It is with great anticipation that I have awaited THE PASSAGE,
an apocalyptic vampire thriller written by acclaimed author Justin
Cronin. This book represents a massive undertaking and one of much
greater significance than any simple chronicle of monsters. Here, a
benevolent man opens "Pandora's Box" and releases an evil that will
consume the world. The creation of vampires impacts Earth like a
bomb, as devastating as any cataclysmic event imaginable. Readers
will be left wondering whether humans will ultimately survive this,
or if we were even meant to. But as long as there are some who do,
hope remains in the dream that one day we will live courageously
and become free again.

The devastating fall of mankind begins with a U.S. military
operation where a scientist makes an unprecedented discovery in the
heart of a Bolivian jungle. It is in hopes of finding a cure for
humanity's ailments that Dr. Jonas Lear encounters a new species
and manages to transport it to U.S. soil, locked up within an Army
compound. This is a virus that stimulates enlargement of the thymus
gland in humans, making growth of new tissue possible. The military
plans to test it and pursues desperate test subjects. Twelve men
consent freely to this, convicted murderers on death row, and a
six-year-old girl is also found who is seen as a particularly
desirable subject. After a period of confinement, the criminals
become "jumpers," feeding on animals under lockdown in
high-security cells until they manage to get out; no one
anticipates what they are capable of until it is too late. Only the
girl remains, and all hell breaks loose outside. The project
directors had it planned so perfectly, but in the end, that
reasoning is revealed to be simple overconfidence.

"In her mind's eye, she saw it, saw it all at last: the rolling
armies and the flames of battle, the graves and pits and dying
cries of a hundred million souls; the spreading darkness, like a
black wing stretching over the earth; the last bitter hours of
cruelty and sorrow, and terrible, final flights; death's great
dominion over all, and at the last, the empty cities, becalmed by
the silence of a hundred years. Already these things were coming to
pass."

No amount of intelligence or power is enough to offer
protection, and hiding is not an option. The best chance people
have is to make a concerted effort to save a few, and those who
live will become the first colony of the World After. Time
is begun anew, and civilizations become skeletons, fading from
memory. There are no longer such things as cities or countries, and
humans have become the most vulnerable species on Earth. Survivors
find sanctuary behind massive walls, and a new social system is
formed based on protection from what lies waiting outside. A few
lucky children are sent to the colony but without their parents,
the guards becoming guardians, armed with lights and weapons. Walls
alone are not enough to keep the virals out, and the colonists
depend upon electricity to repel them. The Watch are the best and
bravest, but are still killed at regular intervals. Penalties are
harsh for those who break the law, and perpetrators are punished by
ejection from the walls, a fate worse than death. Memories fade in
time, and mankind no longer ventures into the night to see the
stars or the sky. The only knowledge retained is that needed for
survival.

But life goes on. Couples pair, babies are born, and children
are raised, locked in the confines of the sanctuary and told
nothing of the dangers until they are capable of mounting a
defense. Colonists are divided according to task, and large numbers
are assigned to the Watch, venturing out in daylight to find
supplies and useful items --- an act of tremendous bravery every
time as "jumpers" lurk in the shadows even during the day.
Colonists call them "virals" and "smokes," and they come from above
with such force and speed that it is a miraculous feat to kill one.
It is said that they have no souls, and those infected return home
to commit murder. Everywhere "slims" are encountered,
still-decaying bodies, but the Watch must continue to search for
batteries to sustain their depleting power supply. If they can't
find a way to mount a permanent defense, mankind will not survive
this.

Reportedly THE PASSAGE was inspired by the author's daughter,
who asked that he "write a story about a girl who saves the world."
This seems to be six-year-old Amy Harper Bellafonte, a largely
silent, passive figure who ages less than a decade in a century and
remains shrouded in mystery. Her importance is just beginning to be
understood in the first installment, and I cannot wait for the
sequel to find out what will happen and what Amy's role will be in
this startling apocalyptic series. There is an explosive quality to
this book that destroys conventional thought, leaving your mind
operating on a plane of simple survival. The impact of the reader's
connection with the characters is incredible --- heroes and victims
are all people audiences will feel they know as they move forward
or live out their final moments. Experiences are expectedly grim,
and there are one or two characters in whose minds you may not want
to be trapped. Not to worry, though; they will be gone soon enough!
I was completely captivated by this and had a crick in my neck for
three days after reading it. But it was well worth it, and is a
book I continue to be excited about.

THE PASSAGE is bound to become a bestseller, and the film rights
already have been acquired by Hollywood. I would expect fans of
apocalyptic thrillers and vampire stories to be talking about this
one for a long time.