Book Post #2

The Twelve – Justin Cronin

This is a modern science fiction, horror/thriller. I add the horror/thriller tag as the story covers dark issues with a lot of action based events, whilst it is not in my opinion ‘scary’.  So the story is based in a post-apocalyptic world where ‘virals’ (vampire type beings) have taken over and are destroying human life. This story has a slight religious aspect with the main female protagonist who as the book progresses appears to have a connection to some sort of ‘god’ or god like influence. This book is the sequel to ‘The Passage’ which was released in 2010.

This book doesn’t pick up where The Passage leaves of, it actually goes back in time to the days just after the initial outbreak and follows new characters whose story lines set up the new incidents needed for this story to progress. The book then catches back up with the previous characters and we find out what happened to their lives after the end of the first book.

This book is beyond anything I have read in a long time, probably the only book written as well and gripped me quite so fully was its predecessor. It is a well written and well structures fast paced novel that leaves you wanting more even when you have finished the book (which is handy since there is to be another book). There are aspects covering so many human life aspects but all tinged with this struggle to survive in this new world, which is not always fair or even gives people a semblance of a human life (I am unwilling in the review to cover what actually happens as I hate having stories ruined for me and am unwilling to do this to other people).

This is a wold created by and formed from man’s greediness, how they are always looking for a quick fix or an upper hand against themselves. The virals where created so be used as a weapon of mass destruction but also as a method of curing diseases and even to see is immortality could be obtained. A character who was part of this decision process says, when asked what they were thinking says, “It seemed like a good idea at the time”. How many stories have this element in them? Do we as human have to common sense not to progress ourselves too quickly without fully understanding what may occur as a result? (That was pretty deep).

Without giving away any spoilers in this book I developed a strong liking towards the character of Lila. She is mentioned briefly in the first book and is the ex-wife of Brad Wolgast (who becomes a farther figure to Amy the main character). This sequel allows the readers to find out what happened to her when the outbreak happened. I just feel that it was impossible not to feel for this woman and the situation she finds herself in.

I did find that as I read the first book so long ago I was slightly confused to begin with and thought I had completely forgot characters out of the first book. I also got slightly confused with the time shifts till I realised that each new section listed the time zone I was to read about. Each new section starts with a literary quote of some kind and I had overlooked the date stamp. But overall this is definitely a book to make you go ‘Wow’. This an excellent continuation to The Passage and thankfully there is another book still to come so this excellent series can continue. There have also been rumours of a film bouncing around for a few years, the rights have been bought but as of yet no date or even cast list. I won’t hold my breath as other series of books I read many years again had film rights book and no film ever happened. But the book is so superbly written the need for a film is not necessary in my opinion. This book completely draws you in and is a must read especially if like me your getting fed up with the now standard love/romance type vampire novel.