Tuesday, July 12, 2011

BOOK REVIEW: Deadline

Title: Deadline


Author: Mira Grant

Publisher: Orbit

RRP: $19.99

ISBN: 9781841498997

Release Date: June 2011

Pages: 560



Description:

The gripping sequel to the science fiction zombie-thriller FEED. The truth won't rest, and neither will the dead . . .

Shaun Mason is a man without a mission. Not even running the news organization he built with his sister has the same urgency as it used to. Playing with dead things just doesn't seem as fun when you've lost as much as he has.

But when a researcher from the Centre for Disease Control fakes her own death and appears on his doorstep with a ravenous pack of zombies in tow, Shaun's relieved to find a new purpose in life. Because this researcher comes bearing news: the monster who attacked them may be destroyed, but the conspiracy is far from dead.

Now, Shaun hits the road to find what truth can be found at the end of a shotgun.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mira Grant is the open pseudonym of Seanan McGuire, a successful fantasy writer and the winner of the 2010 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer.

Review:

Deadline is the second book in the fantastic zombie trilogy by Mira Grant, following hotly on the tail of Feed. Deadline deals heavily with the aftermath of Feed, which, to keep it spoiler-free, let's just say makes the narrator a total drag. The mood is much more sombre here, which makes sense given the storyline but also can get on the nerves. The focus remains on the conspiracy introduced in the first book, although now it's more about the science than the politics behind that conspiracy. The third book, Blackout, is schedule for a May 2012 release. This was an absolutely excellent continuation of this series. Things that happen in this book will absolutely take your breath away; it is absolutely engaging and really makes you think.

After the death of his sister, Shaun is at a loss as to what to do with his life. Then a doctor from the CDC shows up with some really interesting data and Shaun is drawn into a plot that is bigger than him and his sister ever dreamed. Now Shaun and he fellow bloggers are trying to unravel the plot around the virus before someone stops them, like terminally stops them.

This book is told from Shaun's perspective, although Georgia is present as a voice in Shaun's head. There are a wonderful cast of characters, some new, most of them old favourites from the first book.

I found myself absolutely hooked, and unwilling to leave the world. That made my road trips around the Bay Area (home of lots of plot action) this past weekend pretty interesting, as I looked around me trying to imagine the same vista in Mira Grant's world. And I'll never look at Costco or Wal-Mart the same way!!

Personally, I think this is the best zombie-themed writing since World War Z, which I think still is cream of the crop. If you liked WWZ, definitely give this series a spin.

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