The story opens with a terrifying premise, that (almost) everyone is suddenly motivated by a chilling urge to kill one person and then kill themselves. The narrator and his companions are trying to stay alive, and trying to figure out what could be happening. It's a brilliant premise for a scifi or supernatural thriller.

Unfortunately, the novel falls very short. The characters were underdeveloped and lacking, to the point that I didn't much care when characters died. Long descriptions of who took first watch at night or how a room was barricade resembled a role-playing campaign. (Actually, a post Activation game would probably a better use of this clever premise than a third-rate novella.)

Probably the last quarter of the book reads like it was rushed for a deadline, with half-baked dramatic revelations coming fast and thick.

A chilling and intriguing premise, but a really disappointing book.