Zombies, religious nuts, sci-fi, a bit of everything for everyone.
935774
Crash Landing was a real chancy buy for me -- I like dystopian books but this is from a writer who's known as a military space opera guy - and yet I took the chance. And I loved it! It opened with the hero being locked in a robot doctor -- and his ship crash lands on a planet that was destroyed by aliens. He eventually rises up and slowly discovers his new world, avoiding zombies, military cadres, religious cults...the world is called Bones because it's all that's left... I think the fact that the aliens are still searching for him is great and while the book ended with a cliff-hanger--I was okay with that as the author promises that there'll be a new one every month! Can not wait for number 2 in the list, called Forest Empire! Good read. Great plot lines...will enjoy them all!
3700426
I had the pleasure of beta reading this collection of zombie tales, and I wasn't disappointed. Rhiannon Frater has managed to examine zombies from six wholly different angles. As a reader, it keeps you interested in what's next, because none of these stories are the same. Some are so...intense...I had to step away because it leaves you so shaken. Fans of Frater's previous books know she's not afraid to "go there" when it comes to her characters, and this book is no exception.
The zombies themselves are different across these six visions of the apocalypse. It's interesting to see their differences and see how scary they are.
While it's hard to choose a favorite because the stories are so different, my favorite out of this collection was The Necromancer. Frater had previously combined zombies and science fiction in the awesome The Last Bastion of the Living - she combines zombies and fantasy for an entirely imaginative take on zombies. And it's awesome.
Any one of these stories will whet your appetite for a good ole brain-eatin' time, although be prepared.
A huge five stars from me.
3147474
Hunted down this anthology after reading the editor's short story in another book. I'm glad I did! This tome has some excellent stories within. The overall theme is evolving, created or mutating lifeforms, with a focus on science fiction instead of paranormal, and the authors cover quite the range of possibilities.

My absolute favorite was 'Gator' by Robert J. Sawyer, featuring a scaly inhabitant of the sewers which turns out to be something far stranger than supposed! 'The Apotheosis of Nathan McKee', by Gene O'Neill was another great read, about a man discovering a new ability. 'Carcinogenesis' by Richard Wright, with a scientist who has a disturbing theory about cancer, was also very good. 'The Sweet Caress of Mother Nature' by John Shirley, a very short and funny conversation with a cat, was delightful. 'Hotties', by Mort Castle, regarding pyrokinesis (evidently), could've been great. The middle and main portion of the tale regards a doctor's visit to Bedlam is quit engrossing, but the framing device for it weakens it's impact.

Unfortunately, not all the authors seem to have grasped the theme, interjecting metaphysical elements. Some leave one scratching one's head in puzzlement, not finding a firm way to end. As a result I give the tome 4 stars instead of 5, but the vast majority of tales are enjoyable. I recommend this for anyone interested in 'sci-fi/horror of a creature-feature persuasion' theme.
3944341
Like peanut butter and honey, humor mixes with horror delightfully. This is a fun read so enjoy your zombie snack.
2774839
A little of everything thrown together making for a most enjoyable read.
1674301
This was hands down my favorite book of last year. It takes the zombie genre, adds real human/zombie relationships, a little gore, a lot of humor, and a zombie messiah to create one of my top 20 all time favorite books.
3361901
A great selection of themes, this book has something for everyone. I loves not only the variety, but getting to experience new authors. The passion simmers, and there are surprising emotional notes. I won't spoil a thing, but I will say that the short length is perfect for a way to unwind after a long day, or to treat yourself to an indulgent little binge on good stuff. This is a voluntary review of an advance reader copy.
1924974
Packed full of research, stories, anecdotes, and crisp humor, you will enjoy this book. I'm by no means a professional in this field, but it is an interest area for me.  Even so, I can't go one page without learning something new and often times shocking, horrifying, inspiring or just... weird. Parasitic wasps and the bacteria that ride them, the virus DNA that made mammals...

The world is a much weirder place than I imagined after reading this book.
4095955
Speaking intelligent zombies, zombies with special powers, super zombies, traditional zombies, people with special powers and a three and half special boy at the center of it all. This is a different type of zombie story which is what makes it interesting. A little pop culture humor a little romance and  theend of the world who could ask for more. I can not wait to read the next book.

 David Papa Place
1082829
The stories in this anthology build on and expand the prequels in 'The end i nigh' (no 1 in the series). The stories vary very much in style, pace and narrative. Some in the wordy fantasy genre (not for me), others in Stephen King'alike survival/gritty character mode and some in utter desolation and grief.

It is mostly an easy read, but not if you are looking for a spirit uplifting experience... The end *is* now!

