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Peeps (Peeps #1)

3.76 of 5 stars 3.76 · rating details · 15,811 ratings · 1,600 reviews

Okay, let's clear up some myths about vampires. First of all, you won't see me using the V-word much. In the Night Watch, we prefer the term parasite-positives, or peeps, for short.

The main thing to remember is that there's no magic involved. No flying. No transforming into bats or rats either . . .

After a chance encounter with a mysterious woman one night, Cal's life is c...more

Paperback, Australian, 312 pages

Published April 3rd 2006 by Penguin (first published September 1st 2005)

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Dec 03, 2011 ★ Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 'Uglies' fans, those looking for a fresh vampire story

Shelves: books-i-own, read-in-2011, 4-stars-loved-it

Dont have sex, because you will turn into a vampire, and die.
Thats the message I picked up on in 'Peeps'. Funny, because Westerfelds other book, Uglies, the message was dont pollute the environment. A bit of a difference in moral there...

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book. It wins the 'Weirdest Book I Have Ever Read In My Life' award. Scott Westerfeld has created a fantastic urban-fantasy, set in modern day New York. It is weird and strange, but utterly creative and highly unique.
Basically, v...more Dont have sex, because you will turn into a vampire, and die.
Thats the message I picked up on in 'Peeps'. Funny, because Westerfelds other book, Uglies, the message was dont pollute the environment. A bit of a difference in moral there...

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book. It wins the 'Weirdest Book I Have Ever Read In My Life' award. Scott Westerfeld has created a fantastic urban-fantasy, set in modern day New York. It is weird and strange, but utterly creative and highly unique.
Basically, vampirism is an STD, which the protagonist, Cal, has caught from a girl named Morgan, when they were....well, you know.
This makes Cal a carrier. He has the disease, but not the negative symptoms. He is a one in one thousand case. This means he doesnt crave human flesh all the time, but he can see in the dark and run super fast.
Unfortunately, every girl he kisses or has sex with, he infects, and turns them into a vampire. It is his job to hunt down all of those he has infected, and put them into custody.
But that is all backstory. The actual plot of this book is him trying to catch Morgan-the girl who infected him in the first place.

'Peeps' a weird book. Creepy and gross at times, but still very, very good. The author thought this through magnificently well. Let me say this: I prefer Scott Westerfeld's blood-thirsty, horny vampires in Peeps, over the sparkling ones in Twilight or the love obsessed ones created by Richelle Mead. Ugh.

No words can do this book justice. I cant praise it more, because that would mean including spoilers. All I will say is this: I definatly encourage fans of The Uglies Trilogy to try this book. Also, if you are interested in vampires and want to read a completely wacky take on the ancient creatures, read this!
Now I will go into repetitive mode: Scott Westerfeld thought this through very well! He explained why vampires are scared of the sun, why crucifixes ward them off, why they break mirrors when they look at their own reflection.
Plus, this is just 100% weird. In a great way. Its a perfect blend of adventure, action, horror and scientific education :)

I will end with my favorite quote from the book: "I lost my virginity to the apocalypse!"(less)

28 likes · like · see review

Sep 02, 2007 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of vampire novels/sf/urban fantasy type novels

I was going to say this is one of Scott Westerfeld's earlier novels, but they all seem to have come onto the scene around 2005. Instead I'll say this, it's one that's set in New York City.

So, here's a reason to advocate abstinence only sex education: You can turn into a vampire if you exchange saliva with the wrong person. Cal, unfortunately, misses out on this lesson--so after a drunken one night stand he ends up as a vampire. As you might have guessed, these are not your grandmother's vampires...more I was going to say this is one of Scott Westerfeld's earlier novels, but they all seem to have come onto the scene around 2005. Instead I'll say this, it's one that's set in New York City.

So, here's a reason to advocate abstinence only sex education: You can turn into a vampire if you exchange saliva with the wrong person. Cal, unfortunately, misses out on this lesson--so after a drunken one night stand he ends up as a vampire. As you might have guessed, these are not your grandmother's vampires. Sure, the legends are the same, but that's about it. Because in Westerfeld's story, vampirism is a disease spread by a little parasite called Toxoplasma. So, instead of being called vampires, Cal and others who have been infected (or are carriers) are called "Parasite Positives" or "Peeps" for short.

The upshot is that Cal is recruited by a secret government organization to hunt peeps and especially to capture those that he infected. Then he has to find the girl who made him a carrier. Sounds simple, right? Think again. As Cal gets closer to tracking down his progenitor things keep getting more complicated until everything Cal thought he knew to be true is thrown into question.

Let me also say that you will never look at rats, or cats, the same way after reading this novel. There is something about a cat with a vampiric parasite that is just so much more appealing than a normal one.

