Mike Naka

quick summary: michael cross spent 3 tours in iraq. now, he's back in california taking classes. just as his quiz starts there's an explosion, and he goes up to see what's going on, against his professor's assertions that everything will be fine. as more and more students gather around the t.v. to see some kind of riots breaking out, michael decides to head to his base. there he runs into angel, his commander, and saul. angel won't let them open the armory until the base commander arrives and gives them the ok. but as the $h!t really starts to hit the fan, they bust in. however, the alarm attracts the infected. once they realize nobody's coming to investigate the alarm, they decide to wait out the alarm's timer and leave in a hummer. as they flee through the city, they rescue riley and pegs from the roof of a florist shop. they decide to try to rescue angel's girlfriend, who lives in a nearby apartment building. once there, they discover it almost totally abandoned, and they recognize it has good defensive qualities by the way the floor plan is laid out. so starts their story of survival.

there's a large cast of characters, but it's not hard to keep track of who's who b/c each character has his/her own dedicated voice actor. the voice acting is exceptional. there are lots of sound effects, and they are also done exceptionally well- they help to immerse you into the story.

this story has it all: the various complications surrounding surviving with a bunch of people you don't know, a great cast of antagonists (prisoners who've escaped), drama, interesting infected, gore, and lots of action.

while not a pure zombie story, i totally enjoyed listening to this series. the spectacular voice acting and the engrossing and evolving plot keeps bringing me back, week after week. what do i mean by that? this series is a free weekly podcast. each podcast is b/ween 15 and 30 minutes. the 1st 2 minutes are ads and a pickup from the last episode. i didn't want to deal with that so i downloaded the 1st 2 seasons on audible. i am now catching up with season 3, which just ended. season 3 is only available via free downloadable podcasts.

if you're into zombie / end of the world stories and are looking for something new, definitely give this a try. i warn you! it's addicting!

i bought like 9 of the books in the dresden files last year when they were on sale. why? b/c i was starting to branch out into the fantasy genre, and a lot of my friends who've read and listened to the dresden files highly recommended them. plus, all of the reviews on audible portray the series as spectacular. so being relatively new to the fantasy genre, i decided to start with some of the most loved series.

after listening to stormfront, i can honestly say i would've gladly paid the regular price for it! it was a very entertaining story, and james marsters is an excellent narrator. his pacing, tone, and inflection draw you deeper into the world of harry dresden so that you are totally engrossed by the story. marsters may now be my favorite narrator. he's just that good!

as for the story, it is quick moving w/o a dull moment. harry dresden is introduced as chicago's only wizard in the yellow pages, and as such is often mistaken by most people as just another birthday party magician. as the story begins, harry is down on his luck- he hasn't had any clients in a while, and he's behind on his bills. he gets a call from a woman who says her name is monica and wants to hire him for his services.

after he sets up a meeting for later in the afternoon, harry gets a call from karin murphy, who is the director of the special investigation unit for the chicago police department. murphy hires dresden at times for his insight when the regular cops hit a dead end investigating weird or strange cases, and this is one of those times. all of the other cops think dresden is a crackpot and often mock him and his findings.

dresden is led into a hotel room where the bodies of 2 people have had their hearts ripped out while they were having sex. dresden tells murphy that this was done by some powerful black magic. the man is one of johnny marcone's henchmen, and the woman is one of bianca's call girls. this leads dresden into both the criminal world and the world of the vampires.

i haven't read/listened to many stories about vampires, but the vampires in this story are grotesque and fearsome. on the surface, they wear human skin, but underneath, they are disgusting looking creatures. johnny marcone is a creepy character in his own right. he's not your stereotypical mob boss. he's cool, calm, and collected, which makes him even more fearsome.

after dresden leaves the crime scene, he has his 1st intense meeting with marcone. after they take each other's measure, marcone drops harry off at his office, where he's late for his meeting with monica. harry's ad in the yellow pages says he's a finder of lost things, and monica wants harry to find her husband.

so starts the story. jim butcher does a good job weaving all of these plot lines together to create an engrossing, action-packed, paranormal detective story.

throughout the story, there is a lot of humor. it's authentic not artificial. a couple of times, i found myself laughing at dresden's predicament. i won't spoil it for you, but dresden finds himself in a pickle of a situation with his pickle out. LOL ok...i've said enough, maybe too much.

overall, stormfront is an excellent story to listen to! very fun and enjoyable! i'm glad i took a chance and lept into this genre.

kc, jake, and mila charging into a swarm of shambling zombies being chased by the fast zombies. awesome. just awesome.

i must say this title sat in my library for over a month, mostly b/c the 1st book was kind of lackluster. i wasn't thrilled by the direction of the story. i listened to a few other titles then thought that the 3rd book in this series is coming out at the end of the month- 6/25/13. so, i thought it was about time i listened to this book in order to decide if i'd pick up the 3rd book. plus, i was craving for a good zombie story! now, there's no question! i can't wait for the 3rd book to come out.

yes! this 2nd book was that good! i liked it much, much more than the 1st book! now, i'm really hungry for brains...i mean the next part of this story!

the story picks up 4 months after the end of the 1st book. kc, jake, zack, mia, and granny are on the trail of the convicts. at 1st, i wasn't that enthused about them chasing after the convicts, but they quickly run into another group of survivors. after a tense confrontation, this other group of survivors lets kc's group spend the night at their safe house- a prison. yes, it's like the walking dead, but that's a nice comparison, right? oh come on! don't tell me you weren't glued to your t.v. every sunday night at 9 pm when the walking dead was on! i was! and i love me some nfl! ok. i digress...

kc and her group end up at a prison with another group of survivors. the cast of survivors at the prison is a good one. while there are a lot of survivors, the author does a good job managing and juggling them so you know who's who. you don't get lost in the crowd. there's another twist in the story- fast zombies. while not a new idea,
the author uses the concept well, really well! these fast zombies add a new dimension of terror and tension, and the author unleashes them at the right time. i was holding on to my seat and couldn't stop listening! for once in a long time, i wondered how the heck are they gonna get out of this?

the author does a really good job displaying the fear and power of the hoard. there's a lot more violence in this book. there's growth in the main characters, and the new characters are a good addition.

overall, i'm a happy camper after listening to an excellent zombie story since most i've listened to lately have been mediocre. i would've given this 5 stars except for the narration. yes, i still don't like how she does guys, but for once, that's my only caveat!

if you're a zombie fan, listened to the 1st, and wasn't that impressed, then i'd tell you to definitely give this a try. it'll more than make up for that book. if you liked the 1st book, you'll really like this one. if you haven't listened to the 1st book, then you could pick up
this one w/o missing too much.

this is the 1st zombie story that i've read or listened to where the main characters have a "zombie plan" in place when the zombie apocylapse happens. so when the dead start eating the living, they already know what to do.

kc and ben have been friends for 6 years; however, they've actually never meet in person. they met on the internet and over time, hashed out a "zombie plan." as the story begins, ben is in college in western pennsylvania. from his dorm window, he witnesses zombies attacking and eating people in the parking lot. in west va, kc is at work and sees something strange- someone shuffling through the hall seemingly carrying someone on their back. upon closer inspection, she sees that one of them is biting and trying to eat the other. kc realizes this is what she and ben have been planning for- the walking dead.

ben reaches kc by phone, and she instructs him that he needs to get to her house asap. ben tells her, he's waiting for his friend, jake, to get to his dorm room before heading her way. jake is a long-time friend of ben's and as such shares ben's and kc's belief of having a "zombie plan." the problem is jake is stuck in the chem lab with a few other students.

the first part of the story revolves around ben's escape from the campus and his journey to kc's house. this part of the story is told from 2 sides- ben's side and kc's side. while ben, jake, and a few other students flee the campus and journey to west va, kc is alone, making preparations and scoping out what's going on in her area. ben and kc are the main characters, but there are other characters. ben's friend, jake, and the other college kids with them- zack, trisha, and michael. kc's best friend, mia, is stuck in her home, and she and kc have a heart-wrenching phone call. i liked the secondary characters, but i found jake annoying.

this brings me to narration. maybe that's why i felt so annoyed with jake's character. he does a lot of yelling, yelling at other people. sorry ladies! i don't really like female narrators b/c they can't do men's voices well. yes, i've listened to bad men narrators whose female characters sounded like they have adam's apples, but i prefer men doing women over women doing men. maybe b/c most of the audiobooks i've listened to have been read by men. see...i'm not sexist! lol anyway, the narrator does do women well.

the second part of the story revolves around the group eking out a living at kc's house. kc's a loner and isn't entirely comfortable around people. so having a bunch of college kids living under her roof is something she has to learn to deal with. the second half of the story is your typical zombie story- once you have a safe house, fortify it, the area around it, and venture into the closest city.

a nice wrench is thrown into this part of the story, and i was kind of shocked by one of the repercussions.

there is zombie action in both parts of the story. in the 2nd part of the story, the author effectively uses the power of a zombie hoard, which is an aspect of the genre i always look for.

overall, the road less traveled is an ok opening zombie story. but i must tell you that i have just finished the 2nd book in this series, and it was excellent. i'm submitting a review of that one too. if you're a fan of zombie series, i would tell you to listen to the 1st book so that you can really enjoy the 2nd book. the 3rd book comes out later this month - 6/25/13. i'm going to listen to it as soon as it comes out. so if you're hesitant to start a new series, please come back later this month for my review of the 3rd book. i'm really looking forward to it! yes, the 2nd book was that much better!

although i've only read or listened to about 20+ sci-fi books, the fall of hyperion (tfoh) is at the top of my list. the beginning of the story introduces us to severn, who is another cybrid of john keats. at first, i was worried that this was a dumb plot twist; howver, my worries were quickly washed away! we see the whole story through severn's character. and what do i mean by the whole story? i mean the pilgrims' stories and the war with the ousters. severn has been hired by meina gladstone, the ceo of the hegemony, to provide an artistic view of the history-making moments happening. as such, he is invited to attend all of the crucial strategy sessions with the military command and techno core. however, severn's guise as an artist is a cover story for why he's always at meina's side. severn is linked to keats persona in brawne lamia's neural implant. so when he dreams, he dreams what's happening to the pilgrims on hyperion. meina schemes to keep severn close to her b/c what's happens on hyperioon may affect her decisions. there are schemes within schemes, but you don't get lost in all the scheming. as the story continues, all of the puzzle pieces start to make sense, and you're left understanding and admiring the scheming. geeezzz...i don't think i've ever used the word scheming soo many times! LOL i'll try not to use it any more.

meina gladstone is an excellent addition to the cast. she is an iron lady. i thought of margaret thatcher and winston churchill. ok. i was a teenager in the 80's. but i did know about reagan and thatcher joining forces to defeat the soviet union in the cold war. and i do know some about churchill and the decisions and speeches he made and gave as great britain was being pummeled by the nazis in ww2.

anyway...i thought of those 2 historical characters b/c of the overwhelming threats meina and the hegemony faced in the story. through sheer force of will, she is able to maintain her focus and clarity amid the ever-growing chaos building. dan simmons does a superb job providing details her backstory. he provides just enough to add to the story, but not too much to detract from the direction of the plot.
meina has an interesting connection to one of the pilgrims, and that connection plays a pivotal role in one of ALL scifi's most dramatic decisions. how's that for a pitch? LOL btw...mr simmons, you can send my royalty check to my paypal account!
don't worry! all the action taking place at tau ceti center doesn't detract from the story time of the pilgrims on hyperion.

a sandstorm has obstructed the pilgrims' venture to find answers. however, father hoyt's not letting that stop him from trying to find relief from the intense pain inflicted by the horrific cruciforms on his chest and back. noticing hoyt's missing, brawne searches for him as kassad secretly skulks behind her, hoping the shrike will be lured out by brawne so he can kill it.

so starts the story of the pilgrims. circumstances further divide the pilgrims so each has his or her own quest. above the pilgrims, the ousters and the hegemony battle in space.
there is so much going on in this book that i can't tell you more w/o giving its secrets away. all of the pilgrims' stories are wrapped up nicely, especially my favorite, kassad! you don't get the feeling that the author rushed it. there's no cheesey or half-baked concoction to fulfill each character's quest. to the contrary, each pilgrim's story, which began in the 1st book, is satisfyingly concluded with each character being impacted in a unique and meaningful way.

i should also say that dan simmons does not skimp on the ousters nor the techno core. Dan philosophically delves into what it means to be an ouster. if/when we humans colonize space, we may/should consider the differences dan simmons lays out b/ween the hegemony and the ousters. moore's law predicts the coming of the singularity, and as a race, we must decide whether or not we will cede our freedom and future to machines smarter than us. We are already heavily reliant on and dependent upon dumb software, daemons, to provide us with the conveniences of life- power, sanitation, the internet, nano second stock trading algorithms etc... simmons projects technology into the future and artfully and dramatically reveals the repercussions of choices made through the ousters and techno core.

overall, this story is thrilling, thought-provoking, and incredibly entertaining! Like I said earlier, the ending is one of the most dramatic and powerful endings I have ever read or listened to. Whew! Talk about goose bumps! LOL

if you liked hyperion, then you'll love this conclusion! if you thought hyperion was just ok, please give fall of hyperion a chance! i promiise it'll make up for any misgivings you have.

at the end of book 2, remy, gray, and ethan are fleeing with cade, who was wounded by a sniper. all of them thinking ethan died at the hands and teeth of the infected, having bought them time to escape. book 2 closes with ethan waking up at the westin hotel, still alive. his mysterious savior, alicia, informs him that he's alive but infected and that the medicine she gave him is not a cure. alicia wants to know where brandt is b/c his blood may contain the cure.

book 3 opens 4 weeks after the events in book2. brandt, remy, and gray have found a safe house for cade to recover at. after a few weeks of close calls, cade is finally awake and able to move around. ethan has been getting to know his surroundings AND alicia. so i don't spoil things, all i'll say is alicia was part of the team at the cdc when TSHTF. using her wiles, she extracts info from ethan about brandt and the rest of his group. using a map secretly taken from ethan's bag, alicia notifies ethan that she's putting a team together to look for brandt and the rest his group. ethan violently protests and demands to go with her, but alicia tells him that he's not psychologically ready as evidenced by his outburst. alicia reminds him that even though he's still alive, the michaluck virus has side effects, such as rage, as he just evinced. to further calm ethan down and placate him, alicia tells him that she's leaving him in charge of the 300+ survivors holed up in the westin.

don't worry! i haven't revealed too much! that's just the first few minutes.

elsewhere, brandt and gray are getting ready for an extended run to hunt for supplies. while they're away, alicia and her goons storm the safe house, looking for brandt. instead, they find cade and remy in an intimate moment. NO! not that kind of moment. LOL brandt and gray come back and find a bloodbath.

back at the westin, ethan's more of a superintendent than anything else, helping people and listening to their gripes. then a mysterious girl introduces herself and tells ethan about what's really going on at the westin. from then on it's a sprint to the end!
of the 3 books, this one is definitely the best! the cause of the outbreak is finally explained. although it's not very original, it suffices. there are bittersweet reunions and heartbreaking sacrifices that added to my enjoyment of the story. i like it when authors have the gravitas to kill off characters, especially in worthwhile ways! sorry! no spoilers! LOL

there is a lot more action in this book. finally, the author uses the power of a zombie hoard to effect.

