Zombie Apocalypse! Fightback edited by Stephen Jones

Zombie Apocalypse! Fightback, edited (created) by Stephen Jones (Robinson £8.99) is the follow up to 2010’s highly successful Zombies Apocalypse. Both are portmanteau novels rather than an anthology of short stories, involving a host of horror stars, including Christopher Fowler, Reggie Oliver, Guy Adams, Sarah Pinborough, Peter Crowther, Lisa Tuttle and Nancy Holder.

“There is nothing to fear but fear itself … and zombies! Following the outbreak of Human Reanimation Virus — more commonly referred to as 'The Death' — from a hidden crypt beneath a south London church, the centuries-old plague quickly spreads throughout the world, turning its victims into flesh-eating zombies. As we learn more about the mysterious Thomas Moreby — 'Patient Zero' — the surviving members of the human race begin their fightback against the legions of the walking dead, and the Infected themselves are mutating into something ... different. Told through interconnected eyewitness accounts — emails, text messages, reports, diaries, found video footage and graphic adaptations — the remnants of humanity battle to survive in a world gone mad.”

Zombies!

Christopher Golden’s Zombie (Piatkus £8.99) is an “anthology of the undead.” Editor Golden has collected 19 stories about the undead by the likes of Joe Hill, Kelley Armstrong, Tim Lebbon, Mike Carey Joe R Lansdale and Tad Williams.

“The hungry dead have risen. They shamble down the street. They hide in backyards, car parks, shopping centres. They devour our neighbours, dogs and policemen. And they are here to stay. The real question is: what are you going to do about it?”

Zombie: An Anthology of the Undead

A new edition for February: Zombie – An Anthology of the Undead edited by Christopher Golden (Piatkus £8.99).

“The hungry dead have risen. They shamble down the street…” And so on…This anthology includes nineteen stories by, amongst others, John Connolly (with a story called “Lazarus”, so you see how far back the fear of the undead stretches), Tim Lebbon, Kelley Armstrong, Mike Carey, Tad Williams, Joe R Lansdale and Joe Hill. This book promises to be “new views on death and resurrection”. 

Zombies, edited by Otto Penzler

Zombies: A Compendium of the Living Dead, edited by Otto Penzler, is a massive anthology weighing in at over 800 pages (published by Corvus at £19.99).  One sometimes asks, Haven’t we yet done zombies to death? The answer is, Quite possibly yes. However, this large tome shows that there has been life in the undead for a long time, and have been dealt with by many a fine writer. This is a reprint anthology, with tales selected across the years, from the mid-19th century to the 2000s – so you are able to experience a range of interpretations herein.

There are nearly 60 stories in this book, including tales by Edgar Allan Poe, HP Lovecraft, Lisa Tuttle, Ramsey Campbell, Stephen King, Garry Kilworth, Theodore Sturgeon and Yvonne Navarro. This anthology promises to be a feast for your brains.

The Art of Zombie Warfare by Scott Kenemore

How to kick-arse like the walking dead: “This manual provides a review of the tactical combat advantages enjoyed by zombies and gives the reader a step-by-step guide to adopting them for him or herself.

Have you wondered where the great military leaders of modern history have found their collective inspirations? Well look no further. It is the walking dead upon whom the most important tactical infantry innovations of the last three hundred years have been based. Do you dream of becoming a soldier who fights with the efficacy and skill of a zombie? Are you a general or commander seeking to imbue your troops with the ruthless, soulless killing-efficiency of an animated corpse? Are you a voodoo priest or wizard desiring to raise an actual army of zombies to help you conquer the land and install yourself as ruler? Then, friend, this is the book for you.”

The Art of Zombie Warfare by Scott Kenemore is due from Robinson in January 2011.

Zombie Apocalypse edited by Stephen Jones

News from Constable & Robinson: Zombie Apocalypse is a 'mosaic novel' set in the near-future, when a desperate and ever-more controlling UK government decides to restore a sense of national pride with a New Festival of Britain. However, controversial plans to build on the site of an old church in South London releases a centuries-old plague that turns its victims into flesh-hungry ghouls whose bite or scratch passes the contagion on to others. Even worse, the virus may also have a supernatural origin with the power to revive the dead.

Despite the attempts of the police, the military and those in power to understand and contain the infection commonly referred to as “The Death”, it soon sweeps across London, transforming everyone who comes into contact with it. With the city – and the country – falling into chaos, even a drastic attempt at a “Final Solution” to eradicate the outbreak at its source fails to prevent it from spreading to Europe and then quickly throughout the rest of the world.

Soon there is no more news coming out of Britain . . . and it is up to those survivors in other countries to confront the flesh-eating invaders within their midst. Will humanity triumph over a world-wide zombie plague, or will the walking dead ultimately inherit the Earth?

Told through various disparate and overlapping eye-witness accounts, through texts, e-mails, blogs, letters, diaries, transcripts, official reports and other forms of communication, a picture builds up of a world plunged into chaos – where the dead attack the living, and only one of them can be the ultimate victor.

Written by some of the biggest and best-known names in horror and science fiction, these interconnected narratives create a unique vision of the End of the World brought about by a plague that may have its origins in both science and the occult.

Zombie Apocalypse is created by Stephen Jones and includes contributions by Michael Marshall Smith, Christopher Fowler, Sarah Pinborough, Jo Fletcher, Kim Newman, Paul McAuley, Tim Lebbon, Peter Crowther, Pat Cadigan, Peter Atkins, Mandy Slater and many, many others. Published by Robinson this month at just £7.99.

Married With Zombies by Jesse Petersen

Zombies seem to be livening up publishing just now. Coming soon from Orbit: Married With Zombies by Jesse Petersen. This is the first in a series; volume two is due in January 2011. Discover more on Petersen's website.

"Meet Sarah and David: Once upon a time they met and fell in love. But now they’re on the verge of divorce and going to couples’ counselling. On a routine trip to their counsellor they notice a few odd things -– the lack of cars on the highway, the missing security guard, and the fact that their counsellor, Dr. Kelly, is ripping out her previous client’s throat.

Meet the Zombies: Now, Sarah and David are fighting for survival in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. But, just because there are zombies, doesn’t mean your other problems go away. If the zombies don’t eat their brains, they might just kill each other.

Married With Zombies is a heart-warming tale of terror set during the time of the zombie uprising."