The Passage

“It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born.”

First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear—of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey—spanning miles and decades—towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun.

"WOW" is the word that describes Justin Cronin's book and what I said when I turned the last page. This is a book that you need to take your time reading as each part introduces many characters with a lot going on. Just when you think you have everyone straight in your head you move on and have to start all over. There are parts that have you turning the pages as fast as you can and then there are a few where things seem to drag.   This chunkster had me immersed for three days ignoring all that was going on around me.  I would not classify this as just a vampire saga, but a saga it is and one that will appeal to many readers. You may need help holding it as you read into the wee hours.  I look forward to the next book in the series.

Vicki of Reading At The Beach hosts A-Z Wednesday, this round is author's names and this week's letter is "C".