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stlorca's review against another edition
3.0
Plague Year by Jeff Carlson is a mostly successful SF thriller in the "grey goo of nanotech" vein. What if well-meaning scientists, working on nanotech to treat cancer and other diseases, accidentally loosed it on the world before any fail-safes could be incorporated into the design?
That's what Carlson hypothesizes here, as mankind is decimated by "the Locust", nanomachines that voraciously disassemble living tissue without discernment. Mankind's only hope is to live above 10,000 feet; without a vaccine, it's only a matter of time before humanity goes extinct.
A group of scientists are working feverishly to recreate the nanotech in order to find a way of stopping the plague; unfortunately, people being who they are, a cabal of politicians is engaging in a furious, clandestine effort to control the scientists and their work. As waves of refugees swamp the world's mountain ranges, open warfare breaks out between the remaining governments. Indeed, the US government is having a hard time containing a rebellion that threatens to destroy the scientists' work.
This book is...okay, I guess. It's a pleasant enough way to pass the time, but it's not a world-shaking invention, either. It reads more like a movie or miniseries, actually; you won't be surprised to find out that it's the opening salvo in a trilogy. I give a weak B tending toward B-.
That's what Carlson hypothesizes here, as mankind is decimated by "the Locust", nanomachines that voraciously disassemble living tissue without discernment. Mankind's only hope is to live above 10,000 feet; without a vaccine, it's only a matter of time before humanity goes extinct.
A group of scientists are working feverishly to recreate the nanotech in order to find a way of stopping the plague; unfortunately, people being who they are, a cabal of politicians is engaging in a furious, clandestine effort to control the scientists and their work. As waves of refugees swamp the world's mountain ranges, open warfare breaks out between the remaining governments. Indeed, the US government is having a hard time containing a rebellion that threatens to destroy the scientists' work.
This book is...okay, I guess. It's a pleasant enough way to pass the time, but it's not a world-shaking invention, either. It reads more like a movie or miniseries, actually; you won't be surprised to find out that it's the opening salvo in a trilogy. I give a weak B tending toward B-.
blevins's review against another edition
3.0
This was a hit and miss post-apocalyptic tale set in the near future. A nano-tech virus has swept the earth, killing anything below 10,000 feet. To survive you have to move up in the mountains and have to do unspeakable things. I liked the survival elements of the book but there are two stories--one of the survivors and one of scientists trying to find the cure for the nano virus. I didn't like the science element at all. It was clunky and just eroded any tension and suspense from the survival part of the story. The book would have been better had it stuck with just the main storyline of the band of survivors in the mountains. Close to 2 stars but I'm into post-apocalyptic tales so I'll round up to 3...
erndixon's review against another edition
2.0
The premise was really good, but halfway through everything became convoluted and bogged down with technical specifics. I genuinely lost interest in what happened and sort of drifted through the last few chapters. I would like to see this idea done with some different characters and a different sequence of events.
midlifehedgewitch's review against another edition
3.0
IGNORE the reviews which say this book is either 'slow paced' or they are confused about who did what to whom. Seriously, if you can't figure out who was doing what to whom without hand holding, you need to stop watching Fox News and so many US dumbed-down TV shows. This book is fast-paced, riveting and very gritty-real. It's not going to give you a sweet, caring happy ending. The pervasive theme is that when things get really tough, good and evil have a way of merging. People do things they're not ever going to be proud of, just to stay alive. That's what happens in this book. Three stars is high praise from me.
hooptron's review against another edition
4.0
Is this the greatest book about apocalypse caused by plague? No. It's sort of like the airport/beach reading version. However, it happened to be what I was in the mood for and so I enjoyed it very much. It has some flaws but it was a fast and entertaining read.
shelflife's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting take on end-of-world genre using man-made nano-technology.
Our story begins in the after-math one year after the world as we know it has died off. People, animals, etc leaving only insects and reptiles to populate the earth. We learn about the world's end during our story in flashbacks to find that a man-made nano-technology had been accidentally released onto the world. It was being created to cure cancer and was not yet perfected, obviously. The only survivor's are the those who ran for the mountains and are living above 10,000 ft as the virus cannot live above that magic line. This is the story of how scientist and government work together or not, to bring this virus under control and create an anti-dote. I don't want to put in any spoilers, but sides are divided and chase begins.
I had extremely high hopes for this book since I love the post- apocalypic genre and this one seemed wholly unique and it is. I was offput by the writing style. I realize this is the author's first attempt and debut novel so I gave 3 stars rather than 2.5 which is what I think it deserves. It started out great, building characters and storyline, but parts of it were so clunky I found myself having to re-read parts over again just to be able to tell what it was I was reading. Needed to stay on-point with the people, dialogue and action and dived into alot of technological, science and jargons that were completely uninteresting and took much away from the tension and excitment from the story. Imagine a chase scene in a movie and you're all amped and excited, then the story stops to explain the scientific reasoning on how a car accelerates. Do you even care anymore about the scene. My other peeve was his characters. I found myself wanting to, but unable to really like them. This is an extremely important element for me. I need a connection. I almost find myself connecting with one of the main characters, Cam, and then not quite getting there. Ruth is annoying altogether.
I plan on reading the other 2 books Plague War and Plague Zone. I find that authors tend to find better footing as their stories build. However, if Plague War tends to get to be more of the same, I will drop the series and go onto better reads.
