Feral

February 20, 2017
DeMonaco, writer and director of the Purge franchise, teams up with Evenson (The Warren) for a bloody tale of apocalypse. When a fire at Arcon, a research facility, releases a dangerous virus, men turn into ravening, violent psychopaths, killing women with mindless ferocity. Sixteen-year-old Allie Hilts’s father kills her mother, and she’s left to protect herself and her nine-year-old sister, Kim. Three years later, Allie has transformed herself into a fighting machine, keeping her sister and the people of their settlement safe, while Dr. Zeman, an Arcon scientist, tries to find a cure. Allie smears herself with the blood of the infected and brings back subjects for Dr. Zeman’s trials while distancing herself from the group, emotionally and physically, but everything changes when she meets a stranger who could be the key to humankind’s future. Told from multiple perspectives, this nail-biter, packed with plenty of gore to satisfy horror fans, offers a neat woman-power twist on the zombie-apocalypse story and a surprisingly poignant, satisfying finale.

April 15, 2017

Allie Hilts was in high school when a fire at a local research facility released an airborne pathogen that only affected boys and men, turning them into violent psychopaths. Among the feral men is Allie's father, who murders her mother, leaving Allie to protect her younger sister Kim. Three years later, Allie and Kim are part of an isolated survivors' encampment, where the feral males roam outside their walls. Allie notices that the ferals' behavior is changing, new faces are arriving, and she fears trouble is coming. Yet, a surprise encounter causes Allie to look to a possible future. VERDICT Film writer and director DeMonaco (The Purge; The Negotiator) and writer Evenson (Last Days; Fugue State) combine their talents for a satisfying read. Conflict on both physical and emotional levels drives this violent story, and fans of dramatic horror will be pleased by this new addition to the genre.--KC

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2017
Tales of a zombie apocalypse are plentiful, so an interesting take or unforeseen twist is vital for a new entry to gain notice. DeMonaco and Evenson hit the mark with their collaboration. When a virus is accidentally released from a pharmaceutical plant, only humans with XY chromosomesthe male genetic makeupare affected. The virus seems to heighten the base urges, making the virals initially violent. They later settle into a stupefied state, seeking food and lacking all social manners, including speech. Allie and her sister, Kim, after escaping a brutal attack by their father, join women in creating various colonies across the U.S. During a standard tour of surrounding areas looking for supplies and assessing signs of a growing threatthe number of infected men seems to be rising, and they are moving in more organized, larger packsAllie discovers the one thing she never expected to find: an uninfected male. Fans of more traditional zombie tales will appreciate the quick pacing and familiar tropes, and those who just don't know if they can take one more story about the undead would do well to try this one. Feminism is alive and well in Feral.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)