Beginning and end sucked. Middle was really good. Nothing like the stand and too dependent on Dante inferno and the kaballah. ( )

La población de Manhattan se contagia de una variante manipulada de la bacteria de la peste negra. Ante su virulencia, solamente unas cuantas personas permanecen inmunes. ¿Podría esta pandemia, que se contagia con una velocidad incalculable, implicar el fin de nuestro mundo?
Tras el gran éxito de la Trilogía Maya, Steve Alten nos ofrece esta nueva y apasionante novela que conducirá al lector por un viaje inquietante a través de escenarios apocalípticos.
Mary Klipot es una joven y brillante bióloga que trabaja en un laboratorio donde se investigan las propiedades de tejidos humanos datados del siglo xiv y pertenecientes a víctimas de la peste negra. Cuando Mary sabe que está embarazada, está convencida de que su hijo será el salvador del mundo y de que ella tiene una misión: robar el virus del laboratorio e infectar a la población de Nueva York. De esta forma cree que conseguirá que su hijo herede un mundo purgado de maldad.
Patrick Shepherd también tiene una misión. Se está recuperando en un hospital militar de la pérdida de un brazo en la guerra de Irak cuando descubre que es una de las pocas personas inmunes al virus. Patrick escapará del hospital para convertirse en el líder de los que luchan contra el Ángel de la Muerte.
Una trepidante aventura que combina el esoterismo con las visiones de la Divina Comedia y también la fantasía de los videojuegos con la sabiduría cabalística.

From Amazon:

From Revelations to the Mayan Calendar’s 2012 prophecy, all major cultures and religions warn of a darkness to come. . . a supernal event that will be the modern-day equivalent of Noah’s Flood. In the 13th century, Europe suffered through war, famine, and the evils of the pogrom–acts of hatred that massacred tens of thousands of Jews. In 1346, at the height of corruption, the Black Plague struck the Eurasian continent, wiping out half the world's population while spawning a new legend: The Grim Reaper. In GRIM REAPER: End of Days, international best-selling author Steve Alten takes us on a classic hero’s journey of good versus evil, transformation and redemption. Far more than it seems, the story draws frightening parallels between the lack of morality that corrupted 13th century Europe and the greed that has mired our own society in economic collapse, two endless wars–and a very real covert biological program, exposed by the author, which could lead to a global pandemic and our own prophesied self-destruction in 2012 . . . 666 years after the Black Death struck Europe!

My Thoughts:

I was so disappointed by this novel, a modern day Dante's Inferno mixed with a bit of mysticism and a lot of conspiracy. Anyone that read and enjoyed Steve Alten's MEG series...let me tell you this isn't anywhere close to equaling them. The story moves pretty quickly. There aren't a lot of dull moments where I found myself struggling to get through a chapter. The characters are somewhat likable, although forgettable as well. The plot of Grim Reaper is fairly absurd...but keep in mind that this observation is coming from someone who has read five books about an 120 foot long prehistoric shark and loved every one. Maybe I just didn't understand the book. but I just felt like this was a waste of writing time. I've given two of Steve Alten's "political books" a try now and that's been two too many. From now on I'll stick with the tried and true giant prehistoric monster fiction. ( )

A really good read - dark, suspensful, fast paced and thought provoking. A premise that is at least plausable and probably becoming more possible every day (a govenment designed super-plauge "accidently" released) that forces you to think about the world in which we live and the way we choose to live and we would be willing to do when faced with life and death. My only critisim is that the author belabors the Dante's Inferno tie in - there were a few cheesy quotes about going through hell and the use of the names Virgil and Beatrice were over-kill. Over all, a good book - I love a book that makes you think - if there isn't at least one line or scene that makes you close the book and reflect, you aren't doing y our job as a reader. ( )

Juvenile garbage. ( )