His blue eyes glared out the window; her green eyes flickered with anger. Brent's dark eyes (or, sometimes, brown eyes) closed with exhaustion...

I have absolutely no idea why people's eye color is mentioned every time they do something with their eyes. Do his blue eyes see something different than they would if they were brown? I kept waiting for their eye colors to become significant (i.e., his blue eyes turned grey as the life ebbed out of him). But, alas, no...

I won't go into how every action included an adverb: they don't smile, they smile tightly. They don't run, they run haltingly. They don't speak, they speak softly. They don't open a door, they open a door hesitantly.

And there is a lapse of consistency - at the very start we are specifically told that these are "not zombies" - they just have a virus that makes them angry and violent. And yet, later in the story, these "not zombies" have an overwhelming need to eat human flesh. Well... far as I know, the urge to eat human flesh pretty much *is* the hallmark of zombiehood. Being angry and violent does not equate to munching on brains... sorry Ms. Meigs.

I hate to say it because it's few and far between when zombie books are written by women - but - you can tell this author has read a lot more of, shall we say, chick-lit urban fantasy than zombie fiction.

It's not *bad* - for a zombie book. (I have read some that were sooo bad I couldn't finish them, this one is finishable.) And it's refreshing to skip the bog-standard "oh there's a woman, let's rape her" that is rampant in zombieland... it's just that not much happens and the characters' eye colors are more fully developed than their personalities.

I'll probably read more by Meigs as I suspect she'll get better as she writes more in this genre, and learns to tone down her use of adverbs and eye-actions. There isn't any sex or gore and it's not particularly violent. I don't recall any swearing. ( )

Fast, fun, and zombies.

Following the outbreak of a quick spreading virus, the struggle for a few of the survivors has never been this fun to read.

Permuted Press has been the safe haven for zombie lovers. If you're looking for seasoned or up and coming authors depicting the dead taking over every facet of our lives then Permuted Press is the place to go.

This brings us to [a:Jessica Meigs|4524583|Jessica Meigs|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1322100729p2/4524583.jpg], this rookie author released The Becoming earlier in two installments,[b:The Becoming: Outbreak|10184548|The Becoming Outbreak|Jessica Meigs|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1302236505s/10184548.jpg|14866793] and [b:The Becoming: Safe House|10649319|The Becoming Safe House|Jessica Meigs|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1302468706s/10649319.jpg|18274252]. The fans loved them and now she has been given the ability to tell this story to a wider audience She has turned this story into a trilogy which I can't wait for the next installments.

So what do we get in this first part?

Yes of course, we have zombies that hunt, strategize, and scream in pain while they try to capture their next dinner all set in southern areas of Memphis and Biloxi. The zombie trend is in full swing and there is no cure in site.

The Michaluk virus has been let loose and Atlanta was the first city to fall. It quickly grows like wildfire.

Ethan and Cade best friends for the past seven years are forced to survive despite overwhelming loss.

The book reads like a fast spreading virus, where you can't put the book down because you know that by doing so you find that the virus has consumed everying before you know it. The first half details the onset of the outbreak and introduces us to Cade, Ethan, and Brandt, the three main characters throughout the story. You're easily swept up n the pandemonium that hits Memphis and instantly feel the sudden loss of life that quickly occurs.

The second half details the relations some of the survivors create as they are forced together in order to make it through the chaos. The survivors meet numerous other individuals who all contribute in some way for the whole group to overcome the virus.
Many questions start to occur that the author is reluctant to give, perhaps this will be divulged in one of the next two books of this trilogy.

I've rated this a very strong 4 star rating. I only had 2 reservations that kept it from a 4.5. The cover art didn't do the story justice. And the transition between the first and second half left me a bitter feeling since the characters actions changed dramatically that didn't coincide with how they were developed earlier. Afterwards it worked out and the climax was well worth it.

Overall a fun and delightful read especially coming from such a young aspiring author that one can hope to see a lot more from her in the future. ( )

Fast, fun, and zombies.

Following the outbreak of a quick spreading virus, the struggle for a few of the survivors has never been this fun to read.

Permuted Press has been the safe haven for zombie lovers. If you're looking for seasoned or up and coming authors depicting the dead taking over every facet of our lives then Permuted Press is the place to go.

