THE DEAD TIMES

RATING:

ZOMBIE RATING:

DESCRIPTION:

The legendary Dickensian Christmas tale is given a whole new twist with the addition of Zombies. The miserly Ebenezer Scrooge still sits, counting his money, caring little for the festive period others so enjoy. However, after being visited by an undead Marley, repeatedly shouting his intent to devour Scrooge's mindful brains, and then, with the aid of three Spirits, witnessing the horror of the full Zombie Apocalypse sweeping across old London town, Scrooge's hardened heart is warmed to his fellow humans. Just how did the happiest day of the year slip into a welter of blood, innards, and shambling, ravenous undead? What sinister force is behind the dastardly revival of the deceased? Can anyone stop these yuletide horrors before the whole world is consumed?

MY VERDICT:

This book fits neatly in a long line of genre mash-ups; Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters have all brought darkness into places where it should not rightfully be. These tend to be hit or miss but I actually found myself really enjoying I Am Scrooge, enveloped in its humorous yet thought-provoking tale. The jokes are a little forced at times though there are some real treats - the one comparing Tiny Tim to Robin Hood's Little John character is a particular highlight. The story is clever too with time-travel and meeting younger versions of newer characters doing things that they have already done (yeesh, time travel is hard to explain). It does not really need the Christmas Carol understory, not simply re-telling the timely novel with Zombies added in for obvious improvement. Instead, it twists and mutates the original book in extraordinary ways that will eventually have you questioning whether Christmas really is a warning about impending Zombie doom.