Release Date: February 28, 2011
Publisher: Permuted Press

Craig DiLouie follows up his first zombie novel “Tooth and Nail” with “The Infection,” a tale of terror that has been described by some as “28 Days Later” meets “The Road.” That’s a pretty accurate description, with the story featuring Rage Virus-esque adrenaline-pumped zombies, and much of the novel does take place while following a small group of survivors as they travel the recently-made-post-apocalyptic (too many hyphens? I never know) wasteland trying to find a place of safety.

But I’d like to make what I feel is a more accurate comparison for this book. Many tales that involve the walking dead take place in a “The Road” like scenario simply by their nature, and I think readers will miss out on one very important aspect of the story with the comparison. So, I’d like to tell you, dear reader, that “The Infection” can maybe best be described as “28 Days Later” meets “The Mist.” The comparison to “The Mist,” a Stephen King novel adapted for the big screen by “Walking Dead” series mastermind Frank Darabont, includes one key element of the story that, in my eyes, helped set it significantly apart from others: in DiLouie’s story, zombies aren’t the only unnatural monsters that the survivors have to contend with, and these other unnatural creatures that stalk the living humans are hideous and grotesque, like something out of your worst nightmare.