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SYMBIONT From the "Parasitology" series, volume 2 by Mira GrantBUY NOW FROM AMAZON BARNES?&?NOBLE
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The second in Grant’s new series (Parasite, 2013) featuring a society battling a tapeworm takeoverpicks up with the adventures of Sal Mitchell, a tapeworm that’s overcome herhost’s body.?
The series premise is that a company called SymboGen developed atapeworm implant to help humans regulate their health issues. But the tapewormsturn out to be sentient beings, and once they realize where they are, theyclaim their hosts. Most affected humans become zombielike creatures known as“sleepwalkers.” As this book begins, it's the fall of 2027 in the San FranciscoBay area. Sal suffered brain damage in a car accident, after which her tapewormchewed through her body into her brain and took over. Unlike thetapeworm/humans who became sleepwalkers, Sal developed a personality, foundNathan, her boyfriend, and helped him fight against the evil Dr. Steven Banksof SymboGen. Her sister Tansy, also a tapeworm, is missing, presumably heldcaptive by SymboGen, and as Sal suffers through one fainting episode afteranother, sleepwalkers turn the area into a bloody battleground. Meanwhile, backat the lab, Sherman, another of Banks’ creations, who does everything evil buttwirl his handlebar mustache, works hard to bring the tapeworms to power. Grantstumbles in this volume: There's an oddly clumsy attempt to justify Sal’s fearof riding in cars, and readers will find it hard to root for any character inthis much-too-long novel. Sal, the tapeworm, is a creepily unsympatheticprotagonist; Nathan the boyfriend is a human who, when he finds out hisgirlfriend is really a tapeworm, doesn’t find it disturbing; and none of theother characters are particularly compelling. The upcoming tapeworm apocalypsewill probably make most readers feel queasy rather than pique their interest.
For those who’ve been pining for a human/tapeworm romance.
Pub Date:?Nov. 25th, 2014ISBN:?978-0-316-21899-3Page count:?608ppPublisher:?Orbit/Little, BrownReview Posted Online: Oct.?9th,?2014Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct.?15th,?2014More Science Fiction & Fantasy?>SIMILAR BOOKS SUGGESTED BY OUR CRITICS:Fiction
ANNIHILATION by Jeff VanderMeer Fiction
PARASITE by Mira Grant Sci-Fi
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GENERAL INFORMATIONRules & Selection Process2014 Judges2014 Awards CeremonyFAQPress Room2014 WINNERS & FINALISTSFictionNonfictionYoung Readers' Literature2015 NOMINEESFictionNonfictionYoung Readers' LiteratureABOUT THE KIRKUS PRIZEThe Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015, are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 23, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.
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GENERAL INFORMATIONRules & Selection Process2014 Judges2014 Awards CeremonyFAQPress Room2014 WINNERS & FINALISTSFictionNonfictionYoung Readers' Literature2015 NOMINEESFictionNonfictionYoung Readers' LiteratureABOUT THE KIRKUS PRIZEThe Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015, are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 23, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.
DOUGLAS RICHARDSON