Hype is a difficult thing for a book to endure. Sure, the publisher’s not going to complain when everyone and their grandma is talking about the new author on their roster, but what if the book isn’t very good? Is there anything more depressing than seeing a stack of once-anticipated, now-forgotten hard-covers on the remainder table? Fortunately, Justin Cronin probably won’t have to experience that particular heartbreak. His newest novel, The Passage (the first in a proposed trilogy), is that rare creature: a blockbuster that’s extremely well-written—one of the few that deserve the hype. Cronin was a literary writer before he got into the thriller business, and it shows: He writes elegantly and unobtrusively; it’s a real treat for the reader. Cronin’s take on a vampire virus owes a lot to Stephen King’s The Stand, but where he borrowed from King’s post-apocalyptic epic, he also generously improved. The story starts with a jungle, some bats and some cancer patients who miraculously heal after being bit by said creatures of flight. The government gets involved quickly and next thing you know, there’s a dozen death-row inmates being injected with the virus. Without giving too much away, you can assume that chaos will inherit the earth at some point down the line. This isn’t a vampire book for pansies (or Twilight fans): These creatures are truly terrifying and Cronin creates one hell of an atmosphere, fraught with tension and hysteria.
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