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Contagion
A novel of the living dead
A remote mountain town is isolated by a snowstorm as an ancient evil, gone pandemic, turns the residents into the living dead. Almost overnight the town becomes a snowy tomb of the roaming, hungry infected. Stranded by the weather, hiding, a small group of survivors follows the progress of the disease as society around them and around the world begins to break down. Determined to escape, they find that the normal rules of civilization don’t apply anymore. Will they be able to adapt to this strange, hungry new world?
A remote mountain town is isolated by a snowstorm as an ancient evil, gone pandemic, turns the residents into the living dead. Almost overnight the town becomes a snowy tomb of the roaming, hungry infected. Stranded by the weather, hiding, a small group of survivors follows the progress of the disease as society around them and around the world begins to break down. Determined to escape, they find that the normal rules of civilization don’t apply anymore. Will they be able to adapt to this strange, hungry new world?
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2012
39 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 16, 2025
I do love me a zombie novel that centers on the point in time where things are actively falling apart instead of the point where things have already completely fallen apart so I did have a generally good time with this book. The main character was pretty good and the pacing was decent and the redshirting wasn't overly obvious. I'm not sure how I feel about the amount of time we spent with the mythos around the zombie bacteria but there were certainly good ideas in there.
July 29, 2019
After listening to Contagion I am not at all surprised to learn that when this episode was released back in 2012 it held a spot on Amazon's top 100 Best Sellers list for well over three consecutive months.
I have finished many books in this genre and without a doubt Contagion is hands down one of those books that only comes along once in a blue moon. This is one of those zombie anomalies which was clearly written under the assumption the readers are not idiots and have brains in their heads.
Contagion does a great job developing some very complex characters and bringing them life with authenticity and in vivid detail. Overall, lots of fantastic graphics combined with a psychologically menacing storyline. I have always found if a book can get into my head it is much more terrifying than any amount of descriptive graphic physical gore.
There is a lot of horrific historical info intertwined throughout the duration of the book which details depraved happenings that took place many years back and ultimately began the domino effect leading to the situation the humans are in currently and cannot find a way out of . . fighting for their lives amongst the living dead. . . .
I have finished many books in this genre and without a doubt Contagion is hands down one of those books that only comes along once in a blue moon. This is one of those zombie anomalies which was clearly written under the assumption the readers are not idiots and have brains in their heads.
Contagion does a great job developing some very complex characters and bringing them life with authenticity and in vivid detail. Overall, lots of fantastic graphics combined with a psychologically menacing storyline. I have always found if a book can get into my head it is much more terrifying than any amount of descriptive graphic physical gore.
There is a lot of horrific historical info intertwined throughout the duration of the book which details depraved happenings that took place many years back and ultimately began the domino effect leading to the situation the humans are in currently and cannot find a way out of . . fighting for their lives amongst the living dead. . . .
April 23, 2012
While this is a typical "zombie apocalypse run for your lives you are probably going to die anyway" zombie book, I really enjoyed it. It was a fast paced read that took me less than a day to finish. Everybody has a different story/memory of where they were when disaster struck and how they made it through. This is no different. The main character is a mother in the middle of a divorce from a distant husband. Her children are staying at their grandparents for a few days and we open up in the story at the beginning of the catastrophic event. And so it begins that we follow mom for the next few days as she tries to contact, connect with and reach her children, from making her way through a few too many nut crazy neighbors turned zombies to learning to shoot and run for her life and hopefully finding a helping hand along the way.
The book drives from one explosive collision with zombies and idiots to another. The plot mainly surrounding the main characters struggle to reach her children feeds us details of events as they unfold through news stories and online blogs. There is an almost plausible reason of how and why the dead are walking around and eating brains (almost). But alas, and of course, there is no cure!
Being a mother connected me to the main character, leaving me with the frenzied wonderment. What would I do if separated from my children and the world was about to end? Reading this in bed in the dark didn’t help the ominous feeling that a virus is, right now, lurking around the corner ready to eat my brains and kill my children (Should I bar the windows)? The flow was fast paced and though it doesn't necessarily leave you hanging with the “will they get em', or will they survive” ending often offered up to us in most ZA stories, it does wrap up the main characters plight with a small twist to the usual happily ever after that many seem to incorporate into even the worst apocalyptic situation; "there is a future after all...err we hope."
