This was a fast paced read, with a pretty simple story line - get the pregnant lady to the hospital to give birth before the rabies virus sets in. Ultimately, this is a story with a strong sense of the true meaning of friendship woven throughout. I was hooked on the writing by this author as he details an attack on a couple by an unknown man, leaving one dead and one desperate to get to her friend who is a doctor in order to get her baby delivered safely. There is just a short timeline before she discovers if she too will succumb to the new rabies virus controlling the local town and population. Having to go just a few miles through town to get from one hospital to another, the author paints a terrifying picture of survival and how much a person is willing to risk for the love of their friends.

This is not a traditionally scary horror novel. It does take a stark look at the failings of human beings and the way fear and misinformation can make us into monsters. In Survivor Song, we follow a gutsy pregnant woman named Natalie, and her best friend Ramola, as they navigate a nightmare landscape of a community ravaged by an unforgiving virus. Ramola is a pediatrician and is totally dedicated to helping Natalie and her unborn child. Along the way they cross paths with the best and worst of humanity. This book was not scary or creepy to me, but it was definitely still filled with tension. I read the pretty fast, I just NEEDED to know what happened! I actually appreciated the ending of Survivor Song, which has not always been the case when reading other Tremblay books.

I was provided a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley

Pandemic reading during a pandemic... perfect horror read to keep our minds off being quarantined for months. This book was a quick and entertaining read, would definite make a great movie!!

Well, this is certainly a prescient novel, and I could not help but inhale all 300+ pages in one sitting.

This latest release from Paul Tremblay features a rabies-like virus that moves with lightning-speed, government quarantines, lack of PPE, and individuals who believe they know best and certainly better than the medical professionals. We see each of these aspects through the lens of a pediatrician assisting her 38-week pregnant friend who has been exposed to this novel virus and must be treated at a hospital. Getting this treatment becomes more complicated as the length of time after exposure continues to grow.

The format of this novel and its separation of chapters is quite striking, and provides different perspectives than you might expect (I was pleasantly surprised to see a few familiar faces). The plot takes place within a number of hours, which will drive the reader to continue turning pages to find out how Tremblay brings the story to an end. I enjoy the questions the author presents within his writing, and enjoy his unique style, so I was pleased this book followed suit.

I received this as an early review copy from NetGalley and William Morrow. All opinions are my own.

When I started reading it, I thought it showed a lot of promise. However, as I continued reading I started losing interest. I felt like the book was more of a prologue than a full book. Too little happens for the number of pages in the book, despite it being relatively short.
On top of that, some parts were too hard to believe or offered no explanation for whatever happened. Other parts seemed built out of stereotypes.

I am officially now a late to the gate Paul Tremblay fan. I have only recently started reading his works but so far they have all impressed me greatly. Reading this novel during the COVID19 quarantine gave me a very surreal feeling. The author writes eerily accurate portrayal of self isolation, quarantine, fighting at the stores, miscommunication between hospitals and government entities, misinformation about the virus itself, lack of PPE gear and appropriate training for medical personnel, etc. I was very impressed, Tremblay absolutely nailed it! The book gets you invested in the characters and you become completely immersed in their journey to safety. My only dislike was the ending, felt like we were building towards a climax and then just petered out at the end. Other than that this was a thrilling, fast paced read and I highly recommend it.

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

A little too real during this pandemic, but overall a hit with me.

Survivor Song
A Novel
by Paul Tremblay
Listen to an Audio Excerpt
HarperCollins Publishers
You Like Them You Are Auto-Approved
William Morrow
Horror | Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 07 Jul 2020 | Archive Date 01 Sep 2020

Thanks to Net Galley and HarperCollins Publishers for the ARC of this book. I did not like the writing style of this book and could not get into the book. at all. Could just be the wrong book at the wrong time.

I've been reading horror since I was in junior high, and it's by far my favorite genre. So I can't explain why I have only read 1 other book by Paul Tremblay, The Cabin at the End of the World. That was good, but this was .... unbelievably good. I can't remember reading a book that not just started out with a bang, but with an explosion of epic proportion - and still kept getting better! I was hooked from the brutal beginning and didn't put it down until the very end.

The book takes place in Massachusetts, which has been overcome with a rabies-like virus that affects people and animals. Once you are bitten, you have very little time to get a vaccine. People are starting to panic, hospitals are overrun, there aren't enough vaccines to go around and they are just starting to realize how short the incubation period is - symptoms come on very quickly, and after that there's no hope. Sound familiar? It might sound like this would be book to set aside considering what we're all going through right now, but it was actually the perfect book for right now.

