REVIEW: The Walking Dead, Book 8: Made to Suffer by Robert Kirkman
The eight installments of The Walking Dead should be titled: Santa ate the Easter Bunny, then raped the Tooth Fairy and hung himself. Robert Kirkman chose to go with Made to Suffer.
In case you didn’t get it…this story is all bad. I challenge you to have an ounce of happiness left in your soul after reading this chapter. I couldn’t smile for a week. Suffice it to say, set this one down and find a quiet place and get all your cryin’ done before trying to be around other people.
No I won’t even give you a hint as to who, if anybody, is left by the end. However, I will say that Kirkman takes a real chance here. Any of the delicate souls who survived what happened to Michonne a couple of episodes back at the hands of The Governor, might actually surrender after reading Made to Suffer.
What really stood out in this volume, besides the heaping of bad things on out protagonist, was the look into the psyche of a sociopath. If you’ve ever wondered what makes a villain tick, Kirkman gives you a peek behind the curtain. You are able to see how sick bastards like Jim Jones, Adolf Hitler, and David Koresh get inside people’s minds and distort reality to fit their twisted agendas/ (yeah, boo-hoo, I made a list of controversial figures that some people won’t like. If you read zombie fiction and THAT offended you, try the Twilight Series.)
When you reach the final page of this one, you may almost dread picking up the next one. Of course…like me…many of you will continue on like a battle-weary veteran. However, unlike when I first read it, you can pick up volume nine and dig right in. I actually needed those few months to digest all that transpired.
Do yourself a favor: take the time to re-read this issue. It deserves the time and you may be able to savor the amazing ability of Kirkman to reach down and pull out a part of your heart and spirit. Those who may have doubted my earlier claims that Robert Kirkman is indeed the new king may finally see what I’ve seen for so long.
I only have two words for Mister Kirkman before digging into the next offering: Thank you!
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