Recommended for Zombie fans that enjoy reading ZA books with different perspectives and struggles.
*3.5 stars
The book drives from one explosive collision with zombies and idiots to another. The plot mainly surrounding the main characters struggle to reach her children feeds us details of events as they unfold through news stories and online blogs. There is an almost plausible reason of how and why the dead are walking around and eating brains (almost). But alas, and of course, there is no cure!
Being a mother connected me to the main character, leaving me with the frenzied wonderment. What would I do if separated from my children and the world was about to end? Reading this in bed in the dark didn’t help the ominous feeling that a virus is, right now, lurking around the corner ready to eat my brains and kill my children (Should I bar the windows)? The flow was fast paced and though it doesn't necessarily leave you hanging with the “will they get em', or will they survive” ending often offered up to us in most ZA stories, it does wrap up the main characters plight with a small twist to the usual happily ever after that many seem to incorporate into even the worst apocalyptic situation; "there is a future after all...err we hope."
Recommended for Zombie fans that enjoy reading ZA books with different perspectives and struggles.
*3.5 stars
August 18, 2024
While this is a typical "zombie apocalypse" book, I enjoyed it. It was a fast paced read.
I liked the Caribbean angle of the zombies.
Although I will not read the book a second time, I will probably read the next book in the series.
I liked the Caribbean angle of the zombies.
Although I will not read the book a second time, I will probably read the next book in the series.
September 14, 2012
It's now 4 am and I just finished the book. Once I started, I just couldn't put it down. Overall, just a run-of-the-mill zombie apocalypse story, but I found it very easy to read and couldn't go to bed wondering what would happen next.
Although it slowed down the story a bit, the historical background information was interesting and somewhat unique as far as zombie apocalypse stories go.
One drawback is that the ending seemed a bit abrupt
Although it slowed down the story a bit, the historical background information was interesting and somewhat unique as far as zombie apocalypse stories go.
One drawback is that the ending seemed a bit abrupt
February 2, 2022
As far as zombie literature goes this was top notch!
We get sneak peeks at origin stories, both natural and supernatural implications, lore with nods to actual cases of cannibalism, characters who annoy you but you root for them anyway. This book was obviously written with great respect for and appreciation of the zombie phenomenon.
We get sneak peeks at origin stories, both natural and supernatural implications, lore with nods to actual cases of cannibalism, characters who annoy you but you root for them anyway. This book was obviously written with great respect for and appreciation of the zombie phenomenon.
January 17, 2013
I was thoroughly enjoying this read until the ending. Truly, the author must have had too many different directions he/she was thinking about taking this and couldn't decide so the book simply ended. Hence why I'd give it 4 stars (ie - I LIKED IT) but can only give it 3 (ie - IT'S OK).
I enjoyed the story and the main characters and I really loved hating the character of Larry (the anti-hero in every sense). The story line was good but towards the end the author began hinting at things that weren't necessary to the plot if all he/she was going to do was end the book abruptly. Examples include introducing the idea that the water supply is now contaminated, the heroine getting bit just barely and the feeling in her arm afterwards, etc. The author mentions these events (and others) but does not expand upon them and the ideas/direction are simply dropped; the book simply ended. It feels very unfinished and I'm hoping the author just decided to make this a series and will be putting out a part 2 so as to complete the story.
But other than the ending, this was a great story for the price.
I enjoyed the story and the main characters and I really loved hating the character of Larry (the anti-hero in every sense). The story line was good but towards the end the author began hinting at things that weren't necessary to the plot if all he/she was going to do was end the book abruptly. Examples include introducing the idea that the water supply is now contaminated, the heroine getting bit just barely and the feeling in her arm afterwards, etc. The author mentions these events (and others) but does not expand upon them and the ideas/direction are simply dropped; the book simply ended. It feels very unfinished and I'm hoping the author just decided to make this a series and will be putting out a part 2 so as to complete the story.
But other than the ending, this was a great story for the price.
June 9, 2012
For what it was, this book wasn't bad. If I'm paying $3 for a self-published ebook about zombies, generally I don't expect much. I got a faint whiff of moralizing at the end that I didn't care for, but altogether an entertaining read.
