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Newsflesh #2
Deadline
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2011)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 CDC researcher fakes her own death and appears on his doorstep with a ravenous pack of zombies in tow, Shaun has a newfound interest in life. Because she brings news-he may have put down the monster who attacked them, 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.
Newsflesh
Feed
Deadline
Blackout
But when a CDC researcher fakes her own death and appears on his doorstep with a ravenous pack of zombies in tow, Shaun has a newfound interest in life. Because she brings news-he may have put down the monster who attacked them, 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.
Newsflesh
Feed
Deadline
Blackout
584 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2011
About the author
Mira Grant
46 books5,725 followersMira also writes as Seanan McGuire.
Born and raised in Northern California, Mira Grant has made a lifelong study of horror movies, horrible viruses, and the inevitable threat of the living dead. In college, she was voted Most Likely to Summon Something Horrible in the Cornfield, and was a founding member of the Horror Movie Sleep-Away Survival Camp, where her record for time survived in the Swamp Cannibals scenario remains unchallenged.
Mira lives in a crumbling farmhouse with an assortment of cats, horror movies, comics, and books about horrible diseases. When not writing, she splits her time between travel, auditing college virology courses, and watching more horror movies than is strictly good for you. Favorite vacation spots include Seattle, London, and a large haunted corn maze just outside of Huntsville, Alabama.
Mira sleeps with a machete under her bed, and highly suggests that you do the same.
Born and raised in Northern California, Mira Grant has made a lifelong study of horror movies, horrible viruses, and the inevitable threat of the living dead. In college, she was voted Most Likely to Summon Something Horrible in the Cornfield, and was a founding member of the Horror Movie Sleep-Away Survival Camp, where her record for time survived in the Swamp Cannibals scenario remains unchallenged.
Mira lives in a crumbling farmhouse with an assortment of cats, horror movies, comics, and books about horrible diseases. When not writing, she splits her time between travel, auditing college virology courses, and watching more horror movies than is strictly good for you. Favorite vacation spots include Seattle, London, and a large haunted corn maze just outside of Huntsville, Alabama.
Mira sleeps with a machete under her bed, and highly suggests that you do the same.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,486 reviews
April 14, 2015
When I reviewed the previous book, Feed, I noted that that there were very few zombie attacks in it despite it being called a zombie book. Compared to Deadline, that one now looks like The Night of the Living Dead.
There’s an opening chapter here with our intrepid heroes escaping a pack of zombies that ends on page 18. We don’t get another actual zombie encounter until over 500 PAGES later. Not that there aren’t zombies around. The characters flee a major city right before it gets firebombed due a zombie outbreak. There’s another chapter where two of them are being chased through the halls of a government building, but they only HEAR the zombie behind them, never see it. So our first person narrator does not actually lay eyes on a zombie after the first chapter until almost the end of this overstuffed book.
If this was some kind of more serious suspense/character based-type horror novel based on the impact of a mostly unseen threat, this could be an interesting take on the genre. But it’s not. It is most definitely meant to be a fast paced action horror conspiracy thriller with everyone talking repeatedly about how dangerous it is to go outside because of all the zombies, and there’s all kinds of scenes about prepping weapons and talk, talk, talk, goddamn talk about the zombie threat. So spending over 500 pages in between incidents of where the narrator actually draws a gun and shoots at a zombie is freakin' ridiculous.
Mira Grant came up with a pretty nice twist on the zombie genre where a general outbreak was caused by a virus that now lies dormant in everyone’s system. Get bit by a zombie and you turn into one. Die from a heat attack and the virus goes active, and you still turn undead cannibal. 30 years after the initial outbreak, there is a stalemate between the living and the dead. Large areas are considered too dangerous to enter, and most people spend all their time living and working in fortified buildings with advanced technology used to screen and lock off the infected. A new breed of Internet journalists are the main characters who have gotten involved in a larger conspiracy that capitalizes on a world full of people afraid to go outside.
The parts of Feed and Deadline where Grant lays out how this fearful society functions are some of the most inventive and interesting parts of the story. Unfortunately, it’s become clear that Grant is far more interested in coming up with and describing all these changes and future security measures than she is in zombie fightin’ action. Despite the very few scenes of actual zombie encounters, we are repeatedly told how dangerous the outside world is and walked through the testing and security procedures that everyone goes through.
While she’ll go into detail over and over again describing the blood screening units and how they work, when we finally get a zombie attack, they’re just ‘zombies’. No descriptions of age or gender or how they’re clothed or how they‘ve decayed. I realize that it’d be overkill to try and describe every member of a zombie mob, but the fact that Grant doesn’t give a single detailed description shows where she ranks the zombie importance to this story.
In fact, I think Grant may have been better served if these books were about just a society cowering from a dangerous virus because that’s obviously what she has the most interest in. The only reason zombies are in these books is because it gives an easy excuse for everyone to be heavily armed and something to run from when she finally amps up the action.
There are some other big flaws with these books. Grant has a bad case of repeatshititis and we’re told variations on the same stuff over and over and over and over and over and over.. You get the picture. For example, our narrator loves coffee but has to drink Coke for reasons I won’t get into. We are told on every other page how he craves coffee but has to be content with drinking ‘syrupy sweet’ Coke. And someone is always handing him a Coke. I got it the first dozen times, Mira. Please put down that two-liter bottle you've been bashing me on the head with.
The unraveling of the conspiracy storyline is pretty stupid, too. Our intrepid heroes get secret medical research dropped on them. Their first reaction is to make the dangerous journey to a government facility to ask them about it. It doesn’t go well. They run and hide. Later they get yet more secret medical research dropped on them. And their plan is… to go to another government facility and demand answers. Yeah, guess how that goes.
The biggest frustration in this book comes from Feed so be aware that I’m giving up the ending of that book in this .
Despite all of this bitching, I still almost gave this book 3 stars. (It was a twist at the end that I saw coming from the early chapters that finally dropped this to a 2 star rating for me.) Grant has a very readable style and came up with some interesting ideas for the zombie genre. This is being marketed as a trilogy, and I’ll probably end up reading the final one when it comes out. But looking ahead, I see that it’s also over 500 pages, and I’ve got a sinking feeling I know what most of it’ll be about. Repeated blood screenings and lots and lots of talking about zombies, but precious few actual zombie encounters is my guess. It’s too bad because a little less repetition and a lot more blood splatter from some head shots could have made these some of my favorite zombie books.
There’s an opening chapter here with our intrepid heroes escaping a pack of zombies that ends on page 18. We don’t get another actual zombie encounter until over 500 PAGES later. Not that there aren’t zombies around. The characters flee a major city right before it gets firebombed due a zombie outbreak. There’s another chapter where two of them are being chased through the halls of a government building, but they only HEAR the zombie behind them, never see it. So our first person narrator does not actually lay eyes on a zombie after the first chapter until almost the end of this overstuffed book.
If this was some kind of more serious suspense/character based-type horror novel based on the impact of a mostly unseen threat, this could be an interesting take on the genre. But it’s not. It is most definitely meant to be a fast paced action horror conspiracy thriller with everyone talking repeatedly about how dangerous it is to go outside because of all the zombies, and there’s all kinds of scenes about prepping weapons and talk, talk, talk, goddamn talk about the zombie threat. So spending over 500 pages in between incidents of where the narrator actually draws a gun and shoots at a zombie is freakin' ridiculous.
Mira Grant came up with a pretty nice twist on the zombie genre where a general outbreak was caused by a virus that now lies dormant in everyone’s system. Get bit by a zombie and you turn into one. Die from a heat attack and the virus goes active, and you still turn undead cannibal. 30 years after the initial outbreak, there is a stalemate between the living and the dead. Large areas are considered too dangerous to enter, and most people spend all their time living and working in fortified buildings with advanced technology used to screen and lock off the infected. A new breed of Internet journalists are the main characters who have gotten involved in a larger conspiracy that capitalizes on a world full of people afraid to go outside.
The parts of Feed and Deadline where Grant lays out how this fearful society functions are some of the most inventive and interesting parts of the story. Unfortunately, it’s become clear that Grant is far more interested in coming up with and describing all these changes and future security measures than she is in zombie fightin’ action. Despite the very few scenes of actual zombie encounters, we are repeatedly told how dangerous the outside world is and walked through the testing and security procedures that everyone goes through.
While she’ll go into detail over and over again describing the blood screening units and how they work, when we finally get a zombie attack, they’re just ‘zombies’. No descriptions of age or gender or how they’re clothed or how they‘ve decayed. I realize that it’d be overkill to try and describe every member of a zombie mob, but the fact that Grant doesn’t give a single detailed description shows where she ranks the zombie importance to this story.
In fact, I think Grant may have been better served if these books were about just a society cowering from a dangerous virus because that’s obviously what she has the most interest in. The only reason zombies are in these books is because it gives an easy excuse for everyone to be heavily armed and something to run from when she finally amps up the action.
There are some other big flaws with these books. Grant has a bad case of repeatshititis and we’re told variations on the same stuff over and over and over and over and over and over.. You get the picture. For example, our narrator loves coffee but has to drink Coke for reasons I won’t get into. We are told on every other page how he craves coffee but has to be content with drinking ‘syrupy sweet’ Coke. And someone is always handing him a Coke. I got it the first dozen times, Mira. Please put down that two-liter bottle you've been bashing me on the head with.
The unraveling of the conspiracy storyline is pretty stupid, too. Our intrepid heroes get secret medical research dropped on them. Their first reaction is to make the dangerous journey to a government facility to ask them about it. It doesn’t go well. They run and hide. Later they get yet more secret medical research dropped on them. And their plan is… to go to another government facility and demand answers. Yeah, guess how that goes.
The biggest frustration in this book comes from Feed so be aware that I’m giving up the ending of that book in this .
Despite all of this bitching, I still almost gave this book 3 stars. (It was a twist at the end that I saw coming from the early chapters that finally dropped this to a 2 star rating for me.) Grant has a very readable style and came up with some interesting ideas for the zombie genre. This is being marketed as a trilogy, and I’ll probably end up reading the final one when it comes out. But looking ahead, I see that it’s also over 500 pages, and I’ve got a sinking feeling I know what most of it’ll be about. Repeated blood screenings and lots and lots of talking about zombies, but precious few actual zombie encounters is my guess. It’s too bad because a little less repetition and a lot more blood splatter from some head shots could have made these some of my favorite zombie books.
June 2, 2011
This review does not contain spoilers for either FEED or DEADLINE. One year has passed since Shaun and Georgia Mason found more than they bargained for as they investigated the truth behind the Kellis-Amberlee virus, a mutated cure for human disease that led to the uprising of the dead. The events that transpired then have an enormous impact now as the high-profile bloggers from After the End of Times uncover a conspiracy that is even bigger than they ever imagined. A CDC researcher fakes her own death in a spectacular fashion and shows up at their headquarters, and soon the whole team is battling zombies, mutant dogs, and the ever-present ghosts of their past.
When I finished this book late last night, my thoughts were "I have not a single criticism to offer. Not a single one." And this still holds true. Without exception, every question and doubt I raised with Feed is answered here. The action is incredibly intense, the story is densely and intricately plotted, and the book is exceptionally well-paced and exciting. Readers who are leery of zombies still shouldn't have much of a problem, because although there are more tense encounters with the undead, the violence is relatively contained and there are no gross or gratuitous scenes. Most of the terror comes from heart-pounding action and chase sequences, as well as the knowledge of the overwhelming consequences if the team fails in its quest for truth and justice.
Shaun, Georgia, and Buffy all loom large in this sequel, but we also get to know the other staffers better, including the elegant Mahir, the fiercely determined Becks, the quietly steady Alaric, and the sad, tragic Maggie. Most significantly, however, the narrator has shifted to Shaun, whose personality comes through loud and clear in his bitterly funny words, his decisive handling of his team, and his desperately emotional struggle to hang onto what he loves most. Mira Grant met and exceeded every expectation I had for this book, particularly in the devastating truth that comes to light about what might have been. I knew from Feed to expect an emotional reaction, but I could not have prepared myself for the terrible knowledge that these characters have to face. I was literally whimpering from the pain, and tears were streaming so hard that I couldn't see the page.
This is my third 5 star review for a 2011 book, and it is given with no reservations or qualifications. This is a searingly intelligent novel, with hard questions about medical ethics, government responsibility, and the nobility and folly of human nature. And just when you think the author has delivered everything she possibly could, there is a HUGE twist at the end that made me bolt upright and scream in the middle of the night. This twist has far-reaching consequences for both the characters and for society as a whole, and it also answered questions I had about the future in a crazy and unthinkable way.
It will be another year before the third book in this trilogy will be released, and I'll spend much of that time waiting in agony to find out what happens to the characters I've come to care about so much. But oh my stars, what a pleasure it is to be so incredibly excited and thrilled and moved by an author's work.
This review also appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
REMINDER: DO NOT read the synopsis for this book anywhere if you haven't already read FEED, as it contains potential spoilers for the first book. And please do be careful of reviews that may spoil this one.
When I finished this book late last night, my thoughts were "I have not a single criticism to offer. Not a single one." And this still holds true. Without exception, every question and doubt I raised with Feed is answered here. The action is incredibly intense, the story is densely and intricately plotted, and the book is exceptionally well-paced and exciting. Readers who are leery of zombies still shouldn't have much of a problem, because although there are more tense encounters with the undead, the violence is relatively contained and there are no gross or gratuitous scenes. Most of the terror comes from heart-pounding action and chase sequences, as well as the knowledge of the overwhelming consequences if the team fails in its quest for truth and justice.
Shaun, Georgia, and Buffy all loom large in this sequel, but we also get to know the other staffers better, including the elegant Mahir, the fiercely determined Becks, the quietly steady Alaric, and the sad, tragic Maggie. Most significantly, however, the narrator has shifted to Shaun, whose personality comes through loud and clear in his bitterly funny words, his decisive handling of his team, and his desperately emotional struggle to hang onto what he loves most. Mira Grant met and exceeded every expectation I had for this book, particularly in the devastating truth that comes to light about what might have been. I knew from Feed to expect an emotional reaction, but I could not have prepared myself for the terrible knowledge that these characters have to face. I was literally whimpering from the pain, and tears were streaming so hard that I couldn't see the page.
This is my third 5 star review for a 2011 book, and it is given with no reservations or qualifications. This is a searingly intelligent novel, with hard questions about medical ethics, government responsibility, and the nobility and folly of human nature. And just when you think the author has delivered everything she possibly could, there is a HUGE twist at the end that made me bolt upright and scream in the middle of the night. This twist has far-reaching consequences for both the characters and for society as a whole, and it also answered questions I had about the future in a crazy and unthinkable way.
It will be another year before the third book in this trilogy will be released, and I'll spend much of that time waiting in agony to find out what happens to the characters I've come to care about so much. But oh my stars, what a pleasure it is to be so incredibly excited and thrilled and moved by an author's work.
