In Night Watch, Reg is killed by Carcer and his men (p.442), and then there is a fight, in which Reg seems to take part. I was wondering how this was, because didn't he become a zombie a few hours later? How did he manage to take five heavy crossbow bolts and still fight?
If I remember correctly, he takes a lot of arrows, scares some attackers away who probably notice he should have toppled over by now but doesn't, then looks down himself after a while, actually already undead, but rationally decides he must be dead, keels over for now and then "his brain is in for a surprise after a few hours" - I guess when it sinks in. I suppose he became a zombie right away and only got up after a while when what he expected to happen next -propbably DEATH never showed up for him and he didn't loose control over his dead body- didn't happen. It is mentioned that people can't quite explain why some people become natural zombies.