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Pandemic #1
Beginnings
They attack with impunity, and without prejudice.
Their goal - to destroy you, from within.
A merciless enemy, just one-billionth our size.
WELCOME TO THE NEXT GLOBAL WAR
A new dystopian, post-apocalyptic fiction series from author Bobby Akart (The Blackout Series, The Boston Brahmin series and the Prepping for Tomorrow series). The events depicted in The Pandemic Series are fictional. They are, however, based upon historical fact.
_______________________________________________
BEGINNINGS:
Terrorists kidnap and blackmail a young French scientist in Western Africa. The outbreak of an ancient disease kills everyone in a village located in a remote jungle of Guatemala. U.S. government operatives uncover a secret biological laboratory in Trinidad. An isolated death at the hands of this killer virus is discovered in Greece.
Is there a connection, or are these simply a string of coincidences?
Dr. Mackenzie Hagan, a highly-educated, well-respected epidemiologist at the CDC-Atlanta, is called to Guatemala. As the daughter of a retired Commanding General of the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Mac often says infectious disease is in her blood. While no infectious disease outbreak is routine, this particular hot zone in Guatemala has its own set of complications - including a mysterious operative sent there by the Department of Defense. Events unfold and Mac is sent around the world investigating new cases involving this same, rare disease.
Nathan Hunter, a covert operative within an off-the-books project for the DOD, tracks down terrorists before they strike. As Hunter unravels a villainous plot with tentacles spanning the globe, his investigative path crosses with Mac's. Was it fate, or something else? Mac and Hunter work together to analyze the disease and to identify the source. But they soon learn that the biggest challenge they'll face is right at home - a government bureaucracy unwilling to sound the alarm to protect the nation.
As the disease spreads and the crisis escalates, an army lurks in the shadows - one blessed by Allah, and prepared to wage the Final Jihad.
This series will be frighteningly realistic. It is not intended to scare the wits out of you, but it might just scare the wits into you. Remember, it could take just one cough, one kiss, or one touch to change not only your life, but the lives of everyone around you -- forever.
This is an ingenious, inventive thriller about the threats we face from a global pandemic, and the use of infectious diseases by terrorists as they wage jihad around the world. Drawing on his unique talent to place the reader in a post-apocalyptic world, Bobby Akart delivers an explosive page-turner that has you wondering - will there be a last patient?
Note: The Pandemic Series does not contain strong language. It is intended to entertain and inform audiences of all ages, including teen and young adults. Although some scenes depict the realistic threat our nation faces from a worldwide pandemic, and the societal collapse which will result in the aftermath, it does not contain graphic scenes typical of other books in the post-apocalyptic genre. I believe more of our young people need to lead a preparedness lifestyle. Studies show that our millennials do not have any of the basic survival skills. By writing this series free of vulgarities and gratuitous sexual innuendo, I've intended it to be suitable for everyone. Thanks.
Their goal - to destroy you, from within.
A merciless enemy, just one-billionth our size.
WELCOME TO THE NEXT GLOBAL WAR
A new dystopian, post-apocalyptic fiction series from author Bobby Akart (The Blackout Series, The Boston Brahmin series and the Prepping for Tomorrow series). The events depicted in The Pandemic Series are fictional. They are, however, based upon historical fact.
_______________________________________________
BEGINNINGS:
Terrorists kidnap and blackmail a young French scientist in Western Africa. The outbreak of an ancient disease kills everyone in a village located in a remote jungle of Guatemala. U.S. government operatives uncover a secret biological laboratory in Trinidad. An isolated death at the hands of this killer virus is discovered in Greece.
Is there a connection, or are these simply a string of coincidences?
Dr. Mackenzie Hagan, a highly-educated, well-respected epidemiologist at the CDC-Atlanta, is called to Guatemala. As the daughter of a retired Commanding General of the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Mac often says infectious disease is in her blood. While no infectious disease outbreak is routine, this particular hot zone in Guatemala has its own set of complications - including a mysterious operative sent there by the Department of Defense. Events unfold and Mac is sent around the world investigating new cases involving this same, rare disease.
Nathan Hunter, a covert operative within an off-the-books project for the DOD, tracks down terrorists before they strike. As Hunter unravels a villainous plot with tentacles spanning the globe, his investigative path crosses with Mac's. Was it fate, or something else? Mac and Hunter work together to analyze the disease and to identify the source. But they soon learn that the biggest challenge they'll face is right at home - a government bureaucracy unwilling to sound the alarm to protect the nation.
As the disease spreads and the crisis escalates, an army lurks in the shadows - one blessed by Allah, and prepared to wage the Final Jihad.
This series will be frighteningly realistic. It is not intended to scare the wits out of you, but it might just scare the wits into you. Remember, it could take just one cough, one kiss, or one touch to change not only your life, but the lives of everyone around you -- forever.
This is an ingenious, inventive thriller about the threats we face from a global pandemic, and the use of infectious diseases by terrorists as they wage jihad around the world. Drawing on his unique talent to place the reader in a post-apocalyptic world, Bobby Akart delivers an explosive page-turner that has you wondering - will there be a last patient?
Note: The Pandemic Series does not contain strong language. It is intended to entertain and inform audiences of all ages, including teen and young adults. Although some scenes depict the realistic threat our nation faces from a worldwide pandemic, and the societal collapse which will result in the aftermath, it does not contain graphic scenes typical of other books in the post-apocalyptic genre. I believe more of our young people need to lead a preparedness lifestyle. Studies show that our millennials do not have any of the basic survival skills. By writing this series free of vulgarities and gratuitous sexual innuendo, I've intended it to be suitable for everyone. Thanks.
392 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 16, 2017
1544 people are currently reading
478 people want to read
About the author
Bobby Akart
98 books406 followersInternational bestselling author, Bobby Akart, one of America's favorite storytellers, delivers up-all-night thrillers to readers in 245 countries and territories worldwide. He's achieved Amazon Top 5 Author status in both fiction and non-fiction genres, Amazon Kindle All Star and Top 50 Amazon Author (#35) and Top 25 Best Selling Book on Amazon Charts (Yellowstone #25).
"He's right up there with James Patterson, David Baldacci, Brad Thor and others that write thrillers. To me he actually surpasses them.”
He has written more than 80 novels in the disaster, survival, medical and political thriller genres.
"He's right up there with James Patterson, David Baldacci, Brad Thor and others that write thrillers. To me he actually surpasses them.”
He has written more than 80 novels in the disaster, survival, medical and political thriller genres.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
July 5, 2017
A powerful fast paced and a realistic novel that leaves the readers on the edge of their seat and biting their nails in excitement and thril.
July 12, 2017
I'm going to add a disclaimer to this review. I LOVE Medical Thrillers/Bio-Thrillers. I've taken a liking to them ever since reading Michael Crichton as a kid, and then Richard Preston as a teenager. My fiction and non-fiction reading trajectory was paved with Medical Thrillers. Because of this, I was genuinely worried that one of my favorite authors was going to let me down by writing a book about a potential outbreak and not do his research. I have never been happier to be wrong in my life. Akart was able to write a book that is both utterly terrifying and incredibly enjoyable at the same time. I didn't even think that was a possibility.
With my disclaimer at the beginning, if you're not a bio-thriller or medical thriller fan (Robin Cook, Richard Preston, Michael Crichton, etc), you could still enjoy this book. This book, in particular, didn't go too "sciencey" making it unapproachable for the average reader (or even just an Akart fan from his other two series). It's a thriller where one of the main worries is a contagious and incredibly deadly disease. So it's action/thriller first and medical/bio second.
But, knowing that Akart was writing this series had me waiting with bated breath until it was released on audio. Then, I found out that he was going to use a dual narration for it. My excitement level (which was already high) skyrocketed. Usually, when that happens, the book is just okay, or average since I want it to be so good, I'm usually harder on it. But, as I said above -- I shouldn't have doubted Akart, he absolutely knocked this book out of the park.
Pandemic: Beginnings is a brilliant book that combines basically every aspect of a good thriller with great main characters and throws it into a washing machine with terrorism, bio-weapons, and diseases. Turns it on "heavy soiled" and lets it go. What comes out is a perfect mixture of all the best aspects of what I mentioned above and the ability to scare the heck out of a reader. Seriously, shake someone's hand after reading this... I dare you.
"Mac" the doctor in this was a great main character who is both powerful and smart. A great combination for a female protagonist. She was also really funny and a few time when I wasn't scared for my life, Mac had me cracking up with the way that she thought of or approached things.
Akart, who didn't set out to be a Medical Thriller author has written a book that will stick with me for a long time. Easily comparable to Crichton, Cook, and Preston as one of my top bio-thriller books I've ever read. And the best part is that he's just getting started. I hope that what follows in this series will follow some of the same blueprints that he's already laid out in Beginnings.
The dual narration was interesting. I've heard this done well and terribly. This was right in the middle. In the beginning, I was worried because the female narration parts are only for talking parts. Mac's internal thoughts were still narrated by Farrell. At first, this really bugged me. It just didn't seem to make any sense why it would work that way, but as I continued in the book and listening to it intently, I noticed that it didn't bother me anymore. It made a little more sense. Farrell is the main narrator who will give most of the talking parts, internal monologues, and "stage direction" (scene setting and stuff like this) while Adams (who has an AWESOME voice) will voice any female directly spoken parts. It worked better than I first thought it would and honestly it made this book fly by.
With my disclaimer at the beginning, if you're not a bio-thriller or medical thriller fan (Robin Cook, Richard Preston, Michael Crichton, etc), you could still enjoy this book. This book, in particular, didn't go too "sciencey" making it unapproachable for the average reader (or even just an Akart fan from his other two series). It's a thriller where one of the main worries is a contagious and incredibly deadly disease. So it's action/thriller first and medical/bio second.
But, knowing that Akart was writing this series had me waiting with bated breath until it was released on audio. Then, I found out that he was going to use a dual narration for it. My excitement level (which was already high) skyrocketed. Usually, when that happens, the book is just okay, or average since I want it to be so good, I'm usually harder on it. But, as I said above -- I shouldn't have doubted Akart, he absolutely knocked this book out of the park.
Pandemic: Beginnings is a brilliant book that combines basically every aspect of a good thriller with great main characters and throws it into a washing machine with terrorism, bio-weapons, and diseases. Turns it on "heavy soiled" and lets it go. What comes out is a perfect mixture of all the best aspects of what I mentioned above and the ability to scare the heck out of a reader. Seriously, shake someone's hand after reading this... I dare you.
"Mac" the doctor in this was a great main character who is both powerful and smart. A great combination for a female protagonist. She was also really funny and a few time when I wasn't scared for my life, Mac had me cracking up with the way that she thought of or approached things.
Akart, who didn't set out to be a Medical Thriller author has written a book that will stick with me for a long time. Easily comparable to Crichton, Cook, and Preston as one of my top bio-thriller books I've ever read. And the best part is that he's just getting started. I hope that what follows in this series will follow some of the same blueprints that he's already laid out in Beginnings.
The dual narration was interesting. I've heard this done well and terribly. This was right in the middle. In the beginning, I was worried because the female narration parts are only for talking parts. Mac's internal thoughts were still narrated by Farrell. At first, this really bugged me. It just didn't seem to make any sense why it would work that way, but as I continued in the book and listening to it intently, I noticed that it didn't bother me anymore. It made a little more sense. Farrell is the main narrator who will give most of the talking parts, internal monologues, and "stage direction" (scene setting and stuff like this) while Adams (who has an AWESOME voice) will voice any female directly spoken parts. It worked better than I first thought it would and honestly it made this book fly by.
