"The Passage" by Justin Cronin Quiz

Answer: Bolivia

We meat Dr. Lear, a Harvard biochemist running a U.S.-military support exploration in Bolivia, early in the novel. He and the team went deep into the county to investigate rumors of a particular kind of virus carried by bats. Giant bats.

Surrounded by Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chili, and Peru, Bolivia has a diverse geographical landscape, including the high mountains of the Andes and the lower Amazon basin.

Answer: Death row prisoners

Wolgast has been tasked with finding prisoners who are sentenced to death to take part in a secret government testing project. All of them say yes, considering the other option is certain death. A cover story is devised for each prisoner.

Answer: Kidnapping an orphan girl

Wolgast is told that it is imperative he take Amy, an orphan girl, from a convent where she's living and bring her to the government testing facility. He does so, but he makes it up for it later by helping Amy escape later.

Answer: Viral vampires have escaped and world has completely changed

After the secret governmental facility's security is broken, the vampires -- referred to as virals -- have escaped and essentially taken over the world. We are introduced to a small town of humans, the New Colony, who has managed to survive over the last century by keeping virals somewhat at bay with bright lights and crossbows.

Answer: Freaks

"The Passage" is about vampires but never actually uses the word. They're referred to in various ways, mostly virals but also Smokes, Jumpers, Flyers, and Echoes. They are strong, fast, deadly, and everywhere.

Answer: The batteries that provide energy are at the end of their lives

For nearly a century, the New Colony has stayed alive by lighting up huge stadium lights around their permitter every night, lights powered by a complex set of batteries. The batteries were designed to work for just a few years, and the Colonists have managed to keep them running. But by this point, they are no longer keeping their charges and the lights are expected to go out for good.

Answer: Auntie

Over 100 years old, Auntie is a beloved member of the New Colony; her full title is Auntie, the Last of the Firsts. Unbeknownst to anyone, Auntie has been writing her memoirs for years, giving the reader a fascinating look at what it was like when the virals took over and humans were desperate to keep the humankind alive by protecting the children.

Answer: A deserted shopping mall

The New Colony has a shopping mall not too far from them. It's dangerous to travel there and even more dangerous to go in, as virals are nesting there. But occasionally a brave group will go there to get what goods remain. The language has changed to reflect this: for example, pants are referred to as gaps because they were retrieved from a store named The Gap.

Answer: Virals are manipulating people mentally from afar

The virals seemed to have advanced: unable to penetrate the New Colony's defenses, they seemed to develop the power to get into the colonists' heads from afar, planting thoughts of sabotage. This leaves little choice but to send out a party of explorers to find help.

Answer: The Republic of Texas, a much bigger colony

After a long, arduous, and adventurous journey, the New Colonist explorers find an outpost of The Republic a Texas, a very large colony of humans that has managed to stay alive and even thrive. They are still fighting the virals, however, and the New Colonists join them in the fight.