Edward Schuett has a problem. He has just awoken in an abandoned Walmart with little recollection of who he is and how he got there. Turns out poor Edward is a zombie. Then he starts to heal, then he starts to talk. You see, Edward is not your typical zombie, and he will soon become the most wanted man in what’s left of America.
I think we all know there are a lot of zombie novels out there today. With the success of shows like THE WALKING DEAD, zombies have kind of become a fad du jour. Just like the zombie flicks, the increase of zombie novels have produced some great reads, as well as some books that are better served as birdcage liners. Most zombie novels can be summed as “Run-Munch-Scream-Repeatâ€. It’s rare when you can find a novel that takes the zombie genre into new and completely unexpected places. I mean, lets face it. There aren’t a lot of new directions one can take zombie carnage, so when I find one, I’m compelled to share it. Thusly, I present to you THE REANIMATION OF EDWARD SCHUETT.
EDWARD SCHUETT is not a novel about zombies, but simply a zombie novel. Specifically, one zombie. Edward Schuett is a normal dude who wakes up in a ransacked Walmart, with very little idea on who he is or where he came from. America has survived the zombie onslaught, though it is a very different place. 50 years have passed since Edward turned. Memories come back to him a little at a time. His body heals slowly, bit by bit. You see, zombies AREN’T supposed to heal. Or talk. Or feel fear. So when Edward is captured, along with some other non-talking zeds, by a couple of backwoods hillbillies, you can imagine their surprise when he starts communicating with them. This draws the attention of Government forces who are bent on discovering what makes Edward tick. You see, Edward is a new kind of zombie. The kind who can save the world, or really really mess it up.
EDWARD SCHUETT is one of those zombie novels for people who don’t like zombie novels. It’s heartfelt, honest, sometimes sexy, and tinged with heartache. There isn’t much in the way of carnage, save for a scene towards the end. This is a book that deals primarily with character development, and what it means to be human. The pace is steady without being overly slow. The characters, Edward specifically, are well developed and real. You feel for Edward’s plight, and the situations he finds himself in are real, and the characters (and their motives) respond accordingly. It’s a great change of pace from your typical zombie fare.
Any drawbacks are few and minor. I was really disappointed in the fate of the one of the supporting characters, and I would have liked the second act of the book to be drawn out a bit more, but these do not take away from the overall quality of the book.
THE REANIMATION OF EDWARD SCHUETT is a good book. It’s definitely different than most of what you will find in the genre, and that alone warrants a read. It’s another notch in Permuted Press’ impressive library, and it’s wholly recommended.
Available on Amazon.