The even numbered chapters of this book don't directly relate to the action-packed plot described above. Instead, chapter by chapter, Cal acquaints us with the world of parasitology (you might want to keep the Purel handy for certain segments). Some readers might find these narrative "interruptions" to be a bit annoying and unecessary, I'd politely disagree saying that the information is interesting and, well, cool. Even if you skip all the others, read chapter four. It's relevant (I also saw Scott Westerfeld at a reading where he read this section of the book and it was ah-may-zing).

So, while the parasite information might be icky, the book is awesome. The story is really fast-paced and has a lot of action and suspense. Lots of chapters end on cliff hangers that make you want to read that much faster. Even more exciting, the book is just as enjoyable for male and female readers (not too gory, not too mushy--a happy medium). Cal is a likable narrator as well as a reliable one--readers know everything that he does.

My only issue with the novel comes at the last thirty some odd pages because it got confusing. At this point, Call learns a lot of new information which, of course, the readers also have to digest. Combined with the fast pace, it got a little hard to follow everything. In fact, I had to reread the last couple of chapters to be sure I knew what was going on.

Confusion aside, the story was awesome. I love Scott Westerfeld unconditionally, but this book was lots of fun to read. The set up and early chapters prepare you for one kind of book, but by the end it's something entirely different. If you want a new take on an old monster, Peeps is your book. (less)

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Nov 18, 2008 Denise rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a young adult book? It might be marketed for the teenage crowd, but I'd say it's more adult, less young.

Things that should not be in YA fiction: four-letter words (including the worst one), a casual attitude toward promiscuity and uncommitted sex, visits to a gay bar, and a not-very-subtle contempt for religious beliefs, expressed with a condescending and scornful voice.

Things in this book: all of the above.

If you can get past that, it's actually a pretty good book. It's easy to read, w...more

22 likes · like · see review

Aug 26, 2007 Kevin Fanning rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Interest premise, fun ride. Loved that the female protagonist wasn't all helpless and actually was smarter/funnier/more interesting than the lead male. HOWEVER I could not wrap my head around the rhythm of her voice. The author had her doing weird things like saying "Dude" at the end of EVERY sentence, which made no sense and got irritating very quickly. But that's the only complaint, awesome book.

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Nov 24, 2012 Cassy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: books-in-2009, ya-lit, books-in-2012, fantasy-sci-fi, favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Peeps is easily one of my favorite books. This is the third time I've read it and I still adore it. I've always been a fan of well-written vampire books but this book is the vampire novel for people who can't stand vampire novels.

I loved that Westerfeld steers clear of your typical vampire stereotypes. In Peeps, vampirism is a parasite that preys on the human race. It has all the biological traits and side effects of a common parasite. The person gets super strength and senses, is constantly hun...more Peeps is easily one of my favorite books. This is the third time I've read it and I still adore it. I've always been a fan of well-written vampire books but this book is the vampire novel for people who can't stand vampire novels.

I loved that Westerfeld steers clear of your typical vampire stereotypes. In Peeps, vampirism is a parasite that preys on the human race. It has all the biological traits and side effects of a common parasite. The person gets super strength and senses, is constantly hungry (and horny), cannibalistic and, in the beginning, goes raving mad. Cal got lucky: he's a carrier. He has all of the pros of being a Parasite Positive (or Peep) but none of the craziness. Unfortunately, all the women he has slept with or kissed have gone crazy. He is recruited by the Night-watch, a centuries old organization that has kept the disease hidden, to capture all of his previous liaisons.

Cal is a great character that's so easy to relate to. At nineteen, he still has a lot of the quirks of a nineteen year old. He speaks like a nineteen year old, gets annoyed when people at the Night Watch give him the nickname of "kid" and is self-conscious around girls (even with the parasite putting his hormones in overdrive.) One of his first meetings with Lacey, he thinks that she might be "too old" for him (even though he knows he can't date her because that would be spreading the disease.) Watching combat his constant horniness is hilarious. It seems at least once every page or so he's reminding himself of all the reasons he can't date Lacey or he can't look at a women or can't kiss one. It's done so well that the frequent mention of it actually is just humorous, not annoying.

Throughout the story, Cal is trying to hunt down whoever gave him the disease and meets Lacey, the girl who lives on the same floor as Morgan, the woman who infected Cal. Lacey is not your usual female lead. She's smart and stubborn and is always trying to figure out what's going on. Westerfeld wrote her to be Cal's antagonist in some ways. He was always trying to hide things from her and she was always trying to find out what he was hiding. I like that she's not the typical love interest, sitting back and just letting things happen. She takes action herself.

One of the most interesting parts was how Westerfeld worked in the common myths about vampires. Most people think that vampires are afraid of crosses. We're told that new Peeps have anathema. Basically, they hate everything that they once loved. In the middle ages, most people were Christians, therefore would then be repelled by crosses because they would now hate they thing they loved. Westerfeld also attributes the plague, zombies and werewolves all to the parasite.

