Publishers Weekly
02/16/2015
If John Wyndham had written a zombie novel, it might very well have resembled Wellington’s clever apocalyptic thriller, which has a number of parallels to Wyndham’s classic The Day of the Triffids (1951). Nineteen-year-old Finn is part of the so-called second generation, born after a zombie outbreak claimed 99% of the U.S. population. He lives in a Manhattan whose 50,000 inhabitants have been zombie-free for the past 15 years. When his mother’s latent zombie-virus infection is triggered, Finn is tattooed with the symbol indicating that he is a potential carrier. That status exiles him from the city, but the expected next step—transport to a government medical center for “positives”—is thwarted when his escort is murdered. Finn struggles to survive in a world where humans are as much a threat as the walking dead. Finn’s personal growth is plausible as he grapples with the ethics of survival, and the story displays an imagination familiar to fans of Wellington’s Chimera. Agent: Russell Galen, Scovil Galen Ghosh. (May)
From the Publisher
Wow! What a great book. I absolutely devoured it. With POSITIVE, horror master David Wellington has given us a true zombie epic. Sweeping, nuanced, brutal and compelling. It’s David’s best, which is saying a lot.” — Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Predator One and Bits & Pieces on POSITIVE
“A tantalizing and terrifying new take on the zombie mythos, David Wellington’s POSITIVE buzzes with dark, malignant energy. But just beneath the surface of the young protagonist’s journey hums a powerful subtext essaying … the brutal rites of coming-of-age. Wow! Highly recommended.” — Jay Bonansinga, New York Times bestselling author of Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead: Descent on POSITIVE
“One of the best zombie novels I’ve read in years. The heart of the zombie story has always been humanity. Positive is a harrowing, brutal, brilliant look at that heart...and it’s still beating.” — New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire on POSITIVE
“Combining action and horror and featuring a sympathetic if naïve hero, this is a great addition to the zombie canon from Wellington. Finn’s journey has an epic scale that seems destined for movie screens. In this postapocalyptic world the horror arises mostly from the violent remnants of humanity.” — Library Journal (starred review) on POSITIVE
“If John Wyndham had written a zombie novel, it might very well have resembled Wellington’s clever apocalyptic thriller….Finn’s personal growth is plausible as he grapples with the ethics of survival, and the story displays an imagination familiar to fans of Wellington’s Chimera.” — Publishers Weekly on POSITIVE
“Wellington’s most ambitious book is also his best, written with a maturity and compassion indicative of a writer who’s found the story he was made to tell. Zombie groupies will eat this one up, but it should also be recommended to readers of all epic-scale fantasy.” — Booklist on POSITIVE
“Positive is an excellent novel for those just starting to explore the post-apocalyptic genre while also a satisfying read for the diehard fans out there that are well versed in the worlds of zombies and the end of the world as we know it.” — New York Journal of Books on POSITIVE
Booklist on POSITIVE
Wellington’s most ambitious book is also his best, written with a maturity and compassion indicative of a writer who’s found the story he was made to tell. Zombie groupies will eat this one up, but it should also be recommended to readers of all epic-scale fantasy.
Jonathan Maberry
Wow! What a great book. I absolutely devoured it. With POSITIVE, horror master David Wellington has given us a true zombie epic. Sweeping, nuanced, brutal and compelling. It’s David’s best, which is saying a lot.
Jay Bonansinga
A tantalizing and terrifying new take on the zombie mythos, David Wellington’s POSITIVE buzzes with dark, malignant energy. But just beneath the surface of the young protagonist’s journey hums a powerful subtext essaying … the brutal rites of coming-of-age. Wow! Highly recommended.
New York Journal of Books on POSITIVE
Positive is an excellent novel for those just starting to explore the post-apocalyptic genre while also a satisfying read for the diehard fans out there that are well versed in the worlds of zombies and the end of the world as we know it.
New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire on POSITIVE
One of the best zombie novels I’ve read in years. The heart of the zombie story has always been humanity. Positive is a harrowing, brutal, brilliant look at that heart...and it’s still beating.
Library Journal
03/01/2015
In a world set years after an epidemic wiped out the population and turned millions into zombies, 19-year-old Finn is suspected of carrying the virus. Exiled from his community, he is tattooed as a "Positive" and must make his way in a hostile landscape. His fellow humans are far more dangerous than the zombies in this dark tale that shows there are still interesting stories to tell in the zombie genre.
