This picks up where the first one left us, with Rhys and Vicki having just rescued Flynn.
However, Flynn wants his Mummy, and it is at this point that Rhys realises that his ex, Larissa, as well as some of his other friends, are still trapped in Summit city.
This leads to the plot of Alpha Plague 2, Rhys making the decision to plunge back into the heart of the diseased ridden city and rescue them. To do this, he has to reach ground zero of the disease, the Alpha building, to release the people from the other buildings.
Alpha Plague 2 is a multi-faceted story, one of pure determination, the strength of family, the political workings of Governments with too much power, the results of biological testing and just to lighten the mood every now and then, a case of sheer human stupidity worthy of a Darwin Award.
The story follows Rhys’ harrowing trail back into the city, as he encounters not just the diseased, but a rather out of place individual called Oscar, who apparently wants to rescue someone also. What follows are pages of intense thrilling action, a cross between the Walking Dead and World War Z the Movie.
Robertson has created some brilliant main characters, but not just Rhys, Vicki, Oscar etc, but the diseased as well. These incredible creatures that were once living humans that are now plague ridden monsters, something that is from a Zombie induced nightmare. Lightning fast, with the only thought to kill, able to take incredible damage until brain death, clumsy, and yet freakishly strong, and worst of all, they seem to have a sense of intelligence, a sense of empathy.
Robertson has also created a unique and fascinating background in which his story plays out, a world of political intrigue, in which new cold wars are at play, with terrifying consequences.
One of the great things about this book, is that you sit and read it, and then think about what you might do in similar situations, the characters are so normal, so realistic, that you get drawn into the story so easily. By using characters that are so ‘real’, Robertson is able to drop you into the story, what would you do in that situation, how would you react, because as you read, you feel engaged with the characters. It makes this an incredible read, and a real page turner, you get connected to the characters, wanting to know what is going to happen next?
Alpha Plague 1 was excellent, but this series just keep getting better, if you are a fan of Character driven work like the Walking Dead, the speed of World War Z, or the gritty nuances of What We Left Behind, then this is definitely for you!!