[title]
[message]Island of the Dead
by Brian Keene
Cover art by John Walters
ISBN 9781955765237
Pp. 180
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Not even death is an escape from the... ISLAND OF THE DEAD.
World Horror Grand Master Brian Keene returns to zombies in this relentless sword and sorcery horror epic!
Einar, an enslaved barbarian, plots his escape from a war galley transporting troops and a mysterious weapon to far enemy shores. But when an apocalyptic storm at sea leaves Einar and his fellow captives shipwrecked on a strange, uncharted island, friend and foe alike must band together against a ravenous, steadily growing horde of the undead... and even worse dangers.
Available for wholesale and distribution through Diamond Book Distributors.
About the Author
Brian Keene is the author of over fifty books, mostly in the horror, crime, and fantasy genres. He has also written for such media properties as Thor, Doom Patrol, Justice League, Doctor Who, The X-Files, Aliens, and Masters of the Universe. Several of his novels and stories have been adapted for film.
His numerous awards and honors include the 2014 World Horror Grandmaster Award, 2001 Bram Stoker Award for Nonfiction, 2003 Bram Stoker Award for First Novel, the 2016 Imadjinn Award for Best Fantasy Novel, and the 2015 Imaginarium Film Festival Awards for Best Screenplay, Best Short Film Genre, and Best Short Film Overall.
Keene also serves on the Board of Directors for the Scares That Care 501c charity organization.
He lives in rural Pennsylvania, along the banks of the Susquehanna River, with his wife (author Mary SanGiovanni), and their five cats, thirteen hermit crabs, and assorted deer, possums, raccoons, bears, eagles, and other wildlife.
Excerpt
The galley's lower deck stank of sweat, salt, vomit, and desperation. Einar tried to breathe through his mouth as much as possible, but it did little good. The stench permeated the dank, shadowed space. The series of small, round portholes spaced evenly apart along the length of the interior did little to alleviate things, as the ocean outside was currently windless.
Einar sat on a stained bench next to one of those outlets, gripping the rough wooden shaft of an oar in his hands. All around him were other men, each in the same predicament. They were all shackled together at the ankles, and the heavy iron chains rattled and clanked as the ship gently rolled from side to side. Einar's stomach rolled, as well. It was not his first time onboard a seafaring vessel, but it was his first as a slave. Regardless, whether as a privateer or a prisoner, he doubted that he would ever grow accustomed to the feel of a ship swaying beneath him. Luckily, the meager helpings of stale bread, salt pork, and water he'd subsisted on the last few weeks stayed down. Many of the other slaves had spewed their rations onto their feet.
They rowed in unison, and there was very little talking. Part of this was because of the different nationalities and language barriers of his fellow slaves. Another reason was the soldiers walking back and forth amidst their ranks, calling out cadence for the oars, and watching over their every move. But mostly, it was because they were all too exhausted from their efforts to muster casual conversation. One man had tried, early in the voyage —running through a seemingly endless supply of crude jokes and bawdy tales. The guards had let him prattle on. Einar wasn't sure if that was because they'd enjoyed his humor or if they had viewed it as a subtle form of torture for their prisoners. The comedian had died on the fourth day of the voyage, slumping over where he sat, mouth open, eyes glazed. He'd died in mid-jest, never delivering the punchline to the joke he'd been telling. Two soldiers had unchained his corpse, dragged him onto the upper deck, and unceremoniously tossed his corpse over the side. Einar had seen it plummet past his porthole. He'd been too tired to muster any interest in the affair.
Reviews
"A dive into isolation and zombie horror while also weaving in a rich tapestry of history and giant monsters!"
• Rebekah McKendry, director of Glorious and Blumhouse Films editor
"Exceedingly cool."
• Stephen King
"Catapulting us into heightened conflict and more of the undead, there is plenty of gore and horrific scenes to satisfy any zombie aficionado."
• Horrortree.com
“If you are a fan of sword and sorcery and zombies, then you should check this out.”
• Horrorreview.com
“Brian Keene fuses social commentaries of race, religion, creed and culture into one reality-warping story of the darkest kind.”
