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Appalachian Undead
Almost Heaven...
Or is it? The culture of the Appalachians is steeped with folktales, legends, and deep-rooted religion. There is much to love in the beauty of the rolling hills and friendly rural families, but something malicious hides just beneath the surface. Something dreadful. Something hungry... Can the people of the region stand up against the hordes of the Dead?
Appalachian Undead takes a look at the dark side of Appalachia, where the undead walk, driven by old magic and their hunger for us. Can Appalachia stand against and army that never tires and is always hungry? With new intriguing tales of the undead, by some of the best names in horror, including Jonathan Maberry, Gary A. Braunbeck, Tim Lebbon, Elizabeth Massie, Lucy Snyder, Bev Vincent, Tim Waggoner, John Skipp and many more.
Table of Contents:
When Granny Comes Marchin' Home Again - Elizabeth Massie
Calling Death - Jonathan Maberry
Hide and Seek - Tim Waggoner
Twilight of the Zombie Game Preserve... - S. Clayton Rhodes
Being in Shadow - Maurice Broaddus
Sitting up with the Dead- Bev Vincent
The Girl and the Guardian - Simon McCaffery
Repent, Jessie Shimmer! -Lucy Snyder
Almost Heaven -Michael Paul Gonzalez
On Stagger - G. Cameron Fuller
We Take Care of Our Own - John Everson
Sleeper - Tim Lebbon
Reckless - Eliot Parker
Company's Coming - Ronald Kelly
Black Friday - Karin Fuller
Spoiled - Paul Moore
Miranda Jo's Girl - Steve Rasnic Tem
Times Is Tough in Musky Holler - John Skipp & Dori Miller
Long Days to Come - K. Allen Wood
Hell's Hollow - Michael West
Brother Hollis Gives His Final Sermon from a Rickety Make-Shift Pulpit in the Remains of a Smokehouse that now Serves as His Church - Gary A. Braunbeck
Introduction by S.G. Browne, author of Breathers: A Zombie's Lament
Special Afterword by Fangoria Magazine editor Rebekah McKendry
Or is it? The culture of the Appalachians is steeped with folktales, legends, and deep-rooted religion. There is much to love in the beauty of the rolling hills and friendly rural families, but something malicious hides just beneath the surface. Something dreadful. Something hungry... Can the people of the region stand up against the hordes of the Dead?
Appalachian Undead takes a look at the dark side of Appalachia, where the undead walk, driven by old magic and their hunger for us. Can Appalachia stand against and army that never tires and is always hungry? With new intriguing tales of the undead, by some of the best names in horror, including Jonathan Maberry, Gary A. Braunbeck, Tim Lebbon, Elizabeth Massie, Lucy Snyder, Bev Vincent, Tim Waggoner, John Skipp and many more.
Table of Contents:
When Granny Comes Marchin' Home Again - Elizabeth Massie
Calling Death - Jonathan Maberry
Hide and Seek - Tim Waggoner
Twilight of the Zombie Game Preserve... - S. Clayton Rhodes
Being in Shadow - Maurice Broaddus
Sitting up with the Dead- Bev Vincent
The Girl and the Guardian - Simon McCaffery
Repent, Jessie Shimmer! -Lucy Snyder
Almost Heaven -Michael Paul Gonzalez
On Stagger - G. Cameron Fuller
We Take Care of Our Own - John Everson
Sleeper - Tim Lebbon
Reckless - Eliot Parker
Company's Coming - Ronald Kelly
Black Friday - Karin Fuller
Spoiled - Paul Moore
Miranda Jo's Girl - Steve Rasnic Tem
Times Is Tough in Musky Holler - John Skipp & Dori Miller
Long Days to Come - K. Allen Wood
Hell's Hollow - Michael West
Brother Hollis Gives His Final Sermon from a Rickety Make-Shift Pulpit in the Remains of a Smokehouse that now Serves as His Church - Gary A. Braunbeck
Introduction by S.G. Browne, author of Breathers: A Zombie's Lament
Special Afterword by Fangoria Magazine editor Rebekah McKendry
222 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 2, 2013
4 of 5 Stars Review Copy
The Appalachian mountains run from Georgia to Maine, covering a lot of ground from a geography standpoint. In much the same way, editors Eugene Johnson and Jason Sizemore, have covered a good deal of ground with their twenty selections for this zombie anthology.
There are granny moonshiners, zombie gators, zombie gunfighters and many more. I like how different writers come at the zombie story from different directions and have different names for the undead. There's The Spread, The Cold Ones, Shufflers and even friendly zombies (watch out for the friendly zombies - they're sneaky).
