Newsflesh Series by Mira Grant

Sorry for being so quiet this spring.  I've had my ear buds on, nose in my e-reader/books, and fingers on the keyboard!

One of the reading projects that distracted me from posting was the Newsflesh Series by Mira Grant.  The books in order are:

• Feed (2010) 
• Deadline (2011)
• Blackout  (2012)

Mira Grant is a pseudonym that Seanan McGuire uses for this series.   http://www.seananmcguire.com/

Zombies!!! (Again!) But, much much more!

Really, I think this series is more about the communication of news and opinion in the 21st century than it is about zombies.  Grant (McGuire) combines issues related to biomedical research, politics, and the media coverage of these two issues in this series.  If I wanted a book that helped secondary-aged students see the importance of learning to write well, this would be it.

The protagonists of the series, George (Georgia) and Shaun, are bloggers.  In the post-apocalyptic world of @2039) they are journalists (bloggers).  In this future traditional news sources (television network news, newspapers, magazines) no longer have the dominant presence as ways that citizens obtain information.  Instead bloggers are the primary sources for news.  Georgia and Shaun, with their friend Buffy are the CEOs of a blogging "company" that is trying to maintain high ratings in the extremely competitive blogosphere. In this world there are "newsies," "fictionals," and "Irwins."  These are obvious names for the types of blogs each writes, except for Irwins.  These are vloggers (video blogs) who capture video of zombies and zombie killing.  Yes, there is some violence, but no more than other popular zombie-based books/video.  

 WARNING!  There is a scene in Deadline that is sexually explicit, but not terribly salacious.  (Mira/Seanan--wish you'd left this out!)   I would use the first book of this series as a book-club choice for high schoolers.  I'd recommend the entire series to individual readers (just try and get them to stop after the first book!).  There is such great content in the series about politics, national health organizations, business, news, media, writing, and the market place (and self-protection) that it would actually be a good inter-disciplinary study book.

A third book under this pseudonym that I really enjoyed is Parasite (2013).  This is another biomedical "issues" book.  During the time that I was reading this series I also hear an NPR Science Friday program on stem-cell research.  The resonance of the surety of the scientists about how carefully they were safe-guarding the work they were doing made me immediately turn to a skeptical stance.  I wish that a someone more conservative yet authoritative voice had been available to offer a little more counterbalanced discussion of the risk factors.  http://sciencefriday.com/segment/02/14/2014/stem-cell-research-update.html

Of course some of the content of all three books in this series is alarming.  It could lead readers to a reactionary position about biomedical research.  My daughter has been a biology major and I am a strong supporter of science in all forms.  I do worry however that the majority of America does not pay much attention to the research underway.  Generally, I believe that our research has out-paced our ethics.  The current political debates about the "flash point" medical and genetic research is far behind the issues we should actually be exploring.  I believe these books are a great opening to get students more interested/involved.

State of Fear, by Michael Crichton (2005)

I listened to this on CD and think I missed many of the footnotes that support the assertions about climate change Crichton makes in this book. When I return the CDs to the library I am going to take a look at the paper copy and evaluate the science. However, Crichton does have a strong science background (is that an understatement?) and I have no real reason to disbelieve him.

The plot line is about a nonprofit environmental group's initiatives and activities. It includes scenes of polar ice caps, tsunamis, earthquakes, and flash floods. The science of each is explained and resonates with current events. I worry a little about the book creating a following of paranoids that doubt everything. But, I hope that these will be few, and folks that don't need much prompting to go into the land of paranoia. The X-Files would be more dangerous to those sorts.

For me the best part of the book was the author's note at the end in which he presents a strong argument for major changes in the ways that scientific research is conducted. Every assertion he makes about experimental bias, the effects of corporate and government funding, and the problems with the university systems rings completely true in my own experience.

Besides being a really good techno-thriller, this is a great book to use in exploration of current scientific research.

Port Mortuary, by Patricia Cornwell (2010)

This took me out of the world for a day and a half. (And I really wanted to get some academic work done instead of reading a novel.) It is a completely engaging book, one you won't put down. This is another in a series of the Scarpetta novels that Cornwell is known for. As usually there is a gripping plot and the main characters are fully developed and nuanced. To get the full effect of the book you would need to have read others in the series. Those of us who have followed the Scarpetta series delight in the additional new shades added to her cast. Scarpetta herself is the narrative voice and that device makes the ambiguity of the events entirely believable.

As always Cornwell gives us rich pictures of modern forensic medicine and other technological information. This particular book will be alarming to anyone who has hesitations about technological advances in offensive weapons. It also connects briefly to Apartheid in South Africa.

When you pick this up make sure your calendar is clear for a day or so--you won't be accomplishing much other than finishing the book.

Although this is an adult book, I can strongly recommend it for high school students. The violence is minimal and there is essentially no sex.

The Death Collector by Justin Richards (2006)

This period techno-thriller from the Victorian Era is not one that really grabbed me. Perhaps because I listened to in on cd rather than read it in paper. Richards is quite a prolific YA author and writes collaboratively with Jack Higgins. He has also authored a series, The Invisible Detective. Others have a much more favorable opinion of the book than I. I got good reviews from Kirkus and The School Library Journal. I may need to sit down with a paper copy and see if audio/print really does make a difference.

For younger adolescents there is some interesting horror in the plot--Zombies and reanimation. I will revise this review if I find the paper copy produces a different response.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

The final book in a series of 3. I'd hear many comments from friends and librarians about the conclusion of the Hunger Games series. Most said something along the lines that "it was good, but really more of an adult book." It really is quite violent. I think it's one of those books that I would hesitate to recommend to students, but that many would read. It is no more violent than many of the movies they watch regularly or some of the "reality" shows like Jackass. To recommend it more completely as an appropriate YA read, the message Collins is sending about wars and conflicts is very appropriate for the age group.

I still think this series is a good companion/alternate read to books like Lord of the Flies or Animal Farm. It is more contemporary and deals more directly with the complexities of modern political systems in the era of technology.

I did not find it as an enjoyable a read as the other two books in the series (thus the 3 instead of 4 stars) but it is important, as a reader, to have the sense of completion.

Snow Crash by Neil Stephenson

My first Stephenson book was, what I have come to call, a reading accident. [I have reading accidents in which I pick up a book on a whim and find myself trapped into reading an author's collected works.] I picked up his book Cryptonomicon because I had seen a newer title, Anathem for sale at Costco. For a change I decided to read it order and bought Cryptonomicon in paperback.

So far it seems as if Stephenson is a somewhat challenging author. I would recommend his books to strong readers in high school or to adults. But, I definitely recommend him!

Snow Crash is science fiction including high-tech skateboarders, virtual worlds as a social phenomenon, and ethnic conflicts. As with Cryptonomicon it also makes connections to history and current events. It's a book that I will be happy to recommend to a relatively wide range of readers, including my college-aged son.