Mercy Mode (Contaminated) - Hardcover

Garner, Em

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1606843567 ISBN 13: 9781606843567

Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab ®, 2014

Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Velvet, her little sister, Opal their mom, who is recovering from the Contamination, and Velvet's sweet boyfriend, Dillon, are attempting to build a new life amid the rationing and regulations of the post-outbreak nation. But the outbreak isn't over: more people turning into "Connies," more madness erupting, more killings occurring. And what they are being told is not the truth; the truth is far darker and more threatening.

This gripping survival story is the second in the Contaminated series. Just right for fans of James Dashner, Carrie Ryan, and The Walking Dead.

About this title

About the Author

Em Garner began writing at a very young age, always preferring the stories about what goes bump in the night. An avid reader of horror, science-fiction and fantasy, she first turned her hand to short stories about the sorts of things that hide under the bed…and she kept right on going.

Now Em spends most of her time in front of her computer, writing away at all the ideas she has swirling around in her head and hoping she can get them into a story before she forgets them.

She loves zombies, unicorns, and rainbows, the color purple and the smell of roses. She hates the smell of lilies, the feeling of corduroy and biting sandpaper. (Well. Who doesn't?)

She lives at the beach with her family, where she spends a lot of time reading and sticking her feet in the sand. She is afraid of sharks, but that doesn't stop her from going in the water.

Reviews

Gr 9 Up—The Contamination hit as a result of a defective protein additive in a popular weight-loss water. By the time Velvet's mother became one of the "Connies," the government had learned to treat the sickness with an electro-shock collar connected directly to the brain. Connies then became docile enough to be returned to their families. In a moment of desperation as her mother's collar went into "Mercy Mode," an extreme electrical shock capable of killing the wearer, Velvet managed to remove it. Rather than the immediate death the government claimed would occur if the contraption was removed, her mother's condition miraculously improved. For several months, Velvet has been caring for her family in their old house well outside of town with her mother, little sister, a neighbor, and Dillion, her love interest in Contaminated (Egmont USA, 2013), whom she recently married to get better rations and medical supplies. While it has been difficult, they have been able to get by, but the fear caused by the recent outbreak may soon make it impossible. Garner continues her unique take on the very popular zombie story, focusing less on the horror of being attacked by mindless hordes of the undead and more on the homesteading tale of a small group just trying to survive. While the ending takes an unexpected and not necessarily beneficial turn into more common sci-fi territory, this book is a strong follow-up, keeps the pace active, and sets up a new direction for the series.—Ryan F. Paulsen, New Rochelle High School, NY

Edition details

• Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab ®
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1606843567
• ISBN 13: 9781606843567
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 341