Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - Dreadfully Ever After

Dreadfully Ever After is the last book in the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies trilogy, and to many purists, this might be a relief. I, however, wish this particular series was not ending. Don't get me wrong, I love the orignal Pride and Prejudice (the Jane Austen one, of course), and to be honest, I found the first book in this spinoff series almost distasteful. It pained me to read about the travails of Lizzie, Darcy, Jane and company with blood involved, since I found the social situations painful enough! I read the sequel, Dawn of the Dreadfuls, and hardly remember it, so that shows you how much that had an impact on me.

But here, with Dreadfully Ever After, we have something spectacular. Here is a spinoff that really isn't a spinoff, since it has hardly anything to do with the Austen Pride and Prejudice besides having the same characters. Because you don't feel that one of the classics of English literature is being damaged by zombie gore, you are free to enjoy this sequel in its complete ridiculous awesomeness. I would say, without a doubt, this is my favorite Quirk Classic. The wittiness is really at an all-time high here and completely eclipses that of the preceding books. You have to be sure to read closely the things that come after what people say, as that is where the gems are. And the dialogue is just superb, if not exactly historically accurate (though I guess the demise of the Hannoverian dynasty isn't either...)

And to make this book even better, there is character depth. Darcy gets some brooding moments, and Kitty and Mary get love interests, at last! (Even in the "real" version I was rooting for some romance for those two, and as I am satisfied with their choices, I feel a bit fufilled).

I know this isn't a piece of great literature by a long shot, but these are great to read once in a while for a laugh, and in my opinion are much more interesting than other Austen sequels. So even if you didn't like the first too, at least give this one a shot!

*As I received a review copy, the charming drawings weren't included. I really missed those, so I guess when it officially comes out I will have to sneak a peek!

Dreadfully Ever After / 978-1-59474-502-7

I thoroughly enjoyed the Quirk Classic "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies", and I loved the manner in which the ultra-violent zombie mayhem was cleanly and precisely inter-woven with the original Austen prose and settings. Now we have "Dreadfully Ever After", a sequel to PPPZ, and the end to the trilogy that was rounded out with prequel novel "Dawn of the Dreadfuls".

"Dreadfully Ever After" has a very different tone from the first PPPZ - neither Jane Austen nor Seth Grahame-Smith have contributed to the writing, and it shows - almost all of the dry wit and sardonic social commentary from the first has been removed and replaced with attempts at self-referential humor and double entendres jabbing at English sexual austerity. Whether or not this will delight the reader will be a matter of personal choice, and I can see how the writing could be pleasing to many readers, but for me personally it often felt as though the text was trying TOO hard to make certain I "got" the joke. Overall, I would have preferred a more subtle writing style that was humorous in terms of the Austenian society + zombie mayhem mishmash rather than in-text jokes about British sexuality.

Whereas PPPZ obviously took some liberties with the characters of the Bennet girls, these liberties were finely interwoven with the original text so that while the girls were transformed from delicate maidens to hardened warriors, their essential underlying personalities were still very much the same. "Dreadfully Ever After", however, strains somewhat under the character changes presented here. On the negative side, Elizabeth Bennet has been frustratingly reduced to a shadow of her former self, and while a valiant attempt is made to justify these changes in text (I rather imagine spending four years doubting your self-image and struggling to maintain your skills in a socially acceptable fashion *would* leave one a little rusty and vacillating), I'm still unconvinced that Darcy and Lizzy ended PPPZ as the type of people that would let social expectations make them unhappy and filled with self-doubt. As a result, the changes to Lizzy's character seem rather forced for the sake of the story.

On the other hand, the upgrades applied to the characters of Mary and Kitty are very welcome, even if the girls do end up stealing the show entirely as the overall goal of the plot seems to wallow a bit near the middle of the novel in order to spend more time on romantic angst. Still, most of the romantic dialogue occurs during fight scenes, which is always a bonus in my book.

