Patient Zero

The Joe Ledger Novels, Book 1

By: Jonathan Maberry

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

From multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning author Jonathan Maberry comes a major new thriller that combines the best of the New York Times best-selling books World War Z by Max Brooks and James Rollins’ Sigma Force Series to kick off the start of a new series featuring Joe Ledger and the Department of Military Sciences.

When you have to kill the same terrorist twice in one week there’s either something wrong with your world or something wrong with your skills - and there’s nothing wrong with Joe Ledger’s skills. And that’s both a good and a bad thing. It’s good because he’s a Baltimore detective who has just been secretly recruited by the government to lead a new task force created to deal with the problems that Homeland Security can’t handle. This rapid-response group is called the Department of Military Sciences, or the DMS for short. It’s bad because his first mission is to help stop a group of terrorists from releasing a dreadful bioweapon that can turn ordinary people into zombies. The fate of the world hangs in the balance.

Jonathan Maberry is the New York Times best-selling and multiple Bram Stoker Award–winning author of Ghost Road Blues, the first of a trilogy of thrillers with a supernatural bite. A professional writer and writing teacher, he has sold more than 1.000 articles, 17 nonfiction books, six novels, and two plays.

©2009 Jonathan Maberry (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Brilliant, shocking, horrifying, it puts the terror back in terrorist.” (James Rollins, New York Times best-selling author)

“Plenty of man-to-zombie combat, a team traitor and a doomsday scenario add up to a fast and furious read.” ( Publishers Weekly)

"Jonathan Maberry has found a delightful voice for this adventure of Joe Ledger and his crew: while the action is heated, violent, and furious, the writing remains cool, steady, and low-key, framing all the wildness and exuberance in a calm rationality (given an almost comic edge) that renders it as palatable as your favorite flavor of ice cream." (Peter Straub)

Ok, but takes long time to get going.

Ok, somewhat action book, but don't bother if you're looking for a 'survive the zombie apocalypse ' book. This is more of a 'a void the start of a zombie apocalypse ' type of book.

Well worth the price of admission

Enjoyed it ! Hope the sequel isn’t a disappointment, it’s going to stuff to top the first book !

Always come back

I want this to be a movie to bad. The whole world need joe ledger!
In between credits this is my go to to re listen. Every time.

Great story, but...

This was a unique way to tell a story on a topic with which we've been inundated for years. The research Maberry puts in to get such detail on so many subjects is incredible and adds a richness to the story. The icing on the cake is Ray Porter. His narration - or performance - brings the characters to life and the danger, fear, and thrills right into your central nervous system.

Incredible story and action

A proper blend of story, action with enough science to bring it all together. Fantastic narration brings it all to life. A must listen for all Sci Fi and undead fans

Great Narrator.....great story

Would you consider the audio edition of Patient Zero to be better than the print version?

I've not read the print version but Ray Porter is an excellent narrator and makes the characters come alive.

What did you like best about this story?

That there is nothing supernatural about the zombies.......they are all man/science made.

Which character – as performed by Ray Porter – was your favorite?

Joe Ledger! By the time I was a few pages into the book I had a crush on him. As an earlier reviewer mentioned, Ray Porter IS Joe Ledger.

If you could rename Patient Zero, what would you call it?

No idea........

Any additional comments?

So worth the credit. This book kept my attention from beginning to end, even the second time around when I listened with my husband. Fun and entertaining.

Perfect

The narrator completes everything. It was just an accidental click but I love it more than anything so far.

Predictable Zombie Story

even though you kind of knew how the story was going to play out you knew what the next steps were going to be it was worth listening to especially if you like zombie stories

The Best Book Series!!!!

I've listened to this book three times and it still puts me on edge. One of the best writers and series ever!!!

Interesting zombie listen

A fun zombie listen with a little bit of Jack Ryan sprinkled in. I throughly enjoyed it.