I got an advanced copy of this book over the summer (spring maybe? I don't remember) I loved it! It was hard to put the book down, and to know that it's part one of a trilogy was like a knife through the heart.... all that waiting for the next two books to come out is just wrong, lol.
I'm going to be popping in and out of the thread to see if you all enjoyed it as much as I did
I'm on pg 104 (The Awakening). So far, I'm really liking this book. I like how the book bounces to multiple characters as the story progresses, getting everyone's POV of what's happening.
"The legend of Jusef Sardu", at the very begining really set the pace for the book, I think.
So far, Eph & Nora are on the case but I'm curious to see how this will all unfold.
OK ladies. I have found a pretty good Book guide for The Strain. Go ahead and post your answers to these questions when ready. If you have any additional questions you would like to include please post.
1. Does the government and media reaction to the situation feel real?
2. Who was your favorite character? Why?
3. What did you think of Setrakian's back story? Does it add a spiritual dimension to the biological horror?
4. Which of the 4 survivors did you have the most sympathy for? Who did you want to blame most for the outbreak?
5. Did the medical approach to vampirism add to the horror? Why or why not?
6. In this scenario, why is a pest control expert a witty new approach for creating a hero against vampires?
7. Based on this novel, what do you think the authors are using vampirism to be an analogy for?
8. Do you feel Del Toro and Hogan added anything new to the horror/vampire genre?
9. Where do you think the authors will take the story next?
Ok so I will get on later (when I have more time) and post an answer to your questions... for now just the last one.... at MOST a 3, that is stretching it though because most of the book felt tedious to me. What this book does right it does perfectly, however most of the book was just mediocre which is a huge let down for me. I am not going to totally bash because in all honesty it wasn't the worst thing I've ever read, or really bad just not good.
I am sure my thoughts will be more clear when I have time to put them, for now though I didn't hate the experience but I am glad it's over
Sorry to double post here's my book on what I thought about the book lol
1. Does the government and media reaction to the situation feel real?
Very much so, I totally believe that an epic outbreak like this would go unnoticed. It seems to be the American way to make a HUGE deal out of nothing while ignoring real events that are going on. Case in point Swine flu yes bad but more easily treated and death more easily avoided then the real flu. Yet what “outbreak” got more media attention? Our media is based on panic not facts.
2. Who was your favorite character? Why?
I would have to say probably Zack which is why it was such a let down that he was so important in the start, ignored almost completely in the middle and then brought back in an odd way. I like kids in horror I feel that when done right they are the most dynamic. Also kids have an amazing ability to sense what’s going on without having to be told I like that that was played up. Honestly it’s hard for me to have a favorite character because I feel there was almost NO character development. Yes it seemed like those side trips into their mind was to serve as character development however they actually didn’t it was just random side trips. I know almost NOTHING about any of the main characters, in fact I know almost nothing about anybody in this book.
3. What did you think of Setrakian's back story? Does it add a spiritual dimension to the biological horror?
It had potential to, just like the side tracks had potential to establish more about the characters but something about the way it was written…. Instead to me it just added tedium and more trips down nowhere’svill where five chapters amounted to about two pages of important detail
4. Which of the 4 survivors did you have the most sympathy for? Who did you want to blame most for the outbreak?
None most of them became very unbelievable at the end and I stopped feeling anything for them. Eph never fought before and now he has a broad sword? The exterminator was informed what was going on and one hour later he’s a fighter? Eph missed the chance to kill the master to give CPR to an old man? Seriously? I just stopped caring about them sad to say…. The doctors (all of them) bar non the most responsible though but that is to be expected in this type of book.
5. Did the medical approach to vampirism add to the horror? Why or why not?
Did it add to the horror? No made it a bit more real but not really adding to the horror. However it did make it different and that I appreciate. I like vampires don’t get me wrong but our media has been over flooded with them, it was nice to see something new.
6. In this scenario, why is a pest control expert a witty new approach for creating a hero against vampires?
I don’t think it was witty I think it was just plain smart (minus him some how being an amazing fighter out of no where). Rats and other pests will be a tell tale sign of something bad coming ALWAYS this man would be the first and the best to notice. He would also have strong instincts and would have been in the worst places of that city so would have some means of survival. I was almost furious when I thought he was going to die.
7. Based on this novel, what do you think the authors are using vampirism to be an analogy for?
Diseases, panic, just plain what it is without needing anything else lol
8. Do you feel Del Toro and Hogan added anything new to the horror/vampire genre?
Ummmmmm yes and no, I think the biology was fresh but other then that everything in there has been done.
9. Where do you think the authors will take the story next?
More tedium and probably Atlanta
10. Rate The Strain from 1 to 5.
Again a 3 is pushing it but I don’t think it was bad enough to warrant a 2. More like to me it doesn’t really warrant a need to be rated. Del Toro is a great movie writer but I feel this little piece was proof that sometimes you can’t do both (though I’ve never read Hogan before so I don’t know how much was his influence). I can sum up my complaints
1. The “character development” was not there. A five page little random conversation where nothing is really said is NOT character development. The ONLY point in this story that I think had any real character development was when Zack and Eph were hanging out. The rest of it left me with “hmmm that was nice still have no clue who these people are”
2. The eclipse foreshadowing and metaphors lose their point when you keep driving it in to your skull. It was WAY to long and lost all point and yes it seems like I am singling that out but it stands to prove my point. There were far to many moments in this book where they were trying to hard to make some sort of point and losing it because it just got bogged down in itself.
3. The lack of detail then the over haul. I mean I know exactly what a bunch of houses look like but I know little about the characters, and the first few attacks had no detail. In fact until the very end the morgue scene was the only horrorific thing. This works in movies it does not in books. A killer getting someone and the audience seeing very little in a movie builds suspense in a book it builds tedium.
4. And my last point I just said this book was trying so hard to be suspenseful it got tedious. Movie suspense is different from book suspense this book suffered from not knowing that (to me)
It was a new idea for the vampire and had some really cool moments (though again I hate when people who’ve never fought somehow because excellent in moments but it’s needed for the plot). When it finally did start going (though those moments always had breaks) it really was bad a**. It gave a very true look at “experts” and “media” and how they ignore the obvious because it just doesn’t make sense. Though I think towards then end they would have believed it. Also good cliff hanger for things to come. Oh also liked in the Twilight infested world we have they weren’t “sexy” vampires. And the change in writing style for each character was cool, from Gus, to Zack, to Eph, etc. I don’t know how that worked between the two but good call.
Ladies I'm not going to lie... I just can't finish this book. It started out good and now I find myself looking for excuses not to pick it up again. I would rather clean or go to the dentist rather than keep reading it.
I'm buying this on my nook tonight so I can contribute to the discussion some. I've been dying to join a book club but haven't found one yet. Do we have a listing of the books we're interested in reading next?
