Plague Zone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

Title Page

 

Copyright Page

 

Dedication

 

 

 

Chapter 1

 

Chapter 2

 

Chapter 3

 

Chapter 4

 

Chapter 5

 

Chapter 6

 

Chapter 7

 

Chapter 8

 

Chapter 9

 

Chapter 10

 

Chapter 11

 

Chapter 12

 

Chapter 13

 

Chapter 14

 

Chapter 15

 

Chapter 16

 

Chapter 17

 

Chapter 18

 

Chapter 19

 

Chapter 20

 

Chapter 21

 

Chapter 22

 

Chapter 23

 

Chapter 24

 

Chapter 25

 

Chapter 26

 

Chapter 27

 

Chapter 28

 

 

 

Acknowledgements

 

 

 

 

 

 

Advance Praise for
PLAGUE ZONE

 

 

 

 

“Gripping. Jeff Carlson concludes his Plague trilogy with an epic struggle among desperate nations equipped with nano weapons ... This book is an object lesson in why we’d better learn to get along before the next arms race.”

 

 

—Jack McDevitt, Nebula Award-winning author of Time Travelers Never Die

 

 

 

 

“A high-octane thriller at the core—slick, sharp, and utterly compelling. Oh yeah, and it’s
frightening.
SF doesn’t get much better than this.”

 

 

—Steven Savile, international bestselling author of Primeval: Shadow of the Jaguar

 

 

 

 

Praise for
PLAGUE WAR

 

 

Finalist for the Philip K. Dick Award for Best Novel

 

 

 

 

“His novels take readers to the precipice of disaster.”

 

 

—San Francisco Chronicle

 

 

 

 

“A breakneck ride through one of the most deadly—and thrilling—futures imagined in years. Jeff Carlson has the juice!”

 

 

—Sean Williams, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Grand Conjunction

 

 

 

 

“An exciting, high-octane thriller that hooks the audience from the opening sequence and never stops. Electrifying.”

 

 

—Midwest Book Review

 

 

 

 

“A well-written and riveting tale that draws a spark of hope out of the midst of despair. Nicely paced, tension filled, and thoroughly believable.”

 

 

—Darque Reviews

 

 

 

 

“An adrenaline-pumping science fiction thriller that keeps readers’ interest from the onset and never decelerates until the final confrontation ... Jeff Carlson proves he is a magnificent world builder and destroyer as he writes a mesmerizing tale of science and technology going astray. Riveting and frightening, the future is very dark in Carlson’s world, but a few lights give hope that humanity will survive this ordeal with a new harmony.”

 

 

—SFRevu

 

 

 

 

“Intense. Carlson has reinforced what I admired about him in
Plague Year,
conveying his story and themes with as much authenticity and emotional truth as possible. Just consider yourself warned. This one is a literary level-four hot zone.”

 

 

—SF Reviews.net

 

 

 

 

“Carlson knows what he’s doing, making us feel the terror, pain, exhaustion, frustration, and triumph of his characters ... It’s a good book, telling a good story, and the speculation is excellent.”

 

 

—SFScope

 

 

 

 

“Carlson’s nightmarish landscape presents a chilling albeit believable picture of a postapocalyptic world devastated by a nanotech plague.
Plague War
is the second of his trilogy, but it can still be enjoyed as a stand-alone. The carefully crafted plot is a mix of sci-fi, military adventure, and political intrigue. Strong, dynamic characters bring the story to a conclusion you won’t see coming.”—
Romantic Times

 

 

 

Praise for
PLAGUE YEAR

 

 

 

 

“An epic of apocalyptic fiction: harrowing, heartfelt, and rock-hard realistic. A cautionary tale. Not to be missed.”

 

 

—James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author of Altar of Eden

 

 

 

 

“A grim and fascinating new twist on the postholocaust story, unlike anything I’ve read before.”

