Dehumanized

by Michael Loring

Ryan Zachery lived his life the way all high school teenagers should - carefree.

Until he was attacked by an unknown assailer and awoke in the hospital with lycanthropy. Taken by armed guards and dragged away from everything he held dear, Ryan was thrown into a US camp made for those 'suffering' from lycanthropy.

They caged the beast, but now he will show them that he will never be dehumanized.

Genres: Werewolves

455 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2012

About the author

Michael Loring was born in Bristol, Connecticut, but has lived in a variety of places such as Florida and Tennessee. He likes to think of himself as an amateur 'Lycanthropologist,' having studied werewolves ever since he was eight years old when he first saw An American Werewolf in London. He spent most of his life switching between home school and public school, always focusing on his passion for writing no matter what. He spends his days playing video games and watching shows like Doctor Who and Supernatural, forever plotting his next book.

Reviews

[✨Cassie ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

DEHUMANIZED by Michael Loring

One bite could change your life forever and that is what happened to Ryan Zachery a nineteen year old young man.

In Dehumanized we meet Ryan Zachery a young man who was bitten and infected by a werewolf. Now Ryan is taken away from everything he knows, and hasn’t seen anything outside the fence surrounding the compound in two years.

When you are bitten you are taken to a rehabilitation center “Werewolf Camp”. No one really knows what it is really like, only the people inside the fence. In reality, it is a prison. Guards think of them as animals and treat them that way. They are mistreated, abused, and not give even a second glance.

Ryan keeps to himself from everyone else. One fight can land you into the “Dungeon” which is a cement room, dark, no windows or light. You are thrown in there naked and have only a bucket to use the restroom in. Ryan has seen that room a few times too many but he keeps finding himself in there.

Ryan finds solace sitting at the fence staring out into the woods, which is his escape from the horror that surrounds him. He has a cellmate name Frederic “Fred” who is a French man. They can’t really communicate because they can’t understand each other. Soon, another person is assigned to their cell and her name is Anna Clark. Anna is a beautiful young woman, who hid what she truly was until they found her.

Getting close to people isn’t a good idea. Ryan tries not to get attached to Fred or Anna because they could be easily taken away from him. Subjects die every day either from mishaps in the lad, lack of nutrition, or getting beat to death by the others or the guards. Ryan tries to keep his distance from his cellmates because if he did get attached and something happen to either one of them, he doesn’t think he could survive it. But, soon he lets his walls come down and let them in. He looks to Fred like a brother. Will his worst fears come true?

Anna and Ryan become closer and closer. Being close to someone and letting others know is asking for trouble so they try to hide it. Ryan has never felt this way for anyone in his life and he finds comfort in Anna.

Ryan struggles with knowing there is a beast in him. He didn’t ask for this and soon he starts having hallucinations. But is he really having hallucinations and is he going crazy? Ryan is in a constant battle of not letting the beast rear its head. He could easily let the beast take over. Does he?

After a lab experiment, something goes wrong. He can remember changing, remembers what happen after the change. Changing is a horrible experience with excruciating pain. He can hear his bones and muscles crunching, spin popping and pressing against the skin on his back. Gums ripping apart, having fangs sharper than some blades. The metamorphosis is soul shattering. Going from logic sense to primal instinct could drive you to insanity.

Thanks to the procedure, Ryan can transform into the wolf when the others only can transform during the full moon. What happen to be able to allow him to do that?

Now that the experiment has allowed Ryan and the beast inside himself to be able to communicate, can they become allies work together and try to escape the prison that has caged them up and tortured them?

Will they escape or will they be captured? Can Ryan and his inner beast live with each other or will one outnumber the other?

I was really fascinated reading this book. It was a totally different take on Lycanthropy. Getting to see how Ryan feels and seeing the inner workings of his change. I was rooting for him the whole time, wanting him to jump over the gate and escape. I’ve read other books about Werewolves but, nothing quite as great as this one. I couldn’t hurry to the next page fast enough and get to the end. The whole book was well written and the characters were fascinating in their own ways. I GIVE IT 5 STARS!!!!

