The Maker's Guide to the Zombie Apocalypseby Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 9 Learn how to generate electricity and protect your fortress for survival during the zombie apocalypse. The technical reviewer is Jeremy Blum.This book does an excellent job of conveying all the aspects and steps of the how-tos it contains. It also tries to keep things simple (because complicated won't work for anyone during the zombie apocalypse). This book contains aspects that fall into the categories of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and programming. However, it should be noted that in order to gain anything from reading this, at a bare minimum you need to have taken a college-level physics course, have some experience with working with simple tools, and have some understanding of Python (or be willing and interested in learning). The further you go in the book, the more experience you have with these aspects, the better. Also, soldering comes into play beginning in chapter seven. It should also be noted that while many components can be scavenged after the apocalypse has happened, there are some vital pieces that you must buy (possibly ordering online) and information you must download from the Internet before the world as we know it ends. Obviously, it's good to be prepared before that happens, so this book is great for those who are actively preparing for the apocalypse (of whatever kind) or, as the book itself says, those "who like to make things". Basically this is a be-prepared book and not a post-apocalypse book. I was able to follow most things in the book, and it seems like, as long as you're good at following directions, you should be able to do at least some of the things in the book (though, since I didn't actually try to make any of these things, they may be harder than they sound). There is a build through the book, but it also points out what to do or not do if you're just doing one project instead of starting at the beginning. I especially enjoyed chapters two and three, which explain how to generate and use electricity, respectively. Those chapters alone make this a great book for survivalists, especially as you can do most of what those chapters discuss with little know-how and a fair amount of scavenging supplies (including from a hardware store). Both chapters contain options that make things better (solar panels and an Arduino to make a battery life monitor). The zombie aspect is used for the occasional bit of humor and as a way to tie all of these projects together. It also prevents the book from being too dry and technical, though some areas will still read that way, especially if you are unfamiliar with the mechanical, electrical, or programming aspects it's discussing. If the apocalypse is not zombie-related, many of these will still come in handy. The illustrations are a mix: zombie art, hand-drawn (and quite simple) diagrams, and photographs of components and set-ups. Sometimes two of these are used together. The diagrams and photographs are indispensable. Notes and programming are presented in different font, so that they stand out from the main text (and each other). The book also has an index and three appendices. Appendix A has pre- and post-apocalypse supply lists, and they are separated into different categories like "electronics modules" and "leads and connectors". It's important to do a quick comparison, as there are some things you can only get pre-apocalypse. Appendix B contains some basic electronics skills you'll need, that the rest of the book assumes you have. This includes soldering basics and lots of pictures. If things in this book are new to you, you may want to have a bookmark in Appendix B or even start there. Appendix C is an intro to Arduino and some basic set-ups for these projects. Basically, this book will appeal to someone who understands what all the things are in the book's subtitle: "Defend Your Base with Simple Circuits, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi". While simplified, it's not a book "for dummies", and it relies heavily on the Arduino and Raspberry Pi for the ultimate defenses. But for those individuals, this book has easy-to-follow tasks presented in a fun way. Written: December 21, 2015
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