Several very good pieces:
 - "The sixth day of deer camp" from Scott Sigler - a very King'ish feel.
 - "Fruiting bodies" by Seanan McGuire - no hope left.
 - "Agent isolated" by David Wellington - the rational government solution to a zombie outbreak.
2472487
I know JJA from "The Geek's Guide to the Galaxy", but this anthology is the first of his I've read.
Nice job with the selection of stories.
The stories are a great variety from speculative fiction sub-genres.  There is something for everyone.
The battle doesn't go only to the fast and strong.  Ammunition has a limit.  The enemy is not always obvious.
Good way to kill and afternoon (and hordes of space bugs).
1692842
Man, this book was fantastic! I was honestly expecting another zombie tale set in a rural community (a la Romero's Night of the Living Dead), but was pleasantly surprised by this alternate take on the genre. It's not a rabble of easily-killed zombies coming back to life, THE DEAD are returning to life, completely coherent, intelligent, and confused as all Hell.

With good pacing, interesting characters, mysteries a-plenty, and great art all in one, this series is now near the top of my to-read list.
151976
Love this book, its got some great stories. There's something for everyone here. From George Saunders "Sea Oak" to Junot Diaz'z  "Nilda." Its an eclectic interesting group of short stories.
4226886
The Apex Book of World SF contains 28 stories from authors form all over the world. The stories cover all areas of speculative fiction, from fantasy over science-fiction to post-apocalyptic futures.

I really enjoyed the whole collection. The authors most often set the stories in the cultural context they grew up with, which led to some very interesting perspectives and story twists.

Some of my favorite stories were:
- The Gift of Touch by Chinelo Onwualu, about the crew of a space freighter who discovers that the passengers they have on board are destined for a grim destination.
- The last Hours of the Final Days by Bernardo Frnandez, about a couple who tries to survive in post-apocalyptic Mexico.
- The Boy Who Cast No Shadow by Thomas Olde Heuvelt, about the trip of a lifetime of two unusual children.
- Djinns Live by the Sea by Saad Z. Hossain, about a man who meets a Djinn
- Black Tea by Samuel Marolla, a creepy horror story about a decrepit old house and four service technicians who find themselves therein.
- Tiger Baby by JY Yang, about finding ones true self and how that might be different than expected.
- The Symphony of Ice and Dust by Julie Novakova, about an exploration to a small planet and the story of an earlier expedition to it.
- The Four Generations of Chang E by Zen Cho, about a family's emigration to the Moon and how that effects the future generations.
- Pocket Full of Stones by Vajra Chandrasekera, about the paradoxes than can occur in deep space exploration and how it affects the family.

I can highly recommend this book to anyone interested in short stories of speculative fiction!

Disclosure: I received this book as part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program in exchange for an honest review
4358277
The authors have created a very unique vision of a zombie apocalypse. Expect some gruesome scenes, bravery, terror, some tongue in cheek humor, but most unique of all, the zombies. The characters are deeply developed and a reader might become attached to them. This includes the zombies. Few author's bother to develop their zombies. After all, they are mindless creatures. Not so in this universe. No spoiling this story, not from this reader.

Cloud and Keleman have authored a fantastic tale. I urge fellow readers to check out "Outbreak". You may find yourself captivated and move d to read the rest of the trilogy. I am definately
2958198
So many contributing authors, so many great stories! I was consistently surprised by the varying takes on zombie stories spread throughout this anthology, some of them more violent and dark, some of them more quiet and philosophical. I particularly loved 'Life After: Consequences', where the people are trapped in the maze-like building - it's like a great episode of 'The Twilight Zone'! I hope ATZ keeps putting these together, because they're always well worth it!
2249310
I prefer my zombies to be at least remotely plausible, and this book fulfills that need admirably. The zombies themselves are the slow, shambling, Romero brand, as opposed to being impossibly fast. There are no "supernatural" causes (like angry ancient deities or modern-day curses) for the zombies. Rather, a couple of man-made viruses - one meant to cure cancer, the other to prevent the common cold - accidentally combined to create Kellis-Amberlee. Kellis-Amberlee is now ubiquitous in mammals, and any mammal that weighs over 40 lbs can "amplify," or become a zombie.

The story takes place in the future, with resulting technological advances over our own time. The main characters are three 20-something bloggers who are chosen to accompany a presidential candidate on his campaign. Over the course of the campaign, they uncover a conspiracy that threatens the candidate and possibly themselves.

I would definitely not classify this as a horror novel. With the tech and science advances, I consider this a sci-fi novel.

Highly recommend!