There's a good mix of familiar names in the horror genre and several stories from names that are new to me.
Here’s the table of contents in no particular order�
“When Granny Comes Marchin� Home Again� by Elizabeth Massie
“Calling Death� by Jonathan Maberry
“Hide and Seek� by Tim Waggoner
“Twilight of the Zombie Game Preserve…� by S. Clayton Rhodes
“Being in Shadow� by Maurice Broaddus
“Sitting up with the Dead- Bev Vincent
“The Girl and the Guardian� by Simon McCaffery
“Repent, Jessie Shimmer! -Lucy Snyder
“Almost Heaven -Michael Paul Gonzalez
“On Stagger� by G. Cameron Fuller
“We Take Care of Our Own� by John Everson
“Sleeper� by Tim Lebbon
“Reckless� by Eliot Parker
“Company’s Coming� by Ronald Kelly
“Black Friday� by Karin Fuller
“Spoiled� by Paul Moore
“Miranda Jo’s Girl� by Steve Rasnic Tem
“Times Is Tough in Musky Holler� by John Skipp & Dori Miller
“Long Days to Come� by K. Allen Wood
“Brother Hollis Gives His Final Sermon from a Rickety Make-Shift Pulpit in the Remains of a Smokehouse that now Serves as His Church� by Gary A. Braunbeck
The first short, “When Granny Comes Marchin� Home Again� by Elizabeth Massie, was so well received she went and turned it into the novel, Desper Hollow, which is also available from Apex Publications.
Speaking of Elizabeth Massie, her husband, Courtney Skinner, is the artist responsible for the cover on this book. Nice work, Courtney.
Not every one of these stories is great, but there is certainly enough here to make Appalachian Undead an enjoyable read for zombie fans, even if you're city folk like me.
Originally published in 2012, Appalachian Undead, was taken off the market due to some kind of dispute at that time. Truthfully, none of that matters anymore, because now it's back and is available from Apex Publications in a variety of print and e-book formats.
If you still haven't made up your mind, the fine folks at Apex Publications have published a chapbook sampler of 4 stories that didn't get into the book called, Mountain Dead. If, for no other reason, get it for "Let Me Come In," a zombified retelling of "The Three Little Pigs."
For now Mountain Dead is available for FREE. Just go to and click on the Smashwords link to download in your preferred e-book format.
Recommended.
The Appalachian mountains run from Georgia to Maine, covering a lot of ground from a geography standpoint. In much the same way, editors Eugene Johnson and Jason Sizemore, have covered a good deal of ground with their twenty selections for this zombie anthology.
There are granny moonshiners, zombie gators, zombie gunfighters and many more. I like how different writers come at the zombie story from different directions and have different names for the undead. There's The Spread, The Cold Ones, Shufflers and even friendly zombies (watch out for the friendly zombies - they're sneaky).
There's a good mix of familiar names in the horror genre and several stories from names that are new to me.
Here’s the table of contents in no particular order�
“When Granny Comes Marchin� Home Again� by Elizabeth Massie
“Calling Death� by Jonathan Maberry
“Hide and Seek� by Tim Waggoner
“Twilight of the Zombie Game Preserve…� by S. Clayton Rhodes
“Being in Shadow� by Maurice Broaddus
“Sitting up with the Dead- Bev Vincent
“The Girl and the Guardian� by Simon McCaffery
“Repent, Jessie Shimmer! -Lucy Snyder
“Almost Heaven -Michael Paul Gonzalez
“On Stagger� by G. Cameron Fuller
“We Take Care of Our Own� by John Everson
“Sleeper� by Tim Lebbon
“Reckless� by Eliot Parker
“Company’s Coming� by Ronald Kelly
“Black Friday� by Karin Fuller
“Spoiled� by Paul Moore
“Miranda Jo’s Girl� by Steve Rasnic Tem
“Times Is Tough in Musky Holler� by John Skipp & Dori Miller
“Long Days to Come� by K. Allen Wood
“Brother Hollis Gives His Final Sermon from a Rickety Make-Shift Pulpit in the Remains of a Smokehouse that now Serves as His Church� by Gary A. Braunbeck
The first short, “When Granny Comes Marchin� Home Again� by Elizabeth Massie, was so well received she went and turned it into the novel, Desper Hollow, which is also available from Apex Publications.
