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Contagious (Infected #2)

by Scott Sigler (Goodreads Author)

4.12 of 5 stars 4.12 · rating details · 3,659 ratings · 308 reviews

From the acclaimed author of Infected comes an epic and exhilarating story of humanity’s secret battle against a horrific enemy.

Across America, a mysterious pathogen transforms ordinary people into raging killers, psychopaths driven by a terrifying, alien agenda. The human race fights back, yet after every battle the disease responds, adapts, using sophisticated strategie...more

Hardcover, 438 pages

Published December 30th 2008 by Crown

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Mar 20, 2013 Thomas Shaw rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-reads

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 28, 2012 Tina Saldiran rated it 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars

As fast paced and exiting this book was, I can't get over the bland, emotionless style of the writer. This guy had an ok idea and decided to write a novel about it. I'll give him kudos for the work but I really can't say he's a great author. The characters are flat, reach life-altering decisions in a heartbeat, change their behaviour and opinions on a whim. Maybe it's just me but I hated every chapter title in this book because it couldnt be drier - like a weather forecast: "Margaret H...more

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May 10, 2012 Sara rated it 2 of 5 stars

My Take:
I liked this book – it was quite technical in regards to both the warfare tactics and the
medical terminology and effects – terms, consequences, contagions, etc. Some of it was a bit difficult to get through, but overall a well-written, fast-paced, interesting read. The characters were complete and honest, with hints of Stephen King in their development and interactions. I enjoyed the relationship between “Scary” Perry and Dew particularly – very “guy-like” behavior –
enemies until they...more

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Feb 25, 2012 Kevin Veale rated it 4 of 5 stars

Contagious is the sequel to Infected, and I wouldn't be surprised to find another sequel on the way.

I enjoyed Infected, though I had some issues with how some ideas were implemented in the writing. I had much less of that problem in Contagious, and generally the storytelling felt tighter.

This one's harder to review without The Spoilers, but I'll do what I can: the story follows the survivors of the first book as they grapple with the next phase of the infection/invasion, potentially hampered by...more Contagious is the sequel to Infected, and I wouldn't be surprised to find another sequel on the way.

I enjoyed Infected, though I had some issues with how some ideas were implemented in the writing. I had much less of that problem in Contagious, and generally the storytelling felt tighter.

This one's harder to review without The Spoilers, but I'll do what I can: the story follows the survivors of the first book as they grapple with the next phase of the infection/invasion, potentially hampered by a level of emotional damage from previous events.

Something that impressed me was that there is a good explanation of What The Hell Was Going On in Infected in a way that is entirely consistent with what happened, and which creates a good framework for tension: it turns out that the invading force is far from all-powerful, and has limitations in the tools it has to work with. That's an angle that I wish I ran into more when dealing with this kind of storytelling, since it makes the opposition fearsome but comprehensible, and while avoiding handwavy explanations of How Humanity Might Possibly Survive.

There are also interesting points of complication both within human politics and how the invasion Gets Things Wrong, along with the near-creation of a third faction who would still be invading the world but disconnected to The Original Plan.

All in all, I have less to say about Contagious, in part because going into more detail will likely spoil both it and Infected quite severely. The writing and characterisation feel better to me, which does suggest the problems I was having with the earlier books were part of a shake-down period, and everyone has those.

There are a couple of points where it still felt like character development/dynamics happened too quickly, in that people's relationships were capable of turning on a dime once a key conversation happened, but it attracted less attention than in Ancestor.

All in all, I've been enjoying Mr. Sigler's work, and I'd definitely look forward to another sequel in the Infected series.(less)

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Jul 30, 2011 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Part 2 of the Infected horror story is Contagious. It continues the story after the military has stopped the first wormhole from opening. They have now recruited Perry Dawsey because he can "hear" the communication between the hatchlings and something else to figure out where more of these gates are being built by these hatchlings.

In this book, I enjoyed that it gave some back story into the how to of the blue triangles and hatchlings, etc. Basically, there is a very complex satellite, of sorts...more Part 2 of the Infected horror story is Contagious. It continues the story after the military has stopped the first wormhole from opening. They have now recruited Perry Dawsey because he can "hear" the communication between the hatchlings and something else to figure out where more of these gates are being built by these hatchlings.

