The Strain

Book One of The Strain Trilogy

De: Guillermo del Toro, Chuck Hogan

Narrado por: Ron Perlman

“A high-tech vampire epic....Terrifying.”
—San Francisco Chronicle

“Part The Andromeda Strain, part Night of the Living Dead.”
—Salon.com

“Chuck Hogan is known for his taut thrillers, Guillermo del Toro for his surreal horror films…The Strain brings out the best of each.”
—Minneapolis Star Tribune

An epic battle for survival begins between man and vampire in The Strain—the first book in a heart-stopping trilogy from one of Hollywood’s most inventive storytellers and a critically acclaimed thriller writer. Guillermo del Toro, the genius director of the Academy Award-winning Pan’s Labyrinth and Hellboy, and Hammett Award-winning author Chuck Hogan have joined forces to boldly reinvent the vampire novel. Brilliant, blood-chilling, and unputdownable, The Strain is a nightmare of the first order.

Slow Start

The book has a very slow start, but picks up in the middle and towards the end. I read the hard cover when it came out and enjoyed it. I was looking forward to listening to it. The narrator pretty much ruined it. His slow monotone voice makes you want to chew nails. I suggest get the hard cover but if you get the audio, put it on 2x. It is fun to have a vampire story in the United States, in Modern Times and it not be a romance.

Could be better but still a worthy vampire yarn

Yes, Ron Perlman was not the best choice of narrator, but I've heard much worse. He does not excel at voice characterizations (except he does a good job with the old Romanian vampire hunter), and he speaks in a bit of a monotone (but not completely). For all that, I got used to his performance and was able to enjoy the book. As to the story itself, it's a bit formulaic, but the idea of a plague of vampires in New York City is novel enough to me that I was carried along by it. If you like the vampire and/or zombie genre, give this a try. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Could Not Put It Down!!

I didnt expect this to be such a grea read (listen) but I could not put it down. This is not your typical vamp book. One of the best I have "heard" in a long time. Ron Pearlman is a terrific narrator and I found myself with my jaw hanging open more then a few times.

28 Days Later ... for vampires

Some people will knock this book because it rails against the popular trend in vampire stories over the past 20 years. In The Strain, the vampires don't want to date humans; they're not good looking, witty or graceful; there are no humans (save one) who want to join the ranks of the undead and being bitten is neither a sexy nor orgasmic experience - it is horrific in the ugliest sense of the word.

The Strain presents vampirism as a disease that you definitely do not want to catch and offers all the nail-biting suspense that "28 Days Later" gave zombie-lovers.

The characters are well-crafted (unlike most horror characters, I actually found myself caring which ones made it to the end); the world described by Del Toro and Hogan is detailed, gritty and real (which plays a large part in making the idea of this particular infection believable); and Ron Perlman does an outstanding job narrating.

I don't recommend many books to my friends, but this one gets my whole-hearted recommendation if you are someone who is tired of the cliched, whiny, over-sexed, Goth-wearing, "I'd rather tell you my sad story than bite you" kind of vampire.

Scary Fun

Good, old-fashioned vampire read.... highly recommend. Modern twist on the traditional story adding an element of science and pandemic believability.