Plague of the Dead (The Morningstar Strain) by Z. A. Recht
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Book Reviews of Plague of the Dead (The Morningstar Strain)
Book Review: well balanced and well written zombie novel
Summary: 5 Stars
After reading "Plague of the Dead" you will want to read the sequel. That is not so bad tho because the sequel is equally good. A rare enough thing in any series.
"Plauge" starts what I believe, will be a at least a three part series. The book starts out with some sketchy explanations of types of virus's (mostly African) and how they spread via some emails between a general (Sherman) and a military scientist (Rebbecca) who is studying a new strain but.. that doesn't mean that the book doesn't get right to the action. The action builds quickly as does the character development.
That brings me to the characters.. They are believable and interesting, they cause you to either like or respect them or both. The story follows two basic sets of characters as they try to get to a lab from opposite ends of the continent.
I have to interject politics here. I am new to the zombie book genre but, like in most of the "end of the world as we know it" genre I have noticed two basic themes. On the one hand, the author will be a socialist and the zombies will not be the real terror.. really.. just like us but... different, more needing of understanding than anything.. no, to them the real terror in their zombie novels is that the government has broke down. No government to run to is the most terrifying thing they can think of and salvation only comes from a re-established government.. even with the help of blue helmeted UN soldiers.
The other type is the more individualist type.. the zombies are dead. they feel nothing and are motivated by the desire to eat you or, in the case of "Plague", spread their strain. The government is either evil or impotent and the individual has to fend for himself or in small groups.
I much prefer the latter. "Plauge" strikes a good balance I believe. A realistic balance where not all government is evil but individuals need to fend for themselves. Where the zombies are the real terror and people are on their own or banding together in small groups.
One thing.. I love firearms and cars. Nothing turns me off more in a book than talking about guns that don't exist or couldn't work the way the author says. Recht did some research... his guns and use of them is almost flawless. The only nit I wish to pic is that there never was a Winchester lever action in 45 colt. I know, a minor thing. Also, even tho I am not a military man, Sherman seems to get caught in some real bad military blunders. Some of this can obviously be attributed to the fact that the enemy is like nothing anyone has ever seen tho.
All in all.. one of the better of the dozen zombie books I have read so far and deserving of five star. The "flaws" are just me being nit picky and do nothing to detract from the book(s).
Book Review: An excellent start to the trilogy
Summary: 5 Stars
I am more interested in character development than I am in raw visceral appeal that is related to the horror in horror novels. Give me some folks to root for and I will read with baited breath every last bit of their stories. Sad when they died, thrilled when they live. Don't get me wrong, the raw fear and emotions, the violence and excitement of a zombie tale are what makes them appealing. It is just that without the first element listed above, the story is nothing more than just a gory bloodbath that has little to no meaning to it. This story has a good handle on both areas fortunately and keeps you entertained at every turn.
Z.A. Recht has spun a tale worth reading for both zombie enthusiasts and those who enjoy thrillers in general. Two seperate stories are told here, one of the military troops stationed in Africa and the Middle-East attempting to contain a new strain of virus which has infected millions. The other part of the story is of a government doctor working desperately to try and understand the virus and hopefully find a cure for it. Morningstar is not your simple zombie virus; the dead do walk, for certain, but the living who are infected are also a menace. The virus and its impact is well thought out, plausible, and quite interesting.
Our two main characters, Lt. Colonel Anna Demillio of the US Army Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, and General Frank Sherman who is initially stationed in Africa, begin this story swapping emails about the virus and its spread. We return to their correspondence in the early stages of the book to further develop the tale but much of the book is of their actual experiences. General Sherman must face off against the plague with his troops on land and later at sea, trying desperately to get back home to the U.S. Anna is fighting her own battles with the government as well as the virus in a laboratory environment. The virus is spreading globally but the government wants to keep the public unaware that it has reached our shores or that any of them are in danger.
Both sides of the tale are intriguing and have some good, solid action sequences. Mr. Recht did an excellent job of researching viruses-how they spread, past history with them, etc. He also has a solid understanding of the military and the hardware they use. Even more importantly, he gives us compelling characters in a well written story. This is an excellent first chapter in what I believe will be a trilogy of books on the Morning Star Virus.
This book goes on my list as a "must read" for enthusiasts of Zombie fiction. There are plenty of zombie books out there, ranging from some really bad fan fiction to top quality stuff that matches up with any other horror writing. This is one of those top notch ones that I heartily recommend.
Book Review: Zombie Lovers Delight
Summary: 5 Stars
The End of the World has begun. It is called Morning Star. A virus of unknown origin and is unlike anything the world has ever seen. Those who are infected are subject to favor, chills, and very violent behavior. As the virus further takes hold those who are infected become incoherent and insanely violent. Their only will in life is to destroy any human that isn't a carrier of the virus. Those who are infected will eventually die but the virus isn't done. It reanimates the carrier who then rises and walks the earth seeking warm human flesh. Destruction of the Brain is the only way to bring the carrier down for good.
Anna DeMilio of the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases has studied the virus. She knows it has the power to destroy mankind, and she is trying to warn the world. She knows that if it isn't quarantined to Africa the whole world will soon be overrun. Her warnings aren't heeded in time, and after a military operation in North Africa fails to contain the virus soon the entire world finds itself in the middle of a massive pandemic that cant be stopped. All the major nations of the world start falling into chaos. The carriers are roaming the streets of all the major cities, and there is nothing that can be done to stop it. Anna with the help of a reporter and a rogue NSA agent escapes a burning Washington DC in hopes of meeting up with a rag tag military unit. She hopes to find a safe place to continue her research. She is on a mission to find a cure before all is lost. America is in chaos now and they all know that the journey ahead will be pure Hell.
I have said it time and time before, but I will say it one more time. I am a sucker for a good zombie story. I have also come to expect nothing but the best from Permuted Press releases. They publish the best Zombie Fiction, so when I got my copy of Plague of the Dead I was expecting nothing but the best, and Surprise Surprise I was blown away once again. Plague take off early and the action doesn't stop till the last page. I started and finished it in two days. It has some of the best action scenes you will find in a Zombie Story. The Suez Canal fight scene had me literally on the edge of my seat. I didn't want it to end. Mr. Recht has written one hell of a story and I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that Plague is only the first installment of this story. He is going to make a trilogy out of this story and I cant wait for the next installment. I am salivating for it now.
I Highly recommend Plague of the Dead to all Zombie Fiction Lovers. Plague is 28 Days Later meets Dawn of the Dead. It has something for everyone. Go grab yourself a copy and I can promise you that you wont be sorry.
Book Review: Lesson # 1 - Never Let the Undead see you Sweat
Summary: 5 Stars
The MorningStar Virus - a not-So-Friendly strain that has been likened to the next "Eboli" has spread across Africa like an epidemic and shows no signs of slowing. First there were the random reports, then the confirmations of the attacks, and then the footage of people trying to make it to floating salvation only to find themselves eaten alive by "packs" of ravenous carriers on national TV. Making it worse is the hushed tones of the government and their attitude toward the virus, thinking it will never make off a continent placed on lockdown. Seemingly containable at first, the MorningStar Virus nonetheless has a fast incubation rate, rendering its victims raging beasts that seem to press on with insatiable appetites, and it doesn't seem to understand the extent of juristic ional boundaries. Even worse, when a carrier dies they don't stay dead for long.
I have to admit that I've been reluctant to by zombie books as of late. Often they follow a predictable format and, worse still, they end up with predictable endings. Still, in this market flooded with books on the dead coming back to life, Z.A. Recht has more than taken the subject and run with it by adding a little something extra. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you p-l-o-t. Yes, by adding in realistic elements and fundamental questions about the problem, Recht went passed the problems of older books and instilled a genuine feeling of panic in the characters abounding in the book. The writing in the book is done with a great deal of talent, too, and the pace of the book is fantastic and allows the reader to keep a brisk pace while tracking the virus and the efforts to contain it.
By drawing the battlelines this book really does hit on the elements you need to make a complete novel about the undying - it touches on the human element, it mingles some ideology into the fray, and it adds in the ghastly for effect. This gives the book something that newer successes have had; zombie stories with actual teeth.
If you are a fan of zombie books or are a person that is trying to find a new way to look at the zombie question, this book is a good place to play. It has all the elements you need for a great tale, it showcases the overconfidence that humanity has, and it has some of the most adorable flesh-eating cast of characters you'd ever want wrapping their gums around you.
I highly recommend the book, thinking it is a step in the right direction.
Book Review: Live or die, kill or be killed
Summary: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (2/07)
When I started reading "Plague of the Dead" I was expecting a fun but cheesy zombie tale. I couldn't have been more wrong. It is the first book in the Morningstar Strain trilogy by Z. A. Recht. The world is being overcome by a zombie apocalypse caused by an artificially manufactured virus. This virus is called "The Morningstar Strain." It is transmitted through saliva. The virus causes tissue deterioration; however, it does not kill the host immediately. As the body starts decaying, extremities start falling off. It also causes a fever so high that it destroys all higher brain functioning. It reanimates dead hosts, also referred to as "Deceased Ambulatory Viral Hosts." After the body dies, the virus takes complete control over its functions. The only way to stop a dead host from reanimation is to destroy its brain. In this case, the people defending themselves would shoot them in the head.
Lt. Col. Anna Demilio is a US Army Researcher working out of the Institute of Infectious Diseases. She is an expert on the Morningstar Strain. Not only has she been tracking it, she has ideas on how to stop it. Lt. Gen Francis Sherman of the US Army and Demilio has been corresponding with each other. As the Morningstar virus starts showing up all over the world, their lives are heavily impacted. Sherman and his troops take off from Africa on a destroyer. They decide that they best chance they have of surviving is to go AWOL. Even then there are many casualties. Demilio is kidnapped by a secretive government agency. They are after her knowledge. She and a couple of people on her side manage to escape. She is working her way to a lab where she can continue her research and try to end this apocalypse. Sherman and his people are trying to make their way across the United States to reach her.
"Plague of the Dead" really surprised me with its depth. It is a well-written story that actually makes you believe that something like this could really happen. That is the scary part. The characters are well-developed and have you rooting for them. The twists and turns in the plot add excellent aspects to the story. I could not put this book down until I finished it, and now I have to patiently wait for the next title in the series to be completed. I highly recommend this book.