The issues I had with Book Three of The Walking Dead (lack of forward movement, lack of character development, sensationalism without purpose) have been resolved in Book Four. The prison has once again become a site of drama and conflict, and the characters seem alive again. There are definitely still some incredibly shocking moments--truly twisted and heartbreaking things happen in this volume, and though I'm not a queasy reader, I had to stop a few times and collect myself. The plot is definitely becoming more grotesque and more complex, especially as a few characters are tested beyond their limits and as a few flee the scene. And even though it has resulted in some turns that I would have preferred happened differently, I most appreciated that the characters are once again being pushed--their psychological, physical, emotional limits are being tested and the story is well-developed enough to make you interested in following them through the next volume.