Pride and Prejudice...and Zombies!

~Rarely will I promote a book that I haven't actually read, but in this case the concept radiates such sheer brilliance that I will make an exception. In honor of both Valentine's Day and Friday the 13th, I wish to direct your attention to the upcoming novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith. The tagline for this terrifying text is: "The Classic Regency Romance—Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem!"

Grahame-Smith, the author of How to Survive a Horror Movie, has taken the entire, uncut text of Austen's Pride and Prejudice, but has made his own "additions". I cannot possibly equal the description given by the publisher, so I'll let you read it instead, with bold text by me:

"Pride and Prejudice and Zombies features the original text of Jane Austen's beloved novel with all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie action. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers—and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield as Elizabeth wages war against hordes of flesh-eating undead. Complete with 20 illustrations in the style of C. E. Brock (the original illustrator of Pride and Prejudice), this insanely funny expanded edition will introduce Jane Austen's classic novel to new legions of fans."

If you found that description amusing, check out the parody (?) Pride and BRAAAINS!, on the webcomic HijiNKS Ensue.

P&P&Z will be published on April 15th, 2009. So armor up your van, rev up your chainsaw, load your shotgun, grab your Zombie Survival Guide, and prepare to face the undead horde!