The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor

The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor is a novel written by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga. It is the first of three prequel novels to Kirkman's comic The Walking Dead.

The story focuses on the man that would later become the Governor; in the early days of the Zombie Apocalypse, Philip Blake, his brother Brian and daughter Penny struggle to survive not only the undead but their fellow man.

The novel contains examples of the following tropes

 * Abusive Parents - Philip and Brian had them.
 * Beware the Nice Ones -
 * Break the Cutie - Penny.
 * Cold-Blooded Torture -
 * Crapsack World
 * Doomed by Canon - We know at the very least from the comics that Penny is set to become a zombie.
 * Driven to Villainy - The Governor.
 * Face Heel Turn -
 * Foregone Conclusion - Surprisingly averted given the subject matter.
 * He Who Fights Monsters - Philip, among others.
 * Humans Are the Real Monsters
 * Infant Immortality - Subverted.
 * Jumping Off the Slippery Slope - Philip struggles with this throughout the novel.
 * Kill'Em All - By the end of the novel,
 * Klingon Promotion -
 * Limited Special Collectors' Ultimate Edition - A deluxe leatherbound edition with illustrations by series artist Charlie Adlard was also released.
 * Mercy Kill -
 * Morality Chain - Penny is the one thing that keeps Philip from snapping.
 * Mythology Gag - After leaving a zombie-infested community, Brian leaves a sign outside warning newcomers not to enter. In the comics, Rick and his crew come upon the same exact place, but don't notice the warning until it's too late.
 * My God, What Have I Done? - Philip after he
 * Papa Wolf - Philip to Penny.
 * Replacement Goldfish -
 * Room Full of Zombies
 * Start of Darkness - For the Governor.
 * Twist Ending -
 * Undead Child - The eventual fate of Penny.
 * Villain Protagonist - The Governor.
 * "Well Done, Son" Guy - Brian is this to Philip.
 * What Happened to Mommy? - After Penny is killed and subsequently turned into a zombie, Philip refuses to have her put down.
 * "Well Done, Son" Guy - Brian is this to Philip.
 * What Happened to Mommy? - After Penny is killed and subsequently turned into a zombie, Philip refuses to have her put down.