The Zombie Autopsies: Secret Notebooks from the Apocalypse [Format Kindle]

[This review is based on an Advanced Reading Copy - 196 pages.]

The world has been infected by the ANSD (Ataxic Neurodegenerative Satiety Deficiency Syndrome) virus which has effectively turned the majority of civilization into semi-mindless, flesh eating zombies. With zombies being all the craze these days, we've heard this all before right? Yes, for the most part. The "Zombie Autopsies" attempts to put somewhat of a new spin on the zombie apocalypse by presenting a last days diary of a scientist attempting to understand the outbreak by performing/recording autopsies on the infected "NLH" (No Longer Human) subjects. Enter Dr. Stanley Blum, a neurodevelopmental biologist, researcher and zombie expert for the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). Blum volunteers to travel to a research facility on Bassas da India (a small island between Madagascar and mainland Africa) to work with several other scientist in efforts to gather information about the virus and possibly create a cure. Nicknamed "The Crypt," as the life expectancy of the non-infected is a little over a week after arriving, Blum and his fellow associates are on a tight schedule to ascertain any answers about the ANSD virus. In order to find answers the scientists must perform live autopsies on their former associates who have since become the undead. Here are my thoughts on Steven Scholzman's, The Zombie Autopsies;

Pros

+ Written by an actual doctor.

+ Excellent hand drawn illustrations of the zombies and the autopsies.

+ Autopsies are extremely graphic and well described.

Cons

- Autopsies and illustrations may be too graphic for some readers.

- Premise has been done before.

- Medical jargon can lose the average reader.

- Some of the appendices are dry and boring reads.

- Way too many acronyms. I felt like I was at work.

- A world map detailing the spread of the infection would have been nice.

- Too short considering the cover price.

My biggest issue with this book was that it felt unfinished. The potential for a really great story is there but it just didn't happen. On another review I read the author's response where he states that he has more of the story written so hopefully that will be coming in the future. It's unfortunate that this extra bit of story couldn't be included in this initial book. All in all, "The Zombie Autopsies" was in interesting and sometimes informative read. But, I just felt that the story could have been a lot more fleshed out (no pun intended). Hopefully, upcoming releases will fill in more of the gaps.

Though Zombie Autopsies: Secret Notebooks from the Apocalypse will never be a hallmark of classical literature, it is a good fun read. It falls short of being "good clean fun" because doing an autopsy on a humanoid whose frontal lobe is turned to mush while tertiary infections are causing his skin to fall apart will never be clean as such. But, I digress.

The book follows Dr. Blum as he engages on what he knows will be a self-sacrificial mission to hopefully uncover the secrets of the ANSD infection which has wiped out the majority of the world's population and turned them into mindless, stumbling, flesh-craving monsters. Dr. Schlozman provides medical information that is plausible for the layman, though you may have had to pay attention during your high school anatomy lessons to follow along. Though Schlozman quite obviously has a medical degree, he doesn't expect you to have one in order to read the book. The explanation for this verbiage is that Dr. Blum (whose perspective we are following) cannot be assured that his notebooks will be found by medical professionals, and so anyone should be able to follow the autopsies he performs.

The tension is kept pretty consistent throughout the book, and does not follow the normal pattern of presenting a climax and resolution as a novel would. So, the question becomes, "Is this exploration into the zombie anatomy a chronical worth following?" The answer is an unqualified yes. The details of the procedures and the fantastic art make the journey the fun that it is, and leaves you wanting more. There is obviously so much to this world that Schlozman has created, and this book is only one window into it. The only reason why this is a four star and not a five star review is that most readers will probably want to understand a bit more about the secondary infection that causes ANSD to be as devastating as it is. Schlozman has left several clues as to its nature and origin, though the pieces arranged in such a way that the laymen cannot put them together.

In the end, it is a highly entertaining book with incredible illustrations. When Dr. Schlozman releases his next work I will not hesitate to pick it up.

Just remember folks, cover your mouth when you sneeze, because every droplet you spew could be making another zombie.

To say it's a quick read is an understatement. I read it in about 3 hours. I'm a physician and didn't find the medical explanations too profound. It's a good idea for an actual novel, but there just isn't enough substance to this.