot is a no-pause, desperation-filled, stand out zombie novelette. There are no Romero flesh eaters here, only anger-driven souls trapped in their bodies against their will by bereaved loved ones who can't let go.
Plus zombie herding. (Zombie milk available by special arrangement only.)
In a world where some people can will away death itself, Silver Springs Specialty Care Community caters to the undead, a safe place to lock risen loved ones away for the people who don't have the power to control dead but aren't quite ready to let go. Dean, retired from the military and looking for an easier life, runs security at the zombie herding farm, but he quickly learns that dark injustice is not unique to war.
There's a rotten core to Silver Springs. Now Dean and a quickly decaying corpse named Patrick are on the hunt for the woman they both love and lost to a lucrative business that specializes in greed, zombies and never having to say goodbye.
Zombification: process is not explained, but corpses can be raised at will
Zombie mode: low functioning and can be controlled
My thoughts:
In-a-word: lonely
A zombie book gem!
This novelette takes you from what seems like a benign nursing homes (for zombies) to the darkside of humanity. Issues of loneliness, love and loss are themes touched on.
The story reads like a detective noir with illustrations sprinkled here and there to make this book even more special. Check out the book trailer below for a smattering of what you'll get.
The question that prods you throughout the read is, if given the opportunity, would you reanimate a dead loved one and deal with the consequences?
For me, nope.
Sorry, I can't part with my copy. However, you can get Rot at Skullvines Press.
Book trailer:
