I read the book a couple weeks ago and really enjoyed the different take on the zombie genre. I felt the relationships between characters could have been developed more considering Jonathan's effort to address the psychological issues between characters. I didn't feel any true connection to anyone other than the main character and more importantly I didn't feel a connection was made between the main character and secondary characters. The book was still an enjoyable and quick paced read. I look forward to the sequel.

Nice! Hope you enjoy the book. There's also a free prequel short story available: http://us.macmillan.com/CMS400/uploadedF...

I went over to a friend's place last night and her roommate is a huge zombie-phile. I immediately saw Patient Zero sitting on their bookshelf. I'm only up to page 21, but just lovin' the fact that I'm finally able to read this. When I saw the book I said, "Hey! That guy's in my GoodReads Zombie group." Which tickled me, but my friend had no idea what the hell I was talking about. :o) Her loss.

Amazing book and amazing news. I'm pumped. Yeeeah!

Jonathan wrote: "PATIENT ZERO update: The book and its sequels (THE DRAGON FACTORY and THE KING OF PLAGUES) have been optioned for TV.

Patient Zero has also gone into 4th printing."

Congratulations!

PATIENT ZERO update: The book and its sequels (THE DRAGON FACTORY and THE KING OF PLAGUES) have been optioned for TV.

Patient Zero has also gone into 4th printing.

I finished this recently. I found it to be a smooth read and was definitely looking forward to seeing how everything turned out.

Just finished Patient Zero tonight and i really liked it! Not your typical zombie apocalypse story but I liked the bioterrorism angle and the characters were compelling. I think that's important for any apocalyptic fiction, characters that you don't wanna see get eaten.

Yeah, the book's been doing pretty well. Lots of stores have sold out and from what I hear from my publisher there are lots of reorders. Makes a writer feel pretty good.

I just sold two more zombie novels --though they're unrelated to PATIZENT ZERO. Simon & Schuster bought two edgy Young Adults from me to be published in hardback next fall. The first is ROT & RUIN, and it introduces fifteen year old Benny Imura and his zombie-hunting brother, Tom. The book and its sequel are set fourteen years after the zombie apocalypse. And we already have substantial film interest on it.

I haven't read it yet, Jonathan, but I thought you'd like to know that the student bookstore on my campus was completely sold out of Patient Zero the last time I went in (earlier this week). :)

Personally I kinda liked how he approached it... I mean, if you want the stereotypical "zombie apocalypse" book, hell, there're 50 billion books on the shelves at B&N or Borders which are nothing more than copycat novelizations of George Romero's works.
I did find the love angle a little hard to buy, perhaps it would've worked out better as a "foxhole love" story (or "hit it n quit it" as some might say) ... but hey, the story defies the other established "norms" of the genre, why not the love norm too? ;-)

***WARNING SPOILERS*** ***WARNING SPOILERS***

I wasn't bothered that this was not a typical Zombie Apocalypse book. Given that this book is a spy thriller/horror hybrid it makes sense how thinks play-out. The threat of an apocalypse was always present in this book and there most certainly was some zombie horde action- if you run out of bullets it must be a horde.

The logic of these zombies worked pretty well for the story; they seemed like a blend of the 28 days later pseudo zombies with a strong acknowledgment of your old fashion Romero style critters.

Still, it's good to see a reasonably competent military response in zombie fiction from time to time.

***WARNING SPOILERS*** ***WARNING SPOILERS***
Sorry Jonathan, I was pretty disappointed. The whole horror of the Zombie Genre is the fact that it is the apocalypse. It is the end of life as we know it. Generally, the tale follows a group, groups, or individuals to see how they survive, and what they go through in the face of such hopelessness and terror. I understand wanting to do something different, and thinking outside the box, but Patient Zero is "a narrowly averted zombie tale."

In Patient Zero is the promise of a Zombie hoard, which never materializes. Further, you give a constantly updated time and date stamp throughout the book. The final form of the prion was supposed to take effect "instantaneously". Minutes are going by at the end where people infected have not changed yet, right? The zombies don't even spread across a small trapped population during all the events that take place at the end. You betray your own set up. No zombie hoard, no apocalypse, the lovers unite, the villain is thwarted and everyone lives happily ever after... Kinda fluffy for the genre.

Thanks!

I finished it a little while ago (but just now saw the post).

I really enjoyed it. I thought you did a particularly good job with all the psychological issues, and it was nice to see them addressed.

Cobbler was a nice touch, too. I hope he and Joe can be friends again.

Very well done. I'll look forward to The Dragon Factory when it's released. (BTW, I made my library by Zombie CSU).

