WARNING: This post will contain spoilers if you haven’t read the previous books in this series, so read at your own peril!

Darren Shan has done it again with his third installment in his 12 part zombie series, Zom-B City.

This book is directly set after the ending of the second book, Zom-B Underground, with B rising out of the underground complex, where she had been held since she regained her senses, only to find the city of London as dead as she is. However, she soon finds that things aren’t what they seem and soon she’s confronted with Mr Dowling and his minions again.

Shan has managed to gross me out just a bit more, which I thought was impossible after his description of Mr Dowling in the second book. So kudos Mr Shan, kudos. Plus there are some more twisted ideas in this book that beat the ones in the previous two novels. Add to that the sentimental tone with a pinch of humour and you have a recipe for a rather awesome read that you can devour (pun intended) in a matter of a couple of days (well I did anyway).

The bad thing to say about this book is in places it’s a little cheesy, but you have to remember that this series, like most of his other series, are aimed at 12 – 14 year olds. Besides, it’s bearable, particularly with the fast paced, tension filled plot! Also I’m not sure I like Shan’s take on zombies. They vomit after eating brains, so the food doesn’t rot in their stomachs and attract insects and they also don’t come out in daylight because it irritates their skin. The whole idea of them rotting makes them zombies in the first place in my opinion, and the whole nocturnal thing sort of, but only a little bit, screams vampires… or vampire zombies! But hey, Shan’s being different, which makes these books stand out from the rest of the genre, so I will let him off!

There were some very memorable moments in this book, including the zombies mistaking mannequins for alive people, B stopping at a traffic light (which still works), even though there isn’t any traffic anymore, the zombies hanging from the lamppost and Timothy painting them, then later his collection of macabre paintings, the mindless zombie Beefeater who insists that B gets a ticket before entering the Tower of London (still loves his work that one), and finally the whole zombie baby scene… it’s one of those twisted scenes I mentioned earlier.

And my favourite quotes from this book are:

‘Taken off to some mystical Shangri-La by her racist, wife-beating knight in shining armour?’

‘…I can’t carry a tune these days, not now that my mouth is drier than a camel’s arse.’ (I don’t want to know how you know that B)

‘You know you’ve been seriously climbing the walls if the thought of heading off on a suicide mission makes you feel happy!’

‘I think even Dr Dolittle would have trouble getting animals to trust him these days.’

‘What sort of a bad guy would wear yellow pants?’

‘…revealed in all its gory glory…’ (love the wording here)

Shan’s twisted writing is amazing, as ever, and also his story telling is superb. Again with the more questions raised than answered however! You’re very frustrating Shan!

An 8.3 out of 10.