Complete Warm Bodies series by Isaac Marion
Author photo by Juliann Itter
“A mesmerizing evolution of a classic contemporary myth.”—Simon Pegg
Isaac Marion’s 2010 debut novel WARM BODIES became a New York Times bestseller, inspired a major film, and was translated into 25 languages. He spent the next eight years writing the rest of the story over the course of four books.
When Monster Complex interviewed Marion, the Warm Bodies author shared the personal inspiration for his unique take on zombies, explained his biggest genre pet peeve, and revealed why zombies stories are “hard to love” as a category.
“I find it telling,” the author told us, “how quick people are to dismiss zombies as non-human cannon fodder the moment they stop behaving in ways we understand.”
Scroll down for info on each book in the series. Please note that for our version of the list, we moved the prequel up front.
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The New Hunger (Warm Bodies Series #1)
The must-read prequel to the “strange and unexpected” (Audrey Niffenegger) and “highly original” (Seattle Times) zombie love story Warm Bodies—the New York Times bestseller and inspiration for the hit film—from the critically acclaimed author whose clever debut turned the classic horror story on its head.
The end of the world didn’t happen overnight.
After years of societal breakdowns, wars and quakes and rising tides, humanity was already near the edge. Then came a final blow no one could have expected: all the world’s corpses rising up to make more.
Born into this bleak and bloody landscape, twelve-year-old Julie struggles to hold on to hope as she and her parents drive across the wastelands of America, a nightmarish road trip in search of a new home.
Hungry, lost, and scared, sixteen-year-old Nora finds herself her brother’s sole guardian after her parents abandon them in the not-quite-empty ruins of Seattle.
And in the darkness of a forest, a dead man opens his eyes. Who is he? What is he? With no clues beyond a red tie and the letter “R,” he must unravel the grim mystery of his existence—right after he learns how to think, how to walk, and how to satisfy the monster howling in his belly. The New Hunger is a glimpse of the past and a path to an astonishing future…
Reviews
This is a book that will have you questioning many things - including what makes us into monsters. The characters are exceptionally well developed as well, so this is very much a book that you can completely immerse yourself in. This book just scratches the surface of what makes Warm Bodies unique, but it lays the groundwork for a story that is literally unforgettable, with a real moral and a wonderful message. (The Bookbag)
This book is a definite must for fans of Warm Bodies. If you enjoy zombie books, this is also for you. It’s a quick and enjoyable read that will keep your heart pounding! (Feed Your Fiction Addition)
Marion’s writing has a luxuriously rich texture that is completely unassuming. It's approachable and witty, but never simplistic nor pompous. I love that the story is so completely enjoyable on so many levels, yet masquerades as something light and fun. (Reading Lark)
Warm Bodies (Warm Bodies Series #2)
His name starts with “R.” That’s all he remembers. But what’s in a name when you’re a walking corpse just waiting to decompose?
“R” wanders the ruins of post-apocalyptic America with no idea who he is, how he got here, or why he has to eat people. He just follows the crowd: a mindless mob that has spread across the globe and reduced civilization to ruins.
And then he meets Julie.
This fiery young survivor is a blast of color in R’s gray landscape, and he begins to remember the humanity he’s lost. But their unlikely romance becomes something much bigger, sparking a revolution that wakes the Dead—and other, darker forces.
Warm Bodies is a dead man’s search for life. It’s a young woman’s fight for a better world. It’s hope that refuses to die.
Reviews
Without a doubt, this novel is the first I have ever read to take an overdone and cliché-theme and turn it into a deep and insightful look at life as it could be, life as it is, and what matters when seeking to preserve it. (The Guardian)
There is a satirical element to Warm Bodies, and it is quite funny. It has a degree of literary sophistication that many of its cousins by genre do not aspire to. It is something more than most supernatural romances I have read. (Darker Fables)
In Warm Bodies, Isaac Marion has crafted a very unusual story that was an enjoyable read. I liked the world-building here, and he described everything in a way that was easy to envision. The ending was pretty action-packed, keeping me on the edge of my seat. (The Hope Chest Reviews)
The Burning World (Warm Bodies Series #3)
R is recovering from death.
He’s learning how to speak, how to read, maybe even how to love, and the undead population is showing signs of life. He can almost imagine a future with Julie, this woman who restarted his heart—building a new world from the ashes of the old one.
And then helicopters appear on the horizon. Someone is coming to restore order. To return things to the way they were, the good old days of comfort and control and the strong eating the weak. The plague is as old as mankind, and the Dead were never its only weapon.
How do you fight an enemy that’s in everyone? Can the world ever really change? With their home overrun by madmen, R and Julie and their ragged band of refugees plunge into the otherworldly wastelands of America in search of answers. But there are some answers R doesn’t want to find. A past life, an old shadow, crawling up from the basement.
Reviews
What I really enjoyed about this book was its fresh take on the zombie apocalypse. The action in this book is fast-paced, and the world is vivid. I’m happy to say there are quite a few unpredictable twists and turns along the way. (Dread Central)
Marion has ambitiously expanded on his original tale, offering a dramatic amount of mythology and worldbuilding to flesh out his murky world. (Kirkus)
Warm Bodies felt like a complete tale—that any expansion would run the risk of denting the impact felt by such a unique and clever story. What I could never have foreseen though was just how engrossing and satisfying The Burning World would turn out to be. (Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life)
The Living (Warm Bodies Series #4)
A MONSTER’S SEARCH FOR HUMANITY
A WOMAN’S FIGHT FOR A WORLD WORTH LIVING IN
A HOPE THAT REFUSES TO DIE
The New York Times bestselling Warm Bodies Series has captivated readers in twenty-five languages, inspiring a major film and transcending the zombie genre to become something “poetic” (Library Journal) “highly original” (Seattle Times) and “ultimately moving” (Time Out London). Now the story of a dead man’s search for life reaches its conclusion on a scale both epic and intimate.
Before he was a flesh-eating corpse, R was something worse. He remembers it all now, a life of greed and apathy more destructive than any virus, and he sees only one path to redemption: he must fight the forces he helped create. But what can R, Julie, and their tiny gang of fugitives do against the creeping might of the Axiom Group, the bizarre undead corporation that’s devouring what’s left of America?
It’s time for a road trip.
No more flyover country. This time they’ll face the madness on the ground, racing their RV across the wastelands as tensions rise and bonds unravel—because R isn’t the only one hiding painful secrets. Everyone is on their own desperate search: for a kidnapped daughter, a suicidal mother, and an abused little boy with a gift that could save humanity…if humanity can convince him it’s worth saving.
All roads lead home, to a final confrontation with the plague and its shareholders. But this is a monster that guns can’t kill. A battle only one weapon can win…
Reviews
The Living lived up to my expectations. Like Marion’s previous works, the prose is electrifying — it asks deep questions and isn’t afraid of the responses. The Living is an engrossing conclusion to a piercing series.—Cornell Daily Sun
This was definitely an interesting read and conclusion to the Warm Bodies series.—Casey Carlisle
The Living was a delight to read. The fast pace kept me interested, the characters kept me invested, and the alternating perspectives kept me wondering how things would turn out.—Pies and Plots
More from Monster Complex
Zombie Q&A—Isaac Marion: “George Romero tried to touch on the humanity of the zombies.”
The Zombie Issue: Isaac Marion, Justina Ireland, Zombie Comedy Movies, More!
Zombie Q&A—Jonathan Maberry: “Zombie Stories Are Not About Zombies”
Mira Grant AKA Seanan McGuire: Complete Newsflesh series + Interviews
Army of the Dead Director Zack Snyder: Zombies Are Perfect For Social Commentary