This review also appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
REMINDER: DO NOT read the synopsis for this book anywhere if you haven't already read FEED, as it contains potential spoilers for the first book. And please do be careful of reviews that may spoil this one.
May 31, 2020
i have learned nothing from horror movies. i have fallen victim to the most elementary trap. never, ever think you are out of danger. never say things like "phew, i'm glad that didn't happen etc etc" i have said this.
so the lesson to be learned is - you are never out of the woods.
however - despite THAT THING I DISCUSSED IN THE SPOILER, this book was more fun than the first one.the stakes were higher, there was a good mixture of dramatic and action-y sequences, and it really moved the characters further into their situation, rather than succumbing to the bloated, "filler-feeling middle novel of a trilogy" syndrome.
although the ending... yes, it is a "cliffhanger," and at first, i was like "yyyyyayyyyyy!" and then i stopped to think about it, and i was more like "hey, wait a second, no." because up until that point, the book had been very respectful, i thought. this may surprise you, but i am no virologist. and for the most part, when this book starts talking all smart about science, i just bat my eyes and look all cute and assume the author has done their research. and i have to admit that what she's imagined here, as a potential danger - sounds convincing. i am on board. also on board with miniaturizing bulldogs to be the size of cats. emphatically on board with that, by the way.less so with what happens in the epilogue and first chapter teaser for book three. unless there is as much convincing science-y sounding detail to satisfy all my "waaaaaait"s, i will remain disappointed by the turn. but also unreasonably elated, because
but overall, i really liked this book. the action was genuinely gripping, and i like the secondary characters a lot. shaun is kind of a tool, unnecessarily antagonistic over very natural human responses to situations, very one-note, but i thought this was a solid follow-up, and i am definitely going to read the next one, and even go so far as to track down the (shudder) online stories that people are telling me about.
and this book marks the end of "zombie month 2011". or "zombie three weeks 2011," which is less catchy.
come to my blog!
so the lesson to be learned is - you are never out of the woods.
however - despite THAT THING I DISCUSSED IN THE SPOILER, this book was more fun than the first one.the stakes were higher, there was a good mixture of dramatic and action-y sequences, and it really moved the characters further into their situation, rather than succumbing to the bloated, "filler-feeling middle novel of a trilogy" syndrome.
although the ending... yes, it is a "cliffhanger," and at first, i was like "yyyyyayyyyyy!" and then i stopped to think about it, and i was more like "hey, wait a second, no." because up until that point, the book had been very respectful, i thought. this may surprise you, but i am no virologist. and for the most part, when this book starts talking all smart about science, i just bat my eyes and look all cute and assume the author has done their research. and i have to admit that what she's imagined here, as a potential danger - sounds convincing. i am on board. also on board with miniaturizing bulldogs to be the size of cats. emphatically on board with that, by the way.less so with what happens in the epilogue and first chapter teaser for book three. unless there is as much convincing science-y sounding detail to satisfy all my "waaaaaait"s, i will remain disappointed by the turn. but also unreasonably elated, because
but overall, i really liked this book. the action was genuinely gripping, and i like the secondary characters a lot. shaun is kind of a tool, unnecessarily antagonistic over very natural human responses to situations, very one-note, but i thought this was a solid follow-up, and i am definitely going to read the next one, and even go so far as to track down the (shudder) online stories that people are telling me about.
and this book marks the end of "zombie month 2011". or "zombie three weeks 2011," which is less catchy.
June 15, 2011
I had a lot of mixed feelings about the first book in the Newsflesh trilogy, Feed. I thought there were some technical problems with the world building, including how bloggers became the voice of a generation and helped people stay informed during the uprising. For one thing, I never thought conventional media would fail quite as hard as Mira Grant wanted me to believe it would and for another thing I always thought bloggers would spread a lot of misinformation as fact, you know, the way they do now. When I opened Deadline, however, I wasn't concerned about whether or not that was plausible anymore. I opened Deadline willing to accept everything all the world building in Feed. In fact, I'd completely forgotten about my old issues until I reread my review of the first book. Grant got a clean black slate with me and it didn't really work out too well.
Before you move forward, I'm going to put a second spoiler warning here because I can't discuss anything if I'm worried about spoiling someone. Read the summary goodreads provides and then don't go near any spoiler-warning reviews. Regardless of what I think of the book you deserve to have it unfurl the way the author meant it to unfurl.
Shaun's grief fueled behavior was ridiculous. It would have been suitable two weeks after George died or two months after George died -- buttwo one** freaking years? The dude has been walking around the office, not really doing anything resembling his job (either as an Irwin or the head of the site) AND talking to himself for two years? No. Just no. I don't want to hear any bullshit about how much he loved George and how lost he was without her. Listen up: people die. People you love die. People you've built your whole world around die. Eventually you have to get your shit together and handle it. You either find another purpose or you die right along with them. Given Shaun's level of grief you'd think he'd just walk out into a field of zombies and let them have him, but no he did have something 'driving' him.
Shaun's 'other purpose' was finding George's killer, but he did absolutely nothing save talk to himself and punch people. His rage was the futile rage of a child, not a grief stricken man. If he was a teenager I might've given it a pass. At his age, however, he came off as an incredibly weak person and his constant breakdowns should've landed him in a mental hospital. He never pulled himself together and focused. The entire plot of this book arrived gift wrapped on his door step. He didn't dig and hunt or work to find George's killer. He had one prolonged nervous breadkdown and hit people a lot for two years.
My next point: Shaun and George's relationship. I'm going to say this once. What the fuck was that?
The sex scene between Shaun and Becks was well-written. It didn't shy away from details and yet it never got too graphic. The fact that he said George's name afterward blew my mind. My mind came back though and it was pissed off. George never presented her relationship with Shaun as anything more than familial -- albeit extremely co-dependent. (Okay, yes, it was more co-dependent than the Olsen twins, but they were still actively portrayed as only siblings.)
How, after one full book written from a first person point with a character who was not only presented as a reliable narrator from start to finish but also presented as a character obsessed with the pursual of truth, did we end up with this weird surprise in the second book?
How could George have been the person we thought she was and never know she was involved sexually with Shaun? I call foul. I can't accept that George lied for the entire first book so either this is part of Shaun's crazy delusions or I'm questioning Grant's storytelling integrity. I think Grant cheapened herself for shock value and I'm annoyed about it.
And, no, I don't give a damn about the quasi-faux-incest. It didn't bother me in the Harper Connelly books; it wasn't what made the Mortal Instuments suck (the writing did that). What I don't respond well to is being lied to as a reader just so the author can have a gasp-y reveal. If you can't pull that off without flat out lying to me then you don't deserve me as a reader. There were ways to make that a reveal without destroying George's integrity as a character.
Speaking of cheap, manipulative writing, I didn't think Dave's death in the beginning of the book was necessary seeing as they were hacking the building's security system. If it was a hack, why couldn't it be hacked from a laptop within the van? Maybe there was a reason and I glossed over it. I don't know. What I can tell you is that when you're trying to get me to cry over something you should handle the material with a light hand and let me arrive at those tears myself. Grant all but sucker punches you in the stomach and demands you cry. I obviously wasn't impressed with either execution or the content.
The plot of the book... was somewhat interesting, although again it just arrives gift wrapped at the front door. For someone whose entire goal in life it was to find George's killer... Shaun was doing a crackerjack job. A lot of the plot involves running back and forth across the country with the CDC breathing down their necks as other people gift wrap information for them. Seriously, the first scientist Shaun approaches with the information hands him a sparkly career make or break story. Gift wrapped information even comes flying in from England! On top of all the 'an apple of knowledge fell into Shaun's lap' very few of his plans were particularly intelligent. It was mostly, let's kick down some doors and see what happens! It's not like they can kill us... except they already have and they haven't shown any sign of not doing more of it.
Also, I didn't think their hide-out at Maggie's was particularly genius. If I was searching for a rogue group of reporters I'd start with friends, family, and ummIdunno other people working for the company. Genius plotting.
The outbreak in the storm also annoyed me. Somehow everyone in the world knows about it except the three of them. Yes, they were off the grid, but they had a radio playing the ENTIRE time. They made several stops, at gas stations, rest rooms, and blood check points and there were no televisions or notices of what was going on?!? Just empty stores and security booths?!?! There should have been an emergency broadcast on the radio -- they should've known what was happening. Again, Grant sacrifices the integrity of her story and world building for a big reveal moment.
Here's what I enjoyed: The book opened at a high pace and although Grant does eventually get lost in her own recapping she didn't torture me with it outright. Despite Shaun's stupid life choices I did enjoy the zombie's are gonna eat you all scenes -- of course, they're few and far between. Deadline suffers from Feed's zombies, zombies, zombies everywhere but here. The zombies are referenced constantly although not present often enough for my tastes.
Back to Shaun's BIG DARK GRIEF. Fuck the coke. It got annoying. Fuck the bike. He deserved to die when he decided to ride on it during the biggest out break in his living memory. Had the coke and the bike not constantly been reinforced as important because it belonged to George then they might have both had some emotional relevance to me. instead we got fucking beat down with the bike and slapped around by the coke. Every single mother-effing time Shaun drank a coke I got annoyed. George's disembodied voice wasn't enough, going back for her black box wasn't enough, the bike wasn't enough -- no no the coke every twenty pages was absolutely necessary. Grant methodically made this devoid of meaning for me. Also, it would have been a lot more powerful had George not been in his head requesting it. If Shaun had done it without bickering with her about it or just because it reminded him of her I would have enjoyed it more. Fail.
Oh... and George has been cloned? Fuck it. Where's my receipt? I'm returning this book-shaped bullshit. In my first review I commented on how I kept waiting for the strange releationship to bloom into something, but nothing ever came of it. Well something did come of it. We were just mislead and lied to so Grant could have a 'powerful' scene at the expense of reader's trust and her character's integrity. In my review of Feed, I also couldn't tell if George's death was a meaningful, brave approach to the novel or if it was cheap. The answer's in. Cheap. The cloning let Grant end Feed on a 'powerful' scene and then she takes it back at the end of the second book? Bullshit.
I'm going to go lie down now and try to forget about this book. I need to go read Aftertime which I've been promised is a proper zombie novel I'll like. *crosses fingers*
**Year confusion on George's death is somewhat addressed in the comments. I've come to the conclusion that George is only supposed to be dead a year in Deadline.
Before you move forward, I'm going to put a second spoiler warning here because I can't discuss anything if I'm worried about spoiling someone. Read the summary goodreads provides and then don't go near any spoiler-warning reviews. Regardless of what I think of the book you deserve to have it unfurl the way the author meant it to unfurl.
Shaun's grief fueled behavior was ridiculous. It would have been suitable two weeks after George died or two months after George died -- but
Shaun's 'other purpose' was finding George's killer, but he did absolutely nothing save talk to himself and punch people. His rage was the futile rage of a child, not a grief stricken man. If he was a teenager I might've given it a pass. At his age, however, he came off as an incredibly weak person and his constant breakdowns should've landed him in a mental hospital. He never pulled himself together and focused. The entire plot of this book arrived gift wrapped on his door step. He didn't dig and hunt or work to find George's killer. He had one prolonged nervous breadkdown and hit people a lot for two years.
My next point: Shaun and George's relationship. I'm going to say this once. What the fuck was that?
The sex scene between Shaun and Becks was well-written. It didn't shy away from details and yet it never got too graphic. The fact that he said George's name afterward blew my mind. My mind came back though and it was pissed off. George never presented her relationship with Shaun as anything more than familial -- albeit extremely co-dependent. (Okay, yes, it was more co-dependent than the Olsen twins, but they were still actively portrayed as only siblings.)
How, after one full book written from a first person point with a character who was not only presented as a reliable narrator from start to finish but also presented as a character obsessed with the pursual of truth, did we end up with this weird surprise in the second book?
How could George have been the person we thought she was and never know she was involved sexually with Shaun? I call foul. I can't accept that George lied for the entire first book so either this is part of Shaun's crazy delusions or I'm questioning Grant's storytelling integrity. I think Grant cheapened herself for shock value and I'm annoyed about it.
And, no, I don't give a damn about the quasi-faux-incest. It didn't bother me in the Harper Connelly books; it wasn't what made the Mortal Instuments suck (the writing did that). What I don't respond well to is being lied to as a reader just so the author can have a gasp-y reveal. If you can't pull that off without flat out lying to me then you don't deserve me as a reader. There were ways to make that a reveal without destroying George's integrity as a character.
Speaking of cheap, manipulative writing, I didn't think Dave's death in the beginning of the book was necessary seeing as they were hacking the building's security system. If it was a hack, why couldn't it be hacked from a laptop within the van? Maybe there was a reason and I glossed over it. I don't know. What I can tell you is that when you're trying to get me to cry over something you should handle the material with a light hand and let me arrive at those tears myself. Grant all but sucker punches you in the stomach and demands you cry. I obviously wasn't impressed with either execution or the content.
The plot of the book... was somewhat interesting, although again it just arrives gift wrapped at the front door. For someone whose entire goal in life it was to find George's killer... Shaun was doing a crackerjack job. A lot of the plot involves running back and forth across the country with the CDC breathing down their necks as other people gift wrap information for them. Seriously, the first scientist Shaun approaches with the information hands him a sparkly career make or break story. Gift wrapped information even comes flying in from England! On top of all the 'an apple of knowledge fell into Shaun's lap' very few of his plans were particularly intelligent. It was mostly, let's kick down some doors and see what happens! It's not like they can kill us... except they already have and they haven't shown any sign of not doing more of it.
Also, I didn't think their hide-out at Maggie's was particularly genius. If I was searching for a rogue group of reporters I'd start with friends, family, and ummIdunno other people working for the company. Genius plotting.
The outbreak in the storm also annoyed me. Somehow everyone in the world knows about it except the three of them. Yes, they were off the grid, but they had a radio playing the ENTIRE time. They made several stops, at gas stations, rest rooms, and blood check points and there were no televisions or notices of what was going on?!? Just empty stores and security booths?!?! There should have been an emergency broadcast on the radio -- they should've known what was happening. Again, Grant sacrifices the integrity of her story and world building for a big reveal moment.
Here's what I enjoyed: The book opened at a high pace and although Grant does eventually get lost in her own recapping she didn't torture me with it outright. Despite Shaun's stupid life choices I did enjoy the zombie's are gonna eat you all scenes -- of course, they're few and far between. Deadline suffers from Feed's zombies, zombies, zombies everywhere but here. The zombies are referenced constantly although not present often enough for my tastes.
