Damn, Scott Sigler can write. He may be a failed pimp (by his own admission), but it doesn’t matter. His talent as a writer more than makes up for his failed pimpness.

Pimpness is a word. I just added into my spellchecker.

Infected follows several different characters as they try to make sense of an increasingly bizarre series of violent incidents. Normal people seem to be getting it into their heads that it’s a good plan to do bad thins to each other.

Even more than they normally do.

I’d like to go into more detail for you, there are some plot moments I really didn’t see coming* but believe me you want to go into this book cold. If you don’t spoil it for yourself before you read Infected, it will surprise you. I thought I’d seen every horror premise going, but Infected made me sweat.

More than once. I must have smelled terrible.

What jumps Infected ahead of the pack as far as horror is concerned is just how believable it all is. Sigler has done serious research into biology, parasitology and physiology to give readers a bad guy that’s so believable you’ll be checking for them by the end of the book.

Sigler also makes great use of characterization to wind up the tension. In particular ex footballer Perry Dawsey owns every page he’s on. Somehow both incredibly sympathetic and absolutely terrifying, Dawsey’s character had me wondering if it came right down o it, could I do what he does?

I hope so. I also hope not too. That’s what makes him such an great character. Sigler throws in small details about Dawsey at the start of the book that seem trivial at the time, but pay off in a big way as the book wind sup towards it’s (somewhat disgusting) ending.

A word of warning, this is proper horror, not PG13 horror with extra sparkles. If you’re easily offended, disgusted, or frightened** this might not be the book for you. It’s the first horror novel in years that’s actually gotten my heart rate up.

I actually wish I could go into more detail, but again I don’t want to ruin Infected for you. Buy two copies and frame one of them.

You can get Infected from www.scottsigler.com, along with innumerable free podcast novels, free goodies and Sigler related news. The Infected podcast is still there, and still free if you’d like to check it out before buying.

* If I ever get to meet Scott Sigler I’m going to buy him a beer, but I’m going to check him for meat scissors first.
** Actually if you’re easily frightened this is probably the perfect book for you. You haven’t wet the bed for awhile…right?