This review requires a disclaimer before I tell you about it. I read quite a bit, across a wide variety of genres, both fiction and nonfiction. There’s not a lot that I won’t read or at least try once. However, the few things that I don’t pick up are generally because simply put, they are just not my thing. They’re not interesting to me and in many cases, despite how well written the book may be, it will still leave me cold and unsatisfied. It’s not an author issue, it’s a me issue.
For example, I’m not a fan of zombie books or comics. I’m not a fan of zombies. I’ve never really cared much for the horror genre in general, but zombies just have never left me with a good impression. Not in films, not in my comics, and not in my books. Part of this stems from the fact that my imagination is overactive to the nth degree and I’ve always been a vivid dreamer. So having nightmares from something I watched/read is always a possibility no matter the genre but they go up exponentially with a lot of horror intake. So I just don’t do horror.
That being said, Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry is a zombie novel. My first zombie novel, given to me by a dear friend who was also my DM at the time, who strongly encouraged me to give it the first 20 pages or so. For two reasons he said, the first being that part of the book had been set locally and it read like the author was a local and the second being that despite my no-zombies-ever-please rule, he thought I’d actually enjoy it. If I wasn’t sold after 20 pages, then he wouldn’t suggest any other kind of novel in that genre again AND he’d buy me another book to replace it.
I was skeptical. I was unsure. I didn’t want him to be right. But by Chapter Four (page 12) I was completely and utterly enthralled. So I did what every totally mature college student & Gammaworld player would do. I marked my place, called him up, went “You were right, dammit” and then hung up while he was still cackling into the phone so I could blitz my way through the rest of the book.
Because Patient Zero is much more than just a mere zombie novel.
“Monday, 1300 hours: Detective Joe Ledger kills terrorist Javad Mustapha, aka Patient Zero, with two point-blank shots from his Glock.45.
Wednesday, 0800 hours: Patient Zero rises from the dead.
When you have to kill the same terrorist twice inside the same week, there is either something wrong with your world or something wrong with your skills…and there’s nothing wrong with Joe Ledger’s skills.”
This blurb from the back of the paperback is one of my favorite summaries of both this book and the main character’s personality. Patient Zero is one part science-based horror novel and one part military thriller. The main character is everything I enjoy in my protagonists. Competent, efficient, memorable, and a world-class smart-ass. Joe Ledger is good at what he does, he’s not a superman, there are no masks or tights, and his skills are not out of the realm of ordinary humans. He’s a well rounded solid realistic character.
The book is recounted from his first person perspective. We’re riding right alongside Joe, deep into his head and thought processes as the novel goes on. First person narration is always tricky, both to write and to read, but when it’s done well, the impact it can have is powerful.
Maberry excels at drawing you into the novel and keeping you there. This book is a fast read, once you pick it up, it’s terribly hard to put it back down again. It’s an amazing thrill ride from start to finish.
He’s crafted a plausible scenario for how a zombie apocalypse might actually start. The technology (with very few exceptions) are all based upon actual technology being used today, though as Maberry notes in his Author’s Note, several of the items are not yet available on the commercial market. The science is fairly solid, some of the specifically named parasites and control diseases are fictional, but they are all inspired by pathogens currently present in today’s scientific field. Prion diseases actually exist. They really are terrifying.
In short, these are zombies I could believe in. This was a plot I could easily see happening in today’s world. The plausibility and realistic feel to the novel, characters, and the plot adds to the suspense and makes it just that extra bit more terrifying.
To say anything more about the plot would require massive spoilers and make this review six times as long. If you enjoy fast-paced action thrillers, plausible zombies, and a plot that will leave you with chills up and down your spine, then this book is for you.
If you, like me, aren’t really a fan of horror or zombies, I would still urge you to pick up this book. You might be surprised how much you enjoyed it.
I know I was.