I have read the collection of stories known as “The Monster Book of Zombies” edited by Stephen Jones, which is more than just Tales of the Walking Dead as the subtitle suggests. It’s variations on a theme. Perhaps that’s the standard as I’m not often a short story collections reader. (Though that has changed recently, as this blog can attest.)
I’m also not much of a horror reader, so to attempt to properly review this collection would be folly. However, I have chosen my favorite short stories from this collection to share with you. If these interest you, perhaps The Monster Book of Zombies is something you should peruse.
These are in no particular order and my summation or takeaway from each short story accompanies the title and author.
Sex, Death and Starshine by Clive Barker
The theatre can be a sultry place, even for the dead; perhaps especially for the dead.
The Song of the Slaves by Manly Wade Wellman
Revenge for slaves isn’t voodoo, but perhaps it is karma.
The Ghouls by R. Chetwynd-Hayes
Putting those rotting stiffs to work for the good of the country? Seems like something the ultra-wealthy might do to save on labor costs.
Quietly Now by Charles L. Grant
A wonderful small town horror, the likes of which is often overdone to cliche proportions, but here, Grant gets it just right.
The Disapproval of Jeremy Cleave by Brian Lumley
Sometimes you don’t need a whole zombie to make those left behind fall to pieces.
And perhaps my favorite, Night After Night of the Living Dead by Christopher Fowler
When the walking dead are reduced to an overlooked problem, ignored because they mainly keep to themselves and don’t threaten the living – similar to the way some treat the homeless in our communities – you’ll get a type of zombie apocalypse that you weren’t expecting.
As you can see, while I did enjoy six, there were 20 others that I didn’t quite care for. Perhaps you will.
On the whole, very few, if any, of these authors have created visions of the walking dead that meet the standard you’ll think of from B-movies and horror films. Perhaps to challenge your own perspective of what constitutes a zombie, this may be a collection worth resurrecting.