World War Z - A Great Story That People Hate

There is a surprising amount of fervor surrounding a book that has recently been turned into a major motion picture. The movie has yet to be released, but will this summer. The book I am speaking of is none other than World War Z by: Max Brooks. Like I said, there is a surprising amount of um... discussion surrounding the book and its contents. As a writer and someone who loves to read and who really enjoys a well told story I must say.. even though the whole Zombie thing is a bit played out right now, the book itself is wonderful.

I thoroughly enjoy the manner in which Max Brooks has told his story. If I am being perfectly honest, one of the reasons for it is the fact that I employed a similar convention in one of my short stories. Either way, Mr. Brooks uses it to his advantage in the story and it gives him a platform to tell multiple stories on the same topic without having to break from this character to that. To do so when the story is trying to attach itself to that character at the same time could be devastating to the story itself. But because he tells the story from the perspective of a writer interviewing multiple people about their various roles before, during, and after the Zombie outbreak, he has the liberty to tell multiple stories without losing the reader. Just wonderful.

Now, for some reason there are a lot of people out there who are boo-whooing this story, and for someone to simply say they do not like the story.. fine. I can handle that and they should express their distaste in a classy manner if they feel so. I would. However, many of the people who are expressing their dis-like for the story being told are not doing so because they do not like his story. They are doing so because they feel that the story Mr. Brooks is telling is one of American Conspiracy! Yes, that's right. These people think that Max Brooks has written a hidden secret plan for America to turn communist and to condemn its citizens to a life of prison camps and political re-education. Can I just say that I have never heard something so foolish in all my life!

As a person who has always looked at things in an objective and fair manner, I took it upon myself to read and listen to some of these so-called claims. I had to hear or see for myself what these people were seeing that I was not. Without going into too much detail, because I would not give them that satisfaction, many of them are simply taking text out of context from the story and putting many of their own words into a sentence here and there to make it fit their little scheme. That is what this boils down to for me, a scheme. I think in some ways this is nothing more than people trying to get some publicity for themselves. Which to me is downright class-less.

Like I said, I really do not want to give these fools too much "air-time" so-to-speak, but I had to at least mention what was going on. Beyond all that craziness you have a book that tells an entertaining story in a very entertaining way. Now.. let's take a look at something else. I have never been a big fan of audio-books. I prefer to read the book myself and I feel that the book or story losses something if I have to listen to it. Plus I never had that much time in a car to listen to a whole book and I don't like listening in 20 minute sections. 

However, there is a youtube page that carries an audio version of the book that is done marvelously. Some guy named Tucker1012 has taken this book and put a myriad of voices to the characters and done so perfectly. I don't know who this guy is but he has done a great job. Anybody who likes to listen to their books or just does not have the will to read should check it out. I will post a link to the page at the end of this article. I have also gotten my hands on the MP3 of this recording and will put that up on the blog as well for anyone who wishes to check it out. Before I do the latter however I just want to make sure I am not infringing on anybody's rights. Once I find that out I will make it available.

Again.. World War Z by Max Brooks is a wonderful story. Although the Zombie apocalypse has been done and over-done in many ways these days it is always nice to hear a fresh re-telling of the story. Especially from such a unique perspective. If you are interested in this type of story you owe it to yourself to check this book out, you will not be disappointed. And do yourself a favor, stay away from much of the craziness that for some reason surrounds this book. I don't know if people have it out for Mr. Brooks or if there are just too many nut-cases out there, but there are those who think this story is a secret manifesto of some kind. Unbelievable. Seriously, check the book out.. you will be happy you did.

World War Z - Audio by Tucker1012