Back to Shaun's BIG DARK GRIEF. Fuck the coke. It got annoying. Fuck the bike. He deserved to die when he decided to ride on it during the biggest out break in his living memory. Had the coke and the bike not constantly been reinforced as important because it belonged to George then they might have both had some emotional relevance to me. instead we got fucking beat down with the bike and slapped around by the coke. Every single mother-effing time Shaun drank a coke I got annoyed. George's disembodied voice wasn't enough, going back for her black box wasn't enough, the bike wasn't enough -- no no the coke every twenty pages was absolutely necessary. Grant methodically made this devoid of meaning for me. Also, it would have been a lot more powerful had George not been in his head requesting it. If Shaun had done it without bickering with her about it or just because it reminded him of her I would have enjoyed it more. Fail.
Oh... and George has been cloned? Fuck it. Where's my receipt? I'm returning this book-shaped bullshit. In my first review I commented on how I kept waiting for the strange releationship to bloom into something, but nothing ever came of it. Well something did come of it. We were just mislead and lied to so Grant could have a 'powerful' scene at the expense of reader's trust and her character's integrity. In my review of Feed, I also couldn't tell if George's death was a meaningful, brave approach to the novel or if it was cheap. The answer's in. Cheap. The cloning let Grant end Feed on a 'powerful' scene and then she takes it back at the end of the second book? Bullshit.
I'm going to go lie down now and try to forget about this book. I need to go read Aftertime which I've been promised is a proper zombie novel I'll like. *crosses fingers*
**Year confusion on George's death is somewhat addressed in the comments. I've come to the conclusion that George is only supposed to be dead a year in Deadline.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2011
I am breathless, speechless and whateverless (probably mindless) at the moment. The best I can do is quote my favorite, if sometimes cowardly Newsie, Alaric Kwong:
"Son of a chicken-fucking soy farmer and a diseased convention-center security guard."
Now what?!?
"Son of a chicken-fucking soy farmer and a diseased convention-center security guard."
Now what?!?
April 18, 2013
***Warning: this review contains spoilers for Feed***
I really don't know what I can say about this book besides how disappointed and frustrated it left me. Not that I was expecting something incredible mind you. I mean, it's not like Feed left me begging for more so I have no idea why I gave Deadline the time of day.
Actually I do know.I'm not too bright. I was going to purchase The Demon's Surrender on Tuesday June 14th, because that's when it was released, but for whatever reason the audiobook was not available for sale at audible. So I wasted a precious audible credit on this ridiculously long piece of trash. How long is this audiobook you ask? 15+ hours.
Yes, more than 15 hours of what amounts to a really long episode of The Incredible Hulk, featuring zombies and the magical world of news blogging. Except to make things extra funThe Hulk Bruce Banner Shaun, our main character, has his dead sister's voice stuck in his head running commentary on everything he does. And he talks back to that voice. Vocally. Like, all the time no matter who is around.
When people encounter Shaun's strange behavior and make the mistake of asking if he's feeling okay,Bruce Shaun looses his crap and 'splodes out of his clothes in a fit of rage, turns green and goes on a punching spree. And he's all 'HULK MAD! HULK SMASH! HULK KILL!' starts acting like a massive douche-canoe--like, way more douche-y than he usually acts--and threatens to punch the crap out of whoever has the nerve to ask him about the state of his mental health.
That wouldn't be such worrisome behavior if he were some crazy urine-soaked hobo who lives out of a refrigerator box. But see, Shaun is the head blogger at popular news blog he and his (dead) sister started a few years before. He has a ton of employees all over the world.
Mr Crazy Pants is in charge. Really. And that's where my first issue with Deadline springs up.
Who in their right mind would put up with that crap? The answer is no one. Not even people who are supposedly friends with said crazy person. Especially when that person has not contributed ANYTHING worthwhile to the blog in over a year. A person who doesn't even make any real decisions anymore. A person who does little more than show up and carry on conversations withthe dead sister living in his head himself and threaten to punch people, occasionally carrying out those threats, breaking noses in the process.
We're supposed to believe that his employees are that loyal and/or so stupid they'd be willing to stick around and take that sort of abuse. Bloggers who are at the top of their fields and could go to a number of other news blogs or easily start their own.
One could argue that he just lost his sister and his friends/employees are just really patient and understanding, but here's the deal: his sister died a year prior to the events in Deadline. Plus, they live in a world where zombies run free. Every last one of them have lost close friends and loved ones yet none of them act like Shaun.
So...what makes Shaun so special?
Nothing. He's not special. Which is why I grew weary of this book almost from the get go. But I kept reading because I thought Shaun was going to calm down and pull his act together. Don't want to be all spoiler-y but it needs to be said: that never happens. In fact his behavior worsens yet NO ONE takes a cattle prod to his crazy ass; no one throws him to the zombies just so they can get rid of their little "Debbie Downer".
There is a whole lot of other stuff that happens which, I'm sorry, doesn't really matter because . To be honest, I feel there is little of importance that goes down in this book. It's all a bunch of happenings that don't amount to anything in the end. If you've read Deadline and you don't agree with me, that's cool. Just do me a favor and ask yourself this: what, if anything, happened in this book that wasn't made so completely pointless by the way the book ended? I bet your answer is along the lines of 'nothing'.
And then there's the plot holes. So many plot holes. Gigantic ones. One in particular that is so infeasible, so massive you sort of want to write Mira Grant hate mail while reading it. Or maybe that's just me.
Speaking of holes, am I the only one that thinks the answer to the zombie problem, should a zombie apocalypse ever occur, is the Grand Canyon? I mean, it's a massive hole in the ground, right? All we'd have to do is round up and herd all the zombies to the Grand Canyon. We could walk them in at ground level and then brick them in, or just let them walk over the cliffs (this option is rather inhumane but, hey, it's flesh-eating, disease-carrying zombies we're talking about not adorable puppies and kitties). I'm also willing to consider using Carlsbad Caverns, as it is also a massive hole in the ground and I'm not a huge fan of New Mexico.
Also:
/tangent
Don't even get me started about Shaun's (not at all thought out) motorcycle rideof karma from zombie hell. I'm sorry but who is that stupid? Why would anyone let anyone else ride a motorcycle into a place so insanely infested with zombies? I kept wondering why they couldn't strap that thing to the back of the van, or, I don't know, LEAVE IT BEHIND. Hell, even if there really wasn't room left inside the van, Shaun could have easily strapped himself to the roof, or (call me crazy) strap some of their equipment to the roof of the van in order to make room for him. Either way, he would have been safer.
One last thing:
I will not be reading the third book in this series. One-and-a-half stars.
I really don't know what I can say about this book besides how disappointed and frustrated it left me. Not that I was expecting something incredible mind you. I mean, it's not like Feed left me begging for more so I have no idea why I gave Deadline the time of day.
Actually I do know.
Yes, more than 15 hours of what amounts to a really long episode of The Incredible Hulk, featuring zombies and the magical world of news blogging. Except to make things extra fun
When people encounter Shaun's strange behavior and make the mistake of asking if he's feeling okay,
That wouldn't be such worrisome behavior if he were some crazy urine-soaked hobo who lives out of a refrigerator box. But see, Shaun is the head blogger at popular news blog he and his (dead) sister started a few years before. He has a ton of employees all over the world.
Mr Crazy Pants is in charge. Really. And that's where my first issue with Deadline springs up.
Who in their right mind would put up with that crap? The answer is no one. Not even people who are supposedly friends with said crazy person. Especially when that person has not contributed ANYTHING worthwhile to the blog in over a year. A person who doesn't even make any real decisions anymore. A person who does little more than show up and carry on conversations with
We're supposed to believe that his employees are that loyal and/or so stupid they'd be willing to stick around and take that sort of abuse. Bloggers who are at the top of their fields and could go to a number of other news blogs or easily start their own.
One could argue that he just lost his sister and his friends/employees are just really patient and understanding, but here's the deal: his sister died a year prior to the events in Deadline. Plus, they live in a world where zombies run free. Every last one of them have lost close friends and loved ones yet none of them act like Shaun.
So...what makes Shaun so special?
Nothing. He's not special. Which is why I grew weary of this book almost from the get go. But I kept reading because I thought Shaun was going to calm down and pull his act together. Don't want to be all spoiler-y but it needs to be said: that never happens. In fact his behavior worsens yet NO ONE takes a cattle prod to his crazy ass; no one throws him to the zombies just so they can get rid of their little "Debbie Downer".
There is a whole lot of other stuff that happens which, I'm sorry, doesn't really matter because . To be honest, I feel there is little of importance that goes down in this book. It's all a bunch of happenings that don't amount to anything in the end. If you've read Deadline and you don't agree with me, that's cool. Just do me a favor and ask yourself this: what, if anything, happened in this book that wasn't made so completely pointless by the way the book ended? I bet your answer is along the lines of 'nothing'.
And then there's the plot holes. So many plot holes. Gigantic ones. One in particular that is so infeasible, so massive you sort of want to write Mira Grant hate mail while reading it. Or maybe that's just me.
Speaking of holes, am I the only one that thinks the answer to the zombie problem, should a zombie apocalypse ever occur, is the Grand Canyon? I mean, it's a massive hole in the ground, right? All we'd have to do is round up and herd all the zombies to the Grand Canyon. We could walk them in at ground level and then brick them in, or just let them walk over the cliffs (this option is rather inhumane but, hey, it's flesh-eating, disease-carrying zombies we're talking about not adorable puppies and kitties). I'm also willing to consider using Carlsbad Caverns, as it is also a massive hole in the ground and I'm not a huge fan of New Mexico.
Also:
/tangent
Don't even get me started about Shaun's (not at all thought out) motorcycle ride
One last thing:
I will not be reading the third book in this series. One-and-a-half stars.
January 17, 2022
Wow! We started with a shocking revelation and we're ending it with another one, making one want to start the finale of this trilogy right away! Holy shit! Or, to put it in Georgia Mason's words: "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!"
After the events of book one, Shaun is - understandably - not the most stable person. In fact, he's downright hallucinating and it says a lot about the bonds he's formed with the other staff members that they are simply accepting it (even though some are weirded out a little bit).
But he doesn't have too much time to ponder his sister's death because there is a CDC doctor, who faked her own death, and she needs the group's help. What follows are attacks on them, some mad races through the entire United States, some truly hilarious scientists and more insight into this conspiracy.
We know from book 1 that you can't always be sure whom to trust but here, the action is relentless and the paranoia cranked up to an all-time high. And I loved every second of it.
We get to meet a few people hitherto unknown and a few we had only heeard from and every single one of them was hilarious. From Dr. Abby and especially Joe to Maggie with her armada of bulldogs.
Have I mentioned that the stakes keep rising? Because this is virology and viruses, of course, evolve. And now that Shaun and his crew have started poking around for the truth, there is no stuffing that genie back into the bottle.
Basically, this had everything that I missed in the first book. The story was always great and the setting a realistic nightmare version of our future, but there were repetitions and downtimes that weren't necessary, not even in the book that set all this up. Here, while we still get the worldbuilding and characterizations, we also get the action and the science and it all blends together more perfectly because of that.
I wish I could tell you more because there is SO MUCH happening here, but we're already in spoiler territory and this is one of those stories that rely on everyone keeping their mouths shut so the next readers get to be as elated and shocked as the author intended them to be. Can't wait to pick up the next one to see who/why/where/...!
After the events of book one, Shaun is - understandably - not the most stable person. In fact, he's downright hallucinating and it says a lot about the bonds he's formed with the other staff members that they are simply accepting it (even though some are weirded out a little bit).
But he doesn't have too much time to ponder his sister's death because there is a CDC doctor, who faked her own death, and she needs the group's help. What follows are attacks on them, some mad races through the entire United States, some truly hilarious scientists and more insight into this conspiracy.
We know from book 1 that you can't always be sure whom to trust but here, the action is relentless and the paranoia cranked up to an all-time high. And I loved every second of it.
We get to meet a few people hitherto unknown and a few we had only heeard from and every single one of them was hilarious. From Dr. Abby and especially Joe to Maggie with her armada of bulldogs.
Have I mentioned that the stakes keep rising? Because this is virology and viruses, of course, evolve. And now that Shaun and his crew have started poking around for the truth, there is no stuffing that genie back into the bottle.
Basically, this had everything that I missed in the first book. The story was always great and the setting a realistic nightmare version of our future, but there were repetitions and downtimes that weren't necessary, not even in the book that set all this up. Here, while we still get the worldbuilding and characterizations, we also get the action and the science and it all blends together more perfectly because of that.
I wish I could tell you more because there is SO MUCH happening here, but we're already in spoiler territory and this is one of those stories that rely on everyone keeping their mouths shut so the next readers get to be as elated and shocked as the author intended them to be. Can't wait to pick up the next one to see who/why/where/...!
May 28, 2018
The conspiracy is bigger than they thought....not quite as good as the first- but still an original take on a world with the living dead.
August 12, 2016
6 heart-stopping, insanely intense stars
With about 20 pages left in the book, something happened in the story that literally had me flying off the couch and wanting to hurl my book out the window and into the thunderstorm outside.
A brief glimpse into my emotional state while reading the last section of Deadline.
And then...
Mira Grant is an evil, evil genius.
With about 20 pages left in the book, something happened in the story that literally had me flying off the couch and wanting to hurl my book out the window and into the thunderstorm outside.
A brief glimpse into my emotional state while reading the last section of Deadline.
And then...
Mira Grant is an evil, evil genius.
May 19, 2014
And for the most part, I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it. It's fairly solid all the way through, with some very nice tension being built in times of zombie outbreaks. It's not heavy character stuff, but there's enough there. And I'm not a zombie aficionado, so the fact that I liked it at all is probably a good sign.
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
June 29, 2019
Re-Read
I really enjoyed this the first time and I really enjoyed this the second. :)
What? That's it?
What do you mean, that's it? You don't like clones, crazy people, a world teeming with zombies, a mad scientist with the cuuuuuuutest puppy ever, or a bunch of Irwins following a real nutter because... um, why are they following him, again? OOooohhh right, he's got a certain charm and they respect his sister. Who he talks to. Aloud. All the time. :)
Not much politics this time, which was fun for the first book but could get very old very fast. Indeed, what we've got here is massive CDC conspiracy stuff and a toolbox of cool surprises.
That end? Ohhh, that end. :) Even knowing what was coming didn't matter to me on the second read.
I still remember the third book. :) *rubs hands together*
I really enjoyed this the first time and I really enjoyed this the second. :)
What? That's it?
What do you mean, that's it? You don't like clones, crazy people, a world teeming with zombies, a mad scientist with the cuuuuuuutest puppy ever, or a bunch of Irwins following a real nutter because... um, why are they following him, again? OOooohhh right, he's got a certain charm and they respect his sister. Who he talks to. Aloud. All the time. :)
Not much politics this time, which was fun for the first book but could get very old very fast. Indeed, what we've got here is massive CDC conspiracy stuff and a toolbox of cool surprises.
That end? Ohhh, that end. :) Even knowing what was coming didn't matter to me on the second read.
