Saturday, June 12, 2010

THE PASSAGE: PREVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
THE PASSAGE

BY JUSTIN CRONIN

ABOUT THE BOOK:

“It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born.”

First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear—of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey—spanning miles and decades—towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun.

With The Passage, award-winning author Justin Cronin has written both a relentlessly suspenseful adventure and an epic chronicle of human endurance in the face of unprecedented catastrophe and unimaginable danger. Its inventive storytelling, masterful prose, and depth of human insight mark it as a crucial and transcendent work of modern fiction.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born in New England, Justin Cronin is the author of Mary and O’Neil, which won the Pen/Hemingway Award and the Stephen Crane Prize, and The Summer Guest. Having earned his MFA from the Iowa Writers Workshop, Cronin is now a professor of English at Rice University and lives with his family in Houston, Texas.

Follow Justin on Twitter

PRAISE AND REVIEWS:

“Every so often a novel-reader’s novel comes along: an enthralling, entertaining story wedded to simple, supple prose, both informed by tremendous imagination. Summer is the perfect time for such books, and this year readers can enjoy the gift of Justin Cronin’s The Passage. Read fifteen pages and you will find yourself captivated; read thirty and you will find yourself taken prisoner and reading late into the night. It has the vividness that only epic works of fantasy and imagination can achieve. What else can I say? This: read this book and the ordinary world disappears.” —Stephen King

“Justin Cronin has written a wild, headlong, sweeping extravaganza of a novel. The Passage is the literary equivalent of a unicorn: a bonafide thriller that is sharply written, deeply humane, ablaze with big ideas, and absolutely impossible to put down.” —Jennifer Egan, author of The Keep

..."in stores this week is THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin, which is one the most anticipated books of summer. (In publishing, anything after May counts as summer!) Our reviewer Melanie Smith had this to say about it: “There is an explosive quality to this book that destroys conventional thought, leaving your mind operating on a plane of simple survival. The impact of the reader's connection with the characters is incredible --- heroes and victims are all people audiences will feel they know as they move forward or live out their final moments. Experiences are expectedly grim, and there are one or two characters in whose minds you may not want to be trapped. Not to worry, though; they will be gone soon enough!" --Bookreporter.com

WATCH FOR MY REVIEW COMING UP FOR BONUS ENTRIES TO GIVE YOU A BETTER CHANCE OF WINNING ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING GIVEAWAYS ON BOOKIN' WITH BINGO THIS SUMMER!NOTE: JUST FINISHING THIS AMAZING BOOK SO NOT IN TIME TO REVIEW BEFORE GIVEAWAY ENDS BUT I WILL REVIEW IT SOON!


GIVEAWAY

WANT TO WIN...
...THE BOOK
OF THE SUMMER?
...THE FIRST IN THE NEXT
"MUST HAVE" TRILOGY?
...THE BOOK
EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT?
THANKS TO QUINNE AND MY
FRIENDS AT BALLANTINE BOOKS
AND RANDOM HOUSE, I HAVE
TWO COPIES OF THIS EXCITING
BEST SELLING BOOK TO GIVE AWAY



--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES, PLEASE
--INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS IN COMMENT
--ALL ENTRIES/COMMENTS MUST BE
SEPARATE IN ORDER TO COUNT
AS MORE THAN ONE ENTRY



HOW TO ENTER

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK WOULD MAKE YOU WANT TO BE ONE OF THE TWO WINNERS OF THIS AMAZING, MUCH TALKED ABOUT SUMMER HIT

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FIND INTERESTING ABOUT THIS BOOK OR AUTHOR BY GOING TO THE BALLANTINE/RANDOM HOUSE WEBSITE HERE.

+1 MORE ENTRY:
BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND THEN COME BACK AND LEAVE A LINK


GIVEAWAY ENDS AT
6 PM, EST, JULY 3


106 comments:

Jobove - Reus said...

very good blog, congratulations
regard from Reus Catalonia
thank you

Cindy W. said...

This sounds like a wonderful suspenseful novel that I would love to read. Military experiment? Very interesting. I would love to win this book because I love a good suspense.

Smiles,
Cindy W.

countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

Cindy W. said...

I love the cover art on this book. It draws me in and makes me want to pick up the book and read it.

I went to the Random House website and I loved how they let you sample a little of the book and it looks like a Kindle or Nook. Cute.
But I like what it said, “It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born.” Sounds exciting.

Smiles,
Cindy W.

countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

bermudaonion said...

I'd like to read this because every review I've read says it's a must read and I feel like I'm missing something! milou2ster(at)gmail.com

bermudaonion said...

I find it interesting that Justin Cronin is an English professor at Rice. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

Unknown said...

I would love to win this book because I have heard nothing but good things about it.
amandarwest at gmaildotcom

Unknown said...

