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Zom-B
Zom-B, the first book of the series.
AuthorDarren Shan (O'Shaughnessy)
IllustratorWarren Pleece and Nick Stearn
Cover artistWarren Pleece and Cliff Nielson
LanguageEnglish
GenreHorror and zombie apocalypse
PublisherHarperCollins
Published2012–16

Zom-B (alternatively known as the Zom-B Chronicles) is a young adult zombie apocalyptic-thriller novel series by written by Irish author Darren O'Shaughnessy under the pen name Darren Shan. The series is told by first-person perspective of B Smith, a teenager turned into a zombie. Like Shan's previous series, Zom-B is notable for exploring themes of racism, xenophobia, and the sociological concept of "us and them".

The series has received a universally positive critical reception.

Works

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Publishing order

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Cover illustration copyright Warren Pleece

  1. Zom-B Chronicles – 27 September 2012 (16 October 2012 in the US)
  2. Zom-B: Underground – 3 January 2013
  3. Zom-B: City – 14 March 2013
  4. Zom-B: Angels – 20 June 2013
  5. Zom-B: Baby – 26 September 2013 (1 October 2013 in the US)
  6. Zom-B: Gladiator – 2 January 2014
  7. Zom-B: Mission – 27 March 2014
  8. Zom-B: Clans – 3 July 2014
  9. Zom-B: Family – 25 September 2014
  10. Zom-B: Bride – 1 January 2015 (24 February 2015 in the US)
  11. Zom-B: Fugitive – 10 September 2015 (22 September 2015 in the US)[1]
  12. Zom-B: Goddess – 22 March 2016[1]

A short novella titled Zom-B: Circus, set between Zom-B: Gladiator and Zom-B: Mission, was released on 27 April 2014, following one of B's teachers, Cat Ward.[2]

Plot

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The series centers around Becky "B" Smith, who finally rejects her racist father at the beginning of a zombie apocalypse after being forced by him to throw a black classmate to the zombies. B later has her heart ripped out by the same classmate. Awakening eighteen months later as a "reviitalised" zombie, B explores the world at large, the ongoing battle between Dr. Oystein and his Angels and Mr. Dowling and his mutant-controlled zombies. The series also explores B's own connections to the instigators of the apocalypse, including the Owl Man and a mysterious group of babies.[3] The majority of novels in the series are written as concluding with a cliffhanger leading to the subsequent book, structured in a manner similar to television serials.[4]

Characters

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"B Smith" redirects here. For the American restaurateur, model, author, businesswoman and television host, see B. Smith.

In the first novel, the titular B Smith is described with gender neutral terms until the final chapter, in which their first name is revealed to be Becky.[5] The decision to leave B's gender initially ambiguous was explained by Shan to allow the reader to question their own assumptions and biases with regards to the way B acts and how women "should" be written in works of fiction.[6][7]

Smith–Dowling family tree

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Todd Smith / DadDaisy Smith / MumDr. OysteinSchlesinger Dowling
Clements DowlingMr. DowlingBecky Smith / B3 ChildrenBarnes
3 DaughtersOwl ManHoly-Moly SmithThe BabiesThe Angels[a]Stuart

Overview

[edit]
Character Zom-B
Zom-B Underground City Angels Baby Gladiator Mission Circus Clans Family Bride Fugitive Goddess
Main characters
Becky "B" Smith Main Guest Main
Tom White Owl Man Main Mentioned Main Mentioned Main Mentioned Main Mentioned Main
Zachary Dowling
Mr. William "Billy" Burke Main Mentioned Main Guest Does not appear Mentioned
Vinyl "V" Main Mentioned Does not appear Main Does not appear Mentioned Main Mentioned Does not appear
Todd Smith / Dad Main Mentioned Guest Main Mentioned
Daisy Smith / Mum Main Mentioned Zombie
Mrs. Lynne Reed Main Does not appear Mentioned Does not appear Main Does not appear
Michael "Rage" Jarman Does not appear Main Mentioned Main Does not appear Main Guest Mentioned Main
Reilly Does not appear Main Main Guest Does not appear Main
Josh Massoglia Does not appear Main Mentioned Does not appear Main Does not appear Main
The Zom Heads[b] Does not appear Main Does not appear Recap Does not appear Mentioned
Barnes Does not appear Main Does not appear Main Does not appear Mentioned Does not appear Main Corpse
Coley Does not appear Main Does not appear Main Does not appear Main Does not appear Mentioned Does not appear
Timothy Jackson Does not appear Main Does not appear Main Mentioned Does not appear Mentioned
Sister Clare of the Shnax Does not appear Main Mentioned Does not appear Zombie Does not appear
Dr. Oystein Dowling Does not appear Voice Main Mentioned Main Mentioned Main
Master Zhang Does not appear Main Does not appear Guest Mentioned Does not appear Main
The Angels[a] Does not appear Main Recurring Main Does not appear Recurring Mentioned Recurring Main
Holy-Moly Smith Guest Mentioned Does not appear Main Mentioned Guest Does not appear Guest Main
Emma Does not appear Main Guest Does not appear
Declan Does not appear Main Guest Does not appear
Lord Daniel Wood Dan-Dan Does not appear Main Mentioned Does not appear Main Mentioned
Vicky Wedge Does not appear Main Does not appear Mentioned Main Mentioned Main
Justin Bazini Does not appear Main Does not appear Main Main
Luca Wood Does not appear Main Does not appear Mentioned Does not appear
Sakarias Does not appear Main Does not appear Main Guest Main
Mr. Albrecht Dowling Does not appear Guest Mentioned Main Mentioned Guest Main
Kinslow Does not appear Guest Does not appear Main Does not appear Guest Main
Cat Ward Guest Does not appear Main Does not appear
  1. ^ a b Consisting of Cian, Awnya, Ashtat, Jakob, Carl, and Shane.
  2. ^ Consisting of Cathy, Tiberius, Mark, Gokhan, Peder, and Danny.

