Dr Dale's Zombie Dictionary: The A-Z Guide to Staying Alive

Kid's fucking love zombies and in 2010 it was pretty much 'year of the zombie' where everything got a zombie add on or a zombie version or something like that..  And what with the TV show created from the comic 'The Walking Dead' zombies were right up there with large foot faced looking vampires that all the teenagers would gush over.

I have a habit of buying anything remotely horror related no matter how bad it sounds to me if it's a good cheap price [Here's looking at you 'Skinned Deep' lure me into your web of poor plots and terrible production values by shaking that £1.50 sticker at me! never again CEX, never again..] So yes, while in HMV clutching more poor movie choices to my chest I spot this gem for £3 and decide, zombies... £3? well it's been a good few years since I picked up anything written that didn't have men in tights saving the world so I went for it.

So yes.. where as the 'Zombie Survival Guide' is funny cus you don't know if the guy was trolling us or he really, really believed in everything he said.. but this book is a total goof and he's loving the fact he's just taking the piss. The writing style is casual and easy to get on with  even if it does suffer block text walls in some places.

I also find that as amusing as his comments are and I utterly love all the Zombie game references [Dead Rising, L4D, Resident Evil etc] as well as just normal game references he does tend to ramble and go off on one, like if you were in a room with him it would start off like having a good conversation before he stands there like a crazy homeless person and yells things at you.

Like I said, it's funny, well written and is laced with horror popular culture references which I admit had me chuckling to myself on the bus and staff room causing many confused looks. It's also by a fellow brit and thus references to places/things in the UK hit home allot more then the good old 'Zombie Survival Guide' so massive enjoyment for me on that level.

I do feel he might have been trying too hard to be funny in some sections such as the need to add a section on 'Lorraine Kelly' of all people but hey, I don't have a novel what do I know right?

The art work is very poor but also adds allot to the amusement of the book and no need for good art in a book that's basically rambling about things and trying to make you laugh.

All in all Dr Dale's snarky and harmlessly funny book is a good read, I found myself skipping some sections but most the time I'd have a great big grin on my face!

4/5

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