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Summary
Summary
The Civil war has ended but not because the South surrendered, instead it's on hold while both sides face a new enemy--the chewers, dead men who've come back to life. Cyrus Joseph Spencer didn¿t fight in the war and couldn't care less about the United Nations of America that resulted from it. His main concern is making money and protecting his crew from all manner of danger. But when tragedy strikes he's forced to take shelter onboard a dirigible piloted by the U.N.'s peace-keeping force. It's soon apparent that many more dangers are lurking and Cyrus must decide whether to throw in with strangers in a desperate bid to protect the country or cast off on his own.
Reviews (2)
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Not to be confused really, really not with John Sayles' classic 1988 baseball movie Eight Men Out, this is a thrilling debut novel, set during the American Civil War and featuring airships, flying bicycle-like contraptions, massive vehicles that walk on stilt-like legs, a flamboyant circus impresario, a fiendishly clever (and distinctly megalomaniacal) villain, some plucky heroes, and a supersecret scientific outpost with some very unusual inhabitants. Oh, and zombies. Did we mention this is not your ordinary Civil War story? Here's the premise: due to a recent zombie outbreak, the Union and the Confederacy have put the war on hold and joined forces to deal with the living dead. The book features characters from both sides, and we follow them as they converge on the mysterious Outpost Two Thirteen, where they hope to find the key to disposing of the chewers as they call the zombies once and for all. But what they find will shock and terrify them, while absolutely delighting the book's readers. This is a wonderfully written and gutsy novel, the kind of story that could easily have fallen flat on its face, if not for its author's storytelling skills: he makes us believe a whole lot of completely unbelievable things all at once (especially one really unbelievable thing, even more unbelievable than the zombies). It's impossible to say this too strongly: this steampunk-horror-historical-thriller crossbreed is an amazing book. Word of mouth could turn this from an under-the-radar debut novel into a genre-busting cult classic. Get on board now.--Pitt, David Copyright 2010 Booklist
Library Journal Review
In this sf debut set in an alternate steampunk United States, the Civil War has been put on hold so both sides can unite to fight a common enemy: zombies. It would be unfair to classify this as a strictly zombie novel, though. Significant stretches of the book are sans zombies and instead include giant lizards, terrorist subterfuges, and a bizarre look at an alternative past. The story line centers on a group of soldiers from the United Nations of America, charged with keeping the peace. Their means of travel is a giant dirigible armed to the gills with weapons. The villain is a former Union soldier who forms a secret group whose mission is to topple the Confederacy and establish a new country with him as president. VERDICT This launch title from Raw Dog's new sf/adventure imprint has a small amount of sexual content, and the violence is mild, making it perfect for young adults. A compelling story line, light humor, and steampunk vibe make this an interesting and fun read. [For more zombie action, see Megan McArdle's roundup on p. 66.]--Matt Schirano, Grand -Canyon Univ. Lib., Phoenix (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
