The Governor stands out as one of the greatest villains, not only in The Walking Dead universe, but in all of comics, television and film. The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor explores how The Governor became the man he is, and what drove him to such extremes.
The despot who runs the walled-off town of Woodbury, he has his own sick sense of justice: whether it’s forcing prisoners to battle zombies in an arena for the townspeople’s amusement, or chopping off the appendages of those who cross him. The Governor was voted “Villain of the Year” by Wizard magazine the year he debuted, and his story arc was the most controversial in the history of The Walking Dead comic book series. Now, for the first time, fans of The Walking Dead will discover how The Governor became the man he is, and what drove him to such extremes.
Few have been able to even take a stab at writing stories for The Walking Dead in print media outside of Robert Kirkman himself, but one of those few is New York Times bestselling author Jay Bonansinga. The gifted writer seems to have gotten into the heads of Kirkman’s characters early in the writing process as it shows on each page. He presents plausible scenarios as well as some super gut-wrenching decisions for the survivors.
In Rise of the Governor we get a deeper look into The Governor as a character and his motivations that were touched on in the comics and TV series. Bonansinga delves into his past and provides context for his crazy actions and why he is such a complex and compelling character.
The Governor is a messed up guy and we get to see what into making him this way. While he is an awful character, Rise of the Governor changes the way we feel towards the antagonist as it shows us how much he went through prior to arriving at Woodbury giving some depth to the character. By exploring his backstory and experiences while traversing the broken world, we gain insight into his transformation from a survivor to a ruthless leader willing to do anything to protect his people and keep his power.
Bonansinga takes characters created by Kirkman fleshes them out. Their interactions are realistic and showcase their strengths and vulnerabilities. The characters are deep and engaging allowing us to connect with them on a personal level. The dynamics between them add depth to their stories and keep us invested in their fates.
This origin story of The Governor is haunting, atmospheric and complements both the comics and TV series perfectly in a way I didn’t think was possible. Fans of The Walking Dead will appreciate this deeper dive into one of its most iconic characters. While we only get a glimpse of the character in other media, Rise of the Governor really enhances our understanding of him while also providing a gripping story that adds to The Walking Dead universe.
The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga is truly a must-read for all The Walking Dead fans. While the comics reign supreme over all other media, this novel follows closely to the original story told by Kirkman. The story is compelling with a chilling atmosphere delivering an engaging story that leaves us wanting more.
The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor is available at bookstores everywhere. The audiobook narrated by Fred Berman is available at Libro.fm!
