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The X-Files: Young Adult #13
Quarantine
Deadly Prison Outbreak When a highly infectious disease breaks out with in the confines of the Cumberland State Correctional Facility, Special Agents Mulder and Scully are called in to find the cause of the epidemic, and put a stop to it. Outside the prison walls, Mulder risks his reputation -- and his -- life to track down two escaped prisoners -- who may or may not be infected. Meanwhile, on the inside, Scully finds herself facing a full quarantine -- and set of doctors who are as silent about the situation as the bodies they are burning. Can Mulder and Scully find the men before this plague claims more lives?
128 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
1 person is currently reading
124 people want to read
About the author
Les Martin
58 books8 followersLes Martin has written dozens of books for young readers, including the RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK and INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM movie storybooks, and many Young Indiana Jones middle-grade novels. He has also adapted many classic works of fiction for young readers, including THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS, EDGAR ALLAN POE'S TALES OF TERROR, and THE VAMPIRE. Mr. Martin is a resident of New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 30, 2017
"Agent Mulder, I'm saying this as a friend. Watch your back. This is just the beginning" - Assistant Director Skinner (p.117).
Quarantine is a young-adult novelization of the Season Two episode of The X-Files titled "F. Emasculata". When a deadly contagion is unleashed in a Virginia penitentiary, FBI Agents Mulder and Scully are summoned to investigate by orders from above. At the prison, Scully attempts to discover the cause of the mysterious disease after several inmates die within 36-hours of infection. Meanwhile, Mulder assists a team of U.S. Marshals in a manhunt for two escaped prisoners.
With it laudable pacing and undiluted character dialogue, Quarantine is certainly one of the better X-Files novelizations. More notably, this book is the only adaptation to feature Cancer Man (the juvenile series generally avoided the myth-arc episodes). Young readers will relish the high-octane suspense as law enforcement officials race to capture the escapees, and the shadowy intrigue of a government conspiracy to hide the disease from the public. However, readers who are easily nauseated may want to take a pass on this one, for there are a few mildly graphic scenes featuring pus-erupting boils and reddish-orange insects dwelling inside them. Personally, I'm more troubled by Scully's clumsy fieldwork in this case—which directly results in the death of the doctor who wanted nothing more that to help her uncover the truth.
Despite its riveting premise, Quarantine contains sparse writing—and, unfortunately, several hard-to-miss spelling and grammatical errors (boy, did the editor take a mental vacation on this one!). Clocking in at about 128 pages, it's a breeze to read. Speedy readers can likely finish the book in roughly the same time it would take to watch the episode.
Quarantine is a young-adult novelization of the Season Two episode of The X-Files titled "F. Emasculata". When a deadly contagion is unleashed in a Virginia penitentiary, FBI Agents Mulder and Scully are summoned to investigate by orders from above. At the prison, Scully attempts to discover the cause of the mysterious disease after several inmates die within 36-hours of infection. Meanwhile, Mulder assists a team of U.S. Marshals in a manhunt for two escaped prisoners.
With it laudable pacing and undiluted character dialogue, Quarantine is certainly one of the better X-Files novelizations. More notably, this book is the only adaptation to feature Cancer Man (the juvenile series generally avoided the myth-arc episodes). Young readers will relish the high-octane suspense as law enforcement officials race to capture the escapees, and the shadowy intrigue of a government conspiracy to hide the disease from the public. However, readers who are easily nauseated may want to take a pass on this one, for there are a few mildly graphic scenes featuring pus-erupting boils and reddish-orange insects dwelling inside them. Personally, I'm more troubled by Scully's clumsy fieldwork in this case—which directly results in the death of the doctor who wanted nothing more that to help her uncover the truth.
Despite its riveting premise, Quarantine contains sparse writing—and, unfortunately, several hard-to-miss spelling and grammatical errors (boy, did the editor take a mental vacation on this one!). Clocking in at about 128 pages, it's a breeze to read. Speedy readers can likely finish the book in roughly the same time it would take to watch the episode.
March 28, 2018
Quarantine is the gooey novelization of The X-Files episode "F. emasculata" in which something deadly found in the Amazon is now being tested by the largest pharmaceutical company using a prison facility and the inmates as their guinea pigs. What the company didn't count on is that two inmates would escape after being exposed to the deadly disease, which kills within 36 hours in a gory and painful manner.
Martin creates a nauseating feel to the moment when boils pop without going into too much detail, leaving it to the reader's imagination. The storytelling is top-notch. The editing leaves a little to be desired. Perhaps the publishers were in too big a hurry to get the book out because there are several places where quotation marks, other punctuation and even words are incorrect. Not so many that it effects the plot or story, but enough to be annoying.
Martin creates a nauseating feel to the moment when boils pop without going into too much detail, leaving it to the reader's imagination. The storytelling is top-notch. The editing leaves a little to be desired. Perhaps the publishers were in too big a hurry to get the book out because there are several places where quotation marks, other punctuation and even words are incorrect. Not so many that it effects the plot or story, but enough to be annoying.
November 23, 2018
It was a good book.
November 23, 2018
This book is incredible
July 27, 2022
Another bare bones novelisation that directly takes the episode F. Emasculata and turns it into readable material. Adds nothing to the experience.
May 7, 2009
Wow. That was bad. Must have been made for X-File junkies back in the show's glory days.
On the bright side, it was only about 130 pages long. It's nice to know that the author was considerate that way.
On the bright side, it was only about 130 pages long. It's nice to know that the author was considerate that way.
January 23, 2025
I remember the boils. It has probably been 20 years since iv read it and i sill remember.
January 27, 2016
Short read, but grabs your attention and holds it.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews