Book Review

O.K., this is how you do science fiction/fantasy/horror. As opposed to this.

In anticipation of Isaac's visit and presuming he would not let us down, I got an extra book from the library to pass the time when the power would be out. Despite events, I read it anyway.

The Strain, a collaboration between Guillermo del Toro (for some strange reason shelved under "T") and Chuck Hogan (shelved under "T" because he's the second banana in this partnership) uses science, and uses it well, to justify a vampire outbreak in New York City.

I don't feel too bad about the spoiler because the book leads off with one of its own. In spite of that, and a little too much explicit foreboding on the part of people who probably shouldn't feel it just yet, the authors manage to create an aura of palpable and growing fear from the straightforward procedural of dealing with an anomalous plane landing at JFK airport. As the response to the situation escalates from the tower, to airport security, to the TSA, the local CDC rapid response unit, the NYPD SWAT team comes the realization that no one has a clue and that standard operating procedures are only going to make things worse.

One of the things I hate about disaster books and films is that the characters frequently bring about their own fates by doing blatantly stupid things: wandering off alone, ignoring specific orders, breaking professional rules, etc. I have little sympathy for them when they meet their justly deserved fates. Here, however, bad things happen and civilization starts to fall precisely because everyone follows the rules and goes by the book. The first responder tactics, epidemiology and morgue procedures, in particular, are all handled very well. And the rat catcher knows his business.

Even at the end of this volume, when the ad hoc team that has come together after finally realizing the peril manages to video one of the victims, their only recourse, since the authorities are still in denial and trying to avoid panic by suppressing the news, is to upload it to YouTube--where, we find out in the second volume, it is mocked, parodied, trolled and generally disparaged. Yes, indeed, this is how it will end.

A couple of minor quibbles. As mentioned above, there's a little too much giveaway at the beginning. The tension would've been even higher if I didn't know it was a vampire story going in. (And I don't feel bad about giving that away since the book already does for anyone who gets past page three.) And the character names can be awkward, at best. Ephraim is not a name I ever expect to encounter outside a history book and, really, why would any parent ever name their kid "Eldritch"? Also, in the last battle with the Master, would you really break off in the middle of the fight which you appear to be winning, leaving one of your own alone against the prime villain, in order to attend to the other member of your party who is having a heart attack? Seems a little Deus ex machina coming down on the bad guy's side.


The Strain is the first in a trilogy. I've already picked up volume two, The Fall, and am looking forward to Night Eternal. Find it for yourself.