May 2, 2013
Well-paced and hard to put down.
A number of people suggested an abrupt ending - there may have been a re-write, because although the ending is abrupt, it's a cliffhanger. Hopefully it will be resolved in the sequel, which I'm reading now.
A number of people suggested an abrupt ending - there may have been a re-write, because although the ending is abrupt, it's a cliffhanger. Hopefully it will be resolved in the sequel, which I'm reading now.
September 14, 2013
Good book - until the ending that is. A pitty though since it was well written and gripping. Maybe the author is planning a sequel and in that context it would work.
However, I can still recommend the book.
However, I can still recommend the book.
August 21, 2013
Interesting read. I enjoyed that she goes back and shows you where the virus of "zombies" comes from. Pretty gruesome and quite disturbing. I must stop reading these books before bed, worst dreams ever! It is scary reading these to see how quickly the world shuts down, scary creepy thought.
April 16, 2024
I made a goodreads account just to review this book because I needed to talk about how astoundingly bad it was
First of all the blatant racism, the story is almost entirely focused on a very small geographical area in the US there are very few mentions of what is going on even in the rest of the country but they do make sure to mention that in africa (the entire continent apparently) everyone is sacrificing women and children to demons and that people in the middle east are strapping bombs onto women and china is trying to take over the world starting by invading california. Not to mention that the source of the virus is a "savage african tribe"
Second of all the story itself is just not very good. There are several plot holes. Sometimes the characters can drive through crowds of zombies no problem, other times this is an insurmountable obstacle and they have to turn around. At one point the characters enter a hospital looking for insulin they can't find the pharmacy but while wandering aimlessly they just happen to find a bag full of insulin. Also the "coma ward" seems to just be a basement hallway lined with beds. One character is deemed a murderer for killing a bitten man but when a different character does the same thing its not even commented on. The "murderer" is later handcuffed to a fence and left for the zombies, this is presented as just action.
Third this is a scifi book in which the author seems to know absolutely nothing about science. Not only do they not know the difference between a bacteria and a virus they don't seem to know that there Is a difference. The book starts out talking about the standard zombie virus you have seen in all zombie media but partway through they introduce the idea that the decaying zombies have contaminated the water supply with a bacteria. Drinking the contaminated water infects people but doesn't turn them into zombies for some reason, also this infection manifests as a large abscess or boil which is just not how infections work.
Fourth, the weird religious angle. About halfway through this book becomes an overtly christian story. Almost all the pertinent information comes from the journals of missionaries and the virus turns out to the work of a demon perverting the idea of the resurrection. There probably is an audience out there for that kind of story but it is not me and I would really suggest bringing this aspect of the story up in the description or at least the first few chapters.
Fifth, the ending, or lack thereof. I have seen people call it a cliffhanger but even those have some amount of resolution to them. This story just stops. I don't even know what else to say about it.
First of all the blatant racism, the story is almost entirely focused on a very small geographical area in the US there are very few mentions of what is going on even in the rest of the country but they do make sure to mention that in africa (the entire continent apparently) everyone is sacrificing women and children to demons and that people in the middle east are strapping bombs onto women and china is trying to take over the world starting by invading california. Not to mention that the source of the virus is a "savage african tribe"
Second of all the story itself is just not very good. There are several plot holes. Sometimes the characters can drive through crowds of zombies no problem, other times this is an insurmountable obstacle and they have to turn around. At one point the characters enter a hospital looking for insulin they can't find the pharmacy but while wandering aimlessly they just happen to find a bag full of insulin. Also the "coma ward" seems to just be a basement hallway lined with beds. One character is deemed a murderer for killing a bitten man but when a different character does the same thing its not even commented on. The "murderer" is later handcuffed to a fence and left for the zombies, this is presented as just action.
Third this is a scifi book in which the author seems to know absolutely nothing about science. Not only do they not know the difference between a bacteria and a virus they don't seem to know that there Is a difference. The book starts out talking about the standard zombie virus you have seen in all zombie media but partway through they introduce the idea that the decaying zombies have contaminated the water supply with a bacteria. Drinking the contaminated water infects people but doesn't turn them into zombies for some reason, also this infection manifests as a large abscess or boil which is just not how infections work.