 

 

—Kevin J. Anderson, New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Winds of Dune

 

 

 

 

“Frightening, plausible, and action packed,
Plague Year
is one of the best debut science fiction novels in years. Jeff Carlson packs riveting storytelling with a lot of fresh ideas.”

 

 

—David Brin, New York Times bestselling author of Through Stranger Eyes

 

 

 

 

“Jeff Carlson debuts boldly and strongly, providing a thrilling, fast-paced novel that’s sure to be gulped down in a single sitting by avid readers.”—Paul Di Filippo,
Sci Fi Weekly

 

 

“Plague Year proposes a frightening new nanotech catastrophe and uses it as a crucible to explore the best and worst of human nature. Tightly written and well told.”

 

 

 

 

—Robert Charles Wilson, Hugo Award-winning author of
Julian Comstock: A Story of 22
nd
-Century America

 

 

“Plague Year is exactly the kind of no-holds-barred escapist thriller you would hope any book with that title would be. Jeff Carlson’s gripping debut is kind of like Blood Music meets The Hot Zone. It might also remind some readers of ... Stephen King’s The Stand ... Carlson’s portrayal of the depths to which plague survivors must sink simply to survive is harrowing, grisly, and distressingly convincing ... He keeps the action in fifth gear throughout.”—SF Reviews.net

 

 

 

 

“Part Michael Crichton, part George Romero, Jeff Carlson’s
Plague Year
is deft and compelling, full of high-altitude chills.”

 

 

—E. E. Knight, national bestselling author of Winter Duty

 

 

 

 

“This is a book and an author I’m very excited about.
[Plague Year]
is gruesome, dramatic, and exhilarating.”

 

 

—Lou Anders, Hugo Award-nominated editor of Fast Forward 2

 

 

 

 

“An engrossing story that pulls the reader in quickly. If you’re looking for a good science fiction read that’ 11 make you think, fret, and hope for intelligence in the future, this is a great book.”

 

 

—SFScope

 

 

 

 

“Jeff Carlson is a terrific writer, and
Plague Year
is a marvelous book, full of memorable characters, white-knuckle scenes, and big ideas.”—Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of

 

 

WWW: Wake

 

 

 

 

“Carlson has crafted an exceptional, gripping debut that exposes the worst and best of humanity while maintaining a constant tension level that will keep the pages turning to the very end. The personal and political machinations are credible, the characters are well developed, and the climax satisfying. This apocalyptic view of nanotechnology provides plenty to think about.”

 

 

—Monsters and Critics

 

 

 

 

“Plague Year
is a masterful debut novel that has me putting Jeff Carlson on my must-read list without a second thought ... Carlson’s character development is meticulous, with believable characters alert to all the nuances of human behavior. Please, sir, send more!”

 

 

—SFRevu

 

 

 

 

“The fascination with
Plague Year
is how fast humanity becomes beasts with survival all that matters ... exciting.”

 

 

—Midwest Book Review

 

 

 

 

“Carlson’s debut grips the reader from its opening sentence. A strong, character-driven tale ... This book is both chilling and timely.”

 

 

—Romantic Times

 

 

 

 

“Characters never stand still, political intrigue abounds, and the characters face almost-certain death every time they turn around. The story is good, even garnering Carlson a nomina tion for this year’s John W. Campbell Award.
Plague Year
is a unique take on the old apocalyptic-fiction trope, full of the hard science of nanotech, and it will appeal to a broad audience. Highly entertaining.”

 

 

—Grasping for the Wind

 

 

 

 

“One of the best postapocalyptic novels I’ve read. Part Michael Crichton, a little Stephen King, and a lot of good writing ... The complexity of the plot, the full development of the characters, the science behind the nanotechnology—Carlson makes it all seem plausible and thrilling. This is a master at work, and I can’t wait to read the sequel.”

 

 

—Jamie Thomton, Quiet Earth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Plague Year Series

 

 

PLAGUE YEAR
PLAGUE WAR
PLAGUE ZONE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
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