Vincenzo Bilof

Nightmare of the Dead was a different kind of zombie/cannibal novel and I'm torn over it.

On the one hand, I enjoyed the creativity and imagination that went into this story. We have the Union and the Confederacy battling it out, with one side using medical experimentation to create the perfect type of soldier. And somehow this was done with a horror/western type feel to it-kudos to the author for that.

On the other hand, the writing felt disjointed. At times there seemed to be parts that were rewritten and inserted without regard for the paragraphs before and after. There were also a lot of missing words. These issues did bother me and took me out of the flow of the story more than once.

The author's descriptive skills were excellent and believe you me, there is a lot of blood, gore, torture, and rape here to describe. In that vein, Mr. Bilof's writing put me in mind of Tim Curran, whose imagination is beyond compare.

This was a quick reading, short novel and I did enjoy it, it's just that the writing could have been better. I would read more of this author's work in the future, in the hopes that he's honing his craft. If that's the case, then we certainly have not seen the last of Vincenzo Bilof.

… (mer)

Japanese Werewolf Apocalypse by Vincenzo Bilof is the type of book you read during the day. Not only will you have the opportunity to explore some pretty graphic – sometimes obscenely violent – imagery, but if you love horror and anime (all things Japan actually), you’ll probably enjoy it a lot. Due to my own love for anime I really enjoyed the book, even though I sometimes cringed, but the point is that while I read Japanese Werewolf Apocalypse I could imagine it as an anime show. The prologue had a bit of a Kill Bill (The Origin of O-Ren) feel to it, but after that it stands apart from any other anime or Japanese-inspired film/TV show I’ve watched. What makes it even more special is the fact that it’s got werewolves in it … and they aren’t as fluffy and cuddly as you might think.

Some of the names of the characters were a little stereotypical (for example: Takeshi and Nakamura), but I think that Bilof did it on purpose. Other than that though, if you’ve got a strong stomach and you’d like to read something so bad-ass it’s considered cool, this is the book you should get your hands on.

Horror anime lovers will find Japanese Werewolf Apocalypse to be a treat. Manga readers with a thing for blood will love it. Werewolf fanatics who are looking for something with more bite would find great pleasure in it. And guys who like hot chicks with big swords will be forever enchanted by Ritsuko Kita.

In other words, Severed Press should totally hire a mangaka to turn this novel into a manga and sell it to a Japanese publishing house. Can I get a hell yeah?

(review originally posted on www.tentaclebooks.com)… (mer)

What better way is there than to spend your weekend by reading a zombie novel, which – I might add – also helps you to work out those pesky frustrations? Yes, when I’m in a mood, I love to indulge in some undead chaos, and lucky for me, I had The Queen of the Dead by Vincenzo Bilof to help me get my homicidal urges under control. The second book in the Zombie Ascension series, published by Severed Press, is one of those sequels that’s actually better than the original book (in my opinion), and I must say that although I still found quite a few mistakes in regards to editing, I really enjoyed the story a lot. I’m not keen on the cover art, but as they say: ‘never judge a book by its cover’ and in this case whoever they are, well… they were right. I don’t accept half as many zombie novels as I did a year ago, but there are certain zombie series’ and trilogies that I follow. The fact is that most of the time the idea of “it’s been done” comes into play, and unless the author (or story) has a unique voice to it, I kind of switch off. That being said, I’m glad I gave Zombie Ascension a chance, because Vincenzo Bilof pushes some boundaries, and in my opinion, that’s what writing’s all about.

The Queen of the Dead starts off exactly where Necropolis Now [read review here] ended, and continues to take the reader on a nightmarish adventure through rot and ruin in order to find Jim Traverse, public enemy #1. We have excellent action scenes, nail-biting moments where you are taken out of your comfort zone and hope your favourite characters make it out alive, and then you have the ending, which I definitely didn’t see coming.

We once again have our dark, fun, intense moments, just like in the previous book, and let me tell you that once you’ve picked up the book, you won’t be able to put it down.

So, what’s the verdict?

Frankly, I still feel that the books can be tightened up a bit as far as the writing’s concerned, but The Queen of the Damned is a good book and I can’t wait for the third installment. In other words, if you’re in the mood for some gore, you might want to look into getting your hands on this series. Zombies can still surprise readers… just give ‘em a chance…

(review originally posted on www.tentaclebooks.com)… (mer)

Jim Traverse is batshit-crazy. He calls his torturous kills ‘art’ and now he’s working on a masterpiece that will awe the world. Amparo Vega is a haunted mercenary that’s seen more horror than someone her age should have, but she knows she has to stop Traverse, before his global ‘vision’ becomes a reality. Her mission is to extract Traverse from Detroit, Michigan, because only he knows the secret behind this zombie epidemic. The problem however is that she will have to fight through the undead… While the bullets fly and the action commences, Traverse befriends a small group of survivors, but little do they know that their fates will forever be linked to his. It’s a battle for survival, but the question is who will survive?

Necropolis Now by Vincenzo Bilof is a nail-biting zombie tale that will have you on the edge of your seat before you’ve even finished reading the Prologue. It’s got creative kills, sick and twisted characters and enough zombies to give you a proper dose of the undead. What’s more is that it’s all sprinkled with a bit of originality! In fact, this would have made a splendid anime show, come to think of it… If that’s not enough to get you interested, you are in for a treat with all the action and adventure that any zombie lover would enjoy, not to mention that there’s even a little bit of supernatural elements involved.

Set in Detroit, Michigan (somewhere I’ve never been), it felt as though I was right there in the centre of the chaotic nightmare and it was freaking awesome! Frankly, it was a blast to read and that is what reading is all about. When an author has the ability to create a world and pull the reader into that world, he/she has succeeded in their mission to entertain and by golly, Vincenzo Bilof certainly succeeded for me! So many times we find half-ass writing (especially in zombie books), but not this time. Necropolis Now is fun, dark and incredibly intense, but you fall in love with the characters and even Traverse has his moments. Of course, it would be a travesty if I didn’t mention the gore – and boy was there gore…

As any horror aficionado will tell you, the elements needed for a good zombie book is creative kills, gore and horror, with a basic plot that will get the survivors from A to B. It’s a recipe for success in the genre, but it’s up to the author to give it that little something extra to make it stand out. Vincenzo Bilof was able to do it and he did it well enough to make me excited about the next book in the Zombie Ascension trilogy.

So, the verdict is that this book was AWESOME and if you like zombies you absolutely have to get your hands on this book! You won’t be disappointed.

(Originally posted on http://www.tentaclebooks.com/?p=450 )… (mer)