Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Simon & Schuster Childrens Books (2013), 224 pages
Description
Juvenile Fiction. Juvenile Literature. HTML:From Darren Shan, the Master of Horror, comes the gripping second book in the Zom-B series. Waking up in a military complex, months after zombies attacked school, B has no memory of the last few months. Life in the UK has turned tough since the outbreak, and B is woven into life- and battle- in the new military regime quickly. But as B learns more about the zombies held in the complex and the scientists keeping them captive, unease settles in. Why exactly was B saved? And is there anyone left in the world to trust?
User reviews
LibraryThing member WetheReaders
I've really enjoyed this zombie book! It's fast paced, has adventure, and surprises.
LibraryThing member sszkutak
This review was first written for The Nerd Cave and is a continuation of a dual review of Zom-B book 1 in the Zom-B series and this book, book 2.
...Then there is Zom-B Underground, book two in the series; Underground is a continuation of book one and picks up with B a few months after the attack,
If you have read the first book, you may have noticed a lot of big events happen at the end of Zom-B. (I am still hesitant about pointing them out, because I really don’t want to spoil the fun). We pick up with B in an underground facility where zombies are being held for experimentation and observation. In this plot line, we learn about the zombies and their various abilities, some are the norm – slow walking, brain eating monsters – then there are others who still have brain function –they communicate, know their morals when they aren’t hungry and are almost human, except for the fact that they are dead.
B has a lot of character development in this installment and there is less of the ‘I’m a racist because my dad wants me to be’ mentality and more finding of oneself. Like in book 1 the plot takes a while to pick up, the action doesn’t start until about half way through, but once you get there it is difficult to put the book down. I think that is where I am going to leave my review of book two…I can’t share more without messing up the plot of book one. Aside from the complex issues in the series, it is enjoyable. The books are short, only 200 pages and they have awesome inked images throughout, so if you need a light read and enjoy zombies, this could be a series for you.
...Then there is Zom-B Underground, book two in the series; Underground is a continuation of book one and picks up with B a few months after the attack,
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only thing is – B doesn’t remember anything. NOTE: Haven’t read book 1? Stop reading this review… I don’t want to spoil it for you.If you have read the first book, you may have noticed a lot of big events happen at the end of Zom-B. (I am still hesitant about pointing them out, because I really don’t want to spoil the fun). We pick up with B in an underground facility where zombies are being held for experimentation and observation. In this plot line, we learn about the zombies and their various abilities, some are the norm – slow walking, brain eating monsters – then there are others who still have brain function –they communicate, know their morals when they aren’t hungry and are almost human, except for the fact that they are dead.
B has a lot of character development in this installment and there is less of the ‘I’m a racist because my dad wants me to be’ mentality and more finding of oneself. Like in book 1 the plot takes a while to pick up, the action doesn’t start until about half way through, but once you get there it is difficult to put the book down. I think that is where I am going to leave my review of book two…I can’t share more without messing up the plot of book one. Aside from the complex issues in the series, it is enjoyable. The books are short, only 200 pages and they have awesome inked images throughout, so if you need a light read and enjoy zombies, this could be a series for you.
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LibraryThing member Ryanc.G1
The book is about the same character as before (B).Except this time they are in an underground facility full of other zombies and some humans. The zombies can talk because the humans filed their teeth to where they could talk. They went out trying to find other zombies that they would need at the
This book wasn't my favorite book in the series because the only good part was the ending. It wasn't that exiting as the first book in the series. It was mainly talking in this book. I liked the underground facility that the talking zombies were at. But if they changed some parts of the book it would have been more exiting. I wish they did test on the zombies to see if they were good enough to be there. This one just wasn't my favorite.
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place. Then in the book they sent out B and another zombie that could talk to run through a subway without getting caught by a zombie. Near the end the zombies where trying to escape the facility and realized that some one that was in their group was not a zombie. Then they killed the human that was there, but B didn't hurt him. Someone then helped B escape but the other zombies that B was with died.This book wasn't my favorite book in the series because the only good part was the ending. It wasn't that exiting as the first book in the series. It was mainly talking in this book. I liked the underground facility that the talking zombies were at. But if they changed some parts of the book it would have been more exiting. I wish they did test on the zombies to see if they were good enough to be there. This one just wasn't my favorite.