I'm not sure who this book will appeal to, necessarily. If you really liked the characters of Lizzy and Darcy in PPPZ and wanted to see the continuation of their story, then "Dreadfully Ever After" will sate your hunger in that regard, providing you won't be too put off by some of the changes to Lizzy's character in order to propel the plot. On the other hand, if you really only liked PPPZ for the skillful interweaving of Jane Austen's social satire and Seth Grahame-Smith's hilarious zombie mayhem, then I'm not certain "Dreadfully Ever After" will scratch your itch for more sardonic wit and hilarious genre juxtaposition - this novel has its funny moments, but the tone is definitely noticeably different from the first. I'd recommend reading the first chapter or two and then buying the book if that sample hooks you.

NOTE: This review is based on a free Advance Review Copy of this book provided through the store Vine.

~ Ana Mardoll

Four years have passed since Elizabeth married Darcy, and she is no longer allowed to carry weapons. During a walk back home, Darcy is bitten by an unmentionable. Elizabeth must swallow her pride, and cast aside her honor if she is to receive help from Lady Catherine, who has made at least one assassination attempt on Elizabeth since the wedding. Mr. Bennett and Kitty are drafted to help Elizabeth by pretending to be a family of rich foreigners (loved that Elizabeth uses the name "Ursula" heh heh) to root out a possible cure being kept secret from the general public.

The story is told through several POVs, but Elizabeth is surprisingly not the central figure. More attention is given to Darcy's and Kitty's perspectives, and I enjoyed the character of Kitty very much this time around; she has grown up quite from the silly girl in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. In contrast, another of the Bennett girls, Mary, has become quite outgoing, and her character was another favorite of mine in this sequel. In fact, I found Elizabeth to be extremely boring compared to her sisters. (I am even hoping that Kitty and Mary might have their own adventure, if Hockensmith is up to writing just one more!)

Darcy's cousin Anne is portrayed in a rather sinister manner, and when it is revealed what has happened to Anne during her time under the thumb of her mother -Lady Catherine- she was a formidable character, as opposed to the meek girl she once was. In addition, the source of the possible cure is horrific and repulsive, showing how desperate the English have become. Interestingly, we learn a bit more about the nature of the zombie virus that has ravaged Britain since Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls.

Out of the Hockensmith books, this was by far my favorite, especially because Elizabeth takes a backseat to the actions of her sisters, Kitty and Mary. The storyline flowed effortlessly, and included a few behind-the-scenes details from the first two books that the characters were unaware of themselves, until several secrets are revealed to them. Highly recommended!!

This book's start is distinctly slow, and for the first few chapters I was sure that this was going to be a case either of a concept gone stale or that the author just couldn't handle the world without a solid source text to mock. But I kept with it, and I'm delighted to report that the book finds its balance and manages to become an interesting and amusing (and, of course, disturbing in the best ultra-violence zombie tradition) book on its own merits.

I think the heart of that triumph comes in the author's decision to shift focus away from an Elizabeth focused narrative, to give Darcy his own separate journey, and leave Jane and Bingley completely in the country. Elizabeth in this series is a very dark character, and troubled with an interestingly modern problem of balancing marriage with her career (as a zombie warrior). The author gets a lot better use out of Kitty and Mary, who as the last unwed sisters find themselves on center stage. Because these are the characters that were given the least attention in the original text, that also means that there is the most room for the author to work with them and give them a new life and attention. I love what he did with them -- they both became richer, fuller, and more independent, but also remained fundamentally true to the Kitty and Mary that lovers of the original P&P remember. Really, they save this book.

With Mary and Kitty at the center, the rest of the book does its job. Zombies, fighting, ninjas, and the defense of Regency England. If you liked Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, this book is both a worthy successor and a fascinating step in an original direction.

This novel was wonderful. A perfect ending to this series and just amazing. I cannot wait to recommend this to anyone who enjoys this series. Hockensmith weaves history, the original characters, and the zombie invasion to explore Regency England with Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy. It also does a great job of exploring lesser known characters such as Mary and Kitty Bennett and Lady Catherine and Anne de Bourgh. I definitely never saw the ending coming but it was so much better than I could have wanted. Also the cure for the zombie disease is well thought out and explored in the novel. How could anyone resist more Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? You must go out and get this book. Thank you Quirk Books for sending me a pre-release copy and allowing me to read this bloody amazing novel.

