Customer Reviews

Contagious

5 star:		(141)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

As a big fan of Scott's books, I was excited for the release of this book. This is the first time one of his books has been available in print before being released as a podcast, so it was my first time being able to read one of his stories at my pace instead of waiting on new episodes to be released.

Big Mistake.

I inhaled this 400+ page monster in two days, and could not put it down. The novel is intense, thrilling, terrifying, and action packed. The book is a sequel to his novel Infected which (for the most part) took place in the incredibly small setting of an apartment living room. The sequel pulls out all the stops, moving to a few truly memorable setpieces on the rushing ride to an over-the-top finale that boggles the mind in its intensity and scale. Great characters, humor, gore, and a story based on actual science and technology that's terrifying in it's near-believeability.

Buy this book and read it. If you're on the fence, at least visit the author's website, where you can listen to a VERY high production value audio version on the first book, or read it as a pdf. If you like what you see of Infected, this book will get its hooks in you bad. Don't say you weren't warned, and say hello to Chauncey for me.

True to form, Scott Sigler skips the on-ramp and barrels straight into the speedway. Contagious picks up Perry Dawsey "post-recovery". The problem is this: Perry still hears the voices of the things that invaded his body and this mountain of rage is not going to take it sitting down. Using the information he gains, Perry fights back. So, the disease changes tactics and the infection is spreading.

Scott Sigler pulls the reader on to the next page and does not let them stop until they hit the end. Great book...I look forward to much, much more from this author.

Sigler has topped himself with Contagious. I honestly took a half work day last week to finish it, and lost more than a few hours of sleep staying up to read just one more chapter.

With Contagious, Sigler has tapped back into that /vast/ and detailed imagination best manifest in his The Rookie universe and capped it with by far the best interpersonal drama he's written. Contagious bridges the private horror of Sigler's previous novel Infected with enough subtle hooks to cut anyone up on the story. It delivers a relentless, constantly accelerating tale that reaches the sublimely horrible in its final act. No spoilers here, but I've not felt as electrified by, and connected to, the grand action in any recent movie short of The Dark Knight.

Sigler is a rising star, and looks to have finally reached the main stage with Contagious. My highest recommendation.

What an amazing story!! I will admit I read the prequel 'Infected' and could not wait for the followup. Contagious is a great read that will keep you glued to the pages. The book is a stand alone story on itself but for the full, mind blowing, world domination attitude Scott provides, it would be worth it to take the 2 fer deal and buy both 'Infected' and 'Contagious'.

True to form, Scott Sigler delivers an absolutely absorbing horror thriller. The successor to Infected, Contagious takes the action and plot to breakneck speed. His characters are well developed and consistent, his action well planned, with just enough foreshadowing. This book is a keeper! Warning: not for the faint of heart--the book is high in violence and graphic. I couldn't put the book down!

Great stand alone story! A zillion times better if you've read Infected. You might think you know, but you have NO idea. I can't wait to see what the F.D.O. comes up with next.

This is everything you could ask for in a thriller and more. A page turner, taut suspense and unexpected and inventive plot turns. But while your heart is pounding and adrenaline pumping this book will touch your soul. The character development and interaction is exquisite. I really care about these characters. I am amazed at Sigler's scope and depth of artistic talant.

When I started reading this book, I expected to be reading it over a few days, in my spare time, in no hurry, like with most books. Then I read it within 24 hours, because I could not put it down.

When (not if) you buy this book, make sure you don't have any plans for the next day or so, because you will not be able to stop reading. Especially toward the end.

Being the second book in a series, I highly recommend that you read 'Infected' before taking on 'Contagious'. This book is a continuation of an existing story and doesn't work as well as a 'stand alone' book. You need the background of 'Infected' for a lot of this book to make sense.

Read 'Infected' first.

6 weeks later ....
John Gutierez is the newly elected president of the United States. He hasn't even been inaugurated yet, but is being briefed by Deputy Director of CIA Murray Longworth regarding some strange incidents Longworth has recently been involved with. At first John thinks it's a joke, but soon discovers the situation is all too real.

There's a killer on the loose in the US of A, a deadly killer with a deadly purpose. People have become infected with a "virus" that causes their skin to erupt in lesions, shaped like blue triangles on the skin. Except these triangles are sentient, and after driving the human host insane they erupt from the host body into pyramid creatures with a single goal in mind - to build an arched gateway that leads to an unknown but deadly place. The only human to survive the triangle infection is ex-football star "Scary" Perry Dawsey. Dawsey performed radical surgery on himself to save his life, but is left with the ability to "track" carriers of the triangle infection. He senses them and goes after them, killing every infection person he encounters.

Followed by, and working with him, is CIA agent Dew Phillips. Doctor Margaret Montoya from the CCID has demanded that Dew bring her a live host, but Dew can't stop Perry from killing them first. Yet Perry is allowed to live and work with the CIA, because only through Perry can the government discover where a new "construct", or portal, is being built by the pyramids. Also returning from 'Infected' is Colonel Charlie Ogden, experienced in taking out the constructs and patiently waiting for orders to strike again.

But Perry senses something new this time. There's something else out there now, besides the triangles. Something new is floating in the air, something to protect the triangles and pyramids at all costs; a new hatchling - something that is intelligent ... and contagious.

VIOLENCE WARNING: Violence is a part of all horror books, but this particular book contains violence against children, and I feel it's appropriate to add this warning.

Both 'Infected' and 'Contagious' are very rapid paced books. Sigler doesn't warm you up for anything, he dives directly into the heat of battle and keep the incredible pace going right to the end of the book. You're always on the edge of your seat. Sigler doesn't spend much time building characters other than the new ones (such as President Gutierez) because most of the characters were already fleshed out in 'Infected'. It's like seeing old friends again. Sigler again tracks the "seedlings" though to a lesser extent, and introduces 'The Orbitor', the source of the seedlings.

The climactic build up was so intense that I read this book in just over 24 hours, including a very late night session. The ending is simply unbelievable, but get ready for what I see as a third book in the series (my fingers are crossed). Scott Sigler is a new author who deserves much more credit than he's received so far. We can all thank our lucky stars that the publishing companies have seen, and published, this amazing author's talented works. I'm looking forward to many long years of reading more Sigler, and waiting with bated breath for a movie deal for 'Infected', 'Earthcore', or 'Ancestor'; all three of which you should rush to purchase. I can't recommend 'Infected' and 'Contagious' enough. Enjoy!

Contagious follows the characters Sigler introduced in Infected in a really enjoyable segue of that story. This does not mean that contagious cannot be enjoyed on it's own. Quite the contrary, the book can be a self-standing story on its own.

A real page turner that will prompt the reader to keep reading until the various subplots come together in the pyrotechnic finale.

The usual mix of hard science, science fiction and quasi-horror storyline gets even better than in previous Sigler book, concocting a thrilling narrative.