Infected (novel)

Failed quarterback Perry Dawsey wakes up one day to a really bad case of the itch. And then triangle scabs begin to show up. Then voices begin to appear...

And at the same time, the U.S. government rushes to investigate what's behind a bizarre murder wave which causes its victims to liquefy after their deaths, only to find that it's caused by a parasite...

An official publication of Scott Sigler's podcast.

This novel provides examples of:
 * Abusive Parents - Perry's dad was a drunk who frequently beat him and his mother. It's where he gets his temper and own drinking problems from, but ironically is the very same thing that made him such a fiend on the football field.
 * Alien Invasion - The aliens
 * Anti-Hero -
 * Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking - Two of the  come to a stop on a bridge in their hummer, step out of the vehicle, fire their weapons into unsuspecting civilians, dip their heads back in the humvee to finish off some fries and milkshakes, then start to complain about the 'asshole' behind them driving an SUV.
 * Badass - Perry, and in the sequel Dew Phillips officially earns this title after he
 * Badass Normal - Perry, even without the triangles. And Dew.
 * Balls of Steel - Perry.
 * Although technically averted due to the fact that
 * Body Horror - Infected love to mutilate themselves. And then each other.
 * Berserk Button - The Triangles seem to implant these in their hosts.
 * Brainwashed and Crazy - Anyone who succumbs to the triangles ultimately becomes this.
 * Catch Phrase - You've got to have DISCIPLINE.
 * Chekhov's Gun - The fact that the Triangles tried to use Perry as an incubator, but failed. This, in turn,
 * : Good GOD, Perry.
 * Detroit Is A Battlefield - Detroit, quite frankly, goes to shit quite quickly in the sequel after  It takes about two days for
 * Grand Theft Me -
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: Perry and Bill. At least...for a while.
 * High Octane Nightmare Fuel -
 * Hive Mind - The Triangles, at first only between parasites in a host, then to other parasites in other hosts.
 * I Coulda Been a Contender - Dawsey had to forfeit any chance of going pro, because of a busted kneecap that was treated by shitty doctors.
 * Infant Immortality: Averted. Hard.
 * It Got Worse - Let's see, it goes from a simple case of being itchy to
 * Jerkass: Perry comes off as one in the second book. Especially when he dumps a bucket of ice over Dew's head for being woken up out of a black out at 8AM. Needless to say, Dew was NOT happy with him.
 * Made of Iron - Perry.
 * Mind Rape - The Triangles being able to
 * Mission Control - Murray Longworth.
 * My Name Is Not Durwood - Murray calling Dew Phillips by the name of
 * Dew Phillips getting back at Murray by calling him
 * Nightmare Fuel - Can you imagine a preteen girl  to transfer the infection to you?
 * Nuke'Em - In the second book
 * Screw the Rules, I Have Connections - Murray again. When you're running an operation that's supported by the president himself, fuck it.
 * Sequel Hook - Contagious ends with  However, we soon
 * The Dragon -
 * Although she eventually becomes the  after the   is shot down.
 * Was It Really Worth It? - All the main characters when
 * Also when
 * Wouldn't Hurt a Child: Despite being treated as nothing more than a Psycho for Hire, Perry doesn't cause any harm to Tad when he comes across him in the beginning of the second book.