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Dragon Virus
It began soon after the Millennium. Reports of newborns with strange malformations, too weak to live . . . caused by a single genetic mutation. Or, as the press quickly dubbed it, the Dragon Virus. Scientists predicted that it was an evolutionary dead end; that the mutation would burn itself out quickly; that it was nothing to be worried about.
They were wrong.
Every racial type. Almost every continent. No known cause. Human-created, maybe. Or just God, throwing the dice. Infecting us, warping us. Tied into our genetic code, from here on in. No known treatment. No idea where even to begin.
Everything was about to change.
They were wrong.
Every racial type. Almost every continent. No known cause. Human-created, maybe. Or just God, throwing the dice. Infecting us, warping us. Tied into our genetic code, from here on in. No known treatment. No idea where even to begin.
Everything was about to change.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
8 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
About the author
Laura Anne Gilman
122 books824 followersLaura Anne Gilman’s work has been hailed as “a true American myth” by NPR, and praised for her “deft plotting and first-class characters” by Publishers Weekly. She has won the Endeavor Award for THE COLD EYE, and been shortlisted for a Nebula, (another) Endeavor, and a Washington State Book Award. Her work includes the Devil’s West trilogy, the Cosa Nostradamus urban fantasy series, the Vineart trilogy, and the story collection WEST WINDS’ FOOL. Her upcoming move, UNCANNY TIMES, will be out from Saga Books in 2022.
She lives in Seattle with a cat, a dog, and many deadlines.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 22, 2013
The Dragon Virus is a collection of engaging, eschatological short stories chronicling a slow apocalypse caused by an inexplicable mutation in the human genetic code.
There are six short-stories in the the book, each one slicing out a glass-thin sliver of a different epoch and placing it under a microscope. From these strange lenses the reader gets a fish-eye view of the changing world.
The main characters in each story are well drawn and sympathetic. With the exception of the final act, which features a point of view character who is largely inert relative to the drama in which he is involved, the personalities of the characters are rounded and dynamic.
Religion is a major theme in the book, as one would expect in a set of stories about the end of humanity, and is mostly revealed in its reactionary guise. While both religion and science are shown to be powerless against the physical onset of the apocalypse, religion is shown primarily as dealing with the alteration in circumstances by trying to make the changes un-happen by persuasion, intimidation and ultimately lethal force.
The book is a good read and relatively short. Its outlook is unrelentingly bleak and the problems it displays are not meant to be solved or even understood. Instead, it is a vivisection of human psychology, and its reactions to the horrifying and unfathomable.
There are six short-stories in the the book, each one slicing out a glass-thin sliver of a different epoch and placing it under a microscope. From these strange lenses the reader gets a fish-eye view of the changing world.
The main characters in each story are well drawn and sympathetic. With the exception of the final act, which features a point of view character who is largely inert relative to the drama in which he is involved, the personalities of the characters are rounded and dynamic.
Religion is a major theme in the book, as one would expect in a set of stories about the end of humanity, and is mostly revealed in its reactionary guise. While both religion and science are shown to be powerless against the physical onset of the apocalypse, religion is shown primarily as dealing with the alteration in circumstances by trying to make the changes un-happen by persuasion, intimidation and ultimately lethal force.
The book is a good read and relatively short. Its outlook is unrelentingly bleak and the problems it displays are not meant to be solved or even understood. Instead, it is a vivisection of human psychology, and its reactions to the horrifying and unfathomable.
May 23, 2013
While I thought that her vision was very interesting and I do like that the novella was told from 6 different perspectives, I really would have liked to have read a full novel of this future.
Overall, I enjoyed it, but I kept thinking of the Edward Rutherford novel New York and how he told the history of New York from the perspectives of a number of generations of one family; while no era was long (in terms of the length of the chapter(s) devoted to the era), the overall history was full and there was a continuity between generations that had nothing to do with the family. I believe that this novella could have benefited from such a format and a deeper delving into a fascinating topic. One very cool thing that I found was at the end of each chapter there was a little "historical" blurb, whether a news article, blog, etc that put the era of that particular chapter into perspective.
So, while this review might sound critical, it is just that I found myself a little shy of satisfied; I wanted more.
Overall, I enjoyed it, but I kept thinking of the Edward Rutherford novel New York and how he told the history of New York from the perspectives of a number of generations of one family; while no era was long (in terms of the length of the chapter(s) devoted to the era), the overall history was full and there was a continuity between generations that had nothing to do with the family. I believe that this novella could have benefited from such a format and a deeper delving into a fascinating topic. One very cool thing that I found was at the end of each chapter there was a little "historical" blurb, whether a news article, blog, etc that put the era of that particular chapter into perspective.
So, while this review might sound critical, it is just that I found myself a little shy of satisfied; I wanted more.
January 6, 2016
A series of six stories that progress through a century of evolutionary change to the human species, or as the subtitle puts it, "a tragedy in six evolutions/an evolution in six tragedies." A good descriptor. The author, via a strong character-based narrative and slice-of-life plot structure, captures the fear of change and uncertainty of a post-apocalyptic world that didn't know it had slipped into the post-apocalypse before it was too late.
Intriguing and well done and would have been a four star book in my mind except for the overuse of the 'crazy religious fanatic' theme. The bible thumper who rails against the mutants as examples of God's judgment on earth. It's a tired device and quite frankly boring. It's too easy a strawman, has no nuance, and ends up with the unfortunate result of painting all people of faith as lunatics. It turned an otherwise fascinating and thought-provoking science fiction scenario into a mediocre work that says, 'nothing new here.' Which is too bad, because overall Dragon Virus is good speculation.
