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Dark Beginnings
What if you lived in a small coastal town where a madman was determined to share his gift of eternal life with his community?
What if a serum designed to dramatically alter DNA had the power to attach itself to docile marine life, creating a creature capable of tremendous violence and destruction?
HAL JOHNSTON, a brilliant scientist at Raydon Labs in Northern California, tries to create a life extending medication when his beloved wife HOLLY is stricken with terminal cancer. Denied treatment by their medical insurance company, HAL steps up his research on his “Blue Gem Serum” by adding ingredients not sanctioned by the FDA.
HAL’s antidote was supposed to cure the ravenous disease in Holly’s body. Instead, it extends her life indefinitely as she reanimates into a zombie capable of spreading the disease.
After HAL’s secret laboratory is discovered and his beloved HOLLY destroyed, the now mentally deranged scientist takes the future of mankind into his own hands. He climbs a viaduct flowing to the Pacific Ocean where he takes his own life but only after he has released his viral vaccine into the water supply.
The serum mixes with the local marine life and starts a chain reaction, quickly devastating the small coastal town. Venomous, genetically altered sea creatures emerge from the ocean and begin a deadly rampage. One sting from the creature’s venomous tail turns its human foe into a lifeless walking zombie.
A bite from a zombie or a sting from a “scrabion” spreads the deathly infection. No one is safe.
As the survival battle begins, a diverse group of personalities come together. Homeless drunk JIMMY, pest exterminator JOEY, escaped prisoner RICK, teenage stoner friends MARK and KEITH, medical student AARON and forensic nurse WHITNEY to name a few, offer each other support as Tylerton dies around them.
They win some fights and they lose some fights as we wonder who will make it and who will join the hopeless undead. Each member of the group contributes in different ways as they build a makeshift haven inside a Mimi’s Café.
The US ARMY and the CDC join forces to combat the epidemic. They deploy various methods to try to halt the invasion and multiplication of zombies and mutated creatures alike - much without success. Eventually, the problem seems to be contained, but is it?
This is “Dark Beginnings” the first installment in D.S.SAGER’S apocalyptic series EVIL VEIN.
What if a serum designed to dramatically alter DNA had the power to attach itself to docile marine life, creating a creature capable of tremendous violence and destruction?
HAL JOHNSTON, a brilliant scientist at Raydon Labs in Northern California, tries to create a life extending medication when his beloved wife HOLLY is stricken with terminal cancer. Denied treatment by their medical insurance company, HAL steps up his research on his “Blue Gem Serum” by adding ingredients not sanctioned by the FDA.
HAL’s antidote was supposed to cure the ravenous disease in Holly’s body. Instead, it extends her life indefinitely as she reanimates into a zombie capable of spreading the disease.
After HAL’s secret laboratory is discovered and his beloved HOLLY destroyed, the now mentally deranged scientist takes the future of mankind into his own hands. He climbs a viaduct flowing to the Pacific Ocean where he takes his own life but only after he has released his viral vaccine into the water supply.
The serum mixes with the local marine life and starts a chain reaction, quickly devastating the small coastal town. Venomous, genetically altered sea creatures emerge from the ocean and begin a deadly rampage. One sting from the creature’s venomous tail turns its human foe into a lifeless walking zombie.
A bite from a zombie or a sting from a “scrabion” spreads the deathly infection. No one is safe.
As the survival battle begins, a diverse group of personalities come together. Homeless drunk JIMMY, pest exterminator JOEY, escaped prisoner RICK, teenage stoner friends MARK and KEITH, medical student AARON and forensic nurse WHITNEY to name a few, offer each other support as Tylerton dies around them.
They win some fights and they lose some fights as we wonder who will make it and who will join the hopeless undead. Each member of the group contributes in different ways as they build a makeshift haven inside a Mimi’s Café.
The US ARMY and the CDC join forces to combat the epidemic. They deploy various methods to try to halt the invasion and multiplication of zombies and mutated creatures alike - much without success. Eventually, the problem seems to be contained, but is it?
This is “Dark Beginnings” the first installment in D.S.SAGER’S apocalyptic series EVIL VEIN.
