Stained

by Mike Mauthor

A swift outbreak changed Lin Matthew's world forever.
A mysterious new student enrolled in Beaver High.
And a popular television show brought betrayal hence endangering Lin and his friends' life.

Stained is a different take of a zombie tale like no other.

Genres: Zombies

194 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 8, 2011

About the author

Interest: Books, Movies, and Television
Favorite books: All types but I try to avoid boring books

About me:
Book Reader ( Fav: Sphere and Pay it forward)
Movie Lover ( Fav: too many to list)


This might sum it up but I’m also
Ambitious Author: YA indie author to be exact.
Book Reviewer
Book Interviewer
Entrepreneur Newsblogger
Twitter Follower
A lay-back kind of guy

I think that’s enough about me, how about you?

Reviews

[Taliesin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stained (Zombie I Am) was introduced to me by a member of Goodreads, who had seen my review for Amanda Hocking's book, Hollowland. (You can go check it out, if you'd like. I'll wait here.) I don't often follow recommendations for zombie stories but, for someone to recommend it after reading my review, it sounded promising. I read the excerpt available on Amazon.ca and also discovered the price of the eBook being $0.99. I don't own a Kindle, but I was able to download the PC version for free. That pretty much settled it right there. That, and one really can never go wrong with a ninety-nine cent book. Ever.

The beginning chapters are interesting, and I could already tell there would be a little something different about this novel. It didn't seem like the usual post-apocalyptic zombie story. The writing style was quite different too, so that drew me in as well.

Within a few pages I began noticing more and more sentences with odd phrasing, lack of proper punctuation, wrong words, or simply a plain lack of some solid editing. I have seen this come up on other novels and I don't always mention it. It really only concerns me when it is occurring very often - even within the first few pages, or chapters, like this one. Oddly places commas didn't help much, and I just can't help but wish there was more editing or proof-reading done. It would improve the story so, so much. And I don't mean to nitpick, but I do want to share a few quotes, directly from the book, to show what I mean.

"Then the next thing he knew was that he was in a hospital, a year had passed. A year he can’t bring back. Throughout those years he was a monster, a flesh-eating monster."

“you’re driving my patient.” --[bus driver, telling Lin to hurry and sit down.]

"Lin marched through the hallway, heading toward his locker. He made it to the end of the main hallway and took a right turn. After passing about twentieth red lockets he finally spotted his."

"“I was taken Cujo for a walk,” Pete said, dropping his spoon at this half empty tray, “my dog, Jelly Beans, a Saint Bernard, broke off his leash, barking at something at the bushes. He galloped into the bushes. I—being native—went after it and Jelly Beans popped out of the bushes."--[talking of zombie-bite stories.]

There are so many more than this, but I just can't list them all. The thing is, if I am noticing this on my first read, how was it not picked up by anyone else ? Why did the author publish this? This is a Young Adult novel, though I would list it as "Teen" for both style and content, but that doesn't mean it's okay to publish work that's unfinished. To me, and I am certain this is true for others as well, it gives the work an amateurish-feel and I am less inclined to take the work seriously.

After the initial introductory chapters, once the zombie-illness-aftermath is established, the story takes a very different turn than I expected. From the beginning I knew it would be a different type of zombie story, but what I expected was more... along the lines of Lin, the main character, dealing with how the world treats him, how things changed, and so on. What we get after that, instead, feels like more of a High School Drama following the lives of Lin and company. It has the same feeling as the Jock versus Nerds, Rich/Poor, or Prince/Commoner stories, where the "infected" get shunned by the "normal" people.

We do have the zombie-issue as a base, but it doesn't seem to be the focus - and I really wish there was more of it explored,  fleshed out. For me, being out of school for a number of years now, I found myself quite bored with the talk of cliques, who the cool kids are and what they're up to. I wasn't even interested in it when I was in school!

Oh, and remember when I said that one really can never go wrong with a ninety-nine cent book? Well.. this book just isn't worth that much. It's not even finished. Give it a thorough proof-read, fix the spelling, tense, and punctuation errors and then, only then, will I say it's worthwhile.

