And surprisingly I mean that quite literally.
Now I've never been much of a horror fan. All that blood and guts and gore just freaks me out and not in a good way. And yes I know it's kind of weird considering how much I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BTVS), The Vampire Diaries (VD...mmm unfortunate acronym) and Supernatural.
Then again none of these shows have much to do with horror and instead are all about great characters, great story lines and great music. The blood letting is in fact quite minimal, which is just the way I like it. Gore has never been my thing and I've mostly kept away from anything stomach churning. I know, it's very wussy of me and wuss that I am I've avoided watching The Walking Dead.
It's a love/hate relationship at best.
I love the tension and excitement and some of the characters and hate all the rest... you know the blood and guts bits... of which there are several... which of course means that I generally watch the show with my eyes half covered and my fingers in my ears because yes the sound effects can be pretty yucky as well, all that squishing and oozing and splashing of blood well it's enough to give you nightmares... which again means I generally watch this show in the daylight.
As I said it's all very wussy of me.
As my good friend Xander (from BTVS) would say "I laugh in the face of danger and then I hide until it goes away"
Of course this new found love/hate of The Walking Dead has led to some rather strange conversations with my other half, such as me informing him that if he were to ever become a zombie I wouldn't hesitate to shoot him in the head, which he thought was a) rather sweet and b) just a tad worrisome...
I, of course, would probably be first on the menu. The life of a wuss never ends well.
"After an epidemic turns people around the world into zombies, a police officer leads a band of survivors as they look for safety and try to find a cure."
Based on the hugely successful comic by Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead craze has taken over the world. Gory it is, but it is also exciting and tension filled, with characters that you either loathe and wish the munchies would just take a bite out of or love and cheer on as they fight for survival.
A zombie movie that is funny too, featuring the always awesome Woody Harrelson as a gun-toting zombie slayer, a guess appearance by Bill Murray and Jesse Eisenberg as a wuss who learns to fight back.
Now this is my kind of zombie movie, violent yes but low on gore and with a sense of humour.
The Return Man / V. M. Zito.
"The outbreak tore the USA in two. The east remains a safe haven. The west has become a ravaged wilderness. They call it the Evacuated States. It is here that Henry Marco makes his living. Hired by grieving relatives, he tracks down the dead to deliver peace. Now Homeland Security wants Marco, for a mission unlike any other."
A serious zombie book, if you can have such thing, and one that is really good.
Outpost / Adam Baker.
"They took the job to escape the world, they didn't expect the world to end. A derelict refinery platform moored in the Arctic Ocean with a crew of 15 who must battle not only the elements but the hell that awaits them on the mainland."
Personally I think if a zombie apocalypse broke out, the last thing I want to do is to stay on the mainland and an oil refinery in the middle of nowhere sounds like a great haven to me, then again wuss here speaking so you'd know I'd be the first one heading for the hills if things went bad...
World War Z: an oral history of the zombie war / Max Brooks.
"The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. This is a firsthand account of the experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years."
Considered one of the greatest zombie books ever written this classic (can a book that is only 6 years old be considered a classic?) is now headed to the big screen with a highly anticipated release due out next year.
Rot and Ruin / Jonathan Maberry
"In a post-apocalyptic world where fences and border patrols guard the few people left from the zombies that have overtaken civilization, fifteen-year-old Benny Imura is finally convinced that he must follow in his older brother's footsteps and become a bounty hunter."
The first in a series of three this book aimed at teens but more than suitable for adults follows the tale of Benny a teenage zombie hunter and saviour of the world.
And we thought our life as a teenager was hard.
Knit Your Own Zombie: over 100 combinations to rip 'n' reassemble for horrifying resullts / Fiona Goble.
"Forget stress balls: next time things get tough, express your feelings by ripping a zombie apart. No need to feel guilty about it afterward, either - fitted up with Velcro strips, its just as easy to put him together again. 8 full zombie characters are laid out here in neat little sets, each part knitted quickly and separately."
Feeling the need to cuddle up with your very own zombie, then look no further. These zombie toys are the perfect Christmas present for that Goth Girl (or Guy for that matter).
"Easy to follow, step-by-step instructions show you how to fold simple origami paper into some of the most revolting creatures of the night. This origami crew of the undead includes Starvin' Marvin who hungers for a sip of fresh blood; Idle Hands, whose hands are no longer attached to his body and Suzie Gravemaker, everyone's favourite zombie mum!"
And the zombie craze continues with this origami book. Why you would want to I have no idea but each to their own.
Zombies Hate Stuff / Greg Stones.
"Zombies hate clowns. They also hate hippies, penguins, nudists, weddings, and kittens but strangely don't mind Canadians. Each ghoulishly colorful painting reveals a funny and unexpected scene of zombie disgruntlement, cataloging the stuff that really riles up the walking dead with wit, humour, and, of course, brains."
Just when you thought the zombie craze couldn't get any stranger a book like this comes along.
Forget about vampires, Zombies are taking over the world.
