ZAP Virtual Tour: Review

Zombie Apocalypse Preparation (ZAP) Virtual Book Tour

May 6th - 12th

I"m pretty stoked to be kicking off this tour. A big thank you to IO Tours for putting everything together. I've only been in the zombie game for about three years now, but it has truly been a whirlwind love affair. Whether it be video games, movies, or zombie fiction, I'm always looking for my next undead fix, and boy am I glad I got chosen to do the ZAP tour! What exactly is it that makes ZAP stand out from the mass multitude of post-apocalyptic books? Well my friend, sit back, relax and let me fill you in.

Zombie Apocalypse Preparation

David Houchins and Scott Thomas

Genre: Apocalypse, Guides, Zombies

Rating: 5

Synopsis

"We guarantee this is the only tool you need to survive the zombies.

OK, that’s not really true. But when the SHTF you’re going to want a survival guide that’s not just geared toward day-to-day survival. You’ll need one that addresses the essential skills for true nourishment of the human spirit. Living through the end of the world isn’t worth a damn unless you can enjoy yourself in any way you want. (Except, of course, for anything having to do with abuse. We could never condone such things. At least the publisher’s lawyers say we can’t" Zombie Apocalypse Preparation: How to Survive in an Undead World and Have Fun Doing It! is the first zombie apocalypse survival manual with entertainment in mind.  What fun is living in a world of the undead if you can't have a bit of fun? The apocalypse is not just about survival, it's about enjoying your new found life.  Inside the covers of this book, you will not only find the way to pick the right weapons, building, and survival methods, but you'll find entertaining ways to dispose of the undead, entertain yourself and your group, and dispatch your former friends and family members with a smile on your face and a song in your heart. 

Review

"If you wish to know how it is that you can dismantle the undead, laugh maniacally, and continue about your existence, then please continue on."

 This has been by far the most informative and concise zombie read I've come across. Pretty much everything you could want or need to know about surviving a potential zombie apocalypse is right here within ZAP's pages. I don't care if you don't subscribe to the whole idea of a zombie apocalypse being a potential threat. The ideas, advice, practical information, and tactics presented in this book are potential life savers in virtually any major natural disaster, terrorist attack, or crisis that could happen within your lifetime. While reading, I began to seriously consider getting some of the suggested supplies together in my house as a disaster kit. Do I sound crazy right now? Maybe, but when that mega, California sinking earthquake we've all been hearing about since elementary school finally happens and you run out of food, fresh water, and a power source, I guess we'll know which one of us was the crazy one. But seriously people, I don't necessarily believe that some vicious virus is going to turn us into rabid flesh eating monsters, but I"m not ruling it out either. Better to prepare and be wrong than call everyone crazy now and be the first to get chomped on. 

Outside of its survival merits, ZAP is honestly an immensely valuable resource for writers looking to put out some well researched apocalypse fiction. In all likelihood, your zombies will be unique and many of the zombie facts here won't apply, but the basic weapons knowledge, supply lists, shelter acquisition,  offensive and defensive tactics, and terrain survival portions of this book will indeed help you not only shape your fictional world, but also teach you how your characters can survive. As a person who doesn't know much about firearms, (I'm more of a Dragon Age kind of girl), I was excited by the plethora of practical knowledge I got out of reading up on each type. I now know what each type of firearm is best suited for. I know this may be obvious to many, but I grew up in a part of California where we had no need for guns and therefore lacked the necessity for such an area of study. I must say as a fan of science fiction, horror, and dystopia novels this came back to shame me in my adult years, but thanks to ZAP, I now have a general idea of how this stuff works. 

If these reasons aren't enough for you to add this book to your shelf of apocalypse fiction essentials, I think it is important to mention the overall irreverently funny tone of this guide.  Do you enjoy sarcastic, dark humor with a generous dose of geek? If your answer is yes, this should be a no brainer for you. Houchins and Thomas have infused this zombie survival extravaganza with more references to popular nerd culture than you can shake a stick at! When you're not considering taking copious notes, you will be chuckling to yourself and freaking out the people next to you. 

Recommendation:  I would honestly say if you have any interest at all in the reading or writing of zombie literature, you should seriously think about checking this one out. All levels of zombie lovers will learn something new and yes, Have fun Doing It.

Please don't forget to check out the other stops on this tour! 

05/08/12 Scott Thomas ZAP Tour: Jess, Wonderland Reviews, Review

05/10/12 Tea and Book Bio/Excerpt/Synopsis

05/11/12 Scott Thomas ZAP Tour:  Reena, Ramblings of an Amateur Writer, Interview

05/11/12 Scott Thomas ZAP Tour:  Tracee, Review from Here, Review

05/12/12 Scott Thomas ZAP Tour: Ali, Simply Ali Bio/Excerpt/Synopsis

Finally, I've included this as part of my May Monster Madness posts.