Living Dead Books In Order

Publication Order of The Living Dead Books

American writer John A. Russo is the co-writer of the original film (along with the film’s director, George A. Romero) called “Night of the Living Dead” which was released in the year 1968. The screenplay for this movie started out as a short story that Romero had written that was inspired by “I Am Legend” (a novel that was released in the year 1954 and written by Richard Matheson). The screenplay was about half way done, when the film company was ready to begin filming. During the move to Evans City, Pennsylvania, John Russo took over writing the script. He would finish the script for Romero, and would go on to write multiple stories set in this universe.

“Return of the Living Dead” is considered, by some, to be the first example of zombie literature. The story started out as a script and was meant to be a sequel to “Night of the Living Dead”. The movie never got itself off of the ground and Russo turned it into a novel instead. It was written as a novel first, but was later made into a movie in the year 1985. It abandoned the plot that Russo had put together in his novel, and went for more of a slapstick comedy approach. This movie started the “Return of the Living Dead” franchise. That movie spawned four sequels, and has something of a cult status.

“Night of the Living Dead” was a novelization that comes from the movie of the same name that George A. Romero made into a movie. Due to the success of the film, which is something that no one saw coming, John Russo decided to write a novelization that stuck close to the movie. He worked off of the screenplay, and not Romero’s story. In the book, there are ten pages that are written by George A. Romero that talk about some of the history behind the story, the process of filming. He even dispels some thoughts people have formed when they over analyzed the story.

There is a graphic novel set in the world and is called “Escape of the Living Dead”. Released in the year 2006, it too was originally a script that John Russo had written, in hopes it would be made into a movie. Instead it was released as a five part comic book series.

“Night of the Living Dead” is the first novel in the “Living Dead” series and was released in the year 1974. They come from the night. The dead fill the night with chilling howls as they rise from their graves. They want flesh and they want blood from the living. The dead seek out human life. These corpses are not going to let anything stand in their way of what they want. They hunt down the living so they can satisfy their desires with evil intent.

Fans of the novel found that certain things were changed in the book, from the movie which made things interesting. The novelization of the movie adds insight to some things that happen in the movie. The story features some more details that were squeezed in by John Russo; these include Sheriff McClellan’s rescue team and their progress as they kill off the undead and rescue survivors. The novelization keeps true to the original story and is a powerfully written version of this zombie story. The characters here are developed pretty well, and you get to see the traumatic events through Harry Cooper’s eyes. The transfer of what happens with Barbara was done very nicely.

“Return of the Living Dead” is the second novel in the “Living Dead” series and was released in the year 1978. A decade after the zombie plague hits the world, and life goes back to normal. A bus turns over while it is in a quiet town in America. It throws the whole country into the hands of the dead. Well, undead. Absolutely no one is safe from these flesh eaters. They have risen from their deathbeds so they can feed on the living. The blood starts to flow, as the terror and horror flows through every one.

Fans of the novel were hooked from the very beginning. It not only is one of the first about zombies, but is one of the very best. This is a novel that will keep you wondering how the story is going to end. You will stay up just to see how everyone turns out. If they are able to stay alive, or if they get turned into a zombie. The story is a quick read and will keep readers interested throughout. It is for any fan of the zombie story.

“Escape of the Living Dead” is a graphic novel set in the “Living Dead” universe that was released in 2006. The year is 1971 and three years have passed since the dead rose from their graves. It was a blood soaked night that saw the dead attack and devour the living. What happened then, is about to happen again; the world will not be prepared this time either. There may not be any escape for the living when the living dead cannibals come for them. In a secret medical research laboratory, someone is looking over the final undead remnants. These are from the army of marauding zombies. Some road weary bikers are able to renew the walking dead that hit before. They are going to once again terrify everyone and rip guts out to eat them. A rural community loses each of its members to the zombies. With each death, the undead army gets bigger and bigger. Is anything going to be able to stop these dead?

Fans of the novel enjoyed all of the action with the zombies. There is non stop action as well as blood and gore to the novel. Even with all of the zombie smashing going on, there is still some good story about a family in farm country to add to the whole experience. There is well drawn art and interesting characters to be found in the book. John Russo does a great job writing in this universe, and any books that he writes are must reads for those who like zombie stories.