I cannot see beyond a lot of the issues I have with it and just can't continue reading this. Calling it Quits. Clearly, I am not the Target Audience. There is nothing here for me.

Next!

[Veronica Morfi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I stopped reading this one in the middle. Didn't really see a reason to continue. I was expecting this to be good and different, but I was very dissapointed.

This story is about Lin, a boy who gets bitten by a zombie, and a year after that he has to go back to his normal life carrying the virus and taking medication. So we follow him through everything, his school come-back, making new friends and getting back into everything school life is about.

In my opinion, this book needs some serious editing. If I -being a greek and all- can spot so many mistakes just by reading this, guess how many an editor will. There were a lot of mistakes and that made the book tiring. Also I wasn't really into the whole story that much, I don't really know what I expected but it wasn't that.

Not a book for me.

[Cinta · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was sent a copy of this book by the author, in exchange of an honest review.

This book sounded different and interesting, but I got disappointed. YA novel about Lin, a boy who gets bitten by a zombie during a zombie invasion. However, scientists have discovered a pill that makes these zombies go back to normal, so Lin can have a normal life for a teenager. And then it is when the book starts being boring. Typical teenager issues with typical events at high school. What it was supposed to be the part of the book providing suspense was quite predictable. And the final events seemed rushed up.

Maybe for teenagers it is an interesting book, but it wasn't definitely my kind of book.

[Tayte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: Okay, first things first: I think this is the first zombie book I've ever read. No, really. I can't remember one zombie book that I have ever read; so, going into this one was like taking my first steps as a baby. I was expecting blood and gore and guts and death. Surprisingly, none of that was present (much).

In the book, Lin was bitten by a zombie but was able to be cured by some special pill some Scottish doctor made. He had to take the pill so he could stay normal. He and several other people had too. At school, there was designated areas just for the infected people, both in classes, on the bus, and at lunch. Probably in real life too. To determine if you were infected or not, you had special braclet you had to wear that couldn't come off.

I felt sorry for Lin. Same school but you still felt like the new kid. You're old friends won't talk to you because you're infected and you have to sit with total strangers every day for the rest of your life. What fun! Not. Fortunately for Lin, one of his old friends, Alice, still is friends with him, and he met new friends too. :D

Daniel is the new kid actually. While reading, I thought Daniel was a very............um.........what's the word? Sad. That's it. In the beginning, he's a loner, just moving about the world by himself. Then, when Lin and his friends make friends with him, he starts to lighten up. Especially with Alice. Now, I know what you're thinking. LOVE TRIANGLE!!! Well, in a way, yes. Except, with this one, Alice didn't know Lin liked her and Lin didn't know Daniel liked her, but Daniel knew Lin like her. Gah, idiots. I just hate it how Lin was so shy! And then the end........*shakes head*---what an idiot.

Now, where does the name of the book come in to play? Well, Stained is a TV show in the book where people affected by the attack are allowed to compete for money, but have to make it through a maze and find six silver egg type things to win the prize money. Lin and his little sister watch this show and just about everyone else in the nation. But that's not what's interesting about it. When you watch it online, there is a file in the corner that says a boy named Travis Osmore is missing and reward is $3,000,000. That' a lot for just one kid, right? Well, after reading the book and finding out why, I have to say, I dont' blame the guy looking for putting that much money on his head, though I don't think the guy should be looking for him in the first place.

Now the ending. Hmm......it was okay. The author left a cliffhanger. I'm not sure how he's going to do a sequel, but my guess is it has to do with the government and testing to try to cure the infected completely. Plus, a little Alice and Lin and Daniel action in there. All I know is I don't like what happened to Lin in the end. IT'S NOT FAIR! But I will be reading the sequel once it's made. :D

The book itself was an ebook, and I have to say, I did like it. Except for a few grammatical errors, it was good. If you would like to read this book, here is the author's email. Believe me, you won't be disappointed with this book.

