Pandemic (The Extinction Files)

While I read more than I used to, I'm not a regular consumer of fiction / series. So when I saw how long this book is, I feared maybe I had gotten in over my head — in the sense it might take me a month or more to finish it (which never has the same effect). I finished this book in about four days! That is testament to the interesting nature of the suspense the author creates, and to some of the character development as well. I don't know how long the second book will be but I am already looking forward to it.

WHAT I LIKED MOST
• The development of the main character, Desmond — seeing both sides of him from a young age and having to guess at what role he played in the whole thing. The memory aspect was pretty ingenious.

• The overall plot and scenario — I don't know how many thrillers / suspense novels about epidemics or pandemics there are out there but this was my first forray into the topic and I feel it is both relevant in the times we live and interesting generally. You could tell in places the author did his homework; the details didn't feel fudged.

• The storyline for the African doctor, Kibet. I'm glad the story didn't leave him behind as the activities in Africa became secondary. He is interesting.

• The fact that the author obviously did some homework on how the CDC operates and on some real-world diseases and their impact. Made it a lot more authentic.

MINOR DISTRACTIONS
• In the first maybe 100 pages of the book, characters' hair color / qualities were described a lot and in Peyton's case, the color changed back and forth 4 or 5 times. First brown, then black, then dark brown, then black again, then brown again. lol I attribute this more to the editor of the book than the author — they should've caught it, synced a couple and and removed a couple of the references to avoid the distraction.

MINOR CHARACTER / PLOT FLAWS
*** SPOILER ALERT ***

• The components of the Looking Glass (which I understand has to remain mysterious in its own right), were mentioned often in the second half of the book, with virtually no hint as to what role those components played / why they were important. Rook, Rendition, etc. While it's OK to leave readers in the dark initially to build suspense, towards the end of the book when clues and characters are coming together to paint a picture, I think more detail about what those inidividual pieces meant, would've been helpful.

• Too many characters back from the dead and/or doing the whole "not who you think they are" bit: Peyton's Dad, Peyton's Brother, Peyton's Mom. I find it hard to believe on some level, that for all those years she never suspected any of it nor was dropped any hint about it by anyone involved. It felt a little forced and a bit like a TV drama or something where they have to keep hitting you over the head with "mind blowing moments" to cover up the fact that half the actors can't act and the script writers can't write. Obviously that's not WHY it was done here (there are no actors and the author is quite talented at weaving a story and painting a picture), but I do feel like it was over the top. I also find it almost impossible to believe that her brother, once the island was captured and overrun by US military, would simply be allowed to leave unquestioned and go start a life in Australia.

• Unlike the Aftrican doctor, I felt like the continuation of Elliot's story in Atlanta left something to be desired. Maybe it lacked a thematic focus or — not sure. I actually would've preferred that part of the story be told from the perspective of someone totally unconnected to the CDC or the people involved in all things Looking Glass. Like John and Jane Q Public and their kid and their dog... some type of terrors or tribulations they had to go through, somewhere not so lucky where there's no Georgia Dome or CDC, more chaos maybe. People panicking and turning on their neighbors, etc (which I believe would happen in real life in many places).

The reviews are way too high for this book. The material seems to be well researched and the book well written, but the plot is flat out ridiculous. The million-to-one odds of how the characters are interconnected goes unquestioned and doesn't make sense. There is a huge investment of your time in reading about an unexplained "technology" that promises to end all human suffering across the board, which in the end goes unsatisfied. An army of scientists in a secret organization are busy working on components, with none privy to anything about what this panacea "technology" is or does. The fact that no character questions if it's all complete nonsense and demands proof is silly. I enjoyed the main character and the flashbacks, but the revelation after all that time invested is anti-climatic. The ending is an obvious setup for the next book. The author spent too much time building a world for several books, but this book isn't compelling enough to make me want to invest in the series. I liked Atlantis, but this one not so much.

This is the 2nd pandemic book I've read, on vacations. And neither was really much about a pandemic. By the last 50 pages, I had no interest in the outcome. They (Mt Dragon) may be good books. Both got lots of good reviews. They weren't what I was looking for. And 700 pages was a lot of reading with little reward. Can thousands of people be wrong? It could be me. I don't think I'll try another from the author.

Oh my goodness!!! This one was so great, I couldn't put it down. I told all my Sci-Fi friends and one read it and was blown away. CAN'T WAIT for the sequel. The intense drama had me turning the pages quickly, the surprises throughout the book was very enjoyable and I loved the characters-the good and bad ones.

At its best, it reminded me of Michael Crichton. But overall, a bit too inconsistent.
Despite some great flashbacks (Silicon Valley in the 90s), there were simply too many flashbacks overall. And there was a lot of action near the end that, to me, was just devoid of emotional weight.
And the names of the main characters -- Peyton, Desmond, and Avery?? Gimme a break.

I'm curious to see where the series goes in the coming books, but I don't know if I'd commit to another 600 pages of this.

A.G Riddle has written another best seller. His attention to detail and thorough research has brought to us a story that is thrilling and fast paced. It lays out in great detail the horrors of what a pandemic will do to the human race. Add to that the plot twists and interaction between the characters, you get a story that you can't put down. I am so looking forward to the next book in the series.

The first 400 or so pages were a good read and I liked the flashback romance of Peyton and Desmond, very well done. But, the last 250 pages just didn't keep my interest so I started skimming and skipping pages. I didn't pass the book on to a friend.

PANDEMIC, is a tremendously gripping book! At first I looked at the size and thought of War and Peace and wondered if the content could keep my attention for an extended time.... it absolutely did! I even read at nite with a flashlight!

The premise of the book is intriguing and scary at the same time.... your imagination can go in so many directions and still be plausible!

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a great conspiracy theory and the idea of plausible terrorism that could possibly be in our near future....just let your imoagination run wild!

The author should decide what kind of story he wants before changing it a third of the way through. Why does he force impossible-to believe plot points rather than attempt plausability? Does he try to design terrible, unsatisfying endings? Does he need to repeat unimportant info? Why can't his colorless characters have vibrant personalities? Is that not allowed in his timeline-universe?

After two and a half years of research and published in 2017, A.G. Riddle’s “Pandemic” is a gripping manifestation into the premeditated release of viruses with their projected vaccines and what could be at play when in the hands of misaligned minds.

Whereas the first half or so of this 700-page novel is quite attention-grabbing and persuasive, the middle part seems to fade and rattle on with some apparent incoherency...then the pendulum swings in the final chapters with several surprises, twists and turns.

A compelling read but certainly could have been curtailed.