Our story begins in the after-math one year after the world as we know it has died off. People, animals, etc leaving only insects and reptiles to populate the earth. We learn about the world's end during our story in flashbacks to find that a man-made nano-technology had been accidentally released onto the world. It was being created to cure cancer and was not yet perfected, obviously. The only survivor's are the those who ran for the mountains and are living above 10,000 ft as the virus cannot live above that magic line. This is the story of how scientist and government work together or not, to bring this virus under control and create an anti-dote. I don't want to put in any spoilers, but sides are divided and chase begins.
I had extremely high hopes for this book since I love the post- apocalypic genre and this one seemed wholly unique and it is. I was offput by the writing style. I realize this is the author's first attempt and debut novel so I gave 3 stars rather than 2.5 which is what I think it deserves. It started out great, building characters and storyline, but parts of it were so clunky I found myself having to re-read parts over again just to be able to tell what it was I was reading. Needed to stay on-point with the people, dialogue and action and dived into alot of technological, science and jargons that were completely uninteresting and took much away from the tension and excitment from the story. Imagine a chase scene in a movie and you're all amped and excited, then the story stops to explain the scientific reasoning on how a car accelerates. Do you even care anymore about the scene. My other peeve was his characters. I found myself wanting to, but unable to really like them. This is an extremely important element for me. I need a connection. I almost find myself connecting with one of the main characters, Cam, and then not quite getting there. Ruth is annoying altogether.
I plan on reading the other 2 books Plague War and Plague Zone. I find that authors tend to find better footing as their stories build. However, if Plague War tends to get to be more of the same, I will drop the series and go onto better reads.
zzazazz's review against another edition
4.0
Now that I've thought about it, I can't believe this book was not printed in a hard cover edition. It's much better than a straight to paperback book should be.
tregina's review against another edition
3.0
I think I liked this, but at the same time I have some mixed feelings. I'm not sure the way it was cut together was the most effective option, and here's the thing - I think it's interesting the way he explored the dark places in us and the brutality of humanity, but the fact is that no one in this novel liked anyone else, and that makes it a lot harder to identify with any of them.
alexctelander's review against another edition
4.0
In Jeff Carlson’s debut techno-thriller – the first in a trilogy – he pulls out all the stops to hook new readers with a nanotech virus that has wiped out most of the population. Everyone essentially has the virus, but the key to survival is to be at an elevation of at least ten thousand feet, where the nanobots are inoperative.
High up in the California sierras there are some people eking out their survival, struggling to get by day by day. In the past they have scrambled below the critical elevation point for necessary food and supplies, but after a short while before they begin to succumb to the virus and must return back above the 10,000-foot mark, their bodies torn up inside. Going into winter, Cameron Najarro, Albert Sawyers and the rest of the group completely run out of food and have to resort to the unimaginable . . . cannibalism. Meanwhile, Dr. Ruth Ann Goldman is on the International Space Station with her team and a possible cure for the virus. They make a successful landing high up in the Colorado Rockies where the remains of the United States government are trying their best to keep the remaining citizens from overthrowing them, as well as plotting world domination with the possible cure to the virus.
In Plague Year you’ll be wondering where the story will be going next, with the unpredictable plot twists and outlandish story line, but Carlson has done his research with the science, technology and survival tactics of the characters, readers will be hooked until the cliffhanger ending.
Originally written on March 6, 2011 ©Alex C. Telander.
For over 500 book reviews, and over 50 exclusive author interviews (both audio and written), visit BookBanter.
High up in the California sierras there are some people eking out their survival, struggling to get by day by day. In the past they have scrambled below the critical elevation point for necessary food and supplies, but after a short while before they begin to succumb to the virus and must return back above the 10,000-foot mark, their bodies torn up inside. Going into winter, Cameron Najarro, Albert Sawyers and the rest of the group completely run out of food and have to resort to the unimaginable . . . cannibalism. Meanwhile, Dr. Ruth Ann Goldman is on the International Space Station with her team and a possible cure for the virus. They make a successful landing high up in the Colorado Rockies where the remains of the United States government are trying their best to keep the remaining citizens from overthrowing them, as well as plotting world domination with the possible cure to the virus.
In Plague Year you’ll be wondering where the story will be going next, with the unpredictable plot twists and outlandish story line, but Carlson has done his research with the science, technology and survival tactics of the characters, readers will be hooked until the cliffhanger ending.
Originally written on March 6, 2011 ©Alex C. Telander.
For over 500 book reviews, and over 50 exclusive author interviews (both audio and written), visit BookBanter.
dlwchico's review against another edition
3.0
A pretty good science-gone-bad thriller with a mean pulse running through it. Sometime in the near future some nanotech escapes from the lab and starts killing people by basically eating them from the inside out. The nanites have a built in fuse, at 70% of standard atmosphere they self destruct. You have to go up to approximately 10,000 feet altitude to hit that percentage. All the survivors on earth are above that altitude, huddled on the tops of the worlds tallest mountains. Everything warm blooded below is dead.
The survivors have a tough time of it. The first line of the novel is “They ate Jorgensen first.” Not much grows above 10,000 feet and it gets pretty darn cold up there. Think Donner Party.
The novel is about the efforts of one group of survivors to get from their mountain top to another mountain top that looks like it has better resources and the efforts of the remnants of the U.S. Government, based in the Rocky Mountains, and the International Space Station to find a solution to the nanite problem.
The survivors have a tough time of it. The first line of the novel is “They ate Jorgensen first.” Not much grows above 10,000 feet and it gets pretty darn cold up there. Think Donner Party.
The novel is about the efforts of one group of survivors to get from their mountain top to another mountain top that looks like it has better resources and the efforts of the remnants of the U.S. Government, based in the Rocky Mountains, and the International Space Station to find a solution to the nanite problem.