Mike Mauthor
mauthor112@yahoo.com
Check Mike out here on his blog or twitter too!
Twitter: @mauthor
Blog: http://novelpro.weebly.com/

[Nourin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to firstly thank the author for providing me with a review copy and also for his patience, whilst I reviewed the book.

The story is set in the post apocalyptic world, where it revolves around Lin, who gets bitten by a zombie. After a year, he is back to normal....well not entirely normal as he is still carrying the virus and has to take medication as a result. But hey, the good news is that hasn’t become a flesh eating zombie right?!
From here, we follow him through school, his friends and his love life.

One thing that I liked about this book is that the story focused on how society was coping with the virus outbreak. It didn’t sit around waiting for help, they actually had a solution and thought of ways to tolerate it. In addition, I also liked the fact that those infected with the virus wasn’t technically excluded from society. They weren’t isolated from everyone else, even if some were bullied from those that didn’t have the virus.

However, I really didn’t think this book was for me. I didn’t get a thorough understanding of the characters, especially Lin, who was the main protagonist. I didn’t feel anything for him, nor did I get to know more about him, just that he was madly in love with a girl called Alice (who I didn’t really find fascinating anyway). The only character that seemed to create some sort of mysterious element to the book was Daniel, but even then, the readers were kept shut out on anything about him and we only got to know his real story towards the end of the book. But that just felt like it was all very rushed and not elaborated enough.

I did like the overall concept of the plot and how society made the zombie-virus-outbreak into a game show. I thought that was a brilliant idea and indeed quite spooky. Nevertheless, the last couple of pages towards the end of the book fell really flat for me. I thought it was really unnecessary for Lin to get so angry and emotional that Daniel and Alice decided to go out. I understand that he would be angry with Daniel, but the mini outcry that exploded from him at that party was so out of character that it just wasn’t authentic enough. I also didn’t think his promise to declare war on Daniel really fit with the actual book. It’s just a girl for goodness sake and a girl that he hardly had to courage to talk to for more than 10 minutes! Again, the ending seemed very rushed.

Finally, I didn’t like the style of writing. It was all very simple and quite repetitive.
Overall, although the general idea of the story is good, the way it was written and the characters that emerged made me give it a 3/5 stars. I think it could have been just a little bit more developed.

[Kerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you so much to mr mauthor for providing me with a review copy :)

firstly, i loved how mr mauthor redid the 'zombie' thing. it wasnt a novel taking place during the outbreak, it was the aftermath, and i liked how society didnt just collapse, it readjusted itself. so that was well done.

secondly, i didnt really feel anything for any of the characters. lin was okay, but i couldnt tell you anything about him except that he has an obsession with video games and alice (who isnt even that great--shes way too glorified). that's it. the side characters were interesting, but the only one i really cared about was katherine. and daniel/travis. but that's it.

thirdly, the writing was--not gonna lie--kind of awkward. everything went like "lin did this. lin did that. lin didnt want to do this, but lin decided he had to." the repetition did not read right. also, there were some serious editing issues. words missing, wrong verbal tense, incorrect interrogative words, it desperately needed spellcheck.

fourthly, the characters' dialogue did not match their age. i dont know what 16 year old says "she was brokenhearted. i consoled her in her room." or "did you inform him of that last night?".console? inform? kids our age dont use language like that in everyday conversation. it made them not as relatable, and it read wrong.

lastly, is the ending. not the main plot ending (that was done very well), but the last 2 pages or so. lin's freakout was completely unnecessary, and i know he was emotional, but declaring war on daniel/travis? over a girl who he doesnt even have the guts to talk to for more than 10 minutes? it just made me so mad, especially since i was rooting for lin and katherine. but, like i said, katherine was the only one i enjoyed.

so overall, this book gets 3/5 stars. i just couldnt get into it that much. it was a great idea, but the execution fell through. not sure if i'll pick up the next one, because i have a feeling it'll just be about the lin/travis/katherine/alice bit, and i have no interest in that.