Quotes from the book:

“Everyone is scared to go near you, in fear you’d do the same to them, but I ain’t gonna shiver under my blankets because of you.”

“Your mutation is so unique. We could have learned so much from you, gained so much from you, Mr. Zachery.”

“I think we should bury him,” “He deserves to be properly buried, like a proper human.”

For more reviews please vistit www.cynthiashepp.wordprss.com

[Jon Messenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like book genres go through a rollercoaster of popularity. Right now, there seems to be a huge push toward erotica, with thousands of new erotica novels and shorts being published every month.

Shortly after the explosion of the Twilight saga and movies, the rage was vampires and werewolves. It seemed that everyone had a supernatural story to tell and most of them centered around the inner turmoil of balancing the human they once were with the monster they’d become. With so many books in the genre, it was hard to find a standout.

Michael Loring’s DEHUMANIZED was an absolute standout for me.

Loring has a fantastic writing style, but it was his unique take on the werewolf genre that really appealed to me. In DEHUMANIZED, Ryan Zachary finds out that living as a werewolf is hardly filled with glamour. After being bitten, he’s stripped from his family, drugged, and driven to a concentration camp where other lycanthropes are kept as prisoners and treated like the animals they’ve become.

The werewolves in Loring’s story never have a chance to become the dominant hunters as they appear in so many other novels. Upon being infected, they’re immediately stripped of their freedom, their pride, and eventually their humanity. They fight amongst themselves for no other reason than overcoming the boredom of their imprisonment. Being a werewolf isn’t the exciting life that everyone expects or even a horror story; being a werewolf is the equivalent of serving a life sentence for a crime you never committed.

Ryan eventually finds friends in the inhospitable werewolf camp, even becoming attracted to his new female roommate. But in a world where your every move is watched and every aspect of your life controlled, even romance can be detrimental. Ryan had watched other werewolves being dragged away to secret laboratories but is devastated when he’s taken from even his new family, something far too reminiscent of his experiences after the initial attack.

The experiments give Ryan something no other werewolf has: the ability to change at will between the human and the monster within him. No longer does he have to wait for a full moon to change and no longer does he black out during the process.

What Loring does with the story from that point is fascinating and exciting. I won’t give any spoilers but will highly recommend this book to anyone who likes the genre.

I give this book five well-deserved stars!

[Magen McMinimy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, my, my, what a different take on my typical werewolf reads. I was rooting for a love story in this book and while Ryan and Anna find a beautiful connection in their horrid situation, this is no love story.
This book however is pretty freaking awesome. I think the story truly picked up in the second half of the book, but that does not negate the importance of the first half.

I felt bad for Ryan from the very beginning, but throughout the book I found myself questioning his character. Ryan comes off as this sad and lonely character. A boy not even out of his teens, who was thrown into what is essentially a concentration camp for those infected by the Lycanthropy virus to end up being this fighting and somewhat terrifying (to those around him)Man.

The facility that the werewolves are thrown in is a stark new reality for those who once lived normal lives before being infected and are now turned into lab rats, and treated with zero compassion or humanity. The vicious fighting and hatred in this camp is beyond sad and Loring makes it feel all too real with its intensity.

There were some great characters in this book and all brought new layers to this amazing story. I found a deep respect for Elizabeth’s character. I liked Anna and her feisty nature. Sarah became a character whose growth in the book was about redemption. Russell was a cute character with his shy yet pretty kickass personality.

So of course I would recommend this book, just be prepared as it is quite long!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book caught my attention just by the title alone and once I read the back I was intrigued. Then I learned my coworkers brother wrote it so then I just HAD to get my hands on it. Let me tell you my expectations were blown away and that's just from reading the first few pages. I was sucked in.

It's a refreshing out look on the whole term "lycanthropy" and I've read many books pertaining to the subject, but I've never read where its a disease in this way. I must admit though, I'm not a fan of the werewolf when he's a standing two legged creature, I've always enjoyed the wolf version, but to be honest I can tolerate it in this book. Probably because it's so intriguing and it fits within the storyline.

