Anyone heard anything about it?  I'm a major del Toro movie fan, the man makes ghost stories like no one else and his dark fantasies are beyond incredible, but can he write?  And who is this Chuck Hogan person who co-wrote it with him?

I have an ARC of that book. It has been sitting on my TBR pile for quite a while now. The blurb on the back makes it sound really interesting, but I haven't had the time to read it yet.  Somewhere I read some reviews of it and they gave it quite a few good ones.   Maybe I will have to bring it closer to the top of my list.

Chuck Hogan writes gorey thrillers.  Pretty good choice for a ghost writer / second writer.  Experienced but not yet famous.

I'm listening to the audiobook right now and I'm almost through with it. I have to say it is what a lot of vampire fans have been waiting for. No romance included. Classical vampire with new elements and frightening. I can only recommend it.

Just finished The Strain and I loved it.  The best of the genre since Salem's Lot, IMHO.

Dang, guess I'm going to have a very long wait.  I am now the 204th person on the WL.

I'm number #137 in line, and my estimated wait is 137 weeks!  My library has it on audio, read by Ron Perlman, might have to check that out.

Started reading it today, I'm only a little ways in but so far its great!

Just finished it a few days ago, and I wholeheartedly agree that its the best of its kind since Salem's Lot!

I started reading this the other day. It's keeping me awake at nights!

BTW, did you know there was a solar eclipse over Asia today?? Creepy....

The Ron Perlman audiobook is fantastic -- buy, borrow, or steal a copy if you can. Perlman may have the greatest voice ever.

As for the book itself...

Pros:
It is definitely a return to the classic vampire story; the vampires are terrifying monsters, not angst-ridden romantic bad boys. They do update the vampire mythos for modern readers, treating it is a literal disease and les of a supernatural phenomenon. Del Toro/Hogan really did their research. The science and geography were quite detailed and believable. The story was suspenseful. You'll definitely finish it in a hurry.

Cons:
For the most part, the characters and especially the main hero, were two-dimensional and predictable. Many of the individual scenes in the book have been seen before in other horror novels and films. I also felt that the whole book was a set up for a more involved and far-reaching plotline in the 2nd and 3rd books of the series; Del Toro/Hogan were just spinning out a whole lot of exposition. 

I really enjoyed The Strain - although it read more like a zombie invasion story than the typical vampire story.  These vampires are disgusting creatures who spread the infection through their saliva and who defecate on themselves while they are feeding.  No sexy vampires here, lol!

No sexy vampires here, lol!  And thank the rat-toothed, coffin-sleeping god of real, evil, soulless vampires for that!

In other news, the next one is available for wishlisting http://www.paperbackswap.com/book/details/9780061558221-The+Devouring although Amazon has it listed as "the Fall" not "the Devouring".  Wonder what that's about?

Read this book when it first came out . . . I loved it and have been waiting for the next installment.  It was truly an excellent read . . .

I'm at 70 on the WL right now, but if I find a copy at Half Price this weekend, I'm going to grab it.  Thanks for the head's up on the second installment. :-)

It's really great, I can't wait for the next book in the series (it's supposed to be a trilogy)!  I really reads more like a zombie invasion novel though, the vampires are scary and disgusting creatures, and there is a lot of gore in the book.  No romance, which, in my opinion, is awesome. 

I read this and really enjoyed it - I'm looking forward to picking up the next one as soon as I can!!

I've had it from library for last week and have tried reading it about 4 times and just couldn't get into it.  I just returned it but wish I would have kept with it after reading all your comments.

The strain is a very good vampire book.Im looking forward to part 2 THE FALL comming out the end of sept.A must read.Robin

I just happened to spot a copy in the pb section of my local A&P &  I grabbed it because it was the only horror book on the shelf that I hadn't already read and wasn't a romance horror.  I didn't realize it was a trilogy until I got the book home.  I usually stay away from book series until I can get all of them in my hands - I'm not one for waiting. 

BUT, I couldn't resist reading it anyway.  I have to say that I really enjoyed it.  But being part of a trilogy, it really can't give you much of a payoff at the end.   And because of this, I don't think it's anywhere near as great as Salem's Lot.   But to be fair, I should add that Salem's Lot was my first SK book, and I have never, ever found a vampire novel that even comes close to it.   Now I have to get my hands on the second part even if I have to purchase it online. 

One thing I didn't know (until reading the little bios at the back of the book) was that Chuck Hogan wrote The Town - which is that new movie starring & directed by Ben Affleck.  I'm dying to see that one and I've only heard good things about it. 

Just read The strain what a book how im reading part 2 The Fall.Robin

For those who are on the waiting list, I have received a notice that the second installment (The Fall) is available through PBS.  Since I am very high on that list, I guess I'm going to have to use a credit and a little cash.  I hate waiting.

I don't normally read horror but I enjoyed both The Strain & The Fall. (I was lucky in that my local library had a copy of The Fall, so I didn't have to wait too long). No idea, really, who Chuck Hogan is (other than what I read on the book cover), but he & Del Toro seem to have formed a good writing partnership.

For Christmas I ordered a drill through Amazon for my DH.  And I couldn't resist ordering a little something extra for myself... The Fall.  Just started reading it.