Contagion

I really wanted to like Contagion. A movie about a worldwide pandemic must be good, right? Apparently not. Somehow they took a great subject with decent actors and made a terribly boring movie. The characters lack depth. Even Kate Winslet is mundane in this movie. Contagion was like reading about the Spanish Flu of 1918 in a microbiology textbook. It merely presents information. The plot twists, if you could call them that, were lame. Since I have only watched this movie once, I might have missed something that made it more entertaining. If that is the case, I sincerely apologize.

 

 

Apocalypse Law

Apocalypse Law by John Grit is a very entertaining story about a man and his son struggling to survive on a small farm after an influenza strain kills a large part of the human population. After the last few books that I have read, it was truly fun that the main character in Apocalypse Law, Nate, is a retired Army Ranger that can kick some major ass! (what can I say, sometimes I get tired of the bad guys running the show!:) Naturally, some unsavory types make their way past the farm in the period following the outbreak and Nate is willing and able to defend himself and his son. Apocalypse Law reads more like an action movie. It is fast paced and full of suspense. This is a good book to read after you finish The Road by Cormac McCarthy. You could argue that The Road may be more realistic but Apocalypse Law sure is a lot more fun!

 

The Jakarta Pandemic

The Jakarta Pandemic, written by Steven Konkoly, tells a story about a family in a small New England town through the onset and spread of a highly deadly influenza virus. The main character, Alex Fletcher, works for a pharmaceutical company and markets a new anti-viral medication. Alex is one of the few people in his neighborhood that has prepared for such a disaster which makes him a target in the community. The Jakarta Pandemic explores some important ideas such as self-isolation to prevent the spread of disease. While I wouldn’t describe this book as a literary masterpiece, I would recommend it as solid entertainment.