again, thank you to the author for his generosity :)
-kerr

[. · Rating 3 out of 5]

With STAINED (ZOMBIE I AM) expect a fun tale that is heavy on the teen relationship fiction and lighter on the traditional zombie. Yes there is an undead plot running throughout the story after a zombie outbreak, but for those that are bitten there is hope in the form of medication to keep the urge to bite under control; giving them the opportunity to still live out a fairly normal life. This is where I felt the story lost a little on the dark zombie vibe; as the treated infected's day to days were unchanged, aside from the segregation and shunning that occurs at school by the “uninfected” students; you almost can forget that Lin, Pete, Raw and Katherine are “infected”.

The real zombie action takes place in a reality game show Stained; wherein an uninfected person enters a maze risking everything for a major cash payoff. The goal of the highly popular show?.. Make it through Stained’s maze of undead without getting bit, or worse. But what’s the real game here?... is Stained more than just a cheap thrill reality show? Well Lin and his pals are about to find out, whether they like it or not.

Although the dialog is a bit rough in regards to conversation flow, the concept is good. I wish the story had given more attention to Stained and a little less of the focus to the relationships, because I was intrigued by the idea of this deadly voyeuristic reality game and would have loved to see the author really zone in on it further in greater depth and detail.

Already a fan of Mr. Mauthor’s by way of his short story HOUSE TRAP, I do think that this newer author is onto something with STAINED and look forward to seeing how he moves forward with the story and his unique take on a world with zombies.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually read this type of genre, but after reading the author's last book (House Trap) and loved it, I thought I should give this one a try too....and I was definitely not disappointed! I found this book really gripping - the way the author writes it is amazing. I wanted to read on, and find out what happens next.

Stained is a zombie book - usually, I wouldn't pick up a book like this, but after reading it I can't wait for the next in the series! Lin Matthew is a regular teenager, everything is normal; until he gets bitten by a zombie. It is an action-packed chase, as he tries to get away from the sickly 'humans'. The next chapter is one year later, with Lin alive but in hospital. The doctors confirm that he got off lucky for this condition, but he has to take tablets for the rest of his life. His Dad states that his life will be normal and he can just go back to school. But it isn't that simple. He is an outcast and his life will never be the same again.

All the ideas are so original, it was great to read something fresh and new. This made the ending unpredictable - bravo, Mike Mauthor!

The last sentence of the blurb above is Stained is a different take of a zombie tale like no other. This is so true! This book is unique in every way. The storyline is genius and this is one of the many reasons that persuaded me to read on.

I totally recommend reading his books, and this one has just made me even more of a fan. If you are looking for a suspenseful, thrilling, and slightly gruesome read, choose this one.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stained is the first Zombie book that I've read and it wasn't bad at all, not that I expected it to be. I thought the story line was unique and different. I mean, come on, the idea of being known as a zombie to the public and yet being able to go out in public. I won't say any more but you should check it out.

In a way, I hated how the book ended because I absolutely dislike cliffhangers, but I do look forward to the sequel.

Everyone should read this. You won't be disappointed.

[Julie (Bookish.Intoxication) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stained has a fantastic plot and interesting characters. I especially enjoy the dynamic running between the main characters, it is as though they are friends but they are unsure if they really want to be. This makes for highly relatable characters.
I love how the zombie outburst wasn't the key element to this novel. Other took the focus from the undead and gave more to the characters.
A great read, fast and easy

[Kellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was asked to review this book by the author. It was my first zombie book and I was skeptical to read it. The writing was very elementary and the story dragged at times. However, it had a decent plot. Needless to say, I think I was slightly generous awarding this book 3/5 stars.

[Kaila Knupp]

Interesting take on a zombie story! Way different than what is becoming "run-of-the-mill" eat your brains out zombie novels.
https://www.libboo.com/read/stained/k...

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was captivating from beginning until the end. I enjoyed a different story line about zombies. Very good book, will definitely read the sequel.