Sam Stall

I saw this in a charity shop and, as a long standing Star Trek fan, couldn't resist, although the premise - zombies run amok at a Star Trek convention - sounded ripe for a stereotyped corny storyline. I was pleasantly surprised. Although most of the story is tongue in cheek until it grows more and more serious towards the end, the main characters are well developed and even small walk-on parts are sympathetic and convincing, and the action is well described and smoothly written.

The set-up for the story is that Jim Pike (yes, a cross between two of the iconic captains of Classic Trek) is newly promoted to assistant manager of The Botany Bay, a Houston hotel which is hosting a Trekkie/Trekker convention (the book helpfully spells out the difference at one point). The snag is, Jim has spent most of his working life since leaving the Army - where he underwent two tours of Afghanistan and still suffers PTSD-related issues - avoiding responsibility. But it lands well and truly in his lap when he starts to become concerned about a spate of disappearances of hotel staff and guests as the convention begins on Friday night, possibly connected with the bites a couple have suffered: bites which mysteriously continue to bleed. If that isn't enough, his younger sister, for whom he feels responsible since the deaths of their parents, is due to arrive as a convention attendee .....

The story is an enjoyable page turner. Jim and the main female character, a woman dressed as Princess Leia of Star Wars for a promotional video to help pay her way into medical school, are both engaging. As the odds against them stacked up, I wondered if they would survive long enough for their kindling romance to develop, or for Jim and the reader to find out her real name. There is an undercurrent of humour through most of the tale and clever asides to Star Trek, with for example, each chapter being named after an episode. And even the rationale behind the zombie outbreak is well thought-out with an unusual twist. So a well deserved 5-star rating from me.… (més)

I liked this book. It is an interesting book to have on hand when you want to read a bit but don’t have a lot of time. The tales in the book are only a few pages each making it very easy to put down and pick up later. I knew some of the tales but that did not affect my enjoyment of reading them in this book. What did was the flat voice. The tales are written in a journalistic style. There is no spooky atmosphere which I do think would have enhanced the enjoyment of each story. The stories are good and have a range from humorous to scary, but the telling fell flat for me. If you are just looking for straight, bare bones, tales, this is a good choice. If you want more flavor than you probably will enjoy a different writing style. I don’t want to discourage anyone from reading this as the stories in were interesting. Just be aware of the writing style and what you are looking for. Some of the stories are ghost stories, (which I happen to enjoy), but others are actual murders. There are a few photos included. Interesting but dry.… (més)