I think it is interesting that Justin Cronin went to Harvard and is a professor.
amandarwest at gmaildotcom

Unknown said...

I tweeted. http://twitter.com/amandawk/status/16001790819
amandarwest at gmaildotcom

debbie said...

I love apocalypic novels, I would really like to read it after reading stephen king's reccomendation of it.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

DarcyO said...

I love that the idea for the book came from his daughter.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

DarcyO said...

I love suspenseful stories so this would be great to read.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

Colleen Turner said...

Why wouldn't I want to win this book?! I am seeing it everywhere, it is getting so many good reviews and it just sounds so action-packed and different from other books out there I can't wait to read it. I hope I win!
Thanks,
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

+5 entries for swagbucks!
Thanks,
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

Reading the information on the book's website page I couldn't help but comparing this book to the fear many people have about our actual future (obviously abstractly!). How do we know what the military is experimenting with in our era of war and what would happen if something they developed went terribly wrong and couldn't be controlled? I can't wait to see how this book explores this!
Thanks,
candc320@gmail.com

traveler said...

This young man is multi-talented. This book is a winner and he has a great topic in this novel. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

This suspenseful and unique book would be riveting and a pleasure to read. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Alexia561 said...

I'd love to win a copy of this book because I've heard nothing but great things about it! Love thrillers, so think it's right up my alley!

alexia561@yahoo(dot)com

Margie said...

+5 for Swag Bucks signup
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

The author is a professor of English at Rice University and lives with his wife and children in Houston, Texas.

Margie said...

I have read a couple of reviews on this book, and they all have been extremely complementary. Sounds like a can't-put-down book, very suspenseful. Count me in.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Anonymous said...

The cover is exciting and I love suspense stories, I think of the author doing acrobatics!

All good suspense stories are page turners and this story sounds like it would be a great one.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

gcpeach17 said...

This sounds like nothing I have ever read before! Since it is getting ravin' reviews, I must read it. Thanks, for giving me a chance to win it.

gcpeach17 at aol dot com

holdenj said...

I thought it was great that Stephen King (from all reports a huge fan of the book) called in to GMA during Cronin's appearance!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I would be the coolest mom ever if I was able to win a copy of this book--talk about the most talked about book of the summer!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Linda Kish said...

This sounds like a very suspenseful book. I think it would be exciting to read.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

He is now an English professor at Rice University

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

This sounds like a wonderful suspensefull book and I am very interested in reading it. I enjoy Stephen King's The Stand and this book kind of reminds me of it. Please enter me in contest. Thank you. Tore923@aol.com

M.A.D. said...

Mary D
zenrei57 (at) hotmail (dot) com

I don't usually jump immediately onto a giveaway, but THIS one grabbed me by the throat and I simply MUST read this!

You had me at "32 minutes for one world to die;" :o

Thanks for offering such an amazing new book up for grabs :)

M.A.D. said...

Mary D
zenrei57 (at) hotmail (dot) com

I went to the Random House website and was pleased to note that this talented, multi-award winning author is also an English professor - 700+ pages is a LARGE work, wonder how he finds the time? lol

And I noted one of the 'tags' for this book (per Random House) was vampires ... now, it just doesn't GET any better than that? ;D

definitely going to the TOP of my wish list!!!

Nan said...

I have heard so much about this book. It sounds like a book I might want to use to kick off my summer vacation.

vtgoat[at]gmail[dot]com

Aimee said...

When I first saw this book, the first thing I thought of was Stephen King's The Stand. I love that book. I'd be very interested in reading this to see how it parallels The Stand & how it's different.

gevin13{at}gmail{dot}com

Aimee said...

I tweeted
http://twitter.com/pixie13sweeps/status/16102689611

gevin13{at}gmail{dot}com

Aimee said...

I find it interesting that Stephen King recommends this book!

gevin13{at}gmail{dot}com

Anonymous said...

I really want to read this book because I've been hearing so many great things about it- including someone saying best book of the year.

peacelily_2006(at)yahoo(dot)com

Anonymous said...

When I went to the website I found out that it is 784 pages long (I love big books) and that Stephen King is also a fan of the book.

peacelily_2006(at)yahoo(dot)com

Ryan said...

I think it was interesting that this book started off as one his daughter started him in on.

fforgnayr@yahoo.com

Ryan said...

I'm been dying to read this one ever since I first heard about it on NPR. I'm thrilled that vampires are finally starting to be the bad guys again. Thanks for the opportunity.

fforgnayr@yahoo.com

The Girl from the Ghetto said...

Ok, I need to read this book for one important reason - it is the one book both my husband and I are looking forward to reading this summer. And I forgot to ask for a review copy for myself, like an idiot.

It has all the layers and elements we enjoy in books ... and, since I was at the BookExpo America and also missed meeting him and picking up a free copy (due to my friend!) both of us are devestated we don't have it in our hands to read.

