Review - Night of the Living Dead Christian

Night of the Living Dead Christian
BY: Matt Mikalatos
PUBLISHED BY: Tyndale
PUBLISHED IN: 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4143-3880-4
Pages: 272

In this intriguing follow-up to Imaginary Jesus, author Matt Mikalatos once again uses himself as narrator in his own fictional story. While patrolling the streets for the Neighborhood Watch Program, Matt sees the oddest scene - a man wearing a pair of goggles and a long white lab coat, like something Dr. Frankenstein would wear, standing on the corner of 108th street, and clutching onto a mysterious box that is connected to a nearby streetlight by electrical wires. Being the Chief Officer for the Neighborhood Watch, Matt investigates the situation. The strange man is a mad scientist by the name Dr. Daniel Culbetron, and along with is sidekick android Hibbs 300,  they are attempting to send a signal out that only werewolves can hear. Yes, I said werewolves!

Being the nice person that he is, Matt agrees to help the mad doctor search for the werewolf. Matt suspects that his neighbor Luther is actually a werewolf, in which this is where the main plot of the novel begins. Luther is man who has a dark side, and when that side of him comes out, he becomes a beast. A werewolf hunter is on his trail, and only Matt, Dr. Daniel Culbetron, Hibbs, a vampire and few other friends can help Luther, if they can avoid mindless zombies.

I eagerly waited for my copy of the Night of the Living Dead Christian, as I enjoyed the previous book, Imaginary Jesus. I am a horror movie fan, so, naturally, I got a kick out the title. The author, Matt Miklaatos, clearly loves old horror/monster movies as he as added zombies, vampires, werewolves, a robot, and a mad scientist to story. Even though Matt has once again added himself as a character, he is not the main character, as Luther, the werewolf, is the central character and the main focus of the book. Just like his previous novel, Matt uses satire through most of the story. Despite having creatures of the night in Night of the Living Dead Christian, just as the title suggests, this is a Christian novel with a spiritual transformation theme. I enjoyed reading every single page of and I look forward to reading Matt’s next book.

*I would like thank Tyndale for sending me a review copy.

About the author: 

Matt Mikalatos is the author of Imaginary Jesus. He works with a Christian nonprofit equipping college students for overseas missions. He started watching the Saturday morning Monster Matinee with his father at the age of two and as a result has a natural fear of giant irradiated insects, blood sucking rocks, and carnivorous dinosaurs. He lives near Portland, Oregon, with his wife and three daughters. Visit Matt online at www.mattmikalatos.com. Visit Tyndale House Publishers at www.tyndale.com.