REVIEW: Dead Practice by Shells Walter
Dead Practice by Shells Walter has solved a problem. Many of us lovers of The Zombie have children. I can’t speak for everybody, but I often struggle with how much of the world I vanish into so frequently is shareable with my children. There are dozens of books on my bookshelf that are off limits. Hell, I write stuff I don’t want my sixteen-year-old reading. Dead Practice is a good book for parents of the up-and-coming zombie fan.
Let me say that I have no idea if the intended audience of Ms Walter’s book is children, but I do believe that is where it should be marketed. Adults will find the story tame and simplistic. The main characters are somewhat cartoonish…and it works.
Dead Practice is set in a world where zombies are basically domesticated. In short, they are citizens with rights…and at least some semblance of their former selves. They talk, ride motorcycles, and work as lawyers. They also have problems keeping themselves together which I believe Ms Walters uses to a wonder effect.
The story has a villain determined to bring back the ‘old-school zombie’. All he needed to do is twirl his mustache one time and it would’ve been perfect. However, I must repeat that us ‘big kids’ may not be completely amused, as for your twelve-year-old, you can hand him or her this book and not worry. I believe I counted one expletive. The ‘S-wordâ€. Used once. Folks, let’s be honest, your kid has heard it…if not from you, then at school. Reading it once would not be the end of the world.
The ‘violence’ (the quotes are intentional) is very non-descriptive. You get phrases such as “blood and body parts went flyingâ€. Again, there is nothing here to be alarmed at by anybody other than the uber-strict. And quite frankly, I doubt those types are reading this review or trying to find a way to share their love of zombies with their kids while trying to find a good balance of acceptability .
I recommend Dead Practice for the future fans of Romero. It’s a bit of a cartoon. I think, “If Disney was looking to break into the zombie genre.†Ages 10-14 will find this to be a good place to cut their teeth.
Available at Amazon
