When confronted with the idea of the zombie, we all have a perception on how they are portrayed. In most cases, zombies are featured as the terrifying monster that the protagonist must fight or flee from. We have seen this time and time again in such classic zombie movies as Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and 28 Days Later. This motif continues in television series such as The Last of Us and The Walking Dead.
But there is also a trend in literature where the boundaries of the character are challenged. In this Bookstr listicle, we will take a look at some genres where zombies are not as frequently seen, such as the romantic comedy, the reimagined classic, science fiction, and paranormal romance. Let’s begin to defy our ideas of the zombie in literature.
Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
Meet R. R is a zombie. While R does partake in the occasional snacking of human flesh, he is somewhat different from his zombie friends, as he’s more interested in exploring the leftover artifacts of the human world, such as crumbling escalators and abandoned vinyls. R’s uneventful post-apocalyptic world is rattled one day when he meets Julie, a human girl. Adding to his interest in pre-end-of-the-world objects, R is fascinated by Julie, as he develops a need to protect her from the horrors of this dangerous world.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith
Expanding on Jane Austen’s classic novel, Grahame-Smith incorporates action-packed snippets of zombies within this popular narrative. Not only having to worry about social life and finding a husband, a deadly and mysterious plague attacks the English village of Meryton. Elizabeth Bennet balances out battling with flesh-hungry zombies while simultaneously dealing with the infuriating Mr. Darcy.
Night of the Living Trekkies by Kevin David Anderson
Inspired by the classic pulp novels from the past, this zombie-infested science fiction follows the quiet life of Jim Pike, a man haunted by his duty in Afghanistan who now stumbles through a mundane existence as an assistant manager of a small Houston hotel. But his boring world gets turned upside down when his place of employment hosts a Trekkie convention. Among the horde of cosplayers and rabid fans, an unknown virus begins to transform the convention attendees into flesh-eating zombies. Amid the chaos, Jim leads a group of Trekkies through the convention floor to survive the monsters hungry for their brains.
Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament by S.G. Browne
In this romantic comedy featuring the undead, Andy Warner is having a difficult time adjusting to his new life as a zombie, as he no longer fits into the world of humans. But when Andy finds himself at Undead Anonymous, his luck changes when he meets new friends who are going through the same struggles. But his new frightful friends land him in a bit of legal trouble as he starts to develop a taste for human flesh. Their adventures take them on a journey fighting for the rights of zombies everywhere.
Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
In this young adult novel set in a dystopian world, a teenager named Benny Imura is attempting to find his role in a zombie-crawling America, looking for a job to keep his rations. At first reluctant to the idea, he takes up zombie hunting with his brother, Tom. This task gives Benny a new meaning in this apocalyptic setting.
Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter
Alice in Zombieland is the explosive beginning to Showalter’s White Rabbit Chronicles, a young adult paranormal romance series. After tragedy strikes and she loses her family, Alice Bell sets out on a journey to battle the undead. Along the way, she meets bad boy Cole Holland, a figure who may prove to be more dangerous than zombies.
iZombie, Vol. 1: Dead to the World by Chris Roberson
This graphic novel series has everything! Urban fantasy! Romantic Comedy! Drama! Thrilling detective work! At the center of the narrative is Gwendolyn “Gwen” Dylan. To survive as a zombie, Gwen must eat human brains. To balance out the morality of the act, Gwen sets out to solve a mystery from each person she consumes, with help from the thoughts and feelings that she obtains through their flesh. Gwen is accompanied by a cast of fun, monstrous friends — a ghost, a vampire, a weredog, and a mummy.
From romantic comedy to comedic science fiction, it is fun to reimagine the role of the zombie in narratives. What is your favorite non-typical zombie feature?
Interested in learning more about the origins of zombies? Check out my article Forgotten Folklore to Modern Classics: Revealing the Undead.
Also browse our bookshelf: Nail-Biting YA Thrillers, Mysteries, and Horror Reads.
