User:TeensOfTheDownfall/Epidemic (Novel)
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| File:Epidemic Book Cover.png | |
| Author | William Kennedy |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction novel |
Publication date | 2011 |
| Publication place | Canada |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
Epidemic is a Apocalyptic horror/fantasy novel by Canadian author William H. Kennedy. It demonstrates a similar scenario in his earlier 2009 screenplay, Rise of the Dead. The novel is to be released in 2011.
Characters
[edit]Main Characters
[edit]- William Kennedy
Interpreted as a character by the author to relate to personal issues, A very mature and diligent 13 year old, William Kennedy is the main character in the novel. Early in the novel he falls into a coma and awakens 7 weeks later in a strange house. Throughout the story is his mainly courageous and protective of the others. Early in the novel, he is able to walk amongst the infected when covered in blood which he states is due to his very poor hygiene which returns no matter how much he cleans himself. However this wears off its ability later.
- Kim Ayer
A 12 year old girl who meets William short minutes before he falls into comatose. She tends to care for William and is shown to be emotionally attracted to him. Over the course of the novel, her relationship with him develops much deeper.
- Charles Ayer
The generous and caring father of Kim Ayer, he is generally kind and accepting to William's presence in his house and around his daughter and will at times make crude jokes about the two of them as a couple. He is the first one to tell William about the infection, He is at first a skeptic for William's idea of attempting to reach the hospital but follows through and dies early in the novel.
Immune Characters
[edit]- Lyndley Coghill
While revealed many times not to be the first person infected, Lyndley Coghill is a thirteen year old girl who is the first person to be attacked by an infected. Her family is relatively short but despite that she remains popular. She is first attacked by an infected 1 week after the fatal bus crash. Her and William had and still maintain a good relationship with one another.
- Reta Coghill
Lyndley's sister. She suffers from Cystic Fibrosis and served as support for London Road Hockey for years. Despite her ill condition which effects her and her sister's ability to leave the house for long distances, she has never been attacked or even noticed by infected. It is unknown why this happens but it is revealed she is immune to the virus. Likely due to her time spent around Lyndley.
- Taylor Welch
Taylor Welch is Lyndley's best friend. She came on a sleepover when the infection became of importance and became an outbreak, she too is immune to the disease and has increased adrenaline rush due to the virus. It is noted later on that she may become an infected at anytime depending on her mentality state.
Others
[edit]- Reanne Phillips
Reanne is a former classmate of William and his former love interest, After the bus crash she too fell into comatose and was cared for at a local hospital where she is put on life support. William is able to meet up with her for a few moments before the backup generators in the hospital run out of fuel and she dies.
- Allan Pao
Allan Pao is an Asian classmate of William, he is also the leader of a small band of survivors located in Northeast London. He maintains a steady relationship with everybody he meets and is the first one to track down the military's presence in Dallas, Texas. He is the head designer of the groups armored vehicles and spends time carefully planning the groups tatics.
- Cassie Hatt
Second in command of the group of survivors, she spends alot of the time writing and drawing to provide entertainment for others, she is also a classmate of William's and a survivor of the bus crash, She is also a very vulnerable member of the group in which she is ocassionally victimized by sexual harrasment or in the case of Xero verbally threatened about forced vaginal intercourse. Due to this the group leader Allan maintains that she remain silent and stay away from others in the group.
- Emily Muise
Emily Muise is incharge of attack, rescue and retrieve mission that the group encounters, she is occasionally bossy and pushes people around for personal gain. When asked about why she act's the way she does she simply states with a smile that "It's her job."
- Xero
Xero is a 19 year old who studied at UWO before the outbreak, he is manipulative and does his work on personal gain, he is the oldest in the group and the reason is unknown why he continues to work around those younger than him. He claims that he is constantly inspired by Charles Manson and Beethoven Symphonies. His favorite book is "The Catcher in the Rye" His real name is never revealed but is hinted as DM.
- Hex
A former student at UWO, He is William's cousin and is 20 years old, despite his nickname, he is not a member of the group of survivors but rather stays with them when he deems it is necessary. Unlike the dark demeanor of Xero, Hex is kind and caring and tends to be a cool guy, He reveals that he was formally a part time DJ and had plans to get into law school to become a lawyer, His real name is never revealed but is hinted as MH.
- Sydney Graham
Sydney is a member of the group who despite her high importance does not say very much - she has a very short temper and explodes whenever anything which could be deemed offensive is spoken, with this she seems to keep other members of the group in line through intimidation or they shall be left to deal with the infected.
Plot summary
[edit]The novel is summarized into chapters as most books but begin with a short poem verse by "Kyle Budd". Before beginning with William's POV. Where the novel begins with the words "How are you feeling today?" Which also finishes up the first chapter. During the first chapter, William and his eighth grade class leave on a field trip. Half way through, William dazes to sleep and awakens with the bus overturned and destroyed. William rescues a few of the other students before tripping on a students leg and hitting his head on the roof of the bus (which is now the floor.) William is pulled out by a young buisness man by the name of Charles Ayer. Charles takes William back to his house - much to the dismay of his wife. He places him on a spare bed in Kim's bedroom, Kim asks him "How are you feeling today" before William falls into comatose. 49 Days Later, William awakens to find the house boarded up and empty - as he attempts to leave the house he is aimed at with a 12 gauge by Charles who mistook him for a theif. Charles prepares him some hot chocolate and Kim wakes up shortly after and to William's dismay cuddles up to him.
Charles explains to William about how he has been of importance to them the past 7 weeks and how important he still is. Charles tells William about the virus and William takes a few minutes and refers to the outbreak as a "Zombie Apocalypse".
The few decide that they need to leave the house and set out to reach any means of safety. The best bet being at a army base located outside Dallas.
See also
[edit]- 28 Days Later, A 2002 film directed by Danny Boyle about a similar situation where a "Rage" virus spreads across Britain, the main protagonist awakens from a coma 28 Days Later in a hospital - thus the name.
- The Walking Dead series. A Television/Comic Book series relating to the undead, The main character awakens from a coma in a hospital and shortly after is met by a man and his son in a boarded house - where he learns about the infection. The main character later meets up with a group of survivors and the few decide to head to the CDC in the later episodes - An Army blockade in the comic.
- Reawakening a comic book series made by Martin Kevil, Eric Warren, and Jack De La Mare - William was the writer of the second series - and many references to Reawakening and it's sequel are made in this novel.
- Highschool of the Dead a manga/anime series. Reawakening and Epidemic both have a character with the initials DM - Both are based on Highschool of the Dead's "Shido".