Speaking of Elizabeth Massie, her husband, Courtney Skinner, is the artist responsible for the cover on this book. Nice work, Courtney.
Not every one of these stories is great, but there is certainly enough here to make Appalachian Undead an enjoyable read for zombie fans, even if you're city folk like me.
Originally published in 2012, Appalachian Undead, was taken off the market due to some kind of dispute at that time. Truthfully, none of that matters anymore, because now it's back and is available from Apex Publications in a variety of print and e-book formats.
If you still haven't made up your mind, the fine folks at Apex Publications have published a chapbook sampler of 4 stories that didn't get into the book called, Mountain Dead. If, for no other reason, get it for "Let Me Come In," a zombified retelling of "The Three Little Pigs."
For now Mountain Dead is available for FREE. Just go to and click on the Smashwords link to download in your preferred e-book format.
Recommended.
February 5, 2013
This is a very good collection of Appalachian zombie stories. There are a couple of stories that I felt just took up space, but most were above average, and I particularly enjoyed the ones by Elizabeth Massie, Bev Vincent, Paul Moore, Jonathan Maberry, John Everson, and Gary Braunbeck. Karin Fuller has a story that I will remember on every day-after-Thanksgiving from now on, and there's a Lucy Snyder story featuring the characters from her novels along with a zombie alligator named Rufus... If a zombie 'gator doesn't get your heart beating, nothing will.
April 1, 2020
2.5/5 rounded up for Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ
August 12, 2013
This review first appeared on my blog:
An anthology of the undead which is as diverse as it is scary. APPALACHIAN UNDEAD tests the bloody red waters of zombie fiction and comes out dripping with new ideals, portrayals and messages.
Spanning 21 stories linked by the Appalachian mountains place-setting, the horror aspect is thick and heavy - inducing fear and terror in every corner of the landscape be it dilapidated dwellings, abandoned mines or the forest-like terrain. Influences of Romeo's famous zombie creations, The Walking Dead, and another pop culture theme tie ins are rife throughout the anthology. However, the diversification of the undead themselves separates the anthology from the stereotype while still maintaining the familiar.
Moonshine reanimates the dead, starting slowly with animals before creating the undead in 'When Granny Comes Marchin' Home' by Elizabeth Massie. In ''Company's Coming' by Ronald Key, the good and bad are hard to distinguish as the living are portrayed in an unfavourable light while a band of undead keep keep an elderly woman company - feeling more human than their living counterparts.
'Sitting Up With The Dead' by Bev Vincent is classic horror. A deadly plague ravishes a community reanimating the dead from their graves. This one is for the b-grade horror enthusiasts. While 'Calling Death' by Jonathan Maberry echoes horror from the black depths of a mine. A survivor slowly trudges towards the entrance in hopes in claiming a safe haven only to find decay and death waiting. Both of these stories had a distinct sense of place-setting and atmospheric horror.
Moonshine and porch rocking chairs are common throughout the stories, 'We Take Care Of Our Own' by John Everson is one of my favourite stories in this anthology. Moonshine, once again is the cause of the undead yearning for live meat. In this take, Everson creates a macabre small town factory where the production workers are chained and the dead feed off out of towners.
Hell rains down from the sky in 'Long Days To Come' by K. Allen Wood. 'Almost Heaven' by Michael Paul Gonzalez gives the zombies a voice. 'Hell's Hollow' by Michael West has the reanimated reenact a fatal shoot-out year after year before returning to their graves. While 'The Girl and the Guardian' by Simon McCaffery sees a mysterious creature watch over a young girl as the zombie plague hits her home. These stories exemplify the diversity in this collection.
There are loads of enjoyable stories in APPALACHIAN UNDEAD, however the standouts for me are 'Spoiled' by Paul Moore - an atmospheric character driven horror where pregnancy and survival horror combine for a macabre tour de force. 'Sleeper' by Tim Lebbon is in line with the Walking Dead-like take on the genre. 'Being In The Shadow' by Maurice Broaddus sees a cop seek vengance for the dead of his partner at the hands of a shuffler. While 'Hide and Seek' by Tim Waggoner also provides the requisite thrills and chills.
There is a little something for all fans of horror within the blood smeared and gore encrusted pages of APPALACHIAN UNDEAD.
An anthology of the undead which is as diverse as it is scary. APPALACHIAN UNDEAD tests the bloody red waters of zombie fiction and comes out dripping with new ideals, portrayals and messages.
