Zombies: A Record of the Year of Infection
Encyclopedia
Zombies: A Record of the Year of Infection is a 2009
apocalyptic
horror illustrated
novel written by Don Roff
and illustrated by Chris Lane. The cover indicates the book is a compilation of the field notes of Dr. Robert Twombly, a survivor of a wave of untraceable infections that sweep the world turning the dead into zombies. The book is written as a journal of the protagonist, forward dated to 2012.
. The notes detail an individual account of survival and escape after a mass-scale (presumably global) zombie outbreak
, referred to as a ‘Necrotic Infection’, beginning around January 7, 2012 and lasting for approximately one year. The purported importance of the journal comes from both Twombly’s artistry and his medical knowledge, which permitted him to document the zombie outbreak with a unique level of detail and candor.
The author extensively utilizes a false document technique
, mixing diary-style first person stream of consciousness narration, drawn and painted images detailing the world following an undead pandemic
, as well as brief glimpses of ‘found’ objects such as newspaper clippings and official reports to generate the central narrative.
Dr. Twombly, a haematology and oncology
specialist in Seattle, Washington
keeps a journal detailing events from January 5 until March 28, 2012. At first the diary appears to be used for sketches of birds, but an entry on January 12 describes a pandemic of unknown cause overwhelming the entire city and much of the world beyond. Before the internet shut down, headlines referring to a sudden, critical infection affecting thousands worldwide show the scale of the unfolding catastrophe, destroying commerce and limiting travel. His office is beleaguered by thousands, all showing identical symptoms of an unknown, seemingly undetectable pathogen. As the sick begin to die they quickly reanimate, walking slowly, attempting to devour those around them still alive, and – to varying extents – exhibiting some behavior of their previous existences (one bashes a vending machine as he did when he was alive, and later a married couple – now zombies – hold hands as they walk). While tests confirm that the reanimated ‘zombies’ are clinically-dead
, Twombly talks at length about the limitations and strengths of the undead.
Meeting other survivors, and after witnessing an infection and reanimation first-hand, Twombly makes his way northward. His initial suspicions relating to a new GM
food additive
made by chemical company Primodyne are explored, although evidence relating to its accumulated toxicity is inconclusive, although its sudden prevalence and bio-accumulative effect does provide a logical explanation for the speed of the global infection, as well as the infection occasionally affecting individuals who have not come into direct contact with the zombies.
Twombly spends much time on a small, isolated bucolic inn called ‘the Farm’ with nineteen other survivors, although eventually he is forced to move even further northward after the Farm is overrun by zombies and burned down. Finally he finds the town of Churchill, Manitoba
where nobody has had any interaction with the infected.
His final entry indicates that the threat is apparently subsiding, with the town secure and partially fortified. The entry is, however, cut off mid-word with a slight spatter of blood.
2009 in literature
The year 2009 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*8 October - Romanian-born German novelist Herta Müller wins the 2009 Nobel Prize in Literature....
apocalyptic
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
horror illustrated
Illustrated fiction
Illustrated fiction is a hybrid narrative medium in which images and text work together to tell a story. It can take various forms, including fiction written for adults or children, magazine fiction, comic strips, and picture books....
novel written by Don Roff
Don Roff
Don Roff is a writer and filmmaker.Roff grew up in Milton-Freewater, Oregon. He worked at the local drive-in theater and made Super 8 mm and VHS movies with his neighborhood friends. He graduated from McLoughlin Union High School in 1985. Roff joined the United States Army in 1989 and became a US...
and illustrated by Chris Lane. The cover indicates the book is a compilation of the field notes of Dr. Robert Twombly, a survivor of a wave of untraceable infections that sweep the world turning the dead into zombies. The book is written as a journal of the protagonist, forward dated to 2012.
Plot
A short prologue explains that the story, notes and images were those of Dr. Robert Twombly and were found in a remote cabin in the township of Churchill, ManitobaChurchill, Manitoba
Churchill is a town on the shore of Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada. It is most famous for the many polar bears that move toward the shore from inland in the autumn, leading to the nickname "Polar Bear Capital of the World" that has helped its growing tourism industry.-History:A variety of nomadic...
