LITERAL REMAINS

The debut novel by Joe McKinney has zombies tearing up Texas. Five devastating hurricanes have whipped the Texas Gulf Coast in three weeks. There are thousands dead or dying, and from this disaster a virus emerges that reanimates the dead. Of course, they are hungry for human flesh. Police officer Eddie Hudson soon learns that first hand, witnessing the living dead devour his fellow law enforcement officers, and nearly getting their decaying little hands on him. The story centers on Hudson’s efforts to rescue his wife and child amid a San Antonio that has just completely gone to hell.

Dead City is well trod territory, with repetitive action sequences, and a healthy amount of blood and guts. It also has a heart, underneath the disemboweling and exploding heads, and something resembling a moral conscience. The action is good and plenty (though, like I said, repetitive at times), the suspense and atmosphere are dead on (hehe). Damn it, it’s just a good time. I really and truly did not want this little story to end. Reading it reminded me of playing Resident Evil 2 all those years ago. It was like that video game come to life…or the page. You know what I mean. This is what the first Resident Evil movie should have been like. And any story that makes you care about the characters so much you wish some of them didn’t die–well, that’s just the sign of a good writer.

I eagerly await Mr. McKinney’s next book.

Dead City is by far one of the best books I’ve read this year. Read it.

4.5 out of 5

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