The Dragon Factory (Joe Ledger #2) ~ Paperback ~ Jonathan Maberry

Having protected the world from a zombie plague in PATIENT ZERO, Joe Ledger and his crack Department of Special Sciences combat team are thrown into an even more frightening crisis. A genetic-engineering program has been used to create the ultimate fighting machine - soldiers bred for war, soldiers with greater strength, higher reaction speeds and an utter disregard for pain. Theirs and others. It's a nightmare from the pages of Doctor Moreau and soon Joe and his team are up against both the big business concerns who have billions invested in the project and, on the street, adversaries bred expressly to kill them. It's enough to make you wish you were facing zombies again . . . Review In Stoker-winner Maberry's wild second Joe Ledger novel (after Patient Zero), Joe and his comrades from the Department of Military Science (DMS) take on enough villains and their world-threatening plots to fill half a dozen ordinary thrillers. The dangers Joe and his Echo Team warriors confront include evil boy-girl albino twins born on Christmas, each child marked with a star like the Star of Bethlehem; weaponized genetic diseases; the Cabal, whose goal is worldwide ethnic cleansing; Nazi clones; a race of slaves called New Men; a wide array of mythical beasts (unicorns, centaurs, dragons, elves, etc.); and morphogenetic monsters such as tiger/dogs and insect/humans. Joe battles these horrors with his usual ferocity, but by the end, even this superhero is reduced to despair by the toll the job exacts. While Joe has announced his retirement, eager readers can look forward to one more volume in this humorous, over-the-top cross-genre trilogy. Publishers Weekly Reviews for 1st book in series: "24-with-Zombies. The plot is simple but completely gripping. The pace breakneck. One of the most exciting thrillers we've read in years and arguably the greatest zombie novel." (Sam Ashurst SFX ) "A well written, often insanely paced and utterly compelling piece of entertainment. But the real joy of this novel is the plot: occasionally implausible, but unfailingly gripping.." (Steve Robinson DEATHRAY ) "Scary, creepy, and gripping--PATIENT ZERO is 'Night of the Living Dead' meets Michael Crichton."--Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of Power Play "Plenty of man-to-zombie combat, a team traitor and a doomsday scenario add up to a fast and furious read." Publishers Weekly Patient Zero is a fast-paced thriller that's amongst the best of its genre, and which will win the writer many new readers, plaudits and perhaps awards - and deservedly so." (STRANGE HORIZONS ) "A dark, chilling and funny thriller about zombies from Maberry (Zombie CSU: The Forensics of the Living Dead, 2008, etc.)…The book is as fun and funny as it is chilling and thrill-packed. Joe is a fantastic character, full of compassion, real vulnerabilities and a deliciously dark sense of humor. An immensely entertaining package" Kirkus Reviews "A fast-paced, creepy thriller that as prickly as a hospital needle and sounds a little too convincing. This guy is good." --Joe R. Lansdale About the Author Jonathan Maberry is a multiple BRAM STOKER AWARD-winning author. He is the author of, amongst others, GHOST ROAD BLUES, DEAD MAN'S SONG and BAD MOON RISING. He has taught creatve writing and is also a martial arts expert. He lives in the USA.