Westerfeld draws parallels between known parasites and the one he created. Every other chapter is about parasites that appear in the world, how they work and their effect on the ecosystem. It's easy to see the relations between those parasites and the story and his self-made parasite.

The story doesn't unfold quite as you expect it, which is what I always like. You think that Cal is part of an organization that prevents the spread of the disease when, in reality, they're actually trying to spread the correct strain of it. Inevitably, Peeps are meant to fight to keep the human race alive. They are the immune system for the human race, thus tying even the Peeps back into the parasite/immune system metaphor that Westerfeld creates throughout the book.

The end is a perfect balance between a resolution and the unknown. You find out all the information about Peeps that had been plaguing Cal throughout the story but you still aren't reassured that it's all going to end wonderfully. The story ends with the start of an apocalyptic fight between Peeps and the enemy with Peeps being in the minority. Cal may have his answers but that doesn't deter from the fact that they are on the precipice of chaos.

I think everyone should read this book (and just about everything else Westerfeld has written.) Usually I would only recommend vampire books to those who enjoy them but this is SO different than any of the other vampire novels I've read (which is quite a few.) Westerfeld steers clear of the word "Vampire" throughout almost the entire novel. It's well written with great characters and an interesting plot. Go read it. Right now. Why are you still reading this review?(less)

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Aug 29, 2008 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: science geeks, those looking for innovative vampire tales

Shelves: ya

This review will include two sentences I never expected to write in a review, namely:
1. "This book does not contain any sickly sweet marshmallow candy"* and
2. "Ew, ew, ew!"
Does that make you want to keep reading? I hope so, because Scott Westerfeld, who for my money is among the best YA authors writing these days, has created a believable and realistic take on the vampire legend which I don't recommend for the squeamish, and probably not for the romantic, either. There are no spooky castles here...more This review will include two sentences I never expected to write in a review, namely:
1. "This book does not contain any sickly sweet marshmallow candy"* and
2. "Ew, ew, ew!"
Does that make you want to keep reading? I hope so, because Scott Westerfeld, who for my money is among the best YA authors writing these days, has created a believable and realistic take on the vampire legend which I don't recommend for the squeamish, and probably not for the romantic, either. There are no spooky castles here, or pretty clothing, or pale aristocratic types with neck fetishes; in fact, this book just might be the anti-Twilight, since its vampires have a lot more in common with people bitten by rabid dogs. There is nothing romantic about vampirism here; it is sexy only in the sense that those infected with it become increasingly horny, and spread the disease through physical contact.
Our narrator, 19 year old Cal Thompson, is a parasite positive, or "Peep" as he calls them, who contracted the disease through a one night stand when he first moved to New York. Peeps are the basis for the vampire legend; although they can not fly or turn into bats, they do cower from sunlight, bite other humans, and possess super-human strength. Cal is a natural carrier, however, which means that he has not turned into a crazed cannibal like most other Peeps, but he can still spread the disease to those he kisses, since the disease is carried through the saliva. He has joined the Night Watch, an organization devoted to hunting Peeps down, and is working on capturing his former girlfriends to whom he has spread the disease.
What I particularly liked about this book was the way Westerfeld attributes aspects of the vampire legend to the need for the vampire parasite to spread. Those infected with the disease (and not immune, as Cal is) come to hate everything they used to love, which makes them leave their homes and thus spread the illness far afield. This anathema, as it is called, explains both the light sensitivity and cruciphobia of the traditional vampires, particularly in medieval Europe. The parasite also infects creatures who feast on the leftovers of the Peeps, so hoards of bats and rats are likely to follow them, a repository for the disease.
If you don't yet get the "ew, ew, ew!" comment with which I began this review, every other chapter in this novel offers true stories about biological parasites, and (thank goodness) there is an afterword explaining how to avoid them. This storytelling device won't work for every reader, but I liked it because it helped to cement the science nerd aspect of Cal's personality, as well as underscoring how vampirism is spread.
I found this a fun read, which entertains while teaching science and will appeal to kids' love of all things "yuck." I think it would be a nice complement to a tenth grade biology class, and might even inspire those struggling with the material. I'm not sure how young I would go with this book, due to the sexual content (it's pretty tame, and non-glamorized, but there), but it's definitely enjoyable for those well out of their teens.

* If you are really jones-ing for cute marshmallow creatures, please Google "Lord of the Peeps." You won't be sorry.(less)

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Jun 04, 2007 Trin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, american-lit

This one’s an interesting reinvention of the vampire myth—vampirism is a sexually transmitted parasite, an idea that Westerfeld explores fully, and often with great creativity and zest. (You know how that bit about vamps—sorry, peeps—being afraid of crosses came about? One of the parasite’s adaptations is to attack the brain and make you hate everything you used to love, so infected people won’t just hang around noshing on their neighbors and get killed by the mob with torches and pitchforks rig...more

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Jun 10, 2013 Tiffany rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. First I have to commend this book for not being "dumbed" down for young adults. One of my complaints bout books is they are too easy and feel far too dumbed down for young readers. As if Yong adults can't handle being challenged by a book. It really bothers me that authors can't reach out or take a chance to try and outdo what they set their mind to. However, I'm happy to have a change in this book. It was well written.

