Official Review: The Road to Hell is Paved With Zombies

[AnaF]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Road to Hell is Paved With Zombies" by Cedric Nye.]

The Road to Hell is Paved With Zombies is the first book of the Zombie Fighter Jango series created by Cedric Nye.

Jango wakes up in the middle of a zombie apocalypse and he has no choice but to fight the undead in order to survive.

Jango has always been a fighter and he's always been a survivor. His past and the abuse he suffered at the hands of his relatives shaped the person he's today and led him to create his own moral code, that always guides him, no matter the circumstances.

However, zombies aren't Jango's only issue. His mind starts to fall apart, as he is forced to come to terms with his past and he seems to be losing his grip on reality. However, with some unexpected help, he'll be able to face his demons and find the strength he needs to keep moving forward.

First of all, I have to say that I'm not exactly the most experienced reader when it comes to stories about zombies. I haven't read that many books with this type of plot and I don't even watch shows/movies about them so, as you can see, this isn't exactly within my comfort zone. Nonetheless, I'm trying to branch out and read more books from genres that I usually don't choose and this book ended up being one of those situations.

I have to admit, I struggled a little bit with the beginning of this book. I didn't really like Jango at first and I was having some difficulties connecting with him and with the story. However, I loved the fact that it was so action packed from the get go and that it actually ended up developing quite well. I also liked how the story progressed and its pace because it was really gripping and made me want to keep on reading it.

As for the characters, like I've mention before, at first I didn't really care for Jango. I thought that he was all over the place, that he was too paranoid and had some really weird theories about living in society. However, has the story progressed, I started to understand him a little better and why he was socially inept and so emotionally distant. I thought that the author captured quite well the state of mind of a person who had gone through so much during his childhood and how that had affected him throughout his life.

I also liked Sonja and her interaction with Jango. I loved the way they connected and seem to fit like matching puzzle pieces. She was pivotal in Jango's growth and helped him come to terms with his past and move on with his life. However, I thought that their romance developed a little too quickly for me; it seemed too instantaneous.

Overall I give this book 3 out of 4 stars. I enjoyed not only its concept but also the fact the it was much more than just a zombie story. I wasn't expecting the characters to have this depth and I also never thought that the author would be so candid addressing child abuse and its effects. The only thing that really bothered me about this book was the use of capital letters where they didn't seem necessary. If they were meant to add intensity I think they ended up missing their mark.

I would definitely recommend this book even if you're not the biggest fan of zombie stories. It has some mature content and it's quite graphic but I believe it's worth checking out.

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[Reader B]

I haven't read any zombie stories either, but they seem to be getting more popular all the time. Sounds like an interesting story - thanks for the review!

[TrishaAnn92]

I am not big on Zombie stories as well, but this sounds very interesting!