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The Strain Trilogy #2
The Fall
Humans have been displaced at the top of the food chain and now understand - to their outright horror - what it is to be not the consumer, but the consumed. Ephraim Goodweather is one of the few humans who understands what is really happening, and he soon discovers that mankind's fate could be even worse than annihilation.
308 pages, Hardcover
First published September 16, 2010
About the author
Guillermo del Toro
133 books4,769 followersGuillermo del Toro is a Mexican director mostly known for his acclaimed films Pan's Labyrinth, The Devils Backbone, Crimson Peak and the Hellboy film franchise. His films draw heavily on sources as diverse as weird fiction, fantasy, horror, and war. In 2009, Del Toro released his debut novel, The Strain, co-authored with Chuck Hogan, as the first part of The Strain Trilogy, an apocalyptic horror series featuring vampires. The series continued with The Fall in 2010 and concluded with The Night Eternal in 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,552 reviews
June 8, 2011
WARNING: THERE ARE NO VAMPIRE KITTENS IN THIS BOOK
4.0 stars. Let me begin by saying that I seem to be more impressed with this series than some of my friends who find the series to be too formulaic. Personally, I am really enjoying this series and think that this second volume did a great job of moving the story along. I didn’t like this installment quite as much as The Strain which I thought was just superb. I think part of the reason for the lesser rating on this book is that in The Strain, I really loved both the back-story of the Master vampire (which del Toro and Hogan spent a lot of time on) and also the detailed description of the “turning” through the eyes of the “soon to be vampire” which I had never seen before and that I thought made The Strain unique in the crowded world of vampire fiction.
As the title implies, this second installment begins soon after the end of The Strain with the Vampire plague having pretty much destroyed New York and the world is poised to follow. One thing is clear, humans are no longer at the top of the food chain and are now fighting simply to survive. Also true is that the vampires in this novel are vicious, vile and disgusting creatures and are a far cry from the kind of "sparkly" vamps that inspire scenes like this:
Returning from the first book are Ephraim (Eph) Goodweather (the only person to recognize the vampire plague for what it is) and his soon Zack. The two of them are on the run from Zack’s mother who has “turned” and feels a compulsion to find and turn Zack. A minor point, but I thought this “dark reflection” of the maternal instinct was an interesting nuance to the story.
Apart from Eph, also returning to the story is the “van helsing” like Abraham Setrakian who has been hunting the “Master” and his kind since the end of World War II. Setrakian is my favorite character in the series and I found his narrative thread to be compelling. Setrakian is joined by Vasily Fet, a former rat exterminator who adapts his killing methods to be effective against the vampires. Together they are on the hunt for a rare manuscript that holds the key to the origin of the vampires and a possible means of stopping them.
This leads to another highlight for me which was learning the ancient history of the vampires as well as the nature of the “rift" between the renegade “Master” and the original master vampires. While the back-story is not particularly new or original, I thought its execution was very good and it kept my interest throughout. I also thought the scenes with the “Master” and the other original vampires were very well done. They all made for compelling bad guys.
Ultimately, if you liked the Strain then I think you will enjoy the evolution of the series that takes place in this installment and will be satisfied enough to pick up the concluding volume in the trilogy. If you did not like The Strain or were lukewarm about it, I am not sure that this book will do anything to change your mind. It is in many ways more of the same, but for those like me that enjoyed the first book, that is definitely a good thing. Recommended!!!
4.0 stars. Let me begin by saying that I seem to be more impressed with this series than some of my friends who find the series to be too formulaic. Personally, I am really enjoying this series and think that this second volume did a great job of moving the story along. I didn’t like this installment quite as much as The Strain which I thought was just superb. I think part of the reason for the lesser rating on this book is that in The Strain, I really loved both the back-story of the Master vampire (which del Toro and Hogan spent a lot of time on) and also the detailed description of the “turning” through the eyes of the “soon to be vampire” which I had never seen before and that I thought made The Strain unique in the crowded world of vampire fiction.
As the title implies, this second installment begins soon after the end of The Strain with the Vampire plague having pretty much destroyed New York and the world is poised to follow. One thing is clear, humans are no longer at the top of the food chain and are now fighting simply to survive. Also true is that the vampires in this novel are vicious, vile and disgusting creatures and are a far cry from the kind of "sparkly" vamps that inspire scenes like this:
Returning from the first book are Ephraim (Eph) Goodweather (the only person to recognize the vampire plague for what it is) and his soon Zack. The two of them are on the run from Zack’s mother who has “turned” and feels a compulsion to find and turn Zack. A minor point, but I thought this “dark reflection” of the maternal instinct was an interesting nuance to the story.
Apart from Eph, also returning to the story is the “van helsing” like Abraham Setrakian who has been hunting the “Master” and his kind since the end of World War II. Setrakian is my favorite character in the series and I found his narrative thread to be compelling. Setrakian is joined by Vasily Fet, a former rat exterminator who adapts his killing methods to be effective against the vampires. Together they are on the hunt for a rare manuscript that holds the key to the origin of the vampires and a possible means of stopping them.
This leads to another highlight for me which was learning the ancient history of the vampires as well as the nature of the “rift" between the renegade “Master” and the original master vampires. While the back-story is not particularly new or original, I thought its execution was very good and it kept my interest throughout. I also thought the scenes with the “Master” and the other original vampires were very well done. They all made for compelling bad guys.
Ultimately, if you liked the Strain then I think you will enjoy the evolution of the series that takes place in this installment and will be satisfied enough to pick up the concluding volume in the trilogy. If you did not like The Strain or were lukewarm about it, I am not sure that this book will do anything to change your mind. It is in many ways more of the same, but for those like me that enjoyed the first book, that is definitely a good thing. Recommended!!!
November 10, 2010
When I read and reviewed The Strain, I took some easy potshots at Twilight and credited Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan with trying to rescue vampires from the clutches of teenage girls and turn them into monsters again. However, the book didn’t wow me, and I was hoping that the next one would be an improvement. After reading The Fall, I’m even less wowed and realize that a book can be much better than Twilight and still be very ‘meh’.
So you’ve got a brand of vampires that are part virus/part parasitic blood worms with a master vamp who has a plan to bring out about a bloodsucking apocalypse. The Master has been working with this evil old rich bastard who is kind of a hybrid of Dick Cheney and Mr. Burns from The Simpsons. Together, they’ve got a chokehold on the government and media as well as a rapidly growing army of bloodsuckers.
And in this corner, you’ve got the standard pack of adventure horror good guys ready to do battle. There’s the heroic doctor with a failed marriage and a drinking problem to overcome along with his pretty co-worker. I know you’ll be shocked when I tell you that they’re a bit attracted to each other. The doctor also has a teen-age son who is such a ball of fire that all he wants to do is listen to his iPod while the vampires are munching people outside. There’s the standard Van Helsing-type old man who has been hunting vamps for years and instructs the others. You've also got a Hispanic street hustler who forges a gang alliance based on vampire killing. Throw in a pest control expert and a former Mexican wrestling star, and you’ve got your motley crew ready to do battle with the undead.
I’ve liked several of Del Toro’s movies, and I was impressed with Hogan’s work in The Town. But despite a large scale story about a vampire apocalypse going on with tons of action, the whole thing seems curiously listless to me. It just never comes alive and gets me wrapped up in the story.
Part of the problem is that the whole thing feels like a collection of things I’ve seen before. Del Toro has felt free to swipe whole sections of his own movies like Mimic and Blade II with the descriptions of underground New York and the nature of the vampires. Plus, Joss Whedon used the Master concept and name for his main vampire villain on the first season of Buffy. And having one of the primary villains be a rich old guy selling out humanity for immortality doesn’t seem particularly fresh either.
Sadly, instead of trying to build up any true horror by creating characters you care about and then having bad things happen to them, the book just throws vamp attack after vamp attack at these cardboard cutout heroes and then tries to milk a little sentiment with a few dead-wives-turned-bloodsuckers sprinkled in. I almost think that Del Toro just grabbed some old storyboards from some of his movies, threw them to Chuck Hogan and said, “Just write that up. We’ll make a fortune.!”
It’s not a terrible book. I’ve certainly read far worse. But I was expecting a lot more from two talented guys and so far it seems like they’ve just been going through the motions.
So you’ve got a brand of vampires that are part virus/part parasitic blood worms with a master vamp who has a plan to bring out about a bloodsucking apocalypse. The Master has been working with this evil old rich bastard who is kind of a hybrid of Dick Cheney and Mr. Burns from The Simpsons. Together, they’ve got a chokehold on the government and media as well as a rapidly growing army of bloodsuckers.
And in this corner, you’ve got the standard pack of adventure horror good guys ready to do battle. There’s the heroic doctor with a failed marriage and a drinking problem to overcome along with his pretty co-worker. I know you’ll be shocked when I tell you that they’re a bit attracted to each other. The doctor also has a teen-age son who is such a ball of fire that all he wants to do is listen to his iPod while the vampires are munching people outside. There’s the standard Van Helsing-type old man who has been hunting vamps for years and instructs the others. You've also got a Hispanic street hustler who forges a gang alliance based on vampire killing. Throw in a pest control expert and a former Mexican wrestling star, and you’ve got your motley crew ready to do battle with the undead.
I’ve liked several of Del Toro’s movies, and I was impressed with Hogan’s work in The Town. But despite a large scale story about a vampire apocalypse going on with tons of action, the whole thing seems curiously listless to me. It just never comes alive and gets me wrapped up in the story.
Part of the problem is that the whole thing feels like a collection of things I’ve seen before. Del Toro has felt free to swipe whole sections of his own movies like Mimic and Blade II with the descriptions of underground New York and the nature of the vampires. Plus, Joss Whedon used the Master concept and name for his main vampire villain on the first season of Buffy. And having one of the primary villains be a rich old guy selling out humanity for immortality doesn’t seem particularly fresh either.
Sadly, instead of trying to build up any true horror by creating characters you care about and then having bad things happen to them, the book just throws vamp attack after vamp attack at these cardboard cutout heroes and then tries to milk a little sentiment with a few dead-wives-turned-bloodsuckers sprinkled in. I almost think that Del Toro just grabbed some old storyboards from some of his movies, threw them to Chuck Hogan and said, “Just write that up. We’ll make a fortune.!”
It’s not a terrible book. I’ve certainly read far worse. But I was expecting a lot more from two talented guys and so far it seems like they’ve just been going through the motions.
May 16, 2015
3.5 stars!
The Fall by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan (Audio) I liked this second entry in "The Strain" series!
This is the first book I've listened to narrated by Daniel Oreskes and he was fantastic.
I was worried that it would affect my enjoyment listening to the second book after reading the first, but it was for naught. First off, I probably couldn't have read this one right now, due to this stupid slump that won't let me get into anything. Second, I've been very busy at work with a lot of mundane paperwork that doesn't require too much brain power. Overall, everything worked out perfectly.
The story itself was just okay. I thought the narration made it sound better than it actually was, if that makes any sense. However, the end really came together in an explosive way, and now I can't wait to see how the third novel wraps this all up. I mean, everything seems beyond saving at this point, including the International Space Station. When everything, even stuff in space, is messed up, how can the world come back from that? I guess I'll have to read the last book and see.