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LibraryThing member lkmuir
"Waking up in a military complex, months after zombies attacked school, B has no memory of the last few months. Life in the UK has turned tough since the outbreak, and B is woven into life--and battle--in the new military regime quickly. But as B learns more about the zombies held in the complex
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and the scientists keeping them captive, unease settles in. Why exactly was B saved? And is there anyone left in the world to trust?"--Provided by publisher. Show Less
LibraryThing member StarKnits
This book was very interesting I really liked B in this story!
LibraryThing member book_zone
This review first appeared on The Book Zone(For Boys) blog
WARNING: This review will contain spoilers for Zom-B, the first book in Darren Shan's new series. Seriously, if you have not yet read that book then you should click away from this review right now.
Waking up in a military complex, months
With Zom-B Darren Shan left himself a seriously difficult act to follow. Those two twists towards then end have had everybody talking (and if you say you guessed both of them then I'm sorry, I simply do not believe you). That twist regarding B made me feel guilty for making assumptions about the character, something I am sure Darren was trying to achieve with his readers. And then he followed it up with B being savaged by the zombies that were rampaging through the school. Way to kill off what we were led to assume was a main character! Or did he?
OK, it isn't creating a spoiler to say that no he did not kill off B. She is alive (sort of) and well (ok, maybe not glowing with health), and wakes to find herself in some kind of large room, surrounded by zombies who are facing up to a team of figures dressed in black leather and motorcycle helmets, wielding spears and flamethrowers. She soon discovers that she is a prisoner in an underground military complex, and no longer human. In fact, she is a zombie herself, although not one of the mindless brain munchers (known as reviveds). Instead she is one of the revitaliseds, having retained her intelligence, memories and the morals/conscience that we saw developing in the first book. Unfortunately for B she also has zombie fangs, sharp bones sticking out from her fingers, hair that won't grow and the inability to sleep.
The powers that be have no idea why some people become revitaliseds, so for the time being B is a glorified lab rat. AT the same time, they keep B and the other revitaliseds completely in the dark as to the state of play above ground, so they have no idea if the county and/or rest of the world has been taken over by zombies, or whether it was a small outbreak of a mysterious disease that the authorities now have under control (considering there are another ten books to come in this series, I'll leave you to guess which is the more likely scenario). Before the end of this second instalment we begin to work out that B and her new 'friends', despite being signed up members of the undead, and far from the villains of the piece. And we also discover that there are far more nasty things than zombies emerging from the pen of Darren Shan. Have a close look at the cover of the third book, Zom-B City, although if clowns creep you out then perhaps you shouldn't (yes, that is an eyeball on its nose).
Like many Shan-fans I expected Zom-B to be full of gore, and apart from the opening and closing chapters, I was wrong. However, the blood splatter is back with a vengeance in Zom-B Underground, with possibly some of Darren's most gory and violent scenes to date. It should be remembered though that this is a YA series, and Darren is writing for a slightly older audience than he did with his vampire and Demonata series. As with the first book in the series the author continues to make his readers think, with the continued themes of racism and bigotry. This was introduced in the first book, with B agonising over the attitudes of her father, and how much of her own personality was due to his nurturing. In this book Shan cleverly continues the 'debate', but this time it is the zombies, and more specifically B and the revitaliseds on the receiving end of abuse, bigotry and intolerance from their human captors.
Two books in and this series is shaping up to be an absolute cracker, with Darren Shan at the very top of his writing game. Zom-B City is scheduled to be published in May, and two more instalments later in 2013. If you know a teen boy who loves horror films and games, but is a reluctant reader, then these are a sure fire way of getting him turning those pages. I for one can't wait to read the next instalment as I have far too many clown and Owl Man related questions I need answering.
WARNING: This review will contain spoilers for Zom-B, the first book in Darren Shan's new series. Seriously, if you have not yet read that book then you should click away from this review right now.
