Top Ten Zombie & Monster Novels
Having grown up enthralled with monster movies and scary stories, I love, love, love stories about zombies and other monsters. My tastes run to humor and cheese, so the funnier and cheesier it is, the more I like it.
Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament, by S. G. Browne
The question being, can zombies find love and civil rights?
Go, Mutants!, by Larry Doyle
A funny, funny homage to creature features and 1950s radioactive monster movies.
Feed, by Mira Grant
This one is neither funny nor cheesy. The real story is about truth and freedom of the press and how society responds to fear.
Kill the Dead, by Richard Kadrey
Follow up to Sandman Slim, where Stark, the monster who kills monsters, has to give the devil his due.
Patient Zero, by Jonathon Maberry
Kick ass hero, Joe Ledger has to stop zombies from eating politicians (at times, you’ll be rooting for the zombies)
The Dragon Factory, Jonathon Maberry
Joe Ledger is back to stop a modern day Frankenstein from turning loose monsters on the world.
In the Company of Ogres, by A. Lee Martinez
Never Dead Ned has to lead a company of the most mutinous, ambitious, funny monsters ever assembled into an army troop.
Monster Island
Monster Nation
Monster Planet, by David Wellington
The world is overrun by zombies and the very few living battle to survive. Terrific cheese factor, plenty of grue and gore, and the occasional laugh out loud funny bit.
Top Ten Favorite Fantasy Writers
Coming up with a Top Ten list is tough, especially in fantasy fiction. I made it easier on myself by only including writers who are alive and well and currently writing (Which is why Tolkien, Saberhagen, Bradbury and many, many more aren’t on this list.). Still tough and I’m leaving out many authors I enjoy, but a top 200 list is just too big to handle.
Steven Brust — Vlad Taltos, assassin, crime boss, witch, but a pretty nice guy nonetheless.
Jim Butcher — The Dresden Files, featuring Harry Dresden, wizard of Chicago; the Codex Alera, the rise of Tavi from shepherd to First Lord.
Suzanne Collins — I’m not a big fan of dystopian fantasies or young adult novels, but sheer skill as a storyteller and a compelling heroine, Katniss Everdeen, makes her Hunger Games trilogy one of my faves.
Larry Correia — accountant turned monster hunter, Owen Z. Pitt, becomes a member of Monster Hunters, International. His cast of characters, especially the very surprising Agent Franks, is the best.
Charles DeLint — Anything he writes, but especially the tales of Newford where the spirit world and reality often clash.
Charlie Huston — Joe Pitt is the best vampire ever! Dark, volent, funny, and romantic as hell.
Charlaine Harris — Sookie Stackhouse. Even though Ms. Harris deeply disappointed me with her last Sookie story, the overall series is still one of the funniest, and sexiest takes on vampire and werewolf mythology ever.
J.F. Lewis — Who’d a thought a grouchy, murderous, self-centered vampire like Eric could be such a charming hero?
Robin McKinley — Her writing is a dream, lush and lyrical. I reread two of her novels, Deerskin and Sunshine, at least once a year just to remind me what beautiful writing is all about.
Christopher Moore — Funny. Really funny. When I pull out A Dirty Job the Old Man groans because the TV is going on permanent mute while I read aloud the funniest bits.
Jaye's Love Affair With Genre Fiction 