The Fall by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan (Audio) I liked this second entry in "The Strain" series!
This is the first book I've listened to narrated by Daniel Oreskes and he was fantastic.
I was worried that it would affect my enjoyment listening to the second book after reading the first, but it was for naught. First off, I probably couldn't have read this one right now, due to this stupid slump that won't let me get into anything. Second, I've been very busy at work with a lot of mundane paperwork that doesn't require too much brain power. Overall, everything worked out perfectly.
The story itself was just okay. I thought the narration made it sound better than it actually was, if that makes any sense. However, the end really came together in an explosive way, and now I can't wait to see how the third novel wraps this all up. I mean, everything seems beyond saving at this point, including the International Space Station. When everything, even stuff in space, is messed up, how can the world come back from that? I guess I'll have to read the last book and see.
May 15, 2015
3.5 stars!
I liked this second entry in "The Strain" series!
This is the first book I've listened to narrated by Daniel Oreskes and he was fantastic.
I was worried that it would affect my enjoyment listening to the second book after reading the first, but it was for naught. First off, I probably couldn't have read this one right now, due to this stupid slump that won't let me get into anything. Second, I've been very busy at work with a lot of mundane paperwork that doesn't require too much brain power. Overall, everything worked out perfectly.
The story itself was just okay. I thought the narration made it sound better than it actually was, if that makes any sense. However, the end really came together in an explosive way, and now I can't wait to see how the third novel wraps this all up. I mean, everything seems beyond saving at this point, including the International Space Station. When everything, even stuff in space, is messed up, how can the world come back from that? I guess I'll have to read the last book and see.
I liked this second entry in "The Strain" series!
This is the first book I've listened to narrated by Daniel Oreskes and he was fantastic.
I was worried that it would affect my enjoyment listening to the second book after reading the first, but it was for naught. First off, I probably couldn't have read this one right now, due to this stupid slump that won't let me get into anything. Second, I've been very busy at work with a lot of mundane paperwork that doesn't require too much brain power. Overall, everything worked out perfectly.
The story itself was just okay. I thought the narration made it sound better than it actually was, if that makes any sense. However, the end really came together in an explosive way, and now I can't wait to see how the third novel wraps this all up. I mean, everything seems beyond saving at this point, including the International Space Station. When everything, even stuff in space, is messed up, how can the world come back from that? I guess I'll have to read the last book and see.
October 12, 2015
At first this seemed like one colossal boner - reading a book upon which the series I just finished watching is based. BUT, there were enough differences (some major!) to keep things interesting.
There is much I love here - big, ugly, NASTY vampires - the way vampires are meant to be. And no fangs are necessary; they have disgusting, eel-like appendages that shoot out, dispensing vile, infectious worms into the victims they are feeding from.
Yuck!
I also love the urban setting for this series. The cramped tenements, streets bordered on two sides by tall buildings and dark, scary subways only add to the creepiness.
AND most of all - and pretty unusual in a book of this type - the characters are interesting AND intelligent.
Now, my dilemma is whether or not to go ahead and read the last book in the series, or share the surprises with the rest of the family when the series returns next year.
There is much I love here - big, ugly, NASTY vampires - the way vampires are meant to be. And no fangs are necessary; they have disgusting, eel-like appendages that shoot out, dispensing vile, infectious worms into the victims they are feeding from.
Yuck!
I also love the urban setting for this series. The cramped tenements, streets bordered on two sides by tall buildings and dark, scary subways only add to the creepiness.
AND most of all - and pretty unusual in a book of this type - the characters are interesting AND intelligent.
Now, my dilemma is whether or not to go ahead and read the last book in the series, or share the surprises with the rest of the family when the series returns next year.
May 29, 2018
This series was very problematic, in my opinion. Please read the full review for the series here on my blog.
Part two starts going downhill. It gives way too much power to the baddies too quickly to keep your interest in the series. You're reading about the resistance, when you already know they're definitely not going to win. Where's the fun in that?
Book two uses the underground passages of the speakeasies which I thought was cool, and it also uses cultural and historical element like the hobo symbols underground and whatnot. It grows Setrakian's character somewhat, with the backstory, and that was well done too. I also liked how they used the biohazard symbol and all the lore behind that to make it work. But... that's about it. With these little details making it fun, there's really nothing else driving it.
Now you know what I would have liked to see? But there's something WAY more serious that's the problem with this series at this point.
It's the surprising lack of any real female characters??? The Fall suffers from an incredibly, incredibly strong case of Strictly Male Writing. There are no women whatsoever who get more than a few lines. More than that, there are barely just a few secondary character women. They all either serve a purpose of being there to be turned, to be a mother, or to be the vehicle for The Male Conversation for the audience. There's seriously NOTHING more than that. It's been a long, long while since I've read a book like that, and I believe it was hard scifi written in the 60s, which this is not, so you should be able to see what a sorry example of the phenomenon this is.
And if you're going to say the researcher, Eff's partner, Nora? You know, I should have counted the sentences she uttered in the books. Wouldn't have made more than a hundred. Not that she does much of anything, aside from being talked to, following, listening, being kissed or f*cked every now and then, and finally, crying when she is told to leave with the kid, like a good woman does. (She does get her own segment in book 3, but for me, it was much too late and much too little. Pathetic.) This was BY FAR the worst part of the entire otherwise good series – something that could have been easily edited. This is ridiculous. It's hard to even imagine two guys who live in a world where you can write a book with literally no functional women characters in the 21st century. What world do you live in, people??
Then... There's another thing. I just noticed this around the middle of book three, actually, but... It's not just the women. ALL at least somewhat diverse characters are plainly erased in this series. It took me a while to notice cause I actually do live in a historically all-white country (post-soviet), but hello – Mr del Toro and Mr Hogan, did you not write this book about the US? Do you own any sort of magical racist glasses that blot out any person of color..?? I am absolutely shocked to realize that three books in, I could not detect even a passer-by that is black. About the only non-white person was a Latino. ONE person. We've got ONE woman. And ONE Latino. In three books. WE'RE DOING GREAT HERE, GUYS. (I'm always first to blame myself for 'not noticing', but in this case – if I've got to THINK to remember if there were any..? Probably means there are problems here. Still, feel free to tell me I missed something here. I was super fast-reading books 2 and 3 cause they were boring the hell out of me.)
Again. I cannot believe the kind of world these authors live in. You've got to be kidding me.
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Part two starts going downhill. It gives way too much power to the baddies too quickly to keep your interest in the series. You're reading about the resistance, when you already know they're definitely not going to win. Where's the fun in that?
Book two uses the underground passages of the speakeasies which I thought was cool, and it also uses cultural and historical element like the hobo symbols underground and whatnot. It grows Setrakian's character somewhat, with the backstory, and that was well done too. I also liked how they used the biohazard symbol and all the lore behind that to make it work. But... that's about it. With these little details making it fun, there's really nothing else driving it.
Now you know what I would have liked to see? But there's something WAY more serious that's the problem with this series at this point.
It's the surprising lack of any real female characters??? The Fall suffers from an incredibly, incredibly strong case of Strictly Male Writing. There are no women whatsoever who get more than a few lines. More than that, there are barely just a few secondary character women. They all either serve a purpose of being there to be turned, to be a mother, or to be the vehicle for The Male Conversation for the audience. There's seriously NOTHING more than that. It's been a long, long while since I've read a book like that, and I believe it was hard scifi written in the 60s, which this is not, so you should be able to see what a sorry example of the phenomenon this is.
And if you're going to say the researcher, Eff's partner, Nora? You know, I should have counted the sentences she uttered in the books. Wouldn't have made more than a hundred. Not that she does much of anything, aside from being talked to, following, listening, being kissed or f*cked every now and then, and finally, crying when she is told to leave with the kid, like a good woman does. (She does get her own segment in book 3, but for me, it was much too late and much too little. Pathetic.) This was BY FAR the worst part of the entire otherwise good series – something that could have been easily edited. This is ridiculous. It's hard to even imagine two guys who live in a world where you can write a book with literally no functional women characters in the 21st century. What world do you live in, people??
Then... There's another thing. I just noticed this around the middle of book three, actually, but... It's not just the women. ALL at least somewhat diverse characters are plainly erased in this series. It took me a while to notice cause I actually do live in a historically all-white country (post-soviet), but hello – Mr del Toro and Mr Hogan, did you not write this book about the US? Do you own any sort of magical racist glasses that blot out any person of color..?? I am absolutely shocked to realize that three books in, I could not detect even a passer-by that is black. About the only non-white person was a Latino. ONE person. We've got ONE woman. And ONE Latino. In three books. WE'RE DOING GREAT HERE, GUYS. (I'm always first to blame myself for 'not noticing', but in this case – if I've got to THINK to remember if there were any..? Probably means there are problems here. Still, feel free to tell me I missed something here. I was super fast-reading books 2 and 3 cause they were boring the hell out of me.)
Again. I cannot believe the kind of world these authors live in. You've got to be kidding me.
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October 7, 2010
I'm not even sure why I read this, since the first book (The Strain) was mediocre at best. I guess I'm just a sucker (heh) for anything that combines vampires with apocalytpic plagues (my two favorite things!). In a nutshell, an ancient parasite resurfaces and takes the world by storm, turning people into vampires (of a sort), while a ragtag group of good guys forms a resistance and tries to save the world. In this book, the planet's infrastructure begins to collapse as the parasite takes hold.
What bugs me is the half-assed writing. Del Toro (via Chuck Hogan) obviously undertook this project with the film adaptations in mind, and there's nothing more annoying than a book that is not written for reading. It's like this is the first draft (and initial marketing push) for the movie sensation to come. I hate that.
What I do like is the vampire-as-parasite thing. It's been done before (Scott Westerfeld pulls this off brilliantly in Peeps), but it's still a breath of fresh air to encounter vamps who are repulsive, destructive and animalistic (as opposed to sparkly, seductive boyfriend material). The creatures here have 6-foot-long suction cup stinger thingies that come flying out their mouths, and their bodies are filled with white pus. These movies are so not going to be for the tween set.
I'll probably read the third and last book, because that's what I do, but overall I am disappointed in this series. I wasn't a del Toro fan to begin with (Pan's Labyrinth, in my opinion, is all style and no substance), but I did have high hopes for this project. Sigh.
What bugs me is the half-assed writing. Del Toro (via Chuck Hogan) obviously undertook this project with the film adaptations in mind, and there's nothing more annoying than a book that is not written for reading. It's like this is the first draft (and initial marketing push) for the movie sensation to come. I hate that.
What I do like is the vampire-as-parasite thing. It's been done before (Scott Westerfeld pulls this off brilliantly in Peeps), but it's still a breath of fresh air to encounter vamps who are repulsive, destructive and animalistic (as opposed to sparkly, seductive boyfriend material). The creatures here have 6-foot-long suction cup stinger thingies that come flying out their mouths, and their bodies are filled with white pus. These movies are so not going to be for the tween set.
