Book Review: The Rising by Brian Keene

The Rising takes a fast paced approach from the beginning and does not stop. The book skips the downfall of humanity and gets you right into the middle of a zombie apocalypse. This is an unusual approach compared to the direction that a lot of other horror novels take. In other stories that I have read there is a slow build up in order for their to be some history and character development, but not in the novel. 

Brian Keene is able to accomplish this while following the characters fight for survival. The Rising also takes a different approach to the zombie genre by giving the ghouls more brainpower. Normally to be surrounded by world overrun by zombies would present challenges that most people would not be able to overcome. 

However, in The Rising the struggles are increased by having to fight an army of intelligent, organized undead. With this army formed the book begins. We first meet Jim Thurmond who has lost most of his family. He is alive, well stocked, and able to stay alive comfortably for sometime. However, with his wife and son presumed dead, he is beginning to wonder why he should bother. At the point when he is about to make the decision of whether to live or die he receives a message that his son may still be alive and need his help. 

From here Jim sets off across the country on an adventure that will take you to the limit of humanities ability to survive. Our hero will witness things that no man should see and make decisions that no one should have to make. Leading up to a cliffhanger ending that will leave you running out to buy the sequel.

Overall, I would say this is a great book of the zombie genre. It has very graphic descriptions of the carnage that the characters encounter during their journey. The Rising leaves you knowing that no one is safe. Brian Keene does not view any character as indispensable. He also keeps the zombie genre fresh by adding a new twist to zombies. These are not the Romero zombies that most people are familiar with.They can speak, think, and have desires.