Her Book Self

I give in to peer pressure.  No, I wouldn't jump off a bridge just because my friends did, but I would certainly read a book that other bloggers raved about.  Such was the case with a recent read that came highly recommended by Stephanie D. over at Misfit Salon!

The idea that a well known story is not the way things really happened is not a new concept for a book, but in Dracula in Love Karen Essex manages to present the idea as fresh and creative. Retelling Bram Stoker's classic from Mina Murray Harker's perspective, Essex reveals a Count Dracula who is perhaps more akin to Shakespeare's Puck than Bela Lugosi's movie monster stereotype.

Mina herself is entirely reinvented from the original book. She is not the helpless victim of a terrifying fiend but rather a strong willed woman with unexplained and somewhat mystical secrets from her childhood. Dracula is not out to destroy her but rather to awaken her own supernatural side. He is her soul mate, who has sought her through multiple lifetimes, rather than a predator intent on her demise. All of the details of Stoker's work fit within the context of Dracula in Love but the expansion and explanations of these details - especially Lucy Westenra's tragic role in the story - provide a thoroughly engaging new perspective on the well known events.

It always seems cliche to me to call a book a "page-turner", but this was definitely a work I could not put down.  Equal parts chilling and romantic, this is definitely a book for fans of the original, and especially for fans of the original who thought Stoker's female characters needed a bit more moxie!

I won a copy of this book through Stephanie's blog and I owe her a huge thanks for the giveaway which rocketed it to the top of my TBR list when it arrived in the mail.  (And if you have not already checked out Misfit Salon, hop over there and start following!  Seriously awesome content and overall a beautifully awesome book blog!)

I have a nerdy Halloween joke for you all: 

Bad puns aside, the joke serves as a great intro to my spook-tacular edition of A Weekend to ReCOVER!  Bram Stoker's Dracula is my favorite vampire novel and I was really impressed with the number and variety of covers out there for this one. This goes to show not only is this a book that has stood the test of time since its original publication in 1897, but it's also a work that has weathered various reinventions of marketing for a very timeless tale.













Some seem to display scenes directly from the text while others dabble with more abstract images or typical vampire themes.  These are just a fraction of the many covers and if anyone wants to view more, check out the gallery at LibraryThing here. 

Do you have a favorite among the covers I've shown here?  Which edition of Stoker's classic would you be most likely to display on your shelf?

A Weekend to ReCOVER is an occasional feature hosted by Her Book Self comparing or discussing cover art, dust jackets, or anything else related to design and marketing of books.  Feel free to chime in with your comments below or create a post of your own (and be sure to leave a link if you do!).

And for those caught in the Halloween spirit, don't forget to enter the eBook giveaway for a copy of A.M. Harte's collection of zombie love stories, Hungry For You!

Just five short days left before Halloween and today I get the pleasure of introducing all of you to A.M. Harte who wrote the delightfully funny yet creepy anthology of zombie love stories Hungry For You.  Along with answering all my questions about reading, writing, and surviving the zombie apocalypse Ms. Harte has generously offered to provide one lucky reader with an eBook version of Hungry For You!  Check out the details after the interview. (And if zombies aren't your thing, this could be a great chance to score an eBook for a friend as an All Hallows Read gift!)  Please join me in a warm Her Book Self welcome to A.M. Harte!

*applause, applause*

I have to start with perhaps the most obvious question about your book - why zombies?

I hate horror. I can’t watch scary films, I can’t read scary books, and despite being somewhat grown-up, I’m still convinced there are monsters under my bed.

But a key aspect of being a writer – and of life in general – is pushing past your comfort zone and trying new things. There’s nothing worse than being stuck in a rut, either because you’re afraid of what’s outside or you’ve grown too comfortable. Yes, there could be a giant scary monster out there, but there could also be a double rainbow waiting to be discovered.

Fear is a great motivator because it shows you where your comfort zone lies. And tackling my fears by writing about zombies – the epitome of horror – was a challenge I couldn’t turn down.

On your blog you mentioned that the zombies in your work "evolve from faceless, insatiable voids mindlessly destroying the world and become people, individuals with whom [you] can relate." How did you develop this concept? Was it difficult for you to write from such a different angle as compared to traditional zombie lore?

I’ve very little experience with traditional zombie lore, so I can’t say which version of zombies I would find easier to write.