May 19, 2017
Whew! WHAT a story! Bobby Akart has done it again with a story that will have you wondering if the world really will end tomorrow! He has taken one more possible scenario and turned it into a nightmare of what could happen to end our world as we know it! He has taken us through a cyber-attack and EMP and now a pandemic of the plague. This story had me squirming all the way through thinking of all the things I touch on a daily basis without thinking a thing about it. Which would be what the terrorists would be counting on! Every day of our lives, we touch door handles, shopping carts, money, handrails, etc. not knowing if the person before us has a communicable disease. After reading this story I will be much more aware of touching something and then putting my hands near my face and I will be sure to carry my hand sanitizer with me and use it often! Bobby Akart put a scare into me with this story not to make me a total paranoid recluse but to make me aware of what is out there and what could possibly happen. The research that this author did for this book was very thorough and I for one appreciate everything he has put into it. I loved the development of the characters from loving some to really disliking others and to finding out what makes some of them tick the way they do. I am never disappointed by any of Mr. Akart’s books and I have read almost all of them and Beginnings is now at the top of my list of all time favorite stories. I am so looking forward to reading the next book in this series. I know it will be just as exciting and edge of my seat good! Definitely should be added to everyone’s reading list!
September 15, 2017
Exciting. I will give it that, though by the time I realized the political persuasion, and the selling of an agenda throughout the book, I finished as fast as possible. It seemed to be good, though it read as if fox news or breitbart were the brains behind the operation. From the beginning, the author's note about "no swearing," to not offend delicate minds. To the thin attempts at disguising the "first Latino president," the German chancellor, etc. There were also quite obvious water-carrying for nearly everything that the current administration has proposed: ban on immigration, a border wall, how "unfair" the media is, how all people are "sheep in need of a strong leader." I digress. It was not a bad read, but certain codes throughout appeared like mines that I kept tripping over. I will not be continuing in this series. Oh well.
March 23, 2018
I soldiered on into the second book of this series hoping things would improve until I gave up in frustration.
Hunter is an operative in a shadowy team defending America. He's chiseled out of rock, tall and handsome, incredibly wealthy (which sort of makes you wonder why he's risking his life killing terrorists). He meets the obligatory love interest/CDC scientist and after a lot of social niceties and no swearing they go on to battle jihadists and short sighted bureaucrats.
This book is badly written, cliched, really short on any hard scientific fact and long on right wing politics.
Hunter is an operative in a shadowy team defending America. He's chiseled out of rock, tall and handsome, incredibly wealthy (which sort of makes you wonder why he's risking his life killing terrorists). He meets the obligatory love interest/CDC scientist and after a lot of social niceties and no swearing they go on to battle jihadists and short sighted bureaucrats.
This book is badly written, cliched, really short on any hard scientific fact and long on right wing politics.
May 16, 2019
Le premesse sulla carta erano buone.
Un ceppo di peste modificata in modo da essere resistente agli antibiotici, vari focolai sparsi per il mondo e, nelle quattro settimane coperte dal libro, la pandemia è mondiale.
Peccato, per me che non amo il soggetto, per la preponderante parte politica, sia americana, che legata ai terroristi/untori e ai vari legami con i governi mondiali.
In quattro settimane e quasi 400 pagine abbiamo l'amoraccio da colpo di fulmine tra la protagonista e l'eroe tutto muscoli, abbiamo terroristi che spargono bacilli senza neppure un colpo di tosse e i soliti complotti e intrallazzi burocratici, che ovviamente remano contro gli eroi in ogni modo possibile.
Il libro finisce con il bacillo a piede libero negli States, immortalato da fotografi e reporter, e altri tre libri a seguire.
Ma dubito che proseguirò con loro.
Un ceppo di peste modificata in modo da essere resistente agli antibiotici, vari focolai sparsi per il mondo e, nelle quattro settimane coperte dal libro, la pandemia è mondiale.
Peccato, per me che non amo il soggetto, per la preponderante parte politica, sia americana, che legata ai terroristi/untori e ai vari legami con i governi mondiali.
In quattro settimane e quasi 400 pagine abbiamo l'amoraccio da colpo di fulmine tra la protagonista e l'eroe tutto muscoli, abbiamo terroristi che spargono bacilli senza neppure un colpo di tosse e i soliti complotti e intrallazzi burocratici, che ovviamente remano contro gli eroi in ogni modo possibile.
Il libro finisce con il bacillo a piede libero negli States, immortalato da fotografi e reporter, e altri tre libri a seguire.
Ma dubito che proseguirò con loro.
July 29, 2017
When I first saw this advertised I immediately went and pre-ordered all 4 in the series. I enjoy this authors work and love bio/medical thrillers. I read the ebook first and absolutely devoured it, then got the audio when it came out and eagerly dived in again!!
This starts with a French Scientist being kidnapped and made to work on.... something. Then we see Mackenzie Hagan, of the CDC, dispatched to a remote village where all the inhabitants are dead. What could possible kill the whole village? While there she meets Nathan Hunter, an employee of the Department of Defense. He is there to investigate the killings too. What connection could an unknown virus have with the the DOD? It's up to Mac to find out.
So many thoughts ran through my head while reading this. What happens here is something that terrifies me. The idea of a Pandemic is something, in this day and age, that could happen easily. With people travelling so easily from place to place, and a virus that is spread so quickly, it all adds up to a very scary and terrifying scenario!!