In this book, I enjoyed that it gave some back story into the how to of the blue triangles and hatchlings, etc. Basically, there is a very complex satellite, of sorts, that is creating these spores to infect people, but it's smart and can try other methods to be successful. So...since the infection of people with hatchlings isn't working out too well and Dawsey can "hear" them and figure out where the gates are being built, this satellite thing changes things up and decides to create soldiers to protect the hatchlings. In doing so, it creates a "general" out of a 6 year old girl to control all the hatchlings and soldiers. The satellite communicates with her convincing her the aliens are angels to be loved...until she becomes a bit too big for her britches and tells the satellite to take a flying leap.

While I loved the flow of the novel, this was my one bone to pick. Maybe it's because I have a 6 year old myself, and he happens to not be a sociopath. I found Chelsea, the 6 year old sociopathic general of the "army of apocalypse" to be somewhat unbelievable. She had no concept of right or wrong. Now I could see how a 3 or 4 year old child could be like that, but a 6 year old? We're talking 1st graders. My 6 year old is probably too honest, but children his age know right and wrong and understand you don't torture people into submission. I just find it hard to believe this girl was turned into an alien soldier and suddenly lost all concepts of right and wrong. She still could crave ice cream and McDonalds, but beating her mother or killing a 9 year old were just fine and dandy.

Other than this one issue, it's a great story. It switches back and forth between the satellite's plans, the FBI/CDC chasing the "infection," and the Chelsea army of crazies. If you love sci fi and thrillers, this is a great series to read. It will scare the crap out of you. I've found myself checking out bumps I find on my body a little more closely lately.(less)

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Jul 10, 2011 Jody Whiting rated it 4 of 5 stars

I picked this book up on my last minute pre-holiday 'I need a book' dash back at the beginning of May. Having taken a break from reading for an extended period of time I had never even heard of Scott Sigler but after reading 'Ebola' and 'The Hot Zone' in my younger years, I instantly find myself drawn to anything depicting or describing in the back page synopsis anything to do with Hazmat suits.

Unfortunately I didn't actually take the book away with me but decided to read the entire thing in one...more

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Mar 16, 2011 Cheryl rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

Contagious is the sequel to the novel Infected. Blue alien triangles are infecting human hosts, hatching out of them, and building a gateway to their world. Contagious picks up a few weeks after were Infected ended. There are doctors trying to figure out a cure, Perry is the only person to have survived an infection and is helping to track down more infected, and there is a massive cover-up so no one knows what is actually happening.

Another great novel by Scott Sigler, fast passed, well...more

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Nov 05, 2010 Patrick D'Orazio rated it 5 of 5 stars

Scott Sigler takes us back into the story started with Infected, not long after Perry Dawsey has started to recuperate from his own self mutilation and the efforts of Magaret Montoya to clean the remains of infection from his body. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Perry can still hear the sound of the invaders who infect people with the triangles that are built to create a bridge to some sort of alien invasion force. His new job: to track down these infected. He is a bit overzealous about...more Scott Sigler takes us back into the story started with Infected, not long after Perry Dawsey has started to recuperate from his own self mutilation and the efforts of Magaret Montoya to clean the remains of infection from his body. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Perry can still hear the sound of the invaders who infect people with the triangles that are built to create a bridge to some sort of alien invasion force. His new job: to track down these infected. He is a bit overzealous about this and Dew Phillips, his CIA keeper, is finding it impossible to prevent Scary Perry from "helping" the infected out by butchering them before the triangles can hatch.
Sound confusing? Only if you haven't read the first book. Scott Sigler has done some incredible research on diseases, the military, the CIA, and a wide variety of other topics as he delves even deeper into the alien invaders, who know about our resistance and are creating new forms of contagion for us to cope with.
Unlike the first novel most of this story is the cat and mouse game that was only part of the first novel. We get to see more from the viewpoint of the alien invasion force as well as some of the newer infected, like Chelsea Jewell, who is certainly a disturbing vision of a little girl given god-like powers over other infected. But for the most part, this is a story about the hunt for the infected and trying to find a way to cure them as well as prevent more gates from opening up.
The story blasts us along at a quick pace and keeps your interest all the way through. If I were to find criticism, it was perhaps in the necessity of the author to go into great depths explaining every technology, every aspect of the infection, and quite a bit of the military hardware. He does a good job of putting it all in laymens terms and don't get me wrong, it was all quite interesting. I just thought in places the book was a bit heavy on the technical and could have kept it a bit more simple. Nothing that took away from my enjoyment of the plot, though, that is for certain. I especially liked the storytowards the end, when it goes into hyperdrive and the action picks up dramatically for the end sequence. Everything comes to a dramatic ending in the space of a few pages and left me breathless.
I thought this would be a trilogy and certainly there is a small hint at something else to come but for the most part this book sews things up in the end. A good duology and certainly Scott Sigler is someone to keep an eye on for future works.(less)