I still remember the third book. :) *rubs hands together*
August 2, 2017
Another book with mixed reviews, but me, I really liked it! I must say though that this book officially confirms me as the most clueless of innocent babes reading books in the woods (cue Bambi .gif), because even after reading the book I still hadn't figured out the whole Shaun/Georgia thing, but needed to have that particular point spelled out for me by my intrepid buddy reader, Amanda.
If you've read the book, I know what you're thinking: wow. It's OK. I'm sure there are lots of other things I pick up on that other people miss...probably.
If you've read the book, I know what you're thinking: wow. It's OK. I'm sure there are lots of other things I pick up on that other people miss...probably.
March 19, 2019
Last Page Impression: Oh.My.God! Wow... I mean: WOW!!!!!!!
Damn, this book was insane!
I need a whole constellation lined up to rate it properly, because only 5 stars doesn't seem to make it justice.. I loved every single word of it.
Deadline is one of those books that you want to read slowly, to savor every phrase, every discovery, every nuance, every little moment. Deadline is one of those books that you will carry with you long after you've closed the cover.
Mira Grant has described a world so unique and so close to my heart that I won't ever forget - it's a special place where people live among zombies, it's a dangerous world where death is one step behind you.
♥ If you loved the first book as much as I did, you will have this world kind of figured out. You will feel like you're part of it, and you will enjoy every new discovery the characters make, and every twist into the story.
♥ If you loved the first book as much as i did, you will miss some characters with your whole heart, you will feel Shaun's pain, you will cheer for him when he gets better, you will want to kiss him when he is so sweet that he melts your heart, you will want to hug him and keep him safe when he needs it.
♥ If you love this series as much as I do, you will enjoy every shocking scene, you will hold your breath with every danger approaching, you will get to the end wanting more, you will laugh, you will cry, you will hope, you will die a bit with every loss, you will feel like you've been reborn reading the last words..
There are things that you need to know, there are things that will break your heart, but also there are things that will fill your heart with joy - if the first book was a carousel of emotions, with this one you will get tickets for the entire amusement park.
CHARACTERS:
Shaun is the perfect (male) main character - sarcastic, charming, lovely, and just a bit crazy. Truth being told, he is aware of his situation, so I don't know if he really qualifies, but still I loved every bit of his 'craziness' because it got me close to someone that I really, really missed.
“I feel the closest to crazy when I'm disagreeing with the voice in my head”
I don't remember caring so much about a fictional character, but Shaun felt so real, his emotions raw and powerful, his sarcasm making me smile, his pain making me sad. At the end of Feed he had to make some radical decisions that left him being only a shadow of his old self, with his craziness as his only anchor keeping him somehow sane. He has only one purpose in life: avenge, and he is willing to give his last breath for it to become true.
Kelly - I cared about her because she was prisoner in a world that didn't need her, in a group that didn't want her.. She knew that the truth has many faces, she showed them that the truth is not enough. It was sad because all that she had was this group of journalists, and there was no room for affection between them and her.
"There are truths the world isn't ready to hear. There are truths that are just too big"
I liked Maggie - she was different than the others. She was used to staying at home, with her pack of tiny dogs, spending her family's money in whatever felt right for her, writing poetry, watching horror post-apocalyptic movies, and the most important is that she was able to offer refugee for everybody in times of great need.
"And if there's somebody you love, tell them. The world always needs more love."
Becks was one of my favorites too (how many favorites can I have?). She doesn't mind speaking her mind and she enjoys poking the dead with a stick. She would have made a good match for the old Shaun, wouldn't she?
“Why is it you assholes always feel the need to tell the media your evil plans before you kill us?” asked Becks. “Is it a union requirement or something?”
Mahir - Georgia's best friend from England. We only met him 'personally' at the end of part one, but now we got to know more about him, and to see him in action too.
"He was the only one who never questioned the fact that she still talked to me. Frankly, I think he was jealous that she never spoke to him."
Alaric was the smart one, the one that was always one step forward, the one that knew the meaning of all those complicated things that me and Shaun never understood. He was there to explain to 'us' (theoretically just to Shaun, but I was almost always as clueless as he was), to show us the obvious, to make us see the truth when we had it in front of us and we couldn't cope with it.
"Ask her what would have happened if you hadn't pulled the trigger"
Want to know more?
This book series is simply AMAZING, what you're waiting for?.. Read it!
This review can also be found at ReadingAfterMidnight.com
____________________________________________
Blog (EN) | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Bloglovin' | Blog (RO)
____________________________________________
“I guess in the end, it doesn’t matter what we wanted. What matters is what we chose to do with the things we had.”
Damn, this book was insane!
I need a whole constellation lined up to rate it properly, because only 5 stars doesn't seem to make it justice.. I loved every single word of it.
Deadline is one of those books that you want to read slowly, to savor every phrase, every discovery, every nuance, every little moment. Deadline is one of those books that you will carry with you long after you've closed the cover.
Mira Grant has described a world so unique and so close to my heart that I won't ever forget - it's a special place where people live among zombies, it's a dangerous world where death is one step behind you.
“I just find it interesting that kids apparently used to cry when Bambi's mother died. George and I both held our breaths, and then cheered when she didn't reanimate and try to eat her son.”
♥ If you loved the first book as much as I did, you will have this world kind of figured out. You will feel like you're part of it, and you will enjoy every new discovery the characters make, and every twist into the story.
♥ If you loved the first book as much as i did, you will miss some characters with your whole heart, you will feel Shaun's pain, you will cheer for him when he gets better, you will want to kiss him when he is so sweet that he melts your heart, you will want to hug him and keep him safe when he needs it.
♥ If you love this series as much as I do, you will enjoy every shocking scene, you will hold your breath with every danger approaching, you will get to the end wanting more, you will laugh, you will cry, you will hope, you will die a bit with every loss, you will feel like you've been reborn reading the last words..
There are things that you need to know, there are things that will break your heart, but also there are things that will fill your heart with joy - if the first book was a carousel of emotions, with this one you will get tickets for the entire amusement park.
CHARACTERS:
Shaun is the perfect (male) main character - sarcastic, charming, lovely, and just a bit crazy. Truth being told, he is aware of his situation, so I don't know if he really qualifies, but still I loved every bit of his 'craziness' because it got me close to someone that I really, really missed.
“I feel the closest to crazy when I'm disagreeing with the voice in my head”
I don't remember caring so much about a fictional character, but Shaun felt so real, his emotions raw and powerful, his sarcasm making me smile, his pain making me sad. At the end of Feed he had to make some radical decisions that left him being only a shadow of his old self, with his craziness as his only anchor keeping him somehow sane. He has only one purpose in life: avenge, and he is willing to give his last breath for it to become true.
Kelly - I cared about her because she was prisoner in a world that didn't need her, in a group that didn't want her.. She knew that the truth has many faces, she showed them that the truth is not enough. It was sad because all that she had was this group of journalists, and there was no room for affection between them and her.
"There are truths the world isn't ready to hear. There are truths that are just too big"
I liked Maggie - she was different than the others. She was used to staying at home, with her pack of tiny dogs, spending her family's money in whatever felt right for her, writing poetry, watching horror post-apocalyptic movies, and the most important is that she was able to offer refugee for everybody in times of great need.
"And if there's somebody you love, tell them. The world always needs more love."
Becks was one of my favorites too (how many favorites can I have?). She doesn't mind speaking her mind and she enjoys poking the dead with a stick. She would have made a good match for the old Shaun, wouldn't she?
“Why is it you assholes always feel the need to tell the media your evil plans before you kill us?” asked Becks. “Is it a union requirement or something?”
Mahir - Georgia's best friend from England. We only met him 'personally' at the end of part one, but now we got to know more about him, and to see him in action too.
"He was the only one who never questioned the fact that she still talked to me. Frankly, I think he was jealous that she never spoke to him."
Alaric was the smart one, the one that was always one step forward, the one that knew the meaning of all those complicated things that me and Shaun never understood. He was there to explain to 'us' (theoretically just to Shaun, but I was almost always as clueless as he was), to show us the obvious, to make us see the truth when we had it in front of us and we couldn't cope with it.
"Ask her what would have happened if you hadn't pulled the trigger"
Want to know more?
This book series is simply AMAZING, what you're waiting for?.. Read it!
This review can also be found at ReadingAfterMidnight.com
____________________________________________
Blog (EN) | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Bloglovin' | Blog (RO)
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June 7, 2011
One of my most anticipated books for 2011 was Deadline by Mira Grant. This is the second book in her Newsflesh series. The first book, Feed, was one of my favorite books of last year and may end up being one of my favorite books of the decade. Feed was an explosive reading experience for me because all my emotions were engaged. Mira combines the zombie myth with technology and on-line blogging that worked wonders.
Feed had a very unique protagonist with George Mason. George lived and breathed reporting the news, blogging her complete obsession. And because of this, she was killed. George stumbled upon something big and not at all planned. She and her brother, Shaun found themselves in a world of political espionage where someone was using the zombies (that were unleashed on the world because of a cure created to combat the common cold twenty five years ago) as a way to control society and for their own maniacal greed.
Deadline begins almost two years after the events of Feed and this time we’re in Shaun’s head as he comes to grips with losing George, his best friend and soul mate. Shaun still grieves over the loss of George and the guilt he couldn’t save her. He was the one to end her life by shooting her as she succumbed to the Kellis-Amberlee virus running through her veins that would transform her into a zombie. But Shaun doesn’t just have the memories of George to keep him company. George speaks to him in his head. He and she have full conversations. Is Shaun going crazy? Perhaps. But Shaun doesn’t care. As long as George talks to him, he can keep on living and reporting the news.
Shaun still runs his blog and has a new crew to help him. There’s Rebecca, aka Becks, an Irwin, who likes poking zombies with a stick as much as Shaun used to do. There’s Alaric, a Newsie trying to make strides as a journalist, Dave another blogger and Mahir, who blogs from London, England on behalf of Shaun. Then there’s the eccentric Maggie, who’s a bit on the wacky side, the daughter set to inherit her father’s Pharmaceutical company who blogs about movies, the majority being horror ones. Shaun and his motley crew are very popular bloggers who navigate in a world gone to hell. The hungry undead have become a way of life and the only thing the living can do is be aware that this new type of threat is all around them and won’t go away.
Shaun would love to get his hands on the person or people responsible for injecting George with the virus that killed her so mercilessly He lives for revenge. And he may get his revenge when Dr. Kelly Connolly from the CDC comes to Shaun with shocking news. She planned her own death. One by one, each member on her research team has been killed, and she was next. The CDC not only is still trying to find the cure of the Kellis-Amberlee virus, but are involved in something straight out of a science fiction novel. They have created illegal clones and are experimenting on them. It seems the d Kellis-Amberlee virus may not be as dormant as the public believes. There’s a big conspiracy that Shaun takes upon himself to investigate. Anyone along with him are in grave danger, not from infection, or from the zombies, but those people who would kill to keep their findings a secret until they decide to unleash it on the world.
Deadline builds at a steady rate where you turn each page, uncertain what’s going to happen. The first 500 pages moves slowly but doesn’t bore you. Everything is metrically planned out, much like a ride on a roller coaster. You sit there in that small seat, your heart pounding as you climb up that rickety track, waiting to reach the top. And when you finally reach the top, you fall from such a height where your stomach drops down to your feet. Your adrenaline is running and you open your mouth as screams burst forth from your mouth. Deadline is a roller coaster of a book.
Shaun really comes into his own in Deadline. I really couldn’t stand him in Feed. He was an immature, spoiled thrill seeker who finally grows up and man’s up after George’s death. Shaun has iron balls and is not afraid to use them. He’s on a mission and will die to find out the truth and bring down anyone who is out to destroy the world for a second time. He and his team are a cross between the characters from Scooby Doo and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Shaun is a one man Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein from All the President’s Men. He’s tenacious, dedicated to reporting the news and in the immortal words of Harold Beale from Network, “I'm a HUMAN BEING, God damn it! My life has VALUE!'. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!” Shaun is angry and more alive than he has ever been and wants to right the wrongs done to humanity and most importantly George.
Deadline scared the living crap out of me. A quarter away from the end of the novel, the shit got very real where I was shaking in fear. I can’t even tell you the last time a book made me have such a physical reaction. Talk about a doozy of an event that occurs out of the blue and one I never saw coming. And this isn’t even the shocking OMGWTF twist of all twists that’s announced in the last sentence on the last page. This is one of the best cliffhanger endings I read next to Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. Your mouth will drop, your body will tense up and you’ll be not only on the edge of your seat, but climbing it. Talk about a rush. I think I felt high the entire time I read.
Deadline is as close to a perfect read as you can get. Every one of my emotions were engaged. Deadline will be in my top 10, most like my top 5 of 2011. This is a book that I want to squeeze tight as I lie in bed awake, so very afraid the undead will finally rise up and come for me, hungry for my flesh. Not many authors can make me jumped at my own shadow, but Mira has. I shake my fist at her for making me feel this way and yet I ask for more
Side note: There was a goof in regards to George’s date of death. The year stated is 2032, when it should be 2039. When I read this, I was more than confused, but then asking Mira about it, she admits that it was a mistake that got through to the book somehow. Even with this issue, don’t think Deadline isn’t full of awesome. It is. I want to have babies with it.
Feed had a very unique protagonist with George Mason. George lived and breathed reporting the news, blogging her complete obsession. And because of this, she was killed. George stumbled upon something big and not at all planned. She and her brother, Shaun found themselves in a world of political espionage where someone was using the zombies (that were unleashed on the world because of a cure created to combat the common cold twenty five years ago) as a way to control society and for their own maniacal greed.
Deadline begins almost two years after the events of Feed and this time we’re in Shaun’s head as he comes to grips with losing George, his best friend and soul mate. Shaun still grieves over the loss of George and the guilt he couldn’t save her. He was the one to end her life by shooting her as she succumbed to the Kellis-Amberlee virus running through her veins that would transform her into a zombie. But Shaun doesn’t just have the memories of George to keep him company. George speaks to him in his head. He and she have full conversations. Is Shaun going crazy? Perhaps. But Shaun doesn’t care. As long as George talks to him, he can keep on living and reporting the news.
Shaun still runs his blog and has a new crew to help him. There’s Rebecca, aka Becks, an Irwin, who likes poking zombies with a stick as much as Shaun used to do. There’s Alaric, a Newsie trying to make strides as a journalist, Dave another blogger and Mahir, who blogs from London, England on behalf of Shaun. Then there’s the eccentric Maggie, who’s a bit on the wacky side, the daughter set to inherit her father’s Pharmaceutical company who blogs about movies, the majority being horror ones. Shaun and his motley crew are very popular bloggers who navigate in a world gone to hell. The hungry undead have become a way of life and the only thing the living can do is be aware that this new type of threat is all around them and won’t go away.
