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Symbiote
Symbiote | Michael Nayak
2 posts | 2 read | 1 to read
Contagion meets The Walking Dead in this new sci-fi thriller where a biological threat ravages scientists and military personnel at the South Pole. As World War III rages, the scientists in Antarctica are thankful for the isolation – until a group of Chinese scientists arrive at the American research base. In their truck is a dead body, the first murder in Antarctica. The potential for a geopolitical firestorm is great, and, with no clear jurisdiction, the Americans don’t know what to do. But they soon realize the Chinese scientists have brought far more with them than the body… Within seventy-two hours, thirteen others lie dead in the snow, murdered in acts of madness and superhuman strength.An extremophile parasite from the truck, triggered by severe cold, is spreading by touch. It is learning from them. Evolving. It triggers violent tendencies in the winter crew, and, more insidiously, the beginnings of a strange symbiotic telepathy. Exhausted by suspicion and fear, with rescue impossible for months, the desperate crew members turn on each other. A small group of survivors try to resist the siren call of the growing hive mind and stay alive long enough to solve the mystery of the symbiotic microbe’s origins. But the symbiote is more than a disease – it is a biological weapon that can change the balance of power in a time of war. The survivors cannot let anyone infected make it to the summer season, when planes will arrive to take them – and potentially the symbiote – back to civilization.
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Decalino
Symbiote | Michael Nayak
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The author was inspired to write this SF horror thriller during his own stint at the South Pole. When a microbe infects the station, Dr. Rajan Chariya must find a way to survive as one resident after another succumbs. This novel does an excellent job bringing the setting to life, with a wide cast of characters and some truly creepy twists. The similes are a bit over the top sometimes, as is the violence, but the author was clearly having a blast.

Reggie This scratches all of my itches. Stacked! 12h
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IReadThereforeIBlog
Symbiote | Michael Nayak
Mehso-so

Michael Nayak‘s debut SF thriller mixes 28 DAYS LATER and THE THING, drawing on his experience of working at the South Pole to lend authenticity. Unfortunately there are too many characters and many are basically names on the page so the deaths have no emotional impact while the relationships lack the development to make you care. Aside from this it‘s a solid debut with some interesting ideas and the set-up for a sequel means that I would read on.