Natalie and Paul are making plans for their first child to be born in about 2 months when an infected stranger breaks into their house, killing Paul and biting Natalie. In her desperation to get help for herself and for her unborn child, she calls on her good friend, Ramola, a pediatrician. They embark on a terrifying journey with many twists and roadblocks along the way.

When I read the summary, I assumed this book was about zombies - it's not; it is about a virus. Intended or not, that makes the book even better, even more frightening. But what it's really about is friendship. And the kind of love that knows no end, no boundary.

"Never leave me and I will never leave you. Neither now nor ever."

They easy choice throughout this would have been for Ramola to give up trying to help Natalie. Maybe not easy, but infinitely more logical, especially if she wanted to at least try to save herself and the version of her life she had fiercely protected for years. These women don't take the easy choice. I wasn't ready for a book about courage and friendship and sacrifice, but this is the book I needed. It's dark and horrifying and violent, and the author doesn't shy away from showing how fear and panic can bring out the most ugly side of people. But again, that's not the heart of this book. How far would you go for someone you love?

I couldn’t stand the writing. I found it written more like a script than a novel. The development of story felt forced. The whole thing is “Natalie opened the door and xxxxx. Paul stepped inside and xxxx.” No fluidity in the scenes.

I didn’t find the story itself interesting either.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this title.

Mr. Tremblay is ahead of the game with this new book that deals with a virus gone rampant and a world in chaos. How will people react to a doctor’s effort to get her pregnant best friend to a place that can help her? Will they take pity and help at the expense of their own lives or will people turn inward? This book shows the lengths, good and evil, that people will resort to when their lives are at stake.

A super strain of fast acting rabies virus takes over Massachusets area, leaving Natalie fighting for her life and the life of her unborn child with help from her college friend and pediatrician Ramola.
Thanks to Netgallery for this digital ARC.

I'm not a huge fan of apocalyptic horror, but this one was a very good read and I found myself enjoying it more than I thought I would. While these days it may not be the most sensitive read (the pandemic and all) it is one that will get your blood running! If you're a fan of the author you won't want to miss this one!

A rabies-like infection is spreading and rapidly (within hours) killing people.
~~~~~~~<>~~~~~~~
“Post-college, Natalie and Ramola roomed together in Providence for two years, during which time Natalie tended bar and seemingly read (consumed would be a more accurate verb, here) every YA novel featuring one apocalypse or another. On nights that Ramola visited Natalie at work, the two of them would playfully engage in animated and, judging by the attention of the surrounding bar patrons, entertaining debate about the end of everything.”
~~~~~~~<>~~~~~~~
Now that apocalypse may really be happening. Natalie has been bitten by an infected man so she turns to her good friend Dr Ramola Sherman.

I’ve not read any other Paul Tremblay books but this one takes off like a shot. I am reminded of Justin Cronin’s **The Passage** trilogy but unlike that saga there are no vampires here. What there are is lots of people and animals infected with this super-rabies virus. They are either already under the influence of the infection or scared that they might be. Meanwhile Ramola must get Natalie to a place where her baby can be delivered and properly cared for.

The story focuses on the race to save Natalie and her unborn child. I didn’t find this to be a heart-pounding, don’t-turn-the-lights-out sort of book but I was very interested to see how it was all going to work out. The only thing that would have made for a better reading experience would be if I had really connected with one of these main characters; alas I did not.

Thanks to @harpercollinsus for this #advancereaderscopy.

What a timely read in the time of shelter-in-place. I'm not sure I would have picked it up had I known this story takes place during a pandemic crisis, but I'm so glad I did. This is a fast read that grabs you from the beginning. It has strong characters and a straightforward plot that keeps moving - I read this book easily and totally invested in the outcome. Paul Tremblay is a master of suspense, someone who can make you feel a little appreciative that things aren't so bad in reality as the alternate world he's created. I'm a fan of his work, and this one did not disappoint. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A virus, which is linked to animals, is spreading. Everyone is to stay indoors with curfews in place. Natalie, in her last term of pregnancy and her husband Paul are both working from home when an infected man breaks in. He attacks and kills Paul and injuries Natalie. She escapes and flees to her friend and doctor Ramola Sherman. Natalie is now infected and has only a few hours to get to a hospital to give birth. When there, the hospital becomes overrun with more infected people and Nat and Ram escape to go to another hospital. Along the way they encounter many difficulties and dire situations.
A fast paced and intense story, showing the resilience and often kindness of strangers and true friendship in difficult times.
Thank you Harper Collins and NetGalley for this e-galley of "Survivor Song".