Spanning 21 stories linked by the Appalachian mountains place-setting, the horror aspect is thick and heavy - inducing fear and terror in every corner of the landscape be it dilapidated dwellings, abandoned mines or the forest-like terrain. Influences of Romeo's famous zombie creations, The Walking Dead, and another pop culture theme tie ins are rife throughout the anthology. However, the diversification of the undead themselves separates the anthology from the stereotype while still maintaining the familiar.
Moonshine reanimates the dead, starting slowly with animals before creating the undead in 'When Granny Comes Marchin' Home' by Elizabeth Massie. In ''Company's Coming' by Ronald Key, the good and bad are hard to distinguish as the living are portrayed in an unfavourable light while a band of undead keep keep an elderly woman company - feeling more human than their living counterparts.
'Sitting Up With The Dead' by Bev Vincent is classic horror. A deadly plague ravishes a community reanimating the dead from their graves. This one is for the b-grade horror enthusiasts. While 'Calling Death' by Jonathan Maberry echoes horror from the black depths of a mine. A survivor slowly trudges towards the entrance in hopes in claiming a safe haven only to find decay and death waiting. Both of these stories had a distinct sense of place-setting and atmospheric horror.
Moonshine and porch rocking chairs are common throughout the stories, 'We Take Care Of Our Own' by John Everson is one of my favourite stories in this anthology. Moonshine, once again is the cause of the undead yearning for live meat. In this take, Everson creates a macabre small town factory where the production workers are chained and the dead feed off out of towners.
Hell rains down from the sky in 'Long Days To Come' by K. Allen Wood. 'Almost Heaven' by Michael Paul Gonzalez gives the zombies a voice. 'Hell's Hollow' by Michael West has the reanimated reenact a fatal shoot-out year after year before returning to their graves. While 'The Girl and the Guardian' by Simon McCaffery sees a mysterious creature watch over a young girl as the zombie plague hits her home. These stories exemplify the diversity in this collection.
There are loads of enjoyable stories in APPALACHIAN UNDEAD, however the standouts for me are 'Spoiled' by Paul Moore - an atmospheric character driven horror where pregnancy and survival horror combine for a macabre tour de force. 'Sleeper' by Tim Lebbon is in line with the Walking Dead-like take on the genre. 'Being In The Shadow' by Maurice Broaddus sees a cop seek vengance for the dead of his partner at the hands of a shuffler. While 'Hide and Seek' by Tim Waggoner also provides the requisite thrills and chills.
There is a little something for all fans of horror within the blood smeared and gore encrusted pages of APPALACHIAN UNDEAD.
April 27, 2013
Hillbilly madness, oldschool horror, the walking dead, what could possibly be there not to like? Absolutely nothing, the problem with anthologies is that there is normally a dip in quality from writer to writer, and with so many noteworthy names all in one here it was expected but never happened, not even one sentence. Eugene Johnson has managed to compile a brilliant piece of work and what is easily my new favourite horror book. Appalachian Undead deserves a place on the bookshelves of every fan of the genre, serious or casual, plain and simple.
October 21, 2012
What makes this stand out from the countless other zombie books on the market is its themed location and originality. The premise is based on horror in the culturally stigmatic eastern region of the United States, but each story is vastly different.
Please read the rest of my review at:
Please read the rest of my review at:
August 20, 2013
I read this on my Kobo, and I will start off by saying that I won this on a giveaway from LibraryThing - so thanks goes out to Apex Pub and LibraryThing first off.
This is a fun and diverse collection of zombie short stories from some of the top notch authors in the horror/dark fiction genre.
I will start this brief review with this disclaimer: I am not much of a fan of zombies.
The stories in this collection vary in size from very short to more lengthy tales typical of many anthologies. Some of these were fantastic little shorts, others I did not like, but again, zombies is an area I usually shy away from.
There were 3 that really stood out, and I enjoyed a lot! They were When Granny Comes Marchin' Home Again - this was a fun read - couldn't stop turning the pages on this one. It had some humour to it, and of course some craziness to it. Company's Coming was also a tale that I really enjoyed as well. I would also like to point out that I was a big fan of Sitting Up with the Dead as well.
I don't want to spoil anything for those about to read this, so I won't get into any detail into any of the stories. I will say this - this is a great collection for any fan of zombie fiction ('cuz they are fiction right??? or...?). Each story has it's own unique qualities, characters, and story lines. From wacky zombie chicken parts, to typical zombie gore and shootouts, Appalachian Undead takes the reader deep into the heart of Appalachia, and will have you checking behind every tree, around every mountain, and thinking twice about passing the mines of this region.
This is a fun and diverse collection of zombie short stories from some of the top notch authors in the horror/dark fiction genre.
I will start this brief review with this disclaimer: I am not much of a fan of zombies.
The stories in this collection vary in size from very short to more lengthy tales typical of many anthologies. Some of these were fantastic little shorts, others I did not like, but again, zombies is an area I usually shy away from.
There were 3 that really stood out, and I enjoyed a lot! They were When Granny Comes Marchin' Home Again - this was a fun read - couldn't stop turning the pages on this one. It had some humour to it, and of course some craziness to it. Company's Coming was also a tale that I really enjoyed as well. I would also like to point out that I was a big fan of Sitting Up with the Dead as well.
I don't want to spoil anything for those about to read this, so I won't get into any detail into any of the stories. I will say this - this is a great collection for any fan of zombie fiction ('cuz they are fiction right??? or...?). Each story has it's own unique qualities, characters, and story lines. From wacky zombie chicken parts, to typical zombie gore and shootouts, Appalachian Undead takes the reader deep into the heart of Appalachia, and will have you checking behind every tree, around every mountain, and thinking twice about passing the mines of this region.
August 31, 2013
For once I find myself actually recommending a zombie anthology. There are a couple of duds but the overall standard is high.
September 28, 2013
Interesting horror anthology. Some of the stories in this one were pretty imaginative. I liked it well enough that I would feel comfortable recommending it to those who like zombie fiction.
January 4, 2013
This is a great collection. "Miranda Jo's Girl" and "Hell's Hollow" were my favorites.
October 26, 2013
A great collection of zombie stories. I found this one of the better zombie collections I have read in a long time.
January 22, 2014
Great Zombie Anthology! Please check out my full review here on A&A:
February 15, 2016
4.5 stars, loved most of these short stories way more than I expected. Scary, tense, gross, zombie alligators, it had it all!
December 4, 2019
First things first - look at that cover. I think it's absolutely gorgeous which is why I even enlarged it. I even think the little hound dog with his glowing red eyes looks awesome. I knew immediately this was one of the titles I wanted to review because I live in the Appalachian area. Also the forward from the editors talked about actual places in WV which I recognized which always fun.
"Appalachian Undead" is a collection of zombie tales. Some offer a traditional take on them while others are more unique. I recognized some authors featured such as Jonathan Maberry and Tim Waggoner, and found some which are quickly becoming favorites of mine such as Bev Vincent and Elizabeth Massie. I also have to have to give props to this book for featuring so many female horror authors.
Below I'll include a list of at the tales included but let me point out a few faves. "When Granny Comes Marchin' Home Again" is a wonderful story about Granny Mustard, whom I also got to meet in "Desper Hollow" which I am reviewing next week. It was great to see how the whole thing started and it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. "Black Friday" is a perfect story about that infamous shopping day and only goes to strengthen my belief that I should stay home. And "Calling Death" takes old mining folklore a step further and infuses it was a healthy dose of scares and thrills. Finally I have to mention "Repent, Jessie Shimmer!" All I have to say is zombie crocodile. Also the MC is so snarky that I am sure I'll be picking up the author's series which focuses more on this wonderful character I just met.
Here is the entire content:
When Granny Comes Marchin' Home Again - Elizabeth Massie
Calling Death - Jonathan Maberry
Hide and Seek - Tim Waggoner
Twilight of the Zombie Game Preserve... - S. Clayton Rhodes
Being in Shadow - Maurice Broaddus
Sitting up with the Dead- Bev Vincent
The Girl and the Guardian - Simon McCaffery
Repent, Jessie Shimmer! -Lucy Snyder
Almost Heaven -Michael Paul Gonzalez
On Stagger - G. Cameron Fuller
We Take Care of Our Own - John Everson
Sleeper - Tim Lebbon
Reckless - Eliot Parker
Company's Coming - Ronald Kelly
Black Friday - Karin Fuller
Spoiled - Paul Moore
Miranda Jo's Girl - Steve Rasnic Tem
Times Is Tough in Musky Holler - John Skipp & Dori Miller
Long Days to Come - K. Allen Wood
Hell's Hollow - Michael West
Brother Hollis Gives His Final Sermon from a Rickety Make-Shift Pulpit in the Remains of a Smokehouse that now Serves as His Church - Gary A. Braunbeck
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves short story collections, zombies, or good old Appalachian folklore and history. You'll most definitely find some new faves!
