The Infection [Paperback]

Craig DiLouie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 30, 2011

Five ordinary people must pay the price of survival at the end of the world.

A mysterious virus suddenly strikes down millions. Three days later, its victims awake with a single purpose: spread the Infection. As the world lurches toward the apocalypse, some of the Infected continue to change, transforming into horrific monsters.

In one American city, a small group struggles to survive. Sarge, a tank commander hardened by years of fighting in Afghanistan. Wendy, a cop still fighting for law and order in a lawless land. Ethan, a teacher searching for his lost family. Todd, a high school student who sees second chances in the end of the world. Paul, a minister who wonders why God has forsaken his children. And Anne, their mysterious leader, who holds an almost fanatical hatred for the Infected.

Together, they fight their way to a massive refugee camp where thousands have made a stand. There, what's left of the government will ask them to accept a mission that will determine the survival of them all--a dangerous journey back onto the open road and into the very heart of Infection.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Not just another zombie story ... a disturbing, nightmarish read." -David Moody, author of HATER

"Brilliant and terrifying!" -Jonathan Maberry, author of PATIENT ZERO

"28 DAYS LATER meets THE MIST ... a definite page-turner right from the get-go all the way to the insanely intense final scene." -TheGOREScore.com

"Proves that just because it's 'indie' horror doesn't mean it can't stand alongside the greats. The book is simply stunning." -Rhonny Reaper, Dollar Bin Horror

"Gripping ... DiLouie carefully recreates our society and our military ... then proceeds to bring the horror, devastation, and heroes we require." - Fangoria

"A road trip through hell". -Zombies & Toys

"DiLouie has created a vivid world of mayhem and destruction." -Doubleshot Reviews

"An entirely new way to look at the apocalypse." -ZombieSlam.com

"Intense and graphic ... a completely engrossing read." -SwampDweller

"One of the best zombie books I've read." -THE FRINGE Magazine

"Beyond the regular apocalyptic novel." -LivingDeadMedia.com

 "DiLouie does a cut-up job of presenting what it would really be like if everything were to fall apart ... It's inventive and fresh, offering an insider's perspective on pain and terror." -SHOCK TOTEM Magazine

"Impressive in scope, and a frighteningly nightmarish twisting of the zombie formula." -AwilltoAct.com

About the Author

Craig DiLouie is the author of zombie favorites The Infection and Tooth and Nail as well as The Great Planet Robbery, a science fiction novel, and Paranoia, a psychological thriller.

Product Details

• Paperback: 286 pages
• Publisher: Permuted Press (August 30, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934861650
• ISBN-13: 978-1934861653
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 5.7 x 8.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (167 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,801 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Craig DiLouie is the author of the bestselling zombie novels TOOTH AND NAIL (Salvo Press, April 2010), THE INFECTION (Permuted Press, February 2011) and its sequel THE KILLING FLOOR (Permuted Press, April 2012), in addition to THE GREAT PLANET ROBBERY, a military sci-fi comedy, and PARANOIA, a psychological thriller. As a technical writer, he has also written several non-fiction books about lighting and electrical design. His next horror novel, SUFFER THE CHILDREN, will be published by Simon & Schuster. Learn more at www.craigdilouie.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 51 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow. Just wow. March 17, 2011

By M. Paszej

Format:Paperback

Before I start my glowing review... I've gone through a bunch of zombie books in the last year. Found 45 percent to be ok, 45 percent to be absolute dreck not worth reading, and the remaining 10 percent to be just great! Infection belongs in the top ten percent.

The book is about a different type of zombie (still well within the genre, so zombie fans are safe!), and we actually get glimpses throughout the book of how the zombies came to exist - and what reasons are for their existence. Their emergence takes up the first quarter of the book, and through flashbacks throughout the book. Very well done. You see the confusion, the apprehension, then fear and rage, characters who give up, others who fight back.

The book does not offer heroes who somehow manage to live through the zombie apocalypse with their hairstyle intact, and their souls untouched. Everyone in the book is damaged somehow... and it makes you root for the characters even more, because the damage is revealed in bits and pieces, and revealed very competently. You grow with the characters, as they experience the struggle and deal with the end of the world. You'll feel nervous yourself as you read, NEEDING to know what happens next to the characters. I finished this book a lot quicker than I originally planned because of the action and exposition.

Some time before a third of the book is finished, mutants begin appearing among the zombies. I won't say more, to avoid spoilers, but they add a dreadful feeling to the rest of the book. You'll be looking over your shoulder after reading, angry with the author for bringing these nightmares into your imagination. I mean this as a compliment to the author, but.... Craig DiLouie, how the h%&ll did you come up with these monstrosities??... Two days after finishing the book, and I still cannot get the creepiness out of my head. Despite this, or because of it, good job on the book!