Michael's attention to detail is amazing and his similes are epic too. I love being able to read about places I know and have been too. Sure, I feel the same about NYC, or any of big city I've been too, but it's different when it's the town you've been too many times and have visited or worked in the places he's mentioned. At least in my opinion. The mention of Connecticut is a rare find in books, at least the smaller towns of Connecticut.

Ryan's relationship with Anne? Loved it. The whole mate aspect was always one of my favorites to read about in books. How it progresses and how unsure he is over what he is feeling is a nice spin on it. Normally what I read is the main character and their future mate just seem to know they are supposed to be together. No adorable akwardness or anything. Just shoved-in-the-face-we're-mates type of deal. I enjoy that she's his comfort and sanity in the hell that is the camp and I think he deserves her with the way his life and the situations he's placed in have turned out.

Ryan's interactions with the other characters is a good read and I enjoyed that as well, but sometimes it gets a bit dull and repetitive as if he's dragging it out to make the book longer. Not that Ryan's angst/brooding moments aren't needed or the challenges of other males, again it fits with how things turn out, but it's a tad much a times. I can understand Anne and Sarah's desires to snap him out of it at times because it just never seems to end. Ryan gets stuck in the past a lot.

The excessiveness can also be said for the lab tests and guards attitudes. I can see where Michael's coming from though, I mean, with the way Ryan is and Russell later on, it's only understandable that the scientists want to experiment more and the guards are spiteful of him, and any of the others, because of the disease. I imagine its mostly fear that eggs the guards to be the way they are (though that can't be said for all). However, I can't deny the scientists and guards drove me crazy most of the time.

Even with the few things I mentioned I didn't really like about the book, it's all personal opinions. Overall, I throughly enjoyed reading about Ryan and how he gets by in the camp. It was a great read and I say go ahead and give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryan Zachery is a werewolf, having been attacked and bitten one day after graduating high school. He was thrown into a "camp" for others that had been infected like him. They are treated like animals and prisoners, not like human beings at all. The guards are evil, the doctors are evil and no one seems to care. They are thrown into a cage to change when the full moon comes. Men and women are thrown together in the camps and fights break out all the time between the different "cliques." The guards don't generally care except when it's Ryan getting into the fights. They don't like him and they like throwing him into the Dungeon. Ryan is fighting with himself and the wolf inside him. He doesn't want to become this horrible beast but it seems as though he has no choice and the place where he is staying is almost encouraging him and others to do exactly that. It is a constant struggle and he's trying to stay out of trouble but it seems that everyone is picking on him purposely. Ryan hates his life at the camp, hates everyone there with the exception of his roommate, a Frenchman who speaks very little English. But, all of that changes when they get a new roommate, Anna Clarke.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The copy that I was given appeared to be the final edited copy in PDF format and I'll be damned if I could find one error in the document! There were errors, but they were corrected, so they don't count. Anyway, I really, really liked this story. The werewolf story has been told before but not like this. The people have become infected because of an experimental virus that was made in Romania by the government that leaked. Also, the people are treated as animals and basically all of their rights have been taken away from them. No one knows how they are treated at the camps because no one is allowed to visit or to do stories about it. Everyone thinks that they are being well taken care of and they are out of harm's way. They don't realize that they aren't the monsters that people think they are.....the doctors and guards are.

