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Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls  By  cover art

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls

By: Jane Austen,Steve Hockensmith
Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren
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Publisher's summary

With more than one million copies in print, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was the surprise publishing phenomenon of 2009. A best seller on three continents, PPZ has been translated into 21 languages and optioned to become a major motion picture.

In this terrifying and hilarious prequel, we witness the genesis of the zombie plague in early 19th-century England. We watch Elizabeth Bennet evolve from a naive young teenager into a savage slayer of the undead. We laugh as she begins her first clumsy training with nunchucks and katana swords and cry when her first blush with romance goes tragically awry.

Written by acclaimed novelist (and Edgar Award nominee) Steve Hockensmith, Dawn of the Dreadfuls invites Austen fans to step back into Regency England, Land of the Undead!

©2010 Steve Hockensmith (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

  • Audie Award Nominee - Best Fiction Audiobook, 2011

"Hockensmith does not abandon Austen’s original characters. Mrs. Bennett is the most true to the original, and even silly Kitty and Lydia are the same, only they fight instead of fuss over men. Elizabeth, from whose point of view significant elements of the story are told, is the most fully developed, and while she departs a little from the original, it’s not so far as to make Austen fans cringe (given that they’re OK with zombies, of course). This is a must-read for the growing legion of alternate-Austen fans (including, naturally, everyone who has read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies)." (Booklist)

"Narrator Katherine Kellgren sells the unlikely combination of Jane Austen’s Elizabeth Bennet and zombie invasions with wholehearted glee. As the Bennet sisters train with a fighting master for their do-or-die zombie battle, the story moves from scenes of proper conversation to scenes of proper attack stance. Kellgren expresses the British fighting spirit with abandon. She’s smart, funny, and unrestrainedly dramatic, everything that a book chronicling Regency maidens meting out murderous zombie vengeance needs. Kellgren’s voices are thoughtfully chosen, especially Mrs. Bennet’s shrieks over propriety. Listeners can’t help but be drawn into the riotous action even as they realize the story is ludicrous. For sheer audacity of spirit, Kellgren deserves acclaim." ( AudioFile)
“Mixing taught horror-movie action with neo-Austen meditation on identity, society, and romance, this happy sacrilege is sure to please fans of Grahame-Smith's original mash-up.” ( Publisher’s Weekly)

Featured Article: Mmmm, Brains...Satisfy Your Cravings with the 20 Best Zombie Audiobooks Ever


Zombies have been a potent cultural force for decades. Something about the concept of a ragtag crew of survivors facing off against endless masses of shuffling brain-munchers really seems to speak to people! There are hundreds, if not thousands, of zombie-themed stories out there. But which ones are the very best? And which zombie audiobooks will have you double-checking the locks and sleeping with a baseball bat next to your bed?

What listeners say about Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic Narrator for a Fun Story!

For me, the narrator of an audiobook can make or break the whole experience. Katherine Kellgren brings the characters in this tale to life!

The story itself is fun and fanciful and at times laugh out loud funny. The characters are fully recognizable from their original Austen incarnations and stay true to spirit throughout. You cannot go wrong by adding this piece to your audiobook collection.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A wonderful but not exacting PreQuel

It is not often that I listen to a sample to be smitten enough to immediately download and continue. This is one such book.

I wished to convey to others what to expect and the differences between this and the subsequent title Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith.

First I want to emphasize that although written after Grahame-Smith's book, this is a PREQUEL. It is set in Jane Austen's countryside together with the stuffy English society of the time and the Bingley family are the main characters. However, it does not follow the plot of any of Austen's books; unlike Grahame-Smith's book which followed the plot of the original Austen book quite faithfully... with the exception of the Zombies and humorous modifications.

In my opinion this allowed the author of this book the freedom to craft a much more more adventurous and fast paced tale. This is done with exquisite mastery of Austen like prose which adds much to the hilarity and enjoyment. He does a good job of attempting to match the Zombie elements of this book with the Grahame-Smith version although the discerning reader will catch several discontinuities. There are also some elements that may be more unbelievable than the existence of Zombies. These include the ability of the Bingley girls to become extremely proficient at the Deadly Arts including the use of Ninja Throwing Stars and Katana in mere days.

