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The Apocalypse Strain
A multi-national research team, led by a medical genomics expert suffering from MS, study an ancient pandoravirus at a remote Siberian research facility. Called "Molli" by the research team, the organic substance reveals some unique but troublesome characteristics, qualities that, in the wrong hands, could lead to human extinction.
The researchers soon learn that even in the right hands, Molli is a force too dangerous to escape their compound. But the virus has a mind of its own, and it wants out.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
The researchers soon learn that even in the right hands, Molli is a force too dangerous to escape their compound. But the virus has a mind of its own, and it wants out.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
288 pages, Paperback
Published June 25, 2020
60 people are currently reading
247 people want to read
About the author
Jason Parent
50 books690 followersIn his head, Jason Parent lives in many places, but in the real world, he calls New England his home. The region offers an abundance of settings for his writing and many wonderful places in which to write them. He currently resides in Southeastern Massachusetts with his cuddly corgi named Calypso.
In a prior life, Jason spent most of his time in front of a judge . . . as a civil litigator. When he finally tired of Latin phrases no one knew how to pronounce and explaining to people that real lawsuits are not started, tried and finalized within the 60-minute timeframe they see on TV (it's harassing the witness; no one throws vicious woodland creatures at them), he traded in his cheap suits for flip flops and designer stubble. The flops got repossessed the next day, and he's back in the legal field . . . sorta. But that's another story.
When he's not working, Jason likes to kayak, catch a movie, travel any place that will let him enter, and play just about any sport (except that ball tied to the pole thing where you basically just whack the ball until it twists into a knot or takes somebody's head off - he misses the appeal). And read and write, of course. He does that too sometimes.
Please visit the author on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJasonP..., on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AuthorJasParent, or at his website, http://authorjasonparent.com/, for information regarding upcoming events or releases, or if you have any questions or comments for him.
In a prior life, Jason spent most of his time in front of a judge . . . as a civil litigator. When he finally tired of Latin phrases no one knew how to pronounce and explaining to people that real lawsuits are not started, tried and finalized within the 60-minute timeframe they see on TV (it's harassing the witness; no one throws vicious woodland creatures at them), he traded in his cheap suits for flip flops and designer stubble. The flops got repossessed the next day, and he's back in the legal field . . . sorta. But that's another story.
When he's not working, Jason likes to kayak, catch a movie, travel any place that will let him enter, and play just about any sport (except that ball tied to the pole thing where you basically just whack the ball until it twists into a knot or takes somebody's head off - he misses the appeal). And read and write, of course. He does that too sometimes.
Please visit the author on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJasonP..., on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AuthorJasParent, or at his website, http://authorjasonparent.com/, for information regarding upcoming events or releases, or if you have any questions or comments for him.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
August 25, 2020
This horror/sci-fi mashup was fun as all get out!
At an isolated lab facility in Siberia a group of scientists are studying a material they nicknamed "Molli." Of course, everything is not as it seems on the surface, and not everyone at this lab is here to study. As with any new discovery, many creative uses for this new substance can be found, but what if it falls into the wrong hands? Is that what happened here? You'll have to read this to find out!
This isn't about a pandemic, just to be clear. Mr. Parent did not jump on that bandwagon. I chose to read this book as an homage to John Carpenter's The Thing, as well as, maybe, Alien. In that regard, as an homage, you really couldn't get much better than this. THE APOCALYPSE STRAIN evokes all the emotions and feels that those two films did, plus some.
With a diverse cast of characters, there's a certain point where everything takes off, however, the start is a little slow to get going. The second half of this revealed itself to my brain as a film.
There were a few things that didn't quite make sense, (the protestors outside a remote Siberian lab? What?), but I let them roll off because, hey-this is supposed to be fun! I'm sure some will say this is derivative of the films I've mentioned and other things too, and maybe it is. For me, reading it as an homage, it worked!
I had a lot of fun reading this, especially in the second half where everything really takes off.
Recommended, especially to fans of The Thing and/or Alien!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3hsW4Ez
*Thank you to Flame Tree Press and to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
At an isolated lab facility in Siberia a group of scientists are studying a material they nicknamed "Molli." Of course, everything is not as it seems on the surface, and not everyone at this lab is here to study. As with any new discovery, many creative uses for this new substance can be found, but what if it falls into the wrong hands? Is that what happened here? You'll have to read this to find out!
This isn't about a pandemic, just to be clear. Mr. Parent did not jump on that bandwagon. I chose to read this book as an homage to John Carpenter's The Thing, as well as, maybe, Alien. In that regard, as an homage, you really couldn't get much better than this. THE APOCALYPSE STRAIN evokes all the emotions and feels that those two films did, plus some.
With a diverse cast of characters, there's a certain point where everything takes off, however, the start is a little slow to get going. The second half of this revealed itself to my brain as a film.
There were a few things that didn't quite make sense, (the protestors outside a remote Siberian lab? What?), but I let them roll off because, hey-this is supposed to be fun! I'm sure some will say this is derivative of the films I've mentioned and other things too, and maybe it is. For me, reading it as an homage, it worked!
I had a lot of fun reading this, especially in the second half where everything really takes off.
Recommended, especially to fans of The Thing and/or Alien!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3hsW4Ez
*Thank you to Flame Tree Press and to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
August 14, 2020
I had high hopes based on some of the reviews I read, but this book just did not impress me. There are hints of the original "Alien" movie, which I did enjoy. Mostly I felt dragged along by the story without any character development. There was potential here, but the story felt very incomplete. The best of the entire book was a huge twist in the epilogue, actually the final two sentences.
*Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
*Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 29, 2020
The Apocalyspe Strain is an horror / action novel by author Jason Parent.
It’s quite a difficult book to review without spoiling anything, and spoiling it would be a pity, really, as all the twists and turns the story take are thrilling. It’s about a virus (totally unlike the one currently plaguing us), but it’s not about an epidemic. It’s about a mismatched group of scientists, paramilitaries and a very special activist trying to prevent such a pandemic to occur.
Some twenty years into the future, a team of scientists and astronauts train for a future manned mission to Mars. They drill into the permafrost. One of them, hallucinating, maybe from grief and strain, is led to drill a particular spot, where he uncovers a very ancient squirrel nest full of preserved biological goodies such as seeds and micro-organisms.
Not long after, a group of scientists from several fields, including the original team, study the discoveries in an international research facility, guarded by a private sector paramilitary unit, and surrounded with protestors. Among the retrieved items are four pandaviruses that have been revived. They are the focus of a French researcher, Clara St Pierre, who has hopes of extracting cures from them, and maybe one for the multiple sclerosis that has her confined to a wheelchair. Instead, she discovers one of those viruses isn’t exactly a pandavirus, but something more. This potentially dangerous organism wants out in the world, and has a lot of tricks in its bag to make it happen.
The author channels a lots of classic works in this novel : The Thing, X-Files (especially the early « Ice » episode by Glenn Morgan & James Wong, and the black oil saga), Aliens, and even Hellboy. But, it is not a retread of works already done. The author appropriated beloved concepts, and turned them into something new. An original and enthralling story you want to read in one sitting.
All the best elements from those classics are there, though : glimpses of secret knowledge, eerie events, isolation, claustrophobia, dread, mistrust, treachery and paranoia (in the characters as much as in the reader). Also, action. A lot of action. So much that, at some points, we follow sequences happening simultaneously, like a literary version of the « 24 » split screen gimmick.
Jason Parent plays with a large cast of diverse and quickly fleshed out characters, all with their own qualities and faults, appearing and evolving under the ever increasing stress and fear. Prepare to be disappointed by some, get in awe of others or, to put it simply, for an emotional roller coaster ride leaving the reader not one moment to breathe.
Thanks to Flame Tree Press and Netgalley for the ARC provided in exchange for this unbiased review.
It’s quite a difficult book to review without spoiling anything, and spoiling it would be a pity, really, as all the twists and turns the story take are thrilling. It’s about a virus (totally unlike the one currently plaguing us), but it’s not about an epidemic. It’s about a mismatched group of scientists, paramilitaries and a very special activist trying to prevent such a pandemic to occur.
Some twenty years into the future, a team of scientists and astronauts train for a future manned mission to Mars. They drill into the permafrost. One of them, hallucinating, maybe from grief and strain, is led to drill a particular spot, where he uncovers a very ancient squirrel nest full of preserved biological goodies such as seeds and micro-organisms.