Reviews

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Zom-B opened to largely positive reviews by critics.

Shan brings back his tried-and-true shock and gore narratives, with gruesome brain scooping and death-defying action sequences. Troubled by divided loyalty between father and friends, B's character is well-drawn though occasionally naïve; B often elects not to make any choice in difficult situations, and Shan doesn't fully explore the consequences of those moments of inaction. The English slang may cause momentary trouble, but tension over immigration crosses the pond easily enough. Shan packs in the bites, and he rips out enough entrails for even the most jaded zombie fan; the cliffhanger ending, now expected by his fans, closes on just the right note to leave the audience gnawing for more. A series opener to sink your teeth into.[8]
Shan [e]nters the zombie genre in a thoroughly bloody fashion with this slow-burning horror piece, which opens a planned 12-book series. Character development is impressive for a relatively short book, and Shan executes the transition from normalcy to wholesale terror masterfully. It's a strong start, but there's a lot of story left to go.[9]
[Zom-B is] a clever mix of horror, fantasy and realism – about the damaging 'virus' of racial hatred and social paranoia. The horror scenes are well choreographed and not without the useful escape valve of humour. There is some earthy language ("I thought she was going to chew me a new arsehole," says B Smith) but it fits the tone and characters in the book rather than seeming gratuitous.[10]
Dealing in some decidedly edgy material and a brilliant secondary twist that'll have you kicking yourself for being taken in, Zom-B is a book that'll make young readers think as well as making them gag. With its kids who smoke, shoplift and talk of "copping a feel", Zom-B almost makes the existing Young Adult zombie series, Charles Higson's The Enemy, look like the Blue Peter to its Grange Hill, even though Higson's books are pretty damn ruthless themselves.[11]
  • Rachael Simpson (Blind Dog Books):
These books aren't beautifully written works of art but they are mindless fun with a deeper message if you want to get into it. The characters are really interesting and the plot twists are always wild. Though that being said things are pretty deep at times, this series makes you feel really sorry for the person who's the villain and it forces you to question everyone at all times. Also there's a lot of racist themes throughout so be aware of that before you start reading these books. I love the journey B goes on and was so much more interested in them trying to justify the racism that they see from their father and that they find themselves involved in than the zombies themselves. I really love character growth and think if it's done well then it's so amazing.[12][13]

Adaptation

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In May 2019, Zom-B was optioned for a ten-part television series adaptation by London-based production company The Electric Shadow Company.[14][15] In March 2020, it was announced that The Electric Shadow Company had partnered with Slam Films in developing the series.[16] In March 2021, Susan E. Connolly was announced to be attached as the lead writer on the project, with The Electric Shadow Company releasing a teaser image depicting a blood-spattered B Smith opposite her best friend Vinyl to their website.[17]

In December 2022, Darren O'Shaughnessy confirmed that while the series' television pilot script "didn't get any takers in the UK", that it was still in active development in "a different part of the world" as a non-English language series.[18] In January 2024, O'Shaughnessy announced that the adaptation was "no longer under option" following an unsuccessful succession of pitches in Finland.[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b Neill, Graeme (12 October 2011). "Shan moves from HC to S&S for Zom-B". The Bookseller. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Zom-B / reviews / The Star Online". 6 May 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  3. ^ RIOT, Millennium (17 March 2014). "Darren Shan: "I wanted to write about racism in the UK – zombies seemed like a good way to do that."". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  4. ^ Shan, Darren (28 October 2015). "Darren Shan: The Joy of a Great Cliffhanger". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  5. ^ Sheridan, Colette (22 October 2014). "Darren Shan: A Damned Good Storyteller". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  6. ^ O'Brien, Liam (27 September 2013). "The Conversation: Author Darren Shan on Racism, Sex and a Zombie Apocalypse". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  7. ^ Shan, Darren (6 April 2016). "Darren Shan: Saying Goodbye To My Zombies". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  8. ^ Johnson, Olivia (16 October 2012). "Review: Zom-B by Darren Shan". Kirkus Reviews – via Olivia Johnson.
  9. ^ Little, Brown (16 October 2012). "Zom-B by Darren Shan – Review". Publishers Weekly – via Brown Little.
  10. ^ Chilton, Martin (28 September 2012). "Zom-B by Darren Shan, review". The Telegraph – via Martin Chilton.
  11. ^ Berriman, Ian (1 April 2011). "Zom-B by Darren Shan, Review". GamesRadar – via Ian Berriman.
  12. ^ Simpson, Rachael (28 November 2020). "So I just finished the Zom-B series by Darren Shan and…". Blind Dog Books – via Rachael Simpson.
  13. ^ Simpson, Rachael (25 August 2020). "I just read Zom-B by Darren Shan and…". Blind Dog Books – via Rachael Simpson.
  14. ^ Brown, Curtis (31 May 2019). "Darren Shan's Zom-B series optioned for television series". Curtis Brown. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  15. ^ McCarthy, Esther (30 May 2019). "Screen Ireland backs new Carmel Winters, Darren and Colin Thornton projects". Screen Daily. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  16. ^ Mitchell, Wendy (5 March 2020). "Ireland's Fantastic Films moves into TV with 'Zom-B' (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  17. ^ "The Electric Shadow Company". The Electric Shadow Company. 18 March 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  18. ^ O'Shaughnessy, Darren (1 January 2023). "/ Shanville Monthly / – Issue 270 – January 2023". DarrenShan.com. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  19. ^ O'Shaughnessy, Darren (15 January 2024). "Zom-B TV show update". DarrenShan.com. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
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