Deck Z - Book Review

Deck Z: The Titanic: Unsinkable. Undead.
by Chris Pauls and Matt Solomon

What is it about:
Imagine being trapped aboard the doomed Titanic on an icy Atlantic. . . with the walking dead.

This fast-paced thriller reimagines the historical events of the fateful Titanic voyage through the lens of zombie mayhem. Captain Edward Smith and his inner circle desperately try to contain a weaponized zombie virus smuggled on board with the 2,200 passengers sailing to New York. Faced with an exploding population of lumbering, flesh-hungry undead, Smith's team is forced into bloody hand-to-hand combat down the narrow halls of the huge steamer.

In its few short days at sea, the majestic Titanic turns into a Victorian bloodbath, steaming at top speed toward a cold, blue iceberg. A creepy, tense page-turner, Deck Z will thrill zombie fans and Titanic buffs alike.

What did I think of it:
Zombies and The Titanic!

I will confess I both wanted to read this book, and feared it. Especially after reading Carpathia (The Carpathia and vampires) by Matt Forbeck and not being able to finish it, because it annoyed me too much.

But zombies do have a way of luring me in, so I gave Deck Z a try.

And this book is awesome!

From the start I was gripped by the story and eager to find out how Pauls and Solomon would mix history with zombies. The story doesn't start on the Titanic, but leads up to it. I was fearing that once the Titanic would enter the story I would be disappointed by how it would be used.

But I had nothing to fear. Pauls and Solomon use the Titanic in such a way that even with all my knowledge of the Titanic I didn't get annoyed by their bending of the actual facts.

There's just enough historical facts to get the sense of the Titanic, and more than enough cool zombie mayhem to keep this piggy entertained. I loved how Pauls and Solomon turn Captain Smith into a zombie-slaying hero, assisted by Thomas Andrews. Once the mayhem really got going I couldn't put the book down until I finished it.

The one point of critique I have is the portrayal of Bruce Ismay. As ever he's the scapegoat, and only because he survived the sinking. I can advice anyone to pick up Shadow of the Titanic: The Extraordinary Stories of Those Who Survived by Andrew Wilson for a more nuanced view on Ismay.

But that little point of critique aside: Deck Z is a great read that I can advice to anyone who likes an action-packed story with lots of zombie mayhem.

Why should you read it:
Zombie Mayhem on the Titanic!