I liked how the “Vampires” were handled, it was a change from traditional vam...more First I have to commend this book for not being "dumbed" down for young adults. One of my complaints bout books is they are too easy and feel far too dumbed down for young readers. As if Yong adults can't handle being challenged by a book. It really bothers me that authors can't reach out or take a chance to try and outdo what they set their mind to. However, I'm happy to have a change in this book. It was well written.

I liked how the “Vampires” were handled, it was a change from traditional vampire tales that have been written now a days. The idea was pretty clever, taking the evolutionary cycle of parasites, using them as the reason for the vampiric/zombie like nature of these people. It also explained the genetic changes in these people and how the parasites worked with the human body. I do understand it is fiction, but the cat to human hosts versus the rat to human host turned me off the book a bit.

It was pretty freaky when at first we find the cat with the red glowing eyes then Cal suddenly understands what is going on. When it was explained, I was a bit taken back and when “Hum... I don't think it would work like that...” Fiction is fiction and anything can happen, but authors need to know when to draw a certain line to keep their readers going. I shouldn't have to stop and go that's not plausible. I think the scariest thing in books is when something is possible without even having to question it.

Many people will disagree, but I found the chapters about the parasites in between the stories were interesting and I enjoyed them, it added some “Flavor” to the text.

As far as the interaction between the characters go, I felt it was lacking a great deal. To start with, Cal was a bit...boring? He had some character development and he had a lot of adventures which I liked. He was actually doing stuff instead of sitting on his bottom. However, he was boring. I felt bad for him when he couldn't have sex for the fear of transmitting his parasite and the fact he felt a need to track down his ex-girlfriends so he could help them. Cal just never showed too much emotion, too much thought. He would get angry for being called kid one moment, the next he's fine. He's snapping a rubber band on his wrist so he doesn't have to think of sex, but the next moment he's fine, barely able to speak. I think the author should have played on his weakness of suddenly feeling like he could love, but never touch, or work on Cal's anger for having this parasite. Yeah I understand he does show some emotions of this nature, but he was far to boring for me and a bit forgettable.

I liked Cal far more than Lace. I hated Lace the moment the book introduced her and I hoped she wouldn't be Cal's love interest and yet she was. I had to mentally ignore every dude she used in a conversation, how underdeveloped she was, yet she was so pushy about Cal's information. I understand why she was. Hell I'd push for information too if I were living in an apartment with freaky stuff written on my walls, yet her character was uncharismatic? Uninteresting? I think it might be because she was thrown in there, or it felt like Westerfeld threw her in there just so there was love interest in the book. Granted, not many of the character were deep, Cal at least had a back story that lead the story, but Lace I wasn't sure where she came from and what she was doing. I think the Author was more focused on the parasites ruling over the people in the books and dictating their lives.

The way Lace and Cal interacted was uninteresting, I usually like when two people get together because the book has that sort of spark, as if they were living people who you knew had to be together. It felt like the conversations that had with one another were forced, as if Lace showed up at random times, and forced her way into Cal's life. Which if the writer wrote her as a strong female character I would have been fine with that, but she wasn't. She was simply annoying, over the top, and a very lazy character. I felt like in this book Westerfled didn't write a strong female role for whatever reason, he was lazy, didn't feel like it, or simply wasn't portrayed right. Whatever the reason was, the relationships between all the characters just wasn't there.
Even with the negative comments, I still recommend this book. It was interesting, seemed like a good idea that wasn't fully written out.

I've been told to try his other books, The uglies. So I'm going to give that a try and I heard it was a bit better than Peeps. (less)

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May 14, 2010 Seth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star-books

I enjoyed this book very much, and didn't get why everyone said it was so creepy

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Dec 13, 2012 ♥ Becky 22 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, vampires

This is a vampire book, that is sooo not your typical vampire book. Confused? Fear not, for I shall explain.

But first: I learned so much creepy stuff about parasites from "Peeps". I passed this knowledge on to my family and friends who hated me for telling them there was a 50% chance they had parasites in their brain. I do admit that is gross, but isn't it also incredibly fascinating?
Now to the story.

The tagline of my version was "So Pretty I Had to Eat Him". Spooky, huh? A year before the stor...more

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Aug 14, 2008 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

"I lost my virginity to the apocalypse!"