I really enjoyed Michael Loring's storytelling. He is very descriptive when he needs to be but not overly descriptive to the point that you are bored or skipping ahead to the meat of the story. All of the story is the "meat." There is no filler or slow down at all. This story was very full of drama, suspense, comedy, love and intrigue. I had to keep myself from reading ahead to find out what was going to happen because I was so caught up in the story. This is an amazing read and I can't wait to read the next story in the series. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes werewolf stories, suspense, drama and wants a different take on the werewolf story.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryan is a werewolf, infected just after high school graduation in a time where those who have contracted the "virus" are locked up in detention centers, indefinitely, awaiting a cure. The story takes place 2 years after his infection. After his savage attack he is torn away from his family and everything he knows without an explanation and shoved into what is basically a concentration camp. Alone and scared he hardens his heart refusing to think of what he has lost or attach himself to anyone in order to survive. He internalizes his role in his situation, in being infected, and refuses to gain anything more just to have it ripped away from him. Ryan is strong but hard, until the arrival of Anna. Though at first he tries to rationalize keeping his distance from her, so as not to loose anything else, her good nature and strength wear him down before he finally realizes she is his mate. Though there is an element of love with their budding relationship while in the confines of the hell that is their life I would by no means make this out to be a love story.

Unfortunately, Ryan gains extra attention from the guards for his disturbances while defending and protecting himself and Anna. This makes him the target for not only punishment from the guards but forced experiments by the doctors who run the facility.

Ryan and Anna struggle through their situation, horrendous treatment at the hands of the guards, threats by other "subjects" in the facility, and finally by the experiments done on Ryan that change him and the course of his werewolf DNA giving life to a new breed of werewolf. As other characters are introduced to Ryan and Anna's inner circle you see the strength, love, friendship, and comradery grow. There are characters I fell in love with from the start, those I hated from the start, and those who surprised me in the end.

I was asked to give an honest review of this book, of which I was not compensated for in any way, and my final impression is that it is fan-freaking-tastic!! This is by no means your typical werewolf book but a bone-chilling dystopian paranormal read that I could not put down. Michael Loring is a very talented writer who captured the essence of one's need for freedom in confinement while dealing with the struggle of daily existence and the inner turmoil of holding on to ones humanity in a hostile environment where some of the most basic rules can be bent and twisted based on intentions. If you are a lover of wolves and can relish in a little abuse of power by mad scientists and guards alike with the honest struggle for freedom and self-worth of the main characters this book is so for you! I am eagerly anticipating a followup novel to see what obstacles Ryan, Anna, and their friends have yet to face.

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dehumanized caught my attention from the start and never really let up in its intensity and ability to draw a reader into the darkly dystopian-like world Mr. Loring created. This book falls into the Adult YA genre so much of the action is on an emotional level where the inner turmoil of the main character is most apparent. For fans of romance there's a bit of that too, but there's a sense of desperation and uncertainty surrounding it as it comes at a time when hope is in short supply.

Ryan starts out as any other teenager until the night he's bitten and becomes infected with lycanthropy. The views on lycanthropy and how it's dealt with are what sets this book apart from what I normally read. There's nothing sexy or romantic about this, it's a curse. He, and others like him, end up in a walled-off community that has the feel of a concentration camp for all its cruelty and bleakness. This part of the story is sad, at times vicious, with unending feelings of hopelessness that goes on a bit too long as Ryan's emotional state plummets into an abyss from which it seems he'll never find a way out of. Ryan fears making any attachments as life is precarious with the many medical experiments being conducting and the guard's cruelty, but he can't help but be drawn to new cell mate Anna though he fights their connection every step of the way. The hope she gives him is the first step in what hints at being a radical change for all of their futures.

The second step is Ryan's newfound ability to transform at will after a medical procedure gone wrong. The reader gets a greater understanding of what happens both physically and mentally during a transformation and it makes you more sympathetic towards those with lycanthropy. Ryan now becomes truly one with his other half and through that bond starts gaining the courage to forge a different path for himself and others like him. After all the unrelenting oppression of the story there's finally a light at the end of the tunnel and I look forward to the rest of the journey just starting to be hinted at here.

This is an intense read with a unique viewpoint that sucks you in from the first page with its vivid depiction of a dark and dystopian society with nefarious plans underfoot and a society of people merely pawns. It's a dark and oftentimes depressing journey to reach an ending that is just a beginning and I look forward to what this talented author has planned next.

