Book Review | Ex-Heroes by Peter Clines

Ex-Heroes is the first book in Peter Clines's Ex-Heroes series.

Stealth. Gorgon. Regenerator. Cerberus. Zzzap. The Mighty Dragon. They were heroes, using their superhuman abilities to make Los Angeles a better place.

Then the plague of living death spread around the globe. Billions died, civilization fell, and the city of angels was left a desolate zombie wasteland.

Now, a year later, the Mighty Dragon and his companions protect a last few thousand survivors in their film-studio-turned-fortress, the Mount. Scarred and traumatized by the horrors they’ve endured, the heroes fight the armies of ravenous ex-humans at their citadel’s gates, lead teams out to scavenge for supplies—and struggle to be the symbols of strength and hope the survivors so desperately need.

But the hungry ex-humans aren’t the only threats the heroes face. Former allies, their powers and psyches hideously twisted, lurk in the city’s ruins. And just a few miles away, another group is slowly amassing power . . . led by an enemy with the most terrifying ability of all.

Peter Clines's books are damn fun. After reading 14, I knew I had to see what Clines would do with superheroes and zombies. I was not disappointed.

I'm starting to find I enjoy superhero books. I read Raymond Rose's The Fire Inside a couple of years ago, and I really enjoyed it. I've been wanting some more superhero action. I didn't dream they would be fighting zombies. Win!

There are two things I want when I'm reading a zombie book: science and something new. Ex-Heroes has both. I was surprised and so pleased to find an adequate connection between the superheroes and the zombies. There was also a lot of just plain zombie fun, too.

If you aren't sick of zombies yet and you want something fun to read, Ex-Heroes will provide you with some good entertainment.

7/10: Recommended Read

Discussion:
So let me hear it - are you still loving the zombies or have you had enough? As for superheroes, if you've read a superhero book you loved, I'd love to have some recommendations.

Book Review | 14 by Peter Clines

I normally start out my review by classifying the book in some fashion, but I have no clue how to classify 14!

Padlocked doors. Strange light fixtures. Mutant cockroaches.

There are some odd things about Nate's new apartment.

Of course, he has other things on his mind. He hates his job. He has no money in the bank. No girlfriend. No plans for the future. So while his new home isn't perfect, it's livable. The rent is low, the property managers are friendly, and the odd little mysteries don't nag at him too much.

At least, not until he meets Mandy, his neighbor across the hall, and notices something unusual about her apartment. And Xela's apartment. And Tim's. And Veek's.

Because every room in this old Los Angeles brownstone has a mystery or two. Mysteries that stretch back over a hundred years. Some of them are in plain sight. Some are behind locked doors. And all together these mysteries could mean the end of Nate and his friends.

Or the end of everything...

What the heck did I just read? 14 was a crazy read, and I loved it. I don't think one single assumption I made turned out to be correct. I'm scared to even say much about it so you guys will stay as clueless as I was about what was going to happen next. The mystery and the crazy turns are what made 14 such a fun read for me.

I will say that 14 is about a strange apartment building. A very strange apartment building.

If you are a fan of speculative fiction, I highly recommend you dive into 14. I'm an instant fan of Peter Clines, and I already have my hands on his superhero/zombie book Ex Heroes.

8/10: Great Read

Discussion:
Have you read 14 or Peter Clines's Ex Heroes series? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Are you a fan of speculative fiction? 14 rolls a lot of genres into one fun ride. Will you be reading?

Book Review: The Becoming by Jessica Meigs

The Becoming is the first book in a zombie series by Jessica Meigs.

Book Description

The Michaluk Virus is loose.

In the heart of Atlanta, Georgia, the Michaluk Virus has escaped the CDC, and its effects are widespread and devastating. Most of the population of the southeastern United States have become homicidal cannibals. As society rapidly crumbles under the hordes of infected, three people—Ethan Bennett, a Memphis police officer; Cade Alton, his best friend and former IDF sharpshooter; and Brandt Evans, a lieutenant in the US Marines—band together against the oncoming crush of death and terror sweeping across the world.

As Cade, Brandt, and Ethan hole up in a safe house in Tupelo, others begin to join them in their bid for survival. When the infected attack and they’re forced to flee, one departs to Memphis in search of answers while the others escape south to Biloxi, where they encounter more danger than they bargained for. And in Memphis, the answers that one man finds are the last answers he wanted, answers that herald a horrific possibility that there may be more to this virus than first suspected.

Zombies!

Some things to note going into this review: it contains minor spoilers for season one of The Walking Dead, and I still haven't seen season two.

I appreciated a lot of the traditional zombie elements of The Becoming, but what I really loved was the fast paced beginning. I was hooked right away and tearing through the pages. I think it is safe to say Meigs is an old school fan of zombies. Even though her zombies are the 28 Days Later flavor, they do have some Romero tossed in and a nice twist on the intelligence of the zombies.

A funny thing happened on the way to the zompocalyse, though. My personal experiences and preconceived notions started to get the better of me. The best way I can relate this is to compare The Becoming to The Walking Dead. If you love watching The Walking Dead, you will probably also love The Becoming.

The Walking Dead and The Becoming have some of the same problems for me. I couldn't get past the fact that they were able to drive in and out of Atlanta (both). Just panning down to the bumper to bumper abandoned cars on the highway below (The Walking Dead) wasn't enough for me. I live in hurricane alley. I know when everyone needs to get up and go, there are no roads and there is no gas. I also have preconceived notions about the CDC. If it didn't bother you that the man's wife in the CDC footage at the end of season one (The Walking Dead) ran the CDC and still managed to get infected, it won't bother you that the Michaluk Virus (The Becoming) originated at the CDC.

I also know when the gov'ment clears a city, there is no going back.

There are two distinct parts of The Becoming with a jump in time between the two. The characters were far more likeable in the first part - which contained most of the creepy zombie build up and page turning action - than they were in the second part where everyone's frustrations, fear, and cabin fever were closing in upon them. By the end of The Becoming, however, the characters had joined back together, gotten closure on some things that were eating at them (no pun intended), and they seemed ready to band together for survival. This shows a lot of promise as to where this series could be heading.

Much in the same way I'm still a fan of The Walking Dead, I will keep my eyes (and my mind) open for the next installment of The Becoming.

5/10: I'm torn down the middle

Review copy provided by the author