Portlandtown: A Tale of the Oregon Wyldes. By Robb De Borde. (New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2012. 375 pp.)

Recommendation by Carolyn Petersen, Assistant Program Manager, Library Development

What does a reader get when a writer combines gunfights, zombies, circus freaks, and a Portland pioneer family named the Wyldes?  The reader is rewarded with a crackling good read—if the reader’s brain is able to blend westerns, steampunk, sci-fi and historical fiction.  This story begins in 19^th century Astoria when Joseph Wylde goes to bring his father-in-law, the town sheriff, back to Portland with him.  Unfortunately the powers Joseph’s father-in-law had disturbed in Astoria by digging up their graves follow the Wyldes back to Portland—and all hell—well the zombie part of it anyway—breaks loose.  Hopefully this is the start of a series.

Available in the Washington State Library’s Pacific Northwest Collection at NW 813.6 DEBORDE 2012

Digital Book editions available for Washington residents unable to read standard print through WTBBL.

Walking Dead (Walker Papers, Book 4) By C.E. Murphy.
Luna, 2009. 376p.

Recommendation submitted by:
Jill Merritt, Library Associate, Washington State Library Branch Services, Tumwater, WA.

Joanne Walker is coming to terms with her life as a shaman and newly minted police detective in Seattle.  However, the calm is broken by the arrival of unexpected ghosts at a Halloween party full of police.  Soon Joanne is dealing with zombies and a magic caldron that has a long history of death. Crisscrossing Seattle, Joanne follows the dark trail left by the cauldron, picking up a few hitchhiking ghosts along the way, including one very dear to the her partner’s heart.

Readers familiar with the series will enjoy the return of previous characters helping and in some cases hindering Joanne’s fight to save Seattle from the undead. The writing and subject matter leans toward more adult themes, but might appeal to older teens. Walking Dead is one installment in the Walker Paper series by C.E. Murphy that answers a few readers questions about the shaman, but leaves more unanswered.  Interested readers will eagerly look for the next story of Joanne Walker.

ISBN-13: 978-0373803019.

Available as an eBook
Title contains adult themes.