Review: The Jakarta Pandemic by Steven Konkoly

SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS.COM:

In the late fall of 2013, a lethal pandemic virus emerges from the Islamic Republic of Indonesia (IRI) and rages unchecked across every continent.
When the Jakarta Flu threatens his picture perfect Maine neighborhood, Alex Fletcher, Iraq War veteran, is ready to do whatever it takes to keep his family safe. As a seasoned sales representative for Biosphere Pharmaceuticals, makers of a leading flu virus treatment, Alex understands what a deadly pandemic means for all of them. He particularly knows that strict isolation is the only guaranteed way to protect his family from the new disease. With his family and home prepared for an extended period of seclusion, Alex has few real concerns about the growing pandemic.
But as the deadliest pandemic in human history ravages northern New England, and starts to unravel the fabric of their Maine neighborhood, he starts to realize that the flu itself is the least of his problems. A mounting scarcity of food and critical supplies turns most of the neighbors against him, and Alex is forced to confront their unexpected hostility before it goes too far.
Just when he thinks it can’t get any worse, the very face of human evil arrives on Durham Rd. and threatens destroy them all. Alex and his few remaining friends band together to protect the neighborhood from a threat far deadlier than the flu, as they edge closer to the inevitable confrontation that will test the limits of their humanity.

MY TAKE:


During the past decade or so, we've had our fair share of almost pandemics: SARS and A(H1N1), to name a few. Thankfully, none of the recent viruses were able to take out a large number of the population in the same way that previous pandemics did. Some experts, though, think that it's only a matter of time before a virus does this.

In The Jakarta Pandemic, a deadly virus has spread throughout the world. The novel focuses on a neighborhood in Maine. There, we see the effects that a pandemic has not only on peoples' health but also on their relationships.

This book is a lot more realistic than I expected it would be. The characters are how normal everyday people are like. Alex is abrasive and combative, but he cares a lot about the welfare of his family and his friends.

I've thought about what we would do in the event of such a pandemic, but even though we can stock up on things like food, obviously all the other things that Alex and his family had on hand isn't exactly something that normal people can get their hands on. Solar panels, for example, are extremely expensive, even if they are really useful.

This is good way to prep yourself and your family for possible disasters. However, this book is really, really long. At first, I was hooked and had no trouble reading through the detailed prose. By the end of the book, though, I found myself skimming through most of the descriptions.

THE GOOD:

1. It'll get you thinking about your family's safety.
2. It's realistic, which is good for a book but bad if something like this will happen.
3. It's well-researched.

THE BAD:

1. It's really long and detailed.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

We have the solar power, the wood burning stove, and plenty of food.

READ IT IF:

1. You like pandemic fiction.
2. You wonder what would happen if a pandemic spread.
3. You like well-researched books.

RATING:



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