Monster Island: A Zombie Novel

Amazingly enough, something good has finally come out of the UN. Well, sort of, anyway. I'm talking about Monster Island, a whale of a good zombie novel written by David Wellington, an archivist at the UN. I should admit that, while I strive to be an epicure in the macabre, I've never been a big fan of zombies. They're ugly, they stink (luckily, this is not a scratch-n-sniff book), they never even eat brains anymore, and - most importantly - they are just incredibly stupid, mindless creatures. Obviously, I'm not naturally inclined to be impressed by any zombie novel that just happens to come my way. I am impressed with Monster Island, though, largely because of the science and imagination David Wellington applies to create something more than your average zombie. Life as we know it is no more - not since the Epidemic killed the vast majority of life on the planet, then brought it back in the form of the walking dead. Things are so bad that Somalia is one of the few refuges remaining for living human beings in the world. It is there that former UN weapons inspector Dekalb seeks safety with his daughter Sarah - and, in exchange for that safety, agrees to accompany members of the Glorious Girl Army of the Free Woman's Republic of Somaliland (teenaged girl soldiers) to New York in search of the AIDS-related drugs Mama Halima and her people need in order to stay on the living side of existence. That is what brings him to New York City (there are plenty of drugs in the UN Headquarters), which, with its teeming zombie minions, has definitely earned the name Monster Island. Not all zombies are created equal, as a fellow named Gary proves. All alone now, Gary knows that he cannot avoid becoming yet another zombie in New York City. He has a plan, though, based on his theory that the cut-off of oxygen to the brain in the minutes between death and reanimation are what make zombies totally brain-dead. Putting his medical training and some borrowed medical equipment to good use, he kills himself in such a way that the flow of oxygen to his brain is uninterrupted. So, even though he does become a zombie, he's a speaking, thinking zombie. Not only that, he soon acquires the ability to compel all the mindless zombies around him to do his bidding. With Dekalb fighting to keep himself, his team of soldiers, and a small society of New York humans alive on an island roiling with tens if not hundreds of thousands of zombies and a veritable zombie king whose power seems to grow by the minute, Monster Island does not want for action and a healthy degree of gore. There's just no way to kill a zombie that doesn't leave behind a mess, and - let's face it - zombies eat people. That is what they do. While the reader must suspend a great deal of disbelief while reading Monster Island, it is still a refreshingly intelligent entry in the zombie fiction genre. It even manages to deliver a really good ending, which is particularly remarkable given the f

Monster Island succeeds where many other survival/horror novels go astray by combing three elements exceptionally well. Mr. Wellington creates a situation full of narrow escapes and memorable battles taking place in a setting that is both instantly familiar to all of us, and yet transformed to something not of this world. The author's own personal knowledge of many of the book's locales contributes to the reader's feeling of fitting into an environment that many have seen portrayed countless times in movies and literature, but until now never really felt like a resident. This is truly a great example of fine action/adventure writing. Mr. Wellington then adds an entire additional dimension to the book by his inclusion of dark horror elements, elements that are effectively written and full of cerebral fear and mystery, and yet he never looses touch with the reality of this story. He deftly avoids the cliched approach of many horror writers that results in a book full of terror, but not full of plot. In Monster Island the horror always serves to make the reader squirm while still advancing the plot itself. The main agents Mr. Wellington uses towards this purpose are his characters, truly the best part of the book. His main protagonist is intelligent and quick-thinking, and yet illustrates the inability of those raised in the safe American lifestyle to instantly comprehend the near-end of civilization. The character's fear and caution remind of us ourselves, who though having the best of intentions oftentimes are unable to rise above our basic human infirmities in order to achieve movie star style bravado. The story's heroine does have a superhero quality about herself, and she is certainly able to fight her way out of situations with the best of them, but her humanity is also shown through her childlike respect towards her AIDS suffering leader back in Somalia, as well as her lack of confidence in her ability to formulate a plan for the expedition in spite of all of her physical prowess. The most effective character however, is Gary, the story's villain. Any good horror story deserves a good villain, and Gary delivers in spades, quickly becoming a favorite character when he easily out-evils the more traditional villain figure, a resurrected druid who wants to crush all life remaining after the undead plague. Gary decides he has better plans for humanity, and from that point proves that a Machiavellian combination of raw intelligence and a total lack of moral scruples make for a far more sinister enemy than one who simply wants to kill for the sake of killing. Monster Islands characters, plot, and dark horror will have the reader turning quickly through it's all-too-few pages, and then leave them waiting for the remaining two entries into the trilogy with baited breath.

Monster Island is, hands down one of the most original and compelling reads to come along in a very long time. Wellington injects the genre ignited by Romero and championed by Fulci with a supercharged boost of creativity at every turn. Vivid descriptions and well researched details meet in an unrivaled example of story telling. So natural is the world that Wellington weaves that at times, Monster Island is less like reading a book and more being witness to a movie playing in your mind. You'd be hard pressed to find another book out now that can grab a hold of you and show you with flesh shredding convincingness, the details of what a nightmare made real looks like. If you did find such a book it's a safe bet that Dave Wellington wrote that one too. My final recommendation is to stop reading this and go buy Monster Island right now.

Buy this book! David Wellington is a master of suspenseful writing! I've been his biggest fan for almost two years and it's been an amazing time and it all started here with this book. Monster Island was the first in a trilogy depicting the small percentage of the world still breathing after the dead decide to take a stroll and devour the living. Wellington breaks new ground in this genre, no other director or author has channeled his love and amazing literary ability into his work with such fervor. When the book was serialized online he had his followers counting the days until a new part was available and now he is being recognized with the publishing of Monster Island. For those of you who are a fan of George Romero then you must read this novel, David serves up a helping of undead fun on a tray of cataclysmic proportions. Brian Keene's "The Rising" was proclaimed to be "A top-notch horrifying thriller", but next to the produce of Mr Wellington's imagination, "The Rising" is about as scary as kissing your grandmothers fuzzy top lip at Christmas. If this isn't your normal cup of tea, buy it for someone else, then borrow it! This is the story of the struggle between the good and the downright mean, a father's worry for his daughter trapped thousands of miles away with a crazed warlord, and a New York City that remains congested months after the traffic falls silent. The book will appeal to all. Please buy this book, It'll be worth your while and you wont be disappointed, I promise. Adrian Padden.