Jake Bible’s Dead Mech kicks ass. No other way to put it. Here’s an idea how crazy it is: there’s this zombie running around the post-apocalyptic wasteland that everybody is scared of because it’s trapped in a giant robot, called a Mech.
Zombie hordes wander the land, competing with cannibals to see who gets the fresh meat. There’s a crazy A.I., religious zealots, cage fights and transforming trains. There are Mech battles and gunfights. The main characters are what’s left of a military outpost that is all that stands between what’s left of America and it’s final destruction. And there’s gore. Lots and lots of gore. That’s just some of what you get. Bible also delivers great characters and plenty of snappy dialogue.
Here’s the thing. You might read all that and think, what the hell. You cram that much crazy into one book, and it’s going to be a sloppy mess. There are too many concepts and characters at play.
And oh yeah, it’s a drabble novel, too.
So a “drabble novel” is a novel written in no less and no more than 100 words at a time. The novel is presented as such, in 100 word bursts. At first, it can be a little awkward. Once you get going, though, you don’t even notice. Bible is so good, he draws you in so quickly and thoroughly that the rhythm of the writing is just as important as the action or dialogue. The drabble keeps the writing tight, forcing Bible to stay on target. There is no room for excess; no room for fat. It’s fast and precise, which is so important when you’re dealing with as much crazy as Bible is giving us.
Most important though, is how fun this book is. Bible is clearly enjoying what he is writing, and it comes through on the page. It reminded me of all those post-apocalyptic novels and movies I used to love. Stuff like Damnation Alley, Death Lands, or The Guardians.
I will put a caveat here. I mentioned the gore, and that it is plentiful. There is also a whole heap of violence, some sexual violence, and as they say, “strong language”. If you are the lilting, sensitive type, keep moving. ‘Cause this ain’t for you.
Dead Mech is the first novel in The Apex Trilogy. It is followed by The Americans and Metal and Ash. Dead Mech is Bible’s first novel, and initially appeared as a podcast back in 2009. From there it was published by Library of the Living Dead in both print and ebook. Bible got the rights back, self-published, and now it’s available from Severed Press.
Regularly priced on Amazon at $2.99, it is on sale for 99¢ for a limited time.