Wanderers by Chuck Wendig

This intense 770-page tome is reminiscent of the best of horror/science fiction classics such as THE STAND, UNDER THE DOME and THE ROAD but delivered in a way that only Chuck Wendig can write. One day the world faces extinction from an unknown source and seemingly normal people from every part of the country walk away from their family as if sleepwalking to an unknown destination. You cannot stop them without hurting them and others so many join them on their walk acting as shepherds. As the epidemic grows and the CDC grows more puzzled, tensions rise and give way to a scary scenario - is it better to die from the disease or defending the walkers from alarmists? What would have been pure science fiction 20 or 30 years ago now seems horribly plausible- hidden deadly pathogens, mind controlling A.I. and militants on a killing spree. For the main characters in this book, most of whom are normal and likable despite their flaws, the hope is that they can solve it before the end of the world as they know it. I for one would love a sequel.