Agent John Jarrold tells us that author Mark Morris delivered the manuscript for Dead Island about a week ago to Bantam UK. The reason, he says, this is news is that the book is “the official novelization of Deep Silver’s game Dead Island.” Both are scheduled for release in early September.
According to the somewhat overwritten press release, Dead Island (in both incarnations) tells the story of “guest of the five-star Royal Palms Resort, [for whom] it was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime dream holiday; an escape to the stunning beaches of a tropical paradise unlike any other. But a mysterious zombie outbreak suddenly—and without warning—rips apart the pacific paradise island of Banoi, and four individuals with distinctive backgrounds and abilities seem to be unaffected by the zombie apocalypse.
“As the zombie outbreak spreads, will they be strong enough to stand against the endless zombie hordes, to protect the remaining survivors from a horrible fate and to flee the island?
“In the face of an unprecedented zombie apocalypse, they have only one thing left to do: survive.
“Welcome to the holiday paradise where your dreams should come true… but where a nightmare is about to begin…”
The trailer for the video game, which is a sensation in itself, has over 5 million views in the last five months, and won the Gold Lion in Film and Film Craft Category award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Related articles previously published on SFScope:
Mark Morris novelizing Vampire Circus (29 June 2011)