Official Review: Don't Be Dead - Heartache after the Outb...

[GeonnaMarie]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Don't Be Dead - Heartache after the Outbreak" by Paul Wilcock.]

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Don't Be Dead - Heartache after the Outbreak is a comical horror book written by Paul Wilcock and tells about the journey of a young man named Dan who is one of the survivors of a zombie apocalypse. Needless to say, poor Dan has much on his mind.

Dan Wedlock is one of the survivors in a world filled with infected. He should be worried about how to survive, but after killing his ex-girlfriend because she was infected, all he can think about are her last words; she told him he was a d*ck. This prompts Dan to travel across the country, braving hordes of infected, in order to ask each of his ex-girlfriends if he was a d*ck to them.

Let me start by saying I am not usually interested in the Horror genre, however I chose this book because I enjoy dark comedies. It is definitely gore-y and pretty gross in some parts, however it is not overwhelmingly so. It has more of a campy zombie movie feel, but I found the comedic part a little lacking. I was expecting wit and sarcasm and was left a bit disappointed.

Now, Dan is concerned with the idea that he is a d*ck. You know what? He is. Obviously I know he has to be. Why else would his ex-girlfriend's last words basically be "you are a d*ck", but I still foolishly had hopes that it would be in a funny way and not in a 'makes you grimace when he speaks' way. His ability to be completely selfish and self-indulgent throughout the entire book isn't comical, it is painful.

You get to take a journey with him to see what he was like in each of his relationships as the book takes you from present to past at a pace that is actually set well. It doesn't feel choppy or awkward, which is something that happens often when authors try to take you time traveling. Also, on a positive note, it was well written. There was definitely a flow to the book and nothing felt awkward or out of place.

Overall, I would give this book a 2 out of 4. I think I'm just not a fan of Dan, how he narrates, and his journey. He gets told he's a d*ck, you get to see why he's a d*ck, and so you are left with the feeling that you just read a book about a d*ck. It is not a book I would recommend, however I can see how it could be funny to some. Perhaps I just have a different kind of sense of humor.

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