Review and Giveaway: "Patient Zero" by Jim Beck

Goodreads Synopsis of Patient Zero by Jim Beck: "Bob has a brain tumor.

Not to worry, though. He's the prime subject for a new procedure involving nanotechnology. Microscopic robots are introduced into his body and effectively destroy the tumor. Job well done.

But there's a catch. A virus lying dormant for years inside him is manipulated by the tiny machines and causes Bob to die and then be brought back to life as a zombie.
His transformation into one of the living dead is slow, first appearing as a skin rash and advanced arthritis. And if that wasn't bad enough, the virus has mutated and Bob is slowly losing control. Now, no one is safe -- not the neighborhood pets, his co-workers, even his son.

Told from the point of view of the zombie virus itself, this story of a single father, his son, and a zombie outbreak is a cautionary tale of advanced medical science and where it might lead us."

My review: I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I was approached about reading and reviewing Patient Zero by Jim Beck. Though I love zombie movies, I can’t really recall ever reading any books about them. Patient Zero surprised, horrified, delighted, made me slightly nauseous in places, and also made me laugh. It is everything that a good zombie story should be.
Patient Zero is told from the perspective of the virus, a concept that I found rather interesting and different. The virus has an interesting perspective on humanity and a twisted sense of humor. The virus tells the story of how he infects the likable Robert Forrester, who happens to be having a lot of bad luck lately. Robert was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor, and as a last resort, in order to be there for his son, Nate, Robert agrees to an untested nanotechnology treatment. The treatment cures the tumor, but Robert slowly starts to turn into a zombie. The process is equal parts hilarity and horror.

I don’t want to tell you too much more. The book is short, only 106 PDF pages, and I don’t want to give too much more away. It took me a very short time to read, because I couldn’t put the book down. I will definitely be reading more of this author’s works. His writing style is easy to read, enthralling, and touched by a dark sense of humor (but not too dark). Patient Zero is one of the better books that I’ve read lately, and I highly recommend it to anyone that loves zombies, horror and/or humor.

I would give this book 4 stars.

Giveaway info: As part of my appreciation for this author's work, I am giving away a kindle copy of Patient Zero. Giveaway runs from now through Sunday, February 26, 2012 at midnight. Please enter using rafflecopter. It rafflecopter is being wonky, feel free to enter in the comment section and I will add your entries in by hand. Following is not necessary but is greatly appreciated. There are extra entries for following and suggesting other zombie books to read. Must be able to accept a kindle book. Rafflecopter form is below the author bio.

Author bio: Jim Beck is a freelance writer and produced screenwriter who resides in Burbank, California with his loving wife, rambunctious son, and cute little dog named Monster. He has written for Cartoon Network's Pink Panther & Pals, produced a short zombie film and independent feature film in 2011, and is currently awaiting the release of his first direct-to-dvd creature feature.
Jim's screenplays have placed very high (and in some cases, won) in contests conducted by Cinescape Magazine, Project Greenlight, Acclaim TV, Acclaim Film, and Writer's Boot Camp, among several others. In the case of Writer's Boot Camp, he was awarded a one year writer's fellowship to develop future projects.

Jim runs his own website (www.blackroostercreations.com) and has self-published two full novels, Patient Zero and Virgil: A Superhero Tale. He is currently prepping his third and fourth, a supernatural story called Beneath and his own unique take on the classic Jekyll & Hyde tale. He is also the creator of two ongoing TV In Prose series, Alter Ego and Pest Control, which are books given the television treatment, split into seasons and episodes.

In his spare time, he enjoys watching movies, having open-heart surgery (though he was a teenager at the time, so not his choice), playing video games, and searching the universe hoping to find more spare time.



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