The Passage (The Passage, #1) in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Jul 12, 2010 Crowinator rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: vamps-and-or-werewolves, adult, genre-horror, the-future, 2010-reads, dystopia-post-apocalypse

I don't usually care about the next big thing -- at least, not in adult fiction -- but I read so many positive reviews of this literary science fiction thriller that I decided to pick it up, even though it was supposedly about vampires.

This is a long book, but it reads fast, especially the first 200-300 pages, so I read it in a matter of days. Very long days, where I got a crick in my neck from trying to hold up the stupid thing (until I went ahead and bought it on the Kindle to save my eyes an I don't usually care about the next big thing -- at least, not in adult fiction -- but I read so many positive reviews of this literary science fiction thriller that I decided to pick it up, even though it was supposedly about vampires.

This is a long book, but it reads fast, especially the first 200-300 pages, so I read it in a matter of days. Very long days, where I got a crick in my neck from trying to hold up the stupid thing (until I went ahead and bought it on the Kindle to save my eyes and my shoulder muscles). The vampires are not really vampires, just like the zombies in 28 Days Later are not really zombies -- though both use some of the familiar tropes, the monsters are not traditional, and they are scientifically explained (sort of) by an outbreak of a government-sanctioned, man-made virus. Everyone is comparing this to The Stand, and I can see it, especially with the vague, quasi-religious slant to some of the characters (their "calling"), but I don't think this has the same focus on good vs. evil (God vs. Satan) that I read into King's book. Maybe that will be developed more in the next book (which will probably also be 800 pages, something that makes me both happy and dismayed). I really think 28 Days Later is a better comparison, if a comparison must be made, especially with the focus on how people band together to survive the monsters but end up in conflict with other groups of survivors, which often ends with them destroying each other. Man's worst enemy is man and whatnot.

I was most invested in this book when Wolgast and Amy were on the scene, less so with everyone else -- though the nail-biting suspense remained for me whether I cared about the characters or not. I faltered when the narrative switched to new characters a hundred years after the initial outbreak, and faltered again after those characters split up multiple times (I was starting to get sick of holding on to the tension for one group of characters while I read about others), but the narratives wove together so well that I ultimately became absorbed in every one of their lives. You know it's something good when you sit down to read an hour or two and don't stop until 6 hours later because your eyes are falling out of your head from exhaustion.

I found the book creepy and compelling and foreboding and beautifully written (if bloated at times), and I especially liked the slow reveal of the monsters' true nature as the characters seek to survive and understand what they're up against. This is definitely a top read for me for 2010. ...more

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Feb 19, 2018 Wendy E. rated it really liked it

This was a commitment, but one I enjoyed!

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Dec 29, 2011 Chessa rated it liked it

Shelves: series, sf_fantasy, popsugar16

This book definitely wins the "took me the longest to read" award. So. Long. There was a big move in there, so I was distracted, but still. I took several breaks from the book and didn't miss it. But somehow dragged myself back to finish.

This books is really almost like 2-3 books smooshed into one. I found the first book -the scary horror book - the most interesting. Or, at least the most entertaining.

The second and third sections were...meh. Depressing. Sloowwwww. And I love a good dystopia!!! ...more

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Nov 24, 2011 Christian rated it it was ok

Shelves: fiction, vampire

I wanted to like this book more than I did. I had heard some very good things about it before I started. The premise is fantastic, but the story lacked the pace necessary to sustain an air of tension. The book just plodded on far too much. The novel would have been well served by an editor cutting out some extraneous content. I ended up skimming through the last third. OK, but cannot recommend to others with much enthusiasm.

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Oct 15, 2010 Courtru rated it really liked it

The plot was a little too convenient sometimes but overall, a pretty engaging read.

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Jan 30, 2013 Lisa rated it really liked it

Shelves: i-recommend

It got off to a slow start and I wasn't crazy about the ending, but overall, pretty entertaining. The characters are well-developed and the story is compelling. The apocalypse and vampires are effective vehicles, but don't dominate the narrative. ...more

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Aug 03, 2010 Martha rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: finished

I liked this, even though it really reminded me of The Stand. It was a page turner for sure and kept me up reading until the wee hours of the morning. I will definitely read the follow-up when it comes out.

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