This book is not what one would expect. Longtime fans of the comic book series, THE WALKING DEAD, would think this was about how the Governor, one of the most notable villains in the history of the book, whipped Woodbury into shape from scratch.
Not so. Writers Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga start out long before the Governor reaches Woodbury. Meet the Blake brothers, Philip and Brian. Together with Philip’s daughter Penny and their friends, Bobby and Nick, they begin their adventure hiding out in a suburban home, a home where they have just wiped out all the lurking zombies in the area. Or did they?
As with all of Kirkman’s work, the characters are the most interesting part of the book. Most interesting is the dynamic between Philip and Brian. The former is a hardcase redneck, tough as shit and stronger than anyone around him. Brian, on the other hand, is kind of a wimp, the sort who’d jump at his own shadow. This clash in personalities feeds most of this book as the brothers, who obviously love each other, struggle to accept each other as capable people.
The attention to the characters isn’t to say that attention to plot is lacking, especially to those familiar with the comic books. People who stick to viewing the show aren’t familiar yet with how far Rick Grimes is willing to go to protect his family. They don’t know that he’ll stoop to murder.
Kirkman and Bonansinga show Philip Blake in much the same light. He will do anything it takes to make sure his daughter survives the zombie apocalypse, no matter how violent things get. That is the be-all-end-all for him, just like Rick. Very interesting, indeed. Is Kirkman saying that the Governor and Rick are one and the same, that if Rick continues down this path, he will become the Governor?
Philip’s descent into madness is a rather fascinating thing to watch. At first we recognize him as we would ourselves, doing whatever it takes to make sure Penny survives. Who wouldn’t want to ensure their own daughter’s survival? But as time goes by, we start to question how far we’d go.
But there’s a degree of horror to it, because we would do some of those things, too. There is a scene where Philip rapes someone, and it almost seems reasonable. Almost. If a friend of yours told you about this happening to him, you might even feel sorry for him, as Brian feels when he hears it for the first time.
But as the comic book fans know, Penny doesn’t live. When we meet the Governor in the books, he keeps her zombified body around and even feeds it pieces of human beings. When we see her die at the hands of greedy rednecks, it hurts, and when Philip goes off the rails, it’s absolutely horrifying. He’s the protagonist of the book, someone we identify with, and to watch him fall to pieces and become just as depraved as the worst villain, well, it makes us realize that this is in all of us, given the right circumstances.
But Kirkman and Bonansinga have a neat little surprise in mind for us. To mention it would be criminal, but things get mighty interesting near the end of the book, when the Blake brothers and company make it to Woodbury . . . .
To those who would like to know the Governor better, this is the perfect treat. It explains a lot, and going back to read the Woodbury story arc again, it enhances the story, especially after knowing that little surprise. The only drawback to the novel is, it’s written in present tense. For most horror stories, this lends the tale a sense of immediacy, but here it doesn’t feel right. It’s supposed to be a prequel of sorts, and to anyone who has read the books, it’s a look at the past. Using past tense would be far more appropriate.
But don’t let that detract from the story. It is very enjoyable, and any fan would be remiss to skip it just because it doesn’t have pictures.
THE WALKING DEAD: RISE OF THE GOVERNOR
Written by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga
Thomas Dunne Books
308 pages
$13.43 on Amazon
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