The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan

The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, 585 pages

The Strain is the first in a vampire horror trilogy. I had watched the television show first, unaware of the series' existence. While the show is (so far) a pretty good adaptation of the book, as always there is depth and fullness in the novel that don't translate to screen.  It  reads at a breakneck speed despite the page count.  From the first page, we get an overwhelming sense of dread. As the story unfolds and the virus progresses, panic builds until it is almost claustrophobic. 

 

Unlocked by John Scalzi

Unlocked by John Scalzi, 143 pages

Unlocked is a novella of oral snippets outlining a brief history of the origins of the great flu which would become known as Haden's, a disease in which the final stage induces Lock In when the patient is literally locked into their own mind. 

A fictional history book set in the Lock In universe, Unlocked shows how much thought went into the worldbuilding of the series. And after living through the COVID pandemic, this novella hits home with a lot more punch.  

Lock In by John Scalzi

 

Lock In by John Scalzi, 336 pages (603 minutes)

From the MARC record: "Not too long from today, a new, highly contagious virus makes its way across the globe. Most who get sick experience nothing worse than flu, fever, headaches. But for the unlucky one percent, the disease causes 'Lock In.' Victims fully awake and aware, but unable to move or respond to stimulus. The disease affects young, old, rich, poor, people of every color and creed. The world changes to meet the challenge."

Lock In is a novel I've revisited several times. The characters, the mystery, the worldbuilding, the final solution: all of the elements weave together in a satisfying way. Reading this novel post-Covid19 has added a new layer of understanding to the terror and randomness of being locked in. I really enjoy this novel, and the audiobook, narrated superbly by Wil Wheaton, is more than worth a listen, too.