Feed (Grant novel)
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Products | Books, novels |
Feed marks the debut novel in the Newsflesh series, a blend of science fiction and horror authored by Seanan McGuire under the pseudonym Mira Grant, and released by Orbit Books in 2010. The narrative unfolds in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse, centering on blog journalist Georgia Mason and her news team as they report on Republican senator Peter Ryman’s presidential bid. A sequence of fatal events propels Georgia and her brother Shaun into uncovering a conspiracy tied to the undead.
McGuire incorporated her fascination with horror movies and virology into crafting the story, employing an election campaign as the narrative framework. Feed has been commended for its intricate worldbuilding, notably featuring characters who are cognizant of previous zombie fiction—a detail frequently absent in horror literature. The novel earned second place in the 2011 Hugo Award for Best Novel. The Newsflesh saga proceeds with Deadline and Blackout, with an alternate conclusion to Feed released prior to the third installment.
Plot
Taking place several decades after the zombie apocalypse known as the Rising, Feed presents a society transformed by two engineered viruses merging into Kellis-Amberlee, which infects all mammals. While typically harmless, Kellis-Amberlee can "amplify," turning hosts into zombies through death, contact with infected individuals, or spontaneously. Infected persons retain full awareness until they fully convert.
Humanity resides within fortified zones enforcing rigorous blood screening and decontamination procedures to curb active virus transmission. Traditional media's failure during the Rising led to blogging and new media becoming primary news sources, with bloggers recognized as professionals categorized as "Newsies" (objective reporters), "Stewarts" (commentators), "Irwins" (educational entertainers), "Aunties" (personal narrators), or "Fictionals" (creative writers).
Set in 2040, the plot follows Georgia "George" Mason, a Newsie who leads the After the End Times website; her brother Shaun, an Irwin; and their friend Georgette "Buffy" Meissonier, a Fictional and technology specialist. They cover Senator Peter Ryman’s moderate Republican presidential campaign. After a zombie assault on Ryman’s convoy in Oklahoma—later exposed as orchestrated—the campaign encounters internal strife at the Republican National Convention against right-wing Governor David Tate and Congresswoman Kristen Wagman. Rick Cousins, a Newsie defecting from Wagman’s team, joins their group.
Following Ryman’s nomination, a zombie outbreak at his horse ranch results in his daughter’s death; investigations reveal it originated from a horse injected with live virus. As the campaign progresses to Texas with Ryman selecting Tate as running mate, their convoy is targeted by a sniper attack. Buffy is bitten by zombified Chuck after admitting to leaking information damaging Ryman’s campaign; Georgia euthanizes her. The CDC detains and tests survivors before releasing them.
Their inquiry uncovers connections implicating Tate and wider conspirators including the CDC. When Georgia confronts Ryman in Sacramento, he demands evidence or threatens to remove her from the campaign. Subsequently, Georgia is tranquilized with live virus; Rick escapes carrying proof just before another outbreak begins. Shaun assists Georgia in exposing the conspiracy through a final blog post before she succumbs and he ends her suffering.
The narrative perspective shifts to Shaun, who coordinates security efforts to contain the outbreak and confronts Ryman and Tate at the convention center. Tate takes Ryman’s wife hostage using a syringe filled with zombie virus, revealing plans to exploit fear to transform America toward faith-based rule. Tate injects himself but Shaun shoots him to prevent his zombification.
Background
McGuire drew inspiration for Feed from her fascination with horror movies and virology. Her goal was to devise a zombie virus that would profoundly alter society while still allowing for survival, dedicating two years to developing its underlying concepts and ramifications. She also tackled the common trope of characters being unaware of other horror narratives; in Feed, movies such as Dawn of the Dead are credited with playing a role in humanity’s endurance.
At first, McGuire found the storyline challenging until a friend recommended framing it around a presidential campaign. This approach allowed her to delve into various societal issues and demonstrate how the zombie apocalypse drastically changes lives.
Reviews
Zack Handlen from The A.V. Club likened Feed to "The West Wing through the lens of George A. Romero", commending McGuire’s intricate worldbuilding. Although he noted that many characters fit familiar archetypes, this did not detract from the overall enjoyment of the story.
In Strange Horizons, Jonathan McCalmont described Feed as a "delight," praising its narrative structure, compelling action and dialogue, and detailed worldbuilding. He interpreted the novel less as a conventional political thriller and more as a sharp satire critiquing modern journalism.
Howard Tayler, known for the Schlock Mercenary webcomic, admired Feed for its recognition of earlier zombie fiction within its plot and character development.
Awards and honors
In NPR’s 2010 "Top 100 Killer Thrillers" poll, Feed secured the 74th spot and was also recognized among the best books of 2010 by Publishers Weekly.
| Year | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Science Fiction Novel | Template:Nom |
| Shirley Jackson Award for Novel | Template:Nom | |
| 2011 | Audie Award for Science Fiction | Template:Nom |
| Hugo Award for Best Novel | Template:Nominated |
Alternate ending
Just prior to the 22 May 2012 publication of Blackout, McGuire unveiled an alternate conclusion to Feed, entitled Fed. It was first shared on Facebook on 17 May before being made available online by Orbit on 23 May.
This alternate ending diverges when the virus dart strikes Shaun rather than Georgia. Shaun sacrifices himself defending Georgia and Rick while they expose Tate and the conspiracy. Georgia then kills Tate but takes her own life a week later, unable to cope without Shaun. The focus then shifts to Rick, now shattered and struggling with alcoholism, who arranges funerals for the Masons and acknowledges that the conspiracy might continue, leaving hope for humanity’s future in someone else’s hands.