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Oct 28, 2010 Chibineko rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you liked the first book, you'll love this one. The only downfall is that the final book in the trilogy hasn't been released yet & isn't likely to be for another few years. So if you are one of those "I don't want to wait" people, then you may want to buy this & then hide it away so you can read both entries in one gulp.

This book picks up almost immediately after the first book. Perry has been taken into government custody where he's being watched by Margaret & Dew. Suicidal, Perr...more If you liked the first book, you'll love this one. The only downfall is that the final book in the trilogy hasn't been released yet & isn't likely to be for another few years. So if you are one of those "I don't want to wait" people, then you may want to buy this & then hide it away so you can read both entries in one gulp.

This book picks up almost immediately after the first book. Perry has been taken into government custody where he's being watched by Margaret & Dew. Suicidal, Perry keeps himself drunk in order to drown out not only his memories but also the voices of the triangles that are infesting other people out there. Perry's being used to track down the infested, but the triangles are changing their tactics. Now they're infecting the hosts in new ways- ways that can spread very easily...

Wow. That's all I can say. I had to force myself not to gulp this down all at once because I wanted to savor it since the final book isn't coming out for an indeterminate amount of time. Aside from Pookie Chang in `Nocturnal', Perry Dawsey has to be my most favorite character Sigler's put out. Despite the fact that Perry's jumped the train to crazy-ville in this book (with those things in him, can you blame him?) I couldn't help but sympathize with his character. He was interesting to read about.

Now I do have to both cringe & applaud Sigler's choice of "villain host" in this book. His decision to make (not really a spoiler) Chelsea the baddie made all of her actions that much more frightening, to imagine that someone could turn like that. I won't go into more detail than that, but it really is creepy.

I really can't wait for the next book to come out. Seriously, I'm willing to pay hardback price to keep this adrenaline rush going. This book is a bit longer than the first one, but really & truthfully, you hardly notice how many pages you've read until you look down & realize that you've gone through about 3/4ths of the book already.

If you like sci-fi, horror or any mix of the two then you HAVE to get this book. (less)

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May 31, 2009 Thermalsatsuma rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-a-week-2009

When 'Scary' Perry Dawsey, former football star and the only survivor of a mysterious intelligent infection, awakes from a coma he realises that he can still hear the thoughts of other infected hosts and knows that he must hunt them down before the infection can spread. Can Dew Phillips keep him on a tight enough rein to allow his team to catch a live specimen to give epidemiologist Margaret Montoya a chance to find out what the disease is and work on a cure. Meanwhile in the White House, a new...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, hero

I liked it. I really liked.

Scott has always drawn me with his blood and gore, and this novel does not simper away from any gruesome scenes, but describes them with dripping detail.

Main 'bad guy' is a little girl which I'm starting to find overly trite. What is with horror (films and books) that love to portray little girls as monsters? I found her to be cliche and mostly annoying, but the rest of the book pulled past that.

I especially liked that Scott used as much real science as he apparently c...more

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Oct 03, 2011 Kristin Lundgren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, science-fiction

The second book in a duo about a parasitic type infections (first was Infected), unknown origin, unknown vector, unknown relation to other diseases. Interesting read - horror, yes, both on a grander scale of what it might be necessary to do when confronted with a problem of this magnitude, but also on a personal scale, of what it can do to you if you survive, and what it does to it's victims, and the people trying to save the world. Well done book with a fascinating way to show something differe...more

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Jan 05, 2010 Mandy Moody rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: scary, science-fiction, i-own