Not long after, a group of scientists from several fields, including the original team, study the discoveries in an international research facility, guarded by a private sector paramilitary unit, and surrounded with protestors. Among the retrieved items are four pandaviruses that have been revived. They are the focus of a French researcher, Clara St Pierre, who has hopes of extracting cures from them, and maybe one for the multiple sclerosis that has her confined to a wheelchair. Instead, she discovers one of those viruses isn’t exactly a pandavirus, but something more. This potentially dangerous organism wants out in the world, and has a lot of tricks in its bag to make it happen.
The author channels a lots of classic works in this novel : The Thing, X-Files (especially the early « Ice » episode by Glenn Morgan & James Wong, and the black oil saga), Aliens, and even Hellboy. But, it is not a retread of works already done. The author appropriated beloved concepts, and turned them into something new. An original and enthralling story you want to read in one sitting.
All the best elements from those classics are there, though : glimpses of secret knowledge, eerie events, isolation, claustrophobia, dread, mistrust, treachery and paranoia (in the characters as much as in the reader). Also, action. A lot of action. So much that, at some points, we follow sequences happening simultaneously, like a literary version of the « 24 » split screen gimmick.
Jason Parent plays with a large cast of diverse and quickly fleshed out characters, all with their own qualities and faults, appearing and evolving under the ever increasing stress and fear. Prepare to be disappointed by some, get in awe of others or, to put it simply, for an emotional roller coaster ride leaving the reader not one moment to breathe.
Thanks to Flame Tree Press and Netgalley for the ARC provided in exchange for this unbiased review.
Want to read
March 16, 2020Probably not the best book to read, not with all serious situation with COVID-19 right now. Got it from Netgalley though.
June 24, 2020
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
Big thanks to Netgalley, Flametree Press and Jason for letting me check out his newest ‘The Apocalypse Strain.’
I have a few of Jason’s book, yet somehow I’ve not gotten to them yet, which after reading this will be rectified shortly!
I love diving into Horror/Sci-Fi, and when I saw this one come up, I knew I’d need to give it a whirl.
What I liked: ‘The Apocalypse Strain’ tells the story of a virus found deep in the permafrost in Siberia. A group of scientists are then gathered to analyze the finding in a remote complex. The complex was originally designed to aid astronauts preparing for a mission to Mars.
Parent doesn’t ease us into this book one little bit. Instead, from the first page, he decides to shoot out of the gate and from there the book never lets up. This one features a widely diverse cast of characters and because of that, they each have their own unique back story or point of view as everything keeps getting worse. I enjoyed how Parent made sure to not highlight one singular character. While Dr St. Pierre is featured a bit more and we learn a little more about her than the others, she still never comes across as the ‘pure hero’ or ‘saviour’ that we know will live and be there for the last page. No, she’s incredibly flawed, which made her that much more relatable. Now, I use the term flawed for her – but that isn’t describing or categorizing the fact that she has MS. I use that term based on her distrust and dislike or other people. And while some of that may be related to previous encounters around her condition, she doesn’t use her disease as a negative. Her brain is her ultimate weapon, her strongest muscle and that is evident throughout her entire story arc.
The organism or virus, dubbed “Molli” is a vicious beast and I loved how Parent used it to not only build tension and fear but also to create distrust between the characters.
What I didn’t like: A couple of things really stand out for me. While this book does go down some very familiar Horror/Sci-Fi tropes, that is almost expected in a story like this. So, for those parts, I really just let my brain shut off and enjoy the ride. I didn’t want to start to dislike anything especially when I could see some stuff coming. No, for me there were two main parts that bugged me.
The first was the ease at which our protestor, Dante, gets into the complex. This is supposed to be a highly secure, remote, classified complex that is located in the freezing tundra of Siberia, but for some reason, there are protestors out front? That was a stretch that I struggled with. And when Dante nonchalantly strolled into the parking garage, I was a bit put off. I know we needed a way for him to infiltrate, but it still seemed a bit too easy.
The second was, while there is a vast and diverse cast of characters, this also made many of them forgettable and for the most part, some were completely unnecessary. I finished this last night and there are some characters that I can’t recall their names of, not even twelve hours later. It’s a minor thing, but for me it made a lot of the group unrelatable.
Why you should buy it: This is “Summer Blockbuster” personified. This is the Michael Bay-big-explosions-big-set-pieces movie that we all would be excited to go watch right now if COVID-19 hadn’t shut everything down. Parent delivers a superb action-adventure book and if you pair this with the other recent Flametree release from Brian Moreland, ‘Tomb of Gods,’ well, you really have two fantastic books for a great doubleheader. This one was a fun time and definitely one I hope everyone checks out!
Big thanks to Netgalley, Flametree Press and Jason for letting me check out his newest ‘The Apocalypse Strain.’
I have a few of Jason’s book, yet somehow I’ve not gotten to them yet, which after reading this will be rectified shortly!
I love diving into Horror/Sci-Fi, and when I saw this one come up, I knew I’d need to give it a whirl.
What I liked: ‘The Apocalypse Strain’ tells the story of a virus found deep in the permafrost in Siberia. A group of scientists are then gathered to analyze the finding in a remote complex. The complex was originally designed to aid astronauts preparing for a mission to Mars.
Parent doesn’t ease us into this book one little bit. Instead, from the first page, he decides to shoot out of the gate and from there the book never lets up. This one features a widely diverse cast of characters and because of that, they each have their own unique back story or point of view as everything keeps getting worse. I enjoyed how Parent made sure to not highlight one singular character. While Dr St. Pierre is featured a bit more and we learn a little more about her than the others, she still never comes across as the ‘pure hero’ or ‘saviour’ that we know will live and be there for the last page. No, she’s incredibly flawed, which made her that much more relatable. Now, I use the term flawed for her – but that isn’t describing or categorizing the fact that she has MS. I use that term based on her distrust and dislike or other people. And while some of that may be related to previous encounters around her condition, she doesn’t use her disease as a negative. Her brain is her ultimate weapon, her strongest muscle and that is evident throughout her entire story arc.
The organism or virus, dubbed “Molli” is a vicious beast and I loved how Parent used it to not only build tension and fear but also to create distrust between the characters.
What I didn’t like: A couple of things really stand out for me. While this book does go down some very familiar Horror/Sci-Fi tropes, that is almost expected in a story like this. So, for those parts, I really just let my brain shut off and enjoy the ride. I didn’t want to start to dislike anything especially when I could see some stuff coming. No, for me there were two main parts that bugged me.
The first was the ease at which our protestor, Dante, gets into the complex. This is supposed to be a highly secure, remote, classified complex that is located in the freezing tundra of Siberia, but for some reason, there are protestors out front? That was a stretch that I struggled with. And when Dante nonchalantly strolled into the parking garage, I was a bit put off. I know we needed a way for him to infiltrate, but it still seemed a bit too easy.
The second was, while there is a vast and diverse cast of characters, this also made many of them forgettable and for the most part, some were completely unnecessary. I finished this last night and there are some characters that I can’t recall their names of, not even twelve hours later. It’s a minor thing, but for me it made a lot of the group unrelatable.
Why you should buy it: This is “Summer Blockbuster” personified. This is the Michael Bay-big-explosions-big-set-pieces movie that we all would be excited to go watch right now if COVID-19 hadn’t shut everything down. Parent delivers a superb action-adventure book and if you pair this with the other recent Flametree release from Brian Moreland, ‘Tomb of Gods,’ well, you really have two fantastic books for a great doubleheader. This one was a fun time and definitely one I hope everyone checks out!
August 11, 2020
The Apocalypse Strain is a perhaps unfortunately titled horror-thriller set on a remote Siberian research base, about twenty years into the future. The author can’t have known when he wrote it that by the time his book came out, the world would be paralysed by a virus pandemic which may not actually by apocalyptic, but certainly feels like it sometimes. Unfortunately this may put some readers off, when in fact it’s not about a pandemic, and while yes, the particularly nasty organism featured certainly could bring about the end of the world, this is actually a fun-scary gorefest which channels classic sci-fi like The Thing, Resident Evil, or Alien, and also reminded me of a more recent TV show called Helix.
