Left 4 Dead: The Sacrifice Series Review

Title:	Left 4 Dead: The Sacrifice
Contributors:	Mike Oeming
Publisher:	Valve
Issue #:	1
Year:	2010
Pages:	180 Pages
Age Rating:	18 (Language, Violence, Gore, Adult Themes)
Story Grade:	B
Art Grade:	B

Find out what happens after the military rescues Zoey, Louis, Francis, and Bill at the end of the original Left 4 Dead game.

Part One picks up from the end of the Blood Harvest game as the survivors are fighting their way to a military APC. A short flashback reveals the past of Louis during the "Green Flu" outbreak which includes his first encounter with the infected.

In the present timeline, the survivors first direct encounter with the Military isn't friendly. Not only are they referred to as "Tango Mikes," but instead of being taken to the Safe Zone they are being taken to the Millhaven military installation. Once the survivors arrive at Millhaven, things go from bad to worse.

Part Two continues on from Part One. It is apparent that something has gone horribly wrong as Millhaven military personnel are receiving nothing but radio silence from their military command.

In the present timeline, Louis and Francis are locked up together in a sealed room while Zoey and Bill are held under armed guard in a military medical examination room. We find out some shocking news about the true nature of the survivors.

Part Three begins with the Infected invading Millhaven, while everyone remaining comes together in the armory. We learn about Francis just before outbreak in a flashback.

Back in the present, Lt. Mora loses his mask defending himself from the zombie horde, and his platoon leave him for dead. Meanwhile, the remaining survivors fight their way out of MillHaven.

Part Four begins with Francis rudely awakened from a dream by Zoey, who is still angry about Bill's decision during the attempted train escape. The survivors discuss the Florida Keys. And then the story it cuts to Bill's past in a flashback.

 In the present time, the survivors locate a sailboat and find it is stocked full of supplies, but there is a problem. There is always a problem.

All in all, this is a full four-part story that moves along at a comfortable, albeit rapid pace. This is a book that has 180 packed pages. And while the story is supposed to be tied to the end of video game, it works as a standalone book. It is really easy to ignore the whole need for an origin of how the characters came together in the farmhouse in the beginning. The reader just needs to accept that the outbreak happened and these people are fighting to survive. But if you did play the video game, you come into the book with a deep rich history right from the get go.

Mike Oeming has done a fantastic job with both the writing and art work.

The story is deep with multi-dimensional characters and ripe with plot; even if it has been done time and again starting with "Night of the Living Dead" and moving into "Day of the Dead". Admittedly, it is hard to be original with zombie stories these days and this is a nice attempt at recycling the old and making it fresh and entertaining.

I loved the new mutated zombies that are shown in this book. The Smokers, Tanks and the ones that puke to tag survivors for other zombies to easily find food. The new addition of mutant zombies adds to the freshness of the tale.

All in all I grade this book a solid B. It is entertaining, fun and provides just the right amount of depth to engage the reader.