"Appalachian Undead" is a collection of zombie tales. Some offer a traditional take on them while others are more unique. I recognized some authors featured such as Jonathan Maberry and Tim Waggoner, and found some which are quickly becoming favorites of mine such as Bev Vincent and Elizabeth Massie. I also have to have to give props to this book for featuring so many female horror authors.
Below I'll include a list of at the tales included but let me point out a few faves. "When Granny Comes Marchin' Home Again" is a wonderful story about Granny Mustard, whom I also got to meet in "Desper Hollow" which I am reviewing next week. It was great to see how the whole thing started and it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. "Black Friday" is a perfect story about that infamous shopping day and only goes to strengthen my belief that I should stay home. And "Calling Death" takes old mining folklore a step further and infuses it was a healthy dose of scares and thrills. Finally I have to mention "Repent, Jessie Shimmer!" All I have to say is zombie crocodile. Also the MC is so snarky that I am sure I'll be picking up the author's series which focuses more on this wonderful character I just met.
Here is the entire content:
When Granny Comes Marchin' Home Again - Elizabeth Massie
Calling Death - Jonathan Maberry
Hide and Seek - Tim Waggoner
Twilight of the Zombie Game Preserve... - S. Clayton Rhodes
Being in Shadow - Maurice Broaddus
Sitting up with the Dead- Bev Vincent
The Girl and the Guardian - Simon McCaffery
Repent, Jessie Shimmer! -Lucy Snyder
Almost Heaven -Michael Paul Gonzalez
On Stagger - G. Cameron Fuller
We Take Care of Our Own - John Everson
Sleeper - Tim Lebbon
Reckless - Eliot Parker
Company's Coming - Ronald Kelly
Black Friday - Karin Fuller
Spoiled - Paul Moore
Miranda Jo's Girl - Steve Rasnic Tem
Times Is Tough in Musky Holler - John Skipp & Dori Miller
Long Days to Come - K. Allen Wood
Hell's Hollow - Michael West
Brother Hollis Gives His Final Sermon from a Rickety Make-Shift Pulpit in the Remains of a Smokehouse that now Serves as His Church - Gary A. Braunbeck
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves short story collections, zombies, or good old Appalachian folklore and history. You'll most definitely find some new faves!
September 3, 2022
Admit it. When you hear the title Appalachian Undead, you immediately start thinking of a zombie Deliverance, don't you? As S.G. Browne writes in his introduction, there is a definite "stereotype of the region as poor and desolate and culturally backward" that fiction has done as much to perpetuate as to dispel.
Some of the stories here are far removed from that stereotype, but others absolutely wallow in it - sometimes to the point of self-parody. Faced with the difficult task of playing to reader expectations, while still being respectful to the inhabitants of the region - living, dead, and undead - editors Eugene Johnson and Jason Sizemore have done a good job of collecting stories from both ends of the spectrum.
As for the zombies themselves, they run the full gamut from mindless shuffling to fast-moving aggression, and everything in between.
Highlights for me included 'Calling Death' by Jonathan Maberry, in which a survivor makes a claustrophobic journey back to the surface; 'Times Is Tough in Musky Holler' by John Skipp & Dori Miller, in which community service takes an unsettling turn; 'Long Days to Come' by K. Allen Wood, which explores a household's duck-and-cover sort of reaction to an outbreak; 'We Take Care Of Our Own' by John Everson, which deftly blends corporate greed with the fear of the outsider; and 'Twilight of the Zombie Game Preserve' by S. Clayton Rhodes, which had a very King/Bachman sort of feel to its tale of revenge and consequences.
The others are a mixed bag, but I'd be remiss in not mentioning 'Sitting Up With The Dead' by Bev Vincent was an interesting tale, in a melancholy sort of way; 'Black Friday' by Karin Fuller was an amusing take on consumerism that could have benefited from a little subtly, but still was a lot of morbid fun; and 'Hell's Hollow' by Michael West was a fun carnival twist that I only wish had been longer.
For the most part, these are simple horror stories, with no attempt at social commentary or heavy-handed messaging, and that's just fine with me. Nothing really wowed me to the point where I felt compelled to rush out and read everything a contributor has written, but I definitely came away entertained.
Originally reviewed at
Some of the stories here are far removed from that stereotype, but others absolutely wallow in it - sometimes to the point of self-parody. Faced with the difficult task of playing to reader expectations, while still being respectful to the inhabitants of the region - living, dead, and undead - editors Eugene Johnson and Jason Sizemore have done a good job of collecting stories from both ends of the spectrum.
