Monster Island by David Wellington

Book Details
Monster Island by David Wellington
Paperback, 288 Pages
2006, Thunder's Mouth Press
ISBN: 9781560258506
Series: Book 1 of Monster Island

Synopsis
It's one month after a global disaster. The most "developed" nations of the world have fallen to the shambling zombie masses. Only a few pockets of humanity survive — in places rife with high-powered weaponry, such as Somalia. In New York City, the dead walk the streets, driven by an insatiable hunger for all things living. One amongst them is different; though he shares their appetites he has retained his human intelligence. Alone among the mindless zombies, Gary Fleck is an eyewitness to the end of the world — and perhaps the evil genius behind it all. From the other side of the planet, a small but heavily-armed group of schoolgirls-turned-soldiers has come in search of desperately needed medicine. Dekalb, a former United Nations weapons inspector, leads them as their local guide. Ayaan, a crack shot at the age of sixteen, will stop at nothing to complete her mission. They think they are prepared for anything. On Monster Island they will find that there is something worse even than being undead, as Gary learns the true price of survival.

Review
David Wellington originally published Monster Island, as well as many of his other books, online in a serial format. Had I realized that before buying the book, I would have checked out his website first, as it is still available as a free read.

As I've said many times in the past, I am not a zombie purist. I love when authors get creative with the mythology and traits of their zombies, just as long as they still want to eat people. Monster Island has cannibalistic zombies, which immediately put it ahead of some others I have read. It also have a very original story line including a UN weapons inspector who has left his daughter behind in what was once Somalia under the care of a female warlord, while returning to New York in search of drugs which will ensure both of their freedoms.

The book was progressing nicely when one of the zombies showed awareness. If done well, in a realistic fashion, this can make a book outstanding. Unfortunately, Monster Island's intelligent zombie went beyond awareness and became something more, something further along the line of supernatural with powers previously unseen in my zombie readings, and sadly it just didn't work for me. While still a zombie novel at heart, strayed too far away from the monsters at its core and became something other.

Monster Island is well written and is a good horror story. As a strictly zombie story, it leaves something to be desired. Had I known going into the reading that the story would evolve into something different, I may have enjoyed it more, but for much of the book I was left wondering when we were going to get back to the real zombies. I'll most likely skip the rest of the trilogy.

Rating

Links

David Wellington's
Website