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    Zom-B: Volume 2 Underground: ZOM-B Series, Book Two
    Unavailable
    Zom-B: Volume 2 Underground: ZOM-B Series, Book Two
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    Zom-B: Volume 2 Underground: ZOM-B Series, Book Two
    Ebook171 pages2 hours

    Zom-B: Volume 2 Underground: ZOM-B Series, Book Two

    By Darren Shan

    3.5/5

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    Unavailable in your country

    About this ebook

    As the undead continue their rampage across the U.K., teenage hero B awakens in an underground bunker, held prisoner by scientists and soldiers and surrounded by zombies that are unlike those annihilating humans above ground. B is trapped but secure—until the complex is attacked by a pack of mutants and their sinister leader, Mr. Dowling. Is there any safe place left in the world?

    The second instalment in Darren Shan’s thrilling new series will leave readers trembling in terror and clamouring for more.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateJan 15, 2013
    ISBN9781443415132
    Unavailable
    Zom-B: Volume 2 Underground: ZOM-B Series, Book Two
    Author

    Darren Shan

    Darren Shan is the number-one best-selling author of the series THE SAGA OF DARREN SHAN, the DEMONATA and more recently the SAGA OF LARTEN CREPSLEY and ZOM-B. His books have been read by millions of people around the world and translated into more than 25 languages. Darren lives in seclusion in the depths of Ireland. He is a big film buff, and also loves theatre, comics and books, and collecting art. He loves dreaming up new ways to terrify his readers, but never drinks blood. Or so he claims.

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    Reviews for Zom-B

    3.5/5

    105 ratings16 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 1/5
      So when I started this book, I was really excited. I got it from the library and even before some of the other books were read, I started this one. I love stories about zombies, vampires, werewolves, mermaids, and any other mythological creature. They are some of my favorite books. Alas with this one, I couldn’t even finish it. It isn’t because the story isn’t good, but for me personally, the domestic violence in it was too much for me. I grew up in a house with physical violence and I don’t like to read about it. I made it about halfway through, which is about 87 pages, before I could go no further. This is not meant to dissuade anyone from reading this book. This is just a personal thing for me.
    • 3/5
      I know that this is book 1 for the series but I absolutely loathed the pervasive racism throughout this book, even though it was portrayed in a negative connotation. I do appreciate that B EVENTUALLY comes to accept how horrible her father's attitude truly is and how it has warped her own thinking and behaviors but overall it really affected my enjoyment of this book. I am going to read the second book in the series and IF that book is better, I will add a postscript to this review.

      Postscript: Zom-B, #2 Underground - absolutely fantastic and the racism was nowhere in evidence in this volume :-)
    • 4/5
      Let me first just start of by saying that I'm a huge fan of Darren Shan. I have been since the very first time I was read a chapter of a book in The Saga Of Darren Shan. In my eyes, he can do no wrong and I recommend him to just about everyone, even those who don't necessarily read. But I have to be honest, once I heard he was doing a Zombie book I was a bit cautious, especially as I had read it had some adult themes (I'll get to that). But once I read it I was once again amazed at how Darren Shan not only manages to make you feel you are in the story but the the main character living it.Warning: May contain spoilers This book is centred around a group of kids fighting for survival once a zombie outbreak hits the town. The main character is B. Smith. B is nothing more than a racist and a bully. B has no time for school and has a total disregard for others feelings, something we see over and over again. Is it B's fault though, when they grew up with a father like Todd? someone who makes it his life goal to try and rid England of anyone who isn't white British while going home and beating his wife at any chance?. And while yes, I found Todd to be horrible and horrific in his views most of the time, there is a part of me that likes/feels sorry for him. There is a lot of reason's behind his racism, something that anyone living in England should have picked up on, what with our recession and backwards benefit system looking after anyone but its own. (now I'll stop there, because even though this is my review and I'm entailed to say what I think, I cant voice my views and opinions without someone accusing me of being a racist myself. Something I'm not) I think Todds character is very clever, and Darren Shan even more so for writing him the way he has and addressing something happening everyday in England. (obviously not talking about the zombies ;) haha)This book took a while to get to the zombies, when it did I wasn't left disappointed, but felt like the build up was pretty pointless. Even though I thought it was brave of Darren to write about racism I felt like it was very out of place in this book. I liked the characters, the nick names and the idea behind this book. I love the twists and turns and the cliffhanger, as always.I'm looking forward to the next one, I just hope its focused more around the actually Zombies
    • 3/5
      This book had a few surprises in it, tough to do in a zombie-laden market.

