ZombieStop Parade

Richard Buzzell

Average Rating 8/10 (1 Review)

This story has nothing to do with zombies. It's about a young man who places himself in conflict with his society. He conducts an online campaign of ridicule against the cash-grab mentality and connects with a nascent alienation developing on college campuses, but also creates enemies in the media. Under pressure to betray his pal, his best friend is torn between his misgivings and his loyalty.

In the wake of the financial fiasco some of our citizens have come into conflict with the prevailing economic culture. This book attempts to capture the passion, the turmoil, and the strife of that conflict. Facing declining prospects, these millennial generation characters conduct a campaign of street-savvy satire against the ideology of the Econowitches. Wielding their irreverence like a weapon, they seek to undermine the values that propel economic ethnicity. Their efforts focus on exposing the instruments of dupability through which mythological systems of governance are dressed up for sale to an educated audience. Their courageous stance against the cash-grab mentality draws supporters who view them as heroes of sustainability, but it also draws vitriolic opposition and charges of extremism. There is on-going debate about the boundaries between committed advocacy and megalomania. The story unfolds beneath the threat of declining social cohesion and all the ugly possibilities that come with that. Personal and political drama is entangled in characters determined to make their lives about something. It’s an inspiring story of hope based not on delusion but on America’s long history of self-renewal.

Review by Molly Martin (301111) Rating (8/10)

Review by Molly Martin
Rating 8/10
Richard Buzzell’s ZombieStop Parade begins on Jan. 1 as the narrator notes; "My only New Year’s resolution this year is to keep a written record of the events that started last month." It seems that a person calling himself Jackal, actual identity unknown, who has a history of hacking into computer records at financial institutions, has been doing what he does best, again.

ZombieStop is a website, the brainchild of two twelve year olds at the time of its inception, designed by a character the reader comes to know as Corky who is seen, described and a friend of the voice of the narrator who we learn is called ZombieStopperUno.

With all the publicity surrounding The Jackal and his activity followed by a firebombing at the home of a public figure interest in the ZombieStop site is on the upswing. There are those who question whether the site designers might somehow be behind the firebombing to bring more interest to their site. On the other hand, the site does not run advertising, and that causes more than a little distrust from the corporate world.

ZombieStopperUno notes that he is becoming the face of ZombieStop and that he is not at all comfortable with the arrangement.

Buzzell has crafted an intriguing premise, laid out an intriguing methodology for presenting the narrative, and reels the reader right into the action from the opening lines. It does not take the reader long to realize that the zombies of the title are those in our society who move, take part in corporate economy and in general let others do their thinking. ZombieStop is a website intended to offer young folk a venue wherein they may voice their disquiet, scepticism and perhaps even expectation for the future.

The journal begun on Jan 1 will continue for some ten months, ending on Oct 31. During the intervening time mainstream media and corporate elitist view ZombieStop with growing cynicism; there is no place in their world for allowing free thinking, or doing anything that smacks of non profit.
The FBI, old relationships, criticism, increasing media, corporate and authority interest bordering on hysteria abound as conspiracy theories are investigated, promulgated and disseminated.

Economic spin doctors abound, what does ZombieStop hope to accomplish, how are they involved in the fire bombing attacks, are they a site inspiring terrorists, what is their agenda. By October 26 The Jackal seems to have disappeared, somehow ZombieStopperUno has been finagled into producing a book which is none too proud of, he thinks that perhaps a class regarding how to write a book might have been helpful. Corky vows he will not read the book. ZombieStopperUno hints that a flashy ending will take place once the book is published and notes that the FBI now suspects himself of being the mastermind behind ZombieStop.

All in all I found Buzzell’s book to be a highly readable, fast moving, noteworthy offering filled with enough action to hold attention and keep the reader interested. Humour abounds as writer Buzzell offers a number of analogous characters; Dork Queen, Professor Shillfield, Dynamic America, Seedy Bank and Corporate Divine Right are a few.

Enjoyed the read, happy to recommend Richard Buzzell’s ZombieStop Parade. It is sure to interest the target audience of savvy 20 something readers.
Molly Martin (30th November 2011)