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
6 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Diane Sager
7 books51 followersDiane Sager resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her British husband Russ, three dogs, two cats and an African grey parrot named Storm. She holds a fascination for all things macabre and has developed a deep knowledge of horror, serial killers, vampires, zombies, the Tarot, world religions, witchcraft and the occult.
A former high school teacher of emotionally disturbed and high-risk youth, Diane is now dedicated to full time writing.
Contact her at celticdi@gmail.com
A former high school teacher of emotionally disturbed and high-risk youth, Diane is now dedicated to full time writing.
Contact her at celticdi@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 27, 2014
Okay, soooo this isn't my typical read. Actually, it's my first ever zombie book, so I had no expectations going in. No clue what to expect and wasn't sure if I would even be able to stick with it.
Turns out, I surprised myself, or maybe the book surprised me...either way, I found myself enjoying it. The beginning told a bit of a back story giving the reader some clue as to what was about to happen and why. Some may find the beginning a bit slow, but I found it all very interesting. When things started happening I realized I was talking to the characters. DON'T GO IN THERE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? STOP, YOU'RE GONNA GET YOURSELF KILLED.
Don't judge me. You weren't there.
Anyway, as the story moved along we end up with a group of people whose paths crossed in all the mayhem. One or two of them I wanted to throw in front of an oncoming bus, but mostly I loved how this group of people found aid and comfort in each other and worked together to come up with a plan to survive. And I loved the dog. Just sayin'.
It was an intriguing story that left off with a cliffhanger. So, I'm a bit anxious to find out how it all ends. That, and because there was this one character in the story that I was really drawn to, Aaron. I don't know why, but there was just something about him. I liked him. I want to know how he makes out in the next book. :) Also the teenage boys...totally kicked ass.
I thought the author did an amazing job telling the story with vivid imagery. I could see it all happening, playing out in front of me like a movie. I felt nervous and anxious and then I would feel relief. It was a surprisingly interesting read for me. So, if you're into zombies (which a lot of people are) I don't think you could be disappointed with this one. I'm ready for Book 2 now. :)
Turns out, I surprised myself, or maybe the book surprised me...either way, I found myself enjoying it. The beginning told a bit of a back story giving the reader some clue as to what was about to happen and why. Some may find the beginning a bit slow, but I found it all very interesting. When things started happening I realized I was talking to the characters. DON'T GO IN THERE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? STOP, YOU'RE GONNA GET YOURSELF KILLED.
Don't judge me. You weren't there.
Anyway, as the story moved along we end up with a group of people whose paths crossed in all the mayhem. One or two of them I wanted to throw in front of an oncoming bus, but mostly I loved how this group of people found aid and comfort in each other and worked together to come up with a plan to survive. And I loved the dog. Just sayin'.
It was an intriguing story that left off with a cliffhanger. So, I'm a bit anxious to find out how it all ends. That, and because there was this one character in the story that I was really drawn to, Aaron. I don't know why, but there was just something about him. I liked him. I want to know how he makes out in the next book. :) Also the teenage boys...totally kicked ass.
I thought the author did an amazing job telling the story with vivid imagery. I could see it all happening, playing out in front of me like a movie. I felt nervous and anxious and then I would feel relief. It was a surprisingly interesting read for me. So, if you're into zombies (which a lot of people are) I don't think you could be disappointed with this one. I'm ready for Book 2 now. :)
December 5, 2014
The unique apocalyptic scenario of Evil Vein is what will hook you. The zombies are just a side note to the serious scrabion threat. A mutated form of crustacean/arachnids, the scrabions are an exterminator's nightmare. They're hard to kill and they evolve out of their weaknesses. If they scratch you, you're done. There are so many awesome parts in this book. The author does a seriously good job of getting under your skin and keeping the characters on your mind after you're done. There's a scene with a flare gun as well as a gnarly amputation that stand out for me as favorites. Above all, the set up for the next book is perfect. Definitely going to follow this one.
February 24, 2014
YAYYYYYY! Another editing project is now a published book!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews