"Dead Sea" by Brian Keene
 

Hey folks, just going to give you a quick summary and pros/cons list of what is now one of my favorite zombie novels: "Dead Sea" by Brian Keene.

Summary: The world that the novel starts in is almost completely overrun by zombies. The protagonist (Lamar) meets up with other survivors who eventually escape onto a large, old fishing vessel (at least I think it was a fishing vessel) called "The Spratling". It chronicles the journey of the survivors on the boat.

First off, I was aching for a horror novel based at sea, so this fit the bill perfectly. Then, it was also a zombie novel, which made it that much better. The adventure is pretty much perfectly paced, with the action intense and preventing you from putting down the book. The main characters are strong and multi-dimensional.

However, if there's one issue I have with the book it's that Keene didn't do the best job of creating tension between the characters on the boat. Excluding the four main characters almost all of the other characters were pretty flat. It just seems to me being stuck on a boat in the ocean with a bunch of strangers in the midst of an apocalypse there would be more tension between the characters themselves.

Despite all of this, the novel is extremely entertaining and a satisfying read. If you're looking for a twist on your typical zombie tale then "Dead Sea" by Brian Keene is an excellent choice.

Pros: Great pace, strong main characters, exciting and suspenseful
Cons: Things could have been a bit more interesting on the boat itself.
Overall rating: 9 / 10

Agreed!...This for me was his best stab at a zombie novel. Although everything by Keene rocks!! Check out his site www.briankeene.com.