Feed, by Mira Grant

Look, it’s about zombies, and it’s about blogging. I kinda had to read it.

Georgia “George” Mason heads a team of online journalists/content providers posting under the name “After the End Times.” In a heavily-armed news van, they travel through a world irrevocably changed by Kellis-Amberlee, a viral “perfect storm” that reanimates the infected dead. Since the Rising of 2014, a generation has grown up under the constant threats of infection and attack. And since they no longer trust the mainstream media that were so slow to report the original outbreak, it’s up to intrepid bloggers to deliver their news.

George is the Newsie, the one who idolizes Edward R. Murrow and prides herself on objective reporting. Her brother Shaun is an Irwin (in honor of Steve “Let’s poke it with a stick!” Irwin of Crocodile Hunter fame). Shaun regularly tempts death for ratings, feeding the cravings of the largely housebound American viewership for vicarious thrills and live zombie footage. Tech support is provided by Georgette “Buffy” Meissonier, who pretends to be a ditz while secretly tapping into every video feed in a mile radius. Watch out, her earrings and other sparkly accessories are actually mics and hidden cameras.

“After the End Times” has just hit the big time: they’ve been tapped to cover the presidential campaign of rising Republican star Peter Ryman. Even die-hard cynic George is impressed with Senator Ryman, who just may be the leader America needs to rebuild itself after decades of fear. But they aren’t on the campaign trail for long before zombie mobs and deadly acts of sabotage are making the headlines. This calls for… investigative journalism!

Grant has put a lot of thought into the details of her world, including the epidemiology of the virus that kicked off the zombie apocalypse and the ways in which the constant threat of re-vivification has shaped the political and social landscape. The prose, punctuated by posts from George, Shaun, and Buffy, is as fast moving and punchline-driven as the tagline on the cover (“The good news: we survived. The bad news: so did they”). The close sibling relationship between George and Shaun, despite their constant bickering, is well done, and it’s their fear for one another that makes the stakes seem real.

Feed is the first of a planned trilogy. Mira Grant is a pen name for Seanan McGuire, whose other series-in-progress was reviewed here. I do have to thank McGuire for providing me with the mental image of Blogging for a Good Book fighting zombies. (Barry: “Do you think they need anything to read?”) Guys, you’re a great bunch of writers and I enjoy working with you, but unless you’re holding out on me in the marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat arena, I don’t think we stand a chance.

Check the WRL catalog for Feed.