Shaun would love to get his hands on the person or people responsible for injecting George with the virus that killed her so mercilessly He lives for revenge. And he may get his revenge when Dr. Kelly Connolly from the CDC comes to Shaun with shocking news. She planned her own death. One by one, each member on her research team has been killed, and she was next. The CDC not only is still trying to find the cure of the Kellis-Amberlee virus, but are involved in something straight out of a science fiction novel. They have created illegal clones and are experimenting on them. It seems the d Kellis-Amberlee virus may not be as dormant as the public believes. There’s a big conspiracy that Shaun takes upon himself to investigate. Anyone along with him are in grave danger, not from infection, or from the zombies, but those people who would kill to keep their findings a secret until they decide to unleash it on the world.
Deadline builds at a steady rate where you turn each page, uncertain what’s going to happen. The first 500 pages moves slowly but doesn’t bore you. Everything is metrically planned out, much like a ride on a roller coaster. You sit there in that small seat, your heart pounding as you climb up that rickety track, waiting to reach the top. And when you finally reach the top, you fall from such a height where your stomach drops down to your feet. Your adrenaline is running and you open your mouth as screams burst forth from your mouth. Deadline is a roller coaster of a book.
Shaun really comes into his own in Deadline. I really couldn’t stand him in Feed. He was an immature, spoiled thrill seeker who finally grows up and man’s up after George’s death. Shaun has iron balls and is not afraid to use them. He’s on a mission and will die to find out the truth and bring down anyone who is out to destroy the world for a second time. He and his team are a cross between the characters from Scooby Doo and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Shaun is a one man Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein from All the President’s Men. He’s tenacious, dedicated to reporting the news and in the immortal words of Harold Beale from Network, “I'm a HUMAN BEING, God damn it! My life has VALUE!'. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!” Shaun is angry and more alive than he has ever been and wants to right the wrongs done to humanity and most importantly George.
Deadline scared the living crap out of me. A quarter away from the end of the novel, the shit got very real where I was shaking in fear. I can’t even tell you the last time a book made me have such a physical reaction. Talk about a doozy of an event that occurs out of the blue and one I never saw coming. And this isn’t even the shocking OMGWTF twist of all twists that’s announced in the last sentence on the last page. This is one of the best cliffhanger endings I read next to Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. Your mouth will drop, your body will tense up and you’ll be not only on the edge of your seat, but climbing it. Talk about a rush. I think I felt high the entire time I read.
Deadline is as close to a perfect read as you can get. Every one of my emotions were engaged. Deadline will be in my top 10, most like my top 5 of 2011. This is a book that I want to squeeze tight as I lie in bed awake, so very afraid the undead will finally rise up and come for me, hungry for my flesh. Not many authors can make me jumped at my own shadow, but Mira has. I shake my fist at her for making me feel this way and yet I ask for more
Side note: There was a goof in regards to George’s date of death. The year stated is 2032, when it should be 2039. When I read this, I was more than confused, but then asking Mira about it, she admits that it was a mistake that got through to the book somehow. Even with this issue, don’t think Deadline isn’t full of awesome. It is. I want to have babies with it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2020
This review is relatively spoiler free.. but if you don't want to know ANYTHING about this or Feed... look away now.
Initial Thoughts.
WHAT IS WITH THE ENDINGS OF MIRA GRANT’S BOOKS? And, what was that? We have to wait for months until the next book comes out?! COME ON.
High points.
Shaun. (S)He’s hearing voices. Less of the technical jargon for simpletons like me. More zombie action. Things are rotten in the state of… um, America. Underground scientists. The Academy Award for Best Supporting Cast goes to…
Low points.
I have one major low point…. But I can’t tell you what it is because it will spoil everything. I’m such an advocate for not spoiling books and films because finding out what happens at the end of something you’ve wanted to read/watch really is the second worst thing that can happen (first is when someone pokes you in the side when you’re mid-stretch.) I believe it should be Forbidden.
Hero.
Shaun is just as HOT as he was in the first book, but now he’s narrator we get to see a lot more of him and the depths that Grant adds to his character just makes me love him even more. Even though I was sort of won over by George as narrator in the final few chapters of Feed, I thought Shaun was a better narrator and injected a bit more character into the series. I just really loved how Grant created a completely other side to Shaun in this book. I want to say soooo much more but I won’t.
Supporting Cast.
YES. The minor characters in Feed take a step forward in Deadline and become much more prominent and I loved it. They all added so much to the story and the feel of the book and I think they all had great chemistry with each other. Loved this aspect of the book because I think it kind of opened the world up a bit so we could learn a bit more how the Rising affected other people. Also… I have to mention Mahir, the bumbling, long-suffering English gent who loves tea and whose complaints about the things that he has to do go ignored. Pfft, Americans and their stereotypes. *snorts into her cup of tea while complaining about the weather and reading ridiculous tabloid stories about Kate Middleton’s fashion sense*
Baddie.
*zips mouth*
Theme Tune.
Zombie- The Cranberries.
OK, we get it…there are zombies in this book and this is perhaps the most obvious song and also… the troubles in Ireland have NOTHING to do with this book.
BUT- I chose this song for three reasons.
1)OK, it’s called Zombie.
2) If you’ve read this book you will know the chorus is particularly important. Sob.
3) The soothing vocal chords of Dolores O’Riordan will help you get through the emotional anguish this book puts you through.
Angst Scale.
16/10. That’s right. THIS BOOK DEFIES THE RULES OF MATHEMATICS. But as to why… *locks mouth and throws away key*
Recommended For.
People who have read Feed. Basically. And also people who thought anyone who was shocked at the ending of Feed was for sissies. TRY THIS ONE ON FOR SIZE.
I literally can’t believe we have to wait a year…. A WHOLE YEAR… for the next book to come out. Why? WHY DO YOU HATE US, MIRA GRANT?
*twitches*
Initial Thoughts.
WHAT IS WITH THE ENDINGS OF MIRA GRANT’S BOOKS? And, what was that? We have to wait for months until the next book comes out?! COME ON.
High points.
Shaun. (S)He’s hearing voices. Less of the technical jargon for simpletons like me. More zombie action. Things are rotten in the state of… um, America. Underground scientists. The Academy Award for Best Supporting Cast goes to…
Low points.
I have one major low point…. But I can’t tell you what it is because it will spoil everything. I’m such an advocate for not spoiling books and films because finding out what happens at the end of something you’ve wanted to read/watch really is the second worst thing that can happen (first is when someone pokes you in the side when you’re mid-stretch.) I believe it should be Forbidden.
Hero.
Shaun is just as HOT as he was in the first book, but now he’s narrator we get to see a lot more of him and the depths that Grant adds to his character just makes me love him even more. Even though I was sort of won over by George as narrator in the final few chapters of Feed, I thought Shaun was a better narrator and injected a bit more character into the series. I just really loved how Grant created a completely other side to Shaun in this book. I want to say soooo much more but I won’t.
Supporting Cast.
YES. The minor characters in Feed take a step forward in Deadline and become much more prominent and I loved it. They all added so much to the story and the feel of the book and I think they all had great chemistry with each other. Loved this aspect of the book because I think it kind of opened the world up a bit so we could learn a bit more how the Rising affected other people. Also… I have to mention Mahir, the bumbling, long-suffering English gent who loves tea and whose complaints about the things that he has to do go ignored. Pfft, Americans and their stereotypes. *snorts into her cup of tea while complaining about the weather and reading ridiculous tabloid stories about Kate Middleton’s fashion sense*
Baddie.
*zips mouth*
Theme Tune.
Zombie- The Cranberries.
OK, we get it…there are zombies in this book and this is perhaps the most obvious song and also… the troubles in Ireland have NOTHING to do with this book.
BUT- I chose this song for three reasons.
1)OK, it’s called Zombie.
2) If you’ve read this book you will know the chorus is particularly important. Sob.
3) The soothing vocal chords of Dolores O’Riordan will help you get through the emotional anguish this book puts you through.
Angst Scale.
16/10. That’s right. THIS BOOK DEFIES THE RULES OF MATHEMATICS. But as to why… *locks mouth and throws away key*
Recommended For.
People who have read Feed. Basically. And also people who thought anyone who was shocked at the ending of Feed was for sissies. TRY THIS ONE ON FOR SIZE.
I literally can’t believe we have to wait a year…. A WHOLE YEAR… for the next book to come out. Why? WHY DO YOU HATE US, MIRA GRANT?
*twitches*
April 9, 2012
“I just find it interesting that kids apparently used to cry when Bambi's mother died. George and I both held our breaths, and then cheered when she didn't reanimate and try to eat her son.”
Who needs to study when you have a book containing zombies and corruption and cloning to read? Not me!
Well, actually, I do need to. But instead of studying, I spent all of yesterday reading Deadline by Mira Grant! Someone shower me with sympathy, because I'll definitely need some of it afterfailing staying up past midnight to study for my exams.
Anyway, back to Deadline. It is the sequel to Grant's Feed, and it continues the story with Shaun Mason as our narrator. The plot is difficult to summarize without spoiling Feed, so just know that Shaun is out for blood in this book as he leads his motley group of bloggers to take down another conspiracy - this time, involving the CDC.
Although this book did not blow me away emotionally like Feed did, it was similar in that it possessed an intricate plot that was well-paced and had no holes besides the ones that were supposed to be there. There was an adrenaline-inducing amount of urgency, and Deadline held me on the edge of my figurative seat almost the entire time I was reading it.
While I preferred George as the main protagonist, Shaun still endeared himself to me in his violent/emotionally unstable/crazy sort of way. I came to love the side characters in Deadline, especially the amazing Asian Newsie, Alaric Kwong, and the affluent and abnormal Fictional, Maggie.
If you read and loved Feed, you need to catch a copy of Deadline as soon as possible! I cannot wait for Blackout, in which all of my burning questions will hopefully be answered.
*review cross-posted from my blog, the quiet voice.
Who needs to study when you have a book containing zombies and corruption and cloning to read? Not me!
Well, actually, I do need to. But instead of studying, I spent all of yesterday reading Deadline by Mira Grant! Someone shower me with sympathy, because I'll definitely need some of it after
Anyway, back to Deadline. It is the sequel to Grant's Feed, and it continues the story with Shaun Mason as our narrator. The plot is difficult to summarize without spoiling Feed, so just know that Shaun is out for blood in this book as he leads his motley group of bloggers to take down another conspiracy - this time, involving the CDC.
Although this book did not blow me away emotionally like Feed did, it was similar in that it possessed an intricate plot that was well-paced and had no holes besides the ones that were supposed to be there. There was an adrenaline-inducing amount of urgency, and Deadline held me on the edge of my figurative seat almost the entire time I was reading it.
While I preferred George as the main protagonist, Shaun still endeared himself to me in his violent/emotionally unstable/crazy sort of way. I came to love the side characters in Deadline, especially the amazing Asian Newsie, Alaric Kwong, and the affluent and abnormal Fictional, Maggie.
If you read and loved Feed, you need to catch a copy of Deadline as soon as possible! I cannot wait for Blackout, in which all of my burning questions will hopefully be answered.
*review cross-posted from my blog, the quiet voice.
June 4, 2011
Lessons learned from Deadline-
1) The voices in your head might be smarter than you, so listen to them!
2) That the government doesn't like to admit they are wrong (we'll I learned this lesson working for the exact agency mentioned in this book but nevermind that fact).
3) Don't doubt the decisions you've already made or you'll drive yourself batshit crazy!
4) If you love someone, tell them right away since you might not get a chance tomorrow.
5) Treat today like it is your last day on the earth because eventually you will be right.
6) And the final lesson learned... Mira Grant is trying to torture us by waiting for book 3!
1) The voices in your head might be smarter than you, so listen to them!
2) That the government doesn't like to admit they are wrong (we'll I learned this lesson working for the exact agency mentioned in this book but nevermind that fact).
3) Don't doubt the decisions you've already made or you'll drive yourself batshit crazy!
4) If you love someone, tell them right away since you might not get a chance tomorrow.
5) Treat today like it is your last day on the earth because eventually you will be right.
6) And the final lesson learned... Mira Grant is trying to torture us by waiting for book 3!
October 5, 2015
Final rating: 5/5 stars
So far, my favorite book in trilogy (oh how i wish there were more of the books). At least i sat and read them all at once - it's always better than being confused with what happened earlier.
Do not read this review if you didn't read Feed. p.s. contains some heavy spoilers for first book. *HIDDEN SPOILERS ARE REAL FOR BOTH BOOKS*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Soooo, after the glorious mindfuck scene from first book - aka the part where we have Shaun's perspective and narration. WOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO! Just what i ever wanted, mwahahahaha.
I mean, i LOOOOOOOOOVE when guys narrate (especially if it is new adult book). So this was a jackpot >:)
Now, seriously, do not read what i wrote if you haven't read Feed. Huge spoilers ahead.
Anyway, so, we have Shaun who literally went into a mess of emotions, actually going crazy over the loss of George. He went insane to the point of hallucinating and hearing her voice. He usually talks with her and everyone from his group accepted him even after he clearly went crazy. I guess he must be lucky to have such friends who would support even his craziness. But hey, he never once made stupid decisions.
Anyway, i was shocked when they learned that George I guess Shaun went mad after that (i read it but who knows).
I mean poor Shaun T_T
Anyway, it was interesting to see the relationship between Becks and Shaun, who thought Shaun was playing hard to get (baby, you don't know him after all) but still successfully got to . So yeah, cool.
Can i please, please please be in love with Shaun? Hell yeah, i don't care if he is imaginary kick ass crazy idiot xD
And after all these emotional scenes, we have some that just cracked me up.
I don't know, but Mira Grant is expert with killing off characters .
And in the end, this book shocked me as much as it shocked me at the end of Feed. I certainly did not expect that (huge spoiler)
.
Yep....i just loved it.
hell yea.
____________________________________________
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
____________________________________________
MY NEWSFLESH REVIEWS:
◉ Feed (Newsflesh Trilogy, #1)
◉ Deadline (Newsflesh Trilogy, #2)
◉ Blackout (Newsflesh Trilogy, #3)
◉ How Green This Land, How Blue This Sea (Newsflesh Trilogy #3.5)
This review can be found on my blog: infinity-of-time.blogspot.com also known as...
“This is what I do know: A lie, however well-intended, can't prepare you for reality or change the world... To tell the truth is to provide armament against a world too full of cruelties to be defeated with simple falsehoods... It seems to me we owe the world--more, we owe ourselves--the exchange of comfort for the chance that maybe the truth can do what people always say it can. The truth may, given the opportunity, set us free.”
So far, my favorite book in trilogy (oh how i wish there were more of the books). At least i sat and read them all at once - it's always better than being confused with what happened earlier.
Do not read this review if you didn't read Feed. p.s. contains some heavy spoilers for first book. *HIDDEN SPOILERS ARE REAL FOR BOTH BOOKS*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Soooo, after the glorious mindfuck scene from first book - aka the part where we have Shaun's perspective and narration. WOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO! Just what i ever wanted, mwahahahaha.
