The Contagion Duology by Erin Bowman is a YA SciFi Horror novel of a mysterious tragedy set in space!
“It got in us
After receiving an urgent SOS from a work detail on a distant planet, a skeleton crew is dispatched to perform a standard search-and-rescue mission.
Most are dead.
But when the crew arrives, they find an abandoned site, littered with rotten food, discarded weapons…and dead bodies.
Don’t set foot here again.
As they try to piece together who—or what—could have decimated an entire operation, they discover that some things are best left buried—and some monsters are only too ready to awaken.”
“Survivors of a deadly planetary outbreak take on a new, sinister adversary in the white-knuckle sequel to Contagion, which New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman called “gripping, thrilling and terrifying in equal measures.”
They thought their nightmare was over, but Thea, Coen, and Nova’s rescue was only the beginning. After being imprisoned on a ship they thought was their ticket to safety, it’s clear that the threat they left behind isn’t as distant as they’d hoped—and this time the entire galaxy is at risk.
Now that threat is about to be unleashed as an act of political warfare. To prevent an interstellar catastrophe, the survivors must harness the evil they faced on the planet Achlys and learn to wield the only weapon they have left: themselves.
The first installment in Erin Bowman’s duology earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly, who called the plot “intricate and action-packed,” and fans of Jonathan Maberry, Rick Yancey, and Madeline Roux will relish in Bowman’s tense, high-stakes conclusion to the events of Contagion.”
When I first started this series, I had a REALLY hard time getting into it. There were many short-lived perspectives that seemed to make the plot a bit of a confusing mess.
But, I pushed through hoping the plot would pick up.
And about 75 pages in, I was so HOOKED! I can’t tell you how bad I wanted to just sit and power through the rest of the book.
If you loved the movie I Am Legend (featuring Will Smith) or The Martian (with Matt Damon), you will absolutely DEVOUR this horror, scifi novel.
My favorite part is how the entire series is set deep into space. If you’ve been following me for awhile, you might know that I absolutely love reading and exploring the unknown of space. And this book brought a unique twist that I couldn’t help but continue on.
When it comes to the horror elements, this is more of a creepy, zombie-like atmosphere with things peering at you in those possessive ways. It added the perfect vibe to a space novel.
When it comes to the sequel, I liked the first book the best just because it had so much mystery and science behind what was going on. The ending left me wanting to start the sequel right away!
I don’t want to put too many spoilers in this review, so I won’t go into too much details of Immunity, but I highly recommend this series!
There are so many plot twists and crazy character deceptions that I absolutely loved reading. And there’s one person in the first book that I just could NOT stand! (I think you will quickly figure out who it is).
You don’t know who to trust.
I gave the first book 4 out of 5 stars just because it was a harder beginning to get into, but after that hump, it’s a solid 5 star read. The second book deserves a 5 star rating as well, making this duology a solid 5 stars.
I highly recommend this one for apocalyptic, horrifying, action-packed, scientific space adventure.
Published: 24 July 2018 – 2 July 2019
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult SciFi / Horror
Pages: 432 / 434
How I Read It: Hardcover from HarperTeen
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from HarperTeen in exchange for an honest review. All my reviews contain my honest opinions only and are not influenced in any way*
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Happy Reading,