Recently, the author contacted me about doing a review of his book latter-day of the dead. The funny thing is, I had won this book a while ago in a giveaway from Kriss at http://cabingoddess.com, and when I took a little hiatus to my sister’s house, I grabbed this book for a quick read by the pool. The request for the review and my taking this book with me before I had heard from the author is just so weird.
When I visited Kriss’s blog to enter her very first giveaway, the cover art caught my eye.
Then when I found out what the story line was, I knew I had to review it on my blog. A polygamist compound and zombies. Who would a thunk it? Well, Kevin Krohn did. What an ingenious plot.
Thanks Kriss. It was one of the first giveaways I won.
This book is not real long, took me a couple of hours to read it. But, there is so much in it. You have a secluded polygamist community dealing with a zombie outbreak. Now, where do you think the zombies came from? I can’t tell you how it started, but I will tell you that the victims and the zombies are all from the community. That’s right. Polygamist zombies.
Can you picture the community. These Latter-Day Saints chose to live away from civilization and its influence, raising large families and following their faith. Kevin Krohn writes this story, I want to say, in their language. You feel like one of them, and almost become a part of the community.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jgTZAmrcn4]
Told to you from the perspective of Brother Elias, their community doctor, you begin to understand the provincial lifestyle these people lead. This is the last place you would ever want something like this to happen.
The bravery and fortitude these characters display is inspiring. This story takes a very dark turn, not even the children are spared. The author is able to write these scenes skillfully, which must have been difficult. Horror and children are a delicate balance. Just remember that these children are not children any longer. They are zombies and age doesn’t enter into it anymore. It makes me wonder about the cover. The blank face on the girl, could it be “not putting a face on it?”
A well researched and thoughtfully written book, latter-day of the dead will satisfy all fans of thrillers and zombies. Rich in culture and rife with zombies, I have to say it hits the top of my list for originality. You will not find another story like it.
5 STARS
The story does not end here, as you’ll discover. I also happened to spy the words book one tucked onto the cover. I will definitely be on the look out for the second book.
And now I have Kevin Krohn here for an interview. Get comfortable and enjoy.
Thanks for joining us and doing this interview Kevin. Let’s get started.
L. When I visited your author pages on Amazon and Goodreads, they were somewhat sparse. Would you like to reveal a little bit about yourself with us?
K. Haha, yes. I have kept my information pretty vague, and I am not sure why. I am a Sagittarius, a “Breaking Bad” junkie, and I don’t trust anyone with a Y in their first name when it should clearly be an I.
L. The most obvious question I have is, wherever did you get your idea for Latter-Day of the Dead?
K. I am really intrigued by cults and people completely removing themselves from the rest of civilization. I started writing from that perspective and the viral outbreak was a way to bring a fun aspect to the subject, although I am unsure if a viral outbreak could be considered comedic relief.
L. Your writing expresses the culture and language of latter-day saints as if you lived it. The research must have been extensive. Could you explain the process?
K.. I moved to Utah four years ago, and being a new resident, I wanted to be able to understand the culture and history. The state takes great pride in its history, so there is an abundance of information to get a full understanding of what all is happening out here. The fundamental polygamists are a little harder to research, but that helped allow me to create some uniqueness to the group in the book.
L. I see where you have written two other books in a series, Severed Ties(Volume I and II). I’m curious as to why you went in a very different direction with Latter-Day of the Dead?
K. That is something I hope I can continue to do. I will want the book after the Latter-Day series to go in a completely different direction as well. It may not be the best game plan to establish a readership, but I want to be able to explore many different genres through my writing. I typically let the characters dictate where the story goes.
L. I couldn’t help but notice it says Book One on the cover. When can we expect Book 2 and is there anything you can tell us about it?
K. I don’t think I can announce the release date for Book 2 quite yet, but it will be coming out this fall. Obviously for those who have read Book I they will know there is a lot going on in Book 2 right from the jump. Brother Elias and the rest of the compound are going to have a tough time staying safe, and the future of the group has already been dramatically altered even if they are able to survive.
L. The cover art for your book really caught my eye. Is there a reason why her face is blank and did you do the cover yourself?
K. I chose the photo for the cover. I thought the blank face portrayed a great sense of “unknown” evil. There is also a slight nod to the underlying meaning of the way the many faceless women are treated on these polygamist compounds, but that discussion is probably for a much different interview.
L. What are you reading now and is there a genre you prefer?
K. I am just jumping into Kings of Cool by Don Winslow. It is a prequel to Savages. I saw the Savages movie directed by Oliver Stone, but never read the original book. I tend to lean towards crime thrillers, but will read anything that keeps me entertained page-to-page.
L. Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
K. I just thank everyone that has taken the time to read Latter-Day of the Dead. My only hope when publishing a book is to have people read it, so knowing that is happening brings great satisfaction. And people like you, Laura, helping spread the word about indie books gives us that opportunity, so thank you.
You are most welcome Kevin. The pleasure is all mine and thank you also.
Now for the giveaway. Kevin has generously offered me 1 signed paperback and 2 e-Books to give away.
Entry is easy, as usual. Just leave a comment with your e-mail address and please click on that tweet button:)
Although not required, it would be so appreciated if you followed my blog and visited Kevin at the links provided at the bottom of this post.
So let’s go!! Good Luck!
Contest ends on August 17th.
Other books by Kevin Krohn:
Click on the cover image to purchase a copy.
Author contacts:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1614681.Kevin_Krohn
https://twitter.com/kevinkrohn
http://www.facebook.com/kevinkrohn
I was just informed that it is Utah Author Month. http://utahbooks.blogspot.com/
Thank you Jessica. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss out on this important celebration!
http://the bluestockings.com