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dehumanized is one of those stories that captures you right from the start and keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting no needing more and more. I love stories that have Lycanthropy in them. I love me some werewolf stories. This one is particularly different in how the story unfolds and what happens to the main character and how he grows and makes decisions for him as well as the others around him.

Ryan is just your average 19 year old guy living his life and minding his business. He hangs out with his friends until one night he is attacked and bitten by a lycanthrope and is turned into a werewolf. His world is turned upside down and he is taken from his family and friends and brought to the government compound where he will live. At the compound he is subjected to testing and other things. He is in a room with Fred but he does not really talk to him because Fred does not know how speak English.

One thing Ryan can count on is that the government wants to see why and how the Lycanthrope are the way they are. With this Ryan finds himself trying to stay away from people and stay out of trouble but he finds himself in the Dungeon which is like a jail cell where they are placed naked and only given a bucket to relieve themselves.

Ryan will soon get a new roommate name Anna and she will be a game changer for him. She will give him the one thing he has given up on and that is hope. On one of his testing days he is given something and he is able to change on will. The government wants to know how he can do that and why he is able to change himself at will. But all Ryan wants to do is escape from that horrible place. Will he escape? Who will he take with him? What will happen when the government finds out? This is a must read story!

[Fiona Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a lot of supernatural stories with werewolves in them,and I honestly thought I had read all of the themes within that genre that I could. Well I was wrong.

Dehumanized takes the werewolf legend and totally turns it on its head! But in a really very good way!

This is quite a long book, and has a lot of violence in it, but everything the author writes within its pages has a purpose, a reason for it happening the way it does.

The book begins by explaining exactly how lycanthropy started. A cure is searched for but cannot be found. Years later there are camps for those suffering from the 'disease'. But these are no summer type camps. They are more like concentration camps during the world wars. The subjects within these camps are mistreated, experimented on against their will, and generally left to fight it out amongst themselves.

It is one of these camps which Ryan Zachery finds himself. A loner, he soon finds he is the target of some pretty nasty people. Trying to find a way to avoid their attention just exacerbates the situation, and Ryan soon finds himself at the start of a journey which continues to spiral downwards at a rapid pace.

He honestly cannot see how things could possibly improve for him if his life continues the way it is. I say life, it is actually more just existing for Ryan, and sometimes not even that much!

As I said this is a long book, and things do get worse as it goes on. But, as in life, things do need to get worse before they can start to get better!

I was delighted to get to the end and discover the author has a sequel planned. I so cannot wait to see what he brings to the table next in what promises to be a very exciting second book.

[N.A. Wetzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flipping Fantastic!

I picked up this novel and had my nose shoved into it till I was finished. Michael Loring has written a thrilling novel! It captured me from page one. This gripping tale took hold of me and strangled me in its grasp until I reached the ending. The way that it was written was marvelous, the way that I felt for the main character, down to snarling at the doctors and guards along with the main character, Ryan, when he did.

I gladly fell into this wonderful novel. Action, drama, a bit of romance and the raw, gritty emotions that he listed fearlessly were all masterfully done. From start to finish I was not disappointed in this novel. A Debut Novel At That! As the novel goes on, you find out about Ryan's past, and how he came to be a werewolf.

Set in a prison for those that are like Ryan, these werewolves are all shut out from the world and treated like criminals and worse, monsters. As you read, you realize the starkness that lies within this tale, the realness that flickers throughout the pages. I was memorized as I read and have mentioned this book to many and will continue to do so. I hope that more than just me find out about this wonderful novel, and love it as much as I did as well.
BRAVO!

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of Dehumanized by Michael Loring

What if: Lycanthropy is an infection, not a legend? What if: humans become werewolves during a Full Moon, simply because they were bitten by a werewolf and the blood exchange mutates their DNA? What if: governments consider safety above human rights, and incarcerate “werewolves” in camps bound by barbed wire fencing? What if: “werewolf” sufferers are considered really as lower than prison inmates, abused by guards, frequently subjected to solitary confinement in a freezing “Dungeon” room and allowed to fight each other with only further punishment? What if some of the research scientists are evil enough to have taken a page from Dr. Mengele?

