Blackout

The Newsflesh Trilogy, Book 3

By: Mira Grant

Narrated by: Paula Christensen, Michael Goldstrom

The explosive conclusion to the Newsflesh trilogy from New York Times best seller Mira Grant - a saga of zombies, geeks, politics, social media, and the virus that runs through them all.

The year was 2014. The year we cured cancer. The year we cured the common cold. And the year the dead started to walk. The year of the Rising.

The year was 2039. The world didn't end when the zombies came, it just got worse. Georgia and Shaun Mason set out on the biggest story of their generation. They uncovered the biggest conspiracy since the Rising and realized that to tell the truth, sacrifices have to be made.

Now, the year is 2041, and the investigation that began with the election of President Ryman is much bigger than anyone had assumed. With too much left to do and not much time left to do it, the surviving staff of After the End Times must face mad scientists, zombie bears, rogue government agencies - and if there's one thing they know is true in post-zombie America, it's this: Things can always get worse.

More from Mira Grant:

Newsflesh

• Feed
• Deadline
• Blackout
• Feedback
• Rise

©2012 Hachette (P)2012 Mira Grant

Critic reviews

2010, NPR's Top 100 Killer Thrillers, Winner

2010, Romantic Times' Best SF Novel of the Year, Nominated

2010, John W. Campbell Award, Winner

"Astonishing ... a fascinating exploration of the future."—New York Times

Love the series

I really enjoy the Newsflesh series. I’m a zombie book lover and enjoy this series initially because of this. I stay for all of the additional story lines because the author has created a rich world with characters that are intriguing and well rounded. I well understand why this series has won awards. Those who like this unusual genre will be drawn in by this new refreshing look.

too much fun

What did you love best about Blackout?

The characters full development

What did you like best about this story?

The science of the virus

What does Paula Christensen and Michael Goldstrom bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Emotional connection they added to the writing

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did

Any additional comments?

Too good the be legal

Narration continuity counts

Would you listen to Blackout again? Why?

I love this book, it's the third in a series...my only complain was they changed the male narrator and he just took me out of the story. :( His voice wasn't unpleasant, it just wasn't right for this character I don't think. The female was great!

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Yep.

Best Zombie Series on the Market

Wow! That is the biggest thing that comes to mind when I read this story. It is the final part of the Newsflesh Trilogy. (Yes, there is another book coming out this year, but this is the end of the line for the crew for After the End Times. The new book starts at the beginning from a different POV). This trilogy has been a wild ride. This is a hard review to write. One, I just want to say “OMG, It’s so good. Go read it now!!” Two, anything I say is pretty much a spoiler for the previous two books in the series.

This series we’ve been following the group of bloggers as they uncover a government conspiracy and corruption at the CDC, which has become an all powerful organization since the Rising. This series takes place 20 years after the Rising. People have learned to live and survive with zombies. We’ve seen bloggers come and go as some have died and others moved on to new things. New ones have joined to keep After the End Times up and running and doing the thing that they feel is the most important thing of, to tell the truth.

In this book, we see everything comes to a head. The conspiracies are larger than we could ever imagine. We have no idea who we can trust and who is evil. And let me tell you, there are some truly evil people in this book. I’m not talking Hannibal Lecter evil, but more Frank Underwood evil. The team, who are loyal to each other first and foremost, have to figure out who to trust to help them as the uncover this conspiracy and find a way to tell the truth to the American people. That is their job after all.

I will say that I’ve come to love all the characters of this series. They are all such well written characters. The world that Mira Grant has built in this futuristic world is quite astonishing. There is a ton of action and suspense between zombie bear and virus carrying mosquitoes, to CDC trying to kill them. Oh, I would also be remised if I didn’t mention patient B7 who plays a pretty large part in this story. This series is way more than a horror story. I think it was more of a political thriller. I think it was One Curvy Blogger who mentioned that to me and she’s right. This is a political thriller with zombies. I highly recommend this book to you if you like thrillers, zombies, or political conspiracies.

Narration
In this book, we have Paula Christensen back. She voiced the female POVs from the first book. I think she did a great job on this book as well. She does really well with both male and female voices. I really enjoyed her narration. Michael Goldstrom does the narration of the male POVs. I think he did a great job. Once again, he did a great job with male and female voices. I really got immersed in their narration. I do wish they had stuck with the same pairing for the entire trilogy, but hey, each pairing that they got, did a great job. I completely loved this series on audio. I look forward to the new book that comes out later this year, whoever narrates.

A good end to a great series

Would you listen to Blackout again? Why?

Absolutely. In fact, the entire Newsflesh trilogy is on my "listen again" list as soon as I'm done processing everything that happened.

What did you like best about this story?

Georgia! Georgia, and how smart she is, and how she deals with who and what she is.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

Paula Christensen back as the female narrator was fantastic. I love how she gives life to George...her voice just sounds right for the character. On the other hand, I have NO idea of why we have a third male narrator in as many books. The male narrator for Deadline was perfect! While I think I might enjoy Michael Goldstrom narrating something different, where he isn't narrating from inside the head of a damaged twentysomething, his voice is WAY too old to carry Shaun's narration believably.

Especially given the younger male voices we've already heard for him. So it was half perfect, half entirely wrong.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I cried. A few times. The reunion scene, for one. Becks...yeah, cried there.

very fun read

This trilogy is so well done. The research and realism that has gone into these books is great. I want a huge fan of the last Male narrator but he did good. I just like the one from the 2nd book a little better.

loved it!

Are you ready to ready a zombie Apocalypse book based about a tailor made virus that created zombies that ate 80 percent of the world's population? Think that mask is too much of a constraint?

this book will alternately have you reaching for your virology textbook and hiding under the bed. Book three of the series. Part murder mystery and part Apocalypse. Great for those badly behaved 8 year olds who think they don't need parental limits on what they read! A must for every guest room, livingroom and passenger seat.

Great Story Great narrating

Honestly, love this series. The story just gets crazier and is just as entertaining as when I started it!

Good conclusion

Loved this series, it is a fantastic new take on the concept of the zombie apocalypse and what happens after

I never want this series to end!!!

I can’t get enough of Grant. The story and the characters are so amazing. The zombie outbreaks keep me on the edge of my seat. I never want this series to end it’s just awesome. Becoming such a fan of the zombie culture and these books put you right in the middle of it. I want more!!!