I'll probably read the third and last book, because that's what I do, but overall I am disappointed in this series. I wasn't a del Toro fan to begin with (Pan's Labyrinth, in my opinion, is all style and no substance), but I did have high hopes for this project. Sigh.
September 29, 2017
Εξήντα μέρες. Μόλις τόσες χρειάστηκαν για να φτάσει ο κόσμος στο τέλος του.
Το κακό εξαπλώθηκε. Η πόλη παραδόθηκε στον όλεθρο. Κι ο κόσμος ολάκερος μαζί. Κανείς δεν θεώρησε πιθανό να συμβεί ό,τι τελικά συνέβη. Στην εμφάνιση της πανδημίας η κοινή γνώμη αντέδρασε με άρνηση. Ό,τι διαφεύγει των σταθερών και υπερβαίνει τους φυσικούς νόμους ή την ανθρώπινη λογική απλώς δεν μπορεί να υπάρχει. Κι όσο οι άνθρωποι αρνούνταν να αντιμετωπίσουν τη νέα πραγματικότητα, είτε από δυσπιστία, είτε από παραπληροφόρηση, ο κόσμος άλλαζε ραγδαία.
Η Πτώση συντελέστηκε και θα ακολουθήσει η Αιώνια Νύχτα. Ο ίσκιος του Αφέντη θα καταπλακώσει το ανθρώπινο είδος και ένα μόνιμο, ακατάλυτο λυκόφως πρόκειται να επικρατήσει. Η δύση της ανθρωπότητας είναι προ των πυλών. Μια δράκα αγωνιστών θα συνεχίσει να ελπίζει, ωστόσο, ότι το τέλος δεν γράφτηκε ακόμη∙ ότι ο ήλιος θα ανατείλει ξανά και ο Αφέντης θα επιστρέψει εκεί που κρυβόταν για αιώνες: στις σκιές και στο περιθώριο της ιστορίας.
Το δεύτερο βιβ��ίο της τριλογίας των Guillermo Del Toro και Chuck Hogan είναι σαφώς κατώτερο του πρώτου. Ένιωσα να απουσιάζει η δραματουργική ένταση του Ίχνους κι η εξιστόρηση να βραδύνει μάλλον αδικαιολόγητα. Αντίθετα με το Ίχνος, όμως, τα πράγματα δεν συμβαίνουν όπως ακριβώς στην τηλεοπτική σειρά. Οι διαφοροποιήσεις σε σχέση με όσα διάλεξε ο G. Del Toro να μεταφέρει στην οθόνη είναι πλέον σημαντικές και ευδιάκριτες∙ κι αυτό το τελευταίο ήταν που τελικά κράτησε αμείωτο το ενδιαφέρον μου μέχρι το τέλος.
3 αστέρια. Μέχρι να σβήσουν κι αυτά κάτω από το εβένινο πέπλο της Αιώνιας Νύχτας που θα ακολουθήσει.
Το κακό εξαπλώθηκε. Η πόλη παραδόθηκε στον όλεθρο. Κι ο κόσμος ολάκερος μαζί. Κανείς δεν θεώρησε πιθανό να συμβεί ό,τι τελικά συνέβη. Στην εμφάνιση της πανδημίας η κοινή γνώμη αντέδρασε με άρνηση. Ό,τι διαφεύγει των σταθερών και υπερβαίνει τους φυσικούς νόμους ή την ανθρώπινη λογική απλώς δεν μπορεί να υπάρχει. Κι όσο οι άνθρωποι αρνούνταν να αντιμετωπίσουν τη νέα πραγματικότητα, είτε από δυσπιστία, είτε από παραπληροφόρηση, ο κόσμος άλλαζε ραγδαία.
Η Πτώση συντελέστηκε και θα ακολουθήσει η Αιώνια Νύχτα. Ο ίσκιος του Αφέντη θα καταπλακώσει το ανθρώπινο είδος και ένα μόνιμο, ακατάλυτο λυκόφως πρόκειται να επικρατήσει. Η δύση της ανθρωπότητας είναι προ των πυλών. Μια δράκα αγωνιστών θα συνεχίσει να ελπίζει, ωστόσο, ότι το τέλος δεν γράφτηκε ακόμη∙ ότι ο ήλιος θα ανατείλει ξανά και ο Αφέντης θα επιστρέψει εκεί που κρυβόταν για αιώνες: στις σκιές και στο περιθώριο της ιστορίας.
Το δεύτερο βιβ��ίο της τριλογίας των Guillermo Del Toro και Chuck Hogan είναι σαφώς κατώτερο του πρώτου. Ένιωσα να απουσιάζει η δραματουργική ένταση του Ίχνους κι η εξιστόρηση να βραδύνει μάλλον αδικαιολόγητα. Αντίθετα με το Ίχνος, όμως, τα πράγματα δεν συμβαίνουν όπως ακριβώς στην τηλεοπτική σειρά. Οι διαφοροποιήσεις σε σχέση με όσα διάλεξε ο G. Del Toro να μεταφέρει στην οθόνη είναι πλέον σημαντικές και ευδιάκριτες∙ κι αυτό το τελευταίο ήταν που τελικά κράτησε αμείωτο το ενδιαφέρον μου μέχρι το τέλος.
3 αστέρια. Μέχρι να σβήσουν κι αυτά κάτω από το εβένινο πέπλο της Αιώνιας Νύχτας που θα ακολουθήσει.
March 13, 2012
Actual rating: 2.5 stars.
In my review of The Strain, the first book in this series, I said that it started off well but quickly degenerated into an illogical mess. The Fall is the second book in what is planned to be a trilogy, and it starts in the illogical mess phase. Where does it go from there? Into an extended setup for volume number three. Reading The Fall, I felt like the only reason for this book's existence is to keep interest alive for the eventual release of the third book. The background situation is horrific, and intrinsically interesting ... one of the world's seven vampire masters has come to America and unleashed a plague of vampirism, and society is rapidly crumbling vampires feed and convert more humans into vampires. But del Toro and Hogan keep most of that in the background, focusing instead on three or four unlikely characters who are clearly destined to save humanity. By keeping the overwhelming disaster in the background, they mute the story's main thrill, and instead of reading a truly scary vampire thriller, I felt like I was reading an airport bookshop thriller. Why three stars? Because Goodreads won't let me give it a 2.5, which is what I think it really deserves. Worth reading, but not worth buying. Borrow it from the library instead.
In my review of The Strain, the first book in this series, I said that it started off well but quickly degenerated into an illogical mess. The Fall is the second book in what is planned to be a trilogy, and it starts in the illogical mess phase. Where does it go from there? Into an extended setup for volume number three. Reading The Fall, I felt like the only reason for this book's existence is to keep interest alive for the eventual release of the third book. The background situation is horrific, and intrinsically interesting ... one of the world's seven vampire masters has come to America and unleashed a plague of vampirism, and society is rapidly crumbling vampires feed and convert more humans into vampires. But del Toro and Hogan keep most of that in the background, focusing instead on three or four unlikely characters who are clearly destined to save humanity. By keeping the overwhelming disaster in the background, they mute the story's main thrill, and instead of reading a truly scary vampire thriller, I felt like I was reading an airport bookshop thriller. Why three stars? Because Goodreads won't let me give it a 2.5, which is what I think it really deserves. Worth reading, but not worth buying. Borrow it from the library instead.
September 17, 2011
Here's something that almost never happens to me: I gave up on this book. Why? Because, quite simply, it is one of the worst-written novels I've ever encountered, regardless of genre. Honestly... it's horrifying, and not even a little bit in the sense that you'd hope a global vampire apocalypse novel would be. I could try to explain (in painful detail) just how awful it is, telling you about the amateurish plotting, the paper-thin characters, the abject lack of subtlety and grace and elegance in the writing... but why bother, when the book does such a good job on its own?
"And now she was hell-bent on turning her blood, her Dear One, their son. This plague of demons had affected him on a personal level, and he was finding it difficult to focus on anything else, never mind theorizing on the grand scale of things — though that was, in fact, his training as an epidemiologist. But when something this insidious enters your personal life, all superior thinking goes out the window."
Huh?
Well... fine. Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan: something insidious entered my personal life, but after 116 pages of gibberish I've decided enough is enough. This book sucks, and I'm deeply embarrassed for you both.
"And now she was hell-bent on turning her blood, her Dear One, their son. This plague of demons had affected him on a personal level, and he was finding it difficult to focus on anything else, never mind theorizing on the grand scale of things — though that was, in fact, his training as an epidemiologist. But when something this insidious enters your personal life, all superior thinking goes out the window."
Huh?
Well... fine. Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan: something insidious entered my personal life, but after 116 pages of gibberish I've decided enough is enough. This book sucks, and I'm deeply embarrassed for you both.
October 12, 2011
Wow. Just wow.
I wanted to give this 5-stars, as the ending is powerful. But I only gave The Strain 4-stars, and this isn't better overall. The ending of this book is much better, but The Strain is better from cover to cover, despite its own weak ending.
Definitely looking forward to The Night Eternal. I could see the series getting a 5-star out of me though the individual books are getting 4. More than the sum of its parts, and all that. But that will depend on how the authors wrap up the trilogy.
Stay tuned....
I wanted to give this 5-stars, as the ending is powerful. But I only gave The Strain 4-stars, and this isn't better overall. The ending of this book is much better, but The Strain is better from cover to cover, despite its own weak ending.
Definitely looking forward to The Night Eternal. I could see the series getting a 5-star out of me though the individual books are getting 4. More than the sum of its parts, and all that. But that will depend on how the authors wrap up the trilogy.
Stay tuned....
July 8, 2012
This second book is chilling, the virus is here now and the threat looms. The fate of mankind lies in hand of those who have a certain book and the Hunters, you have mortals, hunters and ancients in the fierce battle against the Masters own plan set out. The story is action packed and really this book leaves you with loads to look forward to the third installment of The Strain trilogy. I have a feeling the third book has been set up to have all the ingredients of a humdinger of battle for mankind.
For Interviews and trailers visit
http://more2read.com/?review=the-fall-the-strain-2-by-guillermo-del-toro-chuck-hogan
For Interviews and trailers visit
http://more2read.com/?review=the-fall-the-strain-2-by-guillermo-del-toro-chuck-hogan
September 10, 2020
Este segundo libro de la trilogía. me ha gustado mucho más que el anterior, la trama continua donde se quedó el primero y vemos como continúan las aventuras de Nora, Eph, Fet, Gus y Setrakian para derrotar al Amo, a lo largo de esta novela sus historias se entrelazan y también aparecen los Ancianos, otro frente al que combatir o no....
July 15, 2016
--- Achtung! Evtl. kleine Spoiler zu Band 1! ---
"Das Blut" schließt direkt an den ersten Band an.
60 Tage sind seit den Ereignissen im Flugzeug vergangen und die Stadt New York verfällt immer mehr dem Chaos.
In den Nachrichten wird die Katastrophe noch immer als gefährlicher Virus eingestuft, doch der Epidemiologe Ephraim, der Kammerjäger Vasiliy und der alte Pfandleiher Abraham wissen genau, dass dieser Virus von Vampiren verbreitet wird: die Saat des Meisters scheint aufzugehen.