Sounds like a horridly dystopian society, doesn’t it? Such is the case in which young Ryan finds himself, after being bitten inadvertently. However, even in the midst of the most horrible conditions (as had been demonstrated in the concentration camps of WWII and in refugee camps ever since), hope does spring eternal in the human soul, and there is that miniscule possibility of finding friendship, romance, even love, if one tries diligently enough.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael pens "Dehumanized" in a uniquely, well written, nice paced plot that just hooked me in from the beginning. His characters were very well developed, strong, and totally fascinating. I loved the book and highly recommend it to all lycan/werewolf fans!

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author which was provided for an honest review.

[Chrissy Dunlap · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this book. I am so glad that I stuck with it. What a different way to write about werewolves. The story was about the bonds you create with others. I definitely would recommend this book to others. Even if you don't think this is your normal book I would say start it and you will be pleasantly surprised.

[Pavarti Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a copy of Dehumanized from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way and no promise of a positive review was made.

Disclaimer about Review Content: I received a review copy via Smashwords on Feb 1st 2013. I note the date because the copy I reviewed is a hot mess. The editing is atrocious. There are missing words, misused words, clichéd phrasing, strange wording (like “every so while” instead of “every so often”), and extreme passive voice. At times it reads like it was written or edited by a non-native English speaker! I contacted the tour company I received the book from and they indicated that the publisher was hiring a new editor and putting out a revised edition of the book. In light of their acknowledgement and plan to fix the errors, I’ve based my review on the story alone and not let the wordsmithing effect it. However, it’s important to note that the book as it stands is not ready for publication. If someone lets me know about when the final editing is complete and the new edition uploaded, I’ll remove this part of my review and update my star rating. The below review is written as if this were an ARC and the expectation is that more editing will be completed.

Review: Dehumanized is quite simply fabulous. It is the most unique werewolf story I have ever read. Set in a near future dystopia, Ryan Zachary lives in a world where werewolves are real. Not only real, but manufactured by science. Ryan contracted Lyconthropy from a bite he received one night during an attack. He lived, but he’s not sure that’s a good thing. Now Ryan and all the other werewolves in the area live in a concentration camp located in Eastern Canada. The prison is promoted as a safe haven for those infected, but in reality the inmates suffer from the extreme cruelty of the guards and inhuman experiments of the scientists on staff.

The cast of characters in the story are consistent and well crafted. Ryan is sympathetic, despite his many flaws and while I sympathised with the werewolves significantly more than the humans, I still couldn’t escape the thought that letting them back out into society was a terrible idea. There must be a middle ground. They are infectious, dangerous and during the Change out of control.

Loring’s ability to write from Ryan’s POV is fabulous. Despite the occasional head hopping, the story flows from one scene to the next seamlessly. I was uber impressed with the insight the reader is given about what it’s like to be infected with a disease that doesn’t just change your body, but brings another consciousness into your mind. Ryan’s relationship with his inner wolf was expertly depicted, to the point, I stopped noticing when they communicated, it became natural.

Dehumanized is a great read, fun and engaging. The light Loring shines on the prison system used in his world draws parallels to the real world. I don’t think this book is meant to be a political commentary, but it’s impossible to read about the conditions of the inmates of the wolf camp and not form an opinion about how prisoners are treated. The ethical dilemmas the book tackles, are pushed along, driven at a fast pace through a plot full of romance, violence, and some serious medical horrors.

I’m eagerly looking forward to the next book in this series. The main characters are fantastic, but the supporting cast is even better. Dehumanized has a rare breadth, tackling many subjects, many personalities, but never losing focus on it’s driving action based plot.

Do note, there is quite a bit of violence. The author’s talent shines through in his ability to depict the graphic details of the anger and violence in Ryan without losing the readers compassion for the character. Truly the most interesting and original were-book I’ve ever read. Kudos!

[Meagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I'm going to start of this review by saying that I LOVE werewolves!!! Epp that was the first thing about this book that drew me in. I didn't even know what the story was about other than werewolves were involved and ahhh I was hooked. So then I actually read the blurb thinking it might be smart to get an idea what this book was going to be about. And let me say the blurb pulled me in even further because it seemed like such a different take on the whole werewolf thing. However, what sold me completely and utterly on this book was the prologue. OMG can I tell you that 1977 was an amazing year. Well sorta. You'd have to understand my craziness, but the way in which Lycanthropy came about is such a different take that I love it. And then looking at the present and the werewolf camps that are set up to contain werewolves is.....different. And interesting.

Okay so our main character for this book is a Ryan Zachery. And he was human his whole life, until graduation night. After that night he woke up in a hospital bed and was told that he had been infected with lycanthropy and was hulled away to camp. The camp is said to be a great and safe place for werewolves to be and it's pretty and nice and....ohhhh like a get away away thing. However, the reality of the situation is completely different. The "camp" is a horrid place to be. They are treated like dirty animals and barely given "stuff" to eat. They get "recess" but it's just a horrid place to be. The guards are evil people and punishments are cruel. I get that werewolves are dangerous and the idea of Lycanthropy spreading is scary and I get that some form of policemanship (yes I just made up that word lol). However, the extreme that the camps are is bad.

So Ryan's situation is interesting. The guards seem to especially hate him and ya know I'd be kind of scared of him too because he seems to sometimes truly channel his inner wolf and even in the most desparate and bad of times he seems to almost overpower the guards and break free. No matter what they do (it's been 2 years) Ryan still holds on to what makes him human; his humanity. He really doesn't form realtionships with anyone that way he doens't have to worry about losing anyone. However, when Anna arrives in the camp, eveything changes for Ryan. I was so lost in this book that it flew by for me. It was such a different take that you can't help but connect with the characters and want things to change. And hoping that eventually something good will happen. You continue to have hope for the characters and have to keep reading just to find out if it will.

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this story. The details and the characters were so well written that you just connected with every emotion and feeling and situation. It was almost like you were living there yourself, or you had someone going through what Ryan and the others were going through. This story held everything that a great book should. Once you start this book you won't be able to put it down. I highly recommend this book; especially anyone who loves reading about werewolves.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would life be like if you were human one day, the next attacked, turned into a werewolf, and thrown into a “camp” for werewolves, where you are never treated like a human again – only an animal? This book perfectly sums up how royally it would suck.

Under horrible conditions, with little to no chance of getting out, many would give up, or give in to the animal that wants to take control of their mind; but not Ryan Zachery. From the beginning, Ryan knew that his life may have been taken away by his imprisonment, but the one thing he would forever have control over was who are what he became – or didn’t become. And Ryan refused to lose his humanity and give into the wolf, or show the guards they were right in treating him like an animal. He would show that he was only an animal one night a month – when the full moon gave control to the wolf.

Keeping control of his humanity, and not giving into fear of guards, and other prisoners who may never have had any humanity in them in the first place, proved difficult. It seemed for every right choice Ryan made, there was someone else forcing him into another bad situation. Sometimes guards, sometimes other prisoners, and sometimes the doctors that ran the camp – whose own intentions were more questionable than anyone else there.

Ryan not only feared for his life, but feared getting close to anyone, and losing them too. He soon found that being alone was worse than the fear of loss, and through letting himself get close to others, he surprised himself by growing stronger through those relationships. However, he also found he would make more enemies, and would do whatever it took to defend those he was close to from these enemies.

Ryan’s character was incredibly well written. Michael Loring gave you such an incredible in-debth view of what Ryan went through, through every twist and turn of his treatment in the camp, his dealing with others, and his powerful feelings about all of it. As a reader, I felt every emotion, every fight, even every cold floor he touched, with such depth that I felt all the emotions right along with him.