      I was definitely shocked by the ending.
    • 4/5
      The book begins with a zombie outbreak in Ireland where a boy is sacrificed by a strange Owl-Eyed man. Then the action picks up in London where B Smith, a slacker who doesn't do well in school and has complicated feelings about an abusive, racist father, hangs out as speculation about a curfew and the reality of the zombie attacks are oft discussed. The zombie attacks are graphic and bloody, as one would expect from a Darren Shan novel. The action moves fast. Dark art appears between chapters. Fans of Shan's will enjoy this series. While it didn't wow me, I'd pick up the next installment to figure out what happens next, who are the people with the hoodies, and what is the deal with ole Owl Eyes.
    • 1/5
      Zom-B is another zombie apocalypse novel. The zombies first strike in Ireland, but this story occurs in a school in London. The majority of the novel occurs in the days leading up to the attack.There was a lot of open racism and child abuse in the novel. At first, I had no idea why these themes were so prominent. Having finished the novel, I am still not sure I see the point. I think that Darren Shan was trying to make some profound point but he missed the mark.I despised the ending. Supposedly this book is "to be continued," but I do not see how this will be possible.I read another book by Darren Shan and I absolutely loved it. However, I do not share the same feelings with this book. I will not be reading the rest of the Zom-B series.
    • 3/5
      B is forced to take the zombie takeover seriously when thrust into the middle of an attack. The story is action packed but also touches on issues of racism and B's need to break away from unhealthy family relations. AR level: 4.4 UGLexile: 710Recommended for:
    • 3/5
      I admit I've never heard of Darren Shan before. And on the front cover, they did not forget to put 'The Master of Horror' to remind readers who he is. I'll also admit that the descriptions are graphic, but not too much so. Maybe because it was not really a book for adults; rather, I'm guessing, maybe teens.

      However, it touches on the subject of racism and domestic abuse, which I think deserves applause. It would have been a great story and probably deserves another star had it not ended in a cliffhanger. I like books to properly end, regardless if they've got a continuition or not. Otherwise, it just doesn't feel complete to me because there was no close.

      Other than that though, I thought this was a good book. Darren described the hoards of zombies well, and their creepy characteristics. I really wish he'd have 'closed' the story of B, though.
    • 3/5
      Originally reviewed on A Reader of Fictions.

      My only prior experience with Darren Shan was the first book in the Cirque du Freak series, which we read for my Young Adult Services class in Library School. I remember mostly enjoying it, but for some potty humor kind of stuff I really could have done without. I was expecting something similar here, something for younger YA that like violence in humor. Actually, I think the gore and darker tone of this one definitely skew it up more than I was expecting, despite its brief length.

      Another thing I was not expecting: how incredibly British this book is. Seriously, I don't remember if Cirque du Freak is set in Britain, but this one's set in London. There's slang and all of that, which made for a nice change.

      Our MC, B is not the typical hero. B leads a group of no-account ruffians, that frequently take sickies from school. They beat up other kids, they pass their classes because the teachers don't want to risk and attack, and they are generally awful, violent people. Expect the first hundred pages, except for the prologue, to be entirely about B's life and little gang, not zombies. If this a concern, don't worry: you'll get plenty of zombie mayhem in gore in the last 70 pages, and, presumably, in the following books.

      Yet another surprise waiting for me in Zom-B were the serious themes, both of racism and of parental abuse. B's father clearly turned B into this violent creature, as he regularly beats on B and B's mother whenever displeased. Were their cards for being a racist, B's father would surely be carrying one proudly. He wants all of the foreigners out of England, and doesn't care how that happens. B doesn't believe those same things, isn't a racist. Well, B doesn't think so anyway. However, racist sayings and thoughts creep in and emerge from B's mouth. I thought these themes were just a bit heavy-handed, but I was really glad to see that there was substance to the book, not just gore.

      As promised, there is horror galore. The zombies are creepy, with bones spurting from everywhere and the ease with which they can infect. Ugh. There's plenty of brain-chewing to keep the zombie-enthusiasts pleased. Most disgusting and horrifying scene for me was most definitely B's dream about zombie babies on an airplane. Glad to know I'm not the only one terrified by babies. *shudders*