overall, i liked this book. i just finished it, so i might be liking it more than i think, especially since i was frustrated and annoyed with the first 2 books. if you're interested in why and why i downloaded this book, please read my reviews of the first 2 books.

if you've read the previous 2 books and decided to give up, give this book a try. if i didn't find it as an enjoyable AND satisfying conclusion, then i would've wrote a scathing review, warning you to stay away.

if you're still reading...LOL...my one caveat is that we STILL don't know why some zombies are smart! is that an oxymoron? a smart zombie? come on jessica! i want to know why! you can email me! LOL

this shattered land picks up 2 years after the end of the 1st book. eric and gabe have been holed up at eric's grandmother's cabin in the mountains. they both begin to realize that they want more than just surviving. they decide to head to colorado springs, where what's left of the u.s. gov't has established a safe zone.

while hunting in one of the valleys around their cabin, eric and gabe discover a small family: tom, sara, and their 12 year old son, brian. the first half of the story deals with eric and gabe meeting and getting to know this family and getting prepared to leave their safe place for the wild journey to colorado. but before they can leave, they decide to venture into one of the nearby towns for supplies and items that might have a trade value. there are a few zombie battles in the first half of the story, but the survivors quickly learn their trickiest and deadliest enemy may be other survivors. those who have managed to survive have learned how to use zombies as weapons.

the second half of the story revolves around the journey to colorado. on their way there, they meet another survivor who deepens the mystery behind the red phage that turns humans into zombies. the group also learns the hard way that there are other groups vying for power with what's left of the u.s. gov't, in particular, the legion.

an old friend comes to the rescue during a deadly battle and leads the remaining wounded survivors to a safe zone. however, the safe zone has its own problems, and eric and gabe have some big decisions to make.

in this story, there is a transition between what's dangerous. initially, the zombies are the threat, but as the story progresses, other groups of survivors become the primary threat. i imagine this is believable b/c i believe this would be the natural progression in a zombie apocylapse, especially b/c there are no "special" zombies a la day by day armageddon.

it seems as if the story is also transitioning from a zombie survival story to more of a survival and re-building society story, which is kind of different than most of the z-stories i've listened to lately.

overall, i liked it. if you listened to the first book and liked it, you'll probably like this continuation. NOTE: i'm a zombie enthusiast and listen to a lot of z-books and really like series. so if you're like me and exhausted a bunch of other z-books, try this. it's pretty good. there are some problems/weaknesses, but i can easily say i was entertained. to me, it was worth a credit, but i go through credits easy. LOL

i guess my biggest complaint is still the narrator. while his male voices are ok, his female voices are just awful. it did detract a little from the story.

one of the better zombie stories i've listened to lately. eric comes into money the old-fashioned way- he inherited it. however, how he comes to be a millionaire is well thought out by the author. along with money, eric inherits some property. he sells his grandmother's cabin in the mountains to a guy named gabe. over time, they become good friends and one night eric finally asks gabe how he got the money to buy eric's cabin. hestitantly, gabe tells eric about his mysterious past and the preparations he's making for an uncertain future.

while there are some aspects of survivalism in the first part of the story, the author does not bog you down with too many details.

the 1st 1/3 of the story details eric's background, how he came into money, his relationship with gabe, and the initial outbreak in atlanta. i enjoyed this part b/c the author slowed down and described the initial outbreak via newscasts ric was watching. plus, gabe's background is interesting.

as the outbreak begins, eric is alone. he lives somewhere ooutside of charlotte, nc while gabe is living in the cabin in the mountains. before the phone lines go down, gabe tells eric to hole up in his bunker and head to the cabin once things get a little less crazy.

the last 2/3 of the story is eric's journey to the cabin. on his way there eric faces a moral dilemma. he meets up with another group of survivors and decides to help them. in doing so, he makes new friends and frenemies. the author does a good job of adding depth to these other characters. eric comes to be good friends with some of the survivors and ends up staying with them longer than he planned.

towards the end of the book, you learn more about the state of things in the u.s. and around the world. although most of the zombie gore is in the beginning, this is a good end of the world survival story.