Meine Meinung
Man kommt sehr gut rein, da einiges kurz wiederholt wird, um die vorherige Handlung aufzufrischen. Der Schreibstil bleibt gewohnt nüchtern aber sehr detailliert, so dass man sich alles gut vorstellen kann. Bei meiner Rezension zu Band 1 habe ich schon erwähnt, dass hier evtl. der Regisseur in Guillermo del Toro zum Vorschein kommt, denn ich hatte oft das Gefühl, das gelesene als Film ablaufen zu sehen.
Die Charaktere haben sich der Situation angepasst, soweit es ihnen möglich ist. Unruhen und Aufstände bestimmen den "Alltag" in New York - aber der Virus breitet sich auch in anderen Städten aus: weltweit.
Der Meister der Vampire ist einer der sieben "Alten", die seit jeher das Gleichgewicht gewahrt haben. Er hat das Abkommen gebrochen und will sich mit seinen neu rekrutierten Geschöpfen der Nacht die Welt untertan machen. Anfangs hab ich noch nicht so recht durchgeblickt, wie seine Pläne durchzusetzen sind, aber das haben die beiden Autoren ziemlich gut durchdacht. Auch wenn ich jetzt noch nicht alle Zusammenhänge verstehe - es kommt ja noch ein Band ;)
Abraham, Ephraim, Vasiliy, Nora und Gus versuchen indessen alles, um die beiden aufzuhalten - jeder auf eine sehr ungewöhnliche und ihm eigene Weise. Dieses ganze Chaos holt wohl aus jedem Menschen verborgene Fähigkeiten heraus und manche entwickeln regelrecht ein Jagdfieber, bei dem sie sich ausleben können, als hätten sie endlich ihre Bestimmung gefunden! Da frage ich mich oft selbst, wie ich in einer solchen Situation reagieren würde ...
Manche Zufälle waren sehr berechnend und hätten sicher auch anders gelöst werden können. Wenn immer alles zum rechten Zeitpunkt passiert wirkt das auf mich zu konstruiert - hier hab ich wieder Filmszenen im Kopf gehabt, da würde mich das nicht so stören, wenn die Helden strategisch passend und pünktlich am richtigen Ort auftauchen.
Auch die Verbindungen zur Nazi-Zeit, die ja in den Rückblicken von Abraham immer wieder im Mittelpunkt stehen, kamen mir ja anfangs ein bisschen fehl am Platz vor, wurden aber jetzt ausreichend erklärt, so dass sich ein rundes Gesamtbild der Zusammenhänge ergibt.
Das Tempo hat sich durchgehend gehalten, auch wenn mich die vielen Infos zu den Bauwerken oder Gegenständen etwas gebremst haben. Mehr hätte ich mir über die Bevölkerung gewünscht und wie sich die Regierungen und Behörden hier verhalten. Wie das Arbeitsleben weitergeht, nachdem viele Menschen verschwinden und überall Ausschreitungen an der Tagesordnung stehen.
Gegen Ende gibt es schnelle Szenenwechsel, und dramatische Wendungen, die die Spannung sehr erhöht haben - der Schluss hat es wirklich in sich!
Die Welt steht am Abgrund und ich erwarte ein spannendes Finale in "Die Nacht".
Fazit
Ein spannender Mittelteil der Vampir Apokalypse, der mich größtenteils sehr gefesselt hat. Manchmal wurde mir zu sehr ins Detail gegangen, was ich in so einem spannenden Szenario einfach nicht brauchen kann. Das ist aber Geschmacksache ;)
© Aleshanee
Weltenwanderer
The Strain
1 ~ Die Saat
2 ~ Das Blut
3 ~ Die Nacht
"Das Blut" schließt direkt an den ersten Band an.
60 Tage sind seit den Ereignissen im Flugzeug vergangen und die Stadt New York verfällt immer mehr dem Chaos.
In den Nachrichten wird die Katastrophe noch immer als gefährlicher Virus eingestuft, doch der Epidemiologe Ephraim, der Kammerjäger Vasiliy und der alte Pfandleiher Abraham wissen genau, dass dieser Virus von Vampiren verbreitet wird: die Saat des Meisters scheint aufzugehen.
Meine Meinung
Man kommt sehr gut rein, da einiges kurz wiederholt wird, um die vorherige Handlung aufzufrischen. Der Schreibstil bleibt gewohnt nüchtern aber sehr detailliert, so dass man sich alles gut vorstellen kann. Bei meiner Rezension zu Band 1 habe ich schon erwähnt, dass hier evtl. der Regisseur in Guillermo del Toro zum Vorschein kommt, denn ich hatte oft das Gefühl, das gelesene als Film ablaufen zu sehen.
Die Charaktere haben sich der Situation angepasst, soweit es ihnen möglich ist. Unruhen und Aufstände bestimmen den "Alltag" in New York - aber der Virus breitet sich auch in anderen Städten aus: weltweit.
Der Meister der Vampire ist einer der sieben "Alten", die seit jeher das Gleichgewicht gewahrt haben. Er hat das Abkommen gebrochen und will sich mit seinen neu rekrutierten Geschöpfen der Nacht die Welt untertan machen. Anfangs hab ich noch nicht so recht durchgeblickt, wie seine Pläne durchzusetzen sind, aber das haben die beiden Autoren ziemlich gut durchdacht. Auch wenn ich jetzt noch nicht alle Zusammenhänge verstehe - es kommt ja noch ein Band ;)
Abraham, Ephraim, Vasiliy, Nora und Gus versuchen indessen alles, um die beiden aufzuhalten - jeder auf eine sehr ungewöhnliche und ihm eigene Weise. Dieses ganze Chaos holt wohl aus jedem Menschen verborgene Fähigkeiten heraus und manche entwickeln regelrecht ein Jagdfieber, bei dem sie sich ausleben können, als hätten sie endlich ihre Bestimmung gefunden! Da frage ich mich oft selbst, wie ich in einer solchen Situation reagieren würde ...
Manche Zufälle waren sehr berechnend und hätten sicher auch anders gelöst werden können. Wenn immer alles zum rechten Zeitpunkt passiert wirkt das auf mich zu konstruiert - hier hab ich wieder Filmszenen im Kopf gehabt, da würde mich das nicht so stören, wenn die Helden strategisch passend und pünktlich am richtigen Ort auftauchen.
Auch die Verbindungen zur Nazi-Zeit, die ja in den Rückblicken von Abraham immer wieder im Mittelpunkt stehen, kamen mir ja anfangs ein bisschen fehl am Platz vor, wurden aber jetzt ausreichend erklärt, so dass sich ein rundes Gesamtbild der Zusammenhänge ergibt.
Das Tempo hat sich durchgehend gehalten, auch wenn mich die vielen Infos zu den Bauwerken oder Gegenständen etwas gebremst haben. Mehr hätte ich mir über die Bevölkerung gewünscht und wie sich die Regierungen und Behörden hier verhalten. Wie das Arbeitsleben weitergeht, nachdem viele Menschen verschwinden und überall Ausschreitungen an der Tagesordnung stehen.
Gegen Ende gibt es schnelle Szenenwechsel, und dramatische Wendungen, die die Spannung sehr erhöht haben - der Schluss hat es wirklich in sich!
Die Welt steht am Abgrund und ich erwarte ein spannendes Finale in "Die Nacht".
Fazit
Ein spannender Mittelteil der Vampir Apokalypse, der mich größtenteils sehr gefesselt hat. Manchmal wurde mir zu sehr ins Detail gegangen, was ich in so einem spannenden Szenario einfach nicht brauchen kann. Das ist aber Geschmacksache ;)
© Aleshanee
Weltenwanderer
The Strain
1 ~ Die Saat
2 ~ Das Blut
3 ~ Die Nacht
August 7, 2017
Book Two of the Strain is a lot of fun to read. It is, in my opinion, better than the first book.
The Vampire Outbreak has turned into a plague in New York. Book Two continues the story of our intrepid heroes and their struggle against this modern day vampire plague. Book Two delves more deeply into this vampire lore and I really enjoyed Chuck Hogan fleshing out the bare bones background of the first book. Now it starts to make sense why the Master's thinking might have become warped, and his vision of the future inspired, by the sheer surfeit (from a vampire's way of thinking) of food supply.
The Book also helps explain the multiple reasons Dr. Setrakian has for hating the Master and his brood in particular. The confluence of events that starts in Treblinka in 1942 and ends up on the streets of New York "currently" give a deep meaning to Setrakian-Sardu (the Master's human name) conflict.
I like the new twist on vampires. Del Torro and Hogan have created a vampire that is not attractive. The process of turning ,the underlying bloodworm, and the final vampire itself is the antithesis of the sexy, metrosexual, Calvin-Kelin models who tend to slink around in glitter laced ,designer, slim-line clothes seducing all and sundry with their smoking, lusty looks,magnificently undeniable charisma and sheer physical attraction. Witness True Blood or Twilight.
These vampires look disdainfully at that sterotype and declare "Fuck that shit." These vampires are disgusting. They are filthy, foul, feces spewing (not making this up), undead bloodworm-human host hybrid. Yes they are killed instantly by sunlight and silver. Garlic, religion and the rest of the typical responses won't work. They also bleed a white plasma that is loaded with bloodworms and can infect you if they get into your bloodstream. No known cure save death.
The comparison to a virus is apt. I tend to root for the bad guys. I actually appreciate them, for the most part. These creatures? No. This is a style of vampires few would find attractive. I think that is why the humans who do serve the Master tend to strike a more visceral dislike from the reader. It is one thing to make a deal with a well-dressed, wealthy, Brad Pitt True Blood vampire. I get it. I would do that. In a heartbeat. These things? Nope. I'll pass. That makes these vampires some of the most disgusting I've seen. Even the ones from "30 Days of Night" had some measure of class compared to this version. Though, to be fair, I am speaking of the Master's Brood.
I won't give any spoilers. SO I'll avoid the plot. That is the point for reading this, isn't it? Was it fun? Yes. The story is exciting. It is certainly dark and grim. Humanity is not winning this battle. There are quite a few surprises in this volume (since the shows seems to have deviated in terms of plot) for me in terms of character deaths. So overall- I highly recommend this fun, fast paced vampire outbreak. This book was an improvement over the first book and I certainly look forwards to reading Book 3. If you like vampires or would enjoy a science themed "outbreak" story-check out the Strain. IT is easy to read and flows well (except for the painful "emotional" scenes which Hogan excels at butchering) making for a quick read.
The Vampire Outbreak has turned into a plague in New York. Book Two continues the story of our intrepid heroes and their struggle against this modern day vampire plague. Book Two delves more deeply into this vampire lore and I really enjoyed Chuck Hogan fleshing out the bare bones background of the first book. Now it starts to make sense why the Master's thinking might have become warped, and his vision of the future inspired, by the sheer surfeit (from a vampire's way of thinking) of food supply.