I have always simultaneously adored and was repelled and Jane Austen's work. I loved her wit, extricate story lines and portrayal of life Victorian England. At the same time, that the niceties and 'polite' society many rules and codes always infuriated and frustrated me. But something magical happens when you throw in zombies. Zombies force not only decisive deadly force but also the necessity of a broke down of all proper social codes. I adore all three books

Here you have a spin-off that has gotten better than the first (and second). With Dawn of the Dreadfuls I saw that trend starting to happen and, in this last piece, you really have something of a coming out party.

In some ways I wonder if it is because you really do not have to worry about the Austin connection. You share a little in the name department but you really are not sharing a room with the story. Heck, you are not even leasing a basement apartment from it as far as I could tell. You get a lot of zombie gore, you find out what has happened to the family four years after the zombies have marched in, and you have some really funny places. Granted, I thought a few of the jokes were getting a little old but that is to be expected. still, it is nice.

As far as thngs go, it was over-the-top and then some. The only real problem here was that the middle had a part that seemed to drag and I wanted to know when it would pick up. I even skipped a couple of pages waiting and wondering, but that went away quick enough and did not damage the read.

Some say this is the best but I am not sure of that. They tie into a thing that needs to be its own beast in parts. Not having one is hard to envision because some pieces come into play early on. Still, it is nice to read and it is good . I almost went 5 but opted for the 4 only because of the slow portion.

Thank you.

DREADFULLY EVER AFTER is the final installment in the PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES mashup trilogy. Whereas the first book in the series (the aptly named PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES) - written by Seth Grahame-Smith - is a rework of Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, the subsequent two novels (both penned by Steve Hockensmith) comprise original material. While DAWN OF THE DREAFULS precedes the events of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES by five years, DREADFULLY EVER AFTER is a sequel, following new bride Lizzie Bennet's desperate search for a cure to the zombie affliction that has overcome her beloved Mr. Darcy.

As with its predecessors, DREADFULLY EVER AFTER is bloody good fun. Action packed and filled with ninjas, zombie slayers, and reanimated corpses, DREADFULLY EVER AFTER retains much of the maudlin humor and sardonic wit that fans have come to know and love. If you didn't enjoy the previous two books or aren't a fan of the mashup genre in general, probably you aren't reading this review anyhow.

I listened to the previous installments on audiobook - between housework and exercise, it's one of my few opportunities for leisure "reading" - and slightly prefer that format for this series. But I received a copy of DREADFULLY EVER AFTER through Library Thing's Early Reviewer program, so I'm really in no position to complain. Either way, I can't wait for PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES to come to the big screen, Natalie Portman or no. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER meets 28 DAYS LATER - and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, of course. Score!

Ahhh, the good old days. When men were men and women stayed at home and did needlepoint.

Er. No. Not in this story they don't.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES: DREADFULLY EVER AFTER picks up the story four years after Elizabeth marries her beloved Darcy, settling down to life at Pemberley. Her warrior skills becoming rusty due to the constraints of being a married woman, the melancholy that threatens to consume her dulls her reflexes and she watches in shock as a mere Undead child fells Darcy. Asking for help from the interminable Lady Catherine de Bourgh exposes Elizabeth to drama, intrigue and... dare I say it... the adventure she'd been secretly hoping for. Joined by her father and sisters Kitty and Mary in London on a quest for a cure orchestrated by Lady Catherine the Great, the Bennets enter a city befouled by Dreadfuls, royalty, and the odd rabbit.

Hockensmith did a fantastic job wrapping up the series. The pace was quick, characters were mostly full-bodied and I enjoyed the developing story lines of Anne, Kitty and Mary. Anne de Bourgh had a touch of Mrs. Danvers (Rebecca) going on as she tries to lure Darcy to the dark side during his isolation at Rosings -- nice touch!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After (Quirk Classics)

As any reader of my reviews knows I love the "Pride & Prejudice & Zombies" series of books. I believe that the two books before this one are classics and I am pleased to tell you that this one is very much the same. I always loved the idea of the classic story being told with Zombies in the mix and the prequel just added to it. Now here we have a sequel that only adds to the wonderful story but sadly is bringing it to an end. Hopefully the return to this world one day and give as some more great stories.

