Unfortunately, I am going to break from the crowd on this and give it only 3 stars. For me, the Story did not live up to its premise and its rave reviews. Rather than a page turner I found it rather on the boring side and wished the characters would just get on with it so I could finish the book. I listened to it on the Audible version so forgive me if I get the spelling of some of the names below wrong.

As I have already said I find the premise to be particularly good this may be because I have studied and worked with Funghi to Ph.D. level and/or that I spent my formative years in Australia and remember Bush Fire season. Anyway, it is safe to say I love Joe Hill’s idea of the ultimate plague being a fungus called Dragon Scale with its own particular fiery method of propagation. A world where the noninfected chase, eliminate and kill the infected “for their own good’ is also intriguing. Normally we read/hear this story from the other side - think every Zombie book and every other plaque end of the world style book - we normally want to kill the infected not root for their survival.

However I never really identified with Joe Hill’s Characters, I could not understand an intelligent woman Harper’s reasons for marrying her husband Jakob, the Firemans character was cold and odd (not in a good kinda sexy I understand the heroine fancying him way) , I was unsympathetic to Allie, and Renae, after a very promising start, let herself down. The Religious community left me cold from the beginning (maybe more to do with me being an Atheist and not really understanding them, though Horns religious overtones were really enjoyable). I would have liked to feel some sympathy for Carol but couldn’t. I rather liked Harold, despite him being an obnoxious teenager, his journal reminded me of a very well kept Science notebook (appealing to the past scientist and fascinating to the storyteller in me in equal measures). Sarah’s character was intriguing by virtue of not being there for most of the narrative. Nick, his attempts to domesticate a cat and the understandable errors made as he couldn’t hear the rest of the community was sweet. Yes, I noted the homage to the Stand in Nicks name! I did enjoy the Fireman’s back story - it did connect me a little with the other characters - maybe we could have used a little more of it?

I enjoyed the pop culture references, and what happened to JK Rowling is not beyond the realms of possibility - seriously, I used to read press releases from the Vatican in a former life!

The narrative is excellent and there is no doubt the action scenes are great - this will make a great movie with a lot of special effects. The ending is well geographically very close in location to where a major movie of 2015 ended and has already been established as a great place to end your movie - particularly if you're thinking sequel (hint, hint). It's a shame really that I didn't connect with the characters and really didn't care who lived or died at the end.


Joe Hill is an author who writes a crackin’ good story however this one is not really for me. My opinion, this time, is very different to those reviewers I normally trust so don't take my word on this. Maybe if I read it in another time and place? Still I am looking forward to his next one and perhaps the movie.