Blackout (Grant novel)
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Blackout represents the third installment in the Newsflesh series, a collection of science fiction and horror novels situated in a post-zombie apocalypse environment. Authored by Seanan McGuire under her pseudonym Mira Grant, the book was published by Orbit Books and released on June 1, 2012. It follows the earlier titles Feed (2010) and Deadline (2011), and precedes the series continuation, Feedback’’ (2016).
Plot
Taking place several decades after the catastrophic event known as the Rising, Blackout depicts a society shaped by Kellis-Amberlee, a virus responsible for reanimating deceased mammals. This outbreak has led to the establishment of quarantined human zones and elevated blogs as the dominant news medium. The narrative centers on siblings Georgia and Shaun Mason, who work as blogger-journalists alongside their team at After The End Times. Their investigations reveal a covert operation within the CDC, which is clandestinely creating new viral substrains—including one transmitted by mosquitoes—and systematically eliminating individuals developing immunity, Georgia among them.
Shaun, possessing immunity to the virus, collaborates with Dr. Abbey on zombie research while evading CDC pursuit alongside Rebecca Atherton, Mahir Gowda, Maggie Garcia, and Alaric Kwong. Their mission involves securing live mosquitoes from areas overrun by zombies in Florida. After narrowly avoiding a CDC ambush in Berkeley, Shaun and Rebecca journey to Seattle to meet a forger known as the Monkey, who offers forged identities in return for data theft from the local CDC branch. During their infiltration, they establish a remote-access Wi-Fi hotspot but complications arise when security forces become aware of their presence.
Meanwhile, Georgia regains consciousness as a clone within a Seattle CDC facility. She discovers that she is a 97 percent mental replica of the original Georgia and part of an extensive cloning program that includes less precise copies designed to target Shaun. With assistance from covert Epidemic Intelligence Service operatives, she removes tracking devices implanted within her but escapes after an insider betrays the EIS team. During an ensuing security lockdown, she destroys other clones.
Shaun encounters Georgia as she flees from an explosion she triggered; together with Rebecca and Mahir, they reunite with Maggie at the Agora hotel. Though initially doubtful about Georgia’s authenticity, her knowledge and demeanor convince them of her identity. Seeking further aid from the Monkey leads to betrayal when a CDC assault results in the deaths of his group and injuries to Maggie. The survivors regroup at Dr. Abbey's laboratory but are soon transported to Washington, D.C., under escort by Rick Cousins—a former journalist who now serves as Vice President—to meet President Peter Ryman, who is compelled to uphold the conspiracy.
The CDC has developed a treatment that eradicates immune responses; instead of curing, it modifies the virus to suppress natural immunity while consolidating its influence. During strategic meetings with CDC scientists, Rick discloses the reality of these events to Georgia before orchestrating what appears to be Ryman’s abduction with support from EIS agents and Secret Service personnel. A zombie outbreak occurs at the White House; Rebecca sacrifices herself to delay the undead while others escape. The group reaches an EIS facility where Shaun and Georgia assist Ryman in publicly revealing the conspiracy. Mahir coordinates members of After The End Times to disseminate evidence worldwide. As global reactions unfold, EIS assumes control over the CDC, and Georgia and Shaun relocate to Canada to maintain a low profile.
Background
Just prior to the 22 May 2012 launch of Blackout, McGuire released Fed, an alternative conclusion to the initial Newsflesh installment, Feed (2010). This piece first appeared on Facebook on 17 May and was later published online by Orbit on 23 May.
Reception
Deadline received a nomination for the 2012 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award in the Science Fiction Novel category and was also shortlisted for the 2013 Hugo Award for Best Novel. However, it was ultimately bested by John Scalzi's Redshirts (2012).