When a team of astrobiologists training for a mission to Mars dig an ancient animal nest out of the permafrost, a cluster of intriguing viruses are discovered. A varied group of international scientists are brought to the Shakhova-Mendelsen base to study these new “pandoraviruses”, in spite of vocal protests by demonstrators about the risks, so they are protected by an armed security force. Clara, a brilliant French microbiologist, confined to a wheelchair by advanced Multiple Sclerosis, hopes that the mysterious virus they’ve dubbed Molli will lead to a cure for her condition and many others, but then it gets out, and starts infecting people, with terrifying consequences.
I don’t read much horror, and when I requested this based on the cover and title without paying much attention to the blurb, in the early stages of the covid-19 pandemic, thought that it would be a good distraction from the drama unfolding in real life, but then we had to go into Lockdown, and I really wasn’t in the mood for post-apocalyptic type stories. With publication looming I knew I needed to get on with it, and like others was bemused to discover that it was a completely different type of story to what I was expecting, but in a good way.
The strength here is the atypical cast of characters, very different from the usual action-sci-fi standards, and not clearcut good and evil. Clara is an unlikeable heroine, embittered by her disease, introspective, selfish and driven. There’s Monty the jokey Australian security guard, Sergei the bereaved father, psychotic with grief and controlled by a force he doesn’t understand, Jordan the handsome but dweeby botanist, and Anju the kind and beautiful research assistant, ignoring her lecherous boss because she’s so happy to be on the base. Then there’s Dante, Italian terrorist with his own agenda - or is he? You think you know who will survive the carnage to come - but you’ll be wrong!
While the start is a little slow and even slightly confusing, and the nonscience grated on my medical sensibilities, once you let that go and the action gets going it does not let up, and things get seriously gruesome - I worried I’d be having nightmares about slime chasing me down corridors... One touch of your skin by Molli-infected tissue and you’re a goner, and this virus knows exactly what it wants. This isn’t a zombie book, and the monster actually takes many forms, each scarier than the last - it’s not for the faint of heart. It also doesn’t end the way I was expecting. 3.5 rounded up for the unexpected twists.
Thanks to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review.
When a team of astrobiologists training for a mission to Mars dig an ancient animal nest out of the permafrost, a cluster of intriguing viruses are discovered. A varied group of international scientists are brought to the Shakhova-Mendelsen base to study these new “pandoraviruses”, in spite of vocal protests by demonstrators about the risks, so they are protected by an armed security force. Clara, a brilliant French microbiologist, confined to a wheelchair by advanced Multiple Sclerosis, hopes that the mysterious virus they’ve dubbed Molli will lead to a cure for her condition and many others, but then it gets out, and starts infecting people, with terrifying consequences.
I don’t read much horror, and when I requested this based on the cover and title without paying much attention to the blurb, in the early stages of the covid-19 pandemic, thought that it would be a good distraction from the drama unfolding in real life, but then we had to go into Lockdown, and I really wasn’t in the mood for post-apocalyptic type stories. With publication looming I knew I needed to get on with it, and like others was bemused to discover that it was a completely different type of story to what I was expecting, but in a good way.
The strength here is the atypical cast of characters, very different from the usual action-sci-fi standards, and not clearcut good and evil. Clara is an unlikeable heroine, embittered by her disease, introspective, selfish and driven. There’s Monty the jokey Australian security guard, Sergei the bereaved father, psychotic with grief and controlled by a force he doesn’t understand, Jordan the handsome but dweeby botanist, and Anju the kind and beautiful research assistant, ignoring her lecherous boss because she’s so happy to be on the base. Then there’s Dante, Italian terrorist with his own agenda - or is he? You think you know who will survive the carnage to come - but you’ll be wrong!
While the start is a little slow and even slightly confusing, and the nonscience grated on my medical sensibilities, once you let that go and the action gets going it does not let up, and things get seriously gruesome - I worried I’d be having nightmares about slime chasing me down corridors... One touch of your skin by Molli-infected tissue and you’re a goner, and this virus knows exactly what it wants. This isn’t a zombie book, and the monster actually takes many forms, each scarier than the last - it’s not for the faint of heart. It also doesn’t end the way I was expecting. 3.5 rounded up for the unexpected twists.
Thanks to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review.
March 24, 2020
This is not about a pandemic. I kind of feel like I need to say this because of everything that’s going on in the world. Some people are avoiding pandemic novels and some people are searching for them. So…not a pandemic.
There is, however, a virus. And it’s a humdinger of a virus at that and our scientists in the book are are too willing to play with it.
Expect violence, gruesome scenes, characters you love (who end badly), characters you hate (who end badly) and an unfortunate use of a fork.
I will warn you that the book starts a bit slowly and there’s kind of a long scene that doesn’t make sense until later, but once things get started it’s non-stop and a whole lot of fun.
I liked it, but not for the faint of heart.
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
There is, however, a virus. And it’s a humdinger of a virus at that and our scientists in the book are are too willing to play with it.
Expect violence, gruesome scenes, characters you love (who end badly), characters you hate (who end badly) and an unfortunate use of a fork.
I will warn you that the book starts a bit slowly and there’s kind of a long scene that doesn’t make sense until later, but once things get started it’s non-stop and a whole lot of fun.
I liked it, but not for the faint of heart.
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
June 2, 2020
When a virus is unearthed at a Siberian research facility, little do the excited scientists know what they've really got themselves into, for it is no virus at all... Molli shows a consciousness and starts to spread, consuming every living thing in its way. Soon, the whole complex is on lockdown to keep the virus in - but that also means no one will get out. Nevertheless, a mismatched group of scientists and guards tries to escape the madness. To top things off, a terrorist has entered the facility, intent on following through with his own deadly agenda...
This book provided a first class thrill ride. It was action-driven and fast, but it also established a couple of impressive main characters. But while their motives seemed to be easily clear in the beginning, there were several surprises to encounter along the way.
The main character of course was Molli, who turned out to be much more complex than just another deadly virus. She absorbed and transformed, she grew, she communicated, she learned - and of course she was also desperate to get out alive... Dare to meet Molli?
(thanks to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
This book provided a first class thrill ride. It was action-driven and fast, but it also established a couple of impressive main characters. But while their motives seemed to be easily clear in the beginning, there were several surprises to encounter along the way.
The main character of course was Molli, who turned out to be much more complex than just another deadly virus. She absorbed and transformed, she grew, she communicated, she learned - and of course she was also desperate to get out alive... Dare to meet Molli?
(thanks to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
August 31, 2020
4.5 stars!
THE APOCALYPSE STRAIN, by Jason Parent, is a Science-Fiction/Horror/Action blend that begins incredibly strong, and ends on the same note. The premise is that a previously undiscovered virus is brought to a UN sponsored scientific facility for testing and analysis.
"It smelled like death . . . "
We are introduced to a variety of characters--each with such individual traits that it's easy to tell them apart. Here we have scientists from all over the world, alongside guards hired to watch over the facility, and some additional surprises. The most impressive part to me was that the roles--and secrets---of those involved mirror that of what you'd expect in reality. There are opposing viewpoints to every possible angle.
"Human evil was a fact of life . . ."
The virus--which is something much more complex--is nicknamed Molli by the scientists studying her. Clara St. Pierre, a French scientist with MS, is hoping to someday find a cure for her failing physical body. What she discovers instead, is nothing anybody saw coming.
". . . Molli wasn't like any of the girls she knew . . ."
This novel literally jumps with action from page to page. While we do get to know the characters, it is done during the horrific events taking place, as opposed to all activity coming to a halt for a slower-paced scene.
Although this put me in mind of certain elements of select Sci-fi movies, the actual sequences, gore, and mutilations are unique to this book. If you're looking for a fast paced novel with interesting characters, that leaves a lot of carnage in its wake, then this is the book for you.
Highly recommended.
THE APOCALYPSE STRAIN, by Jason Parent, is a Science-Fiction/Horror/Action blend that begins incredibly strong, and ends on the same note. The premise is that a previously undiscovered virus is brought to a UN sponsored scientific facility for testing and analysis.
"It smelled like death . . . "
We are introduced to a variety of characters--each with such individual traits that it's easy to tell them apart. Here we have scientists from all over the world, alongside guards hired to watch over the facility, and some additional surprises. The most impressive part to me was that the roles--and secrets---of those involved mirror that of what you'd expect in reality. There are opposing viewpoints to every possible angle.
