Feed: The Newsflesh Trilogy, Book 1

I only listened because of the Hugo nomination. I, for one, resent our new zombie overlords. But this really wasn't a zombie book, more of a "humans can adapt to anything, and still be bastards" kind of book. Fun to read, thought-provoking, and, to my surprise, with an emotional punch that had me mourning at one point in the book, really grieving for a character. Impressive.

As a zombie horror fan I liked the new (to me) way the perspective was presented from the intentionally different character views - newsie, irwin, fictional - and I thought it was a good mechanism for adding depth to what could have been a limited and boring narrative. The matter of fact way horrors are considered and dealt with as just part of life, the personality traits that led each character toward their own views, right down to seeing and accepting the flaws of those around us. You and I don't have to agree, and in a world where you're perpetually on the edge of extinction you and I are all we have, that seemed to be a strong under current not only in the brother/sister relationship yet in their dealings with others. And I took the 'Christian bashing' another reviewer noted as being a portrayal of the religious zealotry too common in today's news, politics and cultures, and the cost we pay for it. Questioning God? Who except the same zealots hasn't at some point, Ms. Grant conveyed to me a character that was searching for answers, holding to hope in a hopeless world, doing the right thing because its the right thing even within that abyss of doubting whether its all worth it or if there's anything beyond.

I guess I just read/heard more depth, more nuance than some, or my imagination filled in the blanks created from her words - and isn't that what's supposed to happen?

I almost didn't get this book because of a few reviews. First, that the dialogue was unbelievable & forced and Second, that it was Anti-Christian. Neither of these are true. The dialogue is intelligent and not at all forced. Maybe the reviewer doesn't know anyone who speaks this way, but I do.

As for it being anti-Christian. This isn't true. It's anti-extremist! The bad guy is someone who uses his misinterpretation of religion as a justification do horrendous things. It in no way protrays all religion or Christians as bad, evil, or misguided.

That being said, this isn't your typical Zombie book. The Zombies are very much a side story. It takes place 20+ years after the initial outbreak and is a picture of what society would be like with this constant threat. I found it highly enjoyable, but probably not for the person who wants nonstop zombie action.

At first I was disapointed to find out it was a "zombie"book.I dont usually like such books. But this one was different,well writen with lots of action.But it is a well thought out story that includes politics,medical,spys and the internet. It is a different kind of book.I thought the narration was fine.I didnt notice a lisp.

This very clever title blends modern journalism with a rather new setting. The subject zombies (seemingly silly at first) is dealt with with a fair deal of sophistication. The author manages to make them seem a real scientific possibility. (Rabies, for example, turns lesser mammals into biting drooling aggressive creatures in order for the virus to spread itself. (Although the author herself would have done well to have mentioned that.)

While the story is entertaining it is not perfect. For example. A reader may tire of the seemingly endless security precautions on every single page including blood tests described in painfully excruciating and repetitive detail. They should have been edited out. (That's why it's a 15 hour book.)

While I'm glad the book was far more sophisticated than just the video game carnage fest it might have been... after a while a bit of of gratuitous violence might have been a refreshing change from focus on the technology of keeping up video "feeds" to the Internet.

The narration is spot on. The sophisticated tone of the sister contrasts well with her smart mouth brother. Both narrators are pitch perfect. They really add to the writing.

All-in-all a fairly entertaining 15 hours. But not quite a classic. (You know the writing can be improved when the writer allows one's mind time to consider better and different directions for the plot and its devices.)

This is a very fun book, in the old timey zombie-as-metaphor style. The book is clever, the main characters are likable, and the primary reader is both energetic, emotive, and able to portray many different characters effectively. I don't know why they bothered to hire a second reader for the two or three small paragraphs he ended up reading, but from his admittedly brief appearances, he's not bad either.

This is a very interesting, and very unsettling, take on the zombie mythos. It represents a look into a world where threat is ongoing, and while it doesn't offer much in the way of scares, the constant grinding paranoia of everyone in the book (you must take blood tests to go inside, you must take blood tests to go outside, you must take blood tests to enter different parts of buildings etc. etc. etc.) actually increases the tension as the book continues. You realize the lengths that people have gone through to protect themselves, and ultimately, how useless they all are.

Many zombie stories end up being pretty silly, but this one, both as a critique of fear-culture, and as a story in its own right, is something very interesting, and very worthwhile.

If you're interested in either blogging, or zombies, or what happens when you mix the two of them together and shake vigorously, give this book a read.

I would like to thank everyone who was disappointed that this was not really a zombie story. I was not going to buy it until I read the reviews. Your disappointment gave me the encouragement I needed to take a chance on it. It was a great listen. I love the author's October Daye stories and this was just as good. She is a hard hitting story teller, and the idealism is a nice change not usually found in a distopian worlds. I don't want to provide any spoilers, but I will say none of my predictions for the conclusion was correct.

As for the reader's slight lisp, it helped make the characters more real for me.

I look forward to the next book, though I know I will have to steel myself to listen to it because of the emotional intensity.

For those of you thinking of purchasing this book as a good zombie thriller or entertaining read - pass. It's more about a regular Joe senator being followed around by three bloggers on the campaign trail. The author is trying for a new angle on a zombie thriller but falls short. All the in depth detail about life after the "uprising" is ridiculous. I don't buy it. Zombies & zombie animals running around and life pretty much goes on in comfy houses, people working, government intact. I say Bull^%$$. I LOVE a good post apocalyptic /zombie book and this just isn't this. It is more of a political statement. Author tries too hard. Not enough action. I'm 6 hrs in and there's been one zombie attack & one "encounter" with the lead characters. That's it. The narrator's raspy voice is annoying in and she really doesn't do that great of a job except on Georgia the lead character and the airhead Buffy. Every one else falls flat..............I'm stopping now just can't finish - I pass - Next.

I almost really liked this book. Almost. It starts off very strong - great concept, great idea, excellent take on zombiehood and a feeling that it was going to be a highly original story.

Then the halfway point came and... it stopped. The story just got hung up on... well, I'm not sure what, exactly... it just stopped moving forward.

That, and some of the characters just stopped acting "normally"... i.e. the main characters are nearly assassinated (and the world knows this is the case) and yet they putter around for another SIX WEEKS looking for "evidence" and when they finally find it (how come they weren't assassinated in that 6 weeks?), the person who they want to share it with won't listen (guess he forgot about the assassination attempt?) so they return home (no need to worry that the "bad guy" might, I dunno, try to kill them?) and are... GASP... attacked!

The end was a let-down. There was a bit of a twist, which I liked, but after the denouement, it dragged on for another 30 minutes... with nothing happening but more yappy-yappy.

Oh, so close to being excellent, it needed about 1/5 of its length chopped out... I did, however, get the next in the series because I really like the concept.

The narration was good.

Enjoyable story - interesting take on fighting off the Zombie Apocalypse. I'm not a huge fan of zombie's, but I really liked this one. I think I would catch new details with a second listen.