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hlizmarie's review
4.0
The adrenaline rush this series creates is just off the charts. I tried to describe the genre of this series to my husband last night and I said it's action. Then I paused and said well it's kind of horror too. At that point I got caught up in my own head trying to figure out how to really describe it. I ended up throwing my hands up and saying it's a whole bunch of things but basically it's amazing. Seeing all of the pathogens and the history of the DMS come back to bite it in the ass was revisiting a horrible, painful past. I thought the plot of this one forced me to suspend disbelief a bit more than usual but I gamely went along. I think the inherent terror I get with this series is the possibility, the plausibility, of "what if". What if someone did these things? It's far too easy to believe there's a disenfranchised part of the population who would be easy to manipulate into acting in depraved ways under the right circumstances and leadership. It's far too easy to imagine corruption at the top levels of government. It's far too easy to imagine organizations and governments working to create pathogens and financing scientific feats of genius and evil which could take out millions in the wrong hands. This may not be my favorite book in the series, Patient Zero holds that title, but it never disappointed. At times I wanted to put it down to take a breath but still kept turning pages as fast as I could read. This is a series where I buy and read each new book the week it comes out. Wouldn't miss it!
cdbaker's review
4.0
Oh, I love this series. You definitely couldn't read this one without knowing the previous ones though. Super fun.
lexesmikasa's review
5.0
This book seriously had me hooked from the very first page. I truly enjoyed the depth of the characters and even some funny moments of Joe Ledger and his remarks. However, what truly made me become interested in reading more of his books were implementing social and philosophical points into this story. Now, not only was it terrifying to read but it was intriguing a page turner, and the visual depictions allowed this to become a movie in my mind as I read it. I truly was overall amazed as this was my first time reading this author and now, I am ready to read more and more of his work.
booknookie's review
3.0
Click here to see my other reviews."Thank you so much for not following those impulses I'm certain you had while writing, and that you gave me an ending which gives me hope for a future."
I want to use several swearwords right now. All toward Maberry who once again gave me a scare that this will not end as I wish. He is a master with curveballs and surprises. Many of them not that great and I cried. Yes I cried at the end, thinking it would be the end for me, for this series and for Joe Ledger. But thank you! Thank you so much for not following those impulses I'm certain you had while writing, and that you gave me an ending which gives me hope for a future. A future where I feel the will to read more, know more and once again need more.
First off, out of all the six books I have read now, I'm thinking Code Zero to be the weakest of them all. The plot is nice and it ties together nicely with the first book (Patient Zero) but I found it a little boring and it did not keep me captivated and interesting. At 60% I had the desire to put it down.
Second, there is not enough Joe. He is the sole reason I read this series but it is so many POV and Joe is not one of the main ones you get to follow. He has not enough "page time" in my opinion.
And third, there is so much fighting and all the scenes is starting to blend together and are not that interesting anymore. To be hones I have started to skim those parts of the book due to that it no longer interests me.
Overall a strong three star rating and I would love to see this one as a movie. I think it would be perfect for the silver screen. Note that several say that if you don't want to read book 2 to 5 you don't have to. I however do not recommend that. There is so much stuff happening that makes a difference and sense to why the plot line is going the way it goes. Maberry does a great job with briefly and concisely explains what have happened in the past, but it is shallow and it will not give you the dept I personally think you need. I, who have read the books, do not need more but I can imagine that if you have not, it would not be sufficiently to the meaning of the plot.
anti_formalist12's review
4.0
Horror marathon continues with a truly nightmarish scenario: What if a gamer had the power to destroy the world? Almost too horrifying to think of.
mferrante83's review
3.0
I thought this was actually a step back from the last novel. The villain in particular felt like they came out of nowhere. This is true of some additional side characters as well. This feeling of coming out of left field deadens any emotional impact of the events that occur in the novel. Oddly I actually thought the villain in this one was the most implausible.
terrik_409's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Violence, Torture, and Death
Moderate: Cannibalism