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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
This book was just ok. I thought the story moved quickly and it had me hooked to keep reading but throughout the beginning and middle it felt repetitive. In the beginning I was just waiting and waiting for the action to start and it took a while for anything significant to happen. Then in the middle we know that plane passengers are returning home to their families to feed so why do we have to relive that same action 7 different times with all the minor characters? That being said, it was an entertaining read though nothing spectacular. I liked the idea of the Ancients thrown in there to bring some originality to an already popular subject.
Great action and pacing; GDT's film background definitely influenced the writing of this book. The story lacks character depth, and the plot is pretty predictable (at least for this first of three). If you're looking for innovative story and literary genius, turn away; if you're looking for zombie/vampire horror and fast, gory action, The Strain fills that role nicely.
Great book! The beginning really reminds me of Dracula when he lands at Whitby, except the Master lands in a jet airplane. Even has an wisened Professor VanHelsing type. Can’t wait for the next installment.
This was like a slow-building circus of terror. It started off slow, but the more you read, the more and more beasties start appearing. The only thing I could ask for would be more kick ass female characters in the next books.
I'm screaming run and no one is running! It is going to be all bad....
I read this book on recommendation from a friend after reading World War Z. I wanted to read more books in the horror genre where you can get caught up in individual characters stories within a dark story where lives change forever. I have to say that personally I found this book intriguing and far from the usual vampire stories. The unique take on the vampires was refreshing for me, it was good to read about them, not where they can turn into bats and fly off into the night but rather in comparison to vermin that stalk the very streets we live and work in, hiding in places we never think of during day to day life. It is a good read but in places seems somewhat rushed and fragmented, which can only be expected considering there were two authors. I can't wait to see what lies in store for the main characters in the next two books.
I definitely liked the re-imagining of your "normal" vampire, but I honestly expected a little more from Guillermo Del Toro. I thought some of the imagery was a little lacking; I had a hard time envisioning the people and places he was talking about. I also found myself a little bored with some parts and starting to skim over areas because they would draw on for too long (the 87 chapters dedicated to the eclipse. Ok maybe 87 is a bit of an exaggeration, but that's what it felt like.)
All in all it was a pretty decent book, I enjoyed it more than I didn't, and liked it enough to pick up the second book in the series.
All in all it was a pretty decent book, I enjoyed it more than I didn't, and liked it enough to pick up the second book in the series.
Mixed feelings about this one. The story was great. It kept me engaged. I liked the characters. The suspense was not built heavy handedly. The problem I had was with the narration by Pearlman. Honestly speaking, it wasn't great.
Merged review:
Mixed feelings about this one. The story was great. It kept me engaged. I liked the characters. The suspense was not built heavy handedly. The problem I had was with the narration by Pearlman. Honestly speaking, it wasn't great.
Merged review:
Mixed feelings about this one. The story was great. It kept me engaged. I liked the characters. The suspense was not built heavy handedly. The problem I had was with the narration by Pearlman. Honestly speaking, it wasn't great.
Great twist on the vampire legend. Can't wait to read book #2!!
The Strain is a vampire novel by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan, it is the beginning of a trilogy. Mr. Del Toro is predominately known for his film direction, being behind such films as "Mimic", "Hellboy", and "Pan's Labyrinth". Mr. Hogan has received the Hammet Prize and praise from Stephen King for his novel, The Town. Del Toro and Hogan co-wrote this book and its two sequels.
In many ways, the book reads almost like a movie. I've said this in the past, though usually in a negative light. Maybe it is because Del Toro is known mostly for his visual work on films, but that same feeling did not turn me off of this book as it has done in the past. There is a definite focus on the visual description of things, yet the narrative doesn't linger on them in an overly long fashion. The descriptions are graphic and to the point at the same time, allowing them intensity and brevity at the same time.
The vampires in this story are appropriately vicious and horrifying. I am not sure who is scarier though, the vampires or the rich eccentric old man that brings the vampire to New York and destabilizes a long standing truce between the seven ancient vampires. (Don't worry this isn't a spoiler, this is all shown to the reader at the beginning, or at least strongly hinted at.)