Traditional zombies cater to two very human fears: the fear of the unknown, and the fear of disease and death. Since I’m a scaredy-cat, it came naturally to write about zombies from a different angle to make them less frightening. So I gave my zombies human emotions and desires, making the stories less about disease and death, and more about the darker sides of love and relationships.

I think my lack of experience with traditional zombie lore was a boon – it made it easy to come to the subject from a different angle.

Which of the works in the collection is/are your favorite(s)?

It’s hard to say! I like each story for a different reason, so it’s difficult to compare.

The title piece, “Hungry For You”, is some of my best work and was the piece that most inspired the collection because of its tragic human/zombie love story. “Dead Man’s Rose” is another favourite: the creepy imagery and obsessive love really capture my imagination, and I put a lot of work into weaving subtle clues throughout the story.

I have a love/hate relationship with “The Perfect Song”. It’s about undying love and tea addiction, and sometimes I think the concept’s great, and other times I scoff at the faux-literary writing style.

And of the shorter pieces, it’s a toss up between “Alive”, which is about missing out on love and hits very close to home; and “Electricity”, because it lies somewhere between a very short story and a poem.

Have you always been a short story writer? Are there any pieces that you considered expanding to novel length?

I still struggle to think of myself a short story writer! I’ve always imagined myself to be a novelist – but I somehow ended up writing a short story collection instead. That’s life, I suppose, but I’m not going to complain. I’ve very much enjoyed the experience: writing short stories teaches you a lot about writing succinctly and writing well.

I don’t think I’d expand any of the shorts in Hungry For You into a novel, although if I had to pick one, it would probably be the title piece. I envisioned the short stories as just that – short – and so I’d be afraid of ruining them by trying to bulk them out into novels. Besides, I have thousands of other ideas waiting for their turn on the stage!

A friend once told me she didn't want me backing her up in the event of a zombie apocalypse because she didn't think I would be capable of destroying my own loved ones if they were turned into zombies. I was both flattered at her note of my compassion and insulted at her underestimating my ability to loot a Wal-Mart and wield a shotgun (beating Resident Evil 5 in co-op with my husband had to be good for something!) I responded that in the event of a zombie apocalypse I would most likely play the role of the mad scientist who captured zombies and attempted to cure them. I digress...there's a question in here somewhere - Do you imagine you would last long against hordes of undead? How would you picture yourself surviving?

I’ve never wielded a gun, I’m hopeless at video games and my pain threshold is embarrassingly low. Also, I run away screaming from all kinds of creepy crawlies. Chances of survival: not looking good. That said, I was on the varsity cross country team and have stayed relatively fit, so perhaps I’d be able to outrun the zombies whilst you covered my back with that shotgun of yours!

My zombie survival plan has always involved a boat with a built-in greenhouse and salt water purifier. I’m banking on the fact that zombies don’t float and can’t swim (even though one of the zombies in Hungry For You does both).

Along with your work as a writer you're one of the editors at 1889 Labs. Do you prefer editing to writing or vice versa? Can you explain the significance behind the press's unique name?

Ooh, tough one. Writing is my first love, but it’s a very tempestuous relationship with extreme highs and lows. Editing is the steady, comfortable relationship (assuming I get along with the author).

What I like about editing is that I see it as midwifery: assisting an author in the birth of their book, without the actual strain of giving birth. When I’m helping an author, I’m also learning more about the process and craft – all lessons that help me as a writer. But I think I’ll always be a writer first.

As for the press’s name, you’ll have to ask MCM, the company founder. He picked the name and has been fairly tight-lipped about its meaning. Personally I think it’s his year of birth....

What projects are you currently working on?

I’m serialising Above Ground, a post-apocalyptic science fantasy where humans live underground and the infected (werewolves, vampires, etc) roam the surface. It’s an action-packed novel following the adventures of Lilith Gray, a human girl who is unexpectedly trapped on the surface.

The Above Ground series ( http://amharte.com/abovegroundseries ) is my biggest project, actually. The main series will eventually become a trilogy, and I am tinkering away at accompanying side stories and novellas set in the same universe. For example, I recently published Belonging, an Above Ground short story which explores the origins of the human/infected divide.

Other than that... I’ve a lot of editing on my plate, and I’m still working on my master plan to try chocolate from every country in the world. I recently added Russia to the list!

Where can we find out more about you and your work?

My main hub is http://amharte.com so that’s the best place to start. I’m also on twitter as @am_harte and on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/annamharte

I love to chat and am always excited to hear from readers – so don’t be afraid to get in touch. Especially if you come bearing chocolate.

