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Friday, January 4, 2013

Four ways to totally satisfy your Walking Dead withdrawal

So we are a little over a month away before AMC's epic "The Walking Dead" starts up again, hopefully with a high body count and much samurai sword wielding goin' down in the zombie apocalypse. We can blame the Nielsen sweeps for such lulls put upon us by the holidays, but the fact is, if you're like me, blame only goes so far. So what can we do in the meantime?
1) My first suggestion is to read The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor.

Seriously. This novel had me on the edge of my seat for two nights as I consumed page after page following the first days of the outbreak. The Governor (known as Philip) and his brother (plus a couple of friends and his daughter Penny) are just like everyone else: caught unawares when the world "mysteriously shifts" and the dead rise up to eat the living.

This book is dripping with gore. My favorite scene is when this small group commandeers a luxurious Cadillac Escalade and try to make their way into downtown Atlanta where there's supposedly, a government refugee camp where they can get supplies, help, medical attention, military protection, and perhaps an explanation as to what the hell is going on.

As a little background, in the early days of the outbreak, power is still available in many areas. There are still television broadcasts going on along with updated news programs. But as the hours march on, more television stations drop off the air, and broadcasters turn to previously recorded shows. The way the author writes it, it's eerie in a very normal way. So really, there's no reason for our group to know that Atlanta has been overrun. Just that it seems suspicious that the television stations are all so quiet.

Well this Cadillac Escalade is essentially a rolling tank. And Phillip gets caught downtown watching zombies come out of skyscrapers like clowns coming out of a clown car. There's literally thousands of them, and they get cut off on all sides. So he slams his Escalade into four wheel drive, revs it up to sixty miles an hour, and just cuts a swath through the walking dead, blowing them up, running them down, and creating so much "zombie grease" under the tires and carriage that it hydroplanes through a building and gets wrapped around a concrete pillar. And behind them, the zombies are roaring, relentless, and hungry.
2) You should watch all of the episodes of High School of the Dead on Hulu. You don't have to have a Hulu Plus membership. It's totally free. You just have to sign in using Facebook to show that you're old enough to be watching anime with such "adult/gory" content.

High School of the Dead is exactly how I would picture The Walking Dead in Japan. Only here we have young adults being eaten alive. The outbreak starts simple enough at a school with a zombie being mistaken by the principle as a trouble maker trying to break into the school's secure grounds. When confronted, the principle gets bit and quickly spreads the contagion. So the faculty ends up eating young adults. A particularly chilling part of the anime is when the voice of someone in the office is shouting "Stop! It hurts! It hurts! Stop!" and then screams when the mic goes dead. After that, there's a stampede as kids try to get out of the high school. A pair of girls (vowing to protect each other) gets separated, and the one stands over the other horrified, watching her friend get torn to pieces by zombies. It's great! And yes, for guys out there who like to see Japanese school girls in their school uniforms, there's lots of that going on.

3) Watch 13-year-old Nick Mastrangelo's animated video of The Walking Dead's Daryl Dixon in action. It involves machine guns, a magic crossbow, and even robots. You should watch this and then ask yourself what you were capable of doing with a computer in the 8th-grade.
4) Watch the new "Evil Dead" trailer which is being billed as the scariest movie of 2013. This trailer is Not Suitable for Work. It is for mature audiences and features gore, swearing, and a disturbing scene where a woman cuts her tongue in half. But for the "Evil Dead" purists out there, it should be quite satisfying. It looks less campy than the Bruce Campbell/Sam Raimi version, and the Necronomicon looks pretty convincing. In case you don't know, the Necronomicon is an H.P. Lovecraft prop used in most of his Cthulhu mythos stories. It's not something you'd ever want to read from. In the least it rouses the dead, and that's never a good thing.
Housekeeping:

Next week I shall be attending the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. I decided that I am going to take a laptop so I will strive to blog about C.E.S. And yes, I am going to grab as much free stuff as I can possibly get. I'm going to point out to every vendor that I work for the State of Utah and we do demonstrations for people all of the time SO HOOK ME UP homey! :) Mostly I will be going to the Silvers Summit and taking a look at Smart Home Technologies and basically anything that "differently-abled" people could use to make their lives more independent. That's my career (using assistive technology to provide independence and a more meaningful life to those who could use some help). I install cameras and environmental controls that are voice-operated, I install voice-operated computers in people's homes, and strive to stay on the cutting edge of technology.