My only beef is also a fervrent wish. Please, please, please tell us their will be a second book to follow up, to tell us how you imagine the continuation of the story. Read more ›

30 of 36 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Stellar apocalyptic novel with an alien twist 4.5 stars March 13, 2011

By Patrick S. Dorazio VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

The Infection starts out with a brief prologue that introduces the reader to the Screaming that initiates the apocalypse. About 20% of the population starts to scream uncontrollably and then collapse, going into a coma that lasts three days. At the end of that three days, those people who fell down wake up, and their only desire is to spread the infection to everyone else by biting and attacking them. The reader is thrust into the story a few weeks after the initial assault and we are introduced to a group of survivors roaming through Pittsburgh in a Bradley fighting vehicle. The crew of three is led by Sarge, who shares the task of leadership of the civilian survivor crew with Anne, a mysterious woman with a major hatred of the infected. Wendy, a police officer, Paul, a minister, Ethan, a math teacher, and Todd, a geeky high school student, are the other members of this brigade of survivors.

The story relates their current experiences of attempting to find shelter, avoid exposure to the infected, and seeking out other survivors, while flashing back to their initial introductions to the infection, lost family members, and the horrific memories each of them has had. DiLouie does a bang up job of revealing, by inches, what we need to know about each of the players in this story. In time, they settle at a hospital, clearing it room by room, and realize there are more than just the zombie-like infected that have been introduced into this new, horrible world. As they flee the hospital, they discover an even wider assortment of alien creatures-from wormlike to giant demons that hint at something far more sinister than just a virus or plague at work.... The group makes their way to a huge encampment of survivors, which reminded me of a vast, wild-west setting filled with both hope and despair as everyone tries to make due and pretend things are normal in a world turned upside down. But the needs of the mishmash of government agencies still in existence will send our survivors back out onto the road, where they must once again come to grips with the horror their world has become.

After reading Tooth and Nail, I knew that Craig DiLouie had a real talent for creating compelling, real, and fascinating characters, but he ups the ante here, with each survivor in the group being given an in depth look that allows the reader to fully appreciate the pain and agony each one of them has gone through to get to survive to this point, and why they have a willingness to stick with one another through the hell their existence has become. This is an apocalyptic novel, but I can't say that it falls exactly into the realm of a zombie novel; instead, it is a hybrid that provides plenty of brand new terrors to mess with your head. Alien creatures with little to no real explanation make this story unique, though this did remind me of other works I have read prior to this, such as The Mist, from Stephen King. I am positive a sequel is in the works and perhaps that will reveal some answers about the creatures that have invaded this world, but there appear to be no explanations on these pages, only a bit of conjecture on the part of one of the characters. I am not sure if I am griping about this-not knowing what is actually going on-because the characters themselves don't know anything either. They are just trying to survive, and in some cases, kill as many of these abominations as they possibly can. Another minor quibble I have is something I have grown used to over the course of this novel and DiLouie's previous one-the fact that the author moves into present tense on occasion, which feels a bit jarring when it occurs. It offers up an urgency, a sense of "now" to the story, but it also serves as a minor reading distraction in my humble opinion.

Those very minor quibbles aside, this is an excellent book of the apocalypse, creative and wild from the start; from how the infection occurs to the results it yields, and the characters that inhabit its pages are just about as compelling as any I have ever seen. Read more ›

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars He's done it again! February 3, 2011

By Cynicalbit

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

A whole new take on the zombie virus, AGAIN! Masterfully written with a lot of action, great characters, and a few unexpected plot twists. What more could you ask for? I too, like another reviewer have been waiting on this book for months. It was well worth the wait, and the price. The author's other book Tooth And Nail is on my 'favorites' list and this one joins the list as well. Now I have to wait again for the sequel, I'm sure it will be well worth it!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy it at 10pm, go to sleep at 3am... June 6, 2011

By Mathew Ferguson

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Stop reading reviews and buy the book already!

Action, guilt, creeping terror, loneliness, weird creatures stalking the streets ...

I bought this at 10pm and finished it at 3am. I can count on one hand the number of books I've been unable to put down - this is one of them!

The Infection is a beautiful piece of work. Each character is vivid and the transformation of before and after is heartbreaking.

It's no ordinary zombie story either. The infected humans are swarming but there are stranger, more deadly things out there to rend with tooth and nail.

(Oh yeah, buy his other great zombie book Tooth and Nail!)

I could go on about what an extraordinary creation this is but I've already used my highest praise: I couldn't put it down and although I only got three hours sleep last night I don't regret giving my time to The Infection.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Different Spin, loved it! April 28, 2011

By G R Mountjoy

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I loved this book. The spin that it took, the characters and action were just great. I am not a fan of the Distributor, but Craig has some great work here, If you want something different, please read this book. One of my top 10 out of the genre. Anything short of 5 star's for this book is beyone comprehension.