This brings us to [a:Jessica Meigs|4524583|Jessica Meigs|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1322100729p2/4524583.jpg], this rookie author released The Becoming earlier in two installments,[b:The Becoming: Outbreak|10184548|The Becoming Outbreak|Jessica Meigs|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1302236505s/10184548.jpg|14866793] and [b:The Becoming: Safe House|10649319|The Becoming Safe House|Jessica Meigs|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1302468706s/10649319.jpg|18274252]. The fans loved them and now she has been given the ability to tell this story to a wider audience She has turned this story into a trilogy which I can't wait for the next installments.

So what do we get in this first part?

Yes of course, we have zombies that hunt, strategize, and scream in pain while they try to capture their next dinner all set in southern areas of Memphis and Biloxi. The zombie trend is in full swing and there is no cure in site.

The Michaluk virus has been let loose and Atlanta was the first city to fall. It quickly grows like wildfire.

Ethan and Cade best friends for the past seven years are forced to survive despite overwhelming loss.

The book reads like a fast spreading virus, where you can't put the book down because you know that by doing so you find that the virus has consumed everying before you know it. The first half details the onset of the outbreak and introduces us to Cade, Ethan, and Brandt, the three main characters throughout the story. You're easily swept up n the pandemonium that hits Memphis and instantly feel the sudden loss of life that quickly occurs.

The second half details the relations some of the survivors create as they are forced together in order to make it through the chaos. The survivors meet numerous other individuals who all contribute in some way for the whole group to overcome the virus.
Many questions start to occur that the author is reluctant to give, perhaps this will be divulged in one of the next two books of this trilogy.

I've rated this a very strong 4 star rating. I only had 2 reservations that kept it from a 4.5. The cover art didn't do the story justice. And the transition between the first and second half left me a bitter feeling since the characters actions changed dramatically that didn't coincide with how they were developed earlier. Afterwards it worked out and the climax was well worth it.

Overall a fun and delightful read especially coming from such a young aspiring author that one can hope to see a lot more from her in the future. ( )

I had taken a break from reading zombie novels for a while. Burned out. Between writing my own, reading everything on the shelves, The Walking Dead, and zombie movies, I felt I’d deserved a break. Jessica Meigs’ The Becoming is the first I’ve read in months. It was a perfect way to slip back into the genre, I think.

RPV (Regenerative Osychotic Virus) is the name given to the Michaluk Virus. It causes infected people to become enraged, and dangerous. It gives them a blood lust. The re-animated people are fast, strong, and strategic. A deadly combination that can only spell trouble for survivors on the run!

The main character is Cade, a former IDF (Israeli Defense Forces). The other is Ethan, a recently promoted Memphis PD officer. The two are best-friends and neighbors. The outbreak is fast and lethal. Southern cities are quickly overtaken. No one in this novel is safe from heartache. With tough choices needing to be made, and then being made, the two must do everything they can to make it from one safe location to the next until they can find a state, city, or town that is infected-free.

Brandt Evans is a marine who joins the duo. He was tasked as one of the military in charge with safeguarding the CDC when Hell broke loose. Since, he has been doing his best to stay alive. Together, the three search for sanctuary as well as answers.

The only issue I had with the story was Ethan. He is a cop. The first three-quarters of the book, he has no cop-instinct, is often confused about what to do, what needs to be done, and what should be done next. He falls behind Cade’s lead, in an almost clueless fashion. Maybe it is because I work at 911, and deal with officers regularly. They are Type A personalities through and through, and nothing about Ethan rings true. Nothing wrong with Cade being more experienced, (as she is a trained marksman, and was high high ranking within the IDF), but Ethan may have been better cast as a civilian than an officer. That, however, is my only … “complaint” with the book. And it is a minor one at that.

The Becoming is fast. Gritty. The writing is easy to follow, and the narrative descriptive enough to place you inside the pages, without being overdone and distracting from the steady fast-pace of the tale. Meigs can tell a story. She knows her craft. She’s honed it and the execution is clearly laid out on the pages of The Becoming. I cannot wait to dive into the other books in this series!

Phillip Tomasso
Author of The Vaccination Trilogy, and other novels
www.philliptomasso.com ( )