I mean, i LOOOOOOOOOVE when guys narrate (especially if it is new adult book). So this was a jackpot >:)
Now, seriously, do not read what i wrote if you haven't read Feed. Huge spoilers ahead.
Anyway, so, we have Shaun who literally went into a mess of emotions, actually going crazy over the loss of George. He went insane to the point of hallucinating and hearing her voice. He usually talks with her and everyone from his group accepted him even after he clearly went crazy. I guess he must be lucky to have such friends who would support even his craziness. But hey, he never once made stupid decisions.
Anyway, i was shocked when they learned that George I guess Shaun went mad after that (i read it but who knows).
I mean poor Shaun T_T
“I guess in the end, it doesn’t matter what we wanted. What matters is what we chose to do with the things we had.”
Anyway, it was interesting to see the relationship between Becks and Shaun, who thought Shaun was playing hard to get (baby, you don't know him after all) but still successfully got to . So yeah, cool.
Can i please, please please be in love with Shaun? Hell yeah, i don't care if he is imaginary kick ass crazy idiot xD
And after all these emotional scenes, we have some that just cracked me up.
“I just find it interesting that kids apparently used to cry when Bambi's mother died. George and I both held our breaths, and then cheered when she didn't reanimate and try to eat her son.”
“Why is it you assholes always feel the need to tell the media your evil plans before you kill us?” asked Becks. “Is it a union requirement or something?”
“Then you know why I'm not in the mood for sunshine and puppies." I paused. "That expression makes no sense. Why the hell would I ever be in the mood for puppies?"
"Shaun—"
"I could go with sunshine, though. Sunshine is useful. It should really be 'sunshine and shotguns.' Something you'd actually be happy about."
"Shaun—”
“I suggest it’s time we head off to see the Wizard. The wonderful Wizard of Jesus We Are All So Fucked.”
I don't know, but Mira Grant is expert with killing off characters .
And in the end, this book shocked me as much as it shocked me at the end of Feed. I certainly did not expect that (huge spoiler)
.
Yep....i just loved it.
hell yea.
____________________________________________
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
____________________________________________
MY NEWSFLESH REVIEWS:
◉ Feed (Newsflesh Trilogy, #1)
◉ Deadline (Newsflesh Trilogy, #2)
◉ Blackout (Newsflesh Trilogy, #3)
◉ How Green This Land, How Blue This Sea (Newsflesh Trilogy #3.5)
This review can be found on my blog: infinity-of-time.blogspot.com also known as...
May 20, 2011
You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/05/...
I don’t want to live in the world that Mira Grant described in Feed, and now in Deadline.
I don’t want to live in a house that has tiny windows, so that anything about 40lbs can’t get through, or have to endure blood tests at every entry or exit.
I don’t want to never again experience the joy of an open air concert or festival.
I don’t want to not be able to offer comfort to a stranger by giving them a hug, or holding their hand.
I don’t want to live in a world where I might have to shoot someone I love to save them from a fate worse than death.
This is the world put forth by the author, and it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Almost 30 years after the cure for the common cold turned into hell on wheels, the world is still recovering from the devastation. Some parts of the world will never be reclaimed, and the effects of this disease roam the wilds, seeking to infect and feed. In Deadline, news blogger Shaun Mason is our narrator, and still hasn’t recovered from events that affected him and his team in the worst possible way. When a CDC doctor fakes her own death and shows up, asking for his help, all hell breaks loose…again. He’s now on a mission to uncover a vast government conspiracy that could affect the whole of humanity and will uncover secrets that will certainly change his life, and those he cares for, forever...and he has nothing to lose.
If you haven’t yet discovered this superb series by Mira Grant (aka Seanan McGuire), then you’re in for a wild ride. Feed and Deadline feature some of the best post-apocalyptic writing that I’ve read, hands down. Not just zombie books, these novels explore the nature of fear in all its forms and will take you on an emotional roller coaster that will haunt you for days after you’ve stopped reading. The characterizations are phenomenal, and the attention to detail is no less than it was in Feed. Sometimes it’s hard to follow up such amazing work, and sometimes second novels in a series suffer a bit. Not Deadline. It’s just as good as Feed, and you’ll find yourself plowing through this 600+ page novel in no time. I missed quite a bit of sleep finishing this one up. Was it worth it? Totally.
I don’t want to live in the world that Mira Grant described in Feed, and now in Deadline.
I don’t want to live in a house that has tiny windows, so that anything about 40lbs can’t get through, or have to endure blood tests at every entry or exit.
I don’t want to never again experience the joy of an open air concert or festival.
I don’t want to not be able to offer comfort to a stranger by giving them a hug, or holding their hand.
I don’t want to live in a world where I might have to shoot someone I love to save them from a fate worse than death.
This is the world put forth by the author, and it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Almost 30 years after the cure for the common cold turned into hell on wheels, the world is still recovering from the devastation. Some parts of the world will never be reclaimed, and the effects of this disease roam the wilds, seeking to infect and feed. In Deadline, news blogger Shaun Mason is our narrator, and still hasn’t recovered from events that affected him and his team in the worst possible way. When a CDC doctor fakes her own death and shows up, asking for his help, all hell breaks loose…again. He’s now on a mission to uncover a vast government conspiracy that could affect the whole of humanity and will uncover secrets that will certainly change his life, and those he cares for, forever...and he has nothing to lose.
If you haven’t yet discovered this superb series by Mira Grant (aka Seanan McGuire), then you’re in for a wild ride. Feed and Deadline feature some of the best post-apocalyptic writing that I’ve read, hands down. Not just zombie books, these novels explore the nature of fear in all its forms and will take you on an emotional roller coaster that will haunt you for days after you’ve stopped reading. The characterizations are phenomenal, and the attention to detail is no less than it was in Feed. Sometimes it’s hard to follow up such amazing work, and sometimes second novels in a series suffer a bit. Not Deadline. It’s just as good as Feed, and you’ll find yourself plowing through this 600+ page novel in no time. I missed quite a bit of sleep finishing this one up. Was it worth it? Totally.
July 4, 2012
So here we are again, almost one year later. Another Newsflesh novel nominated for a Hugo. I’ve decided that everything I want to discuss about this book takes me into hella spoilers territory. So that spoiler flag I put on here? Don’t ignore that if you were thinking I was kidding. I wasn’t. From here on out, we will be knee deep in zombie guts and spoilers. If you want a non-spoilery review, check out Kemper’s well-articulated reasons for this book’s mediocrity. I particularly agree about the lack of actual zombie combat. What’s up with that?
I don’t remember exactly how I felt about Feed after reading it, but I think I liked it but did not see it as a remarkable, Hugo-winning book. It had an interesting take on zombies and bloggers but was hobbled by less-than-stellar plot. Deadline, in my opinion, improves upon the pacing and structure of Feed quite a bit. However, its plot and characterization fall into the same old traps—and this time, the zombie honeymoon is over. And I’m coming for braaaaaains.
I’ll hand it to Mira Grant: Deadline is definitely action-packed and fast-paced, though for every “action-packed” scene, I suppose there is an accompanying scene of painfully slow dialogue and exposition as everyone stuffs more wads of cotton into their ears. The plot is convoluted owing in no small part to the fact that everyone in this book sucks at communicating. It seems like every time someone has something important, perhaps even life-saving, to say, they decide it would be better to sleep, or eat, or do something else and defer the conversation for the morning. Because that always ends up so well. And then when they do have a discussion, it seldom advances the plot or provides much new knowledge. Instead, the team has to go to some kind of nefarious research facility to hear the same thing, only this time from someone in a lab coat.
So Deadline is fast-paced, but a lot of those pages are boring and somewhat unnecessary.
Speaking of unnecessary, let’s talk about Shaun for a moment. I’m not a psychologist, so I won’t pretend to understand how people react to death of loved ones and deal with grief. But I do think that the reaction of other people to Shaun’s reaction to Georgia’s death is unrealistic (at best). Setting aside the fact that Shaun hears Georgia’s voice in his head and admits he is probably crazy, we’re supposed to believe he has spent the past year moping around and doing nothing and no one has told him to snap out of it? I understand that the might not snap out of it, but the level of accommodating that his colleagues are being is unbelievable. In ordinary times, maybe I would buy it, but this is a post-apocalyptic zombie-infested wasteland. You want everyone on your party functioning optimally. Shaun “I hear dead people” Mason is not functioning optimally, and he should not be in charge.
I suspect my experience with Shaun as a narrator is likely what other people feel when they cringe at Harry Dresden as a narrator. I love Harry; I love his smartass observations and dry, sometimes self-deprecating humour. To me, his voice is something that makes the Dresden Files books come alive. But I know some people can’t stand him, and thanks to Grant, now I can empathize. Shaun is not a very good narrator. His repetitive reminders of the prevalence of blood tests, the genesis of Kellis–Amberlee, the adoptive nature of him and his sibling all become so much noise. And meanwhile, I am asking, “Shaun, why are you wasting time visiting various CDC facilities when you could just post the information to the Internet?”
That’s the problem with not going full cyberpunk. Feed was innovative in the sense that it really tried to portray what a zombie apocalypse might be like in the post-Information Age. The combination of geographical upheaval and increased physical isolation to reduce the risk of transmission definitely increases the potential role of the Internet in everyone’s life. But it behoves authors to consider how this affects everything and not just certain plot points that might benefit from it.
Conspiracy thriller wisdom in the Internet age is pretty clear: when in doubt, leak it online. Shaun et al have contingencies in place to leave encrypted backups with friends and frenemies alike, ready to distribute the keys in case they don’t safely return. That’s prudent and great. And I understand the need to keep this information quiet and seek out second opinions personally in order to avoid alerting the conspirators that you’re on to them. However, once your cover has been blown and they know that you know, why not release it all online? Post it everywhere, and make everyone party to the secret. It worked for another science-fiction conspiracy (TVTropes).
Instead, Shaun and friends plan some kind of midnight ride on the CDC facility in Memphis. And Shaun decides to do it on a motorcycle. Yes, he wears Kevlar, but that’s beside the point. It is not acceptable to go riding into a potentially zombie-heavy situation on a motorcycle. Does Shaun potentially have a death wish? Sure, maybe—hence why I said above that he shouldn’t be in charge. But all his friends, instead of stepping up and standing up to him for his own good, step aside as if everything is normal, and let him ride his motorcycle to his death.
Well, kind of. He gets better. So does Georgia, at the very end. Yay for cloning and memory transfer! I’m not actually all that bothered by this twist, or by Shaun’s own miraculous survival. In order for this series to succeed, the Kellis–Amberlee mythology needs to evolve; the potential for a cure is the next logical progression. I don’t begrudge Grant making her main characters an integral part of that.
Lastly, I guess I should talk about the incest. It makes sense, if one considers the family situation in which George and Shaun grew up. Their parents were attention-hounds, constantly seeking validation from the media and audiences in the form of ratings. This led them to treat George and Shaun as a means to an end, a commodity and resource rather than actual, you know, flesh-and-blood beings. With such distant affection from their adoptive parents, it makes sense that George and Shaun would look to each other for intimacy. Combined with the fact that I imagine it’s harder to be intimate, physically or emotionally, in this world, and I can see how the potential existed for that relationship to ignite into something more than just sibling love. That being said, I have to agree with those reviewers who found it dubious that Georgia wouldn’t mention it in her own narration. There’s unreliability in one’s narrator, and then there is just gaping omission.
Deadline was easy to read, and that’s something. I’ve focused almost exclusively on what didn’t work for me with this book, but the truth is that I could see it working for other people—many of these objections are quite subjective. I’m not convinced of Shaun’s mettle as a narrator, and I’m sceptical that Grant can deliver a resolution to this conspiracy that will satisfy me (conspiracy thrillers rarely do). And, as I said before, the honeymoon is over. The best things about Deadline were also the best things about Feed, and I need my novels to evolve as a series goes along, not stay the same. If it were up to me, I might not bother picking up Blackout—but I suspect it will be on the nominations list for next year’s Hugo awards, in which case we’ll be doing this all over again.
See you next year!
My reviews of the Newsflesh trilogy:
← Feed | Blackout →
I don’t remember exactly how I felt about Feed after reading it, but I think I liked it but did not see it as a remarkable, Hugo-winning book. It had an interesting take on zombies and bloggers but was hobbled by less-than-stellar plot. Deadline, in my opinion, improves upon the pacing and structure of Feed quite a bit. However, its plot and characterization fall into the same old traps—and this time, the zombie honeymoon is over. And I’m coming for braaaaaains.
I’ll hand it to Mira Grant: Deadline is definitely action-packed and fast-paced, though for every “action-packed” scene, I suppose there is an accompanying scene of painfully slow dialogue and exposition as everyone stuffs more wads of cotton into their ears. The plot is convoluted owing in no small part to the fact that everyone in this book sucks at communicating. It seems like every time someone has something important, perhaps even life-saving, to say, they decide it would be better to sleep, or eat, or do something else and defer the conversation for the morning. Because that always ends up so well. And then when they do have a discussion, it seldom advances the plot or provides much new knowledge. Instead, the team has to go to some kind of nefarious research facility to hear the same thing, only this time from someone in a lab coat.
So Deadline is fast-paced, but a lot of those pages are boring and somewhat unnecessary.
Speaking of unnecessary, let’s talk about Shaun for a moment. I’m not a psychologist, so I won’t pretend to understand how people react to death of loved ones and deal with grief. But I do think that the reaction of other people to Shaun’s reaction to Georgia’s death is unrealistic (at best). Setting aside the fact that Shaun hears Georgia’s voice in his head and admits he is probably crazy, we’re supposed to believe he has spent the past year moping around and doing nothing and no one has told him to snap out of it? I understand that the might not snap out of it, but the level of accommodating that his colleagues are being is unbelievable. In ordinary times, maybe I would buy it, but this is a post-apocalyptic zombie-infested wasteland. You want everyone on your party functioning optimally. Shaun “I hear dead people” Mason is not functioning optimally, and he should not be in charge.
I suspect my experience with Shaun as a narrator is likely what other people feel when they cringe at Harry Dresden as a narrator. I love Harry; I love his smartass observations and dry, sometimes self-deprecating humour. To me, his voice is something that makes the Dresden Files books come alive. But I know some people can’t stand him, and thanks to Grant, now I can empathize. Shaun is not a very good narrator. His repetitive reminders of the prevalence of blood tests, the genesis of Kellis–Amberlee, the adoptive nature of him and his sibling all become so much noise. And meanwhile, I am asking, “Shaun, why are you wasting time visiting various CDC facilities when you could just post the information to the Internet?”
That’s the problem with not going full cyberpunk. Feed was innovative in the sense that it really tried to portray what a zombie apocalypse might be like in the post-Information Age. The combination of geographical upheaval and increased physical isolation to reduce the risk of transmission definitely increases the potential role of the Internet in everyone’s life. But it behoves authors to consider how this affects everything and not just certain plot points that might benefit from it.
