The second in the fabulous dystopian, zombie trilogy by Mira Grant, Deadline. The first is Feed(that review is full of zombies), third and final in the series is Blackout.
Sadly, even the synopsis of this story gives some pivotal parts away. If you have not read the first, please, please read that prior to this review which sadly is chock FULL of spoilers for the first book! No spoilers for the second however, so feel free to read on if you’ve read Feed!
- Review: Deadline
- Series: Newsflesh Trilogy #2
- Author: Mira Grant
- No of Pages: 581
- Release Date: June 1st 2011
Shaun Mason is a man without a mission. Not even running the news organization he built with his sister has the same urgency as it used to. Playing with dead things just doesn’t seem as fun when you’ve lost as much as he has.
But when a CDC researcher fakes her own death and appears on his doorstep with a ravenous pack of zombies in tow, Shaun has a newfound interest in life. Because she brings news-he may have put down the monster who attacked them, but the conspiracy is far from dead.
Now, Shaun hits the road to find what truth can be found at the end of a shotgun. — Goodreads
What’s happening:
When we met Shaun in Feed he was an Irwin, loving to live life by the skin of his teeth and sometimes even closer but after losing his sister he’s lost. Because he was so reckless the two of them always thought he would die first, there was never a question of how, just when. But now he’s living an existence where Georgia isn’t alive and he’s going crazy. Crazy enough to talk to her in his head and the more stressed he gets, the more he sees her. Actually sees her. He’s trying to keep this from his group, who have always thought he was on the edge of life anyway but love him for it, but sooner or later he’s going to break and when he does is he going to get people killed?
On top of his own stresses he is now in charge of his news group and it’s not a little blog anymore. He also has to worry about Kelly who is running from the CDC and believed to be dead. He stops himself before he can think “what else can go wrong” because honestly that thought will just bring on more crap that he just doesn’t have the mental capability, nor the will, to deal with anymore. As much as he wants to die and be with Georgia, he no longer leads the Irwins, he’s scared. He’s scared to go on living, scared to die. And everyone sees it.
My thoughts:
Much like the first this book is full of zombies and also like the first, it’s also full of emotional turmoil. We’ve come to know and love the characters, to feel empathy for their pain and Shaun is in a lot of pain. What this book gives us is a look at how it feels to be put into situation after situation of absolute horror. Not only has Shaun lost Georgia but now he has to be strong for the others on his team, he still wants to find who was in charge of the entire conspiracy and it seems that it’s rearing it’s ugly head again.
Although all three books have quite a bit about conspiracy and politics I loved them! As I said, the characters are well fleshed out (ahhaha pun intended) and you fall in love with them instantly knowing what they would do in certain situations. And then there’s the completely believable way Mira Grant introduces the virus to the world. It totally works but I think that’s the scariest thing of all. You have empathy for the characters while looking over your own shoulder! Brilliant!
The first was my favorite so far but as a sequel goes this doesn’t slow down. The plot stays on a roller coaster ride and just as you think things are starting to smooth out, we get another curve ball!
Related articles
- Feed by Mira Grant (The Newsflesh Trilogy #1) (sarahsaysread.com)
- Deadline by Mira Grant (The Newsflesh Trilogy #2) (sarahsaysread.com)
- Blackout by Mira Grant (The Newsflesh Trilogy #3) (sarahsaysread.com)
- Horror In Our Time: Blackout by Mira Grant (mibreviews.com)
- How Seanan McGuire Perfected Her Fictional Zombie Virus (wired.com)
- Deadline [book review] (ericglover.wordpress.com)
My Seryniti 
I’m currently on the fence as to whether or not I liked Deadline more than Feed. Maybe I like them both equally for very different reasons? XD, who knows.
Anyway, excellent review.
Thank you!
Just wait until you read Blackout! I loved it. I’m only sad that this is a trilogy. This is one series that I want to go on forever.
Personally, I liked Feed a lot more than I liked Deadline, probably because I’m more like Georgia than Shaun. But after mulling it over, Shaun is also a great narrator and an excellent contrast to his sister. I also have to agree that I wish the series went on. However, Mira Grant did end Blackout pretty well, considering. What I want to know is if there was ever a cure for Kellis-Amberlee!
I would love to find out also! I like Shaun quite a bit but probably because I’m way too scared to be like him! So I enjoyed his point of view quite a bit.
She did come out with another book, Countdown that I still have to get. Sounds like a prequel to the trilogy! Interesting. 😉
I think it’s only an e-novella. Unfortunately, I can’t get it since I don’t own an e-reader.
Oh dang! I’ll have to steal my hubby’s nook again! If I do find it in paperback I’ll let you know! 😉
Please do! I hope it comes out in paperback eventually, but it looks like I’ll eventually have to buy an e-reader to keep up with all the e-novellas and e-short stories writers are publishing now.
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