A Wild Sheep Chase

A Wild Sheep Chase had its moments but it was a very long, dragged out. At the beginning of the novel it introduced a character who was at the very least interesting, but the author devoted a good amount of time to her back-story and then it turned out not to matter at all. It wasn’t until the book got half way in that it started the sheep chase. It was also weird that it was presented as a Japanese horror when it did not seem like a Japanese book at all. It was not until I heard names of places that I realized that it was not taking place in the United States. It also did not seem to fit the horror description. It seemed more of a “fantasy realism” novel; the way it involved ghosts, ESP, and sheep taking over people. It also felt a little Film Noir. The way the main character seemed to be like a detective with his fem fatal. He is either drinking alone or there is a “partially there” girl in his life. The book also had a weird timeline. The book jumped around a lot from years past, to sidetracked memories, but these little blips in time lasted for chapters. It also seemed like the character “the rat” came out of nowhere and he was one of the most important characters of the story. The beginning of the book should have included a large chunk of his background. You almost could have edited out the first part of the book and it still would have made sense and maybe would have read more like a horror because of the pace of it. Also wouldn’t the murder at the end be linked back to the main character because the town new he was the only one up in the house just before the man went up at the end to meet with “the rat”? or wouldn’t the man know that he was going to blow up because of his sixth sense?

monster island

Monster Island is the first zombie novel I have ever read. At first I was skeptical about how I would like it but it gave me a run for my money. Not only did I like it, I could not put it down. Just the way it was written was so in grousing with page after page twists. Right off the bat it takes a relatable American up standing citizen character and it turns him on his side making him apart of a minority with his daughter trying desperately to survive. It was also practical in its explanation of the redistribution of power and survivors’; being that places that where hellholes before the epidemic were now centers for refugees. Once Dekalb and his crew reach New York the story is on. I could not help but notice how well the story could have been translated into a summer fun action, adventure, and comedy flick starring Brendan Frasier like the mummy. Quick passages that pack a wallop of twists winding through a situation that spirals deeper into hopelessness. I also liked how this zombie novel brought new zombie traits to the table. This is the first I have ever seen an author provide that maybe under circumstances zombies might all be connected and special individuals might be able to tap into that and seize control over the hive mind and suddenly, zombies have a leader that they don’t question; it’s a completely organized dictatorship with immense power. Also the twist with the mummy zombie priest was unexpected. I thought Gary was going to stay with him until the end but how it actually played out made sense. It was almost comical how Jack tried to put his people out of their misery by destroying them, which would have been in the vain of the priests work anyways. Then end was also satisfying. It left a few questions though. How did Dekalb’s letter survive and where was he now. The book ends differently then the blog but I think I like the blog better. The blog is more personal and you can tell that the writer is holding on to his own ride.