His Name Was Zach is a book that I highly recommend. Peter Martuneac weaves human stories into an otherwise inhuman world that is fraught with disease, greed, violence, and the undead.
Zach is a former Marine who fights for survival in the post-apocalyptic United States; however, he fight for survival is multi-faceted, encompassing demons that attach from the outside and inside. His story is one full of emotion, regret, guilt, and extreme strength. He is a very likable character, one who gains the reader's sympathy and empathy.
His companion is his adopted daughter, Abby, who, at such a young age (she is fifteen at book's end), has shown strength and wisdom far beyond her years. She worships Zach and learns from him but, at the same time, grounds Zach and teaches him what it's like to navigate his moral compass.
Throughout the narrative, Zach and Abby encounter friends and foe but never lose sight of each other. Their love is the most powerful relationship of the book and Martuneac weaves their story in a way that allows the reader to really ponder individual strengths and the strength of human relationships. I couldn't help wondering how I'd react if I was thrust into a world of zombies, disease, and violence. I admit that, although I'm forty years old, I don't know if I'd have the same strength as Abby.
His Name Was Zach is a refreshing zombie narrative in that it focuses on the relationship between two individuals rather than multiple relationships between a whole cast of characters. I enjoy this because, when too many characters are involved, I tend to get confused with the plethora of story lines and personalities. Furthermore, by focusing primarily on Zach and Abby, the reader is able to delve more into their individual personalities and who they grow to become.
Martuneac takes an overdone literary and film genre (let's face it, there are about as many zombie narratives as there are the amount of zombies in the books/movies/tv shows) and gives it a refreshing twist. The zombies are even humanized to an extent as some are given back stories. Throughout the story, Martuneac tells about the past through flashbacks and it all just makes perfect sense.
I'm looking forward to the next installment in which Abby holds her own story. In my opinion, Zach's story was cut too short; I feel like he still had so much to give to the story and I wanted to see him overcome his inner demons completely; in short, I wanted him to find redemption for his past, to find a life with Abby after settling somewhere in which they could permanently reside. Then again, that's just me as a reader who grew to really love the characters.
Overall, His Name Was Zach is a book I highly recommend if one is looking for an easy-to-follow, character-rich, suspenseful, and highly emotional post-apocalyptic novel. I cannot wait for the second part of the story to come out and to see how Abby matures in an unforgiving and cruel world.
Rating: 10/10
Direct link to purchase the book on Amazon:
Zach is a former Marine who fights for survival in the post-apocalyptic United States; however, he fight for survival is multi-faceted, encompassing demons that attach from the outside and inside. His story is one full of emotion, regret, guilt, and extreme strength. He is a very likable character, one who gains the reader's sympathy and empathy.
His companion is his adopted daughter, Abby, who, at such a young age (she is fifteen at book's end), has shown strength and wisdom far beyond her years. She worships Zach and learns from him but, at the same time, grounds Zach and teaches him what it's like to navigate his moral compass.
Throughout the narrative, Zach and Abby encounter friends and foe but never lose sight of each other. Their love is the most powerful relationship of the book and Martuneac weaves their story in a way that allows the reader to really ponder individual strengths and the strength of human relationships. I couldn't help wondering how I'd react if I was thrust into a world of zombies, disease, and violence. I admit that, although I'm forty years old, I don't know if I'd have the same strength as Abby.
His Name Was Zach is a refreshing zombie narrative in that it focuses on the relationship between two individuals rather than multiple relationships between a whole cast of characters. I enjoy this because, when too many characters are involved, I tend to get confused with the plethora of story lines and personalities. Furthermore, by focusing primarily on Zach and Abby, the reader is able to delve more into their individual personalities and who they grow to become.
Martuneac takes an overdone literary and film genre (let's face it, there are about as many zombie narratives as there are the amount of zombies in the books/movies/tv shows) and gives it a refreshing twist. The zombies are even humanized to an extent as some are given back stories. Throughout the story, Martuneac tells about the past through flashbacks and it all just makes perfect sense.
I'm looking forward to the next installment in which Abby holds her own story. In my opinion, Zach's story was cut too short; I feel like he still had so much to give to the story and I wanted to see him overcome his inner demons completely; in short, I wanted him to find redemption for his past, to find a life with Abby after settling somewhere in which they could permanently reside. Then again, that's just me as a reader who grew to really love the characters.
Overall, His Name Was Zach is a book I highly recommend if one is looking for an easy-to-follow, character-rich, suspenseful, and highly emotional post-apocalyptic novel. I cannot wait for the second part of the story to come out and to see how Abby matures in an unforgiving and cruel world.
Rating: 10/10
Direct link to purchase the book on Amazon:
Comments
Post a Comment