| The invisible killer. We’ve
all seen the media frenzy over the latest deadly outbreaks:
SARs, Avian flu…. We’ve all been gripped with
fear as they sensationalize the story, only to have it disappear
soon after; leaving us to wonder if this was just another
scare story. Yet history is riddled with stories of deadly
plagues and killer viruses ravaging populations and wiping
out civilizations. What makes us think that it could not
happen again?
Sam North’s latest novel is not a work of Science
Fiction. It’s not even a work of fiction. It is
potential fact!
Set in Vancouver, this is the tale of a world ravaged
by a mutated version of the avian flu virus. People are
dropping dead in the thousands, society has broken down
and anarchy is slowly ensuing. In the midst of all this
turmoil are three sets of characters, Fen and her dog
Red who, along with her family, flee to a remote island
in an attempt to wait out the epidemic. Arno flies from
Toronto to Vancouver to find Rachel, the woman he loves,
and together they try to outrun the virus. Finally there’s
Deka, a cab driver whose good friend Dr Borov somehow
helps them both to survive the virus with his own medicinal
cocktail. The so-called experts have failed to develop
an effective vaccine and now most of these experts are
also dead. People are afraid of people. No-one knows who
to trust. The government are no longer able to protect
you. The economy is all but destroyed. The world seems
doomed.
Yet out of the ashes emerge these three sets of characters
who prove that all is not lost. When all is said and done
it’s the ordinary people who save the day. Through
all the doom and seeming despair, hope remains alive with
some. When you’ve hit rock bottom and survived,
the only way is up.
What makes this book so much more compelling is Sam’s
easygoing and free-flowing style of writing. Rarely have
I discovered a new author who can draw you into his world
so easily. His writing is alive and engaging, and the
dialogue is so down to earth that you feel like the people
are next to you acting it out. Sam has the enviable ability
to create a diverse group of characters that the reader
is able to vividly picture and instantly like or dislike;
something that should be commonplace, but is sadly lacking
in many of today’s books.
Fascinating, frightening and compelling, Another Place
to Die is the ultimate page-turner which I guarantee will
result in many late nights under the bedside light with
you uttering, ‘just one more chapter!!’
Buy Another place to die here:
Lulu
Amazon
UK
Amazon
US
Reviewed by Ian Middleton: Travel Writer and photographer,
and author of Mysterious World: Ireland.
http://www.ian-middleton.co.uk
Author’s Bio:
Ian Middleton is a freelance travel writer and photographer
from the UK. He is the author of three travel narrative
books and one travel guide to ancient Ireland, Mysterious
World: Ireland. Ian has also written for several magazines,
including Mysterious World, backpacker Ireland, Walking
World Ireland, Take your car UK and the Slovenia Times
newspaper. Ian's photography has been published in Mysterious
World: Ireland, Masa Acher magazine, Living Abroad, Bradt
Travel Guides and the Slovenia Times newspaper.
Visit my websites:
http://www.ian-middleton.co.uk
http://www.ianmiddletonphotography.co.uk
Check out my new travel guide to ancient Ireland: http://ireland.mysteriousworld.com
*The author give permission for the contents of this review
to be reproduced in whole or part as long as the party
gives full credit to the reviewer, either using the tagline
alone or, space permitting, the tagline with author’s
bio.*
|
