Monday 11 June 2012

URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: Apocalypse Cow - Michael Logan

Release Date: 10/05/12

SYNOPSIS:

When scientists with warped imaginations accidentally unleash an experimental bioweapon that transforms Britain's animals into sneezing, bloodthirsty zombies with a penchant for pre-dinner sex with their victims, three misfits become the unlikely hope for salvation. Abattoir worker Terry Borders' love life is crippled by the stench of death that clings to his skin from his days spent slaughtering cows; teenage vegan Geldof 'Scabby' Peters alternates between scratching furiously at his rash and baiting his overbearing New Age mother; and inept journalist Lesley McBrien struggles forlornly in the shadow of her famous war correspondent father and the star journalist at the Glasgow Tribune. When Britain begins a rapid descent into chaos and ministers cynically attempt to blame al-Qaeda, Lesley stumbles upon proof that the government is behind the outbreak. During her bumbling quest to unveil the truth, she crosses paths with Terry and Geldof, and together they set out to escape a quarantined Britain with the evidence and vital data that could unlock a cure for the virus. Standing in the way are rampaging hordes of animals, a ruthless security agent and an army ready to shoot anybody with a case of the sniffles on the off-chance the virus has mutated. Three losers. Overwhelming odds. A single outcome: the world is screwed.


REVIEW:

Having felt disappointed by the other winner of the inaugural Terry Pratchett Anywhere but Here, Anywhere But Now Award, I wasn’t expecting that much from tale and thought that it would be a book that I’d take my time with rather than indulge within a very short time.

So as such I found that it sat on my TBR pile for a little while and as such with great worry I picked it up to begin (after making sure I had a real gem to enjoy after.) What unfurled within was a story that for me should have been the clear winner in its own right. I loved the lead trio of characters, I relished the new take on the Zombie myth and of course I thoroughly devoured the pages as the tale wove its unusual story with great aplomb.

The prose was crisp, the laughs when they came were witty and whilst the subject was quite dark all in it was a story I enjoyed from start to finish. Throw into the mix that this is a debut author and for me, if future titles live up the standards set here, I’ll have a firm favourite for that much needed laugh.



1 comment:

Angela Addams said...

This looks funny --I'd pick it up in a book store just based on the title alone ;-)