We meet our main protagonist, Dr. Ephraim (Eph) Goodweather, after a plane mysteriously lands with everyone on board dead. Well it seems that way at first. There are actually four survivors of the initial landing though they appear dead upon first examination by several medical experts. Eph is a member of the CDC, his job is to contain outbreaks of disease before they reach pandemic levels. Dr. Goodweather is torn between his work and home life as this tragedy causes him to cut short his weekend with his son and to miss a custody hearing relating to his rights in regards to his son, Zach.
Other main characters include Nora Martinez and Professor Abraham Setrakian. Nora is Eph's partner at the CDC, while Prof. Setrakian is first dismissed as a crazy old man. Prof. Setrakian is an expert in fighting vampires, having witnessed one of them feeding while he was in a WWII concentration camp. He has made it his life's mission to destroy them from that point on.
Our heroes are not just fighting the vampires, but their extremely wealthy backer. The vampires in this story are not of supernatural origin, but spread like a virus. This includes altering the hosts' DNA and bodily structures. Giving a scientific rational doesn't make them any less scary or dangerous.
I can't say exactly where the next two books will take the reader, but I don't see there being any huge surprises or plot twists. Readers that are familiar with the vampire genre will probably see most of what is coming next before it happens. The story isn't dynamically original, but it is a well paced adventure tale. The characters aren't completely flat, but they are not fully developed either. If you enjoy the visuals of Del Toro's film, I think you'll get some of that through the descriptive passages in the text. This series will never be considered a classic, but the first book is an enjoyable read for those that wish a little excitement in their life.
Happy reading!
In many ways, the book reads almost like a movie. I've said this in the past, though usually in a negative light. Maybe it is because Del Toro is known mostly for his visual work on films, but that same feeling did not turn me off of this book as it has done in the past. There is a definite focus on the visual description of things, yet the narrative doesn't linger on them in an overly long fashion. The descriptions are graphic and to the point at the same time, allowing them intensity and brevity at the same time.
The vampires in this story are appropriately vicious and horrifying. I am not sure who is scarier though, the vampires or the rich eccentric old man that brings the vampire to New York and destabilizes a long standing truce between the seven ancient vampires. (Don't worry this isn't a spoiler, this is all shown to the reader at the beginning, or at least strongly hinted at.)
We meet our main protagonist, Dr. Ephraim (Eph) Goodweather, after a plane mysteriously lands with everyone on board dead. Well it seems that way at first. There are actually four survivors of the initial landing though they appear dead upon first examination by several medical experts. Eph is a member of the CDC, his job is to contain outbreaks of disease before they reach pandemic levels. Dr. Goodweather is torn between his work and home life as this tragedy causes him to cut short his weekend with his son and to miss a custody hearing relating to his rights in regards to his son, Zach.
Other main characters include Nora Martinez and Professor Abraham Setrakian. Nora is Eph's partner at the CDC, while Prof. Setrakian is first dismissed as a crazy old man. Prof. Setrakian is an expert in fighting vampires, having witnessed one of them feeding while he was in a WWII concentration camp. He has made it his life's mission to destroy them from that point on.
Our heroes are not just fighting the vampires, but their extremely wealthy backer. The vampires in this story are not of supernatural origin, but spread like a virus. This includes altering the hosts' DNA and bodily structures. Giving a scientific rational doesn't make them any less scary or dangerous.
I can't say exactly where the next two books will take the reader, but I don't see there being any huge surprises or plot twists. Readers that are familiar with the vampire genre will probably see most of what is coming next before it happens. The story isn't dynamically original, but it is a well paced adventure tale. The characters aren't completely flat, but they are not fully developed either. If you enjoy the visuals of Del Toro's film, I think you'll get some of that through the descriptive passages in the text. This series will never be considered a classic, but the first book is an enjoyable read for those that wish a little excitement in their life.
Happy reading!