Alex Fowler
Contributing writer
“The Walking Dead” universe has exploded in TV, video games and even book ratings. One particular book of the popular zombie series that was a great book to read for this reviewer was created by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga, “The Walking Dead: Rise of The Governor.”
In the series “The Walking Dead” created by Kirkman, there is no greater villain than the Governor in what was first started as a graphic novel/comic book series and is now a popular TV show on AMC.
The Governor is a man who runs the walled-off town of Woodbury. This man has his own sense of justice, whether it’s forcing prisoners to fight zombies in an arena for the amusement of the townspeople, or chopping off appendages of those who cross him.
The book is the prequel story of Philip Blake before he became the Governor, his brother Brian, his daughter Penny and friends Bobby and Nick as they struggle to survive in the zombie apocalypse.
The book starts in the first few weeks after the apocalypse, and we see Philip and his friends try to make it to Atlanta to survive.
Through tragedy, zombie attacks and other setbacks, this book shows the transformation of Philip into the Governor.
The book is a solid read from start to finish. It’s not all blood and gore like we see in other zombie movies such as “Resident Evil,” but in Kirkman’s series he gives us a feel for what different characters would do in this situation.
What I came to love about this book were the plot twists the Blake family and friends endure during this whole adventure.
The book gives you a realistic depiction of the events that occur from friends dying to the zombie attacks, and in some places you feel Blake’s pain as well as the goodness he feels when he’s trying to take care of his daughter Penny.
Kirkman writes this book in detail especially during the last chapters and I couldn’t put the book down.
We see in these final chapters the creation of the Governor. We grasp the same sense of evil that appears in the graphic novel and TV series.
If you’re a fan of “The Walking Dead” series, I would strongly recommend this book.