Deck Z: The Titanic

August 20, 2012
The Titanic disaster gets a horror-flavored reinterpretation in this slim but effective debut tale of zombies on the high seas. In an attempt to keep a deadly plague from being weaponized by the Germans, scientist Theodor Weiss steals the only sample, destroys his notes, and flees, ultimately seeking refuge aboard the Titanic. He's tracked down by an agent of the German Empire who inadvertently releases the plague, turning passengers and crew into ravening monsters. As Weiss, Capt. Smith, and others try to contain the infection, the Titanic strikes an iceberg, compounding their problems. This fast-paced nightmare hits all the horror notes: a high body count, tense combat, moments of cowardice and valor, and even a plucky child in mortal peril. The cinematic atmosphere and attention to detail make this a better-than-average zombie mash-up. Agent: Victoria Skurnick, Levine Greenberg Literary Agency.

March 1, 2013

Gr 8 Up-Theodor Weiss, an emotionally injured scientist, was recruited by the German government to study a mutation of a deadly bubonic plague that has developed in Manchuria. Unknowingly, he brings a victim back to his mountain hideaway and tries to uncover the cause of the plague, seeking a cure. Once he has obtained the deadly Toxic from the victim, he flees the scene as he realizes that the German government wants to use it as a biological weapon. Arriving at the Southampton dock, he finds the world's largest ocean liner-the Titanic. When the Toxic is violently stolen, it begins to affect thousands of passengers, turning them into malicious, horrid zombies. With the help of Captain Edward Smith, Weiss and his team are forced into a Victorian massacre of the undead during the final hours of the legendary, ill-fated ocean liner as it speeds toward a deadly, disastrous iceberg. This fast-paced thriller reenacts the historical events of the tragic voyage through the lens of zombie anarchy. Plot-driven and told from multiple points of view, the novel will keep teens intrigued with gore and action. Readers will find that fiction and reality are a bit blurred as they continually try to guess which is which. A spine-chilling, nail-biting page-turner.-Krista Welz, The North Bergen Public Library, NJ

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