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I finally got around to reading the Newsflesh trilogy by Mira Grant (AKA Seanan McGuire's "horror" pen name). It's about life after some medically-engineered viruses are released via bioterrorism, and then combine to ... reanimate the dead. Yes, zombies. The focus of the trilogy is the rise of online blogging/social media as news sources, and damn did Seanan predict some things with these books.
One of the interesting things about her zombies is that not only can they convert someone via bite, but the viruses can amplify and convert someone via any bodily fluids. The reason it's so interesting is that it means ANYTHING can become a vector; the point in time that all of this came to a head and kickstarted the "zombies are here to stay" happened quickly, and no one knew that you didn't have to just worry about bites.
All of this to say that I also picked up the short story collection - all the shorter fiction that Seanan wrote around this trilogy - and it contains one of the most harrowing zombie stories I've ever read. What happens if a few of the infected get into the main hall at San Diego Comic Con? You know, the con where the main hall is so packed that you end up being pressed against strangers as you try to get to the area you want to see? I actually freaked out a bit while reading this story.
So anyway, if you like science horror, zombies, and social commentary, pick up the Newsflesh books.
One of the interesting things about her zombies is that not only can they convert someone via bite, but the viruses can amplify and convert someone via any bodily fluids. The reason it's so interesting is that it means ANYTHING can become a vector; the point in time that all of this came to a head and kickstarted the "zombies are here to stay" happened quickly, and no one knew that you didn't have to just worry about bites.
All of this to say that I also picked up the short story collection - all the shorter fiction that Seanan wrote around this trilogy - and it contains one of the most harrowing zombie stories I've ever read. What happens if a few of the infected get into the main hall at San Diego Comic Con? You know, the con where the main hall is so packed that you end up being pressed against strangers as you try to get to the area you want to see? I actually freaked out a bit while reading this story.
So anyway, if you like science horror, zombies, and social commentary, pick up the Newsflesh books.
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I should ask him if that will ever, uh, revive as a project.
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(Icon=George from the Russian cover of Feed.)
The novella about a school outbreak was the most upsetting for me. o_o
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George! Such a great character.
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Ooh, yeah, I can imagine.
In 2014 that one got livetweeted out in real time during the convention! o_o
Georgia is among the handful of characters who've gotten deepest into my heart in my entire life. Prickly, stubborn, marvelous. (A quote from one of her blog posts was my first tattoo! <3) I'm always so glad to see people appreciating her. ^_^
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...I still love the Newsflesh books more because George & Shaun are SUCH engaging characters.
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I also pretty much read everything she writes. The 'road ghost books are the only ones that hit me as 'meh'. I love the Wayward Children series - and the Cryptid series is excellent. I love the characters, the critters & think all 3 of the kids are so different & vividly portrayed.
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