Anyway, I hope my laptop doesn't get stolen in the airport. I think I've taken every precaution.

If you have time today, please visit Laura Eno's blog as it's a stop on my book tour. You can find her HERE.

Additionally, on Saturday I will be at the Indie Book Blog. I think Oculus is getting a review. You'll find that blog HERE. Oh well, I guess that's the chance we authors take, right?

FREE MONEY>>>Also, the $50.00 Amazon Gift Card promotion is still going on. Go HERE for the daily tweet which has been updated. The gift card giveaway ends this Monday.

Have a great weekend. Monday, I shall be doing a cover reveal for Ellie Garratt's new book.

38 comments:

  1. After reading Silverthorn, I think I'm through with zombies for a while.

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  2. But what if we're not old enough to be watching anime with such "adult/gory" content? ;)

    This was a good idea for a post. To stave off my withdrawals I troll the Daryl Dixon tag on Tumblr and gaze at my new copy of THE WALKING DEAD #1-24 and sigh.

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  3. Ok, no, No, NO and hell NO on all 4 counts. Thank God for your housekeeping. Don't worry about traveling with your laptop. I travel with mine all the time and never had a problem, just keep it with you at all times as your carry on. On international flights I have to take it out of the carrying case to pass it through security, but other than that it should be ok. Have fun at the CES, be safe and ENJOY Las Vegas, I've never been, so yeah, I'm jealous. (;

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  4. It sounds like you are having a fun week if reading is keeping you up at night. Yay!! I wish I could go to the Consumer Electronics Show. That sounds like fun to me.

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  5. Just hang on to the laptop and you'll be fine. Easier to blog with a laptop than an iPad, that's for sure.

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  6. There always The Walking Dead comic book as well. A great read and full of more twists and turns than a zombies rotting intestines.

    mood

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  7. Yikes I think I'll skip those, I'm not much for gore really.

    We travel with our laptops all the time as carry-ons. You should be fine.

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  8. You'll be fine with the laptop. Just carry it on.

    This is a great guide for the zombie obsessed. I really liked the first year episodes of the Walking Dead, but sometimes I get tired of the continual struggle against Zombies for some reason.

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  9. I satisfy my need by not watching The Walking Dead in the first place. Problem solved.

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  10. Oh wow. I had no idea they were making another Evil Dead. That preview was ... I was chilled. And it takes a lot to do that! Thanks for the suggestions. Have fun in Vegas!

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  11. I've never seen The Walking Dead. Criminal, I know. :) Is the Walking Dead book you show the beginning? I'd hate to jump in somewhere in the middle.

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  12. I have enough trouble with the living.

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  13. I'm still behind on my Walking Dead episodes. Maybe I can get caught up before the new season!

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  14. My husband has the TWD comic book series, so I'll probably check those out. And I like that anime series you mentioned too. Cool.

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  15. Good gravity! This post has my current interest all over it. Wasn't even aware of that Anime, but that book is now on my TBR list. :)

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  16. I never watched it, so I don't have the shakes at all. :)

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  17. Just got The Walking Dead book for my wife. Sounds fantastic.

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  18. @Andrew: I think it's funny you are harping on a book that's over 20 years old and not considered a classic. It's like you randomly picked one of the worst fantasies ever written and decided to anti-promote it LOL

    @Brooke: Dearest Brooke, you did not hear this from me, but I've heard of these things called "white lies"? IN other words, people are not always truthful. I know this sounds like bad advice so I'm going to put out a disclaimer that says "I'm not giving advice." Merely I point out that all people do not always tell the truth and there are no dire consequences that arise from that. You do what you feel comfortable doing :)

    @Elise: I don't understand how you can work with gross insects all day and not like zombies. Zombies are literally infested with the larvae from insects. To someone like you, they would be a walking petri dish of incredible insect life.

