# World War Z by Max Brooks

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/world-war-z/

3 people recommended World War Z by Max Brooks in Hacker News comments and 2 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 3 of 12 months, in 3 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** People recommend it as a short, action-packed read that is easy to get through; one reader says the movie didn't live up to it.

Summary written by Claude from 5 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Short, action-packed and easy to read (1 comment in the sample): "I loved the short action packed book which seemed like an easy translation" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48403454))
- Extended cast audiobook edition is great (1 comment in the sample): "the extended cast edition is great with a mixed cast" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46413165))
- Enjoyed it enough to re-read (1 comment in the sample): "Overall I really enjoyed it. I should re-read it" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49242522))

## Other horror novels people recommend

- [House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski](https://hackerapproved.com/p/house-of-leaves/): 16 recommend, 2 mixed, 4 criticize
- [The Terror by Dan Simmons](https://hackerapproved.com/p/terror/): 6 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "World War Z by Max Brooks", https://hackerapproved.com/p/world-war-z/ (3 recommend, 0 mixed, 2 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.