Touch (Book One): A Zombie Sci-Fi Thriller, Steven Jenkins, April 2021.
Touch (Book Two): A Zombie Sci-Fi Thriller, Steven Jenkins, July 2021.
Zombies are a well-explored subject: they exploded into the public consciousness as an expression of collective angst. For some, they’re about fear of “the other”--a view popular among ideologues of both left and right, although expressed in very different ways. For for the more pragmatic among us, it’s fear of things we didn’t ask for and can’t control--but which can (and probably will) do us in anyway. Short of recreating the Walking Dead with a political tilt and worse writing, how does an author explore this genre and still stand out?
For Steven Jenkins, the answer appears to have been to anchor the story in the context of our hero Adam’s more or less utter and complete failure as a human being. As heros go, this seems a stretch at first. This is after all a guy who treats heavily-taxed amber liquids as a food group. But it turns out to be a neat approach. Adam’s struggle plays out naturally, foreshadowing the looming societal collapse on a smaller and more personal scale that involves less biting of the living, except in a very loose figurative way.
The first book is a nice blend of action and horror and a kind of desperate, intermittent introspection as Adam tries to redeem himself and his nearly-defunct relationship with his daughter. The trick is that layered among Adam’s numerous faults as a human being, father and healer is the seed of a greater talent. It’s apparently unfortunate that Adam lacks the bollocks to make better use of this talent until it’s a bit too late and the zombies are overrunning the land.
Decently written, with surprising nuances, this is a solid story. Jenkins doesn’t over-engineer his writing, but provides solid descriptive prose and lets the story and lead character show the way. The only fault with this approach is that the “super power” seems like it was bolted-on to the story -- but read on...maybe that isn’t the only fault there?
Book Two opens with Adam and daughter Erin escaping by the skin of their teeth into the elementary school where Adam spent his youth. Contemporary school security features double up nicely as improvised fortifications, and they find both a smattering of teachers, children, and considerable lurking dangers. This book is grittier, packed with better action and more conventional, but also strangely less plausible in parts. The avuncular headmaster, for instance, is also keeping “samples” and conducting his own biodefense research--with decidedly mixed although very dramatic results.
Adam’s inner melodrama and brooding introspection take a back seat for much of the book. For a while, it appears that he’s pulled himself together and, just possibly, found love and redemption. Inevitably, it turns out to not be quite that simple. Book two spirals up to a tight ending that’s equal parts satisfying and shocking, as Adam learns a very hard truth about the consequences of cheating death.
The writing here is competent, but the plot and characters take pride of place. Jenkins ends the book with a twist that is equal parts suspenseful and depressing, although in the end it all makes a sad kind of sense. Recommended as solid entertainment from a good author.
Touch (Book One):
Smirk factor: All clear: 2 pts (2 smirk/smirks in 246 pages)
Immersion factor: Chest-high: 1.5 pts (Harder to put down than I expected)
Writing quality: Average: 1 pt
Character/plot development: Above-average: 1.5 pts
Innovative/interesting: Above-average: 1.5 pts
Total: 7.5/10 (3.75 stars, rounded up to 4)
Touch (Book Two)
Smirk factor: Above acceptable: 1.5 pts (4 smirks in 228 pages, but less about facial tics than shortcuts to more complex emotions)
Immersion factor: Chest-high: 1.5 pts (Moderately interesting start, placid middle, wild finish)
Writing quality: Average: 1 pt
Character/plot development: Above-average: 1.5 pts (More plot than character, but still...)
Innovative/interesting: Above-average: 1.5 pts
Total: 7/10 (3.5 stars, rounded up to 4)