Scott Westerfeld's Peeps is another great off the wall vampire novel. A far cry from Anne Rice's sultry, albeit long, stories about vampires, Westerfeld takes the classic vampire and pretty much rips it apart. In Peeps vampires are more like people with a nasty case of syphilis than sexy indestructible gods. Being a vampire means being infected with a parasite that craves circulation above all else. Drinking blood is kind of a... side effect of the parasi...more

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Apr 17, 2009 nan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is about vampires, like twilight, but it is totally different. Vampirism is a disease, and it it spread through having sex with peeps, (Parasite Positives), being bitten by a rat, and something else...
The symptoms are
-hating everything you used to love
-hating the sun
-drinking blood
-hanging out with rats
-and wanting to eat meat.
I liked this book because it was exciting, and unexpected things were always happening.
WARNING
mild cursing

i liked the character Lace because she sort of knew w...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Rena rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: recommended_to_me, favorites

I thought this book was spectacular. I never imagined thinking out vampires this way, and now I may never think of them any different. I love the little romance going on and for some reason I never even expected for it to work out. Now, I am going to google all the stuff about the parasites and see if those inserted stories are true. I found them very intriguing. Who knew there was so many parasites that do so many other things other then steal nutrients from their hosts?

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Aug 18, 2008 Linnea rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: science nerds, vampire nerds, young adult fiction nerds

This taps into my deep seated love of cheesy young adult fiction. In fact, I feel like there should be a support group for adult lovers of young adult fiction - LYAFA (Lovers of Young Adult Fiction Anonymous). I'll brew the coffee.

But I digress. This book was given to me by my aunt Cathy, who is a super cool science nerd. She was intrigued by the book's treatment of vampirism as a parasite. The idea of providing a scientific reason for old fashioned monsters isn't new, but the books take on the...more

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Dec 10, 2010 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Gaaah. I love this book... mostly because of the parasite facts. I love parasites! But not literally, just in books where they can't touch me. But of course parasites are a part of life and I can't really avoid them entirely.

Anyway, as many theories about vampires I've read, this is by far one of my favorites. Probably the most interesting and convincing take on how vampires came to be. (Although I did keep on getting confused about the specifics of the disease).

I found this book fascinating. I...more

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Mar 22, 2009 Tessa Gratton rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In PEEPS, Scott Westerfeld takes the vampirism-as-disease trope to a whole new level.

Cal came to New York for college and adventure. What he got was a parasite that slowly took over his body. Fortunately, Cal's just a carrier: he gets night-vision, strength, speed, and a taste for red meat (or maybe that's just the Texan in him). His job is to track down the girlfriends he passed the parasite on to before realizing he was infected. They aren't so lucky - they've got the full-blown disease and ha...more

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Feb 04, 2009 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: vampire lovers looking for something a little different

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, young-adult-lit

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. When I first picked up this book and saw it was by Scott Westerfeld, I had to smile. He was one of my favorite authors, and I LOVED Uglies and Pretties (Specials not so much). I read the back and noted that it was about vampires, another plus, so long as they didn't sparkle. Sorry Steph, but you kind of hit a brick wall there.
Now, this story isn't like any vampire story you've likely read. That's the most refreshing part of this book. Yeah, they were super strong, and super fast, with incredib...more

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Jan 16, 2009 Shaun Duke rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am officially in love with Scott Westerfeld. I do not mean a homosexual love, but I absolutely and utterly adore this man's writing. As some of you already know, I truly enjoyed reading the first book in the Midnighter's series, of which I am going to be reading book two eventually here. Peeps is yet another one of Westerfeld's brilliant literary works. The difference here is that Peeps is a completely new and realistic take on the traditional vampire story. Now, hold on for a second. I know w...more I am officially in love with Scott Westerfeld. I do not mean a homosexual love, but I absolutely and utterly adore this man's writing. As some of you already know, I truly enjoyed reading the first book in the Midnighter's series, of which I am going to be reading book two eventually here. Peeps is yet another one of Westerfeld's brilliant literary works. The difference here is that Peeps is a completely new and realistic take on the traditional vampire story. Now, hold on for a second. I know what some are thinking. "Oh no, not another god awful piece of garbage vampire story." No sir, this is not another one of those. In fact this isn't even a vampire story at all.
The story:
Cal Thompson's life has changed forever. He's been infected with a horrible virus during a one night stand after a night out at the bar. But he's lucky; he's a carrier. He shows none of the signs of usual parasite positives--a.k.a. Peeps. He's sane, he's not trying to bite people, and he doesn't have crazy infected rats following him around. But Cal has infected all his previous girlfriends due to not even knowing that he was infected in the first place. His job, as part of a secret underground group known as the Night Watch, is to hunt down and capture these people before their madness spawns more Peeps to terrorize society in the dark.

