Fall Of The Core by Ryk Brown

 

Something strange is happening on Earth.  A new virus, the Klaria virus, is attacking the population and there is no cure.  At the same time, a technical virus named Twister is also on the rise.  Hannah, a reporter who has been in the business for a decade or so, starts to believe that the two viruses are connected.  She is considered a rogue and someone wasting everyone's time when she starts to ask questions about the two viruses and their possible connection.  But Hannah is correct and the author of the viruses contacts her, telling her that she is correct and agreeing to work only with her.

Several weeks in, billions of humans have died.  Other characters are introduced.  One is a rookie female policewoman.  Another is a spaceship captain who has outlived all his Earth family by taking long space voyages and remaining in suspended animation.  The two characters are related as the female policewoman is the space captain's great great granddaughter and he returns to Earth long enough to rescue her and Hannah along with some soldiers from the disaster on Earth.  Will they end up as the sole survivors of the human race?

Ryk Brown has created an entire universe which he calls The Frontier Sagas.  There are over forty books in the series and this one is a prequel which explains the origin of the universe he has created.  The characters and the plot are both intriguing and the action is fast and furious. The plot of a virus that kills off much of the world is quite reminiscent of the Covid pandemic the world has recently gone through.   I listened to this book and it a great choice as the narrator was perfect.  This book is recommended for science fiction readers.