World War Z

[Jon Dahl]

I finished Wold War Z by Max Brooks about a week or two ago. I thought it was fantastic! I also got the abridged 5 disc audio book. Henry Rollins is in it, so it's instantly cool to me.
I can't say everyone would like it, but anybody who enjoyed the Zombie Survival Guide will.
The book details in chronological order of the begining to the end of the Zombie war through interviews of more than forty characters who give personal accounts of their survival.
The book defiantly had a political agenda like a Romero film, but that doesn't overshadow the sheer horror of the attacks. Many times I found myself terrified to read on, but utterly glued to the book.
Twice the book hit me odd. Once was just because of how close to home one of the chapters took place, Topeka and Wichita, Kansas.
The other was because I am a big sissy and I like dogs.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves horror, zombies, fictional documentaries, or kittens.

Originally Posted by Stolen from Wiki

In an interview with one Chinese doctor, patient zero was believed to be a young boy in a remote village. It is uncertain how the virus was contracted by the zombie who bit patient zero, although an old woman sees the outbreak as a curse triggered by the destruction and flooding of Fengdu. Later in the interview, it is discovered that elements of the Chinese government are familiar with Solanum infection when the doctor contacts a fellow doctor who is higher up in the government who informs him that the boy and patients bitten by the boy needed to be isolated and locked up and that those near them should be armed. Chinese intelligence agents arrive and isolate the village immediately afterward, but several villagers, presumably including infected bite victims, have already left the area. It is unknown if this is related to one of the outbreaks described by Brooks in The Zombie Survival Guide. This would be plausible due to Chinese capture of information about Solanum experiments performed by the Japanese in Manchuria during World War II, documented in that work.

More about this book in it's Wiki here.

Has anybody else read this, thoughts?

[Ron Phillips]

I think it's funny (not haha) that Max Brooks is a writer for SNL and son of Mel Brooks. I've got the book, though haven't read it yet. Does he apply his humor background to the book? I know the Survival Guide was satyrical.

[Knuckles]

I usually don't like horror anything (I mean the blood and guts type of horror), but I actually enjoyed this book. I enjoyed how the interviews made you think about what was happening and you, as the reader, had to piece everything together.

Jon, I was reading it at the same time as you. I thought I heard a distant voice in my head. I just thought I was crazy, but now I know. It was you!

Could you please get out of my head now. Thank you.

[Jon Dahl]

Originally Posted by Ron Phillips

I think it's funny (not haha) that Max Brooks is a writer for SNL and son of Mel Brooks. I've got the book, though haven't read it yet. Does he apply his humor background to the book? I know the Survival Guide was satyrical.

Just like any book there are moments that will bring a smile to your face. Like when the rich spoiled tired looking whore who is famous for being a rich spoiled tired looking whore is being described and you know it's Paris Hilton, and how her little dog abandons her as chaos ensues (Page 88).
It's got a few humorous moments, but not many.

[Imboden]

I read this about..., oh about a month ago or so. I really liked it. I didn't find it too scary, though and that might be just because of the interview style it was written in. There were a few segments that were tense and I think it was more to the 'voice' of the character relating their story. And THAT is a testament to Brooks' ability to quickly and easily write very believable characters. As such, some of them were better at telling their stories. I know that sort of sounds weird, but maybe not.

I'm looking forward to the movie.

[steveo]

Originally Posted by Imboden

I read this about..., oh about a month ago or so. I really liked it. I didn't find it too scary, though and that might be just because of the interview style it was written in. There were a few segments that were tense and I think it was more to the 'voice' of the character relating their story. And THAT is a testament to Brooks' ability to quickly and easily write very believable characters. As such, some of them were better at telling their stories. I know that sort of sounds weird, but maybe not.

I'm looking forward to the movie.

Would it work as a comic book?

SteveO
e3w

[Evil Monkey Genius]

I read this right after it came out and loved it. It has a very different feel than How to Survive, but it does use the same explanations for the plague, such as the disease that causes it. You can also see where some of the characters have use some of the tactics that are in that and how it helps them survive.
I would love to see it as a movie but unless it is done in a documentary style format, with grainy and shaky footage of battles and home movie footage of zombies attacking, then I don't think it will work as well as it did in the book. Part of what makes it so good is that you are hearing the stories from the people who lived them and not some omniscient narrator who has no fear for the situations.

[Imboden]

Originally Posted by steveo

Would it work as a comic book?

SteveO
e3w

Yeah, it probably would work pretty well.

[steveo]

Originally Posted by Imboden

Yeah, it probably would work pretty well.

I thought so...I just wrote to the publisher.

We'll see what happens.



SteveO
e3w

[Jon Dahl]

Originally Posted by Evil Monkey Genius

I read this right after it came out and loved it. It has a very different feel than How to Survive, but it does use the same explanations for the plague, such as the disease that causes it. You can also see where some of the characters have use some of the tactics that are in that and how it helps them survive.
I would love to see it as a movie but unless it is done in a documentary style format, with grainy and shaky footage of battles and home movie footage of zombies attacking, then I don't think it will work as well as it did in the book. Part of what makes it so good is that you are hearing the stories from the people who lived them and not some omniscient narrator who has no fear for the situations.

Well Brad Pitt's production company out bid Leonardo Dicaprio's for the rights to make the film, so there's a pretty good chance it will be done right.

As for the comic, it would only work for the flashbacks. Just having some guy sit in a chair and talk would be visually boring.
(But a lot less work).

[steveo]

Originally Posted by Jon Dahl

Well Brad Pitt's production company out bid Leonardo Dicaprio's for the rights to make the film, so there's a pretty good chance it will be done right.

As for the comic, it would only work for the flashbacks. Just having some guy sit in a chair and talk would be visually boring.
(But a lot less work).

Jon,

I'm sure the movie would be more than just a guy in a chair talking...

Don't make me come over there and break you in half. (see thread in chit chat called "how we picture people")



SteveO
e3w

[Jon Dahl]

Originally Posted by steveo

Jon,

I'm sure the movie would be more than just a guy in a chair talking...

Well, the audio book was just that.

[Jon Dahl]

Speaking of the audio book, here is the cast:

Max Brooks as Max Brooks
Alan Alda as Arthur Sinclair
Carl Reiner as Jurgen Warbrunn
Jurgen Prochnow as Philip Adler
Waleed Zuiater as Saladin Kader
Dean Edwards as Joe Muhammad
Michelle Kholos as Jesika Hendricks
Maz Jobrani as Ahmed Farahnakian
Mark Hamill as Todd Wainio
Henry Rollins as T. Sean Collins
Eamonn Walker as David Allen Forbes
and Xolelwa Azania
Ajay Naidu as Ajay Shah
John Turturro as Seryosha Garcia Alvarez
Rob Reiner as "The Whacko"
Jay O'Sanders as Bob Archer
Dennis Boutsikaris as General Travis D'Ambrosia
Becky Ann Baker as Christina Eliopolis
Steve Park as Kwang Jingshu

I was thinking about the movie, and for those who have read it, who would you cast and for what role?
I'm pretty sure Brad Pitt will play Max Brooks' role since it is his production team that is putting the film together.

[Imboden]

Well, when it comes to a movie (or a comic), do you tell the story as a series of flashbacks, or do you tell it in a "normal", linear fashion starting with the first kid who contracted the virus in China and then going from there? Sort of eliminating the whole interviewing angle.

[steveo]

Originally Posted by Imboden

Well, when it comes to a movie (or a comic), do you tell the story as a series of flashbacks, or do you tell it in a "normal", linear fashion starting with the first kid who contracted the virus in China and then going from there? Sort of eliminating the whole interviewing angle.

I'd probably go in linear fashion myself...if I was doing the comic. I guess it would help if I read the book.



SteveO
e3w