The story picks up years after the first book with the married couple of Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy. They have had a great marriage some four years later and things could not be going better, until. One day Fitz gets attacked and bitten by a Dreadful child and while Liz knows what she should do she does not kill him. Even though it would be the right thing to do, she instead seeks help from a lady named Catherine. The thing is she may know of a cure that could bring Fritz back. So off Liz goes with family in tact on another Zombie Slaughtering adventure.

The book is very well written and has that same great style the previous ones had and yet still is different. I don't know about what other people think but I found this one just as fun and funny as the previous two. I mean the way people really talked back then mixed in with the zombie attack, pure genius. You should also remember that things are not always what they seem, that is all I am going to say. All in all I really enjoyed this book like I did the previous two, I highly recommend this book to all who liked the first two, and even then you may like this even without reading those two.

The first book in the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies trilogy created the mash up genre, whereby a classic text is preserved but popular aspects of modern culture are integrated. In the case of the PPZ trilogy, zombies and to a lesser extent ninjas and Shintoism were added. The latter two elements still feel more intrusive than fun. As for the final installment to the trilogy, Dreadfully Ever After is actually a parallel novel rather than a mash up, in that it offers an entirely new tale about classic characters. Unfortunately, in being such, it has not swayed me to like parallel novels.

I held certain expectations for Dreadfully Ever After. For example, I expected it to pick up with the wedding of the two oldest Bennet sisters or perhaps with their children. It does open with them being married. However, Elizabeth has lost her joy for life, which isn't how I envisioned the marriage between her and Fitzwilliam Darcy. Moreover, Darcy is bitten very early in the book by a zombie, causing Elizabeth to leave him in the care of Lady Catherine to seek a cure, and so our heroes spend the bulk of the book apart . Having disapproved of their marriage in the first place, Lady Catherine now does everything to keep the two apart. Dreadfully Ever After is more often than not about everyone but our lovely couple.

Although the prequel Dawn of the Dreadfuls was also a parallel novel, in that drew only upon original characters and not upon an original manuscript to explain how the Bennet family became hardened warriors, Austen's spirit remained. In contrast, while I enjoyed seeing some of Austen's more minor characters developed in Dreadfully Ever After, I felt out of touch with the original lead characters. True, when the spotlight is on the two youngest Bennet sisters, the book shines. They are feisty and courageous in the same manner that Elizabeth had been in the earlier books. When similarly conflicted about whether to pursue men or take up arms, they also attempt to find a balance in the way that their older sisters had in the earlier books. Yet to my disappointment, Elizabeth sometimes wimps out and other times feels like ice queen. Shouldn't I care most about her? Shouldn't the love story between her and Darcy most endear me?

The zombies were surprisingly one of my favorite parts of the first two books. Unfortunately, in Dreadfully Ever After, they no longer feel like beloved former members of society but simply despicable creatures to be eradicated. In the first two books, the zombies were meticulously described. Consequently, I cringed over their destruction. Now they could be cars in a demolition derby for how little I am led to care. Our heroes have suffered a similar fate in becoming superhuman warriors. They are too eager to show off their killing skills. Again, this feels like a mistake: Aren't we supposed to look up to our heroes?

This lackluster sequel has not diminished my delight in the mash up genre, but has rather reinforced my antipathy for parallel novels. I still look forward to reading Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, Meowmorphisis, and whatever other delights that Quirk Books produces.

Was not a Jane Austen fan until i read all three books in this tongue-in-cheek series.

I would rank the three titles in my order of preference as (1) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After; (2) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls; and (3) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance.

Gives a modern take to a classic work whilst retaining the wonderful language of the original.

The books aside, my disappointment lies with the products received as these were not in mint condition. They did not look brand new and were not shrink-wrapped. Back when only books were sold, of the titles i have purchased, there was never any cause for unhappiness or dissatisfaction with the condition of the books. The same cannot be said any more. I don't think i will be ordering any more books for some time.

I must admit that I enjoy the zombie mash-up books. It's a fun way to read something so familiar, but also so new. As with the past 2 books in this trilogy, this one doesn't disappoint! I was pleased to see Lizzie Bennet and her quest regarding Mr. Darcy! Sadly, for me though, I was not a big fan of the ninjas that were present. I can appreciate Lizzie and her "Buffy the vampire slayer" ways, but I felt the ninjas took away from it. Otherwise an excellent read!

Now somebody make the damn movie already!!

