1029. Plague War

I don't know why anybody would say: "...part George Romero, " when describing Jeff Carlson's follow-up book to "Plague Year", second book "Plague War". There is nothing in it that reminds me of "Night of the Living Dead."  Then again, when you're living in the future without hope, it might seem that the "Living Dead" are roaming the land. Me? I just don't see the comparisons.  I mean, nanotechnology infected people are not zombies. There is hope for them. Isn't there? This book is the second book in Carlson's Plague Year trilogy.

So, does Jeff Carlson succeed in continuing his Nanotechnology-cum-Post-Apocalyptic tale? This, the second book, is a good yarn, taking place immediately after the events of the first book. Events take place at a break-neck speed, and as such leave little room to think. Can Ruth Goldman unlock the secrets of the "snowflake" as the nanotechnology is called? Can Cam Najarro protect her from countless adversaries? What is in it for himself? And let us not forget that the title of this book is "Plague War" so what is this War about?

Events in this book escalate rather quickly. The people that were on the International Space Station with Ruth in the first book go their own ways in the second book. One of them, Ulinov, the Russian commander is instrumental in the events that lead for domination and ultimate war. But, while I can the see the logic that led this author down the path of this sequence of events, I still don't understand why he does not embrace showing us the road to salvation. There are hints at what the nanotech can accomplish. These are the private thoughts of Cam Najarro whose point of view we are treated to always. But if these things and more are possible, why is the hero at least not willing to discuss them openly with Ruth?

Still, because of the expanded exposition and lots more action - Jeff Carlson truly paints on an international canvas this time  - I enjoyed this book more than the first.

I give it 3 stars out of 5.