The Becoming

Anna Strong, Vampire, Book 1

By: Jeanne C. Stein

Narrated by: Dina Pearlman

Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Anna Strong is trained for anything - until she's attacked one night, only to awaken in a dark world that exists between the living and the dead. Here, Anna struggles with her love for the two men who inhabit the realms of each: Max, a human DEA agent, and Avery, a Night Watcher who joins Anna in pursuit of the vampire who changed her life. Now, as her two worlds collide, fate plunges Anna into the ultimate battle between good and evil - where survival is not just for the living.

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©2006 Jeanne C. Stein (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Pearlman uses subtly different voices for Avery, Anna, and Anna’s partner, David, whose kidnapping propels Anna into a dangerous cat-and-mouse game. While Anna’s wry humor could be more strongly expressed, Pearlman’s delivery of the book’s suspense keeps listeners engaged. Pearlman’s even handling of dialogue, description, and Anna’s internal musings make for a fast-paced paranormal adventure." (AudioFile)

Fair

I always struggle with present tense stories. Despite this, the story was quite engaging. However, the narrator sounds asthmatic and listening to her keeps making me want to reach for my inhaler.

Laura Croft would be proud....

If you like books with a strong female character, then you'll like this one. Anna is tough with a vulnerable side, and that's what I truly enjoyed about her story. The briefness of the love scenes is why I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars, but the writer makes up for this by making the rest of the story so interesting.

Just love these books.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Becoming to be better than the print version?

Yes! i feel you get more information from audio books.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Becoming?

When she found her partner.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Surprising story line

Not bad but have read better

What did you like best about The Becoming? What did you like least?

I liked the strong heroin but I thought the book was very predictable. Also it said she was torn between two men yet we never got to develop any feeling for the characters boyfriend max. really made it hard to be

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Becoming?

When she found her partner in the secret passage. Although very predictable

Would you be willing to try another one of Dina Pearlman’s performances?

Yes I am already reading the second novel

Do you think The Becoming needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

It has one. Still having problems identifyiny with the attraction to the boyfriend Max.

Any additional comments?

Many of the books like this one I have read build up an attraction between two characters before they become intimately involved. would like to see something like that in this series.
Narrator also doesnt do the men's voices well.

Strong female character

I love books that draw you in from the beginning! This is one of those books. I also like that it does not do it with manipulation.

Thought it would be better...

I really think I would have like this book if I would have read it, and not listened to the narrator. She is boring, and there was no excitement in her voice. And the parts where there should have been some intensity, and panic in her voice.. There was nothing but monotone phrases. I wont be listening to the rest of the series. Not worth the credit.

Ditching it

Given that the book starts out with a "was it rape?" scenario of how Anna was turned, followed by condescending "lessons" about what vampires are in this world, I'm not even going to bother continuing with this book. Someone named Anna Strong shouldn't put up with patronizing bullshit. The story may get better later on (I doubt it), but I just can't stomach getting through the first quarter of the book to get there. The narrator is doing a decent job but I just can't stand the character/situation.

I could barely finish this one

and I LOVE a good vampire tale. The story line was BORING and predictable but what really tanked this one for me was the narration. It was HORRENDOUS!! Monotone, flat and uninspired are three words that describe the reading of this blah blah boring story. Glad I didn't spend more than $5 for this one. Even that was too much.

Lifeless narration!

What disappointed you about The Becoming?

Anna Strong is a school teacher turn bounty hunter instead of a savvy and smart woman we get a school teacher indecisive and unsure of her moves. I got bored and I lost interest in the story. I'll get the second book and read it myself, if the story remains predictable then that will be the end of it for this author. I will not buy the rest of the serie as audiobooks.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Fangs Out by David Freed and its not a vampire story. I prefer Laurell K. Hamilton's vampires there's nothing G rated about them ditto with J.R. Ward,Nalini Sighn, Patricia Briggs or Tanya Huff.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Monotonous reading, no life to it all, even during the battle scenes. Anna may go into a rage but you wouldn't know it from the narrator. She is a good narrator but not for this sort of books.

What character would you cut from The Becoming?

None,there are no superfluous character.

Frustrating and disappointing

This book made me mad from the beginning. And let me preface this by saying I do not write reviews in the first place but this had to be said. Rape is rape no matter what. A person does not become a "participant" if the rapist makes their body react physically without their own free will (whether through magic or whatever). That just makes it even worse that a person not only forced themselves on you and violated you, they also made your body have a physical chemical response to it that was beyond their control. Disgusting.
The book did not get very much better after that. For example, the main character does not make any sense. First she is supposedly a bounty hunter and playing back up for her partner but she is in heels and a mini skirt?? And she isn't the bait to lure the mark out. How can vampires read other vampire minds but not human minds? It just is weird. I don't know about anyone else but I figured out how this book was going to end around half way through. Not worth the listen.