Being unemployed has cut down on my book buying habits, and I need to win this book!

Sheri, RN said...

I think this book is going to be really interesting because it is about more bad vampires and they don't sparkle. I think we need some bad vampires to read about lately, don't ya think?

Sheri, RN said...

I want to win this giveaway so badly. If you happen to go to my Blog, you'll see I Blog about vampires, True Blood, Sookie Stackhouse series, Twilight, etc very often. This book sounds like it is my next love of vampire books, so please I hope I win! :)

starry943@yahoo.com

brokenteepee said...

What would make me want to be one of the two winners?
I love reading "what if" books and this one sounds like a big, whompin' what if.
thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com

brokenteepee said...

Mr. Cronin is a Harvard graduate.
thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com

brokenteepee said...

I tweeted
http://twitter.com/BrokenTeepee/status/16165017880
thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com

Jess said...

This book has been getting a ton of good buzz and great reviews. I would love to read it.

jedziedz(at)hotmail(dot)com

jess
barney's book blog

bison61 said...

a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. that sounds so good! What is the experiment?

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

Glenn said...

I've had this one on my "to read" list since I first started hearing about it, that's why I'd love to win a copy.

Thanks for the giveaway.

glenn_pessano AT yahoo DOT com

Jeff said...

I'd love to win this book because it reminds me a bit of a show I use to watch called Jeremiah my wife I watched it, It was like the book, as the world was changed forever, very interesting!
jeff72768@yahoo.com

Jeff said...

posted on twitter.
http://twitter.com/jeff72768/status/16320073897
jeff72768@yahoo.com

Jeff said...

Justin Cronin is a graduate of Harvard University.
smart guy! jeff72768@yahoo.com

Jeff said...

posted on facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000609680005&v=wall&story_fbid=128345420529415&ref=mf#!/profile.php?id=100000609680005&v=wall&story_fbid=116378608406247&ref=mf

jeff72768@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I want to read this book for several reasons not the least of which is to find out the fate of 6-year old Amy Harper Bellafonte, the poor little girl taken from her family and so young, not to mention she has a great name! The story sounds gripping and exciting as well but I was completely hooked when I read part of Melanie Smith's review from Bookreporter included here when she writes that "The impact of the reader's connection with the characters is incredible..." I love great, solid, real characters that I can feel for and worry about or that I really dislike and hope they get what they deserve because they bring me back to the book again and again and make it hard for me to put it down. It sounds like those kinds of characters inhabit this book!
So, for these reasons (and more!) I hope to be and would love to be one of the two winners of this giveaway for "The Passage"!

Thank you so much, Karen and Quinne and others at Ballantine Books and Random House for this exciting giveaway!

~ Amy
Aimala127 AT gmail DOT com

Unknown said...

I find it remarkable and so interesting that in this novel of suspense, danger and major catastrophe, Justin Cronin has thought to include a child, one at the young age of 6. It is remarkable and unique and I also think it's brilliant. In so many novels about threats to our country and our security or where the fate of our nation is at stake, children are nowhere to be found except maybe mentioned as the family of one of the major team players in the story. So the fact that Mr. Cronin has a 6-year old has a major character captivates me and has me hooked before I have even touched the book!

Aimala127 AT gmail DOT com

Unknown said...

I tweeted here:

http://twitter.com/Amestir/status/16487331649.


Aimala127 AT gmail DOT com

Unknown said...

I actaully have thios in my cart at Amazon, I was going to by it for my husband for his upcoming birthday. I really hope to win it!!

chirth7@yahoo.com

Jeff H said...

+5 swags bucks jeff72768@yahoo.com

urbanL said...

+5 swag bucks jeff72768@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I have heard a great deal about this book. I would love to give it a try. I realize that English Professor make really good writers. They have a plethora of words at their disposal to woo you or affect any emotion they want to convey.

bookventuresbookclub AT gmail DOT com

nfmgirl said...

I've heard this book loosely compared to The Stand (which is one of my favorite books), and Stephen King himself has raved about it. Please count me in. Thank you!

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

nfmgirl said...

Random House links to his official website, through which I learned that there is an Enter the Passage iPhone ap available.

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

g.g. said...

I would like to win because this does seem to be THE novel of the summer and I don't read because of the bandwagon theory but everywhere I look there are good thing being said about this novel. Would love to be one of the two winners!

anjamie4 AT gmail DOT com

g.g. said...

I explored his site a great deal and found the blog to be so real and began to wonder who was really commenting and if they were real people commenting or just part of the hype...either way, it hooked me

anjamie4 AT gmail DOT com

Shirley said...

+5 swag bucks
chirth7@yahoo.com

rubynreba said...