Now, obviously I cannot give you more detail than that because that would give away far too much about the story. All I can say is that it is far deeper than that. Imagine what your life would be like if you could never resume a normal relationship with someone of the opposite sex ever again?
Once again Westerfeld has put together a cast of amazing characters. Cal is amazing. He's real. He acts exactly how I would expect a person in his position to. Lace too. And there are surprises throughout the story. Just when you think things are going in one direction they take a turn in the opposite. The parasite is, well, rather hardy and versatile.
To add, Westerfeld has been truly kind to offer interesting blurbs on real parasites in this world to add more credibility to the story. Every other chapter has a new parasite to discuss. This isn't a medical journal, but Westerfeld manages to tell you what these real parasites do without making your head spin with medical jargon. Then you start to sit back and think that this horrible parasite in the story could actually exist.
The pacing is spot on too. There was no time in the story that I felt like taking a break. I finished 99% of it this weekend and only read a little on Thursday during break at work. The story kept me intrigued. I found myself going back to or three times in a couple hours even though I had so many other things to do. You start to really connect with Cal.
The ending is rather different too. You do see it coming, but Westerfeld leaves the story open for a sequel--which there is. I'm looking forward to reading that edition too!
This a must read in my opinion!(less)

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Apr 28, 2013 Kelsey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The book Peeps is the first of the Peeps series, the book is written by Scott Westerfeld. Scott is the writer of the famous Uglies series. The book genre would be considered science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, and horror. Being the first in the series, it establishes most of the information and the story line. The author does a good job of keeping you on your seat and things aren't what they appear to be.
Cal Thompson’s life was changed after one night with a stranger. He was infected with a pa...more

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Mar 16, 2013 06CraigO rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ladies & gentlemen of the jury, I find the book Peeps by Scott Westerfield to be excellent at keeping me in suspense and educating me on how parasites affect the world. It is not quite as good for people who get bothered by foul language or swearing. It is a good book for getting out of the regular boring ass pattern most vampire books follow these days. In this book vampires are what they're supposed to be, savage beasts that kill just to feed their hunger. I like how you have a chapter wit...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Cal is a Peep - a parasite positive. He's been infected by a parasite that alters human behaviour. The infected become light sensitive, strong and fast, phobic of the things and people they once loved, sex-starved, and very, very hungry for meat - human or otherwise. Luckily for Cal, he's a rare carrier rather than a full-blown Peep. Yeah, he's hungry and horny, but at least he's still mostly himself.

Peeps is a vampire book, except that there's nothing supernatural about it. This is no love stor...more Cal is a Peep - a parasite positive. He's been infected by a parasite that alters human behaviour. The infected become light sensitive, strong and fast, phobic of the things and people they once loved, sex-starved, and very, very hungry for meat - human or otherwise. Luckily for Cal, he's a rare carrier rather than a full-blown Peep. Yeah, he's hungry and horny, but at least he's still mostly himself.

Peeps is a vampire book, except that there's nothing supernatural about it. This is no love story about a sweet young girl drawn towards a dark, brooding vampire. This is about garbage and rats and instinctive needs and infection and things that rumble deep in the Earth.

Peeps is suspenseful, fast-paced and easy to read. The tension mounts as the rats and garbage gather in the alleyways. There were a few scenes that made my heart pound, particularly when Cal found himself deep underground and close to a primal something that both terrified him and called to him.

Cal's voice - ironic, self-deprecating, funny, kind of nerdy - is strong and believable. Lace (Cal's new lady friend and partner in peep-hunting) is also likeable and funny, although it's a bit hard to believe that a woman in her twenties would preface every sentence with the word "dude".

Westerfield's take on vampirism is original and shockingly plausible, made all the moreso by detailed descriptions of actual existing parasites. This book is not for the squeamish. It hops back and forth between Cal's story and descriptions of parasite life cycles that are almost too graphic at times. (Well, too graphic for some. Personally, I love a good dose of gross.) These parallel parasite stories really creeped me out and helped me sink even more deeply into the story; if a parasite can make an ant climb the highest blade of grass and wait to be eaten by a cow, then who's to say that it couldn't change humans into mindless cannabilistic creatures?

Hey, it could happen.

There's an apocalyptic vibe to the book; you sense that the end is imminent, although the book doesn't fully go there. Peeps is a strong stand-alone book. While there are questions at the end that definitely leave you feeling that there's more to come, this book doesn't end on a cliffhanger designed to force you into buying another book. I love well-written sequals; I don't love being manipulated.

The Last Days (a loose sequel to Peeps) is also a great read!

This book made me want to: study parasitology

Verdict: Loved it! I highly recommend this book.
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Jan 14, 2013 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The main character, Cal, is a carrier for the Vampire-like disease called Peeps, or it is also called Parasite Positive. He is on a mission to find out who gave him this disease that will then make him infect anyone else that he has sex with. So he has to find out everyone that has been affected by the peeps disease because of him. The setting is New York. He was first infected in a bar, after he got very drunk from a drink called the Bahamalama Dingdong. He meets a mysterious women named Morgan...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Sylvanna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

One of the strangest books I've read.