As for the zombies themselves, they run the full gamut from mindless shuffling to fast-moving aggression, and everything in between.
Highlights for me included 'Calling Death' by Jonathan Maberry, in which a survivor makes a claustrophobic journey back to the surface; 'Times Is Tough in Musky Holler' by John Skipp & Dori Miller, in which community service takes an unsettling turn; 'Long Days to Come' by K. Allen Wood, which explores a household's duck-and-cover sort of reaction to an outbreak; 'We Take Care Of Our Own' by John Everson, which deftly blends corporate greed with the fear of the outsider; and 'Twilight of the Zombie Game Preserve' by S. Clayton Rhodes, which had a very King/Bachman sort of feel to its tale of revenge and consequences.
The others are a mixed bag, but I'd be remiss in not mentioning 'Sitting Up With The Dead' by Bev Vincent was an interesting tale, in a melancholy sort of way; 'Black Friday' by Karin Fuller was an amusing take on consumerism that could have benefited from a little subtly, but still was a lot of morbid fun; and 'Hell's Hollow' by Michael West was a fun carnival twist that I only wish had been longer.
For the most part, these are simple horror stories, with no attempt at social commentary or heavy-handed messaging, and that's just fine with me. Nothing really wowed me to the point where I felt compelled to rush out and read everything a contributor has written, but I definitely came away entertained.
Originally reviewed at
September 13, 2019
I'd recently read Appalachian themed anthology, Appalachian Horror edited by Bo Chappell and loved it, so this one with its really impressive line up caught my eye.
I have to admit, I didn't like every story in this anthology, to be really honest, Zombies aren't really my thing but this anthology has a really impressive line-up of horror authors I love. Just recently I read The House by the Cemetery by John Everson . He's one of the authors in here, I was eager to read more of his work.
In this anthology there are 21 stories, and although I didn't like every one of them, the ones I did like I really liked. Overall the quality of writing is really high and very entertaining. There's a really wide range of zombie tales that elevate the genre past over done cliches.
My favourite tale from Appalachian Undead has to be When Granny Comes Marching Home Again by Elisabeth Massie. Her writing really brought the place to life with vivid characters and dialogue unique to the region. I really loved bad ass but terrifying Granny! These were one of the stories you don't want to end. Legend has it that when this was released in 2012 the response to this story was so overwhelming that Elisabeth Massie has continued the tale in her novel also available from Apex, Desper Hollow.
Other tales I really like was the Super fun and thrilling tale, Repent Jessie Shimmer by Lucy Snyder. This tale had it all witches, familiars, voodoo and Zombies! Great fun from beginning to end.
The most terrifying and poignant story of the collection is Calling Death by Jonathan Maberry. The tale of a young man coming back to his homeland to visit an ancient relative and finding the past is as buried as it should be. This had such a deep brooding atmosphere that kept building as the tale progressed.
Offering a really different take on the classic zombie tale was Company's Coming by Ronald Kelly. This moving tale will have you seeing zombies in a very different light.
I also really enjoyed Time is Tough in Musky Holler by John Skipp and Dori Miller. This was a great horror tale of how survivors of a zombie apocalypse adapt to a new way of life. Grisly and lots of fun.
Overall this is a great anthology, something in there for everyone and if Zombie tales are your cup of tea, you'll love this!
I have to admit, I didn't like every story in this anthology, to be really honest, Zombies aren't really my thing but this anthology has a really impressive line-up of horror authors I love. Just recently I read The House by the Cemetery by John Everson . He's one of the authors in here, I was eager to read more of his work.
In this anthology there are 21 stories, and although I didn't like every one of them, the ones I did like I really liked. Overall the quality of writing is really high and very entertaining. There's a really wide range of zombie tales that elevate the genre past over done cliches.
My favourite tale from Appalachian Undead has to be When Granny Comes Marching Home Again by Elisabeth Massie. Her writing really brought the place to life with vivid characters and dialogue unique to the region. I really loved bad ass but terrifying Granny! These were one of the stories you don't want to end. Legend has it that when this was released in 2012 the response to this story was so overwhelming that Elisabeth Massie has continued the tale in her novel also available from Apex, Desper Hollow.
Other tales I really like was the Super fun and thrilling tale, Repent Jessie Shimmer by Lucy Snyder. This tale had it all witches, familiars, voodoo and Zombies! Great fun from beginning to end.
The most terrifying and poignant story of the collection is Calling Death by Jonathan Maberry. The tale of a young man coming back to his homeland to visit an ancient relative and finding the past is as buried as it should be. This had such a deep brooding atmosphere that kept building as the tale progressed.
