Zombies of the World by Ross Payton

A Field Guide to the Undead

4 out of 5 🌟 Let's talk pseudoscience

'Zombies of the World' pretends to be a non-fiction encyclopedia of the undead around the world. The book consists of a few parts. My favorite was field guide, where (just like in other field guides!) each species is described with a schematic picture, characteristics, range of occurrence, and conservation status (yes, some of them are endangered species!). There are also zombie encounters in history, a survival guide, chapters about the science of undead, social studies, and many more. As a consequence, this title is an eclectic mixture of everything that is currently known about zombies in the universe created by Ross Payton and it's served with grave seriousness that makes me laugh more than once.

I greatly enjoyed the illustrations of each zombie species with their cartoonish gruesomeness. Since the book is a mixture of sources, also graphical design differs from chapter to chapter, and the rest of the illustrations aren't that good, as if created in a hurry. Nevertheless, I had so much fun reading this book, from laughing out loud to admiration for coherent details. 'Zombies of the World' are detailed and full of information that actually makes sense from a logical standpoint. Zombies are treated as dangerous yet useful creatures that have remained a scientific mystery for ages. Although - just like every textbook or encyclopedia - it's a title to enjoy in small pieces, hence reading it all in one sitting isn't an option. As a consequence, I categorize it as a 'great book for a gift' or 'good to have on my shelf' and not something to read before bed.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and feelings are my own.

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