The Strain Book I: A Vampire Apocalypse by Chuck Hogan & Guillermo Del Toro
How often do you pick up a book, only to be so compelled by the pages that putting it down for even a minute would feel criminal? That's the exact situation I faced when I was first introduced to 2009's The Strain, written by hard-boiled author Chuck Hogan (Prince Of Thieves) and dark filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro. The first novel begins with a mysterious plane landing close to Manhattan island in New York City. The airliner has gone dark on the runway, no communication, and no sign of life. Sensing a possible viral threat, the CDC sends in their best to investigate with Dr. Ephraim Goodweather. When Ephraim boards the plane, he discovers that the passengers are indeed dead in their seats and drained of blood. Unknowingly, aboard the plane is an anicent, evil force ready to cut loose on an unsuspecting human population (a vengeful vampire known simply as The Master).
What follows from there is a heart-pounding and riveting saga of The Master unleashing a vampiric plague across the city. These are not the romanticized, ominous figures with fangs and a cape, but rather a creature parasitic in nature; with glowing red eyes and a long stinger in their mouths for feeding and infection. Those familiar with Del Toro's work in films will find them similar in nature to the Reaper vampires in Blade II. The pace of The Strain is downright relentless as the virus destroys families and descends New York into violent, chaotic anarchy. Ephraim is however aided by an old vampire hunter, Abraham Strakian (who has crossed paths with The Master before) in dealing with the new crisis.
Channeling The Greats - Stephen King and Michael Crichton
Readers who thrive on the thrilling apocalyptic work of Stephen King's The Stand, The Dark Tower, or his nail-biting suspense take on vampires in Salem's Lot would be wise to consider The Strain on their to-do list. The Strain possesses sequences that will easily haunt and captivate you with its detailed imagery, relayed through fleshed-out characters and the descriptive back-drop of New York City under siege. Throwing in the element of viral outbreaks and heroes based in science, will no doubt draw in fans of author Michael Crichton (famous for science vs. nature gone-awry like in Jurassic Park).
The Strain Book II - The Fall: A New World Order
The second book of the series, 2010's 'The Fall' takes place on the concluding heels of the first book in which New York is still reeling in chaos and the outbreak has now reached a global status. A band of fighters, led by Ephraim and Strakian, have formed in the hopes of discovering a way to defeat The Master and relinquish his hold over the world. The find help in the unlikeliest of places from The Ancients, a sect of original vampires like The Master who have been behind-the-scenes for centuries and want to quell their rogue brother's hostile takeover. They lead our heroes to an old vampiric text known as the Occido Lumen, which may hold the answers on how to destroy their enemy. But The Master holds plans of his own to wipe out his counterparts, and leave him as the last original walking the Earth.
For those that appreciate The Empire Strikes Back as the best installment of the original Star Wars trilogy because it pushes its heroes into such a despairing corner, will not be disappointed with what occurs in 'The Fall'. Main characters perish, others are kidnapped, and the group of rebels deal with a tremendous fall-out as the world changes brutally around them. On a page reading level, its the shortest in the series, but no less enthralling than its predecessor.
The Strain Book III - The Night Eternal: A Last Stand
After suffering tremedous losses and setbacks, the band of rebels find themselves scattered and disjointed two years later trying to survive in a vampire-infested monarchy. The Master now lords over the world as he sees fit, setting up blood camps for human processing and treating the population like slaves. But hope becomes reality as the possibility of destroying The Master draws closer through the acquisition of a nuclear bomb and the text of the Occido Lumen. Goodweather and company are also aided by Mr. Quinlan, an independent vampire who is The Master's unintentional creation and seeks revenge on his maker. Unfortunately The Master holds an incredible power over the group by manipulating and keeping captive someone Ephraim cares dearly for.
Released in hardcover format on October 18, 2011, 'The Night Eternal' is a race-to-the-finish satisfying conclusion to what could be argued as one of the best vampire novel series of all-time. The group band together for one last shot at their enemy, but with tremendous doubt, dissension, jealousy, and betrayal in their hearts. Even if they succeed, what will become of the world afterward with the loss of democracy and infrastructure? And what price are they willing to pay in order to see The Master obliterated? These are the questions that drive 'The Night Eternal' to its nail-biting end.
Action, Horror, Suspense, Drama
The Stain possesses all of building blocks and elements needed to blow away a reader's mind and make them turn the pages at a frenzied rate. It's action-packed, tension-filled, unflinching, and emotionally investing. Throw your fluffy Twilight and Sookie Stackhouse books to the curb, because this is how vampire stories should be experienced. Through terror unbound. Rating (Books I-III): 5/5
Ryan Young - Ryan Young is a Film and Sports article/review writer, based in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.
Join the Conversation