Monster Island

Jack Price

8/30/10

Monster Island

I liked the book Monster's Island, but I felt it read like a screenplay. Maybe thats just because I've seen a few zombie movies but have never before read a zombie book. The emphasis in the writing was on the plot and oncoming action rather than troubling with much character development, vivid descriptions, or use of elaborate metaphors. The book isn't going to win the Pulitzer, but it sure would make a good movie.

I thought Gary was a great villain. When Dekalb and the girls first find him, they decide to keep him even though they are so adverse to the undead. I thought that was a bit far fetched but I suppose you've got to introduce the character somehow. The idea of Gary's origin: that he was originally a doctor who turned himself into a zombie while keeping his brain oxygenated, was a really neat way of making a half zombie half human. Gary's character won me over even more when I found out he had super powers! Since the dead are just too easy to get around, what better idea than to take away their limitations and make them an even fiercer force to be reckoned with by giving them a fully brained leader who can control them with his mind.

Mael fell short as a villain and character for me. When Gary fist heard Mael calling for him in his head, I was very excited to find out about Mael. However, when he turned out to be a Scottish bog mummy, bent on killing for no apparent reason, I mentally snickered. I felt like bringing the mummies into the zombie story was kind of corny. Now the idea of the first zombie to the zoo, who becomes a giant zombie from over eating, that was kind of cool. Anyway, Mael was at least good as a stepping stone for Gary. I especially liked Gary at the end, fat and controlling his minions from the comfort of his chemical bath.

Jack was a neat character too, I think knowing a little more about him and his personality would have made him as charismatic as Gary. I liked that Dekalb saw him as calm and courageous, even though he exposed his inner stresses to Dekalb multiple times.

Dekalb, our main character, rose to the occasion. He was good for a main character because he was a normal person that any reader could relate too, but who just happened to be a weapons inspector with a father's motivation to succeed. He got the job done. Happy Ending.