Anyway, Bobby Akart has really done his research for this. He explained everything in such a way to make it easy for anyone to understand. How the bio weapon was made and the effects it had were brilliantly written. It really and truly makes you think. Every time I went anywhere and heard any coughs or sneezes it frightened me!!! Plus the idea of the final Jihad was extremely scary.
I also loved Mac and Hunter. Mac is a strong, smart female lead and I loved how she handled everything. She always did what was right, no matter what anyone else thought. I loved her interactions with Hunter and look forward to seeing how their friendship grows.
This is a story of what could happen and how easily it could!!! It definitely makes you think, what if? What would you do? When I read it first, it blew me away, but the audio was amazing.
John David Farrell and Kris Adams were awesome. I couldn't believe that it's Kris Adams first narration, she did a brilliant job. She was easy to listen to and her inflections were really good. As for John David Farrell, he was just as good. I've listened to a few by him and he always does a good job. I will say though, it took a few minutes to get used to the dual narration, just because Farrell narrated most of it, including Mac's inner thoughts, where Adams narrated the female talking parts. I wondered why for a while, but after a few chapters it didn't matter. It worked really well!!!
This starts with a French Scientist being kidnapped and made to work on.... something. Then we see Mackenzie Hagan, of the CDC, dispatched to a remote village where all the inhabitants are dead. What could possible kill the whole village? While there she meets Nathan Hunter, an employee of the Department of Defense. He is there to investigate the killings too. What connection could an unknown virus have with the the DOD? It's up to Mac to find out.
So many thoughts ran through my head while reading this. What happens here is something that terrifies me. The idea of a Pandemic is something, in this day and age, that could happen easily. With people travelling so easily from place to place, and a virus that is spread so quickly, it all adds up to a very scary and terrifying scenario!!
Anyway, Bobby Akart has really done his research for this. He explained everything in such a way to make it easy for anyone to understand. How the bio weapon was made and the effects it had were brilliantly written. It really and truly makes you think. Every time I went anywhere and heard any coughs or sneezes it frightened me!!! Plus the idea of the final Jihad was extremely scary.
I also loved Mac and Hunter. Mac is a strong, smart female lead and I loved how she handled everything. She always did what was right, no matter what anyone else thought. I loved her interactions with Hunter and look forward to seeing how their friendship grows.
This is a story of what could happen and how easily it could!!! It definitely makes you think, what if? What would you do? When I read it first, it blew me away, but the audio was amazing.
John David Farrell and Kris Adams were awesome. I couldn't believe that it's Kris Adams first narration, she did a brilliant job. She was easy to listen to and her inflections were really good. As for John David Farrell, he was just as good. I've listened to a few by him and he always does a good job. I will say though, it took a few minutes to get used to the dual narration, just because Farrell narrated most of it, including Mac's inner thoughts, where Adams narrated the female talking parts. I wondered why for a while, but after a few chapters it didn't matter. It worked really well!!!
May 19, 2017
As a big fan of the post apocalyptic genre, this series is going to be yet another amazing adventure from Bobby Akart. This book is the first in a series coming about a global terrorist driven pandemic. It starts literally at the beginning with a cough or sneeze from infected persons and the book winds through the initial worries from the CDC and our Government about it (along with the lack of concern by the "Administration" at first. The two most likely main characters, Hunter and Mac get in gear and begin the investigation as to the how and what makes this plague so special. As the story progresses you get a real sense as to where this is going and how horrible it's going to be. What really hits home with me is how easily this could be accomplished it today's "small world" society. What would you do if it came home ?? How would you protect your loved ones ? Totally new twist on a survival model !
October 9, 2017
Good science, bad writing
There’s a lot of potential here, but the writing is not very good. It takes too much of a textbook mode when talking about the science and the writing about the love interest is bad, unbelievable, and distracts from the main storyline. There’s also a political agenda that distracts from the story and makes me not want t9 read. I will not be finishing the rest of the series. Overall, huge disappointment.
There’s a lot of potential here, but the writing is not very good. It takes too much of a textbook mode when talking about the science and the writing about the love interest is bad, unbelievable, and distracts from the main storyline. There’s also a political agenda that distracts from the story and makes me not want t9 read. I will not be finishing the rest of the series. Overall, huge disappointment.
May 21, 2017
WOW!! What a thriller! While reading this book on the buss, someone coughed next to me!!! Scary! This is an amazing read, you follow CDC from the beginning of the first cases of the plague, how they work trying to identify and contain it. An absolute must read! Highly Recommended!
July 14, 2017
Tedious and wordy. Good plot that simply took too long to get to essence of each chapter. Found myself rapidly skimming looking for nuggets of storyline
March 25, 2018
For some reason I thought there would be zombies. There weren't.
The book was okay, it just wasn't what I was hoping for.
The book was okay, it just wasn't what I was hoping for.
March 9, 2022
I am giving the entire series of four books a 4.5
I will freely admit that I love a fast paced disaster/apocalypse/dystopian novel or series and the Pandemic series by Bobby Akart did not disappoint.
In the first book, Beginnings, the ISIS terrorist network plots "the final jihaad" on basically the globe, but in particular, the Great Satan (the USA). Their plans include developing and unleashing a super virus plague that is determined to have no cure and watch the population of the earth basically die off in the course of three weeks. Enter a brilliant epidemiologist from the CDC, a Delta Force under cover agent, and a US President who is always drunk and basically asleep on the job, and you've got the makings for some fast moving drama.
Book one is the beginning of the pandemic and the introduction of all the main characters. I couldn't wait to read book two.
Just a fun fact, this book is CHILLING, I'm not going to lie. The author wrote the series in 2017 and the parallels to what we've just lived thru and the realities of our current events is like life imitating fiction. There is no bad language whatsoever in this book and the violence is not very graphic but it is SCARY AF! I loved it! I would have given it 5 stars if all four books were just one or two.
I will freely admit that I love a fast paced disaster/apocalypse/dystopian novel or series and the Pandemic series by Bobby Akart did not disappoint.
In the first book, Beginnings, the ISIS terrorist network plots "the final jihaad" on basically the globe, but in particular, the Great Satan (the USA). Their plans include developing and unleashing a super virus plague that is determined to have no cure and watch the population of the earth basically die off in the course of three weeks. Enter a brilliant epidemiologist from the CDC, a Delta Force under cover agent, and a US President who is always drunk and basically asleep on the job, and you've got the makings for some fast moving drama.
Book one is the beginning of the pandemic and the introduction of all the main characters. I couldn't wait to read book two.
Just a fun fact, this book is CHILLING, I'm not going to lie. The author wrote the series in 2017 and the parallels to what we've just lived thru and the realities of our current events is like life imitating fiction. There is no bad language whatsoever in this book and the violence is not very graphic but it is SCARY AF! I loved it! I would have given it 5 stars if all four books were just one or two.
May 19, 2017
5 Stars
WOW!! This one will leave you on the edge of your seats, and grabbing for the nearest bottle of sanitizer. Bobby Akart has outdone himself again. The Pandemic series is a must-read that will make you think about how often you come into contact with germs. And asking yourself if you wash your hands often enough. Grab your sanitizer and disinfectant and dive right into this great series.
WOW!! This one will leave you on the edge of your seats, and grabbing for the nearest bottle of sanitizer. Bobby Akart has outdone himself again. The Pandemic series is a must-read that will make you think about how often you come into contact with germs. And asking yourself if you wash your hands often enough. Grab your sanitizer and disinfectant and dive right into this great series.
August 10, 2020
Pandemic Beginnings
A very interesting look into the beginning of a pandemic and how it makes its way all over the world. A drop of romance is added in. Fascinating read with some technical stuff that is over my head, but didn't take away from the story.
A very interesting look into the beginning of a pandemic and how it makes its way all over the world. A drop of romance is added in. Fascinating read with some technical stuff that is over my head, but didn't take away from the story.
May 9, 2020
Just like real life
Amazing at the detail of Bobby to research what happens for this book. Thoughtful and realistic with our being frightening. Enjoyed every minute.
Amazing at the detail of Bobby to research what happens for this book. Thoughtful and realistic with our being frightening. Enjoyed every minute.
April 1, 2020
Almost prophetic re: Covid-19
So incredibly right for what we see around us. No way to find patient zero in China because of geopolitics. Was it accidental? Hmmm. Mr. Akart is an exceptional writer who consistently produces best sellers. With this book, written well before the Coronavirus, as more and more readers find the series, it may well rise to number one on the bestseller lists!
So incredibly right for what we see around us. No way to find patient zero in China because of geopolitics. Was it accidental? Hmmm. Mr. Akart is an exceptional writer who consistently produces best sellers. With this book, written well before the Coronavirus, as more and more readers find the series, it may well rise to number one on the bestseller lists!
January 24, 2020
This book is part of a series and you can tell that it's been padded out to stretch the story into 4 parts. It was slow moving (to the extent of being boring on occasions) and I didn't particularly like the attitudes of the two main characters, who turned from enemies into lovey-doveys at the flick of a switch on a chance second encounter. It seemed unrealistic, as was their cringe-worthy dialogue.
There were quite a few errors, some quite amusing:
- what is a "temporal thermometer" - can it tell the time?
- "he was out of site"
- "rise to the level of an endemic." - endemic what? Perhaps pandemic?
Worst of all, a senior doctor suggesting an antibiotic as a treatment for Ebola, which is a virus, not a bacteria. Every doctor knows this. Perhaps I am being fussy but clearly a lot of research has been done for this book (you can tell from the info-dumping!) so the author should not have made this glaring mistake.
As for the plot, it's quite up-to-date with ISIS as the baddies and a US president who cares more about his re-election prospects than saving the citizens of his country. I will probably move on to book 2 because other reviews say the action picks up.
There were quite a few errors, some quite amusing:
- what is a "temporal thermometer" - can it tell the time?
- "he was out of site"
- "rise to the level of an endemic." - endemic what? Perhaps pandemic?
Worst of all, a senior doctor suggesting an antibiotic as a treatment for Ebola, which is a virus, not a bacteria. Every doctor knows this. Perhaps I am being fussy but clearly a lot of research has been done for this book (you can tell from the info-dumping!) so the author should not have made this glaring mistake.
As for the plot, it's quite up-to-date with ISIS as the baddies and a US president who cares more about his re-election prospects than saving the citizens of his country. I will probably move on to book 2 because other reviews say the action picks up.
December 29, 2019
Wow just awful. I have been trying to find a good pandemic thriller recently, Ive had a craving for a modern Andromeda Strain, this was not what I have been looking for. Everything is ridiculous I can't point to any positives except that it eventually ended. The writing is absolutely dreadful half the time it feels like reading sterilized press briefings loaded with info dumps the rest of the time its an impossible task to take the story seriously. Its a laughable slog through cliches and a pandering political screed. It manages to be exhausting tedious and painful all at once basically dreadful.
December 11, 2018
Solid story, interesting characters, steady pace
Found the writing to be clear and story driven. No unnecessary list of facts or medical information. The characters are likeable and I look forward to getting to know them better.
This is the first book by Bobby Akart that I have read, it will not be the last.
Found the writing to be clear and story driven. No unnecessary list of facts or medical information. The characters are likeable and I look forward to getting to know them better.
This is the first book by Bobby Akart that I have read, it will not be the last.
January 1, 2020
Page turner
You will read this book straight thru. The presence day scenario with the realness of the threat will keep you up . Action packed with an ending for more.