I recommend this book to fans of the "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" series. I don't want to post any spoilers but any loose plot points from the previous novels are nicely tied up in "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After".

Aside from being a zombie fan, I also love Jane Austen novels. The author cleverly shifts focus on the two Bennett sisters, Kitty & Mary, who remained in the shadows of their more dynamic siblings in both Austen's work and the previous two novels in this series. Also the mystery behind Anne De Bourgh's ill state is finally revealed.

This series is defnitely the strongest amongst the books being released among Quirk Classics. For readers just starting the series, I highly recommend starting from "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and make your way to this one last. You'll get more of the inside jokes that way.

Dreadfully Ever After is the conclusion the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies series. Even though I usually dislike books based on other books, I was actually really excited about this one and really enjoyed it. It's not a literary masterpiece but it's really cute and amusing.
The story opens four years after Elizabeth and Darcy's wedding but chaos quickly ensues after Darcy is bitten by a zombie. Elizabeth is forced to turn to her worst enemy, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and appeal to her for help in saving her husband. She embarks on a quest that may save Darcy but ruin their marriage.
I liked that Mary and Kitty were given much bigger roles (in fact they stood out for me much more than Elizabeth) and we got to know them better. However, I didn't like that Georgiana Darcy and Jane Bingley seemed like they were going to play a part in the story and were not mentioned again until the end as an afterthought.
The end was kind of unsatisfactory for me; it was a bit ambigious especially for the conclusion of a series. However, I would have been happy with it if I knew that another novel was to follow.

OK, the idea of putting zombies in a gothic romance was kind of cute, if stupid, the first time around. This is just more of the same. Listening to the audio version of this book was marginally better than listening to the same old political pundits on the radio while working, but only marginally. Hopefully, he will move on to something more original, and less tiresome, for his next book.

Don't let the Z word scare you off. Pride And Prejudice And Zombies Dreadfully Ever After has it all: love, faith, betrayal, discovery, British aristocracies, and ZOMBIES. The story begins four years into the Darcy marriage and asks the question: What would you sacrifice for your loved ones? Your honor? Your morals? Would you really risk everything on the slight chance of saving your beloved? Interested yet? Then pick up a copy because Steve Hockensmith as made this series his own. Somewhere in the annals of time Jane Austin must be proud...perhaps not, but it is still a fun read.

First, we had "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies." Then we got a prequel, "Dawn of the Dreadfuls."

And finally we have a sequel to round out this warped Regency romance-with-zombies trilogy: "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After." This time Steve Hockensmith whacks the Darcy-Bennett families with a threat much closer to home, and it's an amusing little ride with a very slow middle section.

After four years of marriage, Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy are taking a leisurely walk when Darcy is attacked and bitten by a little dreadful boy. Despite her training, Elizabeth's love for Darcy stops her from beheading and burning him; instead, she appeals to Lady Catherine for a cure. Lady Catherine reveals that a London scientist named Angus McFarquhar (hee hee!) has the cure, and she has a plan for getting it.

However, the plan involves Elizabeth leaving her infected husband at Rosings, and setting out to seduce the serum out of the scientist. Soon Lady Catherine's diabolical schemes pull the Bennett family to London, leading to a gruesome race against time involving a sexy ninja, a rabbit, a mystery man in a box, a bunch of dandies and the increasingly sinister Anne de Bourgh! Can Lizzy cure Darcy before he becomes an undead horror?

"Dreadfully Ever After" isn't quite as entertainingly tongue-in-cheek as the original "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies," though it is fun to revisit Jane Austen's characters after four zombie-strewn years. And as anyone would expect of a "P&P&Z" sequel, there's bloody flesh-tearing gore aplenty.

And Hockensmith has plenty of fun mingling Regency mores (a gentleman's wife simply doesn't carry weapons!) with lots of ninjas, zombies, and martial-arts-filled scuffles. He also comes up with a clever resolution to the whole problem of the dreadfuls, which fits in nicely with the attitudes of the British during the Regency period.

The main problem is that middle section is far too saggy -- lots of people scampering around not getting anything accomplished, while Darcy dribbles around Rosings being depressed.

