The Great Geek Manual

Book: Walking Dead
ISBN-13: 978-0373803019

Author: C. E. Murphy
Series: The Walker Papers
Publisher: Luna
Genre: Urban Fantasy /
Paranormal Romance
Release: September 1, 2009
Length: 384 pages (Hardcover)

Rating: C+

Verdict

Author C. E. Murphy’s lively narration and fresh style save this book from a sub-par plotline, but most readers are still going to come away from this novel wondering what she was thinking. Murphy consistently skimps over the romantic aspects of her story, despite Harlequin’s involvement in the book’s publication, which is almost certain to leave readers looking for a paranormal romance fix disappointed. And yet, halfway through the story, Murphy’s protagonist walks away from a graveyard of zombies on Halloween night, leaving those jonesing for the apocalyptic show downs that have become one of the signatures of the urban fantasy genre cold as well. Nonetheless, Walking Dead remains worth the read for its excellent Buffy-esque lead, Joanne Walker, who, with her love of muscle cars and her penchant for solving her own problem, is a refreshing change from the damsels in distress that have become such a fixture in urban fantasy.

Pros: Fast-paced. Funny, upbeat writing style. Romance angle is very minimal.

Cons: Endings in this series are all a bit too pat. The magic system is overly convenient for the protagonists. Zombies get downplayed in favor of more emotional issues.

Synopsis

In Brief: When a black cauldron out of legend goes missing, Joanne Walker sets out to track it down, despite a premonition that find it will mean her death. Walker eludes an insurance assessor, zombies, a god, undead warriors, and banshees to find the cauldron, only to end up hog tied and held at the mercy of a mad man.

Official: For once, Joanne Walker’s not out to save the world. She’s come to terms with the host of shamanic powers she’s been given, her job as a police detective has been relatively calm, and she’s got a love life for the first time in memory. Not bad for a woman who started out the year mostly dead.

But it’s Halloween, and the undead have just crashed Joanne’s party.

Now, with her mentor Coyote still missing, she has to figure out how to break the spell that has let the ghosts, zombies and even the Wild Hunt come back. Unfortunately, there’s no shamanic handbook explaining how to deal with the walking dead. And if they have anything to say about it—which they do—no one’s getting out of there alive.

Review

The Walker Papers is a solid example of the urban fantasy genre, featuring all of the familiar forms and plot devices common to the genre. Where the series manages to stand out from the crowd of books rapidly surging onto the market is in featuring one of the genre’s most believable – and likable – heroines.

Murphy’s weak point throughout this series has always lain in her magic system. In a world populated with every kind of fictional character imaginable, including clairvoyants, an enormous pantheon of gods, shamans, vampires, witches, and a slew of undefined “talents,” it’s difficult to discern where the boundaries of characters’ abilities lie. That makes the growth in Joanne’s magical talent that would normally be the pulse points of a fantasy story story distinctly unexciting, dampening the impact of the stories.

The pros and cons of the series just about strike a balance in Walking Dead, tipping just slightly in favor of buying a copy for its judicial use of geek humor and action movie pacing. The book may cover a three day period, but at a scant 384 pages, it’s not difficult to bolt the book down in single weekend.

Similar Books

If you enjoy this book, you may also enjoy these very similar series:

• Dark Swan Series by Richelle Mead
• The Hollows by Kim Harrison
• Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews

Further Information

• Author C.E. Murphy’s official website.
• Author C.E. Murphy’s personal website.
• Author C.E. Murphy’s profile at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database.
• Excerpt from the first chapter of Walking Dead.