    @Brinda: I'm flying out tomorrow. CES doesn't start until Tuesday, but I'm going to play in a poker tournament on day one, go to the spa on day two, and see David Copperfield at the MGM grand on day three.

    @Alex: I'm concerned that I will be targeted by laptop thieves. But there's only so much one can do. Sigh. I guess they strike while your laptop is on the tray being scanned.

    @Moody: I haven't looked at the comic books.

    @kmckendry: LOL. I just like zombies. I'm growing more comfortable with the idea of bringing a laptop.

    @Cindy: Carry on is where most laptops are stolen.

    @P.T.: Have you ever been accused of being boring?

    @Lexsa: Thanks! Are you Russian?

    @Christine: The Evil Dead trailer just hit yesterday.

    @Laura Eno: That's the first novel in a planned trilogy.

    @Stephen: I know it's not your thing.

    @Elizabeth: Well the new season doesn't start until October. We are mid-season 3 right now (but in a temporary hiatus).

    @Mina: I rather like "High School of the Dead."

    @DPK: LOL I definitely recommend watching the anime.

    @Tonja: You should get into it. If you like post-apocalyptic, it has all the right stuff in it.

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  19. ooh i def want to check out that anime. And also that EVil Dead trailer once i'm done with work

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  20. I've tried, but I just can't get into zombies all that much. Meanwhile, I hope you have a great time in Vegas and your laptop remains safely adhered to your body.

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  21. I finally caught up with the series during the holidays so I'm raring to go when new episodes begin to air. I'm not sure I'll check out any of the things you mentioned while I wait though. I'll tough it out.

    Have fun at CES.

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  22. Sadly, I have a low gore tolerance. No idea why, but I've had issues since my childhood. :-D

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  23. what a zombielicious list! Will have to check these books out ;)
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  24. You know, I didn't make it past the first scene in Walking Dead, LOL! That's how much of a wimp I am! *shakes head* I'll never be cool enough to chat zombies with you, Mike ;-)

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  25. You have a neat job, Michael. I hope you have a good time. Let me know what interesting bits of tech you find. I'm sure it's also fodder for stories.

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  26. Zombies. Ick.

    Have fun at CES.

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  27. @ Michael, LOL. I do love my insects and other creepy crawlers and even some gore doesn't bother me. I think what gets me is the rotting corpse that's trying to EAT ME which freaks me out. <:D

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  28. I used to really like this show, but I haven't watched any of the latest season. I feel like such a slacker.

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  29. Eep! I don't think I could watch that Evil Dead without my hands over my eyes. And the music off!

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  30. I'm so mad at myself that I didn't watch Walking Dead from the beginning. Now I really want to watch it but don't know how I'll have time to catch up. I'll read the Rise of the Governor in the meantime, sounds awesome.

    Heading over to Laura's blog now!

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  31. Japanese cartoons are in a league of their own. Kids seem to love them!

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  32. I love the Walking Dead graphic novels and I'm very behind, so that's what I do when I need more. That book sounds good though, I'm going to add that to my list. Love the new Evil Dead preview!! I can't wait!

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  33. I travel with my laptop all the time. Then again, its a piece of crap... but its never gotten stolen :) I was just in Vegas! Have fun :)

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  34. I just finished watching season 2 on Netflix and caught the first episode of season 3 on AMC online when it was available. Great stuff!

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  35. I'd love to read the book. E-ghads, that trailer was gory. It had me cringing (and my tongue still hurts) *shivers* I'll have to find someone to watch with me.

    Still a month away. Ugh.

    Good luck in Vegas.

    I just finished Oculus and I'm hoping to have a review up for you tomorrow.

    .......dhole

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  36. I think this trailer looks like a mash up of about a dozen different horror films I've seen, the tongue splicing and vomiting blood in particular, yes the bloody lesbian kiss, too, believe it or not. I'm hoping this will be more original when we see the whole thing, but I am not holding out much hope. It always goes bad when they try to turn cheese into something dark and sinister. The new version of Nightmare on Elm Street comes to mind.

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