      Zom-B offers all the gore its creepy cover promises. You want kids trapped in a school with hungry zombies and plenty of death? You got it. Also, expect twists that you probably won't see coming. Shan certainly surprised me.
    • 2/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: A horror novel that takes a while to get to the horror unless you count the racism and bullying within as horror. Not a novel for everyone, definitely not the squeamish.Opening Sentence: It was the darkest, most wretched hour of the night when the dead came back to life and spread like a plague of monstrous locusts through the village of Pallaskenry.The Review:Zom-B is a young adult horror novel about B, a twelve-year old with a penchant for bullying and racism. The novel actually starts out in a town in Ireland that gets attacked by zombies and is told through the point of view of a little boy as he sees his mom devouring his dad and then trying to run for his life. The beginning ends with a shocking scene but it becomes the starting point for the world learning about the zombie threat.After the initial zombie attack, the next two-thirds of the novel is just about B and building up this character. B really has no redeeming qualities. Everything that B is he has learned from his father. B’s father is a racist, a bully and an abuser. B spends most of the novel trying to justify his behavior and not be like his dad. He insists that he is not racist but continually picks on others, always starting fights for no reason, telling off people of other races. B even tries to say that he isn’t starting the fight because of their skin color but because these people told on him or just plain had something he wanted. B ends up doing one good thing in the novel but is reemed for it because he saves a child of another race so he ends up being embarrassed by the whole ordeal.Needless to say, B’s dad doesn’t believe the zombie attacks are real. He just thinks that it is a promotional stunt done by the movies or maybe even the government. So B spreads that belief around to his friends so that they all don’t believe it. B’s friends all have terrible nicknames that B has given them and there are so many that it is kind of hard to keep track of. Especially remembering if they are a friend or someone he bullies.When the zombies finally get back into the picture, Zom-B is a little scary. The zombies themselves are terrifying and not quite like the zombies we are used to which is a nice/gory touch. The kill scenes are a little graphic and over the top. This story may not be suitable for everyone. B suffers from a nightmare which almost gave me nightmares about it. There is almost nothing scarier than talking babies and serrated teeth. Almost…Zom-B does hold a couple of surprises that held me to the end of the book. The world of racism and bullying is a terrible one and combined with zombies just make this kind of a downer read but a very quick read. I feel like Zom-B may have been trying to send a message about how horrible and terrifying racism can be but I’m not quite sure. The ending had a little bit of a redeeming factor but I’d have to see if the next novel ends up redeeming the character’s choices in this one. I have a hard time seeing how this is going to be a 12 book series especially based on the ending of this one.I’m having a hard time with this review because this book is not for everyone. There are things about it that people aren’t going to like. The zombie part of the storyline entertained me and I think knowing that there were twists help push me through to the end because I really wanted to know what was going to happen but overall B was not sympathetic to me. If B had tried to stick up for himself sooner then maybe I would have liked him as the main character. Trust me, it is really hard to write this review without giving anything away so for people who have read this novel please forgive me my errors.Notable Scene:“Put down the baby,” I snarl.In response the man pushes back his hoodie with his free hand. I feel my face go pale. He looks like a mutant put of a horror film. His skin is disfigured, purplish in patches, pustulant, some stripes of flesh peeling from his cheeks. Straggly gray hair. Pale yellow eyes. He’s missing some teeth, and those still intact are black and cracked.He points at me and I note absentmindedly that he doesn’t have any fingernails, just filthy, bloodstained flaps of skin. He stares, eyes widening, and crooks one of his fingers, like he’s trying to hypnotize me.I think about tacking the mutant but I’m not gonna make the sort of dumb mistakes that people make in horror flicks. Taking a step back, I scream as loudly as I can, hoping that guards will come running.Footsteps behind me. The man I knocked down outside the shop rushes past. He half twirls and spits at me. He looks like a mutant too, like he’s survived a nuclear war and is suffering from radiation poisoning. I think for a moment that the pair of freaks is going to attack me. But then I hear lots of people coming, muttering and shouting. A woman shrieking, “My son! Don’t hurt my son!”The mutant holding the baby looks past me and his face twists with fury. He sets his sights on me again and leers. He licks his lips lewdly — his tongue is shriveled and scabby.As the footsteps draw closer, the man raised the baby high, then throws him at me. I grab the boy like a ball, cushioning him as best I can. I fall backwards and land on my bum. The baby sits in my lap and laughs, poking at my nose with his chubby little fingers.I look up. The mutants have fled. They’re moving fast now that they don’t have the baby. They reach the gate and seconds later they’re gone, out of sight.Just before the crowd catches up with me, I stare into the baby’s face. I half expect him to smile sinisterly and say, “Don’t be afraid, Mummy,” like the babies in my dreams. But of course he doesn’t. The is the real world, not a nightmare.Then I think of the two me, their unnatural skin, their yellow eyes. And I wonder.FTC Advisory: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/Hachette Book Group provided me with a copy of Zom-B. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 3/5
