i think one of the weaknesses of the fantasy/sci-fi genre is that it is, by its nature, often escapist and self-indulgent and irrelevant to what's going on in the world today. world war z, is still escapist, et al (that's why i like the genre), but it is at the same time a caustic commentary on current world dynamics.
the whole book is a compendium of retrospectives from different characters - political, military, average joe/jane-turned hero, and less savory types - 10 years after the world was finally able to turn back the tide of a widespread virus that killed the living and turned the dead into zombies.
it offers reasonable depictions of how certain countries and peoples might respond to disaster and their regrets and what-ifs years after.
while there is not really a single protagonist, the work is tied together by an "interviewer" who just keeps the words going. i recommend this to people who can appreciate sharp fiction that involves zombies and insightful social/political commentary.
