Zom-B Underground

Shan, Darren. Zom-B Underground. 2013, 181p. ISBN 978-0-316-21412-4. FIC SHA on the library shelves.

In this sequel to Zom-B, B wakes up in an underground facility only to be immediately attacked along with other zombies by teens wearing leather and carrying flame throwers. When one of the attackers gets tackled by one of the zombies, B intervenes and saves the teen, who turns out to be a zom-head, a teen who was killed and was turned into a zombie but then somehow regained consciousness. B becomes one of the little group of zom-heads who are being studied in the research facility by Dr. Cerveris and a group of military officers.

B remains conflicted about life as a zombie. The little things in life, like hair growing, grooming, and sleeping are replaced by daily teeth filing, tear drops to prevent eyes from drying out, and a gray tasteless goo eaten and promptly vomited as zombies can’t digest food. B misses the parental units, but still questions what happens with Tyler at the school.

The zom-heads are used against other zombies to find anymore zom-heads, and their group dynamics replicate how they were in real life, with conflicts and fights among the characters. When the complex is invaded by zombies and the vile clown Mr. Dowling, B and the other zom-heads find themselves in the fight of their life, trying to escape the underground complex while being chased both by soldiers and by mutant zombies commanded by Mr. Dowling. Can B and company escape, or will they suffer a second and ultimate death?