Axiom's Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy

An audio adaptation of the zombie novel by Max Brooks

Reviewed by John J. Joex

Book Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars (Highest Rating)

Audiobook Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars (Highest Rating)

Some time back I discovered that listening to audiobooks on my daily commute can make a laborious drive into an at least tolerable experience (assuming of course it’s a good book).  I first started with several of the classics of Science Fiction and Fantasy literature (and there are quite a few selections available in this format) which I was either revisiting or taking the opportunity to fill in long-standing gaps on my reading list.  I have also kept my eye open for interesting new entries in the genre and Max Brooks’ World War Z caught my attention, in part because of Sam Christopher’s favorable review of the book and also because it is very reasonably priced for an audiobook (under $15).

The setup for the book is simple: the world has survived a massive zombie outbreak and the book follows an interviewer sent by the United Nations to talk with people who made it through the holocaust.  Max Brooks (son of Mel Brooks and who has voiced characters in animated shows like Batman Beyond and Justice League) provides the vocals for the narrator and an all-star cast voices the characters interviewed which includes Alan Alda, Mark Hamill, Henry Rollins, Rob and Carl Reiner, John Turturro, and many more.

World War Z uses the genre in a way that we have seen before in that it utilizes the Zombie-apocalypse as a means of delivering social commentary on society and human nature.  But Brooks manages to take this to the next level and really deliver a riveting comment on the human condition and he makes it seem that much more authentic by delivering the message through the words of the interviewees.  Their personal connection to the very real and nightmarish events, as well as their comments on what they saw and experienced, ring true and bring the horrors described to a personal level.  And the amazing voice cast energizes the message through their well-acted performances.  Whereas an audiobook usually has a single narrator, in World War Z each character is handled here with a different voice (though sometimes the same actor) which make them distinct personalities and which separates each of their stories.

Brooks’ novel on its own is an excellent addition to vast world of Zombie tales (and I concur with Mr. Christopher’s rating for the book), yet it also delivers a story that transcends that genre and that non-zombie fans can enjoy as well.  And the audiobook manages to fully capture the spirit of the novel and perhaps even enhance it with the excellent performances that unfold the story.  It is relatively short for an audio production (5 discs at about 6 hours), so it is a fairly quick listen and definitely worth the time (also worth the money as it runs cheaper than most audio adaptations).

There are still rumors of a movie version of the book, but I have my doubts on how well it would translate to that medium.  However, J. Michael Straczynski has allegedly worked up a script for the film, so it stands a chance.

Read Sam Christopher’s Review of the Book

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