And now for the giveaway! To enter, leave a comment below with an email address or way to contact you (blog, Librarything/Goodreads, Twitter) and answer the question, "How do you imagine yourself surviving - or not surviving - a zombie apocalypse?" You can also gain up to two bonus entries by leaving comments on my review of Hungry For You and today's post on Anna Harte's blog. (Be sure to check out Anna's blog - there's an additional bonus for commenting over there!)  Giveaway is open internationally and the winner will receive a code for a free download from Smashwords.com (to download the eBook in any format of your choosing). Winner will be drawn using Random.org on Monday, October 31st! Good Luck!

Paprika - Available in France!

You know that slogan for Pringles that says, "Once you pop, you can't stop"? Well, I'd like to amend it for Top Ten Tuesday and say "Once you Top, you can't stop" because not only can I not get enough of this super fun meme (hosted by The Broke and The Bookish) but I also can't stop at just ten books for today's topic!  The current theme is Top Ten Books To Read During Halloween and with ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and zombies overrunning my recently read list, I really can't pick just ten books to spotlight!


Classics
So we all have those books that we had to read in school, but every once in a while, the really cool lit teacher assigned one that was more spooky thriller than stuffy old book.
1. Dracula by Bram Stoker
This is still my go-to answer when people ask my favorite vampire novel.  There's a reason it's inspired so many spin-offs, retellings, adaptations, and updates. 
2. 3. Macbeth and Hamlet by William Shakespeare
I always love conversations with people that say they don't like fantasy but love William Shakespeare.  Let's see... Witches? Check.  Ghosts? Check.  Few people stop to think about The Bard as a source of spooky tales, but these two are not only my favorites of the tragedies but they also have a lot of the supernatural tied into their stories.
4. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
This one will always be tied to memories of Halloween for me and, even though I have Disney to thank/blame for that (did anyone else adore that cartoon?), the original text is a really great story.
5. The Tell-Tale Heart (or just about anything) by Edgar Allan Poe
So I picked Tell-Tale Heart because it was the story that my sister and I used to scare ourselves senseless with but many, many of Poe's tales are excellent Halloween spooky stories!  

For The Younger Audience
Since I don't always talk about books for grade school or middle school readers on this blog, I want to point out a few faves for the kiddos.
6. Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe
I haven't read this book in ages but it was an all time favorite one from my youth! And the title - that beautiful portmanteau of Bunny-Dracula - still cracks me up!
7. What Eric Knew by James Howe
So I graduated from the Bunnicula series (Howliday Inn, The Celery Stalks at Midnight, etc.) to the Sebastian Barth mysteries and I think I worked my way through the entire James Howe repertoire at my local library.  These books were a great mix of supernatural and suspense!
8. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
I almost didn't include this one because it seems like such an obvious choice for this list, but at the same time, it's a book I really enjoyed and can't bring myself to omit it simply because of its popularity.
9. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
I really liked the movie, but I definitely loved the book!
10. Something Upstairs by Avi
This was another book that I count as a favorite from my youth.  This story of a boy who moves into a new house and is haunted by a murdered slave was a great blend of historical and suspenseful fiction and it secured my passion for both genres into adulthood.


More Vampires
For the people that don't like to accept Dracula as my favorite vampire novel, these are the very close runners-up.
11. Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin
Yes, that GRRM.  Long before he was Dancing with dragons, Martin composed a story about vampires set during the era of steamboat life and the result is a delicious horror novel with all of the signature character development and plot intricacies that Song of Ice and Fire fans adore.
12. Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice
I already sang the praises of this one in my Top Ten Book to Movie Translations. :)
13. Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth
Vampire action meets political thriller - the premise is unique and the execution is brilliant.

Werewolves
Previously taking second fiddle to vampires, werewolves and shapeshifters have started to take their own place in pop fiction and here's a pair of books that I loved them in.
14. Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
This second novel in the Dresden Files series showcased Butcher's ability to weave multiple plot lines into a cohesive entertaining story and this book dealt with werewolf mythology in ever manner possible.
15. Soulless (and the subsequent books in the Parasol Protectorate Series) by Gail Carriger
I could have included this one under vampires or ghosts as well, but of the supernaturals in Carriger's books, I know I'm not alone in preferring her werewolves most of all.