"Human evil was a fact of life . . ."
The virus--which is something much more complex--is nicknamed Molli by the scientists studying her. Clara St. Pierre, a French scientist with MS, is hoping to someday find a cure for her failing physical body. What she discovers instead, is nothing anybody saw coming.
". . . Molli wasn't like any of the girls she knew . . ."
This novel literally jumps with action from page to page. While we do get to know the characters, it is done during the horrific events taking place, as opposed to all activity coming to a halt for a slower-paced scene.
Although this put me in mind of certain elements of select Sci-fi movies, the actual sequences, gore, and mutilations are unique to this book. If you're looking for a fast paced novel with interesting characters, that leaves a lot of carnage in its wake, then this is the book for you.
Highly recommended.
April 8, 2020
The Apocalypse Strain by Jason Parent was an absolutely rip-roaring read! Perfect for fans of horror, Stephen King and Richard Laymon.
This book begins with a pandoravirus found in the ice in Siberia, taken to a secret lab and examined and it very quickly becomes clear that this virus is aggressive, grows exponentially, is violent and it needs a host. It quickly escapes its Petri dish and horrifically takes over the bodies of those around it, leaving the last few scientists and a suspected bomber to escape the facility before it blows itself up.
There's very much the sense of a ticking clock as Dante and Dr St Pierre, who is infected, but seems immune due to her multiple sclerosis, try to find their way out as all around them the people become consumed by this virus.
I very much felt like this book would become an excellent horror movie or television series and delightfully, the book ends with the hint of a sequel.
I would highly recommend this book!
This book begins with a pandoravirus found in the ice in Siberia, taken to a secret lab and examined and it very quickly becomes clear that this virus is aggressive, grows exponentially, is violent and it needs a host. It quickly escapes its Petri dish and horrifically takes over the bodies of those around it, leaving the last few scientists and a suspected bomber to escape the facility before it blows itself up.
There's very much the sense of a ticking clock as Dante and Dr St Pierre, who is infected, but seems immune due to her multiple sclerosis, try to find their way out as all around them the people become consumed by this virus.
I very much felt like this book would become an excellent horror movie or television series and delightfully, the book ends with the hint of a sequel.
I would highly recommend this book!
August 13, 2020
ARC provided by Flame Tree Press and Jason Parent via Random Things Tours. All opinions are mine and freely given.
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08-13: 'The Apocalypse Strain' by Jason Parent is a well-rounded sci-fi/horror hybrid about a multi-national research team charged with the study of an ancient pandoravirus in an isolated Siberian facility. The organic substance, almost affectionately referred to as 'Molli'.. a shortened version of its scientific name, reveals some unusual characteristics which could make it extremely dangerous in the wrong hands.
Soon, the research team discovers that in anyone's hands, 'Molli' cannot be allowed to escape their compound, but it's evolving quickly and intent on exactly that.
There are definitely echoes here of the sci-fi/horror cult classic The Thing/(From Another World) first made famous by Howard Hawks in 1951, then later to huge success in 1982 by John Carpenter, and again in 2011. The team, locked away in a frozen wasteland to focus their research, finds amongst themselves an outbreak of a smart, deadly enemy. It was certainly enough to frighten caution then as it is here.
Our main character, Clara, is a medical genomics expert who suffers from MS. Confined to a wheelchair, she's largely introverted. Not particularly a fan of people, she can count on one hand the number of those she's found agreeable amongst the staff of approximately 1,000.. and she doesn't even need all the digits on that hand.
She's got a bit of a chip on her shoulder, carrying her illness almost as a shield to ward off potential closeness from those around her, but she's still relatively likeable.
Amongst the supporting characters.. there's Jordan-- the young botanist who seems to have taken a shine to her, Monty-- a slightly over the top ASAP security soldier, Anju-- the assistant of a fellow scientist that Clara considers almost overly bubbly, and a host of other soldiers and team members.
Dante, seen as a sort of unknown variable for much of the story, has a clear set of goals.. but a very strong sense of self and his own principles to play by. He was actually my favorite character for much of the journey, though his intentions and methods sometimes seemed questionable, his sarcastic quips and refusal to bow to those who deemed themselves authority had me laughing more than once.
Parent shows an adept hand at hiding a few surprises along the way with subtlety, misdirecting where he needs to, and limiting the amount of time that passes which might give the reader a reason to concern themselves, until you can't even always pinpoint where something may have initially occurred.
All in all, it was a highly charged story filled with page-turning action and some gory details that were viscerally detailed. While it's likely for some a bit too similar to some more famous stories like those I mentioned above, it's still very well done. I had a lot of fun reading this and would recommend it to any fan of sci-fi contagion novels.
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08-12: This is a pretty quick read, very fast-paced!
08-11: Starting this one today for a blog tour on Thursday. It sounds a bit like The Thing in concept.. which I loved.. so we'll see!
July 30, 2020
I have to admit that I was hesitant to read this book, given the current situation. But I took a deep breath and jumped into this story by Jason Parent. I was pleasantly surprised....and totally sucked into this story from the start. This book is NOT about a pandemic.....it's about scientists who discover a new type of virus. Not only is it dangerous.....it's seemingly sentient. And it does not want to be contained.....
I think the best part of this story is the characters and their reactions to the situation. Some want the notoriety of publishing the first papers on a new virus....others are curious....some scared....and at least one is murderous. Different motivations. Difficult decisions. Deadly intentions. When faced with a virus that could end life on the planet, rough decisions would have to be made.
I'm not going to talk much about the plot. This is a story readers have to experience without any spoilers. The one thing I want to stress is that this story is NOT NOT NOT about a pandemic. Don't avoid it like I did. It's more about science....human reactions to crisis....and what would happen if we discovered a virus that's so much more complex than the type that cause influenza or the common cold......or SARS. What if we were facing what could be the end of life for humanity?
Great story! It definitely kept my attention from start to finish. This is the first book by Jason Parent that I've read. I will definitely be reading more!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
I think the best part of this story is the characters and their reactions to the situation. Some want the notoriety of publishing the first papers on a new virus....others are curious....some scared....and at least one is murderous. Different motivations. Difficult decisions. Deadly intentions. When faced with a virus that could end life on the planet, rough decisions would have to be made.
I'm not going to talk much about the plot. This is a story readers have to experience without any spoilers. The one thing I want to stress is that this story is NOT NOT NOT about a pandemic. Don't avoid it like I did. It's more about science....human reactions to crisis....and what would happen if we discovered a virus that's so much more complex than the type that cause influenza or the common cold......or SARS. What if we were facing what could be the end of life for humanity?
Great story! It definitely kept my attention from start to finish. This is the first book by Jason Parent that I've read. I will definitely be reading more!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
August 16, 2020
I was expecting this book to be a battle of wills and intelligence, but the action is centered around a very physical struggle involving a lot of running, fighting, guns, a few explosions, and extensive gore. There's a lot of body horror here, so if you enjoy that sort of thing, this could very well be the book for you. I can see how it might be fun for the right reader.
I, however, did not enjoy much about this book. There were bouts of awkward/forced dialogue, and I found the constant descriptions of sexual attraction between characters distracting and off-putting. This book wasn't for me, but I love the concept of an intelligent and ancient virus/parasite coming into contact with the modern world. I also thought the book was extremely well paced. I read through it in around three hours. There's never a dull moment. This author has several other titles available, so I plan to give him another try.
I, however, did not enjoy much about this book. There were bouts of awkward/forced dialogue, and I found the constant descriptions of sexual attraction between characters distracting and off-putting. This book wasn't for me, but I love the concept of an intelligent and ancient virus/parasite coming into contact with the modern world. I also thought the book was extremely well paced. I read through it in around three hours. There's never a dull moment. This author has several other titles available, so I plan to give him another try.
April 30, 2021
Funnily enough I really enjoy reading about viruses and the potential of how these can wreak havoc upon our world. Our world is hospitable to a deadly virus, you only must examine the spread of Covid-19 to see that we have the conditions that allows deadly viruses to destroy our way of living, our health and oftentimes take away our lives. The Apocalypse Strain enforces that knowledge when scientists in a Siberian Research Facility discovers a potent Pandora virus, something that we have never experienced before. Sergei is the lucky scientist to have discovered it but since then memories of his daughter’s death have been haunting him…alongside the voice of her urging him on…urging him to set it free.
