The Walking Dead 3

The Walking Dead 3 (Original title: The Walking Dead - The Fall Of The Governor: Part One ) is the third part of a five-part novel series by the writers Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga from 2013. The German translation by Wally Anker was published by Heyne Verlag released on February 10, 2013. The novel series is a spin-off of the comic book series The Walking Dead and this volume is the third of four parts that tell the backstory of the character of "Governor" Philip.

Structure of the book

The novel was published in Germany as a paperback by Heyne Verlag . Similar to Volume 1 and Volume 2 of this series of novels, this book is also divided into two parts this time, preceded by an almost completely black page with several splotches of white color. A section heading and a quote are shown in white letters on this black page. The eighteen chapters of roughly the same length are simply numbered.

action

Part 1: The Gathering

Part 1 comprises chapters 1–12.

The quote at the beginning of this part reads:

“So when the last and most terrible hour heralds the end of this dwindling festival, the trumpet will sound from high above. The dead will live, the living will die, and the music will enrag the heavens. ” - John Dryden

The plot is about a year after the end of Volume 2 and about two years after the beginning of the zombie - apocalypse one.

After the failed coup attempt against "Governor" Philip Blake, Woodbury came to terms with the situation. The young Lilly Caul watches a zombie gladiator fight in the stands of a speedway racetrack that has been converted into a battle arena . She is lost in thought and does not notice the fight and the roaring spectators. She confides to the local nurse that she no longer knows “how long she can continue to participate”. On the way to the apartment assigned to her, she finds her old comrade and army veteran Bob Stookey lying on the street completely drunk. He was in love with Lilly's friend Meghan Lafferty, who, for Bob, incomprehensible, committed suicide. Bob slurs unintelligible words. Only one “have to tell her” remains in Lilly's memory. At the end of the zombie-gladiatorial fight, the governor steps up to the microphone and explains that the supplies of gasoline and food are running out and that the near and far area of Woodbury is being combed in search of provisions. The next morning, several Woodbury residents set out to look for supplies in depopulated Georgia . On the trip there is almost something like normality: the old Stern couple tells their love story and everyone is fluff about supposed love affairs within Woodburys. The group finds a warehouse that has not yet been plundered, but it is full of zombies, former employees of a grocery store. The group can keep all attackers at bay and returns with various supplies on the Interstate Highway towards Woodbury.

While driving you will see a black column of smoke on the horizon. After a heated discussion, the group decides to investigate the column of smoke. Arrived at the scene of the accident, it turns out that it is a crashed helicopter of a private TV station from Atlanta with two people on board. The pilot died in the crash and the passenger, a woman of around 40, is injured, among other things with severe burns. After a long discussion, both the dead pilot and the surviving woman are taken to Woodbury. During this busy day, Lilly and Austin, a young man who dresses like a rock star or surfer, got closer. Several times, Lilly saves his life, whom she only calls "handsome".

Doctor Stevens and Nurse Alice provide medical care to the survivors. In confidence, Doctor Stevens explains to survivor Christina that he doesn't think much of the governor's regime. During the evening interrogation of the survivors by the governor, the governor loses his temper and kills Christina when she holds up the mirror to him and describes the governor as a schoolyard thug and a tyrant. Afterwards, the governor visits Doctor Stevens and demands full loyalty at gunpoint. Meanwhile, the arrival of three visitors, two men and a woman, is reported at the Woodbury Defense Wall. The newcomers are residents of another settlement who have taken refuge in a former prison. While on a sightseeing tour of Woodbury, the newcomers apparently assaulted the governor and injured his ear. The leader of the three, Rick, lies unconscious and without a right hand in Doctor Stevens' infirmary. The governor rapes and tortures the woman of the newcomers. Her name is Michonne; she is of African-American descent, wears a cape and her hair is shaped into dreadlocks . Meanwhile, Lilly and Austin spend a romantic night. For a whole week, the governor passed on Michonne in the most inhuman way. After that week, Lilly notices that Austin is pregnant.

Part 2: Showtime

Part 2 includes chapters 13-18.

The quote at the beginning of the section reads:

“For then there will be a great tribulation, as has not been from the beginning of the world up to now and how it will not be either.” - Matthew chapter 24, verse 21

After torture and solitary confinement did not get any of the three newcomers to speak, the governor smuggled Martinez into the group around Rick and Michonne as a spy. An arena fight is imminent. Since one of the fighters got injured, Michonne is supposed to face a big man in the arena. But instead of the expected attrition, she kills her opponent and all the zombies who are chained in the arena. This changes the mood among the audience, who probably only expected a fight with show effects.

Martinez wants to flee with Rick and the other newcomers in the middle of the night to find their hiding place. To do this, several of the governor's henchmen are overwhelmed. They are joined by Doctor Stevens and the nurse Alice. As the group wants to cross the defensive wall, Michonne separates and goes into town and asks the group where the governor lives. Shortly behind the defensive wall, Doctor Stevens falls victim to a walker, as the zombies are called here.

Michonne surprises the governor as he feeds his zombie daughter Penny with body parts. After a brief struggle, Michonne overwhelmed the district governor. Now it is Michonne's turn to torture and torment the governor. The cruel climax is the amputation of the governor's genitals. Meanwhile, Lilly and Austin celebrate a kind of farewell by burning pictures and memorabilia of their dead friends and symbolically burying them.

The next morning, Lilly and a remaining henchman find the governor tied up, gagged, seriously injured and near death in his apartment.

continuation

In contrast to the first two volumes of the series of novels, there is no direct reference to a continuation in volume 3. The plot continues in the novel The Walking Dead 4 .

literature

Robert Kirkman & Jay Bonansinga: The Walking Dead 3 (Original title: The Walking Dead - The Fall Of The Governor: Part One ) German by Wally Anker. Heyne Verlag 2013, 352 pp., ISBN 978-3-453-52954-0
Robert Kirkman & Jay Bonansinga: The Walking Dead 2 (Original title: The Walking Dead - The Road to Woodbury ). German by Wally Anker. Heyne Verlag 2012, 416 pages, ISBN 978-3-453-52953-3
Robert Kirkman & Jay Bonansinga: The Walking Dead (Original title: The Walking Dead - Rise of the Governor, Book 1 ). German by Wally Anker. Heyne Verlag 2012, 448 pp., ISBN 978-3-453-52952-6