Listen to this book expecting to suspend disbelief and it will be extremely enjoyable. The narrator was absolutely perfect for this book.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fun, Fun, Fun + Katherine Kellgren

What can I say. I'm in love with Katherine Kellgren's voice. Who knows, maybe I'm in love with the whole package. There's a lot you can tell from only a person's voice. Though I never have, I believe that I could listen to a crappy book and love it if only it were narrated by Katherine Kellgren. Actually, Ms. Kellgren does not narrate a book as much as she performs it. Every character is individually acted and, without being told, at any given time, we know who the speaker in the story is by the way we hear them speak. Her renditions of the sounds of zombies and war cries are priceless. Ms. Kellgren is gifted.

That being said, this rendition of Pride and Prejudice is more that of the author Steve Hockensmith than that of Jane Austen. Jane Austen is definitely in there with the Benetts and their daughters and that whole soap opera thing. But this is a variation on the theme that is totally funny, entertaining and original. I am not a fan of the zombie genre. I have shied away from this series for that reason. While I like her writing, I'm not a huge fan of Jane Austen though I've read most of her books. But then there's Katherine Kellgren. (Oh yes, that's right I mentioned her.) Plus, I had the opportunity to get this one at $4.95 on Audible. It was worth every penny. Need a simple, fun, pick-me-up for the doldrums? Try PaPaZ. It won't disappoint.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Zombies mixed with manners = FUN

I really enjoyed the mix of new & old/classic in this story. It reminded me of Christopher Moore in certain parts where the witty banter of the characters was mixed in with semi-horror situations with the end result being hilarious and absurd at the same time. The accents are great and the actual battle scenes don't weigh the whole thing down for chapters on end. Kill some zombies, have some social interaction, kill some zombies, more witty exchanges, kill more zombies, worry about acting like a proper lady while killing zombies.......... it flowed quite nicely. I could see this one making for a fun/campy movie quite easily.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Hilarious!

With romance, redemption, witty repartee, and zombies, what's not to like? This prequel to PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES is superbly written and, at times, laugh-out-loud funny.The narrator, Katherine Kellgren, is absolutely brilliant. Loved it!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

There are two P & P & Z

The overwrought reading style is perfectly suited to this book, adding an archness that makes it even more amusing. It wasn't until I went looking for more information after the reading, however, that I found out there are two zombie novels written by two different authors. The only relationship this version has with the original Pride and Prejudice (italics) is that there are some of the same characters. Otherwise, it's a romp all its own. The other one, the "classic Regency romance," is the one that includes much of the original wording. It's unfortunate that Audible didn't make the distinction clear.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Different story line.

The only thing I didn't like was the fact that this doesn't follow the first one at all.....

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Not a Stand Alone Novel...

I feel a bit like an idiot for purchasing this book and expecting an exciting zombie thriller. I should have investigated - or just thought about it a little more and realized that this is a spin off on Pride and Predjudice (DUH!!!) and not a stand alone book. I have never read or watched Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I was not very familiar with the characters or the original story line - other than what i have heard from others over the years. I imagine that if i had read the original story (without the zombies) i would have found this book significantly more humorous and enjoyable. Perhaps if i ever do read the original, i will come back to this book and give it another try!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Hysterical

Okay, it's not literature, but it's very, very funny. Like the first book, it does reference both Austenian language and plot structure heavily and so the result is a kind of absurd romp through a zombie-ridden history with a little light tip of the hat towards feminism as it goes along.

Very amusing. Exceedingly well read by the narrator.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Don't pass this by!

I had this in my wish list for a long time; hesitating because I was worried it would be a dreary and dull 19th century novel with some lame zombies thrown in. I was wrong!! I've never been much of a fan of classic literature, but this reads like a modern work - yet so much better than 80% of the monotonous drivel that this genre is producing lately. It's absolutely hilarious and super entertaining. The narrator was absolutely perfect for this role – flawless in fact. The characters are vibrant...never dull and the story flies by. This book was so good; I just may re-read "real" Austen novels again! You don't need to be a fan of history or historical fiction to enjoy this book. It's simply a wonderfully written, action packed story with fantastic characters. A whole new take on the Zombie (ahem, I mean, Dreadful) Apocalypse. Don't let this fester in your Wish List - you won't be disappointed!

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2 people found this helpful