The virus is affectionately known as Molli, which kind of seems cute. This virus is anything but cute, its destructive, out of this planet weird and it doesn’t care who you are – it will tear you atom from atom. The Protagonist, Clara St. Pierre, a Doctor in Medical Genomics and bioinformatics (trying saying that with a drink in you) arrives to lend her expertise to the research. She is wheelchair bound after being diagnosed with MS. Clara is fascinated with the subject and can’t wait to discover its secrets.
Mollivirus Sibericum was extracted from seeds in an ancient squirrel’s nest which was buried deep in the Siberian permafrost. It’s such a fascinating idea, and I have no doubt in my mind that something like that could be lurking, just waiting to be disturbed.
The Apocalypse Strain is mind bending crazy. It’s a virus but its not and the consequences of letting it loose had me panicking. Oh no, not another Covid-19, it isn’t, its far worse and I’m fairly sure my eyes were fully dilated the entire time whilst reading this book. The body horror had me both shocked and scrambling inside my head for reasons that this virus could do this. Let me tell you, there doesn’t need to be a rhyme or a reason…it just fucking can! We have a virus that manifests as a creature and just to throw some shits and giggles into the mix – it seemingly can’t be destroyed either…these characters will be laughing all the way to the funny farm…if they survive!
The Apocalypse Strain is intelligent, and the level of research really blows my mind. Viruses are a specialist subject for me, I could read about them all day and I really appreciated Jason Parent’s attention to detail. The story felt a lot like The Thing vs. Contagion. Not at all a bad thing either. Enough twists and turns to keep me invested but let me just be clear…this kind of thing really scares the crap out of me.
The virus is affectionately known as Molli, which kind of seems cute. This virus is anything but cute, its destructive, out of this planet weird and it doesn’t care who you are – it will tear you atom from atom. The Protagonist, Clara St. Pierre, a Doctor in Medical Genomics and bioinformatics (trying saying that with a drink in you) arrives to lend her expertise to the research. She is wheelchair bound after being diagnosed with MS. Clara is fascinated with the subject and can’t wait to discover its secrets.
Mollivirus Sibericum was extracted from seeds in an ancient squirrel’s nest which was buried deep in the Siberian permafrost. It’s such a fascinating idea, and I have no doubt in my mind that something like that could be lurking, just waiting to be disturbed.
The Apocalypse Strain is mind bending crazy. It’s a virus but its not and the consequences of letting it loose had me panicking. Oh no, not another Covid-19, it isn’t, its far worse and I’m fairly sure my eyes were fully dilated the entire time whilst reading this book. The body horror had me both shocked and scrambling inside my head for reasons that this virus could do this. Let me tell you, there doesn’t need to be a rhyme or a reason…it just fucking can! We have a virus that manifests as a creature and just to throw some shits and giggles into the mix – it seemingly can’t be destroyed either…these characters will be laughing all the way to the funny farm…if they survive!
The Apocalypse Strain is intelligent, and the level of research really blows my mind. Viruses are a specialist subject for me, I could read about them all day and I really appreciated Jason Parent’s attention to detail. The story felt a lot like The Thing vs. Contagion. Not at all a bad thing either. Enough twists and turns to keep me invested but let me just be clear…this kind of thing really scares the crap out of me.
August 10, 2020
THE APOCALYPSE STRAIN is a wildly exciting and engrossing thriller, actually scientific Speculative Fiction, interwoven with Conspiracy theory, violence, death, terror, and well-delineated character. On a mission in Siberia to accustom astronauts and astrobiologists to the eventual polar climate of Mars, one astrobiologist excavates and discovers a millenial-old squirrel's cache. The seeds and other items are examined in a UN-operated laboratory complex in Siberia. Among the cache is a dangerous "pandoravirus".
March 22, 2020
Whilst I like sci-fi and fantasy this book was not enjoyable. Irrelevant of the current global pandemic the beginning was hard to follow and not an enjoyable read
April 21, 2021
Yeah, I know, another virus novel…but Jason Parent has the ability to spin a tale that can rock my world, so I am very happy to read and share his version of research that is out of the control of those who TRY and contain it. Lives will be lost..and maybe…
As I write the review, I had to scrap my notes and write on the fly. I enjoyed the story so much, I sure don’t want to spoil anything for you, Experiencing the horror around every corner is worth finding out for yourself.
I know with Jason Parent, I’m going to have a wild ride into the depths of Hell, and I gladly buckle up, clench…well…everything, and settle in.
As each body falls to Molli, I keep hoping some will survive. Jason Parent creates characters that I quickly become involved with, and keeps me wondering if they will survive what is coming at them.
So…prepare yourself. Watch for that movement out of the corner of your eye. Is it Molli? How about that feeling that something is caressing your skin. Is it Molli?
Will anyone survive?
The ending…took my by surprise and I loved/hated it. I sat for a while, thinking about it. LOL Even though the story is told, my mind keeps going, anticipating what comes next. Is it really over? Great job, Jason.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Apocalypse Strain by Jason Parent.
See more at fundinmental
As I write the review, I had to scrap my notes and write on the fly. I enjoyed the story so much, I sure don’t want to spoil anything for you, Experiencing the horror around every corner is worth finding out for yourself.
I know with Jason Parent, I’m going to have a wild ride into the depths of Hell, and I gladly buckle up, clench…well…everything, and settle in.
As each body falls to Molli, I keep hoping some will survive. Jason Parent creates characters that I quickly become involved with, and keeps me wondering if they will survive what is coming at them.
So…prepare yourself. Watch for that movement out of the corner of your eye. Is it Molli? How about that feeling that something is caressing your skin. Is it Molli?
Will anyone survive?
The ending…took my by surprise and I loved/hated it. I sat for a while, thinking about it. LOL Even though the story is told, my mind keeps going, anticipating what comes next. Is it really over? Great job, Jason.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Apocalypse Strain by Jason Parent.
See more at fundinmental
September 4, 2020
DNF – 65%
THE APOCALYPSE STRAIN started off really good, I was getting a John Carpenter’s THE THING vibe from the description of the creatures and the way the story played out, though I was hoping it wouldn’t resemble the movie as much as it did.
Also, the dialogue and actions of the characters created a disconnect that pulled me out too many times to continue.
I wanted to love this book, but it just didn’t happen. I’m giving my opinion of THE APOCALYPSE STRAIN, if there is one thing that sparks your interest in reading the book, I encourage you to do so.
Will I read more books by Jason Parent? Of Course!
Thank you, NetGalley and Flame Tree Press, for loaning me with an eGalley of THE APOCALYPSE STRAIN in exchange for an honest review.
THE APOCALYPSE STRAIN started off really good, I was getting a John Carpenter’s THE THING vibe from the description of the creatures and the way the story played out, though I was hoping it wouldn’t resemble the movie as much as it did.
Also, the dialogue and actions of the characters created a disconnect that pulled me out too many times to continue.
I wanted to love this book, but it just didn’t happen. I’m giving my opinion of THE APOCALYPSE STRAIN, if there is one thing that sparks your interest in reading the book, I encourage you to do so.
Will I read more books by Jason Parent? Of Course!
Thank you, NetGalley and Flame Tree Press, for loaning me with an eGalley of THE APOCALYPSE STRAIN in exchange for an honest review.
May 29, 2020
Very Generic. A rip-off of John Carpenter’s The Thing and Resident Evil.
This book was a major disappointment. I was very excited to read The Apocalypse Strain considering I have really enjoyed most of the work that Flame Tree Press has been putting out there. The novel just fell flat. It felt generic, a copycat novel, and overall very predictable.
I attempted to give myself some time to process the book in order to give a fair and honest review. #theapocalypsestrain #netgalley. This is because I really couldn’t find many redeeming factors at all. Jason Parent’s writing style is subpar. He is not very successful in painting a picture of a scene with his words, describing characters very well, and very repetitive when he does use descriptive adjectives. I just could not get past these major flaws. At least they are for me, a constant reader.
I will attempt to be as spoiler free as possible, but the book is basically a hopeful setup for a series I believe. A series I will not read. It all takes place in a laboratory facility, just like how Resident Evil began. The facility is described in very little detail other than very plain.