Waking up in a military complex, months
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after zombies attacked school, B has no memory of the last few months. Life in the UK has turned tough since the outbreak, and B is woven into life- and battle- in the new military regime quickly. But as B learns more about the zombies held in the complex and the scientists keeping them captive, unease settles in. Why exactly was B saved? And is there anyone left in the world to trust?With Zom-B Darren Shan left himself a seriously difficult act to follow. Those two twists towards then end have had everybody talking (and if you say you guessed both of them then I'm sorry, I simply do not believe you). That twist regarding B made me feel guilty for making assumptions about the character, something I am sure Darren was trying to achieve with his readers. And then he followed it up with B being savaged by the zombies that were rampaging through the school. Way to kill off what we were led to assume was a main character! Or did he?
OK, it isn't creating a spoiler to say that no he did not kill off B. She is alive (sort of) and well (ok, maybe not glowing with health), and wakes to find herself in some kind of large room, surrounded by zombies who are facing up to a team of figures dressed in black leather and motorcycle helmets, wielding spears and flamethrowers. She soon discovers that she is a prisoner in an underground military complex, and no longer human. In fact, she is a zombie herself, although not one of the mindless brain munchers (known as reviveds). Instead she is one of the revitaliseds, having retained her intelligence, memories and the morals/conscience that we saw developing in the first book. Unfortunately for B she also has zombie fangs, sharp bones sticking out from her fingers, hair that won't grow and the inability to sleep.
The powers that be have no idea why some people become revitaliseds, so for the time being B is a glorified lab rat. AT the same time, they keep B and the other revitaliseds completely in the dark as to the state of play above ground, so they have no idea if the county and/or rest of the world has been taken over by zombies, or whether it was a small outbreak of a mysterious disease that the authorities now have under control (considering there are another ten books to come in this series, I'll leave you to guess which is the more likely scenario). Before the end of this second instalment we begin to work out that B and her new 'friends', despite being signed up members of the undead, and far from the villains of the piece. And we also discover that there are far more nasty things than zombies emerging from the pen of Darren Shan. Have a close look at the cover of the third book, Zom-B City, although if clowns creep you out then perhaps you shouldn't (yes, that is an eyeball on its nose).
Like many Shan-fans I expected Zom-B to be full of gore, and apart from the opening and closing chapters, I was wrong. However, the blood splatter is back with a vengeance in Zom-B Underground, with possibly some of Darren's most gory and violent scenes to date. It should be remembered though that this is a YA series, and Darren is writing for a slightly older audience than he did with his vampire and Demonata series. As with the first book in the series the author continues to make his readers think, with the continued themes of racism and bigotry. This was introduced in the first book, with B agonising over the attitudes of her father, and how much of her own personality was due to his nurturing. In this book Shan cleverly continues the 'debate', but this time it is the zombies, and more specifically B and the revitaliseds on the receiving end of abuse, bigotry and intolerance from their human captors.
Two books in and this series is shaping up to be an absolute cracker, with Darren Shan at the very top of his writing game. Zom-B City is scheduled to be published in May, and two more instalments later in 2013. If you know a teen boy who loves horror films and games, but is a reluctant reader, then these are a sure fire way of getting him turning those pages. I for one can't wait to read the next instalment as I have far too many clown and Owl Man related questions I need answering.
Show Less
LibraryThing member PrettyDeadly
Read this review and more like it at Pretty Deadly Reviews.
Spoilers for the first novel, Zom-B abound. Read at your own risk.
First - I wrote a review for the first book in this series, Zom-B, but I cannot find it anywhere. It's not in my archives, it's not on Goodreads. It's simply disappeared, all
These novels are my very first experience with Darren Shan. And while I can't say that I will be seeking out his Cirque du Freak novels any time soon, I definitively know that I will follow the Zom-B series to the end. Shan has succeeded again in weaving multiple themes into the classic zombie book. Of course there are gruesome brain-eating scenes, and yes there is a zombie horde towards the end. But Shan is also able to ask very serious questions while making your heart race. So while I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, I also couldn't help but really think about the central questions, and that's not an easy feat, I don't think.
B has been turned into a zombie. But not just any zombie: she and a select few other reviveds, have gone even further: they have their consciousness back, all their memories and feelings and personalities. The scientists call them revitalizeds, and they call themselves zom heads. I've never read a book or seen a movie where the zombie was aware before, so this was a whole new, exciting territory for me to explore. I love how Shan sort of tried to explain it with science (though let's be honest - no explanation is going to be believable enough.) It was interesting learning the different things that made B a zombie - her heightened hearing and sense of smell, among other things - and watching her interact with other zom heads and zombies.