Fourth, the weird religious angle. About halfway through this book becomes an overtly christian story. Almost all the pertinent information comes from the journals of missionaries and the virus turns out to the work of a demon perverting the idea of the resurrection. There probably is an audience out there for that kind of story but it is not me and I would really suggest bringing this aspect of the story up in the description or at least the first few chapters.
Fifth, the ending, or lack thereof. I have seen people call it a cliffhanger but even those have some amount of resolution to them. This story just stops. I don't even know what else to say about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2021
Read : July 8, 2021
Rating :3,5 Stars
I liked the virus backstory since it's a lot more than normally provided by this genre.
The characters were okay, some I liked better than others and some were a little obnoxious.
The ending, goodness that just irks me a whooole lot, like what? Who comes up with such a wacky way and why that character, no fair!
There's a book 2 so I'm hoping we get some new perspectives in that one.
Rating :3,5 Stars
I liked the virus backstory since it's a lot more than normally provided by this genre.
The characters were okay, some I liked better than others and some were a little obnoxious.
The ending, goodness that just irks me a whooole lot, like what? Who comes up with such a wacky way and why that character, no fair!
There's a book 2 so I'm hoping we get some new perspectives in that one.
December 27, 2017
While I enjoyed this book, I do have to say that it's a fairly stock zombie tale. Both the characters and the story are good but not great.
I'll continue with the series in the hopes that it becomes a bit more unique as it progresses.
I'll continue with the series in the hopes that it becomes a bit more unique as it progresses.
December 27, 2019
Not a bad little zombie tale. Typical of the genre, filled with fight or flight from zombies and wrose-than-zombies-human-survivors. Not great, but not bad. Except the end. Had to knock a star off for that. It just sort of...ends.
June 2, 2024
I good quick listen to. To the point and even a backstory within this story. Gave an insight into how this virus came to be. I would like to read book 2, yet i have to use a credit for it and not book 3 🤔 hmm.
April 10, 2018
Spellbinding
In not a zombie follower, but an L.I. Alarming follower. Had a hard time putting this book down, kept you glued to the pages.
In not a zombie follower, but an L.I. Alarming follower. Had a hard time putting this book down, kept you glued to the pages.
January 6, 2020
Pretty good. Your run of the mill "zombie apocalypse road trip".
Ending was kind of lame. Left it open for a sequel.
Ending was kind of lame. Left it open for a sequel.
April 19, 2024
Great story
It's worth the read. It has strong women and children. No one is overly dumb. The series is great overall. I really enjoyed all 3.
It's worth the read. It has strong women and children. No one is overly dumb. The series is great overall. I really enjoyed all 3.
June 4, 2024
Once I got past the narrator’s verbal tics, this was a fun read. Looking forward to the next one.
November 26, 2024
A very standard zombie outbreak story. Goes from beginning of outbreak to end of world very quickly. Nothing really stands out but nothing bad either. Just a average story.
October 26, 2012
I borrowed this book from Amazon, but realized shortly thereafter I had the wrong book. Never the less, I read it quickly and easily as the book is short and to the point. Not a lot of fluff in terms of character descriptions, motivations and other nonsense like that. The ending seemed rushed, as well as eye-rollingly stupid. Whatever, this book gave me a cheap zombie fix and for that it earns 2 stars.
December 30, 2011
In Contagion a mother struggles to get to her children who are with her mother in law in the mountains when the plague breaks out. The dead are walking and hungry for human flesh. I found it to be an entertaining read.
December 27, 2011
What a frightening scene to be separated from you children during a Zombie out break . The stress of not knowing if your children are safe but also learning to shoot a gun and kill. And the end is a real kicker.
July 25, 2012
I enjoyed the storyline and was not bored at all. Typical Zombie storyline with a few new twists.
October 30, 2013
I read this book twice, it keeped me on my toes. A great apocalypse story, well written.
March 9, 2014
Well done. It's a zombie apocalypse tale, but much better than most -- a good read regardless of genre. 4.5 stars.
September 27, 2022
This was just OK. Good if you’re new to the zombie genre
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September 12, 2016This book freaked me out! Great read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews