Books like Xombies

I am only about a quarter through but I feel compelled to respond to the many Goodreads reviewers who say this isn't a zombie novel. It's a zombie novel.They urghh and arghh like any zombie just a little faster. Just because you place a X instead of a Z doesn't make it different. You can put replace SK in skunk with a X and it stills stinks.But is it a good zombie novel? It's a little early to tell but so far I keep thinking of Xunks.---------I finished it and will have a rating and full review up shortly. Hint: It is definitely not a xunk.---------So anyways...Xombies: Apocalpse Blue, the first installment of Greatshell's Xombies series isn't a xunk but it is not exactly a rose (xose?) either. While it is a zombie novel it manages to do what all good zombie novels must do and that is be about something other than zombies. One of its faults is that it tends to be about way more than the author can comfortably handle. The first section features the onslaught of zombies, called xombies for reasons explained in the book, and the struggle for survival by our 17 year old heroine Lulu. Then about a third through the focus shifts away from xombies to the isolation and struggle of the survivors for power...on a submarine no less! This change is both incredibly imaginative and somewhat chaotic. We are introduced to some very shady characters and the basic themes are developed involving...well, I won't ruin it for you but lets just say some of our evil protagonist's ideas are sort of Ayn Rand turned on her head. Speaking of Ayn Rand, how come no one has ever written a novel in which Ayn Rand is a zombie? That would explain a lot. But I digress...I ended up liking this book. However there was much that disturbed me. There are no really likable character. The main character Lulu comes close but she often feels too unreal to really identify with. Also, by the end it become very hard to take sides with anyone. In fact, I started to side with the xombies although I suspect that may actually have been the author's intention. But in the long run, the originality of this novel and the author's riveting style wins out to the point that I give it three and a half stars.