The Book also helps explain the multiple reasons Dr. Setrakian has for hating the Master and his brood in particular. The confluence of events that starts in Treblinka in 1942 and ends up on the streets of New York "currently" give a deep meaning to Setrakian-Sardu (the Master's human name) conflict.
I like the new twist on vampires. Del Torro and Hogan have created a vampire that is not attractive. The process of turning ,the underlying bloodworm, and the final vampire itself is the antithesis of the sexy, metrosexual, Calvin-Kelin models who tend to slink around in glitter laced ,designer, slim-line clothes seducing all and sundry with their smoking, lusty looks,magnificently undeniable charisma and sheer physical attraction. Witness True Blood or Twilight.
These vampires look disdainfully at that sterotype and declare "Fuck that shit." These vampires are disgusting. They are filthy, foul, feces spewing (not making this up), undead bloodworm-human host hybrid. Yes they are killed instantly by sunlight and silver. Garlic, religion and the rest of the typical responses won't work. They also bleed a white plasma that is loaded with bloodworms and can infect you if they get into your bloodstream. No known cure save death.
The comparison to a virus is apt. I tend to root for the bad guys. I actually appreciate them, for the most part. These creatures? No. This is a style of vampires few would find attractive. I think that is why the humans who do serve the Master tend to strike a more visceral dislike from the reader. It is one thing to make a deal with a well-dressed, wealthy, Brad Pitt True Blood vampire. I get it. I would do that. In a heartbeat. These things? Nope. I'll pass. That makes these vampires some of the most disgusting I've seen. Even the ones from "30 Days of Night" had some measure of class compared to this version. Though, to be fair, I am speaking of the Master's Brood.
I won't give any spoilers. SO I'll avoid the plot. That is the point for reading this, isn't it? Was it fun? Yes. The story is exciting. It is certainly dark and grim. Humanity is not winning this battle. There are quite a few surprises in this volume (since the shows seems to have deviated in terms of plot) for me in terms of character deaths. So overall- I highly recommend this fun, fast paced vampire outbreak. This book was an improvement over the first book and I certainly look forwards to reading Book 3. If you like vampires or would enjoy a science themed "outbreak" story-check out the Strain. IT is easy to read and flows well (except for the painful "emotional" scenes which Hogan excels at butchering) making for a quick read.
July 18, 2021
The Fall wasn't as good as The Strain but it was still extremely action packed and fun.
In the week since the vampiric virus was unleashed, The Strain has taken over New York City and its spreading fast. Chaos and violence have broken out and the government is a sleep on the job.
Eph Goodweather, his son Zack, his colleague Nora, a city exterminator Fet, and former professor Abraham Setrakian have joined forces to fight the vampires and to destroy The Master.
The Fall is more of an action novel, whereas The Strain felt more like horror. But I still enjoyed reading it and I was able to watch the first 4 episodes of the show today as well.
If you liked The Strain I would still recommend you read The Fall. Just be aware that it's more action than horror.
On to book 3!
In the week since the vampiric virus was unleashed, The Strain has taken over New York City and its spreading fast. Chaos and violence have broken out and the government is a sleep on the job.
Eph Goodweather, his son Zack, his colleague Nora, a city exterminator Fet, and former professor Abraham Setrakian have joined forces to fight the vampires and to destroy The Master.
The Fall is more of an action novel, whereas The Strain felt more like horror. But I still enjoyed reading it and I was able to watch the first 4 episodes of the show today as well.
If you liked The Strain I would still recommend you read The Fall. Just be aware that it's more action than horror.
On to book 3!
March 16, 2012
If you're thinking of reading "The Fall" then you probably already know about "The Strain"...and if you've read "The Strain" and are thinking of reading "The Fall" my only advice would be that you would read it only if you're the type of person who likes to watch B-movies and figures, "I've already watched half an hour, I might as well finish it to see how it ends." I'm that type of person...and because I love B-movies, it probably has a lot to do with why I'm still reading this series.
**SPOILERS** My review below contains spoilers, but I only mention these things to defend my POV:
1."The Fall" carries much of the bad dialogue that "The Strain" introduced. For example, the line "my sword sings of silver" has to be one of the worst battle cries ever penned, and of course it bleeds it's way into the sequel (no pun intended). Other lines such as "silver blinged killer" and "he understood the man's pain. He understood the pain of this world" just seem cliche and over dramatic. There are some scenes and other portions of dialogue that are just plain eye-rolling at times.
2. Another problem that I had with "The Strain" also carries over into "The Fall" - which is probably my biggest problem - the `biology' of the vampires mixed with myth and fantasy. I have a strong background in biology and at times during "The Strain" could somewhat follow where Guillermo del Toro & Co. were going with the whole re-invention of the vampire transmission via biological means (i.e. blood worms and viruses). After trying to "scientifically" butter-up their vampire transmission through biological means, you discover that there is a mythical aspect to their existence, such as having to sleep in earth or coffin, the head vampire(s) able to speak telepathically and also `see' through their minions, **spoiler** upon the death of a head vampire the minions vanish into dust (keep in mind we're running with a biological theme here), and **another spoiler** by destroying the head vampire's birth/origin place, it will kill the head vampire. All too weird and all too lame. If they wanted a biological theme, they should've stuck with it before they introduced a basket of non-scientific elements. Choose one, or the other...which brings me to my next point:
3. The dichotomy made the story a hard sell and fully buy in to. What I mean by that is:
a. Was this trilogy to be a "re-invention" or a "re-telling" of the vampire mythos? It seems as if it was trying to be both and needed to stick with one or the other. Otherwise it is confusing and disheartening.
b. Was the hero (Goodweather) a humane scientist/dad or a vampire killer? I had a hard time trying to figure out (even from the first book) if this was to be a gradual change and development of character or just write in his actions for whatever fit the scene (I need to love my son and remorse for humanity or slice `n dice this vamp?).
c. Was the "Van-Helsing" as everyone has aptly identified of the novels (Setrakian) supposed to be this tough "Van-Helsing" character or this crumbling, dying man? C'mon - the guy is in his eighties with crippled hands and fingers (that gets mentioned multiple times) with a bad heart condition and he is supposed to be running around and cutting up vampires...even if he were both - a dying man and vampire hunter - it would seem an odd combination...something like Abe Vigoda meets Michael Phelps.
d. Was Gus a hard-core gang-banger or loner, street trash? In the first book it seemed like Gus was a lonely street rat and in the second he's a gang leader? Either I missed something, or someone changed their mind as to how Gus should've been written and what his role in the "fellowship" should've been.
e. Is it Doomsday or Business-As-Usual? If two months have passed since the initial infection and half of Manhattan has burned to the ground along with thousands of people missing across the globe, I'm not sure one's day-to-day routine would still be in place. At this point in the saga, it seems that half of the time everything is in chaos and other times like nothing is going on. Which makes it really hard to believe when they show up for the book auction (that apparently hasn't taken place in 200 years) in the midst of world-wide chaos.
4. Editing. Like most people mentioned in the review of "The Strain", there is much reason to believe that this trilogy could've been reduced to a single novel. For example, "Phade - the vampyric vandalist" served no point to the overall plot - up to and including the side story of the cop who has been in search of Phade. If there are any LOST fans reading this, it reminds me of the episode of the couple who were after the diamonds. A single episode that served no plot development or purpose to the general story. Just a B-side that made it's way into the final cut.
5. This touches on my other problem with the writing - character development and purpose. I had a huge problem with the "feelers." Let me get this straight - kids go blind by the occultation from the first book and then two months later in the second book they are supposed to have highly refined senses...so then I guess the writers felt like "let's have the Master convert these kids to vampires - and for the hell of it, let's have their hands grow large so they can crawl around on all fours." L-A-M-E; why should their development and transformation be different than that of the adults. At one point, Nora strikes a flare with these guys (and I'm guessing they are the feelers, otherwise I take this comment back) and they all jump back...but wait...they're blind right? Or...afraid of light, wait...they sense light? But not UV light? Just terrible. The other character I had a problem with was Phade as mentioned before and also the elderly, retired Mexican wrestler Angel. Similar to my point on Setrakian, it's hard to imagine an old man motioning through some of the scenes that he was written in to.
6. For those that have read the book (and if you're still reading and plan on reading it will find out), did you think it was odd for two instances where Gus blew up the pawn shop and the helicopter. It's like they guy pulls the trigger first and asks questions later. If he thought they were in the pawn shop, why would he play McGuyver and blow up the pawn shop. And with the helicopter (leaving the nuclear power plant) why would he just assume who the helicopter was for and grab a rocket launcher (handy) to blow it up. Very strange for a character to act that way - let's leave the `splosions to Michael Bay.
I know at this point, it has become more rambling than review, but most of it was just to vent a little. If I had to sum my review up in one line it would be: "The Fall" was clunky and poorly developed. And yes, I will read "The Eternal Night" just to see how this B-movie ends.
**SPOILERS** My review below contains spoilers, but I only mention these things to defend my POV:
1."The Fall" carries much of the bad dialogue that "The Strain" introduced. For example, the line "my sword sings of silver" has to be one of the worst battle cries ever penned, and of course it bleeds it's way into the sequel (no pun intended). Other lines such as "silver blinged killer" and "he understood the man's pain. He understood the pain of this world" just seem cliche and over dramatic. There are some scenes and other portions of dialogue that are just plain eye-rolling at times.
2. Another problem that I had with "The Strain" also carries over into "The Fall" - which is probably my biggest problem - the `biology' of the vampires mixed with myth and fantasy. I have a strong background in biology and at times during "The Strain" could somewhat follow where Guillermo del Toro & Co. were going with the whole re-invention of the vampire transmission via biological means (i.e. blood worms and viruses). After trying to "scientifically" butter-up their vampire transmission through biological means, you discover that there is a mythical aspect to their existence, such as having to sleep in earth or coffin, the head vampire(s) able to speak telepathically and also `see' through their minions, **spoiler** upon the death of a head vampire the minions vanish into dust (keep in mind we're running with a biological theme here), and **another spoiler** by destroying the head vampire's birth/origin place, it will kill the head vampire. All too weird and all too lame. If they wanted a biological theme, they should've stuck with it before they introduced a basket of non-scientific elements. Choose one, or the other...which brings me to my next point:
3. The dichotomy made the story a hard sell and fully buy in to. What I mean by that is:
a. Was this trilogy to be a "re-invention" or a "re-telling" of the vampire mythos? It seems as if it was trying to be both and needed to stick with one or the other. Otherwise it is confusing and disheartening.
b. Was the hero (Goodweather) a humane scientist/dad or a vampire killer? I had a hard time trying to figure out (even from the first book) if this was to be a gradual change and development of character or just write in his actions for whatever fit the scene (I need to love my son and remorse for humanity or slice `n dice this vamp?).
c. Was the "Van-Helsing" as everyone has aptly identified of the novels (Setrakian) supposed to be this tough "Van-Helsing" character or this crumbling, dying man? C'mon - the guy is in his eighties with crippled hands and fingers (that gets mentioned multiple times) with a bad heart condition and he is supposed to be running around and cutting up vampires...even if he were both - a dying man and vampire hunter - it would seem an odd combination...something like Abe Vigoda meets Michael Phelps.
d. Was Gus a hard-core gang-banger or loner, street trash? In the first book it seemed like Gus was a lonely street rat and in the second he's a gang leader? Either I missed something, or someone changed their mind as to how Gus should've been written and what his role in the "fellowship" should've been.
e. Is it Doomsday or Business-As-Usual? If two months have passed since the initial infection and half of Manhattan has burned to the ground along with thousands of people missing across the globe, I'm not sure one's day-to-day routine would still be in place. At this point in the saga, it seems that half of the time everything is in chaos and other times like nothing is going on. Which makes it really hard to believe when they show up for the book auction (that apparently hasn't taken place in 200 years) in the midst of world-wide chaos.
