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Oct 21

[ARCHIVED] Horror in October: Humans vs. Zombies

The original item was published from October 21, 2022 11:25 AM to October 21, 2022 11:38 AM

“BRAINS.”, the zombie murmured as it shuffled along the empty street.

A second zombie turned in response, “BRAINS?”

“BRAINS!” number one replied.

“BRAAAAAIIIINNNNNSSS!!” they both bellowed as they shambled on looking for you.

The decaying, slow moving reanimated human corpses have a hunger for human flesh, which is how they are most often portrayed in pop culture. There has been a fear of human remains rising from the grave for centuries, but zombies in horror books and movies gained prominence in the 20th century.

Zombies have become quite iconic, but what makes zombies so scary? Is it that they crave human flesh? Is it that some create new zombies through one bite? Maybe to some, zombies aren’t all that scary. To others, they’re terrifying. Check out some of our zombie horror featured in this book selection and see if you find out why zombies are scary to you.

Black silhouette of young girl wither her arms out on a golden yellow background.

DB 80678 The girl with all the gifts by M. R. Carey

A pandemic has turned countless people into zombies known as "hungries." The administrators of a military camp studying these hungries must flee when a group of anarchists breach their security. They bring Melanie, a 10-year-old second-generation hungry with incredible strength and intellect, debating the status of her humanity all the while. Some violence and some strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2014.

Blood tipped fingers tearing through paper.

DB 69250 Patient zero by Jonathan Maberry

Baltimore detective Joe Ledger shoots and kills Javad Mustapha, a suspected terrorist, during a police raid. When the covert Department of Military Sciences recruits Ledger, the detective finds himself facing Mustapha again, as well as a new breed of terrorist--zombies. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2009.

Two hands with torn shirt cuffs reaching through gaps in a boarded up opening.

DB 93921 The rising; City of the dead by Brian Keene

In The Rising, an experiment gone awry causes the dead to rise as intelligent zombies. West Virginia construction worker Jim is trapped in an underground bunker, but determined to get to his son, who was taken from him after a divorce. Also includes the sequel, City of the Dead. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2005.

Comic book style illustration of three men and a woman holding off a horde of zombies at night.

DB 108228 Last resort by Josh Reynolds

"Hordes of zombies threaten to wipe out all of mankind in this first action-horror story set in the exciting (yet horrifying) world of the Zombicide games. The zombie apocalypse has driven humanity up into the Adirondacks. Enter Westlake, hardened career criminal on the path of "the Villa", a legendary mafia hideout where he can escape the devastation. When he's ambushed by the undead, an old FBI "friend" and his squad of survivors rescue him and then force him to reveal his secrets. The jokey myth of the Villa suddenly becomes salvation for the settlements scattered around Saranac Lake. Reluctantly, Westlake is saddled with an oddball team to navigate mine fields, trip wires, and flesh-eating zombies at every turn to find their safe haven. Shame there's already someone living there." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

HungerA covered wagon traveling over grassy hills with mountains in the distance and dark skies.

DB 93829 Hunger by Alma Katsu

Members of the Donner Party wagon train dream of new lives in the West, but the bad luck following them drives some nearly to madness. As members of the party begin to disappear, the survivors believe something hungry is stalking them through the mountains. Contains some descriptions of sex and violence. Commercial audiobook. 2018.

Human silhouette standing in a gravel road, a car upside down next to it, and grassland either side.

DB 82046 Positive by David Wellington

Finn has been marked a Positive, someone potentially infected with the zombie virus. To keep the healthy population safe, he and all Positives must live in special segregated facilities until the incubation period has passed. On the way, however, Finn's transport is attacked, stranding him alone. Violence and strong language. 2015.

View from standing below a bridge with street lights and a tall building visible over the top.

DB 74181 Zone one by Colson Whitehead

After a zombie-creating pandemic takes a big bite out of the population, the government tries to reclaim New York City. Civilian Mark Spitz helps clear Lower Manhattan, building by building, removing the undead stragglers. Some violence, some strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2011.

Human zombie green-gray heads with cloudy and dark eyes in front of cityscape.

DB 73441 Apocalypse of the dead by Joe McKinney

After a virus outbreak following Hurricane Mardell turns people into zombies, Texas is placed under quarantine. When a desperate group of uninfected survivors tries to escape the quarantine zone, horror creeps out with them--leaving humanity struggling to survive. Violence and strong language. 2010.

A fox crosses over paved road with telephone lines leading uphill in back with a person silhouetted.

DB 99675 Survivor song by Paul Tremblay

The world is overrun by a rabies-like virus that turns the afflicted into homicidal maniacs. Pediatrician Ramola Sherman receives a call from her pregnant friend, Natalie, who needs help after her husband is killed in a violent attack. Strong language and violence. Commercial audiobook. 2020.

Person in yellow contamination suit in front of blue-green fog.

DB 98949 Cold storage by David Koepp

When Pentagon bioterror operative Roberto Diaz was sent to investigate a suspected biochemical attack, he found a highly mutative organism capable of extinction-level destruction. He contained it and buried it in cold storage, but decades later the organism has escaped and Diaz is the only one who can stop it. Contains violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. 2019.