Why? For every even chapters of this book you're introduced to some parasite of this world that co-exist with us and is extremely gross. You start feeling self-conscious about everything and it will give you a strong urge to start cleaning, sanitizing your room in every corner and crevice.

Also, this book - although is about vampires it's not about the conventional Twilight-esque, Trueblood-esque vampire. It's about Scott Westerfeld's version of a vampire/zomb...more One of the strangest books I've read.

Why? For every even chapters of this book you're introduced to some parasite of this world that co-exist with us and is extremely gross. You start feeling self-conscious about everything and it will give you a strong urge to start cleaning, sanitizing your room in every corner and crevice.

Also, this book - although is about vampires it's not about the conventional Twilight-esque, Trueblood-esque vampire. It's about Scott Westerfeld's version of a vampire/zombie all rolled into one. It's very unique because "vampirism" in this world is called infected-diasease, where the protagonist, Cal Thompson is a carrier of the parasite that causes the disease. Hm, interesting.

It's all very scientific which makes it not surprising that Scott is a male, because it's hard to imagine a female author writing something as gross as this (they're usually off churning off Twilight-esque novels). There is a lot of use of the word horny. And I'm not sure that it is YA-approved for that word to feature so frequently in the book. Also, because of that, I had a strange illusion that I would read something succeeding that, but no, the romance here is very mild to put it at the very least.

(view spoiler)(less)

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Nov 09, 2012 Sammy B rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Cal Thompson was a college freshman when he was infected with a parasite that turns people into cannibalistic monsters. These monsters are called “Peeps” short for “parasite positives”. But Cal is not a full blown Peep, he’s what the night watch, a secret organization set out to catch peeps, calls a Carrier. All the people who work at the night watch are Carriers. A Carrier is a person who was infected, but never turned cannibalistic. About one in 1000 people who are infected turn out to be a c...more

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Oct 26, 2012 Tara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Oct 24, 2012 ℂᖺαᖇᒪἷ℮-ωα ⊰♡1017 & ♡ Tardis!⊱ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: scott-westerfeld

This is the tenth book by Scott Westerefeld that I've read. He is one of my favorite authors, and this book was not a disappointment. It's funny, intriguing, gross, original and fun.
Here's why.
Cal, who is an awesome narrator talks to the reader in a personable way, even mentioning pages and reading, etc. He is often funny and endearing and quite likable. (A little too much, perhaps?)
All other Scott Westerfeld books I've read are in third person, but this is in first (which made it better)
It's i...more

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Aug 29, 2012 Regal Cat rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Funky people

Recommended to Regal Cat by: My friend Madison!!!

Its been a while since ive read this book. In fact the only reason i remebered to put this book in my read shelf is cuz it somehow ended up in a conversation. Now this book is really wierd (but good) so i hav no idea how it got in a conversation that waz about saturday nite live but i still put it on my shelf cuz its noteworthy. It was a really good book for me and im glad i read it. If it wasnt for my friend madison i probably wouldnt hav picked it up , It was THAT wierd. Anyway, the book was a...more

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Jul 11, 2012 April Helms rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, young-adult

A very different take on the vampire genre. Or, pardon me, peeps, or parasite positives. In this world created by Westerfeld, a condition resembling vampirism is caused by a parasite. Cal Thompson is a carrier for the parasite - he has it and can spread it, and even feels some of the benefits from it (such as greater strength and night vision). But he doesn't suffer from some of the nastier effects, such as eating people, avoiding the night and detesting things they once loved, such as Garth Bro...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Cassie-la rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads

REVIEW ALSO ON: http://bibliomantics.com/2011/09/03/b...%...

Peeps or parasite positive individuals are a well kept secret of the ancient, modern, post-modern, and post-post modern world, in other words: vampires. The existence of these Peeps is kept a secret by members of the Night Watch, a hidden government organization that loves its bureaucracy. The book follows Cal as he tries to unearth the people he turned and find the girl who turned him while catching rats, cats, and slobbery ex-girlfrie...more REVIEW ALSO ON: http://bibliomantics.com/2011/09/03/b...%...

Peeps or parasite positive individuals are a well kept secret of the ancient, modern, post-modern, and post-post modern world, in other words: vampires. The existence of these Peeps is kept a secret by members of the Night Watch, a hidden government organization that loves its bureaucracy. The book follows Cal as he tries to unearth the people he turned and find the girl who turned him while catching rats, cats, and slobbery ex-girlfriends in the progress.