Ghosts
I feel like I should be able to think of more really great stories about ghosts and I'm sure in blog hopping I'll discover some titles that are eluding me right now, but the one I can mention easily eclipses all others right now.
16. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
I borrowed this book from my mom who must have decided it was okay for me to miss a few nights' sleep. Not only was I addicted to finishing this book, but it's also one that had me waking up and peeking sheepishly around my room at any little sound I heard in the middle of the night.

Monsters
I should have Mary Shelley's Frankenstein on this list, but as my Top Ten Tuesdays are about books I've read and recommend, I can't put that one on here as it still lingers on my TBR list - with sincerest apologies to the Shelley fans out there.
17. It by Stephen King
I think there might be cause to shun me from the literary community if I wrote this list without a single King book (and no, I won't count #15 despite the relation).  I really need to read more SK, but this one is a worthy entry and is one of few reasons I don't laugh at people that are actually scared of clowns.
18. Still Life With Crows by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Preston and Child's Pendergast series seems to keep popping up in my Top Ten Tuesday lists!  Plenty of works in this series could make there way into this top ten uh... mega list of Halloween reads, but Still Life in particular is another book that managed to scare me quite a bit when I read it.  It also taught me the valuable lesson - if you're going to read a book about a mysterious killer that strikes at victims randomly from corn fields, you may not want to read it on a solo driving trip through central Illinois in the summer. 

Zombies
I suppose I have a hard time taking the undead too seriously when my two favorite zombie books are ones that really made me laugh.
19. Married With Zombies by Jesse Petersen
I won't rehash everything I said in my review but this book was a delightful surprise in bringing levity and laughter to the topic of a zombie apocalypse.
20. Hungry For You by A.M. Harte
And not only does this mash up of zombie love stories finish off my overly long list, but I'm also hosting an eBook giveaway of it along with my interview of author A.M. Harte tomorrow!  Check out my review from yesterday and stop by tomorrow to enter to win a copy!

I can't believe I did a double-duty Top Ten and actually hit twenty with this list, but I suppose the Pringles analogy should have served as a warning for those that didn't want a lengthy list!

Any books you think I missed?  Should I have included a category for witches too?  Which choices do you agree or disagree with? What Halloween book should I most definitely add to my TBR? (And if you don't like Halloween books, what are your thoughts on Paprika Pringles? I have a coworker from France that loves them, I was skeptical until I tried them and actually thought they were delicious!)

Thanks again to the fab bloggers at The Broke and The Bookish for always making this such a great meme to participate in and a special welcome to any readers visiting Her Book Self for the first time.  Again, be sure to stop by tomorrow for the Hungry For You giveaway!

I rarely read short stories, and it's even more rare that I review collections of them, but Hungry For You by A.M. Harte was a worthwhile exception to this trend as it is unlike any collection - and really, unlike any book - I've ever encountered. And I mean that as an incredibly high compliment!

Hungry For You takes on the genre of zombies but rather than the typical approach to the zombie apocalypse with hordes of undead taking over the world (or classic literature), Harte uniquely examines zombies in a sympathetic light. In these stories, the undead are the heroes, the romantic leads, and the misunderstood protagonists of a wide variety of scenarios.

The entries in the collection range in scope of a few lines to several pages. Some are funny, some are disturbing but all are entertaining and well written. For those that appreciate the lighter side of zombie fiction and enjoy a chuckle with their chills, this is definitely a book to devour!

It's no coincidence that Her Book Self is trending towards monsters and mayhem this week.  With werewolves yesterday, zombies today and a vampire book later in the week, it's easy to guess that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.  In the spirit of celebrating, I'm also excited to present an interview with Hungry For You author A.M Harte on Wednesday of this week which will also feature a giveaway of this fun collection of zombie love stories.  If you like books that mix the morbid with the humorous, be sure to stop by later this week and enter the giveaway!

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is an urban fantasy alternate version of US history in which the sixteenth president of the United States embarked upon a hidden career as a slayer of bloodsucking fiends. Seth Grahame-Smith - creator of the instant cult-classic Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - returns to his form of incorporating humorous yet violent warfare against the undead into an otherwise well-known story. In this case, the book still represents a fairly accurate biography of Lincoln, granted the addition of vampires as a primary cause of the US civil war keeps the book in the fiction section, despite Grahame-Smith's prologue relating why the book is true and should be taken seriously.

