Book Review: Till Undeath Do Us Part

Title: Till Undeath Do Us Part

Genre: Zombie/Novella

Author: Anthony Camber

TLDR version: A fast-paced, snappy, gripping zombie novella set in Cambridge, England, with a gay main character (though it can be enjoyed by any audience). It contains two story arcs, one focusing on escape, the other on love. The writing is engaging; Camber is talented.

My thoughts: In the zombie genre you get a lot of the same. As such, I’m always looking for something different.

Till Undeath Do Us Part gave me that and more. This fast-paced novella has a lot of things that set it apart – primarily, the same-sex relationship of the main character, Olly, to his boyfriend, Josh, both Cambridge rowers, and the dual story nature of the novella.

The story starts with action from the get-go, when Olly discovers that his boyfriend Josh’s experiments with pheromones have gone awry, zombifying students. Suddenly, Olly is on a mission to escape – not just the students, but his now undead boyfriend.

The dialogue is snappy, witty, and funny in true British form. Camber is definitely a skilled storyteller and I was sucked in after the first few pages. There are two story arcs that switch intermittently. This would normally annoy me, but Camber pulls it off well.

The main story arc follows Olly and his attempt to escape. The other story is a series of flashbacks that details the development of Olly and Josh’s relationship. The escape story is the more interesting, at first, but the love story picks up about halfway into the novella. At the very end, Camber’s intent becomes clear when past and present fuse to provide an amazing conclusion.

Any fan of zombie literature likes good action scenes – this book definitely has them and will keep you on the edge of your seat. I also liked the descriptions of Cambridge. It’s a place I’ve never been, and it was good to see it through the eyes of someone who lives there. Camber describes the place with familiarity, even giving local nicknames to some of the sites. I got the sense of what life might be like for a Cambridge student.

Till Undeath Do Us Part can be enjoyed by anyone who appreciates a good zombie story. It is a quick read, and it offers enough that is different for veterans (and non-veterans) of the zombie genre to be hooked. My only regret is that, for the length, it’s a bit pricey when compared to the competition. That said, I don’t think you’d go wrong spending the money for this well-told story.