Gr 5–10—One morning, 12-year-old Will Ritter discovers that his cranky old neighbor, his math teacher, and the assistant principal of his school are all rotting corpses, and that they want him dead. Rescued by a mysterious new classmate, he ends up at Haven, the secret hideout of the Undertakers-a group of kids between the ages of 12 and 18 who can actually see the corpses and are attempting to rescue kids like Will, just coming into their Seer abilities. Will discovers that his dead father, evidently the only adult Seer, started the Undertakers with the help of Tom and Sharyn, former street thieves turned remarkably competent leaders. There's a lot going on here: weird aliens, a possible angel, cool gadgets and potentially magical weapons, and Will, who is Every Kid, only with skills that develop extraordinarily fast. Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Harry Potter, with bug-filled corpses. Fans of comic-book heroes and video games will not be disappointed, and will be eager for further adventures. Fast paced and surprisingly moving.—Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library
""I have to say that I really really really love when an author takes a subject that has become popular and makes it his/her own... This is going to be an excellent book for reluctant readers, the chapters are short enough to keep your attention, the story moves along very quickly and the character's 'lingo' rings true... I really love this one and think it will go over huge with boys as well as girls. I'm hoping that we'll see much much more of Ty Drago in the coming years." - Absolute Forest of Words" - Absolute Forrest of Words
""I think the author did a wonderful job though in creating a world for younger boys to dive into. A fun read to spark the interest of reluctant readers and hopefully give them the push they need to start reading!" - My Overstuffed Bookshelf" - My Overstuffed Bookshelf
""With elements reminiscent of works by Rowling, Riordan, and Stine, Drago unveils the plot through many short chapters, calling into action a cast of distinctive characters with authentic voices and behaviors... Will's breathless adventures as he faces his destiny of becoming an Undertaker are thoughtful and exciting, and the descriptions of decaying flesh will likely both disgust and delight readers... who will be clamoring for the continuation of the story." - Booklist" - Booklist
""The Undertakers is one of the best books I have ever read." - Review by Ashley- 6th grade reader/reviewer, approved and given highest marks by teacher6th" - Spot to Read
""...as thought provoking as Night of the Living Dead and as entertaining as the likes of Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead... In my opinion though this books tale of Corpses and leaving a normal life behind easily beats the Saga of Darren Shan... All in all 'The Undertakers — Rise of the Corpses' is a fantastic book and is also both interesting and fun to read. Brilliantly written by Ty Drago, with great characters, an edgy story and many grim twists, this is a highly recommendable novel and one of the best I've read in a long time." - Necropunk" - Necropunk
""Drago takes a dash of "They Live", stirs in a handful of zombie mythology from Brian Keene's "The Rising", and finishes it off with the young adult appeal of "Percy Jackson"... It is a story and cast of characters that is both familiar and, at the same time, utterly original... Drago writes with an age appropriate tone, but one that is not condescending to older readers — the story is still, after all, a robust exploration of the genesis of a zombie invasion of our world. The drama is real, the action is real, and the plot holds up whether you are 15 or 45 or 105." - The Word Zombie" - The Word Zombie
""I like zombies, I like YA horror, and I like secret underground societies of kids doing awesome things. This book, I thought, should be a total win. Well it IS a total win... scary without being over-the-top horrifying, it's got action as well as emotional stuff, and it's never boring." - Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog" - Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog
""Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Harry Potter, with bug-filled corpses. Fans of comic-book heroes and video games will not be disappointed, and will be eager for further adventures. Fast paced and surprisingly moving." —School Library Journal" - School Library Journal
""Score: 4.75 / 5 - Reviewer Top Pick
This is not your traditional zombie book, but is instead a high-octane read, with a great new take on the zombie story. Ty Drago has created what promises to be a great series, filled with adventure, undead beings, aliens, teenage guerrillas, and lots and lots of intrigue." - Night Owl Reviews" - Night Owl Reviews
""Plenty of action, gruesome descriptions, and hand-to-hand combat will draw mostly middle-grade boys, but there are lots of strong girl characters as well. A satisfying ending hints at a sequel. Recommended." - Library Media Connection" - Library Media Connection
"This is an engaging fast-paced tale from the moment the talking smelly Pratt puts his hand on Will and never slows down... " - Midwest Book Review