I suppose I would have enjoyed this work more had it not tried for the pretense of conspiracy theory. I was highly entertained by Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and was expecting a similar lighthearted spirit to this book. The opening of the story, in which Abe as a young boy discovers that the same axe he splits logs with can be used to decapitate vamps, maintained the classic-meets-paranormal feel. However, once the book progressed and Lincoln's political career began, the mash-up did not work as well. As much as I enjoy suspension of disbelief in alternate history, to suppose that Lincoln supported the abolishing of slavery to remove a vampire food source rather than because it was an abhorrent institution didn't sit well with me.

There was still plenty in this book that was entertaining, and the Photoshopped images were well done and captioned perfectly. For fans of Seth Grahame-Smith and those who want a based-in-truth but quite twisted biography of Lincoln, it is a worthwhile read, but I still find myself wishing it hadn't taken itself quite so seriously. Rather than paint a darker portrait of not-so-honest Abe I think the book could have succeeded even more by creating an exaggerated hero out of the sixteenth president.

Seattle couple Sarah and David finally admit that their marriage is on the rocks, and counseling seems to be the option to save their rocky relationship.  However, when their therapist tries to eat them, they realize that keeping each other alive in the midst of a zombie apocalypse might be the common goal they needed to rekindle their love for each other. 

Married with Zombies by Jesse Petersen was a great book that took a humorous spin in blending zombie horror into a story about a young couple trying to make their marriage succeed.  A straight up zombie story or relationship novel would have been easy to pass by, but in combining the two - and poking fun and the stereotypes in each - Petersen weaves a unique and amusing tale.  David and Sarah were well-drawn characters and came across as very real people.  They're an everyday man and wife armed with knowledge from a heap of Hollywood slasher films that happen to do an above average job at battling the undead. 

One of my favorite parts of this novel was the chapter headings.  Each one combined cliche relationship adages with tips for surviving zombie attacks.  A few examples were, "Balance the workload in your relationship.  No one person should be responsible for killing all the zombies," and "Put the small stuff into perspective.  It's better to be wrong and alive than right but eating brains."   This offbeat humor might not appeal to everyone, but for those that are amused, Married with Zombies is definitely a fun book to read!

I haven't yet done a full Kindle review here yet, but hopefully it's become pretty obvious how much I'm enjoying the convenience of eReading since I'm on the go so much throughout the week.  There are still plenty of books that I consider worth a hardcover purchase, and I still regularly support my local library; but when it comes to taking a chance on an unknown author or intriguing new title, my Kindle really is the bee's knees.  I actually read this book shortly after Halloween - when I was still in the mood for a rather creepy tale - but here's my belated review for those looking for chills that come from somewhere other than outdoors.

 Wayne Wilson, known to everyone as "Digger" is the head of a paranormal investigation team, but he's never believed in ghosts or hauntings. However, seventeen years ago, he promised his wife that if either of them died, they would reunite at their honeymoon location, The White House Inn. Digger made the promise never expecting to lose his wife so soon, but after many long years he leads his team and his seventeen-year-old daughter Kendra back to the Inn, which is rumored to have several ghosts lingering around.

Of course, the ghost hunters are in for quite the surprise when the paranormal nasties start showing up. The malicious spirits begin wreaking gruesome havoc on the unsuspecting guests, the hotel staff, and Digger's team of professionals. And Kendra, the young teen artist who would prefer to lose herself in her sketchbook, might just come face to face with the mother she barely knew.

Scott Nicholson's Speed Dating with the Dead doesn't pull any punches with graphic descriptions and layers of violent paranormal activity. The cast of characters is extensive but quickly dwindles when the spooks show up. Kendra is easily the most likable character and, though chances seem slim with increasing body counts, she's the one readers will most want to see leave the Inn alive. Nicholson does a good job with the story and provides interesting twists and turns throughout. Though at times I may have preferred a milder story, this was a fast-paced book, and was intriguing enough to make me want to check out more of Nicholson's work in the future.

I know Scott Nicholson was running a blog tour a while back, and even though I wasn't participating in the tour, it was neat to read some of his guest posts and see his books gain a bit of presence in the blog world.  Have you read any of Nicholson's works?  Any that you would recommend I check out?

As many have noticed, my reading tastes are pretty widespread.  Since I tend to enjoy a large variety of subjects, I'm always intrigued when I find books that combine multiple genres in a single novel.  One such chimeric story I read recently was Blood Oath.

