Patient Zero

Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry is the first in his "Joe Ledger" novels. Now this generally considered a horror novel. In fact it was nominated for a 2009 Bram Stoker award. It would not be inaccurate to call this a "zombie" novel. After all there are zombies in the novel, but to me this was more of a thriller that just happened to have zombies in it. The terrorist could have just easily have used some other virus.

This novel had a real "James Bond" feel to me. Look, you have the Department of Military Sciences, a secret government agency with access to a vast array of technological advances and the right and obligation to kill for the good of the country. The characters even make jokes about being James Bond. Not that Joe Ledger could ever be mistaken for 007. Joe is more than a little course compared to James.

I very much enjoyed this novel. Joe ledger was a wonderful character. The reader is only given hints to traumas in Joe's background. There is definitely a back story, and I am hoping to learn more about him in future novels.