Contagious is the follow up to Sigler's debut novel, Infected.
I find that sequels are often far inferior to their predecessor. A long-winded author that just HAD to tell more of the same story...or maybe just couldn't think of anything original for a new book and was strapped for cash.
Contagious definitely did NOT fall into that category.
The story picks up about 6 weeks after Infected ends, with all the main characters returning for an encore performance. We get to know some of those characters...more

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Feb 08, 2011 Nikko Lee rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Why I read this book:
Scott Sigler is one of the few authors that I know about who garnered such a following by offering free podcasts of his works that he was able to leverage that audience in obtaining a print publishing contract. He's also a master at publicizing his works. I've heard his name countless times on the writing podcasts I frequently listen to and have seen his print publications in the bookstore. His path to publication gives many aspiring authors hope. So I had to at least see wh...more Why I read this book:
Scott Sigler is one of the few authors that I know about who garnered such a following by offering free podcasts of his works that he was able to leverage that audience in obtaining a print publishing contract. He's also a master at publicizing his works. I've heard his name countless times on the writing podcasts I frequently listen to and have seen his print publications in the bookstore. His path to publication gives many aspiring authors hope. So I had to at least see what all the buzz was about. I started listening to a podcast of Contagious not realizing that it is the second novel in his viral alien series.

My one sentence summary:
In Contagious, the only man to survive infection must team up with the government to stop the spread of an alien infection that threatens to destroy the planet.

Kuddos:
Sigler has made some interesting characters and put them in some devastating situations. He's got a talent for describing the gory details of infection that makes his story a pleasure for infection/zombie fanatics, like myself, to read. There is also no shortage of action in his mostly fast-paced narration. He's great at building tension as well. Pay attention to the names of his characters. Sigler inserts shoot-outs to some well-known authors in the podcast arena such as JC Hutchins (author of the 7th Son series).

Quibbles:
In the interview podcast Sigler mentions how much of a struggle it was getting this second book written. Unfortunately, it shows in the narration that is clunky at times. I have to admit that I started and stopped listening to this book a few times before getting through with it. While the techno speak often adds to the story, at times it also makes for very long segments of exposition. I was also not overly fond of Chelsea's point of view, but it grew on me after a while.

Final Verdict:
It's a toss up for me. I want to support someone who has worked and continues to work so hard for all he's accomplished. I might check out some of his other publications like Ancestor in the hopes that his narration improves.
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Oct 21, 2010 Evelyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I listened to the Podiobook version, narrated by Sigler, and his narration was excellent. The book was so addictive that although I started out planning to only listen to one episode a day I ended up finishing it over a weekend. It's full of suspense and excitement.

Like all the Scott Sigler stories I've read so far, Contagious is definately not for the squeamish. It's chock full of confronting violent and unpleasant things happening to human bodies. That's not usually my cup of tea, but once th...more

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Jul 20, 2010 Theresa Leone Davidson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars, actually. Reasons I enjoyed the novel are first. Yes, it was very exciting, a race against the clock kind of thing to save humanity, literally, from aliens. The novel Infected was the first, it introduced the characters that are in Contagious, and the action takes place mere weeks after Infected ended. It is about triangles that embed themselves under the skin of unsuspecting human hosts, grow, and pop out (killing the host, of course) as ugly little creatures that are in...more Three and a half stars, actually. Reasons I enjoyed the novel are first. Yes, it was very exciting, a race against the clock kind of thing to save humanity, literally, from aliens. The novel Infected was the first, it introduced the characters that are in Contagious, and the action takes place mere weeks after Infected ended. It is about triangles that embed themselves under the skin of unsuspecting human hosts, grow, and pop out (killing the host, of course) as ugly little creatures that are intent upon building a gateway of sorts for others from their planet to come. If you like horror, both novels are great; if you like science fiction, both of these novels are perfect. The characters are well developed, people the reader comes to feel that they know. Entertaining stuff, is you can handle the gore. Two of my favorite lines: "She wanted to spend way too much for a Starbucks and sit down and read PEOPLE or US WEEKLY, something truly brain dead, because she wanted to be brain dead" and "You think I'm some inbred trailer-trash hick that watches the Springer show?" Both lines are funny, which brings to me what I didn't like about the novel. Sequels, in novels or films, rarely are as good as the original. It happens, just not often. One of the attributes I most liked about Infected was that there was humor in it, a lot of of it, some of it laugh-out-loud funny, and it was a relief from the horror. There is not nearly that much humor in Contagious, and what you are left with is just the horror. Still a fun read, but not as enjoyable. I also didn't care for the way one character, the only lead female character in the story, behaved at times, as though Sigler believes women will have difficulty seeing the 'big picture,' or doing what is necessary under extreme circumstances. A minor complaint but a complaint nonetheless. The other reasons I did not enjoy the novel quite as much have to do with the ending and I won't state them here. Suffice it to say, I would recommend both books but the first is the best.(less)