Offering a really different take on the classic zombie tale was Company's Coming by Ronald Kelly. This moving tale will have you seeing zombies in a very different light.
I also really enjoyed Time is Tough in Musky Holler by John Skipp and Dori Miller. This was a great horror tale of how survivors of a zombie apocalypse adapt to a new way of life. Grisly and lots of fun.
Overall this is a great anthology, something in there for everyone and if Zombie tales are your cup of tea, you'll love this!
November 14, 2020
I was on Apex Publications website to purchase the new Tim Waggoner story "Some Kind of Monster". I was looking through the catalog for other titles or familiar authors. When I saw the title "Appalachian Undead", I just knew instantly that I had to get this book.
I am so glad I got this. What a unique spin on the Zombie genre. Set in the Appalachian, you have a good idea what most characters will be like. Add in the living dead, and you get near perfection.
I love and highly recommend this book.
I am so glad I got this. What a unique spin on the Zombie genre. Set in the Appalachian, you have a good idea what most characters will be like. Add in the living dead, and you get near perfection.
I love and highly recommend this book.
January 21, 2019
A really good anthology with some strong stories along with a few weak ones. I pretty much loved all but two of the entries. Definitely worth a read!
April 20, 2024
This is a collection of diverse tales. Some of the undead are slow, some are fast, most are brainless, a few are self aware. Even though some stories are better than others, they are all good.
October 19, 2015
Solid anthology, definitely more horror than dark fantasy.
There are some deeply creepy stories here, although many use a more physical style of horror than I prefer. There are a number of stories with the climax "THEN THE SCARY THING KNOCKED AT THE WINDOW!", which feels like the literary equivalent of a jump-scare to me. The implied threat is a painful death for the protagonist, and that threat has lost a lot of its visceral terror for me.
There are a few very creepy psychological stories too, though, especially toward the back half of the book. "Almost Heaven" suits my tastes just about perfectly.
I wish there had been a more even split between stories like "When Granny Comes Marchin' Home Again" or "Hell's Hollow" that deal with more specifically Appalachian zombies, and stories about how Appalachian people and society would deal with the Standard Zombie Apocalypse, a la "Dawn of the Dead".
Most of the stories here are closer to the latter, and while the authors handle it well, I'm a little tired of the Standard Setting. There's a faintly libertarian, survivalist theme that underlies the Standard Setting, in the premise that 'only those who are great at shooting guns and willing to do anything will survive the apocalypse', and that lends a certain sameness to many stories set there.
The editors did a great job on story selection. I'm always nervous about reading horror anthologies, because many of the ones I read as a teenager and young adult had really unpleasant underlying themes. Undertones of sexism and bigotry are discomfitingly common, in a genre that revolves around fear of the Just Slightly Wrong. I didn't see much if any of that here, which was refreshing.
Recommended if you like zombies and horror; these aren't my favorite works of zombie fiction, but the anthology is solid and entertaining.
There are some deeply creepy stories here, although many use a more physical style of horror than I prefer. There are a number of stories with the climax "THEN THE SCARY THING KNOCKED AT THE WINDOW!", which feels like the literary equivalent of a jump-scare to me. The implied threat is a painful death for the protagonist, and that threat has lost a lot of its visceral terror for me.
There are a few very creepy psychological stories too, though, especially toward the back half of the book. "Almost Heaven" suits my tastes just about perfectly.
I wish there had been a more even split between stories like "When Granny Comes Marchin' Home Again" or "Hell's Hollow" that deal with more specifically Appalachian zombies, and stories about how Appalachian people and society would deal with the Standard Zombie Apocalypse, a la "Dawn of the Dead".
Most of the stories here are closer to the latter, and while the authors handle it well, I'm a little tired of the Standard Setting. There's a faintly libertarian, survivalist theme that underlies the Standard Setting, in the premise that 'only those who are great at shooting guns and willing to do anything will survive the apocalypse', and that lends a certain sameness to many stories set there.
The editors did a great job on story selection. I'm always nervous about reading horror anthologies, because many of the ones I read as a teenager and young adult had really unpleasant underlying themes. Undertones of sexism and bigotry are discomfitingly common, in a genre that revolves around fear of the Just Slightly Wrong. I didn't see much if any of that here, which was refreshing.
Recommended if you like zombies and horror; these aren't my favorite works of zombie fiction, but the anthology is solid and entertaining.
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