Exactly one year ago I wrote my very first article for Fear Zone. It was a book review of Kim Paffenroth's zombie novel Dying to Live: A Novel of Life Among the Undead. To say that this book completely and forever changed my perception of the zombie genre is a mild understatement. Dying to Live was not only gruesome and grisly in a perfectly post-apocalyptic manner, but it was also one of the most elegantly and eloquently written novels I had ever read. To have the ability as a writer to blend truly disturbing horror with a poetic, philosophical voice that brings the reader near to tears at times bespeaks of genius. It is a genius that transforms not merely the words upon the page into a story to withstand the ages, but also transforms the audience on almost a spiritual level. It alters one's perception of, not only a specific genre, but the encompassing universe surrounding them. The pure philosophy that is integrated into Paffenroth's work is astounding and profound, a veritable vault of material that could be pondered and discussed for years by musing minds. Kim Paffenroth writes as if he himself survived a zombie apocalypse, allowing genuine emotion and realistic reactions to pour through his characters creating a world that is extremely believable. Indeed, Dying to Live: A Novel of Life Among the Undead was the best zombie novel I had ever read...that was, until I read the sequel Dying to Live: Life Sentence .

Yes, Paffenroth has done it again! He has delivered yet another brilliant zombie novel to his eager readership with the same exquisitely masterful storytelling as the first Dying to Live novel! In this second installment of the series, the setting is twelve years after the initial zombie outbreak. There are two independent plotlines in Life Sentence, which alternate from chapter to chapter throughout the book and converge at the end for a stunning finale. The first follows that of the surviving humans. The group of refugees we met in the first novel has now established a new and growing community, having moved out of the museum used initially as a fortress and into an abandoned suburb. Within this new society, Zoey, a young girl of twelve years old, is coming of age and beginning her path into adulthood through the new responsibilities and rituals established by the community elders. The second plotline follows two of the undead as they begin to remember bits and pieces of their living past and attempt to create a new world of their own in which their existence has meaning and peace. However as the dead and the living both continue their struggles to reclaim their identities, and the living must face an intruding force that threatens their peaceful existence, their paths begin to overlap and the careful segregation of the living and dead to become harder to maintain. Paffenroth balances both of these storylines with a deft skill that causes the book as a whole to flow with a musical quality. Each alternating chapter works perfectly with the next without pause or interruption, even though the reader is taken from the world of the living to the world of the dead and back again.

The characters Paffenroth has created for us in Life Sentence are just as tangible and believable as the first Dying to Live novel. Zoey's preteen angst mixed with her loyal dedication to her community in such a brutal world is bittersweet and touching. One instantly becomes attached to her and cheers her on throughout her many struggles. Just as poignant and beautiful are the two main zombie characters, Truman and Lucy, who are struggling to remember who they were. Never did I believe it possible to actually feel such empathy and sympathy for the living dead, but these characters are so lovingly crafted into genuinely innocent spirits that it is impossible not to find oneself completely absorbed by their story and their desire for happiness. Make no mistake, Life Sentence is just as gut-wrenchingly brutal as the first novel, but this installment delves even deeper into the psyche of the characters creating a more thorough connection with the emotional, spiritual and philosophical struggles that define not only the characters, but the entire Life Sentence world as a whole. In my review of the first Dying to Live novel I described the book as "It's as if Daniel Quinn and George Romero sat down one night and discussed the true nature of humanity and evil and then handed their notes over to Paffenroth as a gift." I can honestly say that this is my evaluation once again. Paffenroth is a master of zombie fiction and has well proven himself as an expert of the genre whose work will undoubtedly last throughout the ages. Whether or not you are a fan of the zombie genre, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Dying to Live: Life Sentence! As I have said before, it will forever alter your perception of the genre.