I just polished off the debut novel by blogging superstar, Carrie Rubin. It was out of my grand appreciation for Carrie and her humor blog that I chose to delve into “The Seneca Scourge” right off the heels of finishing Stephen King’s “The Stand”. How many novels about killer flu viruses can a guy handle in so short a period of time?

In fact, both these books are about much more than disease and death. While “The Stand” is an epic, apocolyptic masterpiece – something of a 20th century “Lord of the Rings”, “The Seneca Scourge” has at its core the theme of humanity in peril, and what a person will do when faced with impossible choices and very little time to make those choices. The following passage from Rubin’s work underscores my point:
“Maybe some of the best decisions were made in the blink of an eye, the kind that allowed no time for egos or self-serving outcomes. The kind that forced people to do what was right.”

“The Seneca Scourge” is skillfully written, and the second half in particular had me flying through chapters, looking to see what would happen next. There’s a bit of a sci-fi element in this book as well, which I found enjoyable. Personally, I think science fiction can be tricky to pull off without coming across as hokey, but Rubin does it well, to the point that I found myself thinking, Sure, I could see that happening.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced, compelling read that will keep you guessing up until (and through) the end, check out “The Seneca Scourge”.