the writing is strong, and there's believable introspection by the different characters.

however, there are some weaknesses. aside from the opening, there's not a lot of zombie gore and carnage. i really like z-bboks that have a sense of dread. i never feared for characters in this book. there was no sense of impending doom, no shambling zombie hoard. guess tufo spoiled me in those regards.

my biggest caveat was the narrator. whlle his guy voices were ok, his girl voices were just aweful. so bad that i wondered if some of them had an adam's apple. LOL

overall, i enjoyed the story. i listen to a lot of zombie books, and the difference between the middle tier z-books are mostly the characters. i've listened to z-books with all kinds of characters- average joes, moms, military types, etc.. i think this is the 1st i've listened to where the main protagonist is a 1%er. so, yeah, i liked it!

first of all, let me say i'm a sucker for zombie books. i'll give any z-book a chance. i downloaded the becoming 2 b/c the first book was entertaining enough. my biggest caveat was the "believability." yes, i'm using the word, "believability," when reviewing a "zombie" story. LOL

well after listening to the becoming 2, i'm still annoyed by the "believability" of the characters' actions. what do i mean? glad you asked! LOL ok...the dead come back to life and start eating people. you lose friends and family. it's a really emotional time. i get it! i feel you. LOL so if you lose you s#!t, i get it. but if you keep losing control of yourself, i'll drop you like a bad habit. sorry, that's just the way it is in a zombie apocylapse. i might not shoot you, but i'll definitely coldcock you, especially if you're my friend, and ESPECIALLY if there are zombies around! LOL

this is what i don't get! ethan was a cop, cade was an idf soldier, and brandt was a marine. why the heck can't they keep their cool? they're supposed to be some of the most disciplined people. throughout the story, they lose control of themselves and yell and holler at each other- e.g. in their safehouse, on the highway, etc...

now, i don't know about you, but i "believe" i would be as quiet as i could in my SAFEHOUSE and on the highway, especially if i was on foot! these outbursts in the worst possible places affect the "believability" of the story.

ok mike...what about the rest of it? alight, i'll tell you if you hold your horses! LOL the becoming 2 picks up about a year after the first book ends, ethan and his team have become somewhat famous for saving people. a mysterious woman named avi shows up, and she wants ethan and his team to escort her to atlanta to find out what the gov't is hiding about the zombie outbreak. as the team heads to atlanta, brandt starts to reveal more about himself and what happened.

the story is bookended with action. as a zombie story, it's ok. what kept my interest were the mysteries around the zombies- e.g. how did this happen, what else is brandt hiding, and why are some of the zombies smarter than others?

like i said, i'm a sucker for zombie books. LOL will i get the 3rd book that's coming out soon? yes! why? b/c the ending of this book hooked me.

however that's not saying that there's still a lot wrong with the story. there's not a lot of zombie action, but there is a lot of inter-personal conflict, which gets tiring. there's no sense of dread from the zombies. there's no zombie hoard to fight or flee from.

overall if you liked the first book, it's more of the same. if you didn't, then come back and read my review when the 3rd book comes out (end of may 2013), and i'll let you know if it's worth listening to book 2.

wow! that went by fast. too fast! gee-whiz! once again, b.v. larson delivers and impresses with his latest installment of star force, annihilation, and THAT IS an apt title! whew! the macros truly are heartless and cold-blooded! duh! they're machines and have neither. sorry, i'm a little giddy after just finishing listening to mark boyett's excellent performance.

i always end up appreciating the depth of b.v larson's writing b/c...sorry guys and gals...my first impressions of the biotic aliens are "oh that sounds stupid!" rigg's latest biotic nemesis are crustaceans. after their initial appearance, i thought b.v. had lost it! lobsters! smart, space-faring f@%king lobsters? first, there were the worms then the centaurs, and now lobsters.