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Nov 29, 2009 Brendan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, fiction, horror, scifi, zombies

Sigler’s rompin’-stompin’ sequel to Infected moves along at a brisk pace, mixing hard-sf and medical-thriller elements in with the horror that made the first book so good. Sigler weaves a strong story that moves forward from the last one without just repeating itself.
Contagious follows the continuing adventures of the team fighting the alien infection in black ops all over the midwestern United States. Our favorites from the last book are back, and the action pushes several of the characters tow...more Sigler’s rompin’-stompin’ sequel to Infected moves along at a brisk pace, mixing hard-sf and medical-thriller elements in with the horror that made the first book so good. Sigler weaves a strong story that moves forward from the last one without just repeating itself.
Contagious follows the continuing adventures of the team fighting the alien infection in black ops all over the midwestern United States. Our favorites from the last book are back, and the action pushes several of the characters toward real growth and evolution. Well done, sir.
A couple other thoughts:

* Sigler does a great job introducing new characters. With each new person who shows, you have no idea whether they’ll be around for just a page or two, or whether they’ll be the next big thing, taking the reins of the story and becoming a central figure.
* He’s also very good with the twist, confounding your expectations often. It makes for an action-packed thriller that doesn’t pull its punches. Gory too.
* As a horror book, Contagious offers a variety of perspectives from which to contemplate the awfulness of the alien monstrosities. The hatching sequences are particularly awful to contemplate.
* As a medical SF writer, Sigler includes enough hard science and plausible mumbo-jumbo to satisfy the part of me that groans when really implausible stuff happens. He’s able to wave the “they know more about our DNA than we do” wand several times, convincingly.
* He maintains the heat on the “thriller” part of the book with relentless action, using extras to keep the tension up when the main characters are stuck in idle. A few side murders and other tensions make the story clip along even when it’s not clipping along all that fast.

Overall, it’s a strong book that plays its genres well and pulls the reader along quickly. It gets a little too military for my taste toward the end, but given the scope of the narrative, that’s a necessary concession. For my taste, the middle portion of the book is the best.(less)

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Oct 14, 2010 Drew rated it 5 of 5 stars

Take the plot of the original book and amp that fucker to the tenth power. This follow-up to "Infected" has more guns, more carnage, and lots and lots of shit blowing up. In other words, this book kicks major ass.

Sigler is a master at breathing life into his characters, and the "bad guy" here is one of the creepiest, most well-designed, that you'll ever meet on the page or screen.

<- SPOILER ALERT ->

My only quibble with this book is that Contagious begins some time after Infected ends. In f...more

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Jul 10, 2010 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

(Note: This review contains slight spoilers for the FIRST book in the series, Infected. If you haven't read that book yet, read THIS at your own risk.)

In this, the second installment of Scott Sigler's Infected series, those disgusting, evil, and mind-morphing triangular growths that plagued hulking tough guy, Perry Dawsey, in the first novel, are the LEAST of the protagonist's problems. Oh, don't get me wrong, they are THERE too. But, now, a brand NEW strain of the disease has developed. One tha...more (Note: This review contains slight spoilers for the FIRST book in the series, Infected. If you haven't read that book yet, read THIS at your own risk.)

In this, the second installment of Scott Sigler's Infected series, those disgusting, evil, and mind-morphing triangular growths that plagued hulking tough guy, Perry Dawsey, in the first novel, are the LEAST of the protagonist's problems. Oh, don't get me wrong, they are THERE too. But, now, a brand NEW strain of the disease has developed. One that is harder to detect, harder to cure, a hundred times more powerful, and a thousand times deadlier. Did I mention that it is CONTAGIOUS?

