Nerds That Geek Book Review: ‘The Living Dead’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains some spoilers for the George A. Romero & Daniel Kraus novel, ‘The Living Dead’.
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What’s truly fascinating about storytelling in general, is how sometimes stories don’t quite end like we hope they will. Take television shows and movies for instance. For if these particular tales don’t quite hit the metrics expected of them, they can quickly disappear from the silver and small screen, robbing the audience of a proper finale that would have given the characters and the viewer the closure they so desperately sought from this sweeping saga. Or sometimes we stumble across an ending in a book or a comic book that just plain feels rushed. As though the people behind the scenes just wanted to get it over with and cranked out a finale in a hasty manner. Plus of course, there’s also the worst-case scenario when it comes to this little problem, in that, here and there the person behind the story passes away.

Something that breaks the hearts of fans everywhere, because someone wonderful that brought joy to the world with their ability to craft a story is gone from this world, meaning that no one will else will ever experience the wonder of picking up a new entry from that creator and there is something quite sorrowful about knowing that their finest work will never be completed. But while those are all valid reasons for disdain and disappointment, for every story that ends in a sour manner, there are plenty more that come to an end in a wonderful manner. And those are the stories that we need to celebrate as often as possible, since they speak to the wonder of storytelling and how there are so many out there who believe in creating well-layered tales that give back to the fans by getting the ending right. And it just so happens that today is a wonderful day to indulge in that kind of celebration. For today sees The Living Dead arrive in bookstores everywhere, a novel that brings George A. Romero’s ‘Dead’ saga to a close, something that didn’t seem remotely possible all that long ago.
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After all, George passed away in 2017, before completing this particular finale, meaning that this book was indicative of that ‘doomsday’ scenario in storytelling that we discussed just a moment ago. But thanks to his widow, Suzanne Romero and New York Times Bestselling Author Daniel Kraus, his final story has come to fruition after all. For Daniel received unprecedented access to Romero’s notes and completed portions of the book, and that gave him a blueprint to work with, to assemble what George was thinking in regard to wrapping up this incredible saga and well, what Daniel has done here is nothing short of brilliant. For not only is Daniel talented enough to leave one wondering where his words begin and Romero’s end, he’s managed to help craft one powerful book, one that is perhaps the most epic and sweeping zombie story to ever be created. A feat that Daniel and George accomplish by providing us with an immersive tale, one that takes us back to the beginning of the Romero zombie plague. 

Which is quite frankly, the perfect way to kick off this story. For it not only allows for long time fans of this universe to ease themselves back into this world and all the horror that it has to offer, but it also opens this universe up to fans that have always been curious about the ‘Dead’ saga. For now, they too can experience the wonder and the horror of 10/23 and the Night of the Living Dead, and what an introduction they get to the franchise. For the opening segment of this story truly sets the tone by offering the reader a harrowing encounter with the first reanimated corpse on record and the power and the gravity of that helps to inform the reader this is going to be one chilling tale. A fact that is reinforced by the next segment of this story. Since it outright immerses us in the thick of the apocalypse, and that makes for one intense reading experience.

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Authors George A. Romero & Daniel Kraus

For Romero and Kraus are methodical in their break down of the end of the world, and that makes one’s skin crawl while reading. Simply because, you can feel the tension building minute by minute as the living dead begin to outnumber humanity, and you know it is only a matter of time before they come crashing through doors to kill, and feast upon and resurrect the unfortunate souls that get in their way. But what matters more here, is that the structure of a novel allows for the worst possible images and thoughts to flood our minds since Romero and Kraus are unrestricted in their descriptions of what’s happening as the dead take over. Something that allows for us to imagine the smells and the sights of the moment and hear the ragged cries of these starving corpses and that definitely stays with you when you put down this book. Because the words that this dynamic duo of writers have assembled are rich and engrossing. 
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But while it sounds as though this book is nothing more than a re-hash of Dawn of the Dead and other films from the saga that explored the end, that’s simply not the case. Because this tale also offers up some groundbreaking moments for the franchise that have never been covered or featured in a ‘Dead’ story before, and it also takes us far beyond Day of the Dead and Land of the Dead in order to accomplish the seemingly impossible and wrap up this sweeping saga. Which is handled in perhaps the most beautiful way imaginable. Since it respects everything that the franchise stood for all while offering up an epic and supremely satisfying finale. The kind where you put down the book and outright feel satisfied with what has happened because this book manages to tie up every single plot thread present within the novel and within the franchise itself. 

However, while the story in and of itself is satisfying in its own right, what truly allows for this book to stand tall with its cinematic counterparts, is the unique social commentary present within its framework. Because this book has a lot to say about modern America and some of the troubles that plague us and surprisingly, how we can grow beyond those problems and be better. Which makes this story supremely optimistic at times. Something that doesn’t seem possible in a novel that is filled with blood and guts and mindless walking corpses that eat the flesh of the living, but it is there, and it is quite refreshing. As is the story’s more philosophical thoughts on life and death and what it all should mean to us, making this perhaps the most cerebral ‘Dead’ story for certain, since none of its predecessors went to places as deep as this book goes and it may necessitate a few re-readings, to properly capture what Romero and Kraus wanted to get across to the audience. 

If anything, it’s best to call this book what it is, an outright horror masterpiece. Because everything about this novel is downright perfect. Since it leaves you checking the shadows of your bedroom when you put the book down for the night, thanks to the awful images it injects into your mind, and it truly leaves you pondering upon life and its meaning. Which is no easy task. But this book simply reaches into your soul in a way that only Romero zombie stories can, and it is nice to enjoy that feeling one last time. Because despite the wondrous and horrifying nature of this book, make no mistake about it, this really is the end of the line for this fifty-two-year franchise. The death of death, if you will, and boy does this saga end with one hell of a bang, and the haunting whimpers of the living dead.

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