Currently Reading: The Zombie Survival Guide

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Back in October, I read World War Z, and then when I was home last week, my brother handed me this book.  Written prior to World War Z, The Zombie Survival Guide feels like an outline to Brooks' later novel. He splits the guide into six parts, beginning with an explanation of the undead, along with myths and realities.  The cause of the living dead?  A virus called Solanum, coming from an unknown source.

The next chapters focus on which weapons are more reliable (machetes, Katana swords), how to fortify your home during an outbreak (destroy the stairs), and what type of transportation to use on the run (bicycles).  Brooks outlines different types of terrain and how those will affect travel.  Most importantly, he describes all of the preparations that you should take to best withstand an undead world.  Even the most basic preparations should take about 1500 hours, so get cracking.

The last section, and my favorite, is where Brooks discusses recorded attacks from history.  All over the globe, beginning in 60,000 BC, there have been small pockets of zombie attacks.  Brooks jumps from Africa to ancient Egypt to feudal Scotland to a French Foreign Legion outpost.  This is where his writing and storytelling ability really shine.  And yes, in case you were wondering, Roanoake Island was decimated by zombies.