4. Editing. Like most people mentioned in the review of "The Strain", there is much reason to believe that this trilogy could've been reduced to a single novel. For example, "Phade - the vampyric vandalist" served no point to the overall plot - up to and including the side story of the cop who has been in search of Phade. If there are any LOST fans reading this, it reminds me of the episode of the couple who were after the diamonds. A single episode that served no plot development or purpose to the general story. Just a B-side that made it's way into the final cut.
5. This touches on my other problem with the writing - character development and purpose. I had a huge problem with the "feelers." Let me get this straight - kids go blind by the occultation from the first book and then two months later in the second book they are supposed to have highly refined senses...so then I guess the writers felt like "let's have the Master convert these kids to vampires - and for the hell of it, let's have their hands grow large so they can crawl around on all fours." L-A-M-E; why should their development and transformation be different than that of the adults. At one point, Nora strikes a flare with these guys (and I'm guessing they are the feelers, otherwise I take this comment back) and they all jump back...but wait...they're blind right? Or...afraid of light, wait...they sense light? But not UV light? Just terrible. The other character I had a problem with was Phade as mentioned before and also the elderly, retired Mexican wrestler Angel. Similar to my point on Setrakian, it's hard to imagine an old man motioning through some of the scenes that he was written in to.
6. For those that have read the book (and if you're still reading and plan on reading it will find out), did you think it was odd for two instances where Gus blew up the pawn shop and the helicopter. It's like they guy pulls the trigger first and asks questions later. If he thought they were in the pawn shop, why would he play McGuyver and blow up the pawn shop. And with the helicopter (leaving the nuclear power plant) why would he just assume who the helicopter was for and grab a rocket launcher (handy) to blow it up. Very strange for a character to act that way - let's leave the `splosions to Michael Bay.
I know at this point, it has become more rambling than review, but most of it was just to vent a little. If I had to sum my review up in one line it would be: "The Fall" was clunky and poorly developed. And yes, I will read "The Eternal Night" just to see how this B-movie ends.
November 24, 2013
"New York has gone bye-bye and the rest of the world, apart from Britain. Vampires can't cross water... obviously"
Here we are with book two of The Strain series called The Fall. Aptly named as civilisation is screwed. A famous philosopher once said that during a symposium you know! The second book has improved, there's a lot more for the reader to get their teeth into. A lot more background fluff is introduced into the characters past, such as Eph and Abraham Setrakian is explored further. The old Polish professors tale reveals to us how he stubbornly pursued The Master (as you might of guessed, this guy is the leader of the vampire herd) is fairly interesting.
I've jump on ahead as per usual. The Fall continues a few years after the first book leaves us, when Eph, Setrakian and Vasily Fet combated The Master. Eph is trying to protect the group, especially his son (Zack) and Nora. As well as keeping Setrakian alive. Fet who was a rat exterminator previously (always a good trade to have if you want to be the best vampire hunter - transferable skills you see! They don't mention that at rat catching school I'm sure) becomes close to Setrakian and really turns into his bodyguard. While this is going on, Gus finds himself ensnared into a deal with The Ancients (the first vampires). Christ this is so cliché it's laughable.
Cliché is the problem with the entire series so far. There really isn't any unique ideas or characters that make The Strain series stand out, for me anyway. It's all operating under a previously used archetypal template. Which is surprising given the authors creative talent (Del Toro's anyway). I've gone into this in my review of the first book The Strain. So far the series has been a mash-up of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Blade II (those reaper vampires) and the A-Team. Now you gather where the cliché tag has come from.
One real problem for me (from the beginning) was that everyone feared and were terrified of these vampires, all apart from the main characters. Lucky that really. The ponderous waffling during the mid-section of the novel had me précis reading my way through until something of note happened. There is at times, too much explanation by the authors and not actually a lot of doing. What I mean is that standing around talking about a problem, not offering alternatives and doing absolutely fuck all, well, makes for dull reading. It's like a old car, sometimes it starts fine, other's not. The pace of the novel fluctuates and is all over the place, this was also apparent in the first book.
There's a few new characters. The Silver Angel being the first. A broken down Mexican ex-wrestler turns into a vampire killing machine. The ending actually had me rooting for him to... well, if you read it then your know. Not strictly a new character, Kelly, Eph's ex-wife now vampiric bitch is chasing Zack her son. There is still a bond between family members it appears which pushes Kelly on to hunt her son, attempting to turn him. During this, Eph is struggling with Zack and trying to keep that from happening.
I apologise for the short review folks, I'm just not enthused with this one. It is improved slightly, but overall is a fairly flat read due to the amount of similarity to other works of fiction and films.
Here we are with book two of The Strain series called The Fall. Aptly named as civilisation is screwed. A famous philosopher once said that during a symposium you know! The second book has improved, there's a lot more for the reader to get their teeth into. A lot more background fluff is introduced into the characters past, such as Eph and Abraham Setrakian is explored further. The old Polish professors tale reveals to us how he stubbornly pursued The Master (as you might of guessed, this guy is the leader of the vampire herd) is fairly interesting.
I've jump on ahead as per usual. The Fall continues a few years after the first book leaves us, when Eph, Setrakian and Vasily Fet combated The Master. Eph is trying to protect the group, especially his son (Zack) and Nora. As well as keeping Setrakian alive. Fet who was a rat exterminator previously (always a good trade to have if you want to be the best vampire hunter - transferable skills you see! They don't mention that at rat catching school I'm sure) becomes close to Setrakian and really turns into his bodyguard. While this is going on, Gus finds himself ensnared into a deal with The Ancients (the first vampires). Christ this is so cliché it's laughable.
Cliché is the problem with the entire series so far. There really isn't any unique ideas or characters that make The Strain series stand out, for me anyway. It's all operating under a previously used archetypal template. Which is surprising given the authors creative talent (Del Toro's anyway). I've gone into this in my review of the first book The Strain. So far the series has been a mash-up of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Blade II (those reaper vampires) and the A-Team. Now you gather where the cliché tag has come from.
One real problem for me (from the beginning) was that everyone feared and were terrified of these vampires, all apart from the main characters. Lucky that really. The ponderous waffling during the mid-section of the novel had me précis reading my way through until something of note happened. There is at times, too much explanation by the authors and not actually a lot of doing. What I mean is that standing around talking about a problem, not offering alternatives and doing absolutely fuck all, well, makes for dull reading. It's like a old car, sometimes it starts fine, other's not. The pace of the novel fluctuates and is all over the place, this was also apparent in the first book.
There's a few new characters. The Silver Angel being the first. A broken down Mexican ex-wrestler turns into a vampire killing machine. The ending actually had me rooting for him to... well, if you read it then your know. Not strictly a new character, Kelly, Eph's ex-wife now vampiric bitch is chasing Zack her son. There is still a bond between family members it appears which pushes Kelly on to hunt her son, attempting to turn him. During this, Eph is struggling with Zack and trying to keep that from happening.
I apologise for the short review folks, I'm just not enthused with this one. It is improved slightly, but overall is a fairly flat read due to the amount of similarity to other works of fiction and films.
January 5, 2018
Vampires haven’t had a very good decade. Not naming names or anything, but Stephenie Meyer is completely to blame. I’m a 40-something heterosexual male, so right there that tells you a lot about me, I’m sure. First of all, I’m nowhere near the intended demographic for Meyer’s ridiculously popular Young Adult series of books about teen vampires and the vapid emo-girls who love them, Twilight. Second of all, (based on the market research, anyway) I shouldn’t be reading much of anything, let alone Young Adult series about teen vampires and the vapid emo-girls who love them, but I did, actually, read them. Well, the first two books anyway. There are, I think, four books in the series. Reading the first two was actually an accomplishment.
Meyer single-handedly took the bite out of vampires. She literally removed their fangs and somehow gave them the ability to sparkle like unicorns. I won’t even get into what she did to my second-favorite monster, werewolves. Suffice it to say, werewolves aren’t supposed to be cuddly.
Maybe I’m being totally unfair to Meyer (who, despite my utter disgust of the “Twilight” books, is NOT the worst writer in the world; that title still belongs to James Patterson), but Meyer’s girl-ification and castration of vampires has dealt a major blow to the whole vampire genre, one from which the genre is still reeling. Zombies have basically filled the void for truly creepy-as-hell monsters that vampires once proudly filled. Hell, even Anne Rice’s famously effeminate and pre-emo Goth poster boy and Cure fan, Lestat, was still ten times creepier than anything Meyer wrote about.
Thankfully, Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan are attempting to re-invigorate the genre with their sci-fi/horror trilogy The Strain, a series that gleefully harkens back to classic vampire novels such as Richard Matheson’s “I Am Legend” and Stephen King’s “Salem’s Lot”, while also paying homage to sci-fi classics such as Michael Crichton’s “The Andromeda Strain” and John Carpenter’s 1982 film “The Thing”.
The vampires in Del Toro/Hogan’s books aren’t the glamorous and beautiful Eastern European counts in dark suits that seduce young women. They aren’t sexy. They barely look human, bleed milky-white “blood” that is infested with squirming maggot-like parasites, and shoot six-foot-long tentacles out of their mouths with stingers on the end that latches on to victims’ faces, which simultaneously exsanguinates and then infects them with the afore-mentioned parasites that alters the biological make-up and transforms them into more vampires.
These books are the anti-”Twilight”.
The first book, “The Strain”, started strong and introduced readers to an ensemble of fascinating characters. It also set the stage for the city-wide pandemic that has made Manhattan a battleground and threatens to spread outward quickly, state to state and potentially globally.
In the second book, “The Fall”, the vampire “virus” has spread around the world, thanks to the ease of air travel and the lack of any governmental action. Much of this is due to social media and the Internet, which spreads as much misinformation and “fake news” as it does helpful information. This leads to a skeptical general public, one that already mistrusts its governments.
Another problem is that Eldritch Palmer, one of the world’s super-rich, through his global multinational corporation, the Stoneheart Group (a not-so-thinly-veiled allusion to Koch Industries), is spearheading the virus and the inevitable destruction of humanity simply because he wants to live forever. Palmer, motivated solely by compassionless self-interest, has made a deal with an ancient legendary creature called The Master. In exchange for Palmer’s immortality, the Master will be “allowed” to unleash his vampiric virus upon the world.