The premise also includes factors that are right out of John Carpenter’s The Thing. Scientists find organisms under the Siberian ice (instead of Antarctica as in The Thing). Of course the scientists decide to study this find, and before you know it catastrophe occurs. Boom!
Now we get into the real kicker of where The Thing and Resident Evil takes off. Once the Pandoravirus is no longer contained the creatures are straight up rip-offs of The Thing and Resident Evil! They seem to be amorphous like The Thing, take on forms much like terrifying Resident Evil creatures, and are… surprise! Destroyed seemingly only by fire/ flame throwers… just like The Thing!
Now as far as characters go I had no real love for many, if any of them. Clara is sort of a stick in the mud due to her MS, but I grew to like her. Dante was pretty awesome and mysterious. Anju was decent. After that I felt like basically all of the excess characters were fodder for the beast.
I believe I have made it abundantly clear that I disliked this novel. I sincerely hope that Jason Parent finds his niche, and goes on to succeed. However, this was a strike out in my book. I would not recommend it, would not read it again, and if more came into a series I would avoid them.
Overall, I have to give The Apocalypse Strain, due to its unoriginal plot and premise, the writing, and the boring characters a very sad 2 ⭐️’s dying out of 5 🌟’s vibrant and alive stars. I also found the ending to be utterly ridiculous and corny as well.
All in all, I do not recommend this book to fellow Sci-Fi and Horror fans. Yes, there is some neat things hence the 2 stars, but mainly deals with a lot of body horror, or loss of oneself. Pass this one up unless you want a quick beach read.
This book was a major disappointment. I was very excited to read The Apocalypse Strain considering I have really enjoyed most of the work that Flame Tree Press has been putting out there. The novel just fell flat. It felt generic, a copycat novel, and overall very predictable.
I attempted to give myself some time to process the book in order to give a fair and honest review. #theapocalypsestrain #netgalley. This is because I really couldn’t find many redeeming factors at all. Jason Parent’s writing style is subpar. He is not very successful in painting a picture of a scene with his words, describing characters very well, and very repetitive when he does use descriptive adjectives. I just could not get past these major flaws. At least they are for me, a constant reader.
I will attempt to be as spoiler free as possible, but the book is basically a hopeful setup for a series I believe. A series I will not read. It all takes place in a laboratory facility, just like how Resident Evil began. The facility is described in very little detail other than very plain.
The premise also includes factors that are right out of John Carpenter’s The Thing. Scientists find organisms under the Siberian ice (instead of Antarctica as in The Thing). Of course the scientists decide to study this find, and before you know it catastrophe occurs. Boom!
Now we get into the real kicker of where The Thing and Resident Evil takes off. Once the Pandoravirus is no longer contained the creatures are straight up rip-offs of The Thing and Resident Evil! They seem to be amorphous like The Thing, take on forms much like terrifying Resident Evil creatures, and are… surprise! Destroyed seemingly only by fire/ flame throwers… just like The Thing!
Now as far as characters go I had no real love for many, if any of them. Clara is sort of a stick in the mud due to her MS, but I grew to like her. Dante was pretty awesome and mysterious. Anju was decent. After that I felt like basically all of the excess characters were fodder for the beast.
I believe I have made it abundantly clear that I disliked this novel. I sincerely hope that Jason Parent finds his niche, and goes on to succeed. However, this was a strike out in my book. I would not recommend it, would not read it again, and if more came into a series I would avoid them.
Overall, I have to give The Apocalypse Strain, due to its unoriginal plot and premise, the writing, and the boring characters a very sad 2 ⭐️’s dying out of 5 🌟’s vibrant and alive stars. I also found the ending to be utterly ridiculous and corny as well.
All in all, I do not recommend this book to fellow Sci-Fi and Horror fans. Yes, there is some neat things hence the 2 stars, but mainly deals with a lot of body horror, or loss of oneself. Pass this one up unless you want a quick beach read.
July 9, 2020
When a virus is unearthed at a Siberian research facility, little do the excited scientists know what they've really got themselves into, for it is no virus at all... Molli shows a consciousness and starts to spread, consuming every living thing in its way. Soon, the whole complex is on lockdown to keep the virus in - but that also means no one will get out. Nevertheless, a mismatched group of scientists and guards tries to escape the madness. To top things off, a terrorist has entered the facility, intent on following through with his own deadly agenda...
This book was an action packed thriller roller coaster Ride. It had very likable and relatable characters with not so definitive motives and excellent plot twists towards the end. The characters are so layered and well written that if you are fan of Character driven stories , you will definitely be smitten.
Our main character Molli is like an onion peel, full of endless layers and motives and her character development throughout the book is just chef's kiss. I cannot reveal much without giving any spoilers. All I can say is all in all this was very fast paced fun read and if you are a fan of scifi and thrillers, definitely,check it out.
Thank you Netgalley and the author for giving me this copy.
This book was an action packed thriller roller coaster Ride. It had very likable and relatable characters with not so definitive motives and excellent plot twists towards the end. The characters are so layered and well written that if you are fan of Character driven stories , you will definitely be smitten.
Our main character Molli is like an onion peel, full of endless layers and motives and her character development throughout the book is just chef's kiss. I cannot reveal much without giving any spoilers. All I can say is all in all this was very fast paced fun read and if you are a fan of scifi and thrillers, definitely,check it out.
Thank you Netgalley and the author for giving me this copy.
September 1, 2020
This is going to be hard to review without spoilers but here we go.
I should mention off the top that this is definitely not a pandemic story. It is more the story of a virus that is more than a virus.
A team of scientists and astronauts are training in Siberia for a planned mission to Mars. A scientist who is grieving the loss of his daughter drills into the permafrost and is "led" to a scientist's version of a goldmine in an ancient squirrel's nest. One of the specific finds in the nest is an unknown virus that is nicknamed, "Molli" who has a mind of it's own and wants "out". I didn't release any pertinent spoilers. So far, so good.
The pace was set very quickly and the story was very plausible up to a point. When I am reading a fictional story, I appreciate when an author is able to blend reality into fantasy smoothly. Parent obviously did his homework on the scientific portions of the story and the added fictional parts fit in nicely.
I wasn't keen on most of the characters but then that was not the purpose of the story being told. I came to understand what made some of them tick but it kept the focus on the storyline. One thing I did appreciate was the fact that there was no love story added. I don't mind romance in a horror novel but it is refreshing when the author keeps to the story itself with no substories.
I am a fan of Jason Parent simply for the fact that his ideas are always original and though he writes horror, he varies in the stories he shares with readers. I really like his style of writing. If an author is able to create a world or set a scene that I can imagine in my head then I am hooked.
I should mention off the top that this is definitely not a pandemic story. It is more the story of a virus that is more than a virus.
A team of scientists and astronauts are training in Siberia for a planned mission to Mars. A scientist who is grieving the loss of his daughter drills into the permafrost and is "led" to a scientist's version of a goldmine in an ancient squirrel's nest. One of the specific finds in the nest is an unknown virus that is nicknamed, "Molli" who has a mind of it's own and wants "out". I didn't release any pertinent spoilers. So far, so good.
The pace was set very quickly and the story was very plausible up to a point. When I am reading a fictional story, I appreciate when an author is able to blend reality into fantasy smoothly. Parent obviously did his homework on the scientific portions of the story and the added fictional parts fit in nicely.
I wasn't keen on most of the characters but then that was not the purpose of the story being told. I came to understand what made some of them tick but it kept the focus on the storyline. One thing I did appreciate was the fact that there was no love story added. I don't mind romance in a horror novel but it is refreshing when the author keeps to the story itself with no substories.
I am a fan of Jason Parent simply for the fact that his ideas are always original and though he writes horror, he varies in the stories he shares with readers. I really like his style of writing. If an author is able to create a world or set a scene that I can imagine in my head then I am hooked.
May 1, 2020
Loved it!
June 24, 2020
This book is like The Thing and Resident Evil got together, had an illicit love child, and then presented it in an enjoyable and action packed novel for my personal enjoyment.
Set in a Serbian research facility, a group of scientists and a security firm are holed up to investigate a new virus which has been discovered below the ice under creepy circumstances. Of course, this isn’t your boring ol’ coronavirus, this is an ancient turn-you-into-mutated-pudding virus. The best kind.