once again, b.v. larson delivers! as before, his writing and boyett's narration created an environment where i was able to just listen and suspend my judgment about the implausibility and seemingly craziness of lobsters in space.

with each new biotic race b.v. introduces, he adds another facet to this series, which makes the overall story even more precious. each biotic race is interesting and peculiar in its own way, and the lobsters are no exception.

i enjoyed learning more about the blues and their questionable motivations. and then there are the macros!

after the events in empire, i was glad b.v. continued to move the plot along in this book. an old frenemy shows up, and there are serious repercussions from his visit. as we learn more about what's been happening on earth, you learn emperor crowe is even more of a megalomaniac than previously thought! dang, he's an evil b@$tard! but what makes the "earth" scenario even more sinister is that the particular outcome depicted is plausible.

if you like the series so far, you won't be disappointed. thankfully, there's no let down in b.v.'s storytelling. all of your favorite characters are back! and marvin? well, he's STILL marvin! after listening to the last 5 minutes, i'm sure you'll join me do our best "marvin" on b.v. and prod him to hurry and release the next installment of star force! lol you'll know what i mean when you get there!

sure if they're avid zombie fans. if you're new to the zombie genre, there are a lot of other books you should read before this.

i've been eating my way through the zombie novels on audible, and i came across this one, the becoming. i was skeptical at 1st b/c of the cover art, but i gave the sample a try. being an avid zombie fan, i decided to download the book b/c of the fast start to the story.

the story starts out with brandt running, hiding, and fighting through the streets of atllanta. apparently, he was part of a marine contingent at the cdc (center for disease control) when a virus went air born and started infecting people. he abandoned his post as soon as he realized the red line was crossed.

the story then breaks to memphis, tn. it's the morning after ethan has been promoted. he's hung over. he manages to join his wife, anna, and best friend, cabe, out back for some grilled food. when ethan asks cabe about her boyfriend, drew, she tells him that he came back from his business trip to atlanta with a cold. later in the day, they get the news that there's rioting in memphis. anna is called into the hospital to help. as night falls, all H-E-Double Hockey Sticks starts to break loose.

the 1st part of the becoming covers the initial outbreak of the michaluk virus. then there is a time skip of about 3 months. this is done pretty well.

the book is paced well. there's zombie action in the beginning, followed by some down time, and then there's more zombie action action that leads to the ending.

while i liked the story, there were parts that were unbelievable. according to my myers briggs personality type, i'm an intp (introversion, intuition, thinking, perception). whle i'm sure i'd be freaking out and half hysterical at 1st, i'd like to think i'd get my s#!t together within 72 hours. at least, that's what i think! lol anyway, i KNOW i wouldn't be screaming, throwing temper tangents, and breaking stuff. ethan and cabe are both hot heads, who at times let their emotions get the better of them. he's been a cop for 20 years, and she was an idf (israeli defense force) soldier for 7 years. so, it is kind of unbelievable when they lose control of their emotions when they're supposed to be keeping it low key, hiding in their safe house. my best friend is very loud. it's even a joke among our friends. i don't think he'd lose it like ethan and cabe do at times.

anyway, that's my major complaint.

the zombie action is pretty good. there is a nice twist on the zombies. they aren't your pure romero type slow, dumb, walkers. since this is the 1st in a series, i hope the author fleshes out why some of the infected are smarter than others. well, i may have just answered my own question. in this story, there are people who are infected but aren't yet zombies- they haven't been killed. maybe the infected but not dead are the smart ones? well, it is a twist that's kind of a mystery, and i'm a sucker for mysteries.

the narrator is ok. be ready for a bunch of southern drawl. i'm from virginia and don't think i have an accent even though my yankee friends think i do. lol i tell them if they want accent, then i can introduce them to some of my friends who're from georgia. lol

overall, it was what i wanted. a pretty good zombie story. yes, there are some problems and annoyances, but i'm not looking to solve any deep conundrums. i wanted to be entertained, and i was. the becoming isn't in my top 15, but it was entertaining enough for me to download book 2.