Unfortunately for Palmer, there are far greater forces than money that rule the world, ancient and indifferent to deal-making.
Meanwhile, the old Jewish vampire hunter, Abraham Setrakian, is hell-bent on destroying the Master for killing his wife. Answers may be found in an ancient text, older than the Bible, about the first vampires (which may either be extraterrestrial or supernatural in nature; it is alluded that the first vampires may have been fallen angels from the original war in heaven). The book, which was only a legend until Setrakian discovered proof of its existence when he was a young man, has eluded his grasp for decades, until now.
Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, a CDC virologist and fugitive from the law, has been recruited into Setrakian’s vampire-hunting entourage. He is not dealing well with the loss of his ex-wife to the vampire virus, as he has taken to drinking heavily again, which may have unfortunate ramifications for his young son, Zach, whom he is trying to protect.
Unbeknownst to all of them, an underground war is brewing between a conglomerate of several other tribes of vampires around the world and the Master. The other tribes, who feed on humans sparingly, know that to unleash vampirism on a global scale would upset the fine balance that they have established for centuries and millenia. Humans are, after all, their main food source, so it would be counterintuitive to wage a campaign to turn as many humans into vampires as possible, which is what the Master seems to be doing.
While still entertaining and full of great vampiric scares, “The Fall” kind of suffers from the second-book syndrome of a trilogy: it is essentially a “bridge” book between the first book and the third. While some exciting stuff happens, it lacks the intensity and narrative completeness of “The Strain” and acts as more of a set-up for the inevitably large climactic showdown in the third book.
That said, it’s a hundred times better than “Twilight”...
Meyer single-handedly took the bite out of vampires. She literally removed their fangs and somehow gave them the ability to sparkle like unicorns. I won’t even get into what she did to my second-favorite monster, werewolves. Suffice it to say, werewolves aren’t supposed to be cuddly.
Maybe I’m being totally unfair to Meyer (who, despite my utter disgust of the “Twilight” books, is NOT the worst writer in the world; that title still belongs to James Patterson), but Meyer’s girl-ification and castration of vampires has dealt a major blow to the whole vampire genre, one from which the genre is still reeling. Zombies have basically filled the void for truly creepy-as-hell monsters that vampires once proudly filled. Hell, even Anne Rice’s famously effeminate and pre-emo Goth poster boy and Cure fan, Lestat, was still ten times creepier than anything Meyer wrote about.
Thankfully, Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan are attempting to re-invigorate the genre with their sci-fi/horror trilogy The Strain, a series that gleefully harkens back to classic vampire novels such as Richard Matheson’s “I Am Legend” and Stephen King’s “Salem’s Lot”, while also paying homage to sci-fi classics such as Michael Crichton’s “The Andromeda Strain” and John Carpenter’s 1982 film “The Thing”.
The vampires in Del Toro/Hogan’s books aren’t the glamorous and beautiful Eastern European counts in dark suits that seduce young women. They aren’t sexy. They barely look human, bleed milky-white “blood” that is infested with squirming maggot-like parasites, and shoot six-foot-long tentacles out of their mouths with stingers on the end that latches on to victims’ faces, which simultaneously exsanguinates and then infects them with the afore-mentioned parasites that alters the biological make-up and transforms them into more vampires.
These books are the anti-”Twilight”.
The first book, “The Strain”, started strong and introduced readers to an ensemble of fascinating characters. It also set the stage for the city-wide pandemic that has made Manhattan a battleground and threatens to spread outward quickly, state to state and potentially globally.
In the second book, “The Fall”, the vampire “virus” has spread around the world, thanks to the ease of air travel and the lack of any governmental action. Much of this is due to social media and the Internet, which spreads as much misinformation and “fake news” as it does helpful information. This leads to a skeptical general public, one that already mistrusts its governments.
Another problem is that Eldritch Palmer, one of the world’s super-rich, through his global multinational corporation, the Stoneheart Group (a not-so-thinly-veiled allusion to Koch Industries), is spearheading the virus and the inevitable destruction of humanity simply because he wants to live forever. Palmer, motivated solely by compassionless self-interest, has made a deal with an ancient legendary creature called The Master. In exchange for Palmer’s immortality, the Master will be “allowed” to unleash his vampiric virus upon the world.
Unfortunately for Palmer, there are far greater forces than money that rule the world, ancient and indifferent to deal-making.
Meanwhile, the old Jewish vampire hunter, Abraham Setrakian, is hell-bent on destroying the Master for killing his wife. Answers may be found in an ancient text, older than the Bible, about the first vampires (which may either be extraterrestrial or supernatural in nature; it is alluded that the first vampires may have been fallen angels from the original war in heaven). The book, which was only a legend until Setrakian discovered proof of its existence when he was a young man, has eluded his grasp for decades, until now.
Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, a CDC virologist and fugitive from the law, has been recruited into Setrakian’s vampire-hunting entourage. He is not dealing well with the loss of his ex-wife to the vampire virus, as he has taken to drinking heavily again, which may have unfortunate ramifications for his young son, Zach, whom he is trying to protect.
Unbeknownst to all of them, an underground war is brewing between a conglomerate of several other tribes of vampires around the world and the Master. The other tribes, who feed on humans sparingly, know that to unleash vampirism on a global scale would upset the fine balance that they have established for centuries and millenia. Humans are, after all, their main food source, so it would be counterintuitive to wage a campaign to turn as many humans into vampires as possible, which is what the Master seems to be doing.
While still entertaining and full of great vampiric scares, “The Fall” kind of suffers from the second-book syndrome of a trilogy: it is essentially a “bridge” book between the first book and the third. While some exciting stuff happens, it lacks the intensity and narrative completeness of “The Strain” and acts as more of a set-up for the inevitably large climactic showdown in the third book.
That said, it’s a hundred times better than “Twilight”...
January 5, 2017
So cool that I'm reading this series as a buddyread with my friend Zwaantina. I was so excited for book #2 after reading book #1.
I have to start this review by saying that I was going to give this book 3 stars, but the last 80 pages changed my opinion.
This book does not have the creepy, scary horror vibe that the first book has. I was kinda dissapointed when I found out.
But this book has action, different perspectives and a really shitty situation where the main characters are in. Also this book has the plot twists that you want and the ending.. Oh boy the ending.. Really makes you want to read the next book as soon as you can!
Longer review:
http://biteintobooks.blogspot.nl/2017...
I have to start this review by saying that I was going to give this book 3 stars, but the last 80 pages changed my opinion.
This book does not have the creepy, scary horror vibe that the first book has. I was kinda dissapointed when I found out.
But this book has action, different perspectives and a really shitty situation where the main characters are in. Also this book has the plot twists that you want and the ending.. Oh boy the ending.. Really makes you want to read the next book as soon as you can!
Longer review:
http://biteintobooks.blogspot.nl/2017...
June 15, 2023
Excellent continuation of the trilogy. It's scary how similar the response to the vampire pandemic predicted the events that would unfold during Covid, from the breakdown in NYC to the lack of action and belief among the masses.
July 29, 2014
Il memorabile personaggio del wrestler messicano, tributo ai vecchi film di El Santo, e lo spettacolare cliffhanger finale, salvano dalla mediocrità il secondo libro della trilogia. Molto meglio la serie televisiva.
March 24, 2019
Ελαφρώς κατώτερο του πρώτου, όμως και πάλι τα αξίζει τα πέντε αστεράκια του.
Γνωρίζοντας πως ακολουθεί και τρίτο βιβλίο (και πως τα πράγματα όσο πάνε και δυσκολεύουν για το ανθρώπινο είδος), νομίζω πως εδώ απλά θέλεις να δεις πώς θα εξελιχθούν τα πράγματα, χωρίς να περιμένεις τίποτα τετελεσμένο. Οι ήρωες -και από τις δύο πλευρές- μοιάζουν αποφασισμένοι να παλέψουν μέχρι τέλους. Ο Αφέντης για να εδραιώσει τη σκοτεινή του κυριαρχία και οι άνθρωποι για να σώσουν ό,τι μπορεί να σωθεί από το είδος τους και τη ζωή που ήξεραν μέχρι τώρα. Σίγουρα υπάρχει ενδιαφέρον για την τύχη όλων τους. Και σίγουρα οι συγγραφείς έχουν πλέξει με ιδιαίτερη προσοχή και ενδιαφέρον το κουβάρι της μοίρας του καθενός τους, για όσο θα συνεχίσει καθένας από αυτούς να μας απασχολεί εντός της αφήγησης.
Προσωπικά, βρήκα ενδιαφέρον περισσότερο την προετοιμασία της επερχόμενης 'μάχης' του Σετρακιάν, του Εφ και της υπόλοιπης ομάδας με τον Αφέντη. Προφανώς δεν θα έχει τα αποτελέσματα που θέλουν (μιας και είπαμε, έπεται και τρίτο βιβλίο), αλλά για εκείνους φαντάζει ό,��ι σημαντικότερο και αυτή η αίσθηση περνάει και στον αναγνώστη. Το όποιο ειδύλλιο, για παράδειγμα, σίγουρα δεν θα είχε/δεν έχει επ' ουδενί το ίδιο ενδιαφέρον τη δεδομένη στιγμή. Εδώ ο κόσμος χάνεται, κυριολεκτικά...
Το καλύτερο όλων είναι πως κι αυτό το βιβλίο, όπως και το προηγούμενο, διαβάζεται εξίσου γρήγορα, δεν κάνει κοιλιά και οι εξελίξεις κυλούν με τέτοιον τρόπο, που σε κρατάνε προσηλωμένο στην αφήγηση.
Γνωρίζοντας πως ακολουθεί και τρίτο βιβλίο (και πως τα πράγματα όσο πάνε και δυσκολεύουν για το ανθρώπινο είδος), νομίζω πως εδώ απλά θέλεις να δεις πώς θα εξελιχθούν τα πράγματα, χωρίς να περιμένεις τίποτα τετελεσμένο. Οι ήρωες -και από τις δύο πλευρές- μοιάζουν αποφασισμένοι να παλέψουν μέχρι τέλους. Ο Αφέντης για να εδραιώσει τη σκοτεινή του κυριαρχία και οι άνθρωποι για να σώσουν ό,τι μπορεί να σωθεί από το είδος τους και τη ζωή που ήξεραν μέχρι τώρα. Σίγουρα υπάρχει ενδιαφέρον για την τύχη όλων τους. Και σίγουρα οι συγγραφείς έχουν πλέξει με ιδιαίτερη προσοχή και ενδιαφέρον το κουβάρι της μοίρας του καθενός τους, για όσο θα συνεχίσει καθένας από αυτούς να μας απασχολεί εντός της αφήγησης.