I have to say that the premise of this book hooked me as soon as I read it. Combining politics and the supernatural, Christopher Farnsworth constructs his novel around the idea that the greatest threats to national security are straight from the realm of nightmares and horror novels and the greatest defense we have is top secret agent Nathaniel Cade, who happens to be a vampire. Cade was sworn in under the titular Blood Oath by President Andrew Johnson and has been serving the Oval Office ever since.

In present day, Cade is teamed up with a new partner, rookie White House aide Zach Barrows, and the two must stop an anti-government plot that combines Dr. Frankenstein, Nazi Germany, and a terrorist cell from the Middle East. The twists and turns of the story and the multi-layered subplots keep the action high and Farnsworth deftly juggles multiple points of view to maintain suspense throughout the novel. Cade was a great new character too. At first I was unsure if he would come across as a brooding, fang-laden stereotype, but Farnsworth managed to give Cade a unique personality and creative individual traits.

The premise first drew me to Blood Oath but it was the writing, plot and characters that really pulled me in. With a good mix of horror, supernatural, and political thriller, Farnsworth built great potential for both sequels and prequels with this novel and I look forward to where he will take the series in the future.

How about you?  Chick Lit Mysteries?  Historical Fantasy?  Any favorite novels that combine genres?

I was one of many readers that eagerly devoured 2009's quirk literary hit Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I was really amused by the retelling of the classic story with the inclusion of the undead, however I was hesitant to read Dawn of the Dreadfuls, feeling that without the mainframe of Jane Austen's text, it might be just an excuse for telling a tale of zombies running amok in Regency period England.

I was right in my assessment of the story, but wrong in thinking it would not be worth reading, for what is there not to enjoy about a tale of zombies running amok in Regency period England?  Dawn of the Dreadfuls acts as a prequel to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies telling the story of how the Bennet sisters rose to their positions as fearless zombie killing warriors. Though many people may lament the unfamiliar story (and the lack of Mr. Darcy) it still stands as a charming and amusing book.

Author Steve Hockensmith does a nice job of capturing the spirit of Austen's writing style but introduces plenty of humorous characters (and zombies) to keep the story out of a serious tone. In many ways, I liked Dawn of the Dreadfuls even better than Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and it definitely stands as strong entry into the new genre of Quirk Classics.

Part of me feels that the Quirk Classics idea is getting old very fast.  From Android Karenina to Little Women and Werewolves, I don't necessarily see it as a genre with long term appeal.  However, there is definitely an attraction to the parodies of tales when one is familiar with the original already.  If I were not already enamored with the characters of Elizabeth Bennet and her family, Dawn of the Dreadfuls would have been just another horror novel.  As it was, it was a second dose of what I already appreciated in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - which for me was exactly what I wanted to read.

Cross Posted From Blogger Arrow:

Yesterday I finished a book I've been wanting to read since I first heard about it: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Here's the review I wrote:

There's no denying that zombies are trendy right now. With video games like the Resident Evil series and movies such as Dawn of the Dead, animated corpses feasting on the brains and flesh of the living have some sort of unexplainable mass appeal. Like many other readers though, the last place I expected the undead to appear was in a literary classic. But that didn't stop Seth Grahame-Smith (either a genius or seriously deranged writer) from rewriting Jane Austen's masterpiece Pride and Prejudice as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, declaring it "The classic regency romance--now with ultraviolent zombie mayhem".
If the title alone doesn't bring a wry smile to your face or elicit a slight giggle, don't bother picking up this book. Many readers will declare the work ridiculous and scoff at the apparent destruction of one of the most beloved romance stories of all time. However, I was on the right side of the fence to appreciate Grahame-Smith's bizarre humor and although I wouldn't by any means declare the work an improvement on the original, it was certainly a fun book.

Much of the text and plot are preserved from Austen's writing - with the obvious addition of zombies. Instead of country ladies, Grahame-Smith's Bennet sisters are warriors trained in the arts of combat, sworn to defend the crown from the hordes of "unmentionables" that plague England's roads and countrysides. The reader still finds Elizabeth fighting her prejudices (and zombies) to fall in love with the proud (zombie-fighter) Mr. Darcy but amusement is added (along with ninjas) by altering some of the well-known plot points such as the classic encounter between Lady Catherine and the sharp-tongued Lizzy.

Already assured to be a cult-classic, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a great book for those that love the original but are willing not to take their literature too seriously. It could also succeed in bringing fans of the horror genre to an appreciation of classic literature, but the book is likely more enjoyable for those familiar with the primary text as long as they are ready to laugh at it.

Now it's just a matter of waiting for the September release of Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters!