So I seem to be on a bit of a zombie kick lately, reading and adding to my TBR quite a few books that have zombies as main characters or love interests, and even some that have the more stereotypical, shambling, post-apocalyptic kind of zombies.
I’ve never been a huge fan of zombies, even though I have started giving their books more of a chance, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be a fan of their covers!
I don’t usually care for the typical “one person a few people or a whole group standing in line together facing off against the vague, shadowy, looming zombies in the background” covers though because that’s what every zombie book has. It doesn’t stand out to me, and it honestly kind of bores me. So I’ve gathered up some covers that are a little different from the norm, that feature the actual zombies, or that do that typical thing but somehow make it pretty. And now on with the covers!
Cover Characteristics is a weekly meme hosted at Sugar & Snark. I went rogue this week, so my topic is:
Books Covers featuring Zombies
Zombie Ocean Series by Michael John Grist
I absolutely love these covers, they’re the reason I noticed these books in the first place and decided I want to read them, so I’m disappointed that the author is changing them to those extremely typical, “I wouldn’t look twice” kinds of zombie covers :-/ I mean, these are gorgeous and so unique!
Braineater Jones by Stephen Kozeniewski
I will never get over “Corpses in lust! It’s as gross as it sounds!”
Fountain of the Dead by Scott T. Goudsward
That is one disgusting zombie, but the artwork is awesome!
Return of the Loving Dead by Araminta Star Matthews & Stan Swanson
I like the way the image is “cropped” to show them holding hands, and I love the art style.
Left Alive Series by Jeremy Laszlo
Once again, great artwork. And is that a bear trap on his wrist?!? Ouch… The covers really do make the series look interesting though.
iZombie Series by Chris Roberson & Michael Allred
I love Michael Allred’s style of art, so I love the look of these covers and the inside artwork (these are graphic novels).
Keep Your Crowbar Handy by SP Durnin
This is one of those “typical” kinds that I was talking about above with a group of people standing in a line to face the imposing zombies, but this one just works for me.
Zombies Need Love, Too by Various Authors
Well, that looks like a rather horrible wedding, but it definitely makes for an interesting cover!
Wake the Dead Series by Gary F. Vanucci
I like how it’s got the typical zombies attacking but also is kind of different from the usual, plus I like the illustration. (What is it with zombie covers having such great artwork? I would never have suspected.)
My Favorite:
White Trash Zombie Series by Diana Rowland
These are so fun and, of course, gorgeously painted!
Zombies lol. Nice one! I’ve never been a big fan of zombies myself, although I did finally break down and watch The Walking Dead- which I found I liked! Zombies as love interests though? Eww… anyway my favorites here are probably Keep Your Crowbar Handy and the first White Trash Zombie cover. I like the Wake the Dead ones too…
BTW, did you know that Dan dos Santos used Comic Book Girl 19 as a model for some of the White Trash covers? Interesting … i remember reading this a while back. Here’s a link.
http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2013/02/white-trash-zombie-apocalypse.html
I’ve not seen The Walking Dead, though I know it’s super popular. I think I am getting a little more into zombie books in general though. A few on this list I have because they were freebies, and iZombie and Braineater Jones I’ve already read. I really, really want to read White Trash Zombie, but it’s too expensive for me right now.
Thanks for the link! I just read it, that’s too funny that it ended up looking like someone who already existed lol. And it’s just cool getting to see how he goes about it when he makes covers. I’m totally gonna end up losing hours of my life going through that site to find more posts of his now, haha.
This subject is dear to heart since I LOVE The walking Dead, and also Fear The Walking Dead. I think I would most likely read Wake the Dead or White Trash Zombie. They both have cool covers. I don’t read comics and unfortunatly, most cool ombie books are comics (like The Walking Dead).
I’m glad you like the topic! I’ve never seen The Walking Dead, but I do enjoy reading about zombies sometimes. The only zombie comic I’ve ever read though is iZombie, and that’s one of those zombie MC books, not the apocalypse kind of zombie, but I liked it!
I’m no help on this one. Lol. It’s my least favorite sub-genre right next to vampires! 🙂
What?! Did you just say you don’t like vampires?! How dare you come onto my blog and besmirch the good name of vampires! Lol I’m just kidding, but they really are my favorite. Zombie books are still kind of a so-so for me. I have been getting more into them, but I like the apocalyptic ones for the character development (not the zombies themselves) and the MC zombie ones because I like seeing the unique ways they’re portrayed by different authors 🙂
They sure are a money-making subgenere for real! I just don’t get the appeal, but I’m more of a scifi person. The only vampire book I’ve ever read (EVER) was The Historian. Never read Twilight. Never read Sookie. Never read any of the classics either. This is also a thing that just never appealed to me! I want to write paranormal romance, but I’m pretty sure I will go way out of the box for it, and most likely, not appeal to any readers with it. Lol. Such is my muse!
Ah, see, I spent my high school years reading Anne Rice, and I credit her with my love for vampires. And now I love seeing all the different versions authors come up with, and I just… love them lol. In the same way it just doesn’t appeal to you, it just does to me! But I also like reading about all different kinds of creatures, at least giving each one a few tries (though shifters and djinn have so far turned out to be my least favorite). I’ve even managed to read two books about kelpies this year. So whatever creature you go with, there will definitely be someone out there who wants to read it!
I had to look up kelpie! But wow, I love it! I would read about kelpies. I’m interested in other supernatural creatures, definitely. Maybe it’s the blood and guts and brains that don’t appeal to me with vampires and zombies? Lol.
I didn’t love either of the kelpie books, but that was really just an issue with the books themselves. I’d totally read about kelpies again! But I’ve read plenty of vampire books that really didn’t have any blood and guts except maybe that they sometimes drank blood (obviously). But that’s intimate and sexy in some versions, in which case it’s the best part 😉 Everyone has their preferences though, so it’s understandable if you just don’t like them 🙂
Zombie books never really appealed to me, although I do own a few as maybe I just have to read a good book with zombies to be convinced. I do like how you found some more original zombie covers. I really like the Diana Rowland her zombie books cover as they look so different and I actually enjoyed her other series so I might give that one a try eventually.
The zombie ocean cover is nice too with how it looks like they are in an ocean of zombies quite literally on the cover. And they sure stand out. Although I guess sometimes a cover that displays what people expect sells better, so maybe that’s why the author is changing them.
The braineater Jones cover looks a bit like a magazine, probably wouldn’t be a book I pick up based on the cover, but it does make you stop and take a look at it stands out. The cover for Keep Your Crowbar handy is kinda nice even though the pose is a bit more stereotypical it works somehow. And I like the title.
I can see why they don’t appeal to you since the usual ones often involve a lot of violence and gore, since people have to kill the zombies and whatnot. But I like those kinds when they focus on the characters and show them being pushed to their limits and bonding and growing and all that. And the other kinds, I find it interesting to see how different authors portray zombies as a paranormal type creature. I’ve never read any Diana Rowland books, but I really want to read the zombie ones!
You’re right, it does look like they’re in a literal ocean of zombies! I think you’re right about why he’s changing the covers, but I still find these more appealing. The new ones (he changed the first book already) I literally wouldn’t even glance twice at. It doesn’t stand out at all.
I’ve read Braineater Jones, so that cover did catch my attention 🙂 And funny that you mentioned liking the Crowbar title because I have a post coming on Friday about interesting book titles, and it was already made, but I marked down Keep Your Crowbar Handy to include in the next book titles post lol. So I like it too!
Zombies!!! I like the iZombie covers. I tried the show and liked it, but I didn’t get very far. I want to read the graphic novels. I like zombies, but I have a hard time finding zombie novels and movies I like. I’m picky I guess lol. Great cover choices here!!
I’ve not seen the show, but honestly it looked really meh to me :-/ Really liked the graphic novels though! Ok, didn’t like the ending, but I read that the publisher suddenly told them it had to be finished or something, so it ended up getting rushed, which was unfortunate. Still worth the read though. Thanks 🙂
Oh no! That is unfortunate that the ending had to be rushed. I hate when that happens with books or shows. Even though you didn’t care for the ending would you still recommend reading them?
I do still recommend them! I thought the rest of the series was fun, and the artwork was gorgeous (except for a couple issues in the final volume that also ended up having a different artist, probably also related to the rushed thing, I imagine). And who knows, you may like the ending.
The Diana Rowland ones are my favorite too. You could have added the Dan Shambles covers – I think they are zombie “cute” if that makes sense. I read the first volume of iZombie and am just waiting to see if my library gets the rest of them. I love it when you do these cover features.
I actually considered including the Dan Shambles ones but put them aside for a possible Part 2 post in the future or for another topic 🙂 I didn’t like the ending of iZombie, but I liked all the rest of it and the artwork, so I definitely think you should read the rest if your library gets it! By the way, I got it on Hoopla, so you might be able to borrow the ebook version through your library. And thanks 🙂
I am looking forward to reading the Zombie Ocean books, that sucks they are changing the cover – sometimes it can be for the best but I just had a look and the new one is meh!
Exactly! The old ones are so awesome, and the new one is so plain and looks like every other zombie book ever. It doesn’t stand out at all. Like I get that it’s more fitting with the genre, but what good does that do if it doesn’t even catch anyone’s attention?
I love anything to do with zombies so thanks for making this post, it’s revealed some books that I haven’t heard of so I’ll have to check them out! I know what you mean about the cliche ‘people standing in a line in front of a horde of zombies’ covers, but I think the Rot and Ruin series handles that trope well. For starters, it’s just one person, the zombies are dotted around instead of really being a horde, and there are landmarks on the covers that coincide with the events of the books.
And also, it isn’t a novel, but the main movie poster for Shaun of the Dead with Simon Pegg looking very confused in a train full of zombies is my absolute favourite!
Yay, I’m glad you like the post! I’ve read a couple of these and have numerous others on the list, so maybe we’ll both end up reading some of the same books 🙂
The only Rot and Ruin covers don’t actually have people standing in a line in front of zombies, so I’ve never seen the covers you’re talking about? I think it *can* be done well though if it stands out in some way, so what you described does sound good.
I looked up the Shaun of the Dead poster, and it is funny lol.
Ah the UK covers of Rot and Ruin aren’t the same as the US covers! I always try and buy the UK covers of books if I can haha! But yeah I think it works on those ones as it’s not too cliche. 🙂
Lol why does the UK always get all the best covers?!