Mary Shelley wrote a stunning classic when she penned Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, but almost every film adaptation has failed to live up to her original work. More often than not, they seem more parody or satire. Well, what if instead of Frankenstein trying to unlock the secrets of creation he had really been attempting to create a being with a very specific and noble purpose? Like say…fighting zombies!
In Zombie Notes: A Study Guide to the Best in Undead Literary Classics by Laurie Rozakis, Ph.D. the first undead literary classic mentioned is Frankenstein, or How to Build the Ultimate Zombie Fighting Machine. Well, we know that Mary Shelley never wrote that, but what if she had? Don’t we need the ultimate zombie fighting machine? I’ll bet those people in the TV series The Walking Dead wish they had the ultimate zombie fighting machine.
I fell out of my chair laughing more than once as I read Dr. Rozakis’s pseudo-synopsis for each chapter of this hilariously non-existent novel, not to mention the cultural context, the discussion and essay guide, and the quiz.
Zombie Notes also contains outlines for other non-existent undead classics that quite possibly could be fermenting in someone’s mind in this time of monster mash-ups.
- Jane Eyre and the Mystery of the Zombie
- A Tale of Two Cities Overrun with Zombies
- Zombies Attack Wuthering Heights
- Moby-Dick, Zombie Whale
- and more.
I found myself wishing to read the full version of these thrilling zombie filled tales, but alas, they have yet to be written, should anyone dare. At any rate, Zombie Notes provides a wicked diversion appealing to the depraved zombie fan wishing for more zombie mayhem where ever it can be interjected.
*Photo: Spooky grave stone in the churchyard at St Michael’s Church, Baddesley Clinton by ell brown, obtained through Flickr Creative Commons