      So until the end of this book I thought B was a boy. It's a typical zombie book with the extra that the bones and teeth grow and a green moss growing over the wounds.
      It was an interesting book her dad was extremely racist and abusive and in turn B is as well b/c it's taught after all. Then near the end she decides not to go with the man she loves and fears and gets turned into a zombie herself.
    • 3/5
      Zombies have attacked a small town in Ireland and around the world populations are trying to determine if the outbreak is real or just a hoax of some to promote a new movie. Zom-B follows young protagonist B, through the time of the first outbreak to later attacks on London. For those of you who don’t know, Darren Shan is considered a ‘Master of Horror’ and for those of you that have read his books you very well know that you will find gore and outrageous detail that can send chills down your spine, or in some cases, make you want to vomit. What I have found of the very few books I have read of Shan’s, is that he enjoys starting out with a bang and then trickling through the rest of the plot. He is also known for writing A LOT of books, I mean long series. For example, apparently Zom-B is the first of a set of 12… now I have to read all of them. My obsession will not let me read just one. Zom-B is an interesting book, while geared for horror and zombie lovers, it is also considered Young Adult. The only issues I have with this classification are the complex topics that the book brings to light. So now you are wondering about those issues right? Zom-B is wracked full of awkward racism, bullying, abusive parents, and then there are the zombies to boot. I know that a lot of contemporary YA deals with these issues but Shan uses them in almost a nonchalant fashion. B is racist, because B’s dad is racist…that is just how it is. I am not even sure if I liked or disliked the protagonist, one chapter was fine the next I wanted to pummel the character. I do admit it was thought-provoking the whole time.The plot was a bit of a disappointment. After the first chapter I thought I was going to enjoy bloody, violent, zombies eating brains descriptions and mass terror – like your normal zombie apocalypse story – but no, I got to follow around a character that sometimes is/ sometimes isn’t racist and kind of a jerk. Let me just say that, if you are looking for zombies, skip to after the half way mark. I did have some redeeming qualities, there is a major twist in the last few chapters, you learn some interesting things about B (my husband read this book first and so I knew the twist and I think it made me read the whole book more closely than he did—just sayin’). It was also short and had awesome pictures.
    • 3/5
      I had never read a Zombie book, but Shan has really provided a great read! It's fast paced and leaves you wanting to read the next book. 
    • 4/5
      Some of the topics touched upon throughout this book are important for a growing mind to see, and the ultimate realization of these topics at the end is very clear and defined by the catastrophe surrounding the cast of characters. To me, as an adult reader, it was sort of annoying having to read about a father beating his wife and child, subsequently being an irrational racist, and violent at that (all things I really don't enjoy knowing any more about than I already do). The zombies aren't so much the focus of this book, and only serve as a comparison later on with other "monsters". Would like to see what kind of set up this book provides for the rest of the series, especially because I feel as if this first book didn't tell too much of a zombie story yet.
    • 5/5
      Just as amazing as all of Darren Shan's other book.This one of course, deals with zombies. When zombies attack a school, B and friends have to fight to stay alive.It was short, easily read in a few hours, but action packed. You are left with a major cliff hanger that will make you want to buy the next book right away. I would recommend to anyone who loves zombies and guts, or anyone who wants a quick read with some action.
    • 3/5
      Quite a good book! Very quick read, finished it in a couple of hours, but it's very quickly paced which made it much easier to read. Not a lot of time for stopping and thinking, which if done too much in a novel can make it a real bitch to read. It's a zombie story with a twist, the zombies are almost like the pets of these weird mutant people who are taking over the world. It's a little like an episode of Buffy especially with the zombies fingernails extending out of the skin and then becoming eating machines. There's no insight as to why the zombies came to be or what caused it. We read through the perspective of B (who I initially assumed was a boy but it is revealed at the end she is a girl, Becky) an only child with a heavily abusive and racist father. She's quite a messed up girl, skipping school, stealing, thuggish friends, that kind of thing but she has deeply scarring issues with her fathers racism. I had an issue with the blurb on the back which states "How do you react when confronted with your inner demons? What do you do when zombies attack? B Smith is about to find out."Only B Smith doesn't find out until 3/4 of the way into the novel, that's when zombies actually appear for the first time. There are reports on the news that everyone plays of as false, but the first time a zombie arrives is way too close to the end of the story for my liking. I also didn't like the constant references to killing zombies because of how they are killed in the movies. I'm sure that's true, but it just reads funny to me. Makes it less realistic to kill something the way it is killed on TV, unrealistic attempt at realism. The ending was slightly abrupt, which is to be expected since it's the first in a trilogy. I probably won't be reading further. It's not a bad book, it just didn't inspire me to keep reading. Perhaps if the ending was different.