This time around, I fell in love with B. She is atoning for her past sins in the last book, and her guilt and remorse are so real. She struggles with her old habits, and of course her love/hate relationship with her father. It's been so long since I read about a heroine who was so self-aware. She knows her faults, she knows her mistakes. And while she isn't perfect, she really is trying to be a better person in death than she was in life, and it is so admirable. B also has a square head on her shoulders; she makes level-headed decisions most of the time, and it's very refreshing to read about a prisoner-type of character who isn't going completely insane and knows they have to cooperate in order to make a better life for themselves.
There was plenty of action and gore to satiate the classic zombie fans. Shan's descriptions of the brain-eating, the zombie swarms, and a certain character that pops up later on in the book, are spot on and so, so vivid. After reading Zom-B though, I really didn't expect any less. But more than this, more than the typical crazed zombie book, Shan asks important questions about what it means to be human, how to fix and atone for your past deeds, and doing the right thing, versus doing the easy thing.
This is the perfect series for a reluctant young reader. They are short and fast-paced with enough action, suspense, and mystery to keep you turning the pages. But Zom-B Underground is also very thoughtful, poignant, and universal.
Spoilers for the first novel, Zom-B abound. Read at your own risk.
First - I wrote a review for the first book in this series, Zom-B, but I cannot find it anywhere. It's not in my archives, it's not on Goodreads. It's simply disappeared, all
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for a small excerpt on the author's website. I don't know what happened, but I do know this: this series is one of the strangest and more interesting series I've discovered in a long while, and I really, really enjoyed the first one. The second one was even better.These novels are my very first experience with Darren Shan. And while I can't say that I will be seeking out his Cirque du Freak novels any time soon, I definitively know that I will follow the Zom-B series to the end. Shan has succeeded again in weaving multiple themes into the classic zombie book. Of course there are gruesome brain-eating scenes, and yes there is a zombie horde towards the end. But Shan is also able to ask very serious questions while making your heart race. So while I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, I also couldn't help but really think about the central questions, and that's not an easy feat, I don't think.
B has been turned into a zombie. But not just any zombie: she and a select few other reviveds, have gone even further: they have their consciousness back, all their memories and feelings and personalities. The scientists call them revitalizeds, and they call themselves zom heads. I've never read a book or seen a movie where the zombie was aware before, so this was a whole new, exciting territory for me to explore. I love how Shan sort of tried to explain it with science (though let's be honest - no explanation is going to be believable enough.) It was interesting learning the different things that made B a zombie - her heightened hearing and sense of smell, among other things - and watching her interact with other zom heads and zombies.
This time around, I fell in love with B. She is atoning for her past sins in the last book, and her guilt and remorse are so real. She struggles with her old habits, and of course her love/hate relationship with her father. It's been so long since I read about a heroine who was so self-aware. She knows her faults, she knows her mistakes. And while she isn't perfect, she really is trying to be a better person in death than she was in life, and it is so admirable. B also has a square head on her shoulders; she makes level-headed decisions most of the time, and it's very refreshing to read about a prisoner-type of character who isn't going completely insane and knows they have to cooperate in order to make a better life for themselves.
There was plenty of action and gore to satiate the classic zombie fans. Shan's descriptions of the brain-eating, the zombie swarms, and a certain character that pops up later on in the book, are spot on and so, so vivid. After reading Zom-B though, I really didn't expect any less. But more than this, more than the typical crazed zombie book, Shan asks important questions about what it means to be human, how to fix and atone for your past deeds, and doing the right thing, versus doing the easy thing.
This is the perfect series for a reluctant young reader. They are short and fast-paced with enough action, suspense, and mystery to keep you turning the pages. But Zom-B Underground is also very thoughtful, poignant, and universal.
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2013-01-03 (UK)
Physical description
224 p.; 7.83 inches
ISBN
0857077589 / 9780857077585
Similar in this library
DDC/MDS
| 823.92 |