As the cover (and a previous reviewer has stated) this is a story about the dead returning to 'life' and the apocalyptic impact they bring to the world. However, the zombies in this story are different than the Romero-esque body eaters found in typical gut-munching, splattery horror fiction. They do not want to eat us, they want something different. A moving tale. Brief but worth the time to read (and reread). Braunbeck has a fine skill for crafting touching yet funny yet dark stories and this emotional showstopper is a fine addition to any library. ( )