Stunning, stunning and thrice stunning

Not normally my type of book. I don't do horror and I don't do vampires...but this blew me away. I didn't think I would read anything better than the Stig Larson books for a very long time, but this topped them. It was Stephrn King's 'The Stand' on steroids. I did a complete extra lap of the M25 at 2am to listen to this. Currently my fave book of all time.

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18 people found this helpful

Fantastic book, a hidden gem.

Read the book twice and even better to have it on audio. Have also read book 2 and can't wait for book 3 to come out (only weeks to go)

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2 people found this helpful

amazing

this book was a brilliant listen, my favourite yet on audible.buying the second instalment straight away!

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Post-apocalyptic drama

Cronin brings together a wide variety of inspiration (some name-checked in the paperback), from The Handmaid's Tale to the Stand to create his vision of a post-viral world.

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Excellent but borders on plagiarism

Would you consider the audio edition of The Passage to be better than the print version?

Oh yes this was superbly read the best narration i've heard on an audio book so far.I will be looking for more books narrated by Scott Brick.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Auntie she made me laff.

Any additional comments?

Firstly there are going to be spoilers hear so you may want to skip this. Secondly i loved this book and i will be buying the second one soon, But i couldn't help but notice the many of the story elements appear in "The Stand" by Stephen King i will try to remember and include some of them hear. The most obvious is the character of Auntie who is very similar to the character of Mother Abigail from "The Stand" Both characters are elderly black women and are thought to be the oldest living person left alive. Also both get visions or insights from some higher power and both die once they have past on this important message.And many characters get dreams or visions from a source of great good and of a source of great evil with "Babcock" taking the place of the "Dark man" from "The Stand" in the stand there is a paragraph where california separates from the USA and declared itself an independent country in "The Passage" this becomes a major story element. These are just a few of the many story elements that live notice that seem to be plucked from "The Stand" and there were other story elements that seems familiar to me although i could not quite place them.but i would not be surprised if other books have been plundered to make up story.I am aware that sometimes different authors come up with similar story elements independently from one another but the amount of similarities with "The Stand" was overwhelming. i don't have space to list them all hear but i found story elements on almost every chapter that i atribute to "The Stand" I feel i must point out the although elements seem to be inspired from "The Stand" the story itself is very different and the writing ifs very good.

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very long for a prequel

I struggled as the readers voice sent me. to sleep. needs more gusto

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A long and winding road but rewarding in the end

This is at once a strange, puzzling and good novel. Of epic proportions, it is offered in a series of books or “parts” each one (initially) dealing with a different epoch in this saga.



While reading the first part I thought Justin Cronin was a phenomenal discovery for me: a cracking story, unrelenting pace, brilliant characters, and credible but still intriguing plot – this was Michael Crichton on steroids. Had he stopped at the end of part one this assessment would have remained intact. He tells a story of a government-funded scheme to implant a life-extending virus into selected humans and how it all goes wrong. I won’t spoil the story.



However as he gets into post-apocalyptic territory (parts 2 onwards) the story lags, his pace dwindles, the world he describes is barely believable and some literary devices are predictable. At one stage I thought of giving up. However through parts 3-5 it picks up where it started and he saves his reputation by delivering a massive novel that leaves one breathless and entertained.



The story is about real people who get caught up in the government’s scheme, who are victims of the new creatures created by the scheme or who try to survive in a world where humans are scarce, isolated and threatened. I am not into science fiction, but this book does not fit comfortably into that genre either by its subject matter or its writing style. It offers love, suspense, military daring, vampires, futuristic cities, catholic nuns and secret agents in a heady mix of themes and characters. Somehow Cronin manages to keep it all together in a series of very well thought-through manoeuvres and well-planned details.



If you have the time, I would recommend the book. PS - very good and sensitive narrator.

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Great new take on the supernatural

I really enjoyed this. I'm not going to go in to any detail so don't worry about starters. What I can tell you is that I listen to audiobooks in my car on the way to and from work. Here is a book that had me sitting in my car getting me frighteningly close to being late to work and driving my girlfriend insane in the evening. I instantly bought the sequel.

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Almost gave up on it

Very good first part, boring middle part and again very good last part. I will get the second book as well. If you're struggling after the first part, keep going, it'll get there again.

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Astounding work of magical, transfixing writing.

If you like your audiobooks to transport you to another world, and keep you there, then this (yes, hugely long) novel will provide the perfect escapism. I have been captivated and shocked, thrilled and amazed, horrified and giggling aloud with this story. The pace of the reading is superb, for me, and I have often discovered that I have stopped doing what I was doing and am standing staring into space, lost in a world accompanied by these characters - willing them on, desperately crossing my fingers praying for what is to come.

I am not a sci-fi fan, nor a futuristic fantasy person at all. But this? Like a previous reviewer said - unclassifiable and unmatchable.

Please...Do not be put off by the hours of audio. I'm delighted at every second I get to spend tracing the tracks of this journey.

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