Title: The Passage
Series: Passage, book 1
Author: Justin Cronin
Narrator: Scott Brick
Publisher: Random House Audiobooks
Duration: 36 hours, 52 minutes
Copyright: 2010
Genres: science fiction, horror, post apocolypse
Filed in: Audiobook reviews
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: “It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born.”
First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear—of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.
As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey—spanning miles and decades—towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun.
With The Passage, award-winning author Justin Cronin has written both a relentlessly suspenseful adventure and an epic chronicle of human endurance in the face of unprecedented catastrophe and unimaginable danger. Its inventive storytelling, masterful prose, and depth of human insight mark it as a crucial and transcendent work of modern fiction.
©2010 Justin Cronin (P)2010 Random House
MY THOUGHTS: “The Passage” is a little bit Richard Matheson’s “I Am Legend”, and a little bit Stephen King’s “The Stand” all rolled into one. A highly contagious virus escapes from a government testing facility, sweeping the continent, and presumeably the world, in a matter of days. Many die, but many are transformed into deadly and powerful creatures of the night; predators with nearly super-human abilities. All that remains of humanity are small pockets of survivors here and there, struggling to stay alive, and living in fear of the dark.
Now, I should mention here that I don’t like vampire stories. That’s okay because Justin Cronin’s undead are not your typical vampires: no wooden stakes or strings of garlic. The characters in “The Passage” do use crosses for protection, but they are actually crossbows, which I thought was a clever twist. Justin Cronin’s vampires are more like highly evolved wild animals, far more deadly, and ultimately more terrifying, than traditional vampires.
I enjoyed Justin Cronin’s “The Passage” a lot. His descriptions of the fall of modern society are convincing and terrifying. I have always enjoyed post-apocolyptic stories like the ones I mentioned above, and this audiobook is a fine addition to the genre.
My only complaint was that I didn’t like how the audiobook ended, but then I found out that “The Passage” is only the first audiobook in a trilogy, so I haven’t seen the ending yet. “The Twelve” is due out in 2012, and “City of Mirrors” in 2014. Looks like I’ll be waiting a long time to finish this story.
NARRATOR: Scott Brick is my least favorite audiobook narrator. Having said that, I have to admit that I think he did a pretty good job with “The Passage.” I was almost able to detect some feeling as he read this audiobook. Maybe he’s getting better over time, or maybe “The Passage” stirred some emotion in him that just hasn’t been there before. Whatever the case, I can’t complain about the job he did.
FINAL WORD: “The Passage” is a great audiobook. If you like stories about the end of the world, this is the audiobook for you.
FILM ADAPTATION: It is reported that Fox 2000 has purchased the film rights to “The Passage” for 1.75 million dollars, outbidding Universal, Warner Brothers, and Sony. It is predicted that Ridley Scott will direct the film, and Josh Logan, screen writer for “The Gladiator”, is already working on a screenplay.
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER AUDIOBOOK REVIEWS:
“I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson
“The Road” by Cormac McCarthy
“Cell” by Stephen King
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If you liked this audiobook review, you can purchase the audiobook here:
Get "The Passage" by Justin Cronin (Unabridged Audiobook) from Amazon.com.
This audiobook review is based on the unabridged audiobook.
Audiobook review by Steven Brandt
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What is the deal with vampires? I almost wanted to read this because it sounded like something King would put out.(or Jackson or Koontz)
ReplyDeleteHad you left the author summary, I may have read this because there is no mention of vampires. Maybe that is not what the chemical leak caused, vampires.
To me vamps are bloodsucking evil unleashed and lusts after everything that walks.
This synopsis didn't have that, so maybe there is hope for the book.
lol
As soon as I think it's safe to come out... :P