In Contagious, Scott Sigler improves upon the formula that made Infected so successful. Returning for this installment are Sigler's dry wit, uniquely three dimensional characters, scrappy dialogue, and heaping doses of masculinity (There is not a single OUNCE of "girly" in this book). Also once again in abundance, are the author's penchant for the grotesque, the horrifying, the utterly offensive, and the jaw- droppingly shocking. Nobody is safe from Sigler's wrath in Contagious - not little old ladies, not "defenseless" babies, and CERTAINLY not "cute and sweet" blonde-haired seven-year old girls with curls in their hair. Heck, Sigler even killed half his main characters again in this book.

Like any good horror sequel, in Contagious, the body count is much larger, and the stakes are much higher. In Infected, Perry had to save himself, and those around him, from an unimaginably painful demise. This time around, he has to save THE WORLD (well, at least the midwestern portion of it). In addition to being a science fiction / horror novel, Contagious is also a political thriller, a war novel, a "buddy cop" book, an alien invasion story, a very loose commentary on religious fervor, and a very tame, very masculine, romance novel.

Since writing Infected, Sigler has clearly honed his craft. His plotting is tighter, his dialogue is sharper, his plot twists are less expected, and his gross out scenes (of which there are quite a few) seem less designed for pure shock value (which was the feeling I often got from them, when I was reading the first book) and more designed to drive the story forward.

As a horror novelist, Sigler is definitely destined for great things. With a few more books under his belt, and a very good publicist behind him, I have no doubt he could become the next Stephen King.(less)

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Jun 03, 2011 Qazyman rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Contagious by Scott Sigler 3.7

This is the second book of a 2 book series (Infected & Contagious), and they should really be read in sequence as they tell a complete story. There are only a couple of weeks that elapse between the books.

Sigler is not a great writer, but he is a master story teller. Although he does several neat things in these books, his main talent is his ability to use the bizarre and shocking to provoke thought and emotion at a fairly high level.

These books remind me of the...more

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May 29, 2010 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, read-in-10, sci-fi, series-adult

This takes places several weeks after Infected ended.

One of my favorite parts about Infected was Perry Dawsey, and I'm so glad he continues on in this book.

In Infected, these parasitic 'seeds' infect humans, grow, and eventually hatch out of their human hosts. The hatchlings would then build an arc, a construct, a gateway of sorts where these aliens would come through, invade earth, and enslave humans.

This book also begins with a new presidency. This is something I probably could have done witho...more

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Mar 11, 2010 Steven Darrall rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror-series, science-thriller

I wasn't sure if i really wanted to even listen to this (i listened to the podio book, in fact), as i didn't care too much for the first part of this, Infected, that i read not long ago (in a physical volume). I must say, though, I completely enjoyed this one. It was a such a huge leap beyond the first, in terms of story and writing. Gone is the over-the-top Evil Dead-style horror scenes. Instead, plenty of tense action scenes, genuine horror, and some fantastic characters. This works well as bo...more

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Sep 17, 2009 Sensitivemuse rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow. This novel was great! I liked how it provided more background information on the aliens and their hidden agenda towards Earth it gave the story more depth and the story is well rounded out. As in Infected, I also liked how there are scientific terms and theories, but it was easily explained and not complicated to understand. We all know some science fiction novels have a lot of technological jargon and you're left wondering if you're reading an encyclopedia on physics or rocket science. Her...more Wow. This novel was great! I liked how it provided more background information on the aliens and their hidden agenda towards Earth it gave the story more depth and the story is well rounded out. As in Infected, I also liked how there are scientific terms and theories, but it was easily explained and not complicated to understand. We all know some science fiction novels have a lot of technological jargon and you're left wondering if you're reading an encyclopedia on physics or rocket science. Here, everything is kept at Science 101 which is good, at least the reader is not stuck with having to go back to their college notes. I also liked the idea of the virus being able to evolve and to adapt so no matter how hard the government tries to fight it, it somehow gains the upper hand I thought it was an interesting way of keeping the story going.

The use of Chelsea in the book is very well done. It makes the story more eerie and creepy by using a child - a very beautiful and innocent like girl to become one of the most horrible creatures I've ever read in my life. You also get to see Perry Dawsey evolve from a psychotic raging killer doing down the downward spiral to a more calculated one, but with good intentions thanks to Dew.