The perspectives switch between characters but my favourite was Clara, a geneticist with MS who is hopeful that her work will help people with genetic disorders in the future. Her grumpy attitude towards other people especially endeared her to me, she’s not a fan of people in general but has a weakness for good people. She doesn’t suffer fools gladly and her keen observations about the people around her make her an excellent narrator.
For a sci-fi novel, it was running a little light on the sci. Though the story is set in a scientific research facility, the details of the pandoravirus and its origins are incredibly vague – I’m a big fan of hardcore detail when it comes to things like this, even if it only has the slightest foundation on scientific fact and the rest is totally made up. Instead, this story takes more of a leap towards the gross, gory and gloopy which has its own appeal.
The writing itself is compelling though the pacing was a bit irregular, speeding by in some places and hesitating in others. The gore was second to none though, with some amazingly graphic nastiness!
The ending of this book is primed for a sequel, which I would happily pick up to see what the author has in store for the surviving characters.
*I received a copy of this title via NetGalley*
Set in a Serbian research facility, a group of scientists and a security firm are holed up to investigate a new virus which has been discovered below the ice under creepy circumstances. Of course, this isn’t your boring ol’ coronavirus, this is an ancient turn-you-into-mutated-pudding virus. The best kind.
The perspectives switch between characters but my favourite was Clara, a geneticist with MS who is hopeful that her work will help people with genetic disorders in the future. Her grumpy attitude towards other people especially endeared her to me, she’s not a fan of people in general but has a weakness for good people. She doesn’t suffer fools gladly and her keen observations about the people around her make her an excellent narrator.
For a sci-fi novel, it was running a little light on the sci. Though the story is set in a scientific research facility, the details of the pandoravirus and its origins are incredibly vague – I’m a big fan of hardcore detail when it comes to things like this, even if it only has the slightest foundation on scientific fact and the rest is totally made up. Instead, this story takes more of a leap towards the gross, gory and gloopy which has its own appeal.
The writing itself is compelling though the pacing was a bit irregular, speeding by in some places and hesitating in others. The gore was second to none though, with some amazingly graphic nastiness!
The ending of this book is primed for a sequel, which I would happily pick up to see what the author has in store for the surviving characters.
*I received a copy of this title via NetGalley*
November 11, 2020
This is a story about Molli! Found in an ancient squirrels nest buried within the Siberian permafrost for more than thirty thousand years! She is one bad bacterium! A research facility turns into a vehicle for Molli’s infectious takeover! A destroyer of worlds or a possible healer from within repairing a persons DNA thus curing them of life threatening diseases!
According to a PBS special that recently aired there is some truth to the unfortunate discovery of Molli! As our world heats up, permafrost that have been frozen for centuries are now beginning to thaw and we don’t know what lies dormant, waiting for release into our atmosphere! Friend or foe?? This was an interesting and entertaining read!
According to a PBS special that recently aired there is some truth to the unfortunate discovery of Molli! As our world heats up, permafrost that have been frozen for centuries are now beginning to thaw and we don’t know what lies dormant, waiting for release into our atmosphere! Friend or foe?? This was an interesting and entertaining read!
February 1, 2021
I am always so happy when I get to review a “new to me” book from an author I’ve just met. When Mr. Parent asked me if I’d like to read and review his book I immediately jumped! As you may or may not know anything with the word Apocalypse in it instantly pings my interest. This book did that and more!
First, this book isn’t about the apocalypse which wasn’t a letdown to me because I got something so much more! Sci-fi plus creature feature equals happy reviewer!
Clara St. Pierre is a researcher in a remote Siberian facility. While some are preparing for a trip to Mars or some, doing their own virus research. She is a microbiologist and is studying samples removed from the permafrost. Fascinated by the large virus samples recently brought in for her to study, she ruminates about her life with MS and how it’s affected her life in general.
Mollivirus Sibericum or “Molli” a 30 thousand year old sample has answers she was all too eager to understand, a mystery and the possibility to top the other researchers with a find of a lifetime.
Molli has other ideas.
This is about a calm as this book gets because before too long the virus is unleased and it’s mode of infection and the monsters that are unbound are beyond description. The action is non-stop, the detailed descriptions of what happens to the infected are hard to read but you can not look away!
As the crisis grows the few survivors are need to find out who they can trust, who is or isn’t infected and how to escape a locked down facility.
No spoilers! Char and Steve Stred have left the most excellent reviews before mine, so going into much more detail will be repetitive but I do agree if you loved the movie The Thing or Alien, this is going to feel familiar in a delicious way. All the action takes place in the ever increasing small space of the research station. Molli is probably one of the most ingenious creatures ever developed. The characters are however, mostly shallow and though you do care about one or two of them, you are more shocked about how they die, they all seem to have a different reaction to the infection (there is a reason). The ending has that twist that makes you hope for a sequel someday because I do need to know what happens next.
Highly recommended and I will be searching out more books by Mr. Parent and you should too. Enjoy!
First, this book isn’t about the apocalypse which wasn’t a letdown to me because I got something so much more! Sci-fi plus creature feature equals happy reviewer!
Clara St. Pierre is a researcher in a remote Siberian facility. While some are preparing for a trip to Mars or some, doing their own virus research. She is a microbiologist and is studying samples removed from the permafrost. Fascinated by the large virus samples recently brought in for her to study, she ruminates about her life with MS and how it’s affected her life in general.
Mollivirus Sibericum or “Molli” a 30 thousand year old sample has answers she was all too eager to understand, a mystery and the possibility to top the other researchers with a find of a lifetime.
Molli has other ideas.
This is about a calm as this book gets because before too long the virus is unleased and it’s mode of infection and the monsters that are unbound are beyond description. The action is non-stop, the detailed descriptions of what happens to the infected are hard to read but you can not look away!
As the crisis grows the few survivors are need to find out who they can trust, who is or isn’t infected and how to escape a locked down facility.
No spoilers! Char and Steve Stred have left the most excellent reviews before mine, so going into much more detail will be repetitive but I do agree if you loved the movie The Thing or Alien, this is going to feel familiar in a delicious way. All the action takes place in the ever increasing small space of the research station. Molli is probably one of the most ingenious creatures ever developed. The characters are however, mostly shallow and though you do care about one or two of them, you are more shocked about how they die, they all seem to have a different reaction to the infection (there is a reason). The ending has that twist that makes you hope for a sequel someday because I do need to know what happens next.
Highly recommended and I will be searching out more books by Mr. Parent and you should too. Enjoy!
August 13, 2020
This was a thrilling and thoroughly engaging read from start to end, so much happened and there are so many moments I want to shout about where the author shocked or surprised me with a change in the situations, but it’s impossible to do that AND keep this spoiler free.
So... I’ll just be over here bouncing in my chair and grinning from ear to ear while I splutter and mutter inaudibly because there’s SO MUCH I want to say and can’t!
There was so many points in this story where something happened to once again kick up the pace and surprise me to the point I did a double take, or said “ooooo 😳” and then had to roll my eyes and point at my book so my family didn’t think I was totally losing the plot. Not sure they don’t think it anyway since i spent a lot of time gaping or gasping at this story.
This was actually my first delve into this authors books, but goodness me it absolutely won’t be my last after this! I have to say that although the story sounded great, part of me was intrigued purely because of the current situations around COVID, but actually this was brilliantly done and so individual. It, in an odd way, helped me to step away from COVID entirely and just enjoy this as a story, and escape to somewhere else. There was a part of me that wondered if reading this would be too many parallels but the author has done a brilliant job of engaging you in the plausibility whilst maintaining that ability to dive into an alternate fictional world and keep that sense of escapism.
If you’re looking for a Sci-Fi horror that will have you glued and devouring it page after page, glaring at anyone who interrupts and diving straight back in when something pulls you away, then you need this. There are so many Characters that appear gradually, and yet they’re all perfectly rounded with flaws and histories, without an influx of information that leaves you reeling.
For a relatively short book, this certainly packs a wallop and will leave you ready to dive into anything else the author writes! I know that for myself, i will be shopping for his backlist ASAP!!
So... I’ll just be over here bouncing in my chair and grinning from ear to ear while I splutter and mutter inaudibly because there’s SO MUCH I want to say and can’t!