. The notes detail an individual account of survival and escape after a mass-scale (presumably global) zombie outbreak
Zombie Apocalypse
Zombie Apocalypse is a crossover thrash/metalcore band formed by current members of Shai Hulud, Shallow Water Grave, and The Risk Taken, as well as former members of the '90s New Jersey band Try.Fail.Try. In 1998, Shai Hulud members created a zombie-themed band project, called Boddicker. Boddicker...
, referred to as a ‘Necrotic Infection’, beginning around January 7, 2012 and lasting for approximately one year. The purported importance of the journal comes from both Twombly’s artistry and his medical knowledge, which permitted him to document the zombie outbreak with a unique level of detail and candor.
The author extensively utilizes a false document technique
False document
A false document is a literary technique employed to create verisimilitude in a work of fiction. By inventing and inserting documents that appear to be factual, an author tries to create a sense of authenticity beyond the normal and expected suspension of disbelief for a work of art...
, mixing diary-style first person stream of consciousness narration, drawn and painted images detailing the world following an undead pandemic
Pandemic
A pandemic is an epidemic of infectious disease that is spreading through human populations across a large region; for instance multiple continents, or even worldwide. A widespread endemic disease that is stable in terms of how many people are getting sick from it is not a pandemic...
, as well as brief glimpses of ‘found’ objects such as newspaper clippings and official reports to generate the central narrative.
Dr. Twombly, a haematology and oncology
Oncology
Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...
specialist in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
keeps a journal detailing events from January 5 until March 28, 2012. At first the diary appears to be used for sketches of birds, but an entry on January 12 describes a pandemic of unknown cause overwhelming the entire city and much of the world beyond. Before the internet shut down, headlines referring to a sudden, critical infection affecting thousands worldwide show the scale of the unfolding catastrophe, destroying commerce and limiting travel. His office is beleaguered by thousands, all showing identical symptoms of an unknown, seemingly undetectable pathogen. As the sick begin to die they quickly reanimate, walking slowly, attempting to devour those around them still alive, and – to varying extents – exhibiting some behavior of their previous existences (one bashes a vending machine as he did when he was alive, and later a married couple – now zombies – hold hands as they walk). While tests confirm that the reanimated ‘zombies’ are clinically-dead
Clinical death
Clinical death is the medical term for cessation of blood circulation and breathing, the two necessary criteria to sustain life. It occurs when the heart stops beating in a regular rhythm, a condition called cardiac arrest. The term is also sometimes used in resuscitation research.Stopped blood...
, Twombly talks at length about the limitations and strengths of the undead.
Meeting other survivors, and after witnessing an infection and reanimation first-hand, Twombly makes his way northward. His initial suspicions relating to a new GM
Genetically modified food
Genetically modified foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms . Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques...
food additive
Food additive
Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance.Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by pickling , salting, as with bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as in some wines...
made by chemical company Primodyne are explored, although evidence relating to its accumulated toxicity is inconclusive, although its sudden prevalence and bio-accumulative effect does provide a logical explanation for the speed of the global infection, as well as the infection occasionally affecting individuals who have not come into direct contact with the zombies.
Twombly spends much time on a small, isolated bucolic inn called ‘the Farm’ with nineteen other survivors, although eventually he is forced to move even further northward after the Farm is overrun by zombies and burned down. Finally he finds the town of Churchill, Manitoba
Churchill, Manitoba
Churchill is a town on the shore of Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada. It is most famous for the many polar bears that move toward the shore from inland in the autumn, leading to the nickname "Polar Bear Capital of the World" that has helped its growing tourism industry.-History:A variety of nomadic...
where nobody has had any interaction with the infected.
His final entry indicates that the threat is apparently subsiding, with the town secure and partially fortified. The entry is, however, cut off mid-word with a slight spatter of blood.