I came across Terry Tyler a few years back, at the time when she started publishing her first dystopian series, Project Renova, and although that is not one of my go-to genres, I became hooked by her ability to combine gripping plots and a cast of complex characters that, good or bad, you feel drawn to and want to know what is going to happen to. And, if I am to judge by the first novel in this series, she has managed to do the same again.
Allow me to open my review with a warning. If you set off on this journey, and you start reading this series, be prepared to carry on. The author explains in her introduction that the short novels in the SFV-1 series cannot be read independently, because the full story will be split up into several volumes, and although you might start to get an idea of what is going on and suspect where they might go, you are bound to be left with more questions than answers after reading Infected. And, although Tyler states that she will include a recap of the story so far in the following novellas in the series, readers who start with one of the other books are likely to miss too much of the story and have a less satisfying experience. And those who only read the first will be left wondering. At least I am.
The book’s description introduces the situation and the main characters, which should suffice to give readers a good idea of the situation and some of the issues the characters are likely to face, therefore, I will try to avoid any spoilers. I can add that each chapter is told from a different character’s point of view. Norah and Lion tell their story in the first person, while Cat’s is told in the third person, although always from her point of view. They are not the only ones whose stories we are told, though. Lion (I really like Juno, Lion’s mother-in-law) and Norah aren’t alone when they set off trying to find a safe place, and Cat is sharing her TV adventure with some companions as well. But there are others we meet, some fleetingly, some in more detail, and one of the things I most enjoyed from this novella was how we got to see things from their points of view as well and even experience them as if we were inside of their brains and bodies, scary as that might be at times. (Because, yes, the reader’s experience isn’t immune to the virus either).
The book starts with a prologue that sets off the story and gives readers a hint of what is to come, although perhaps not quite the scale of it. The three main characters are confronted with an out-of-control pandemic (plague, I’d call it), because of their peculiar circumstances: Both, Cat and Lion were in out-of-reach environments when things went pear-shaped, and in Norah’s case, she self-isolated to create her art and insisted in burying her head in the sand until she couldn’t ignore what was happening anymore. In that way, these three characters are the perfect companions for the reader, as they haven’t been following the news or realised how quickly things were deteriorating until it was too late, a bit like the readers, who are dropped into the situation without much warning either. These three characters are very different, in their outlooks, lifestyles, and motivations, and although I cannot say I liked them all straight away, they represent well the way human beings might react to such circumstances, and as we spend time with them, we see examples of coping strategies —some more adaptative and socially responsible than others— which ring true, especially considering recent events.
The world had to face an emergency health crisis not long ago, and as one reads this book, it is impossible not to wonder if we have learned anything. Would a new emergency be handled better and/or differently, or would our previous experience result in complacency and a false sense of security? This is a dystopic series, so you might guess the answer, but we are all less likely to feel reassured by the fact that this is a work of fiction than we might have been a few years back. What would we do if we were faced with the choices these characters are confronted to? It does not bear thinking about, but perhaps we should.
This is a book full of adventures, scares, extreme situations, characters taken to the limit, well-written, dynamic, touching, and moving at times; and it offers readers an opportunity to see the best and the worst of people’s behaviour. The veneer of civilisation might not be as thick as most of us would like, and when put to the test, it might be found wanting.
Any warnings? Well, there is violence, blood, gore (as is to be expected in this subgenre), and there is some swearing as well. I have mentioned that some parts of the novel are written in the first-person, so readers who dislike that need to take it into account. I have already said I am not a big follower of the genre, so I will not engage in comparisons with series, novels, or video games with similar story-lines, but having read a few horror stories, this isn’t, by far, the most explicit or extreme of the ones I’ve read, and the writing is impeccable, so, those who don’t scare easy, appreciate a touch of dark humour or two (the exchange between Juno and a girl about what a chilly is made me chuckle), and like the sound of it shouldn’t hesitate to try.
I am very impressed by the first novel in this new series, and I would recommend it to readers of dystopian fiction who love action, survival stories, appreciate well-drawn characters, and especially those who enjoy series and like to spend time getting to know all the players and getting invested in their lives and fates. Thankfully, the author plans on publishing the second novella within only a few weeks of the first, so the wait won’t be too long.
I was provided with an early ARC copy of this novel (novella), and I freely decided to read it and review it.