Warm Bodies-The Review

"I never thought I could care so passionately for a zombie. Isaac Marion has created the most unexpected romantic lead I've ever encountered, and rewritten the entire concept of what it means to be a zombie in the process. This story stayed with me long after I finished reading it. I eagerly await the next book by Isaac Marion." Stephenie Meyer, author of The Twilight Saga

"Warm Bodies is a strange and unexpected treat. R is the thinking woman's zombie-though somewhat grey-skinned and monosyllabic, he could be the perfect boyfriend, if he could manage to refrain from eating you. This is a wonderful book, elegantly written touching and fun, as delightful as a mouthfull of fresh brains." Audrey Niffennegger, author of The Time Traveler's Wife.

In an early review, Library Journal says of Warm Bodies:"It's a post-apocalyptic novel. No, it's a zombie novel. No, it's a love story. Actually, for first-timer Marion, who's been doing stuff like guarding power plants in and around Seattle, this is a success story. Marion published the work online, got great word of mouth, caught the attention of an agent, sold rights to Atria, sold movie rights to Summit Productions (which produces, um, the Twilight movies), saw ten countries snap up foreign rights, and even got invited to lunch by Stephanie Meyer. The story? A zombie named R, shambling through a collapsed America, falls for a human girl and decides to turn around his...life."

I completely agree. This book had me hooked from the first page. Our hero, R, is a zombie who can't really remember his life before he became a zombie. He just knows he is wearing a dress shirt and tie, while some of his zombie buddies like M mock him for it. With humor, passion, a bit of brain munching and startling awareness for a zombie, R shambles around wondering if his "life" could be better. When he meets Julie on a hunting expedition into the city, his "life" changes forever. He makes a choice. Just like Edward in Twilight, R must fight to be with the girl he loves and must change the status quo if the world is going to survive.

There was nothing I didn't like about this book. To hear it was going to be a movie had me cheering. R is a different flavor of zombie than I am used to reading, and he has indeed stayed in my mind. He redefines zombiedom, much like the vampire has changed from a horrible bloodsucking menace to the sexy vampires we see in film and literature today. I am excited that R has done this for zombiekind and am looking forward to seeing Warm Bodies in the theater. This is one of my new favorite zombie novels, and I hope you feel the same.

Warm Bodies is available from Atria Books on April 26, 2011.

Check out Isaac Marion's postings on http://www.burningbuilding.com.