There was so many points in this story where something happened to once again kick up the pace and surprise me to the point I did a double take, or said “ooooo 😳” and then had to roll my eyes and point at my book so my family didn’t think I was totally losing the plot. Not sure they don’t think it anyway since i spent a lot of time gaping or gasping at this story.
This was actually my first delve into this authors books, but goodness me it absolutely won’t be my last after this! I have to say that although the story sounded great, part of me was intrigued purely because of the current situations around COVID, but actually this was brilliantly done and so individual. It, in an odd way, helped me to step away from COVID entirely and just enjoy this as a story, and escape to somewhere else. There was a part of me that wondered if reading this would be too many parallels but the author has done a brilliant job of engaging you in the plausibility whilst maintaining that ability to dive into an alternate fictional world and keep that sense of escapism.
If you’re looking for a Sci-Fi horror that will have you glued and devouring it page after page, glaring at anyone who interrupts and diving straight back in when something pulls you away, then you need this. There are so many Characters that appear gradually, and yet they’re all perfectly rounded with flaws and histories, without an influx of information that leaves you reeling.
For a relatively short book, this certainly packs a wallop and will leave you ready to dive into anything else the author writes! I know that for myself, i will be shopping for his backlist ASAP!!
August 27, 2020
I think I've read more books about viruses since the pandemic broke out than I ever did before. Maybe it's easier to lose myself in a fictional tale rather than watch the real-life horror playing out right before our eyes. Either way, The Apocalypse Strain was a great distraction.
The story takes place in remote Siberia and you all know how I love my cold and arctic settings. I immediately started to get a The Thing movie vibe. This book features various characters who have been brought together for a common purpose and I really loved how Parent fleshed out all of the characters, and showed how each viewed what was going on and how they handled the crisis, flaws and all. There are some pretty gruesome scenes so the book probably isn't for the faint of heart but if you are a horror lover, then I think you'll enjoy the ride. Also, be aware that Parent isn't afraid to kill off characters. While that may bother some, it just assists in setting up the tension for the reader and let's face it, it's horror so we know some people are going to die.
This fast-paced action novel would lend itself well to the big screen. Molli is an interesting "character" of her own and the ending lends itself to perhaps a sequel someday. Don't let this one pass you by!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The story takes place in remote Siberia and you all know how I love my cold and arctic settings. I immediately started to get a The Thing movie vibe. This book features various characters who have been brought together for a common purpose and I really loved how Parent fleshed out all of the characters, and showed how each viewed what was going on and how they handled the crisis, flaws and all. There are some pretty gruesome scenes so the book probably isn't for the faint of heart but if you are a horror lover, then I think you'll enjoy the ride. Also, be aware that Parent isn't afraid to kill off characters. While that may bother some, it just assists in setting up the tension for the reader and let's face it, it's horror so we know some people are going to die.
This fast-paced action novel would lend itself well to the big screen. Molli is an interesting "character" of her own and the ending lends itself to perhaps a sequel someday. Don't let this one pass you by!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 12, 2020
round up to 4.5 stars
Have you ever read a book and thought “this would make an amazing movie?”
That thought crossed my mind several times while reading this book. The Apocalypse Strain is a Sci-fi horror book about a pandovirus with a mind of its own. I felt the book was a good cross between Prometheus and The Thing.
In The Apocalypse Strain, a virus named Molli, is found in a Siberian permafrost. A group of mismatched scientists are gathered to analyze Molli in a remote facility originally designed to aid astronauts for mission Mars. The researchers realize that the virus is behaving in ways that it should not be behaving. As the story develops, the virus evolves and the atmosphere gets eerie. The book isn’t for the faint of heart and fair warning that it does get gruesome at times.
The author throws the reader into the story and maintains the fast pacing with jam packed action. It was a non-stop rollercoaster from page one all the way to the very end. The book was, though, similar to most sci-fi/ horror tropes involving a radical virus going rogue.
The Apocalypse Strain has a diverse set of characters that normally do not compliment each other but it works for this book. The reader gets a sense of each one without highlighting each individual character. Clara was by far my favorite character because she is driven throughout.
The ending leaves a possibility for a sequel which would be completely amazing!!
Have you ever read a book and thought “this would make an amazing movie?”
That thought crossed my mind several times while reading this book. The Apocalypse Strain is a Sci-fi horror book about a pandovirus with a mind of its own. I felt the book was a good cross between Prometheus and The Thing.
In The Apocalypse Strain, a virus named Molli, is found in a Siberian permafrost. A group of mismatched scientists are gathered to analyze Molli in a remote facility originally designed to aid astronauts for mission Mars. The researchers realize that the virus is behaving in ways that it should not be behaving. As the story develops, the virus evolves and the atmosphere gets eerie. The book isn’t for the faint of heart and fair warning that it does get gruesome at times.
The author throws the reader into the story and maintains the fast pacing with jam packed action. It was a non-stop rollercoaster from page one all the way to the very end. The book was, though, similar to most sci-fi/ horror tropes involving a radical virus going rogue.
The Apocalypse Strain has a diverse set of characters that normally do not compliment each other but it works for this book. The reader gets a sense of each one without highlighting each individual character. Clara was by far my favorite character because she is driven throughout.
The ending leaves a possibility for a sequel which would be completely amazing!!
March 31, 2020
I love the idea of this book, however..
(By the way, it has got nothing to do with COVID-19)!!!.
French science doctor arrives to the research centre in Siberia, she spent all her life researching viruses and she's excited to work on this new project called "Molly". During her researches it happens that a lot of people protest against creating/researching viruses. Because even though Geneva treaty is in place, nobody can guarantee that these things that they keep in the laboratory freezers can't be used against humanity. One day, being stuck in the clean room Dr. Clara finds out a lot about "Molly" and disasters begin...
Personal opinion:
Look, I really loved this book, however some detailes from the scientific point of view made me roll my eyes. For example: "In the secret laboratories clean room doctor wakes up from her sleep walk with her hand in the Petri dish that had got deadly virus?!?!" Seriously?!? I don't think person would easily get it the clean room, especially with a freezers full of deadly bacteria and viruses.
Overall book is good, I rated it 3/5 🌟. And would recommend it to anyone that is fsn of the utopia / sci-fi genre. Happy reading.
(By the way, it has got nothing to do with COVID-19)!!!.
French science doctor arrives to the research centre in Siberia, she spent all her life researching viruses and she's excited to work on this new project called "Molly". During her researches it happens that a lot of people protest against creating/researching viruses. Because even though Geneva treaty is in place, nobody can guarantee that these things that they keep in the laboratory freezers can't be used against humanity. One day, being stuck in the clean room Dr. Clara finds out a lot about "Molly" and disasters begin...
Personal opinion:
Look, I really loved this book, however some detailes from the scientific point of view made me roll my eyes. For example: "In the secret laboratories clean room doctor wakes up from her sleep walk with her hand in the Petri dish that had got deadly virus?!?!" Seriously?!? I don't think person would easily get it the clean room, especially with a freezers full of deadly bacteria and viruses.
Overall book is good, I rated it 3/5 🌟. And would recommend it to anyone that is fsn of the utopia / sci-fi genre. Happy reading.
July 22, 2020
Clara St. Pierre is at the top of her field of microbiology and genetics. She is also struggling to cope with her Multiple Sclerosis. The MS has taken her from an athletic sprinter and swimmer to a wheelchair. She hopes that, through her work, she can find a way to help herself and those like her.
Clara has been invited to a state of the art facility in Siberia to work on a giant virus named Mollivirus Sibericum. Clara and the other researchers call this virus Molli. Molli was trapped in the Siberian permafrost for more than 30 thousand years. Clara has high hopes that Molli can be used to further her search for a cure.
Clara soon finds out that Molli is so much more than she and the other researchers thought it was.
I enjoyed this book and I think that readers who like horror and science fiction will enjoy it also. The science is a bit wonky in places but the horror elements more than make up for it.
Clara has been invited to a state of the art facility in Siberia to work on a giant virus named Mollivirus Sibericum. Clara and the other researchers call this virus Molli. Molli was trapped in the Siberian permafrost for more than 30 thousand years. Clara has high hopes that Molli can be used to further her search for a cure.
Clara soon finds out that Molli is so much more than she and the other researchers thought it was.
I enjoyed this book and I think that readers who like horror and science fiction will enjoy it also. The science is a bit wonky in places but the horror elements more than make up for it.
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