From the Bookshelf of Niners (io9)…

Feed (Newsflesh, #1)

Mira Grant

Start date: May 3, 2011

Finish date: May 31, 2011

Discussion: Books

Why we're reading this: io9 Book Club read for May
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Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
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What Members Thought

Feb 10, 2013 Stuart Hodge rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, politics, horror

Short Version: A zombie movie directed by Oliver Stone

HERE BE SPOILERS

I'd seen this book sitting on the library shelf a couple of times, but my interest wasn't really piqued until I heard the author (real name Seanan McGuire) interviewed on the Geek's Guide to the Galaxy podcast. I'm glad I did grab it, because it's pretty good.

Adoptive siblings Shaun and Georgia Mason are text and video bloggers in a post-zombie world. I use post-zombie rather than apocalyptic, as despite the zombie outbreak li Short Version: A zombie movie directed by Oliver Stone

HERE BE SPOILERS

I'd seen this book sitting on the library shelf a couple of times, but my interest wasn't really piqued until I heard the author (real name Seanan McGuire) interviewed on the Geek's Guide to the Galaxy podcast. I'm glad I did grab it, because it's pretty good.

Adoptive siblings Shaun and Georgia Mason are text and video bloggers in a post-zombie world. I use post-zombie rather than apocalyptic, as despite the zombie outbreak life does to a degree go on. The failure of the mainstream press to provide accurate information during the 2014 outbreak has lead to the fracturing of the media landscape, and by the time of the novel (2039) blogging is the dominant medium.

Georgia (a "newsie" or straight news gatherer) and Shaun (an Irwin, named after Steve and devoted to thrilling zombie encounters) win an assignment to be official press for the presidential campaign of Republican Peter Ryman, a moderate and pragmatic leader who seems like true presidential material. following the outbreak of the Zombie virus at a campaign stop, Georgia and Shaun are pulled into a hazy world of zombie infestation and political manoeuvering.

The book has an excellent world built up around it, with some nice twists on Zombie tropes. the realistic handling of the virus and how people would live in a world with an ever-present zombie threat is great, from the obvious details such as viral tests and firearms to smaller ones like the architecture of post-rising buildings giving the book verisimilitude. The protagonists and their allies are likeable and practical, and their reaction and drive to understand the events surrounding them is well characterised.

one idea I really liked was Georgia's retinal Kellis Amberlee, an eye sensitivity condition caused by the zombie virus- it was a cool way to throw roadblocks at a main character and also to show the affection that Shaun and Georgia had for one another- little touches like Shaun changing hotel lights for dimmer ones showed a nice attention to detail

my main criticism of the book is that it doesn't really go as far as I'd like in terms of the intrigue. there are suggestions of wider plots in play but the conspiracy isn't really elucidated, and the motive of the villain is a little bit too pat. the book also goes for action and big emotional scenes which fits in with the zombie milieu, but I never thought the Zombies were a big threat to the characters- they seemed to pop up as a bit of a plot device.

I'd have liked to see a bit more of the presidential campaign, to get that West Wing, political theatre feel, as at times it felt like the Masons were just tag along on a rock and roll tour rather than part of a sustained political campaign. a little attention to some journalistic rivals or opposing campaigns might have given the political angle more heft. I know the sequel delves more into the conspiracy, but I'd have liked to see the Masons have to do a bit more detective work to put the pieces together and finger the baddie- the week to fob the investigation off to their in-book aides and suddenly have a chunk of the conspiracy pieced together.

Don't take my criticisms as dealbreakers- it's still quite an enjoyable read, and the Author is obviously all across her zombie films and her epidemiological and biological disaster literature. I'd have just liked the focus a little different. Well worth the read in any case, and I'd love a mini-series adaptation- think State of Play meets the Walking Dead ...more

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Sep 02, 2014 Alexa rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, sci-fi-fantasy

Great world building, OK characters, shaky plotting. Or is that OK plotting and shaky characters? Felt like the main character ended up in the same situations over and over (someone questions her integrity; she shames them into silence!), and didn't really change. Everyone besides the two siblings was a bit one-note, too. Happy to have read but I wouldn't necessarily pick up the sequel. ...more

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