Conspiracy thriller wisdom in the Internet age is pretty clear: when in doubt, leak it online. Shaun et al have contingencies in place to leave encrypted backups with friends and frenemies alike, ready to distribute the keys in case they don’t safely return. That’s prudent and great. And I understand the need to keep this information quiet and seek out second opinions personally in order to avoid alerting the conspirators that you’re on to them. However, once your cover has been blown and they know that you know, why not release it all online? Post it everywhere, and make everyone party to the secret. It worked for another science-fiction conspiracy (TVTropes).
Instead, Shaun and friends plan some kind of midnight ride on the CDC facility in Memphis. And Shaun decides to do it on a motorcycle. Yes, he wears Kevlar, but that’s beside the point. It is not acceptable to go riding into a potentially zombie-heavy situation on a motorcycle. Does Shaun potentially have a death wish? Sure, maybe—hence why I said above that he shouldn’t be in charge. But all his friends, instead of stepping up and standing up to him for his own good, step aside as if everything is normal, and let him ride his motorcycle to his death.
Well, kind of. He gets better. So does Georgia, at the very end. Yay for cloning and memory transfer! I’m not actually all that bothered by this twist, or by Shaun’s own miraculous survival. In order for this series to succeed, the Kellis–Amberlee mythology needs to evolve; the potential for a cure is the next logical progression. I don’t begrudge Grant making her main characters an integral part of that.
Lastly, I guess I should talk about the incest. It makes sense, if one considers the family situation in which George and Shaun grew up. Their parents were attention-hounds, constantly seeking validation from the media and audiences in the form of ratings. This led them to treat George and Shaun as a means to an end, a commodity and resource rather than actual, you know, flesh-and-blood beings. With such distant affection from their adoptive parents, it makes sense that George and Shaun would look to each other for intimacy. Combined with the fact that I imagine it’s harder to be intimate, physically or emotionally, in this world, and I can see how the potential existed for that relationship to ignite into something more than just sibling love. That being said, I have to agree with those reviewers who found it dubious that Georgia wouldn’t mention it in her own narration. There’s unreliability in one’s narrator, and then there is just gaping omission.
Deadline was easy to read, and that’s something. I’ve focused almost exclusively on what didn’t work for me with this book, but the truth is that I could see it working for other people—many of these objections are quite subjective. I’m not convinced of Shaun’s mettle as a narrator, and I’m sceptical that Grant can deliver a resolution to this conspiracy that will satisfy me (conspiracy thrillers rarely do). And, as I said before, the honeymoon is over. The best things about Deadline were also the best things about Feed, and I need my novels to evolve as a series goes along, not stay the same. If it were up to me, I might not bother picking up Blackout—but I suspect it will be on the nominations list for next year’s Hugo awards, in which case we’ll be doing this all over again.
See you next year!
My reviews of the Newsflesh trilogy:
← Feed | Blackout →
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2012
Original post at One More Page
One of my best book discoveries last year was Mira Grant's Feed, the first book in the Newsflesh trilogy. I was so excited about it when I heard it was about zombies AND blogging, and it was my first big Kindle purchase. It remains as one of my favorite books, one that I have given away as gifts and prizes numerous times. I was excited for the next book, Deadline, but I wasn't expecting that much, given that second books are usually so-so compared to the first books in a trilogy. I had a feeling it would be good, but I wasn't expecting it to be as good as its predecessor, you know?
Deadline starts shortly after Feed, where Shaun Mason and the rest of the staff of After the End Times are still reporting the news and making noise in the blogosphere. Shaun, however, is no longer the Irwin that he used to be -- he's tired of it, and he's just running the news organization because he had nowhere else to go and nothing else to do. When a CDC researcher fakes her death and drops by their office with a lot of terrifying and confusing medical research, Shaun and the team find themselves in the middle of a conspiracy connected to the ones they encountered during the campaign. Hungry for the truth, they follow the trail, and find themselves facing an enemy bigger and scarier than the living dead that has become a constant threat in their lives.
I decided to reread Feed shortly after Deadline was delivered to my Kindle to refresh my memory of the Newsflesh world. I was a bit impatient while rereading because I kept on seeing really good reviews for the newest book, but I soldiered on, determined to have the best reading experience for the sequel. It took so much control for me not to read reviews and comments in reviews in full, too, so I won't be spoiled (and believe me, there are spoilers galore in the reviews for this book). I finished the first book, loved it just the same, and then moved on to the next book. Not even 1/4 into the book yet and I was already crying. A little over that, and my heart was breaking. And then, I just can't stop reading it. I finished the book at one in the morning last Sunday and it took all of me to stop myself from swearing. If my mom wasn't fast asleep beside me, I would have yelled many, many expletives that morning.
Mira Grant achieves a great balance between detail and action in Deadline. The previous book was admittedly wordy with all the exposition on the history of the Rising and the Kellis-Amberlee virus. Deadline may be just as wordy, but since the book is told in Shaun's point of view, we are given a bit of time to process the information in the same way as he does. There's less politics here, as it focuses on the virus itself -- lots of science, lots of medical terms, but not so much that it's too hard to follow. It's got good, solid world building, with lots of references to pre-Rising things, the things we have now. I love the references to zombie video games, most especially, and it makes the action scenes easier for me to imagine. There was a time when I was reading a zombie chase scene when something similar to a Resident Evil background music played on the TV. Talk about setting the scene. The story is tight, and it honestly had me totally creeped out as the story progressed. I had the same feeling while rereading Feed, but I dare say Deadline amplified that feeling. By the end of the book, I was ready to hide under the covers and never go out.
While this is more of Shaun's story to tell, the girls Georgia and Buffy still play a big part in the story. The best part, I think, is how their staff gets to play bigger roles. Mira Grant created excellent characters that you'd want to be on your side when zombies walk with the living. I loved Mahir and Maggie (with her epileptic teacup bulldogs!) the most, but I also liked Dave, Becks and Alaric well enough to get attached to them even if I knew better not to get attached to any of Mira Grant's characters. Lines are blurred and gray areas abound in Deadline: the stereotypical villain in the previous book suddenly had more depth, there's no clear villain in this book, and there really is no one you could trust.
Unlike Feed, Deadline ends in a major cliffhanger, which could have also resulted in many, many expletives if I hadn't finished this book late in the night. And to prove the evil (genius) that Mira Grant really is, a preview of the third book, Blackout, is included in Deadline (A word of advice -- do not read the preview if you're not yet done with the book. YOU WILL REGRET IT IF YOU DO, TRUST ME.). While that's a teensy bit comforting, it still doesn't change the fact that it would not be out until next year. Alas, I wait in agony with the rest of the world. :o
Deadline by Mira Grant definitely exceeded all my expectations. I love it when a book does that. Even if I have to wait for a whole year for the conclusion of this wonderfully terrifying, expletive-inducing trilogy, I have a good feeling the third book will shoot straight up the ceiling with its awesomeness.
One of my best book discoveries last year was Mira Grant's Feed, the first book in the Newsflesh trilogy. I was so excited about it when I heard it was about zombies AND blogging, and it was my first big Kindle purchase. It remains as one of my favorite books, one that I have given away as gifts and prizes numerous times. I was excited for the next book, Deadline, but I wasn't expecting that much, given that second books are usually so-so compared to the first books in a trilogy. I had a feeling it would be good, but I wasn't expecting it to be as good as its predecessor, you know?
Deadline starts shortly after Feed, where Shaun Mason and the rest of the staff of After the End Times are still reporting the news and making noise in the blogosphere. Shaun, however, is no longer the Irwin that he used to be -- he's tired of it, and he's just running the news organization because he had nowhere else to go and nothing else to do. When a CDC researcher fakes her death and drops by their office with a lot of terrifying and confusing medical research, Shaun and the team find themselves in the middle of a conspiracy connected to the ones they encountered during the campaign. Hungry for the truth, they follow the trail, and find themselves facing an enemy bigger and scarier than the living dead that has become a constant threat in their lives.
I decided to reread Feed shortly after Deadline was delivered to my Kindle to refresh my memory of the Newsflesh world. I was a bit impatient while rereading because I kept on seeing really good reviews for the newest book, but I soldiered on, determined to have the best reading experience for the sequel. It took so much control for me not to read reviews and comments in reviews in full, too, so I won't be spoiled (and believe me, there are spoilers galore in the reviews for this book). I finished the first book, loved it just the same, and then moved on to the next book. Not even 1/4 into the book yet and I was already crying. A little over that, and my heart was breaking. And then, I just can't stop reading it. I finished the book at one in the morning last Sunday and it took all of me to stop myself from swearing. If my mom wasn't fast asleep beside me, I would have yelled many, many expletives that morning.
Mira Grant achieves a great balance between detail and action in Deadline. The previous book was admittedly wordy with all the exposition on the history of the Rising and the Kellis-Amberlee virus. Deadline may be just as wordy, but since the book is told in Shaun's point of view, we are given a bit of time to process the information in the same way as he does. There's less politics here, as it focuses on the virus itself -- lots of science, lots of medical terms, but not so much that it's too hard to follow. It's got good, solid world building, with lots of references to pre-Rising things, the things we have now. I love the references to zombie video games, most especially, and it makes the action scenes easier for me to imagine. There was a time when I was reading a zombie chase scene when something similar to a Resident Evil background music played on the TV. Talk about setting the scene. The story is tight, and it honestly had me totally creeped out as the story progressed. I had the same feeling while rereading Feed, but I dare say Deadline amplified that feeling. By the end of the book, I was ready to hide under the covers and never go out.
While this is more of Shaun's story to tell, the girls Georgia and Buffy still play a big part in the story. The best part, I think, is how their staff gets to play bigger roles. Mira Grant created excellent characters that you'd want to be on your side when zombies walk with the living. I loved Mahir and Maggie (with her epileptic teacup bulldogs!) the most, but I also liked Dave, Becks and Alaric well enough to get attached to them even if I knew better not to get attached to any of Mira Grant's characters. Lines are blurred and gray areas abound in Deadline: the stereotypical villain in the previous book suddenly had more depth, there's no clear villain in this book, and there really is no one you could trust.
Unlike Feed, Deadline ends in a major cliffhanger, which could have also resulted in many, many expletives if I hadn't finished this book late in the night. And to prove the evil (genius) that Mira Grant really is, a preview of the third book, Blackout, is included in Deadline (A word of advice -- do not read the preview if you're not yet done with the book. YOU WILL REGRET IT IF YOU DO, TRUST ME.). While that's a teensy bit comforting, it still doesn't change the fact that it would not be out until next year. Alas, I wait in agony with the rest of the world. :o
Deadline by Mira Grant definitely exceeded all my expectations. I love it when a book does that. Even if I have to wait for a whole year for the conclusion of this wonderfully terrifying, expletive-inducing trilogy, I have a good feeling the third book will shoot straight up the ceiling with its awesomeness.
August 6, 2011
Three and a half stars, rounding down for problems in pace and focus. Overall, I had mixed reactions to this book, and felt Feed was much better. Problems in plotting became quite obvious in this book, and with less horror and action to create tension, pacing suffered. The science started to go from a thought out disease to more deus ex machina used to push the plot along, and became more and more outlandish. I also found the duel cliffhanger endings troublesome and annoying. Nevertheless, something about Grant's writing keeps me involved and reading--I think partly because her world vision is fascinating. I find the tone and voice of her characters compelling; it's written in a serious style with only mild tongue-in cheek observations from the narrator, and her inclusions of updates from blogs or feeds helps to convey earnestness of the characters and their cause.
I enjoyed the seeing the return of some of the Feed characters, and more detail on their lives. However, Grant continues to rely upon the exceptional to people her story and provide the method for overcoming obstacles. In Feed, Buffy was computer/tech espionage genius, and in Deadline, Maggie's access to unlimited funds and an almost impenetrable fortress provides means of solving those pesky everyday problems like food and safety. Except that's what an apocalypse/zombie book should be about-- part of the interest and tension comes from the struggle for subsistence. A mad dash for a PDQ where you load up on M&Ms and booze just doesn't create the same level of fear.
For horror fans, zombies are even more of a backdrop than in the first book; except for the opening segment where they are out in the field, helping a Newsie get his certifications, and initial and final escape scenes, zombies are only a backdrop. The story centers on further investigation of the conspiracies surrounding the virus.
I find Shaun less sympathetic than ever, and to have George whispering in his mind is almost a relief. Immersed in grief, he frequently strikes out in anger and seems minimally able to lead his organization. Instead of actively trying to investigate the virus, he waits until further evidence of conspiracy is dropped on his doorstep. It's a character flaw more than a writing one, as Shaun has always been an Irwin, more prone to danger-seeking than investigation and analysis. The trouble is, it isn't until Kelly shows up on his doorstep that events begin to unfold. Despite a team of Newsies, Shauns main investigation technique is the time-honored hard-boiled detective "poke a stick and see what happens," only this time he's poking at the CDC. The main way this gathers information is in the level of response brought to bear upon them, and in the villain's "you've fallen into my trap" speech. It's used clumsily, and the book could have benefited from more in-between zombie or research action to distract.
The mad scientist made me laugh, in a good way. I found her devotion to research, her thinking outside the box and sarcastic comments funny, and a great reflection of the twisted mindset that comes from her justified paranoia. Her inclusion was interesting and believable, and I would guess sets up a mechanism for scientific problem-solving outside the realm of the CDC. However,
Definitely the middle child of a series. I'll look for the next and hope it improves to a more dramatic finale, but won't be buying it.
I enjoyed the seeing the return of some of the Feed characters, and more detail on their lives. However, Grant continues to rely upon the exceptional to people her story and provide the method for overcoming obstacles. In Feed, Buffy was computer/tech espionage genius, and in Deadline, Maggie's access to unlimited funds and an almost impenetrable fortress provides means of solving those pesky everyday problems like food and safety. Except that's what an apocalypse/zombie book should be about-- part of the interest and tension comes from the struggle for subsistence. A mad dash for a PDQ where you load up on M&Ms and booze just doesn't create the same level of fear.
For horror fans, zombies are even more of a backdrop than in the first book; except for the opening segment where they are out in the field, helping a Newsie get his certifications, and initial and final escape scenes, zombies are only a backdrop. The story centers on further investigation of the conspiracies surrounding the virus.
I find Shaun less sympathetic than ever, and to have George whispering in his mind is almost a relief. Immersed in grief, he frequently strikes out in anger and seems minimally able to lead his organization. Instead of actively trying to investigate the virus, he waits until further evidence of conspiracy is dropped on his doorstep. It's a character flaw more than a writing one, as Shaun has always been an Irwin, more prone to danger-seeking than investigation and analysis. The trouble is, it isn't until Kelly shows up on his doorstep that events begin to unfold. Despite a team of Newsies, Shauns main investigation technique is the time-honored hard-boiled detective "poke a stick and see what happens," only this time he's poking at the CDC. The main way this gathers information is in the level of response brought to bear upon them, and in the villain's "you've fallen into my trap" speech. It's used clumsily, and the book could have benefited from more in-between zombie or research action to distract.
