Generation Dead

a review by G.Clyde

I really enjoy this book. It's an original idea, I've never read anything like it. I never would have thought I would enjoy a romance book about zombies, I'm not usually a zombie lover, but this book is the exception. You will enjoy this book and become attached to the characters. The second one is just as good.

Reader reviewed by Brittany Leigh

I honestly didn't think Generation Dead by Daniel Waters would be that good. I picked it up at the library becuase I had no books to read.
Well, that night I finished and I went online to put the second book on hold.

The book...is amazing. It's funny. It's sad. It had real issues. But it maintains the paranormal part. In the book, the world has a new race of people...the living dead, zombies (that won't eat you, well not all of them anyways.) or, if you want to be politically correct,  the different biotic. The differently biotic are treated like outcasts. Why? Well for one, they died as teens and suddenly came back. That's a little creepy. But they are also outcast because people cannot excet change in this world.

Generation Dead tells an all too familiar and sad tale of a new type of people getting shunned because of who they are. Yes, they are dead. But as the book shows, they too have feelings, though it takes a while to get a grip on them.

Lesson: Learning how to execpt change and not outcasting people because they are different to you. I mean, who really cares that you're boyfriend can't breath? :)

Reader reviewed by Caroline

Zombies is just one thing that causes this book to be different in a good way. I love how everyone knows about them and there are even support groups. The fact that Pheobe and Tommy tried to connect the two races was really nice. I liked how they didn't care what people thought and just walked around together.

Reader reviewed by Tasha

A strange phenomenon is happening across the entire country. Some teenagers are coming back from the dead. While some may think this is great, a second chance at life, others arent all that happy about it. Most of these differently biotic move extremely slowly and talk just as slow. They are all trying to fit back in with the world they once knew, but with a society filled with people who dont want to accept them, it can be painstakingly hard.

Phoebe, a Goth girl, has never really fit in. She has a grand total of two friends but thats all she needs. When Phoebe finds herself drawn to Tommy Williams, a differently biotic boy, no one can believe it, especially her friends. Her best friend Margie thinks shes crazy, but Margies feelings for differently biotic people are way deeper than the stereotypical feelings most people have, they are much more complicated. And then theres Adam - Phoebes childhood best friend and next-door neighbor, who doesnt want Phoebe getting hurt and he may just have more than friends feelings for her.

When the opportunity for a work study with the Hunter Group presents itself to the students at Oakvale High that involves the differently biotic kids Phoebe is one of the first to raise her hand. She is able to convince both Margie and Adam to join her along with Tommy and a few other differently biotic kids to join the work study group. Here they will try and shed some light on the mystery of the differently biotic kids that still marvels scientists and also build unlikely friendships. These work study members better watch their back though as there is one kid who has such a passionate hate for differently biotic kids that he wont stop at anything to get rid of them. With no laws protecting the differently biotic this can only end it tragedy, but will the other students at Oakvale High let it happen?

I have to say that at first I was a little hesitant about reading this book. I havent ever read a book that has to do with zombies or vampires or anything like that. This was a GREAT introduction into these kinds of books. It was a gripping, poignant, and extremely well written story. While the main premise is zombies and how they arent treated fairly in society, there are a lot of underlying messages especially about prejudice. I loved how the author was able to talk about such a controversial subject in such a creative way. The characters in this book were absolutely breathtaking, alive and dead alike. The author did such an excellent job making them into three-dimensional people that I felt were sitting beside me and telling me one heck of a bedtime story. This was just an all out great book that has become a new favorite of mine. The ending certainly lined up for a sequel, and hopefully the author will continue this fantastic story.

Reader reviewed by the book muncher

Get ready for the next sensation: waking up after youve died.

It started with one strange case, and now its happening to more and more American teens. But having a second chance doesnt make living, or whatever their existence is called, any easier for these living impaired or differently biotic teens. They face much discrimination, fear, and hatred, and they dont have any legal rights either. That means anyone who hates them enough can destroy them and the differently biotic wont be able to come back after their second death.

Most people are terrified of the differently biotic, but Phoebe is actually attracted to their leader, Tommy Williams. This makes Phoebes best friend Margi uncomfortable because of what happened to their other friend Colette. Phoebes other good friend Adam is just realizing his deeper feelings for Phoebe, and he doesnt quite know how to deal with the fact that Phoebe likes Tommy. Add in Pete, a football player who hates the differently biotic with a passion, and you have the incredible novel Generation Dead.

Daniel Waters proves himself to be an exceptionally talented writer with this debut. This story is fast-paced and incredibly unique, and I was impressed with how Waters took on the philosophical topic of death (or undeath, in this case). I liked how each characters past influenced the decisions they made and the mysteriousness that surrounded others. I can honestly say Generation Dead was one of the best-written and most unique stories I have ever read.

Generation Dead was an incredibly amazing novel, and it has the potential to be made into a series, which I hope happens. I most definitely recommend this novel to anyone and everyone, especially fans of the Twilight series and other vampire novels. I suggest everyone run to the nearest bookstore on May 6 before Generation Dead gets sold out.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com