City of the Undead is a fantasy novel written by CL Werner, and published by Aconyte Books in 2024. Actually, it comes out today. Well, in the US. I think it’s July that it comes out in the UK. It is based on the Zombicide board games from Cool Mini or Not. I read the book in ebook format. This review is intended to be free of spoilers, but none of us are perfect. A review copy was provided. There are affiliate links at the end of this review.
Blurb:
A group of unlikely heroes are all that stand in the way of humanity’s demise as the zombie apocalypse engulfs the kingdom in this high fantasy adventure set in the world of Zombicide: Black Plague.
Witch Hunter Helchen mourns her dear friend, one of many heroes The Black Plague has sent to their grave as it consumes the kingdom. Yet she is determined to save what remains of humanity. Helchen and her companions travel to the labyrinthine canals of Zanice to obtain magical resources that would change the course of the zombie plague. Horrendous swaths of the undead mark their journey, and the companions are pursued relentlessly by necromantic forces of evil. When they discover a friend turned foe, Helchen must decide if all zombies are monsters… or if a new darkness is taking shape across the land.
Review:
C. L. Werner takes readers on a harrowing journey through a world plagued by the undead in his novel, City of the Undead. I’m going to cut to the chase a bit on this one; while the premise is intriguing, the execution leaves much to be desired. This is a real pity, because I actually really like several of Werner’s other books. Novels like Mathias Thulmann: Witch Hunter and Palace of the Plague Lord have been really good. This one’s just a bit of a miss.
There are some good points, of course. The book does a decent job of setting an appopriate atmosphere. Werner skillfully paints a grim and eerie landscape. The city streets are clogged with shambling corpses, and the air reeks of decay. The sense of impending doom is palpable. I like that.
The ensemble cast includes a witch hunter, a disgraced knight, a street urchin, and a reclusive alchemist. Their diverse backgrounds and motivations add depth to the story. The witch hunter Helchen is a particularly good, interesting, likeable character.
Unfortunately, the pacing if the story drags in several places. Lengthy descriptions and repetitive action sequences slow down the narrative, making it difficult to maintain interest.
The plot itself follows a predictable trajectory. Heroes face adversity, uncover ancient secrets, and battle hordes of zombies. While this formula can work, it lacks surprises or twists to keep readers engaged. It’s just all a bit flat, you know? As genre fiction, it works, but it doesn’t stand out.
Despite the diverse cast, character development can be a bit shallow. Helchen, the witch hunter, is haunted by her past, but her internal struggles are never fully explored. I like Helchen, so this feels like a wasted opportunity. Secondary characters feel underdeveloped.
City of the Undead has moments that really work, but they are overshadowed by its shortcomings; chiefly a sense of blandness. If you’re a die-hard zombie fan, and particularly a fan of the board games on which this is based, you might find enjoyment here. However, for those seeking fresh takes on the genre, this novel falls short. Perhaps appropriately for a zombie-based novel, I need to give this a lukewarm review – neither fully alive nor truly dead.
Rating: 2 / 5
No Rerolls 
Great review man, ive got some of the zombicide novels through NetGalley that I still need to get too as well. Sorry that you found some parts to be bland.
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Yeah, I mean it wasn’t terrible, and it’s a pity it wasn’t that good because I do really like the author.
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I’ve read some really good novels by Werner in the Warhammer setting, guy’s Black Plague series was phenominal.
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