I received and ARC from NET GALLEY

Classic Paul Tremblay, if I can say that after only reading "Cabin at the End of the World". I hate ZOMBIE books, but in the hands of Mr. Paul I couldn't escape this zombie-apocalypse.

I HATE the "new" Stephen King comments you see so much because they are ALL WRONG; but if I wanted to write that line it would be on both his books; ENJOY!!

Paul Tremblay has done it again. The Bram Stoker award-winning author of The Cabin at the End of the World has written another suspenseful novel about survival . Instead of a crazy home invasion story, Survivor Song focuses on the spread of an insidious rabies-like virus overtaking New England. This virus has a short incubation time before the victim succumbs to feral and violent tendencies. The story centers on a woman named Natalie, who is eight months pregnant. When her husband is killed—viciously attacked by an infected neighbor—and in a failed attempt to save him, Natalie, too, is bitten, she calls the only person she knows who might be able to help her: Dr. Ramola "Rams" Sherman, a soft-spoken pediatrician in her mid-thirties, and one of her closest friends. Natalie's only chance of survival is to get to a hospital as quickly as possible to receive a rabies vaccine. The clock is ticking for her and for her unborn child. Can Dr. Ramola and Natalie make it in time? Will Natalie's child survive? You'll have to read to find out. Survivor Song is a harrowing journey through a ravaged New England landscape that resolves itself with one of the most memorable and disturbing endings I've read in a long time. And while this story is terrifying and suspenseful, Survivor Song is ultimately about the persistence of the human spirit, the bonds of friendship, and the love of mother for her unborn child. Tremblay seems to have a knack for writing about familial bonds. Natalie is a wonderful character and is easy to empathize with. She's snarky and attempts to insert humor in a terrible situation. Throughout the story she records video entries to her unborn child, and these are easily some of the most touching passages within the book.

Reading this in the midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic was quite the experience. Tremblay has done his homework. He effectively paints a picture of a broken health care system (lacking PPE for dealing with a virus), the fear and misinformation that spreads when a virus is attacking, and the crazy Militias that attempt to take things in their control (all things we've seen happen throughout the past few months). Survivor Song is well-researched which makes the story all the more real and frightening.

Highly recommended. For fans of M.R. Carey or Stephen King. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

With everything that’s going on in the world, I’ve been in a terrible reading rut. I haven’t been able to calm my mind and focus long enough to get through a book in a while. As much as I enjoy Paul Tremblay’s work, I certainly didn’t expect a novel about a highly contagious, highly deadly disease to snap me out of that funk. However, maybe it did. Maybe this is a case of calling Voldemort by his name; it can take some of the fear and anxiety away.
The interesting thing about this book particularly and some of Mr. Tremblay’s other works is that he can take a very big concept, in this case a potential viral apocalypse, and make it very small and intimate. While I’m not comparing this book to The Stand or the more recent Wanderers by Chuck Wendig, it does feel like it belongs in the same family tree. Those books, however were intended to be epics, with trans-continental crossings and hundreds of characters. Survivor Song deals primarily with 2 characters trying to get across town (and not a particularly big town.) Not only is the geological scope very narrow the time frame is very narrow as well. It may take a reader 6-10 hours to read this novel and aside from the Epilogue, the events seem to take place almost in real time. Late-morning A,B, and C happen; in the afternoon D,E, and F happen; in the evening/night things start to wrap up. I found this to be a surprisingly refreshing approach to an end of the world novel.
The horror is in no way supernatural, as we are all learning, reality is scary enough. Those tense moments come from animal encounters and dealings with other humans, both infected and not. The encounters with the non-infected humans were the scariest of all. There are some political undertones about an administration that was ill prepared to deal with this viral outbreak. As well as a not-so-subtle middle finger to the Anti-Vaxxers and false-flag conspiracy theorists. Good thing that’s all fiction…right?
I am a fan of Mr. Tremblay and Survivor Song, in my opinion, was another enjoyable read from him. As far as my reading funk goes, perhaps this was the book I needed.

Paul Tremblay has done it again! This book was wonderful and engrossing. I was scared for the main characters and came so close to crying in the end. The most impressive part of this book to me was the scariest part wasn't the virus but the people. Highly recommend!