Glad you miked it, Snickering.

I just finished reading this one last night and really enjoyed it. It's a fun read.

I have to say that the free prequel, "Countdown", sealed the deal for me to pick up "Patient Zero". "The first one is always free" method worked for me.

I bought it and am looking forward--have another book to finish off before starting this one, but am definitely excited. :-)

Add an industrial marine microbiologist to your list Jonathan. This was amazing in so many ways--humor, complexity, suspense that wasn't an easy guess... Good one. Can't wait for the next one!

You can download COUNTDOWN --a free prequel to PATIENT ZERO. Go to: http://us.macmillan.com/AuthorExtras.asp...

OK you sold me.... I am going to pick it up!

PATIENT ZERO seems to be attracting a large and very, very diverse audience. Over the last few days I've heard from cops, a massage therapist, politicians, Hollywood actors, a sculptor, an ethics professor, several teachers, a children's book artist, a dog groomer, several lawyers, and a women's book club.

Not your typical audience for zombie books or thrillers. And folks seem to be having a lot of fun with the book.

Hehehe I read it already! Is freaking awesome! Here my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/437...

Just bought this today (along with Infected by Scott Sigler), can't wait to start reading it!

PATIENT ZERO launched yesterday! Read about it on my blog: www.jonathanmaberry.com

Thanks to everyone here who posted (or emailed) good wishes. It's much appreciated.

-Jonathan

Sounds Zombie-licious! I just updated my Amazon wish list. :-)

I just turned in the follow-up book, THE DRAGON FACTORY and have now launched into the third in the series, THE KING OF PLAGUES. This is a terrifically fun series to write.

I think I have that one down on my wishlist

Sounds good Jonathon. I'll keep an eye out.

PATIENT ZERO - a zombie-themed bioterrorism novel will be released on March 3 from St. Martins Press.

When you have to kill the same terrorist twice in one week there's either something wrong with your world or something wrong with your skills... and there's nothing wrong with Joe Ledger's skills. And that's both a good, and a bad thing. It's good because he's a Baltimore detective that has just been secretly recruited by the government to lead a new taskforce created to deal with the problems that Homeland Security can't handle. This rapid response group is called the Department of Military Sciences or the DMS for short. It's bad because his first mission is to help stop a group of terrorists from releasing a dreadful bio-weapon that can turn ordinary people into zombies. The fate of the world hangs in the balance....

Here's what today's bestsellers are saying about PATIENT ZERO:
"The action is heated, violent, and furious." -- New York Times bestselling author Peter Straub

"Scary, creepy, and gripping -- PATIENT ZERO is 'Night of the Living Dead' meets Michael Crichton." --Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of Power Play and Paranoia

“Wow! Patient Zero made me pleasantly nervous for one long afternoon, when I consumed it. It's a fast-paced, creepy thriller that as prickly as a hospital needle and sounds a little too convincing. This guy is good.” -Joe R. Lansdale

"Terrifyingly terrific! Patient Zero has you holding to the edge of your seat and begging for more!" --Sherrilyn Kenyon #1 NYT Bestselling Author of the Dark-Hunter series.

"Jonathan Maberry's PATIENT ZERO strips today's headlines and offers a frightening tale of how far extremists will go to succeed. Brilliant, shocking, horrifying, it puts the terror back in terrorist." --James Rollins , New York Times bestselling author of The Last Oracle

"Patient Zero is high-octane excitement from beginning to end, and the start of a fabulous new series. Jonathan Maberry has struck upon gold, a perfect blend of military thriller and science-based horror. I think fans are going to eat it up!" --David Morrell New York Times bestselling author of FIRST BLOOD and CREEPERS

“PATIENT ZERO is a first-rate thriller with a bioterror angle that is as horrific as it is plausible. Maberry's prose sears, his dialog cuts like a knife, and his characters crackle with life. Joe Ledger rules.” --Douglas Preston, co-author of The Wheel of Darkness and The Book of the Dead

"Jonathan Maberry has created a new genre. Mixing technology, thrills, chills, and procedural noir, Maberry shows why he is one of the freshest voices in fiction. Every reader will want to ride shotgun on Joe Ledger's adventures." --Scott Nicholson, author of The Skull Ring

“PATIENT ZERO’s hard-shelled hero, Baltimore shamus Joe Ledger, deserves to stand alongside F. Paul Wilson’s Repairman Jack in the pantheon of genre icons. Highest recommendation!” --Jay Bonansinga, National Best-selling Author of Perfect Victim, Shattered, and Frozen