Wednesday, February 11, 2009

LibraryThing Early Reviewers: Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry

Patient Zero is a non-stop, don't let go, intense combination of cutting edge science (fiction... for now) and the hack and slash you'd expect from a top notch horror/thriller. Featuring former Boston PD detective Joe Ledger and his new team recruited into a super secret task force by a super secret branch of the military on a world wide hunt for bio-terrorists and their undead plague.

This book was extremely well done. From the start, the science was engaging and mostly believable, even to a biology major. I love the zombie "genre" as much as the next guy, but it was refreshing to have it treated to somewhat realistic observations and plausibilities.

The characterization was quite well done also. While it's almost inevitable these days for any "action heroes" to be typified, Ledger and his team pull of the trick of being intelligent and believable at the same time they're kicking ass. Only one of the characters (a female scientist/terrorist) came off as grossly overwritten and stereotypical.

I was indeed disappointed to see this book end (even if it did take me over a month to finish, mea culpa, LT; I blame school) and will be anxiously awaiting a new Ledger novel, which I believe is already in the works.

"People who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like." Abraham Lincoln (in a book review of his own) (1809-1865)