There is a lot of action in this novel. It's so fast paced and well done it's almost as if you're watching a movie instead of reading. There are also a few military terms here and there but it shouldn't really bother the reader if they're not familiar with the terminology (same with the science terms). There is a lot of gore and swearing for those that aren't keen with that sort of thing. Other than that, this is a very pleasing sequel, is there room for more? well, I suppose it's up for the reader to decide. Personally, I wouldn't mind wondering what happens to the characters but then again perhaps it's better if it stays with two books instead. It could go either way I guess.

Overall a wonderful, fast paced, sequel to Infected. A great read for sci fi action lovers anywhere. If the gore and swearing don't bother you pick up both books and read them straight through. You won't be dissapointed. Also, in this book is one of the most wonderful, awesome, feel-good "tell-offs" I have ever read in my life between Murray, President Gutierrez and Vanessa. I will never forget that part in the book. (If you're curious, read the chapter: "Murray and Vanessa, BFF" to find out)(less)

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Mar 07, 2012 Lotta rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gore, horror, kindle, sci-fi

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 10, 2012 Rolando Gill rated it 5 of 5 stars

Infected knocked it out of the park, Contagious is a grand slam! Absolutely awesome. After reading it and expecting long boring technical descriptions as described by other reviewers I can only conclude that some of these guys didn't do well in biology or math. The descriptions were clear and very well done and easily communicated. I found the technical and physiological descriptions to be overly simplified. I also believe that they were necessary to give the story credibility. Scary Perry Dawse...more

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Sep 26, 2009 Spencer rated it 3 of 5 stars

While author Sigler seems to have a cynical and pessimistic view, the gruesome and gory read has the right amount of funny. This one, like its predecessor, Infected, is not for the queezy. It is frought with blood, guts, bullet wounds, bone-breaks, and disease-like alien organisms. Not even children are safe in the hands of Scott Sigler. Neither is Detroit. As I was reading this book, there were points in the story where I felt I was being drawn to the edge with tension. Where other authors woul...more

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Apr 20, 2010 Patrick Gibson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror-of-it, science-fiction

Horror, and more horror. Check.
Disgustingly more gross. Double check.

An intriguing, smart witty take on invasions of the body snatcher that continues where the first book left off? Triple check.
Did I mention gross? Did I mention double gross? The cringe-inducing, 'that's so sick' mantra as you read? Yeah, and a whole lot more.

Picking up where ‘Invasion’ left off, this story of alien invasion is a hell of a lot better than the first book. It sort of reminded me of an early Dean Koontz novel (w...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Tim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hard to believe, but this book was better than the first in the series. The continuing story of the strange alien invasion. I have to say -- the level of detail and rational decision making by protagonists was PERFECT. In most horror / SF, there is some degree of suspension of disbelief, not in the science but in the human decisions. Why this weak writing habit is common, I have no idea, but Sigler is strong. Characters act like real people, stress like real people, focus and fight, etc. In that...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Matthew rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the worthy sequel (and conclusion) to Infected.
Like its predecessor, I was unable to put this book down either. It is another epic page-turner in the horror/ thriller/sci-fi genre. Again the writing is excellent, and very much in the style of the excellent Michael Crichton. The characters are pure fun, and the action is non-stop. And by non-stop I mean continuous. It is as if the author worked hard to ensure that the book is paced so as to make the action of say Die-Hard, look as slow as...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Jim C rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is a sequel to Infected and you should read that one first to know what is going on in this book. The aliens are still trying to invade Earth and we pick up the story with Perry, Margaret, Dew and the others trying to stop the invasion. This is a great story. The author does a great job with his characters (Perry is a favorite of mine) and he keeps the story moving at a fast pace. You enjoy the relationships these characters develop with each other and you wonder what you would do with...more

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About Scott Sigler

Scott wrote his first monster story in the third grade and hasn't stopped since. A creator of novels, short stories and screenplays, Scott's work revolves around modern science's dichotomy of simultaneously producing good and evil.

New York Times best-selling novelist Scott Sigler is the author of ANCESTOR, INFECTED and CONTAGIOUS, hardcover thrillers from Crown Publishing.

Before he was published,...more

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Contagious (Infected #2)

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