Intriguing and well done and would have been a four star book in my mind except for the overuse of the 'crazy religious fanatic' theme. The bible thumper who rails against the mutants as examples of God's judgment on earth. It's a tired device and quite frankly boring. It's too easy a strawman, has no nuance, and ends up with the unfortunate result of painting all people of faith as lunatics. It turned an otherwise fascinating and thought-provoking science fiction scenario into a mediocre work that says, 'nothing new here.' Which is too bad, because overall Dragon Virus is good speculation.
February 2, 2020
Collection of some short stories told chronologically. A virus starts mutating humanity, how will people react? Tries for dark and apocalyptic, comes across as annoying and dumb. I've really liked her other series', but this should be avoided at all costs.
October 17, 2018
Disturbing, but fascinating.
January 22, 2019
Trippy. Read it!
July 18, 2011
“They say the end is nigh. I think we’re living in the aftermath already (Dragon Virus, pg. 69).”
It looks like such a small book- unassuming, taking up so little shelf space. But it is a trick. As soon as you start to read it will spread through your brain, unavoidable as the spread of the virus the book tracks. It is a cascade in six parts, a staggering move through religion and science before settling firmly into a desperate dig at humanity itself.
There have been many looks at mutation, but there has been nothing ever written that hits like this. Ms. Gilman cuts through to the bare bones of what it is to be human, lays it there for all of us to examine and accept or reject as we see fit. No punches are pulled amidst her beautifully stark prose. Dragon Virus is a book that is saying something.
But the reader has to decide whether or not they are willing to listen.
It starts with the little uncomfortable things- visions of apocalypse, Raptures full of dragon wings. And then the dragons become all to real. It is an unexplained mutation, the Long gene, dragons come down to warp the basic recipe of humanity. Babies die, born with mutations that could not support life. No known cause. No treatment.
But then babies start to live, the mutations becoming viable, and the real problems start.
Dragon Virus is a stunning book, weaving words into image and emotion that will kick you in the gut and pull you through page after page- desperate to see just what sort of resolution will be reached. It is beautiful- the harsh beauty of everything grand and dangerous in nature. And just as enthralling.
It looks like such a small book- unassuming, taking up so little shelf space. But it is a trick. As soon as you start to read it will spread through your brain, unavoidable as the spread of the virus the book tracks. It is a cascade in six parts, a staggering move through religion and science before settling firmly into a desperate dig at humanity itself.
There have been many looks at mutation, but there has been nothing ever written that hits like this. Ms. Gilman cuts through to the bare bones of what it is to be human, lays it there for all of us to examine and accept or reject as we see fit. No punches are pulled amidst her beautifully stark prose. Dragon Virus is a book that is saying something.
But the reader has to decide whether or not they are willing to listen.
It starts with the little uncomfortable things- visions of apocalypse, Raptures full of dragon wings. And then the dragons become all to real. It is an unexplained mutation, the Long gene, dragons come down to warp the basic recipe of humanity. Babies die, born with mutations that could not support life. No known cause. No treatment.
But then babies start to live, the mutations becoming viable, and the real problems start.
Dragon Virus is a stunning book, weaving words into image and emotion that will kick you in the gut and pull you through page after page- desperate to see just what sort of resolution will be reached. It is beautiful- the harsh beauty of everything grand and dangerous in nature. And just as enthralling.
March 5, 2017
Didn't like it. Plain and simple. Pretty short, so not a lot of time lost. A virus, cause/cure unknown begins to 'leapfrog evolution' of human children. Society breaks down around the upheaval over a century or so of elapsed time. In the end, everything becomes barbaric & bestial.
The blurb describes the story as a tragedy in six parts. OK, I can agree with that. The stories were tragic. But, I don't like no-hope tragedy type stories. I've ranted on this in several places. The worst example of this I can reference is The Road by Cormack McCarthy. This story is not nearly as well written, though; it simply shares that dreary, no-hope, vibe.
The story is highly focused on the morbidity (perceived?) of human society. The biases (anti-religious, pro-climate change, environmentalist, etc.) shown in the story are too thick for me. The story is very halting in the way it's written, also. It's hard to read the train of thought style. It throws me out of the story because I have to go back and re-read things to understand what was happening.
But, it was short, and a freebie... so not wasted funds at least.
The blurb describes the story as a tragedy in six parts. OK, I can agree with that. The stories were tragic. But, I don't like no-hope tragedy type stories. I've ranted on this in several places. The worst example of this I can reference is The Road by Cormack McCarthy. This story is not nearly as well written, though; it simply shares that dreary, no-hope, vibe.
The story is highly focused on the morbidity (perceived?) of human society. The biases (anti-religious, pro-climate change, environmentalist, etc.) shown in the story are too thick for me. The story is very halting in the way it's written, also. It's hard to read the train of thought style. It throws me out of the story because I have to go back and re-read things to understand what was happening.
But, it was short, and a freebie... so not wasted funds at least.
August 2, 2011
A fast read, but take the time to THINK about it afterwards.
The characters and their actions and reactions build to a very believable and inevitable conclusion as you read through the six stories. Each story is self-contained, but the long arc should make you think. I recommend reading it in a single sitting, just not immediately before bed.
The characters and their actions and reactions build to a very believable and inevitable conclusion as you read through the six stories. Each story is self-contained, but the long arc should make you think. I recommend reading it in a single sitting, just not immediately before bed.
September 23, 2015
A collection of six stories that follows the evolution of humanity into mutated beings. Interesting concept.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews