THE OFFICIAL ZOMBIE HANDBOOK (UK): The Ministry of Zombies [Paperback]

Although I thoroughly enjoyed Max Brooks Zombie Survival Guide, it was a little too americanised for my liking.
Fortunately, Sean Pages Official Zombie Handbook (uk) addresses these issues in spades. Expect your hopes of surviving an outbreak on these shores to be given a short sharp shock - the future in a post apocalyptic UK is not bright, highlighting the failings of our own security forces and indicating where perhaps our hopes for longtime survival lie.
This is obviously a painstakingly researched volume - the level of detail and knowledge behind the countries infrastructure and protocols of our security agencies is quite staggering.
My personal highlight - The volume also includes a handful of "patient zero" test cases, suggesting how the disease would spread, should an infected individual be introduced under various circumstances.

If you are reading this from outside the UK, then perhaps this is not the book for you.
If you are based in the UK and have any fear of the undead - then don't hesitate to purchase, it could make the difference to your family being a Zombie buffet...

Top marks Mr Page.

When society breaks down it will not happen all at once and sadly many of the early signs are already upon us. Who is going to help you when the inevitable zombie apocalypse begins? Who is going to guide you through the misinformation concerning ghoul attack? Greenpeace? Ashford Borough Council? Tesco? No. It will be the prepared and the informed. The recently dead are a formidable foe to fight and when they come moaning to your door you will need to be able to deal with them.

In The Official Zombie Handbook (UK), Sean T. Page has answered your questions. It is presented in the traditional rectangular paper format complete with an attractive cover. It is informative, articulate, well researched and moderately cheap to buy. Primarily of interest to those who love their families but do not want to end up being eaten by them.

Do not rely on others. Do not wait until you are reading alone by candlelight. Be a survivor, start burying the food and setting out the kill zones now.

I received this book as a gift, and, even though I am located in the states, I was very interested in this handbook by Sean Page. I mistakenly thought it would be a slightly different version of The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks, but after reading through the whole thing, I was pleasantly surprised at the originality of Page's effort.

As a result of the debates and discussions within the zombie community, the genre has been growing and evolving. However, the general public still remains unaware of the danger of potential outbreaks. Even though there have already been several guides/manuals written, most of the books do not contain practical guidelines that can be applied internationally.

Sean Page, the author, has taken it upon himself to write such a manual specifically for the UK, where it is nearly impossible to get your hands on a firearm for self-defense. He also points out that preparing for a zombie outbreak with his 90-day survival plan would appeal to the environmentally-conscientious with a "green" agenda (for example, self-sufficiency); as most zombiephiles know, if you're prepared for an apocalypse, you'll be prepared for any emergency.

Addressing the controversy over the various types zombies within the horror genre, Page defines a zombie as "a dead body that has been brought back to life by an as yet unidentified virus which leads to the body to behave in a low intelligent and cannibalistic way." He emphasizes that the cause of an outbreak is not as important as keeping yourself alive. Beginning with the history of zombies and corresponding research, Page provides basic background information for those not already familiar with the field of "zombiology," and walks readers through the science of zombie infection and transformation.

The UK guide quickly moves onto defense and disposal issues for varying levels of outbreaks, going so far as to address the concern that a zombie virus could spread from humans to animals. Readers are made aware of the tactical differences between land and water locations, while Page lays out the blueprint for his country's national defense. He describes the complications that could arise if the UK government attempted a cover-up, illustrating this with a case study of one such incidence.

The most crucial section of this manual is Complete Zombie Defence (sic), which examines the barricades, provisions and skills required for a group's survival. It tackles the who, what, why and how of the three main phases of the 90-day plan, taking lessons from past historical disasters, both man-made and natural, and including survivors with disabilities. There are a few diagrams, as well as a map of the UK, and critical details of every possible scenario are provided.

I highly recommend this book to add to any collection of zombie literature!