You will read this book straight thru. The presence day scenario with the realness of the threat will keep you up . Action packed with an ending for more.
March 28, 2020
If you’re a fan of thinly veiled right wing propaganda, it might be for you. Very disappointed as the story is of interest but the author has a clear agenda and I won’t be continuing this series.
August 29, 2017
My original Pandemic: Beginnings audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
A French scientist working in West Africa is kidnapped and made to work for his captors. Six months later people start dying in in small village in Guatemala, and soon after also in Greece. Dr.Mackenzie Hagan is in charge of this investigation, and she will soon learn that all these facts are related. Mac will try to find a way to fight what appears to be biological terrorism.
I always find medical thrillers amazing because what they describe feels so real. When I was listening to this audiobook I was imagining how plausible this was, and it was scary. Akart does not go very deep into the science behind but utilizes Mac to give clear explanations about how the plague works and the possible scenarios.
Mac is the main character in this story. She is good at what she does, but she is also funny, and has a human side always present in the story. There are several parts in the book, as the plague appears in several parts of the globe, but they are nicely tied together thanks to this character. There are a couple of important characters after Mac, and while they are less developed, I also found them realistic. The dialogs are well constructed and they feel natural and fluid.
I wanted to mention that this book, although it is not a short one, is just a first approach to the situation. We are left with a cliffhanger, which had me wanting to know more and how humanity was going to be saved from this.
There is some unjustified romance in this book, where the guy is nice, handsome and rich. This was uncalled for, in my opinion. And the fact that Mac at some point affirms that she believes in fate. For someone who does not, this sounds kind of hollow.
The type of narration in this book is called duet narration, in which the male narrator interprets male characters and the female narrator does female ones. While I am not a fan of dual narration (narrators taking turns in reading complete chapters), duet narration is something I can get used to, since the listener needs to pay less attention to which character is talking. The volume and transitions between both narrators were well done, and I did not notice any kind of the initial discomfort that I have had in other books. John David Farrell played well different voices, but his British accent did not convince me. Kris Adams has very good narration skills, but I felt that the female characters sounded quite similar (I had troubles discerning between Mac and Jeannie).
There is an incorrect pronunciation for Cerro de Muerte, using the Italian pronunciation instead of the Spanish. This is something that often happens in audiobooks. I just wish that narrators took the time to check pronunciation of words in other languages.
Another minor issue I found were two repeated sentences towards the end of the book, by Farrell (6:55:41 and 6:56:03).
I really enjoyed this audiobook, which I found scary at times. I would totally recommend it not only to medical thriller fans, but also anyone who enjoys a good thriller.
A French scientist working in West Africa is kidnapped and made to work for his captors. Six months later people start dying in in small village in Guatemala, and soon after also in Greece. Dr.Mackenzie Hagan is in charge of this investigation, and she will soon learn that all these facts are related. Mac will try to find a way to fight what appears to be biological terrorism.
I always find medical thrillers amazing because what they describe feels so real. When I was listening to this audiobook I was imagining how plausible this was, and it was scary. Akart does not go very deep into the science behind but utilizes Mac to give clear explanations about how the plague works and the possible scenarios.
Mac is the main character in this story. She is good at what she does, but she is also funny, and has a human side always present in the story. There are several parts in the book, as the plague appears in several parts of the globe, but they are nicely tied together thanks to this character. There are a couple of important characters after Mac, and while they are less developed, I also found them realistic. The dialogs are well constructed and they feel natural and fluid.
I wanted to mention that this book, although it is not a short one, is just a first approach to the situation. We are left with a cliffhanger, which had me wanting to know more and how humanity was going to be saved from this.
There is some unjustified romance in this book, where the guy is nice, handsome and rich. This was uncalled for, in my opinion. And the fact that Mac at some point affirms that she believes in fate. For someone who does not, this sounds kind of hollow.
The type of narration in this book is called duet narration, in which the male narrator interprets male characters and the female narrator does female ones. While I am not a fan of dual narration (narrators taking turns in reading complete chapters), duet narration is something I can get used to, since the listener needs to pay less attention to which character is talking. The volume and transitions between both narrators were well done, and I did not notice any kind of the initial discomfort that I have had in other books. John David Farrell played well different voices, but his British accent did not convince me. Kris Adams has very good narration skills, but I felt that the female characters sounded quite similar (I had troubles discerning between Mac and Jeannie).
There is an incorrect pronunciation for Cerro de Muerte, using the Italian pronunciation instead of the Spanish. This is something that often happens in audiobooks. I just wish that narrators took the time to check pronunciation of words in other languages.
Another minor issue I found were two repeated sentences towards the end of the book, by Farrell (6:55:41 and 6:56:03).
I really enjoyed this audiobook, which I found scary at times. I would totally recommend it not only to medical thriller fans, but also anyone who enjoys a good thriller.
July 23, 2017
When I first saw this advertised I immediately went and pre-ordered all 4 in the series. I enjoy this authors work and love bio/medical thrillers. I read the ebook first and absolutely devoured it, then got the audio when it came out and eagerly dived in again!!
This starts with a French Scientist being kidnapped and made to work on.... something. Then we see Mackenzie Hagan, of the CDC, dispatched to a remote village where all the inhabitants are dead. What could possible kill the whole village? While there she meets Nathan Hunter, an employee of the Department of Defense. He is there to investigate the killings too. What connection could an unknown virus have with the the DOD? It's up to Mac to find out.
So many thoughts ran through my head while reading this. What happens here is something that terrifies me. The idea of a Pandemic is something, in this day and age, that could happen easily. With people travelling so easily from place to place, and a virus that is spread so quickly, it all adds up to a very scary and terrifying scenario!!
Anyway, Bobby Akart has really done his research for this. He explained everything in such a way to make it easy for anyone to understand. How the bio weapon was made and the effects it had were brilliantly written. It really and truly makes you think. Every time I went anywhere and heard any coughs or sneezes it frightened me!!! Plus the idea of the final Jihad was extremely scary.
I also loved Mac and Hunter. Mac is a strong, smart female lead and I loved how she handled everything. She always did what was right, no matter what anyone else thought. I loved her interactions with Hunter and look forward to seeing how their friendship grows.
This is a story of what could happen and how easily it could!!! It definitely makes you think, what if? What would you do? When I read it first, it blew me away, but the audio was amazing.
John David Farrell and Kris Adams were awesome. I couldn't believe that it's Kris Adams first narration, she did a brilliant job. She was easy to listen to and her inflections were really good. As for John David Farrell, he was just as good. I've listened to a few by him and he always does a good job. I will say though, it took a few minutes to get used to the dual narration, just because Farrell narrated most of it, including Mac's inner thoughts, where Adams narrated the female talking parts. I wondered why for a while, but after a few chapters it didn't matter. It worked really well!!!
This starts with a French Scientist being kidnapped and made to work on.... something. Then we see Mackenzie Hagan, of the CDC, dispatched to a remote village where all the inhabitants are dead. What could possible kill the whole village? While there she meets Nathan Hunter, an employee of the Department of Defense. He is there to investigate the killings too. What connection could an unknown virus have with the the DOD? It's up to Mac to find out.
So many thoughts ran through my head while reading this. What happens here is something that terrifies me. The idea of a Pandemic is something, in this day and age, that could happen easily. With people travelling so easily from place to place, and a virus that is spread so quickly, it all adds up to a very scary and terrifying scenario!!
Anyway, Bobby Akart has really done his research for this. He explained everything in such a way to make it easy for anyone to understand. How the bio weapon was made and the effects it had were brilliantly written. It really and truly makes you think. Every time I went anywhere and heard any coughs or sneezes it frightened me!!! Plus the idea of the final Jihad was extremely scary.
I also loved Mac and Hunter. Mac is a strong, smart female lead and I loved how she handled everything. She always did what was right, no matter what anyone else thought. I loved her interactions with Hunter and look forward to seeing how their friendship grows.
This is a story of what could happen and how easily it could!!! It definitely makes you think, what if? What would you do? When I read it first, it blew me away, but the audio was amazing.
John David Farrell and Kris Adams were awesome. I couldn't believe that it's Kris Adams first narration, she did a brilliant job. She was easy to listen to and her inflections were really good. As for John David Farrell, he was just as good. I've listened to a few by him and he always does a good job. I will say though, it took a few minutes to get used to the dual narration, just because Farrell narrated most of it, including Mac's inner thoughts, where Adams narrated the female talking parts. I wondered why for a while, but after a few chapters it didn't matter. It worked really well!!!
May 19, 2017
An outbreak of a deadly plague virus brought them together. A sneeze or a cough could separate them forever.
LCDR Mackenzie Hagan, MD and her coworker Janelle Turnbull are Epidemiologists for the CDC in Atlanta. Their current assignment is a small Guatemalan village near the border with Mexico. The inhabitants of the village all died of a particularly virulent form of the pneumonic plague. While investigating the village, Mac meets Nathan Hunter, an employee of the Department of Defense. Nathan is also investigating the deaths of the villagers. What's the source of this ancient pathogen? And how did it arrive in this remote village? How are the plague, this village, and the Final Jihad connected?
Bobby Akart has brought us another terrific and and terrifying series about a post-apocalyptic dystopian future, this time the cause of the end of the world as we know it is a pandemic. The story is ripped from tomorrow's headlines describing an all too real, all too possible, all too terrifying warning of what COULD happen, all too easily. With a warning comes preparation, but how do you prepare for a killer who doesn't care who you are, what you do or what you believe? A killer who only needs a warm body. A killer that can find you from any surface you touch, or from the very air you breathe? A nearby cough or sneeze, or pressing the down button on the elevator, or grasping a door handle can bring the killer into your life, then you can bring it to everyone you love, everyone you know.
The characters in this story are brought to you in rich detail. Not just actors in a play, but friends you know, living just down the street a bit. These are people you can love or hate, you can cheer their wins or boo their play. In the pages of this story you will find a chuckle or a belly laugh, you will shed tears of joy and tears of sorrow. You will be thrilled, terrified and disgusted. One thing you won't be is bored!
LCDR Mackenzie Hagan, MD and her coworker Janelle Turnbull are Epidemiologists for the CDC in Atlanta. Their current assignment is a small Guatemalan village near the border with Mexico. The inhabitants of the village all died of a particularly virulent form of the pneumonic plague. While investigating the village, Mac meets Nathan Hunter, an employee of the Department of Defense. Nathan is also investigating the deaths of the villagers. What's the source of this ancient pathogen? And how did it arrive in this remote village? How are the plague, this village, and the Final Jihad connected?
Bobby Akart has brought us another terrific and and terrifying series about a post-apocalyptic dystopian future, this time the cause of the end of the world as we know it is a pandemic. The story is ripped from tomorrow's headlines describing an all too real, all too possible, all too terrifying warning of what COULD happen, all too easily. With a warning comes preparation, but how do you prepare for a killer who doesn't care who you are, what you do or what you believe? A killer who only needs a warm body. A killer that can find you from any surface you touch, or from the very air you breathe? A nearby cough or sneeze, or pressing the down button on the elevator, or grasping a door handle can bring the killer into your life, then you can bring it to everyone you love, everyone you know.
The characters in this story are brought to you in rich detail. Not just actors in a play, but friends you know, living just down the street a bit. These are people you can love or hate, you can cheer their wins or boo their play. In the pages of this story you will find a chuckle or a belly laugh, you will shed tears of joy and tears of sorrow. You will be thrilled, terrified and disgusted. One thing you won't be is bored!
