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.

Tropes used in Infected (novel) include:

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 sent an Orbital to hover over the Earth, watch us, make calculations on our behavior and then drop out pods that release spores into the atmosphere which, if they land on your skin and are able to get a good 'footing' so to speak, they then mutate, bury in, slip into your bloodstream, change your DNA and eventually take control of your mind. In addition to this, they also form little triangles, or Hatchlings that will bust out of you, leave you for dead, and then continue on to build a construct to try and open a portal to bring their entire race through to Earth, which will then try and colonize us and use us as slaves.
Anti-Hero - While Perry is able to beat back the Infection, in the sequel, he constantly kills Infected who could give the agents information and is a prick. He fully believes in his abusive father, too.
Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking - Two of the brainwashed soldiers in Ogden's platoon 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 beats Perry, the hulking 200+ pound 26 year old so badly he ends up lying in the fetal position begging for it to stop...with a table leg. Did we mention Dew is a Vietnam Vet in his later fifties?
Badass Normal - Perry, even without the triangles. And Dew.
Balls of Steel - Perry.
- Although technically averted due to the fact that he cuts off his own dick and balls to end the life of a triangle parasite.
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, makes it possible for Perry to find infected everywhere and find their gates in book two.
Determinator: Good GOD, Perry.
Detroit Is A Battlefield - Detroit, quite frankly, goes to shit quite quickly in the sequel after Chelsea has Colonel Ogden infected brain washed. Ogden was in charge of THREE Army battalions that were supposed to be fighting off the aliens. It takes about two days for Ogden and Corporal Cope to infect his division before setting them loose in the city.
Grand Theft Me - The objective of the Triangles is to use the bodies to construct a transportation gate. Insanity and killing people is only a side effect.
Heterosexual Life Partners: Perry and Bill. At least...for a while.
High Octane Nightmare Fuel - Imagine the Triangles bouncing back and forth while under your skin to tear through it for freedom. Resulting in your death via one final mindscream from the Triangles.
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. Becomes part of the problem. He no longer trusts doctors due to this, and decides not to go to the hospital for treatment - something that could have ended Dawsey's infection.
Infant Immortality: Averted. Hard.
It Got Worse - Let's see, it goes from a simple case of being itchy to having to Nuke Detroit because the aliens were about to take over the world via infection everyone with spores for the triangles.
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 read your mind whenever they want and cause a mindscream when their rage or fear takes over.
Mission Control - Murray Longworth.
My Name Is Not Durwood - Murray calling Dew Phillips by the name of Top, his old Vietnam War name.
- Dew Phillips getting back at Murray by calling him L.T., his old Vietnam war name.
Nightmare Fuel - Can you imagine a preteen girl sliding her tongue in your mouth to transfer the infection to you?
Nuke'Em - In the second book the infected hosts band together and change the design of the triangles, creating boils that explode, releasing millions of spores into the air. The spores then go onto to infect others. The hosts leader causes one of the others to swell up into one giant pus-ball of spore and make her pop. This is the only option to prevent the spores from becoming airborne and infecting the whole goddamn world.
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 the Orbital being shot down and turned into a million little pieces. However, we soon find out that the last remaining pod the Orbital had was able to float to the bottom of a harbor, intact and unharmed. This is just after the Orbital was able to make one last calculation that would, apparently, be the one to Kill All Humans.
The Dragon - Chelsea Jewell in book two: Contagious.
- Although she eventually becomes the Big Bad after the Orbital is shot down.
Was It Really Worth It? - All the main characters when they get the order from the president to let the Triangles hatch out of a woman, letting her die in the process, to let Perry talk to the Triangles and find out where their new gate is being made.
- Also when the president has to make the decision to drop the nuke on Detroit, destroying any possibilities of the spores spreading throughout America, and inevitably, the world.
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. Tad's little infected brother, however...