And Lizzy feels... off as well. I mean, would the spirited and deadly Elizabeth Darcy just agree to EVERY PART OF Lady Catherine's obviously evil plans? No, I say! But this is somewhat compensated for with Marry and Kitty Bennett, who are usually shoved to the side in "Pride and Prejudice" tales. They each get their own adventures in London, and some romantic interests as well.

"Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After" has some gaping holes in its flesh, but it's an amusing little sequel to the novelty hit.

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's love has survived it seems. Dreadfully Ever After picks up after the nuptials and takes off fast onto new adventures for the couple. In the company of zomibies or dreadfuls, ninjas, and a crazy Aunt their relationship is challenged once again. The future looks horribly bleak for Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth must battle through her antagonists to save his life.
I was afraid that this installment would prove to be overkill, but I was pleasantly surprised. There seemed to be more action and I found myself eager to pick the book back up again. I highly recommend this series and especially this installment.
via Library Thing shayrp

I own all the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies audiobooks and think they are all great! Katherine Kellgren reads each and every one with a 'straight face' and wry humor that is total enjoyment. Her managing of the various voices is worthy of Jim Dale's Harry Potter. I listen to these books in order from the 'Dawn of the Dreadfuls', to 'Pride &Prejudice' to 'Dreadfully Ever After' and still laugh at the happenings I know so well. I have even been able to read the original 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austin thanks to these recordings. I would recommend all three to anyone who enjoys a great story.

Perhaps. This book was interesting in that it gave you a little more of the great humor and characters from the first two books. The races were a great part of the story as were the characters of Bunny McFarquar and Mr. Quayle. The fight between the dandies and fobs was also priceless. Over all though the first two books of this trilogy were by far the best.

I love the Quirk Classics imprint but, please, let this be the last of the Jane Austen zombie series. It's really getting old.

It's the same characters, the same basic plots, the same maudlin and silly Victorian action scenes. You'd think it would be hard to make a zombie book that's rather dull, but they managed.

That said, it's still a well-written book and a perfectly passable parody, it's just a bit old hat at this point.

I bought this as a christening to my new iPad2 (downloaded the Kindle app because iBooks doesn't have this title) and I have not been able to put it down! I've found myself enthralled in its colorful detail chapter after chapter! I can't wait to read the prequel!

You wouldn't expect it after the mash-up of his first Austen zombie novel, but the author takes this one in new directions and the result is an, um, FRESH amalgam of classic Austen wit and zombie horror/shenanigans. Highly recommended!

I absolutely loved Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Dawn of the Dreadfuls, not so much. It was OK, funny at times, but not nearly at the same level as the first book. Dreadfully Ever After tries hard to redeem the trilogy and, while still not the level of greatness as the first book, is certainly worth the time for anyone who liked P&P and Zombies. It's a fun read, especially if you don't go into it with really high expectations!

I loved Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride, Prejudice and Zombies but I absolutely could not get into this one. I feel that it is an attempt at imitation and not a particularly good one at that. I would have enjoyed the story far more if the author (who does have a great deal of talent and humor) had not attempted to run with an original idea someone else had previously done. I think he would have been far better off telling it his way than trying to copycat an idea. Mind you it is just my opinion but I do prefer when writers not fanfic off other writers. You have an imagination...use it and tell a new story in your own voice.

I cannot suspend my disbelief of Ninjas in England during this time period. I really can accept zombies, but Ninjas? This book is almost as ridiculous as the ungodly long PBS version I saw of the original Pride and Prejudice. I listened to the audio version and it is laughable to hear that the characters are not Asian and that Ninjas exist outside of Japan. It is as if a twelve year old boy wrote a story that I am supposed to take seriously. This isn't supposed to to comical but you cannot help but chuckle when Elizabeth is supposed to be a warrior princess and her sisters are bad asses. I will admit to not being familiar with the first book so maybe it would be easier to swallow this "Dreadfully" awful book if I read that first.

If you expect this book to be as good as "Abe Lincoln, Vampire Hunter", you'll be very disappointed. In the Lincoln book, the author took actual history and twisted it into an interesting story. In Pride & Prejudice he took the original book and just inserted zombies into it. The book was already slow and tedious, and the zombie insertion didn't help much. I have read many books that were difficult to keep interested in, but I've always managed to drag myself thru to the end. But I could not read past the halfway point in this one. It was just too painful!