Thursday, July 29, 2010

THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin

A human-created virus has infected humankind, mutating most into superstrong, near-immortal vampiric creatures. The "virals"-also called "jumpers" and "dracs" (after Dracula, of course)-can leap 20 feet through the air at a bound and split a human (or a horse, or a cow) in half with their bare hands. A small band of men and women embark on a cross-country trek, looking for a way to protect the few remaining uninfected humans from extinction. With them travels an enigmatic prepubescent girl who talks to the virals with her mind and seems to have been born 100 years before. VERDICT The monsters in this compulsive nail biter are the scariest in fiction since Stephen King's vampires in Salem's Lot. Although the novel runs 700 pages, Cronin is a master at building tension, and he never wastes words. Shout it from the hills! This exceptional thriller should be one of the most popular novels this year.

~ For Library Journal: David Keymer, Modesto, CA Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information

1 comment:

Richard B. Fisher, DDS said...

This should be a great read. Very contemporary fiction. Old school meets new school. I don't prefer fiction but I am interested in this one.