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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really enjoyed the first half or so of this novel but as you go from the more mystery part of the story to the more vampiric virus apocalypse part of the story, I found myself less interested. A story needs more than just action to stay interesting for me and I felt like the end didn't have much to offer besides that. I would have preferred if there had been more emotional character interaction but the character relations tend to feel sidelined. There was so much potential for extra tension. I feel like the son's role was too small and should have been better utilized.
The vampires in this are definitely different from what you usually see in vampire media and I think it's an interesting take, though not my favourite as it leans too much into the usual overdone zombie apocalypse stuff.
Also this series is written in a way that I feel would work better in film rather than book form. You get to see a lot of perspectives of random people who get caught up innthe events and in a movie this makes sense, but as a book I feel like it just took me out of it when the pov changed so much.
The Fall suffers from the same issues. Not gonna read The Night Eternal for now but may pick up this series again later just to see how it ends and if they explain some of the very questionable story choices made in The Fall.
The vampires in this are definitely different from what you usually see in vampire media and I think it's an interesting take, though not my favourite as it leans too much into the usual overdone zombie apocalypse stuff.
Also this series is written in a way that I feel would work better in film rather than book form. You get to see a lot of perspectives of random people who get caught up innthe events and in a movie this makes sense, but as a book I feel like it just took me out of it when the pov changed so much.
The Fall suffers from the same issues. Not gonna read The Night Eternal for now but may pick up this series again later just to see how it ends and if they explain some of the very questionable story choices made in The Fall.
I thought the beginning was a typical movie script set up of characters and setting and so on ... but had enough tension to not bore me. Middle was fantastic. End was .. no spoilers, but it was fast and tidy and set up for the trilogy. Cynical me thinks it is one big movie plan.
That said, I liked the characters and premise. Don't read at night on your iphone. Too scary.
That said, I liked the characters and premise. Don't read at night on your iphone. Too scary.
Very quick read, very obviously the first installment in a series, and very enjoyable overall.
Vampire fiction is once again all over the freaking place and everyone is trying to tweak their bloodsuckers so they're different and interesting. In the Strain they are parasites. And honestly it is an interesting take and keeps them pretty vampirey. There are a lot of good ideas in the book.
However, I found myself being constantly pulled out of the book because of unnecessary details that don't actually move anything along and are not interesting at all. There's also more brand name dropping than your favorite TV show that's financed by product placement.
I definitely got the feel while reading that this concept is being shopped around as a movie, but that's not any real surprise.
Lastly a small note that didn't affect my enjoyment of the book but made me snerk: Naming a villain "Eldritch [Lastname]" is ridiculously cheesy.
However, I found myself being constantly pulled out of the book because of unnecessary details that don't actually move anything along and are not interesting at all. There's also more brand name dropping than your favorite TV show that's financed by product placement.
I definitely got the feel while reading that this concept is being shopped around as a movie, but that's not any real surprise.
Lastly a small note that didn't affect my enjoyment of the book but made me snerk: Naming a villain "Eldritch [Lastname]" is ridiculously cheesy.
This is not your usual vampire story. Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan don't write gorgeous, charming, sexy vampires. These are evil, predatory killing machines and humans are just their means of spreading the vampire virus. Within the first few pages, when an airplane lands at JFK only to go completely dead, engines off, communication ended you know this is not going to be a feel good vampire story. This is a knot in your stomach, old-fashioned give-you-chills type of book (I actually couldn't read parts of it at night because I was worried about nightmares). Not since Stephen King's "It" have I had to a book creep me out like this. Creepiness aside though, this is a riveting story with complex but relatable characters and I for one am looking forward to reading the next book in this trilogy.
I've wanted to read The Strain for a while, and finally picked it up a few weeks ago. It was a pretty interesting book, and I liked the idea of the book a lot. Vampires by way of a virus isn't a new idea (Julie Kagawa's Blood Of Eden trilogy comes to mind), but I liked seeing it as it happened and as the CDC tries to figure out what's going on.
I did like The Strain, and I know at one point, it was a t.v. show- I have no idea if it's still airing, but either way, the entire time I was reading it, I kept thinking about how it would be a great t.v. show. It really was written like it was meant to be on t.v., and I'm not sure if it's because the book was written with the intention of eventually being adapted for t.v., or if it's something that, because of what it's about, would be great to watch.
It was hard to put down, though, and I found I really liked Abraham Setrakian. The other characters...not so much, but since it's been a few weeks since I've read the book, Abraham is the only character I actually remember. I think I vaguely remember a nanny from Haiti, and I vaguely remember her being really interesting, and wanting to know more about her story, but other than that, I couldn't tell you about any of the other characters if my life depended on it.
My Rating: 3 stars. I did like The Strain, and it was definitely a page-turner that would be really interesting to watch. Most of the characters didn't stick with me, but I did like the premise of the book, and the vampires were definitely horrible and creepy.
I did like The Strain, and I know at one point, it was a t.v. show- I have no idea if it's still airing, but either way, the entire time I was reading it, I kept thinking about how it would be a great t.v. show. It really was written like it was meant to be on t.v., and I'm not sure if it's because the book was written with the intention of eventually being adapted for t.v., or if it's something that, because of what it's about, would be great to watch.
It was hard to put down, though, and I found I really liked Abraham Setrakian. The other characters...not so much, but since it's been a few weeks since I've read the book, Abraham is the only character I actually remember. I think I vaguely remember a nanny from Haiti, and I vaguely remember her being really interesting, and wanting to know more about her story, but other than that, I couldn't tell you about any of the other characters if my life depended on it.
My Rating: 3 stars. I did like The Strain, and it was definitely a page-turner that would be really interesting to watch. Most of the characters didn't stick with me, but I did like the premise of the book, and the vampires were definitely horrible and creepy.
Now that’s how you write a modern vampire story! Can’t wait to read the second and third!
An interesting view on vampires and I kind of like it. It took me a little longer to get into it. I do recommend that people read this at least once.
So Far, SO GOOD!
I'm listening to the audio book performed by Ron Pearlman, very happy with it so far. Love the lyrical feel to the prologue.
I really liked this. It was very cool, very creepy and yet it was treated in a very serious and almost scientific view point. It treats Vampirism from a CDC point of view. It is a disease and it has very specific symptoms and causes. It's still creepy and makes it that much more believable.
I'm listening to the audio book performed by Ron Pearlman, very happy with it so far. Love the lyrical feel to the prologue.
I really liked this. It was very cool, very creepy and yet it was treated in a very serious and almost scientific view point. It treats Vampirism from a CDC point of view. It is a disease and it has very specific symptoms and causes. It's still creepy and makes it that much more believable.
I quit after a hundred pages. It was supposed to be new. After a hundred pages, I didn't read anything new, and the prose/characters/conflicts weren't good enough to keep me motivated.