• Horror Bookworm
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- Description
- About the Author
- Excerpt
- Reviews
Not even death is an escape from the... ISLAND OF THE DEAD.
World Horror Grand Master Brian Keene returns to zombies in this relentless sword and sorcery horror epic!
Einar, an enslaved barbarian, plots his escape from a war galley transporting troops and a mysterious weapon to far enemy shores. But when an apocalyptic storm at sea leaves Einar and his fellow captives shipwrecked on a strange, uncharted island, friend and foe alike must band together against a ravenous, steadily growing horde of the undead... and even worse dangers.
Available for wholesale and distribution through Diamond Book Distributors.
Brian Keene is the author of over fifty books, mostly in the horror, crime, and fantasy genres. He has also written for such media properties as Thor, Doom Patrol, Justice League, Doctor Who, The X-Files, Aliens, and Masters of the Universe. Several of his novels and stories have been adapted for film.
His numerous awards and honors include the 2014 World Horror Grandmaster Award, 2001 Bram Stoker Award for Nonfiction, 2003 Bram Stoker Award for First Novel, the 2016 Imadjinn Award for Best Fantasy Novel, and the 2015 Imaginarium Film Festival Awards for Best Screenplay, Best Short Film Genre, and Best Short Film Overall.
Keene also serves on the Board of Directors for the Scares That Care 501c charity organization.
He lives in rural Pennsylvania, along the banks of the Susquehanna River, with his wife (author Mary SanGiovanni), and their five cats, thirteen hermit crabs, and assorted deer, possums, raccoons, bears, eagles, and other wildlife.
The galley's lower deck stank of sweat, salt, vomit, and desperation. Einar tried to breathe through his mouth as much as possible, but it did little good. The stench permeated the dank, shadowed space. The series of small, round portholes spaced evenly apart along the length of the interior did little to alleviate things, as the ocean outside was currently windless.
Einar sat on a stained bench next to one of those outlets, gripping the rough wooden shaft of an oar in his hands. All around him were other men, each in the same predicament. They were all shackled together at the ankles, and the heavy iron chains rattled and clanked as the ship gently rolled from side to side. Einar's stomach rolled, as well. It was not his first time onboard a seafaring vessel, but it was his first as a slave. Regardless, whether as a privateer or a prisoner, he doubted that he would ever grow accustomed to the feel of a ship swaying beneath him. Luckily, the meager helpings of stale bread, salt pork, and water he'd subsisted on the last few weeks stayed down. Many of the other slaves had spewed their rations onto their feet.
They rowed in unison, and there was very little talking. Part of this was because of the different nationalities and language barriers of his fellow slaves. Another reason was the soldiers walking back and forth amidst their ranks, calling out cadence for the oars, and watching over their every move. But mostly, it was because they were all too exhausted from their efforts to muster casual conversation. One man had tried, early in the voyage —running through a seemingly endless supply of crude jokes and bawdy tales. The guards had let him prattle on. Einar wasn't sure if that was because they'd enjoyed his humor or if they had viewed it as a subtle form of torture for their prisoners. The comedian had died on the fourth day of the voyage, slumping over where he sat, mouth open, eyes glazed. He'd died in mid-jest, never delivering the punchline to the joke he'd been telling. Two soldiers had unchained his corpse, dragged him onto the upper deck, and unceremoniously tossed his corpse over the side. Einar had seen it plummet past his porthole. He'd been too tired to muster any interest in the affair.
"A dive into isolation and zombie horror while also weaving in a rich tapestry of history and giant monsters!"
• Rebekah McKendry, director of Glorious and Blumhouse Films editor
"Exceedingly cool."
• Stephen King
"Catapulting us into heightened conflict and more of the undead, there is plenty of gore and horrific scenes to satisfy any zombie aficionado."
• Horrortree.com
“If you are a fan of sword and sorcery and zombies, then you should check this out.”
• Horrorreview.com
“Brian Keene fuses social commentaries of race, religion, creed and culture into one reality-warping story of the darkest kind.”
• Horror Bookworm

Island of the Dead