One of my favorite books by Stephen King is {and most likely always will be} “Pet Sematary”. I believe this was the first zombie-themed book I ever read, and I read it somewhere around my 7th or 8th grade year.
This book scared the life out of me ! The story begins with Doctor Louis Creed and his wife Rachel, who move to Ludlow, Maine with their two small children, Ellie and Gage. They also move with Churchill, Ellie’s cat.
The first day in their new house they make the acquaintance of Jud Crandall, who lives across the street from them. During their first meeting, he explains the dangers of the road they live on, how trucks drive well above the speed limit and pass day and night.
Jud also shows his new friend a very interesting landmark. Past the deadfall in the Pet Sematary and up a trail lies a Micmac burial ground with an unusual ability. Any dead buried there will return, albeit changed. They return to whomever buried them, so its best that each bury his own.
Throughout the course of the novel, Louis is guided by Victor Pascow, a student who died from injuries at the University where Louis works. Pascow decides its his personal post-life mission to keep Louis and his family safe. He warns Louis several times not to use the Micmac burying ground, but three times Louis doesn’t listen. The first is when Ellie’s cat, Church, is run over in the road. When Church comes back, he’s very different. A once loving cat is now surly and agressive, and its death wounds are still very much visible on its body. For fear of spoiling the book, I’m not going to mention who the other two resurrections are.
You absolutely need this book if you’re a zombie fan or a Stephen King fan ! I couldn’t put the book down, every page seemed have some new horror or tragedy. The story is well-written, the characters and dialog are engaging, and the ending is fantastic. In my opinion, “Pet Sematary” is Stephen King’s best and most direct addition to the zombie culture.
