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johnbreeden's review against another edition
5.0
***I want to start by saying that initially, I rated this book 4 stars. In actual terms, my rating is a 4.5, unchanged, but I had wanted to write out why I wasn't giving it 5 stars. In honesty, I couldn't put it into words. I'm not exactly a fan of zombie fiction, so my hesitation could be genre-bias, so I'm changing the number to 5 stars.***
In Body Farm Z, we join two Australian detectives on their way to start an experiment at VITERI, an academic body farm. They are working on one of the detective's cold cases and will be using a donor body to try and get some more clues to solve the mystery. While setting up the experiment, events transpire that lead to a fight for survival against the rising undead.
This book is relatively short. I was hesitant to put much hope into it, since I was unsure how all of the story could be tied so tightly. As I read, I kept wondering if this book could be expanded into a larger story. What I came to realize is that this story is written well and concludes with some questions left unanswered. If it could be expanded, it would be the first half of a longer story that follows events after the ending. It has an episodic feel to it.
One of the things I like most about this book is the attention to anatomical and forensic detail that is used. Realism is important. Sheldon uses the various states of decay of her zombies well - both situationally and for descriptive effect. At the same time, the zombies do not dominate the story. This book uses multiple POVs, and we are given reasons to like and connect with each of the characters. Each character's experiences are different and draw against their brief personal backstories.
All in all, it was a good read. That's coming from someone who reads a lot on forensics and true crime but isn't a zombie fan. This novel has appeal outside that specific horror genre.
In Body Farm Z, we join two Australian detectives on their way to start an experiment at VITERI, an academic body farm. They are working on one of the detective's cold cases and will be using a donor body to try and get some more clues to solve the mystery. While setting up the experiment, events transpire that lead to a fight for survival against the rising undead.
This book is relatively short. I was hesitant to put much hope into it, since I was unsure how all of the story could be tied so tightly. As I read, I kept wondering if this book could be expanded into a larger story. What I came to realize is that this story is written well and concludes with some questions left unanswered. If it could be expanded, it would be the first half of a longer story that follows events after the ending. It has an episodic feel to it.
One of the things I like most about this book is the attention to anatomical and forensic detail that is used. Realism is important. Sheldon uses the various states of decay of her zombies well - both situationally and for descriptive effect. At the same time, the zombies do not dominate the story. This book uses multiple POVs, and we are given reasons to like and connect with each of the characters.
Spoiler
Even one as he is being overtaken by whatever infection is turning him into a zombie.Spoiler
I'm marking this as a spoiler, but don't want to give too much away. I did not expect the ending. Sheldon is not afraid to kill off significant characters, sort of (it is a zombie story, after all). I felt like the protagonists who survived showed some degree of character growth. An interesting aspect is that those POV characters who do not, have more of a decline as the story continues. You begin to sense that some of the characters are not as strong as they thought they were and some were much more than they seemed. The one character, the stoic, who didn't seem to change a great deal, is left in a limbo state at the end. Will he survive? Was he infected? Appropriate for this writing style.All in all, it was a good read. That's coming from someone who reads a lot on forensics and true crime but isn't a zombie fan. This novel has appeal outside that specific horror genre.
el_stevie's review against another edition
5.0
Terrifically paced zombie thriller with engaging characters you find yourself rooting for.
errantdreams's review against another edition
5.0
Deborah Sheldon’s Body Farm Z takes place at a body farm in Australia–a place where scientists study how cadavers rot and decay under various circumstances. Detective Senior Sergeant Rick Evans and his partner, Detective Senior Constable Lawrence Garcia, are paying the farm a visit. Their request to do an experiment to try to solve a cold case has been approved! They’ve just helped to put the “donor’s” body into place when a strange cloud floats by. It’s oddly-shaped and -colored, and it releases little white snow-like seeds, or feathers, or something else that disappears as soon as it touches anything. But when those seeds touch their cadaver–she awakens hungry for flesh! Soon the entire body farm is overrun with dead people, dead pigs (often used because of certain similarities with humans), and more, and the freshest ones seem to retain a certain amount of cunning!
There’s a nice ensemble cast of characters, although I’d say main character duty was split between Rick and Helen, a student doing experiments at the body farm. Helen’s in love with another student, Alisha, but Alisha’s very straight and engaged to get married. Rick finds his partner insufferable and just wishes he’d stop talking now and then. Along for the ride are some of the staff and researchers, including a stoic and very helpful maintenance man, Magnus.
There’s one big, glaring question during all of this: is the rest of the world affected, too? No one really seems to be picking up their phone, although that could be a coincidence. Rick puts in a call for backup, claiming a terrorist attack, but it’ll take a good four hours for that backup to get there–if there aren’t more zombies out there to waylay them. I’ll say that there are questions that definitely go unanswered, but not in a bad way. I think the book included just as much information as it had to and no more.
There is an excerpt of a follow-on book included at the end of the e-book. It appears to pick up sometime later, on a different continent, with different characters. And despite the fact that I really enjoyed this book, there was nothing in that excerpt that appealed to me, so I’ll probably skip it. Your mileage may vary. [Note added later: apparently the other book is by a different author. That makes more sense.]
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/05/review-body-farm-z-deborah-sheldon/
There’s a nice ensemble cast of characters, although I’d say main character duty was split between Rick and Helen, a student doing experiments at the body farm. Helen’s in love with another student, Alisha, but Alisha’s very straight and engaged to get married. Rick finds his partner insufferable and just wishes he’d stop talking now and then. Along for the ride are some of the staff and researchers, including a stoic and very helpful maintenance man, Magnus.
There’s one big, glaring question during all of this: is the rest of the world affected, too? No one really seems to be picking up their phone, although that could be a coincidence. Rick puts in a call for backup, claiming a terrorist attack, but it’ll take a good four hours for that backup to get there–if there aren’t more zombies out there to waylay them. I’ll say that there are questions that definitely go unanswered, but not in a bad way. I think the book included just as much information as it had to and no more.
There is an excerpt of a follow-on book included at the end of the e-book. It appears to pick up sometime later, on a different continent, with different characters. And despite the fact that I really enjoyed this book, there was nothing in that excerpt that appealed to me, so I’ll probably skip it. Your mileage may vary. [Note added later: apparently the other book is by a different author. That makes more sense.]
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/05/review-body-farm-z-deborah-sheldon/
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