Προσωπικά, βρήκα ενδιαφέρον περισσότερο την προετοιμασία της επερχόμενης 'μάχης' του Σετρακιάν, του Εφ και της υπόλοιπης ομάδας με τον Αφέντη. Προφανώς δεν θα έχει τα αποτελέσματα που θέλουν (μιας και είπαμε, έπεται και τρίτο βιβλίο), αλλά για εκείνους φαντάζει ό,��ι σημαντικότερο και αυτή η αίσθηση περνάει και στον αναγνώστη. Το όποιο ειδύλλιο, για παράδειγμα, σίγουρα δεν θα είχε/δεν έχει επ' ουδενί το ίδιο ενδιαφέρον τη δεδομένη στιγμή. Εδώ ο κόσμος χάνεται, κυριολεκτικά...
Το καλύτερο όλων είναι πως κι αυτό το βιβλίο, όπως και το προηγούμενο, διαβάζεται εξίσου γρήγορα, δεν κάνει κοιλιά και οι εξελίξεις κυλούν με τέτοιον τρόπο, που σε κρατάνε προσηλωμένο στην αφήγηση.
April 10, 2018
Трилогията „Напаст” на Гийермо дел Торо и Чък Хоган продължава адски настървено. „Падението” всъщност е истински възход за вампирските истории, чиито зъби май се бяха поизпилили през последните години. И в пряк, и в преносен смисъл, авторското дуо предоставя на жанра свежата кръв, за която той така жадува! Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле":
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
March 1, 2023
Estos vampiros se parecen más a los zombies (aunque tampoco) que a los vampiros. Se lee rapidísimo. Ligero y entretenido.
December 16, 2015
Low to mid 3 stars.
This continuation of the story from The Strain definitely provided more insight into a lot of different aspects of the story, and, if one extrapolates a bit, explains some things that were left unexplained in the first book. There was a lot of action, and a lot of gore and a lot of tension, and a whole lot of things-not-going-well-for-humanity-in-general, but all that being said, I didn't like this one quite as much as the last one.
I felt like some things were very... inconsistently convenient in this book. Things mainly pertaining to Z. I like the kid, but by the end of this book, I kind of feel like he's a big ol' plot device. I feel like he's there to move certain pieces of the story into place, and pull at our heartstrings at the same time. Since when did he have asthma? Never. But in this book, because it would make him more vulnerable, he did. The knife he carries explains a certain quirky naming convention in the books as well. It just kind of felt convenient, rather than realistic or true to the character.
And then this book, seemingly because I said in my review of the last one how I liked that this was a scientific and plausible virulent event, is now heading in the other direction... *sigh* Why couldn't it just be evolution, that some creepy little leech found out that hijacking a human makes for a much bigger feast than just latching onto one? I guess I'll have to see what the next book holds, to see where this goes, but right now, I'm disappointed in this causality shift. BAH!
But then, I liked it... I like the big-picture views we get from Eph's journal entries, and I liked the concept of the Ancients, and their role in this book. It didn't annoy me (well, other than the slight annoyance due to the stuff listed above), and I had no desire to throw it at the wall (not like I would, my Nook is my Precious!) and I finished it pretty quickly, so it did hold my attention and my curiosity, so that's a plus. I just feel like... so far, overall, this trilogy could be a stronger story than it is...
Horror October 2011: #7
This continuation of the story from The Strain definitely provided more insight into a lot of different aspects of the story, and, if one extrapolates a bit, explains some things that were left unexplained in the first book. There was a lot of action, and a lot of gore and a lot of tension, and a whole lot of things-not-going-well-for-humanity-in-general, but all that being said, I didn't like this one quite as much as the last one.
I felt like some things were very... inconsistently convenient in this book. Things mainly pertaining to Z. I like the kid, but by the end of this book, I kind of feel like he's a big ol' plot device. I feel like he's there to move certain pieces of the story into place, and pull at our heartstrings at the same time. Since when did he have asthma? Never. But in this book, because it would make him more vulnerable, he did. The knife he carries explains a certain quirky naming convention in the books as well. It just kind of felt convenient, rather than realistic or true to the character.
And then this book, seemingly because I said in my review of the last one how I liked that this was a scientific and plausible virulent event, is now heading in the other direction... *sigh* Why couldn't it just be evolution, that some creepy little leech found out that hijacking a human makes for a much bigger feast than just latching onto one? I guess I'll have to see what the next book holds, to see where this goes, but right now, I'm disappointed in this causality shift. BAH!
But then, I liked it... I like the big-picture views we get from Eph's journal entries, and I liked the concept of the Ancients, and their role in this book. It didn't annoy me (well, other than the slight annoyance due to the stuff listed above), and I had no desire to throw it at the wall (not like I would, my Nook is my Precious!) and I finished it pretty quickly, so it did hold my attention and my curiosity, so that's a plus. I just feel like... so far, overall, this trilogy could be a stronger story than it is...
Horror October 2011: #7
April 12, 2014
Disclosure: Review based on book I received from Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review. I've read this book twice.
My Synopsis: The vampires are spreading; the government is denying any problems in an attempt to avoid “panic.” Ephraim, Nora, Vasiliy and Dr. Setrakian continue to work together to try to stop the Master, and to keep Zach safe from Kelly, Ephraim’s ex-wife, who is focused on claiming the boy as her Dear One. Meanwhile, Eldritch Palmer continues to plot and plan, entirely focused on keeping himself alive forever. The Master continues its plan to take over the world. And the other Ancients send out their hunters to try to stop him.
My Thoughts: Book 2: The Fall continues The Strain Trilogy, further developing the story and re-imagining the vampire mythos. We learn more about the structure of vampire society, and about the Ancients, and meet the mysterious Mr. Quinlan. Many times a middle book in a trilogy loses momentum as it fills in the plot, but not The Fall. It continues to speed forward, simultaneously further developing both plot and characters. There were a couple plot points that changed – most confusingly, in The Strain, Abraham Setrakian says his wife, Miriam, has been dead for less than 20 years, but in this book he tells the story of her death somewhere in the vicinity of 40 years previously. I’m not sure if it was a case of forgetting what was said in the first book – bad planning – or just a case of Setrakian providing incorrect information previously for his own purposes, and it is never explained. Nonetheless, the series continues to enthrall me and should be well-received by lovers of horror, apocalyptic situations and vampires. Book 3, The Night Eternal, has just been released, and I will post a review soon. Stay tuned!
My Synopsis: The vampires are spreading; the government is denying any problems in an attempt to avoid “panic.” Ephraim, Nora, Vasiliy and Dr. Setrakian continue to work together to try to stop the Master, and to keep Zach safe from Kelly, Ephraim’s ex-wife, who is focused on claiming the boy as her Dear One. Meanwhile, Eldritch Palmer continues to plot and plan, entirely focused on keeping himself alive forever. The Master continues its plan to take over the world. And the other Ancients send out their hunters to try to stop him.
My Thoughts: Book 2: The Fall continues The Strain Trilogy, further developing the story and re-imagining the vampire mythos. We learn more about the structure of vampire society, and about the Ancients, and meet the mysterious Mr. Quinlan. Many times a middle book in a trilogy loses momentum as it fills in the plot, but not The Fall. It continues to speed forward, simultaneously further developing both plot and characters. There were a couple plot points that changed – most confusingly, in The Strain, Abraham Setrakian says his wife, Miriam, has been dead for less than 20 years, but in this book he tells the story of her death somewhere in the vicinity of 40 years previously. I’m not sure if it was a case of forgetting what was said in the first book – bad planning – or just a case of Setrakian providing incorrect information previously for his own purposes, and it is never explained. Nonetheless, the series continues to enthrall me and should be well-received by lovers of horror, apocalyptic situations and vampires. Book 3, The Night Eternal, has just been released, and I will post a review soon. Stay tuned!
November 30, 2014
I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did. I tried like crazy to care about the people in the book, to care about their families, their friends, and hope for the best. Unfortunately, I felt the writing was a bit on a half-assed side. The entire book read like it was a mediocre half price bin thriller. I was never completely engrossed into the story. In fact, some pages I can say that I skipped. Mostly the pep talk Eph gave his son Zach which is nice but it did not move the story forward one bit, giving me a reason to just skip it.
I actually did enjoy the background story of Setrakian, but the whole heart in the jar background story was cliche as shit. As soon as it started, I knew exactly where it will go. Lots of cliches in this one but at least the vampires are ruthless, not the kind who have lived on the planet for hundred years and yet have not found a better way to spend their time than to go to high school and win the heart of a lifeless teenager girl. (That's right, I hate Twilight with the passion.
Anyway, how an old guy with lot of health problems, a rat exterminator, and two CDC people will stop a vampire apocalypse is a mystery to my ass. I guess I will have to read the next and final book in this trilogy. Decent amount of action, lots of instances of vampire slicing, and a crapload of times when the author keeps saying that the leavings of vampires smell like ammonia and every time one was killed you can bet your ass the author mentioned the worms leaving the body. I GET IT. Don't have to keep repeating it.
Not too much going on in this installment which makes me think it was a buffer/filler for the actual apocalypse that will be explored in the last book. It better be bloody. If it ends with everyone surviving and things being wrapped up in a chapter or two, I will be pissed.
I actually did enjoy the background story of Setrakian, but the whole heart in the jar background story was cliche as shit. As soon as it started, I knew exactly where it will go. Lots of cliches in this one but at least the vampires are ruthless, not the kind who have lived on the planet for hundred years and yet have not found a better way to spend their time than to go to high school and win the heart of a lifeless teenager girl. (That's right, I hate Twilight with the passion.
Anyway, how an old guy with lot of health problems, a rat exterminator, and two CDC people will stop a vampire apocalypse is a mystery to my ass. I guess I will have to read the next and final book in this trilogy. Decent amount of action, lots of instances of vampire slicing, and a crapload of times when the author keeps saying that the leavings of vampires smell like ammonia and every time one was killed you can bet your ass the author mentioned the worms leaving the body. I GET IT. Don't have to keep repeating it.
Not too much going on in this installment which makes me think it was a buffer/filler for the actual apocalypse that will be explored in the last book. It better be bloody. If it ends with everyone surviving and things being wrapped up in a chapter or two, I will be pissed.
September 9, 2013
-Thriller de acción sobrenatural casi post-apocalíptico.-
Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. En sólo una semana, la infección vampírica se ha extendido por toda Nueva York pero también por el resto del mundo. Setrakian sospecha que su hora está cercana pero no va a rendirse en su lucha contra Sardu. Los strigoi han traído disturbios, caos, vandalismo y muerte. Zack intenta entender la nueva situación desde su infantil perspectiva mientras echa de menos a su madre, que trata de reunirse con él mientras Eph, su padre, hará todo lo posible para impedir que ella transforme al niño. Segundo libro de la Trilogía de la Oscuridad.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Narrativa Fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. En sólo una semana, la infección vampírica se ha extendido por toda Nueva York pero también por el resto del mundo. Setrakian sospecha que su hora está cercana pero no va a rendirse en su lucha contra Sardu. Los strigoi han traído disturbios, caos, vandalismo y muerte. Zack intenta entender la nueva situación desde su infantil perspectiva mientras echa de menos a su madre, que trata de reunirse con él mientras Eph, su padre, hará todo lo posible para impedir que ella transforme al niño. Segundo libro de la Trilogía de la Oscuridad.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
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