I have read a lot of vampire novels, and I have to say that Scott Westerfeld’s vampires are new and interesting and fresh. As far as vampire conventions go they dislike sunlight, have a hunger lust, are blessed/cursed with prolonged life, and are inhumanely beautiful. In Westerfeld’s world, this is all explained by the disease the Peeps carry, which dilates their pupils (and explains the inhuman features and dislike of sunlight), gives them a desire for raw meat and lengthens their life while eventually killing them. It’s a catch-22 that doesn’t seem to bother anyone.

The disease also makes the carriers super horny, which is explains the extreme sexuality of vampires. Whereas in other novels vampires are sexual as a fight against Victorian social mores or to represent the AIDS epidemic, in Peeps, vampirism is a real disease, not just a metaphor. And Cal is even hornier than a normal teenage boy to ensure new hosts. That’s pretty damn cruel, because Cal knows to act on his baser urges would turn the object of his affection into a monster. And no one wants their girlfriend to end up like that chick in Teeth.

The new vampire conventions come in the form of the anathema, which is something the Peeps once loved but now hate (we learn this is so they become withdrawn from society, a survival mechanism of the parasite). For example, if in life someone loved ponies and rainbows (gee, I wonder who I’m talking about), the thought or even appearance of ponies and rainbows would eventually become repulsive to them. In the novel, various anathemas are Elvis, Garth Brooks, and Jesus (which would explain why vampires were once rumored to not like crucifixes, because they were anathemas to Jesus lovers). Granted, lots of people who aren’t medieval peasants love Jesus, but the myth originated in this age. And any excuse to type medieval peasants is a good excuse for me.

One of the inventions of Scott’s New York that I love the most is the Night Watch. At first I was reminded of the Discworld’s City Watch, but came to think more of them as the Night Watch from A Song of Fire and Ice, only with more paperwork and a more ridiculous cast of characters like Dr. Rat, the Shrink, and the Records guy. All of this underground government is overseen by the Night Mayor, who I had to have Cassie-wa informs me sounds like NIGHTMARE. Get it? Night Mayor = NIGHTMARE. I felt so damn stupid when I heard the name out loud. We learn that he has been in office since 1687 and was granted with a life-long term. Somewhere, Roosevelt is turning around in his grave.

Then there are the rats. Much like rats during the plague- the plague also comes up a lot which as a prior medieval studies minor I LOVE- “don’t suffer from the infection” but are merely carriers. In the novel they have a devotion to Peeps, becoming their brood. I thought of them as remoras to sharks, but maybe that’s just because Shark Week ended not that long ago. Like the rats, Cal is also a carrier, which is pretty damn lucky because only 1 in 100 who are infected become carriers rather than turning into Peeps.

The best scene by far was in Lace’s apartment, when she reveals the hidden message written on the walls of her apartment in blood. “so pRetty i hAd to Eat hiM”. Not only was I shocked by the fact that being a Peep ruins your vocabulary and makes you write like a tween, but it had my inner horror movie nerd jumping up and down in delight. That whole scene was perfectly creepy. Just how I like it.

My only problem was with the ending. It felt extremely rushed and everything was resolved too quickly for my tastes. I read the novel on my Kindle, and I was told there was another 10% left, however that 10% was merely a sneak-peak into The Last Days. When I saw that epilogue heading I was shocked. How could that be the ending? How could everyone have merely accepted that turn of events?

I WANTED MORE EXPOSITION DAMMIT!(less)

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Jun 04, 2012 Alyssa Cooper rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An interesting new take on the vampire novel, where vampirism is a parasite and not a paranormal afflication, Peeps is a novel built on strong characters and a well-developed plot that takes interesting and unexpected paths at every corner.

I was captivated by Peeps from the first page, and was immediately drawn to Cal's character. The story is told through an interesting combination of real time events, Cal's memories, and his knowledge about different parasites. These scientific interludes act...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
What's The Name o...: YA fiction novel about a mysterious disease [s]	9	98	Mar 09, 2013 06:12am
Would you want to be a carrier peep like Cal?	2	19	Aug 01, 2011 04:21pm
moral/important idea	1	17	Mar 31, 2010 04:59pm
is this or so yesterday the first in the series???	4	101	Sep 14, 2008 10:16am

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About Scott Westerfeld

Scott Westerfeld is a New York Times bestselling American-born author of YA sci-fi literature. He was born in the Texas and now lives in Sydney and New York City. In 2001, Westerfeld married fellow author Justine Larbalestier.
His book Evolution's Darling was a New York Times Notable Book, and won a Special Citation for the 2000 Philip K. Dick Award. So Yesterday won a Victorian Premier's Award and...more

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Quotes from Peeps

“Haven't you ever known someone rejected by a lover, who, consumed by rage and jealousy, never lets go? They look on from a distance, unseen but boiling inside. The emotion never seems to tire, this hatred mixed with intense obsession, even with a kind of twisted love.” — 219 people liked it

“It's amazing how quickly nature consumes human places after we turn our backs on them. Life is a hungry thing.” — 140 people liked it

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