I have read about this book and have been wanting to read it. Thanks for the chance.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

When he goes on tour with this book the closest he will be to our home is Iowa City which isn't very far away!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Unknown said...

I find that he's a professor interesting.

chirth7@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

https://twitter.com/Romantic73/status/16922579561

chirth7@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=100000641625482&v=wall&story_fbid=130205837011764&ref=mf

chirth7@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

+5 swag bucks chirth7@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/chirth7/review/43346780/

chirth7@yahoo.com

Julie said...

I'd like to win because everyone that went to BEA and didn't snag a copy was heartbroken. When you're talking about book bloggers, they're a group that knows what is definitely worth reading. That is all of the testimony I need!

knittingandsundries(at)gmail(dot)com

Bonnie said...

I'd like to read this as all of the reviews I've read have praised the book highly and it sounds like a must read novel...even though it's a long one.

redladysreadingroomATgmailDOTcom

Bonnie said...

I find it interesting that this is such a popular novel and it's a huge book at 784 pages!

redladysreadingroomATgmailDOtcom

Shirley said...

Well My Daughter and I have it in our cart to buy but are holding off til we hear who wins. This is a must have book!!!
one we'll alll read.
shundelt@yahoo.com
It would make a great gift too.

Shirley said...

He was Born and raised in New England, Justin Cronin is a graduate of Harvard University and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. and he's a professor now too.
shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100001087052807&v=wall&story_fbid=119154991462372

shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

http://twitter.com/Grandmamaof10/status/17174408224

shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

http://bulletins.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=bulletin.read&authorID=540593519&messageID=6672307789&hash

shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/shundelt45/review/43429016/

shundelt@yahoo.com

Benita said...

I'd like to win because this promises to be a great summer read, one that you begin and cannot put down until its end.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Benita said...

I love that this book is both a suspense and an epic novel. I can't wait to read it.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

I want this book probably because we were all rasied to believe in God and this book might lead us to a new awareness. I'm not sure since I haven't read it but I sure hope too.

christina101092@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

This is not the same books I was thinking it was. However it sounds really good. I's still liked to be entered, through that first one out. I thought I already new about this book guess I didn't

christina101092@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

He is a professor of English at Rice University and lives with his wife and children in Houston, Texas. christina101092@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001144971475&v=wall&story_fbid=130746073626727&ref=mf christina101092@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

http://twitter.com/Christina101092/status/17208734136

christina101092@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

http://bulletins.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=bulletin.read&authorID=540593981&messageID=6673390284&hash

christina101092@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

+5 swag bucks

christina101092@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/christina101092/review/43437945

christina101092@yahoo.com

Jenna said...

The fear of the future... could something like this TRULY happen?.. are we headed down that path now?

I think it sounds like a great suspenseful read and Id love to get this 1st book in the trilogy

papajm25{AT}gmail{DOT}com

Jenna said...

+5 for swagbucks join up

Jenna said...

I found that he is a professor of English @ Rice. I always found it very cool that famous authors have 'day jobs' as teachers... I can only imagine how cool it'd be to have him as an instructor!

papajm25{AT}gmail{DOT}com

Pamela Keener said...

I love the premise of this book.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net
Swagbucks + 5

Pamela Keener said...

He is the 2010 winner - Indie Next.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

Sarah E said...

The premise of a scientific experiment triggering an apocalypse sounds like a great storyline. This book has received great reviews, and I'd love to read it!!

saemmerson at yahoo dot com

Sarah E

Sarah E said...

I found it interesting that the author is a professor of English at Rice University.

saemmerson at yahoo dot com

Sarah E

Sarah E said...

I tweeted:

http://twitter.com/saemmerson/status/17367114069

saemmerson at yahoo dot com

Sarah E

A Bookshelf Monstrosity said...

Please enter me! Thanks.

fitz12383(at)hotmail(dot)com

A Bookshelf Monstrosity said...

tweeted:

http://twitter.com/bookmonstrosity/status/17589986760

fitz12383(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

I am interested in this fascinating novel. thanks. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

Random House is filled with wonderful information, books and is a great resource. The young author has time for this book and to teach is great. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

MRWriter said...

Well...if Stephen King recommends it then game on! I'm a HUGE fan of apocalyptic/zombie/sci-fi/thriller kind of novels. This one sounds like it has it all.
AlexDean03@yahoo.com

MRWriter said...

Justin Cronin is a Texan!
AlexDean03(at)yahoo.com

DarcyO said...

I tweeted:
http://twitter.com/darcy1956/status/17670571247

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

Nancye said...

I learned that the author, Justin, went to Harvard.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

A book description that says: "predators/prey" , "people fleeing", and "apocalypse" has to be an exciting and interesting book!

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Tweet! Tweet!
@NancyeDavis

http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/17677170215

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

CLICK HERE TO
SEE MY POLICY