** spoiler alert ** 
 This review contains spoilers for the first book and mild spoilers for this book. I strongly suggest reading book 1, "Feed", before reading this one. 
 Excellent. 
 Loved it :) 
 OK, OK, I'll elaborate. :D 
 I liked "Feed" but it took me about the first 100 pages or so to get into it. I almost put it down and gave up on several occasions. Happily, I didn't. It was an awesome, well written, all too viable look at what could happen when viruses mutate and the political and sociological ramifications. 
 "Deadline" picks up about a year after the events in "Feed". Shaun is coping, sort of, with the death of his sister, Georgia, better known as George. Although she is dead, she lives on in Shaun's head: she talks to him, he replies, they have entire conversations. He knows he's crazy, his coworkers know he's crazy, but it works for him. Sort of. He now runs the news organization that he and his sister built and he's given up the crazy adventures he used to love indulging in. He's not the same man he was before and every day is a struggle for him. 
 "Deadline" is both more personal than "Feed" and a closer look at the science behind the Rising. It's more personal in that we see more of the personal lives, relationships and feelings of the characters involved. But the story also digs deeply into the Kellis-Amberlee virus - how it spreads, how the human body reacts to it, etc. My knowledge and understanding of biology, chemistry, virology etc are not good enough to say how accurate or viable Grant is but it certainly sounds and reads as accurate and possible. 
 The book is a balanced mix of characters, action, science, relationships and "Oh F**k!" moments. It's very good, compelling and engaging. Read it. :) 
 This paperback was received from the publisher for review.