The mad scientist made me laugh, in a good way. I found her devotion to research, her thinking outside the box and sarcastic comments funny, and a great reflection of the twisted mindset that comes from her justified paranoia. Her inclusion was interesting and believable, and I would guess sets up a mechanism for scientific problem-solving outside the realm of the CDC. However,
Definitely the middle child of a series. I'll look for the next and hope it improves to a more dramatic finale, but won't be buying it.
October 25, 2019
I didn't hate this but I did hate Shaun, and was bored a lot of the time.
After the ending of the last book I thought that this one would pick up a lot, but it was mostly dull. Shaun was a huge dick, and while the other characters were fine I didn't really care about them. I thought the plot was really slow moving. After finishing the 10hr+ audiobook I still feel like not much had happened, and while I was listening I always had that "hurry up and wait" feeling.
Another HUGE feeling I was getting throughout were some majorrrrrrrr VC Andrews incestuous undertones. While listening to the first book I couldn't help myself from occasionally pausing and thinking, "Am I going crazy or... do they love each other too much? This seems weird". And then I would say the same thing to a friend who has already read these books and she would just laugh at me. After the ending of the first book I thought the VC Andrews gaslighting was going to come to an end but SURPRISE it does not. Really the only thing keeping me engaged in these books is trying to figure out what the helllll is going on between these siblings and if I need to get my mind out of the incestuous gutter or if these weird vibes I've been picking up on are true.
And so. Here I am. Not much impressed with this series but also plagued by this brother/sister love mystery. What I was really looking for with these books was a zombie adventure and I'm not really getting that. I had decided to give up on the series until that last damn scene. Now I really don't know what to do.
After the ending of the last book I thought that this one would pick up a lot, but it was mostly dull. Shaun was a huge dick, and while the other characters were fine I didn't really care about them. I thought the plot was really slow moving. After finishing the 10hr+ audiobook I still feel like not much had happened, and while I was listening I always had that "hurry up and wait" feeling.
Another HUGE feeling I was getting throughout were some majorrrrrrrr VC Andrews incestuous undertones. While listening to the first book I couldn't help myself from occasionally pausing and thinking, "Am I going crazy or... do they love each other too much? This seems weird". And then I would say the same thing to a friend who has already read these books and she would just laugh at me. After the ending of the first book I thought the VC Andrews gaslighting was going to come to an end but SURPRISE it does not. Really the only thing keeping me engaged in these books is trying to figure out what the helllll is going on between these siblings and if I need to get my mind out of the incestuous gutter or if these weird vibes I've been picking up on are true.
And so. Here I am. Not much impressed with this series but also plagued by this brother/sister love mystery. What I was really looking for with these books was a zombie adventure and I'm not really getting that. I had decided to give up on the series until that last damn scene. Now I really don't know what to do.
June 16, 2016
The one thing I have absolute faith in is mankind’s capacity to make things worse. No matter how bad it gets, we’re all happy to screw each other over. It’s enough to make me wonder if we should have let the zombies win.
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I enjoyed this book better than the first one in the series, I think mostly due to the fact, that we didn't loose any of the characters I liked. That said plot and the pacing were better in Feed imo. Deadline is also not as light and humorous but that's natural after the events in the end of the previous book. Surprisingly positive ending if a bit hard to believe.
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I enjoyed this book better than the first one in the series, I think mostly due to the fact, that we didn't loose any of the characters I liked. That said plot and the pacing were better in Feed imo. Deadline is also not as light and humorous but that's natural after the events in the end of the previous book. Surprisingly positive ending if a bit hard to believe.
June 14, 2022
there is alot of info in this one and i had to read it more then once to get it all.
and in the end OMG!
Merged review:
that ending.
i garantie you will want to read the last book as soon as you can when you finish this.
and in the end OMG!
Merged review:
that ending.
i garantie you will want to read the last book as soon as you can when you finish this.
July 24, 2017
Struggling a little bit with my feelings on this.
November 5, 2012
This review contains no spoilers of either Deadline or Feed
One fine if not perfect installment in the Newsflesh Trilogy, Mira Grant brings us yet again into the lives of some of the most amazingly compelling character, in a terrifyingly real zombie apocalypse setting, with some dire happenings on the horizon.
This time, it's Shaun that we get the pleasure to know even better, as he is the narrator of this sequel. After the events in Feed, Shaun is undergoing some very severe PTSD and mental instabilities. Let me tell you, this makes for some fascinating character development. I was absolutely taken by his situation. The prison he makes himself in his mind shows us how humans cope with certain traumas and I though it was especially well done and very... sad; however, underneath it all, somehow, it's also beautiful.
The many characters walking alongside Shaun are not thrown under the bus as far as character building. Every single one has a place in my heart. Their personalities are solid, distinct. Their emotional states are palpable. They are not characters anymore, these are people that took me with them and made me a part of their journey.
I was consumed by terror from the many intense events that occur in this novel. But, like the first, don't think this novel is about the zombies. Its setting is decades after the zombies came. Now they live, they survive, and they have been surviving for so long that the zombies are a way of life for them. Thus, the book involves zombies, sure, but don't expect The Walking Dead. The terror is not from zombies, the terror is from a messed up, crooked, twisted government that has it out for this particular team of bloggers. It's from finding out more and more disturbing secrets and manipulations from these "leaders". The zombies, they simply give off a constant worrying tone; you know they're lurking, and could be waiting for you at every turn. Isn't the unknown the biggest fear of all?
From non stop action to immense characterization, Deadline was even better than its predecessor--which very rarely happens in my experience. The details are raw, vivid, inside a world that is extremely well built. Mira obviously has done her research to all the minute details, turning this book into the most realistic zombie fiction I have come across, yet. And yes, there is a cliffhanger, and it will change your life! (Not really, but close!)
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
One fine if not perfect installment in the Newsflesh Trilogy, Mira Grant brings us yet again into the lives of some of the most amazingly compelling character, in a terrifyingly real zombie apocalypse setting, with some dire happenings on the horizon.
This time, it's Shaun that we get the pleasure to know even better, as he is the narrator of this sequel. After the events in Feed, Shaun is undergoing some very severe PTSD and mental instabilities. Let me tell you, this makes for some fascinating character development. I was absolutely taken by his situation. The prison he makes himself in his mind shows us how humans cope with certain traumas and I though it was especially well done and very... sad; however, underneath it all, somehow, it's also beautiful.
The many characters walking alongside Shaun are not thrown under the bus as far as character building. Every single one has a place in my heart. Their personalities are solid, distinct. Their emotional states are palpable. They are not characters anymore, these are people that took me with them and made me a part of their journey.
I was consumed by terror from the many intense events that occur in this novel. But, like the first, don't think this novel is about the zombies. Its setting is decades after the zombies came. Now they live, they survive, and they have been surviving for so long that the zombies are a way of life for them. Thus, the book involves zombies, sure, but don't expect The Walking Dead. The terror is not from zombies, the terror is from a messed up, crooked, twisted government that has it out for this particular team of bloggers. It's from finding out more and more disturbing secrets and manipulations from these "leaders". The zombies, they simply give off a constant worrying tone; you know they're lurking, and could be waiting for you at every turn. Isn't the unknown the biggest fear of all?
From non stop action to immense characterization, Deadline was even better than its predecessor--which very rarely happens in my experience. The details are raw, vivid, inside a world that is extremely well built. Mira obviously has done her research to all the minute details, turning this book into the most realistic zombie fiction I have come across, yet. And yes, there is a cliffhanger, and it will change your life! (Not really, but close!)
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
June 4, 2011
Straight to the point: I ABSOLUTELY TOTALLY INCREDIBLY LOVE THIS BOOK TO DEATH! If you ask me, which is the better one of the two books of Newsflesh series so far, I won't go far to say this book is better. Believe me, both of them held the same awesomeness I come to really seek for an apocalyptic, sci-fi type of book such these two. Feed might have been pushed me to struggle a bit at first, but I tell you, the fruit of the labor is like the sweetest thing ever. Ironic, since I bawled so much at that. Haha. Deadline on the other hand, immediately yanked me to pump on action that I suddenly have no time to think what to feel since I'm already in the middle of something I don't want to ever get away to feel. From there on out, I knew I had to brace myself for a wilder ride. I knew I was in for another predicament the time the characters were on it for themselves. It had to be because from the way the things were gradually happening, or unfolding to be more precise, I never been on to as terrifying and suspenseful as the twist of events that had ensued in this book. I swear to death I love and enjoy every moment of this book. As for the characters, God, I love Shaun. Enough said! And God, I think I miss Georgia than Shaun ever misses her. No joke. And despite everything (which are mostly petrifying, I mean it with a capital PETRIFYING), I am so suddenly ecstatic as I read the CODA (which was literally the ending of the book, sort of.) At first I was really shocked. Then it took me two heartbeats to comprehend what was happening, and the next second, I found myself goofily smiling. Because I was that (still am) happy! I swear! That's how badly I miss Georgia. Even if it might be the (ahemn...a little spoiler), but I don't care. As long as her memories are intact, all is more than well for me. Oh gosh. I can't elaborate enough how I love this book that much so I leave you all to see and witness it for yourself, if you ever feel like reading a very very very great book. Like what the Publisher Weekly stated, this book is a masterpiece of suspense. Go figure! ;)
June 5, 2011
Holy S#@!...
I could kiss Ms.Grant. If Feed was a "thinking" book, Deadline is a "feeling" book because i. felt. everything.
I don't really read thrillers; my record clearly shows my love for YA. I have a read a good many young contemps, a whole lot of PNR, and a lot of YA 'dystopian.' But Feed was one of my early favorites this year. It impressed upon me that the value of a story is not the genre it seems to fall under, but in the way the story is told. I picked it up thinking it was just another zombie book, and after The Enemy and Rot and Ruin, I felt it fit would fit in nicely. I was wrong. I've likely said this before: Feed is smart. And more than a zombie book. Knowing that, I was completely caught off guard by Deadline's recent release. I held off, then held off some more, and then caved. I made the embarrasing mistake of starting the book in a coffee shop; a little while later, I rushed home, locked myself in my room, then promptly burst into tears. I wish I cried in a graceful way, you know a dab-dab to the corner of my eyes, but I don't - I'm noisy... thus, the rushing home. And why the crying? Shaun! He may likely be insane; he may very well be a bully... but who could blame him after events in Feed? I couldn't. I admit it, I have a teensy tiny lit crush on him.
Beyond my shallow crushing on the MC, Deadline must be read if only for a really good story, and it being a really great sequel. It's intense and action packed, yet it still had me getting very emotional. The original players (Georgia and Buffy) are still a big part of everything, particularly since Deadline is told by Shaun and that they were a big part of his life. Heck, they were his life. The conspiracy they'd uncovered put more people in danger, and kept me guessing. And that ending was... Well, let me put it this way I want to kick Ms. Grant right now, but mostly, I want to kiss her.
Thrilling ride, engrossing story... Deadline must be read.
I need the next one yesterday.
I could kiss Ms.Grant. If Feed was a "thinking" book, Deadline is a "feeling" book because i. felt. everything.
I don't really read thrillers; my record clearly shows my love for YA. I have a read a good many young contemps, a whole lot of PNR, and a lot of YA 'dystopian.' But Feed was one of my early favorites this year. It impressed upon me that the value of a story is not the genre it seems to fall under, but in the way the story is told. I picked it up thinking it was just another zombie book, and after The Enemy and Rot and Ruin, I felt it fit would fit in nicely. I was wrong. I've likely said this before: Feed is smart. And more than a zombie book. Knowing that, I was completely caught off guard by Deadline's recent release. I held off, then held off some more, and then caved. I made the embarrasing mistake of starting the book in a coffee shop; a little while later, I rushed home, locked myself in my room, then promptly burst into tears. I wish I cried in a graceful way, you know a dab-dab to the corner of my eyes, but I don't - I'm noisy... thus, the rushing home. And why the crying? Shaun! He may likely be insane; he may very well be a bully... but who could blame him after events in Feed? I couldn't. I admit it, I have a teensy tiny lit crush on him.
Beyond my shallow crushing on the MC, Deadline must be read if only for a really good story, and it being a really great sequel. It's intense and action packed, yet it still had me getting very emotional. The original players (Georgia and Buffy) are still a big part of everything, particularly since Deadline is told by Shaun and that they were a big part of his life. Heck, they were his life. The conspiracy they'd uncovered put more people in danger, and kept me guessing. And that ending was... Well, let me put it this way I want to kick Ms. Grant right now, but mostly, I want to kiss her.
Thrilling ride, engrossing story... Deadline must be read.
I need the next one yesterday.
September 22, 2011
It pains me to say this, but I don’t believe I will be able to post a “proper” review of Deadline. I believe with all my heart that if you fell in love with Mira Grant’s world in Feed—you will have to and need to read Deadline. Your heart would need to continue the story of Georgia, Shaun, Mahir, Maggie, Buffy, Becks, Dave, and Alaric. Hell….I had a hard time waiting a couple of weeks to tape my heart back together again after reading Feed before diving back in for more.
Any review from me would be filled with love, more love, and perhaps a few spoilers. I want to avoid spoilers and my love is pretty obvious! So here is where I beg of you, if you have not read Feed—Go! Go Now! READ FEED!
Deadline will follow. From page one, this world filled with adventure, fear, suspense, pain, love and zombies will grab your heart, mind, and soul with such force—well…you will never want it to end. We got to know all of the After the End Times family so much more in this story. Mahir Gowda especially embedded his own secret place in my heart! I simply adore that man for so many reasons! :) But here I go…doing something I said I wasn’t going to do. Gushing love all over the place! :D
Let me just say….Mira Grant’s world, George and Shaun Mason, and their whole family of bloggers and partners in crime will haunt me for as long as I live and love.
“We’re all hauntings waiting to happen.”
Any review from me would be filled with love, more love, and perhaps a few spoilers. I want to avoid spoilers and my love is pretty obvious! So here is where I beg of you, if you have not read Feed—Go! Go Now! READ FEED!
Deadline will follow. From page one, this world filled with adventure, fear, suspense, pain, love and zombies will grab your heart, mind, and soul with such force—well…you will never want it to end. We got to know all of the After the End Times family so much more in this story. Mahir Gowda especially embedded his own secret place in my heart! I simply adore that man for so many reasons! :) But here I go…doing something I said I wasn’t going to do. Gushing love all over the place! :D
Let me just say….Mira Grant’s world, George and Shaun Mason, and their whole family of bloggers and partners in crime will haunt me for as long as I live and love.
“We’re all hauntings waiting to happen.”
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