Deadworld

Deadworld
Dennis Dufour
Trafford Publishing
ISBN 9781425132491
Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction
Reviewed by Qetesh

Gabe Boudreau, a New York investigator, is called in to a crime scene with plenty of blood, but no bodies. He realizes that this will be an unusual case, but he has no idea how unusual it will be. At the same time, he is still in love with Renee, who rejected his marriage proposal and moved to New Orleans. Jake, his friend, tries to set him up with a local lady bartender, but Gabe is not interested.

Suddenly, the media is full of reports of people attacking each other like animals. The only way these zombies can be stopped is with a bullet in the head, and the sickness (actually an American bio-weapon that got out of the lab) is spread with a bite.

Gabe decides that he is going to New Orleans, and take Renee somewhere safe, no matter what; Jake goes with him. Along the way, they meet Luccia, a Peruvian singer who is attacked by one of them in the middle of a concert. Dr. Lieberman is the scientist who developed the bio-weapon. Trying to break through a military cordon, the group is arrested, and handed over to a corrupt lieutenant named Delgado. All women are taken to another room to be gang-raped by the soldiers. Gabe prevents Delgado from doing it to Luccia, and the group escapes, heading south.

The group is at a New Orleans boat dock, about to board a boat for a safe island off the coast (Dr. Lieberman gave them the coordinates just before he died). The dock entrance is blocked by a couple of school buses. Delgado, who has followed them from New York, and is obsessed with hurting Gabe as much as possible, intentionally moves the buses away, to make it easier for the zombies to attack. Gabe finally finds Renee, though not under the circumstances for which he had hoped.

This is more than just a really good zombie novel. It’s a story of love and friendship and obsession. It’s a very short novel, and it is very much recommended.