November 20, 2018
I read the Yellowstone series and really liked them. I think this might be an earlier series and that the author has actually improved as a writer. I'm an avid reader, but I had a hard time moving this story along. The structure felt a bit contrived and the protagonists lacked depth. We are told what they're doing, but too often, not what they're thinking and feeling. The plot often jumps to vignettes to show us how the disease is progressing, but doesn't give us much to feel attached to these brief characters. I actually stopped reading this book to read another- something I don't do. I came back to it though and finished it...and have decided to try the next in the series. The author does an excellent job of giving detailed information that appears to be scientifically accurate. You can learn a lot about the real threat of a pandemic and hopefully make some connections with the characters.
April 13, 2020
This book does not stand by its own. You must read the following books of Pandemic. (it is one full book more than 1000 pages , divided into 4 smaller books)
Reading this book , and the follow up books of Pandemic on April 2020 with the Corona around us, makes it a very special reading. The only reason I gave it a 4 star and not 5 , is the fact that the book is full with "wikipedia facts", as if to fill up pages. That is what we call "Info Dump book" .Seems as if a lot of research work has been done for the book, and what Mr. Akart did , was putting them fully in the book. I don't need to read a full chapter describing ISIS and what it is. Same goes for other organizations . I skipped those long descriptions, and concentrateג on the story flow.
I also found out that in some events the story flow was interrupted, and was not finished. Like they are being chased in Guatemala, and suddenly they are back in Atlanta.
Reading this book , and the follow up books of Pandemic on April 2020 with the Corona around us, makes it a very special reading. The only reason I gave it a 4 star and not 5 , is the fact that the book is full with "wikipedia facts", as if to fill up pages. That is what we call "Info Dump book" .Seems as if a lot of research work has been done for the book, and what Mr. Akart did , was putting them fully in the book. I don't need to read a full chapter describing ISIS and what it is. Same goes for other organizations . I skipped those long descriptions, and concentrateג on the story flow.
I also found out that in some events the story flow was interrupted, and was not finished. Like they are being chased in Guatemala, and suddenly they are back in Atlanta.
May 30, 2017
WOW!!! Now that I want to bleach everything I've ever touched and never leave my apartment, I'll tell you this is a very thought provoking and terrifying story of what sick minds bent on erasing all that don't follow their religious beliefs will do.
This story starts with zealots mutating a virus and then spreading it worldwide. Innocents all around the globe are quickly falling ill and unfortunately spreading it unknowingly to more victims.
The characters are well developed and you get involved in their struggle to stop the eradication. This is a fast paced story that picks up speed as more countries become enveloped in this pandemic.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the horror genre as the premise of this book is truly horrifying. I'm looking forward to reading the other books in this awesome series.
This story starts with zealots mutating a virus and then spreading it worldwide. Innocents all around the globe are quickly falling ill and unfortunately spreading it unknowingly to more victims.
The characters are well developed and you get involved in their struggle to stop the eradication. This is a fast paced story that picks up speed as more countries become enveloped in this pandemic.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the horror genre as the premise of this book is truly horrifying. I'm looking forward to reading the other books in this awesome series.
June 3, 2017
THE START OF ONE GREAT SERIES IN THE MAKING.
This book is definitely the start of one great series and I for one can't wait to read them all. Bobby Akart has done such an awesome job with this first book in what looks to be one super series, that I hope will have people counting the days until the release of book #2 "The Innocents". This first book "Pandemic: Beginnings: A Post-Apocalyptic Medical Thriller Series" was the best and I loved it. With Mac & Hunter doing all they can to find out the how and why of this viruses implementation, it becomes seen, they then will need to find out if it can even be stopped. Any book or stories that start with a pandemic is always at the top of my list and once anyone reads this, I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did and are also biting their nails for the next book in this series.
This book is definitely the start of one great series and I for one can't wait to read them all. Bobby Akart has done such an awesome job with this first book in what looks to be one super series, that I hope will have people counting the days until the release of book #2 "The Innocents". This first book "Pandemic: Beginnings: A Post-Apocalyptic Medical Thriller Series" was the best and I loved it. With Mac & Hunter doing all they can to find out the how and why of this viruses implementation, it becomes seen, they then will need to find out if it can even be stopped. Any book or stories that start with a pandemic is always at the top of my list and once anyone reads this, I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did and are also biting their nails for the next book in this series.
April 2, 2020
Prescient
Well written. Appears that some facts asserted are clearly misrepresentative; e.g., the number of Muslims in certain Central American countries. Theory is sound and workable as to terrorist interest in bioweapons and clearly this form of plague would be the weapon of choice so long as martyrdom is the delivery vehicle. I tend toward realistic dystopian writing and this book clearly carries a realistic operative theory. Anyone reading this today would think the writer had foreknowledge of COVID-19. What no one could perceive accurately was Chinese deception lies and propaganda that would be the catalyst for pandemic impact. Reading the exponential spread of the pestis in this series of books makes it clear that domestic and international duplicity by a government and controlling the truth leads to disaster.
Well written. Appears that some facts asserted are clearly misrepresentative; e.g., the number of Muslims in certain Central American countries. Theory is sound and workable as to terrorist interest in bioweapons and clearly this form of plague would be the weapon of choice so long as martyrdom is the delivery vehicle. I tend toward realistic dystopian writing and this book clearly carries a realistic operative theory. Anyone reading this today would think the writer had foreknowledge of COVID-19. What no one could perceive accurately was Chinese deception lies and propaganda that would be the catalyst for pandemic impact. Reading the exponential spread of the pestis in this series of books makes it clear that domestic and international duplicity by a government and controlling the truth leads to disaster.
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