Although from the outside, it appears that this book would be dark and depressing, you find that even the worst conditions, someone can find happiness, find the drive to keep going, and never give up on freedom. I loved everything about this book. The ending wraps up perfectly too, where I would be perfectly content if this were the only book, but is left open enough where it could also be a great series. I really look forward to seeing what direction Mr. Loring goes, and if there is an additional book, I will be first in line to read it!
Please do not share without giving Paranormal Reads/Erin full credit or without permission from the author or publisher.

[BookLoversLife · Rating 2 out of 5]

Received as part of the blog tour in exchange for an honest review.

OK, this book took me nearly a week to read and a few times I thought it would be a DNF but I persevered.
The Lycanthropy disease was created after a lab experiment gone wrong and in the world Michael Loring created everyone knows about Werewolves and are told to stay in on the full moon.
Ryan is at a party and decides to walk home. He knows about the werewolves but hey, it would never happen to him! During the walk home he hears a noise and turns to see a beast. He runs but gets attacked and bitten. he is taken to hospital and from that moment on his life changes. He is taken to the camps that the government have for werewolves. Dehumanized is bout his life behind bars.

Michael Lorings writing is amazing. His attention to detail and the way he writes makes the story come alive. This book is dark, gritty, gory and not afraid of telling the harrowing story of life in the "hell hole" that is the camps. Its not the werewolves that are the monsters in the prison but the guards and the scientists. The inmates are beaten, underfed and experimented on at any opportunity. They are locked up in "The Dungeon" when they need to be punished. The Dungeon is a bare cement cell that's kept as cold as they can and the people are thrown in naked for a week. I really felt for what they were put through.
Ryan's journey in the camp is brutal. He has to fight because any sign of weakness will get you killed. He shares a room with Fred but they don't talk much because Fred doesn't speak much English. Ryan is considered a loner, that is until Anna comes. She ends up in his room as well and he finds himself drawn to her. Their relationship develops and he would do anything to protect her but Dehumanized isn't a love story, that's only secondary. Its a story of surviving against the odds!
While there was so much to like in this book the reason I only gave it 2 stars is because I only liked it not loved it. Its a refreshing take on Werewolves and the Lycanthropy disease but I found the story to drag in many parts. I found myself skimming a lot of the chapters to get to the good bits. The book is 455 pages long and I can understand why there was so much detail but myself I just found it boring and a bit annoying reading kinda the same thing over and over. Like the lunch room was always the same and recess Ryan went to the same place and did the same thing everyday.
All in all it was a good book but I don't think Ill continue on with the series.

[Giana Racine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryan Zachary was living his high-school life carefree. His parent's had warned him about the attacks but like your average teen they don't think it will happen to them. Ryan, soon found out the hard way. Attacked one day by a horrible monster, only to wake up the next day in a hospital with lycanthropy. He was ripped from the life you know and thrown into a camp with other people who were also "suffering" from this same disease. This is not your ordinary camp. Everyone on the outside thinks this is a place for the "infected" to get treatment, but the people on the inside know the real truth. This place is like a prison for animals. The guards treat them as such, beat them and show no compassion as well as the staff, nurses, and scientists who run horribly painful tests and experiments on the "subjects" as they are called to find a cure for "Lycanthropy".

Trying to keep to himself, Ryan continues to be targeted, abused and thrown it this horrible room known as the "Dungeon". Which is a concrete room that they are tossed into naked with only a bucket as a bathroom. He's been in this place far more then he'd like. The only solace he gets is when ever they return to their cells. Ryan shares his with a very large french man named Fredrick "Fred", who speaks very little English, hardly ever understands you and like Ryan, he keeps to himself. One day they get a new cell mate named Anna Clarke. She is a beautiful young woman who tries to be friend Ryan. Ryan having seen all that goes on in this horrid place for the last 2 years pushes her away and doesn't want to be friends. How can he? People here aren't nice, they don't care who you are or even were before you got here and they don't care what happens to you. It's survival of the fittest at this camp. After a while though, Ryan slowly begins to have a change of heart with the persistent Anna Clarke. He begins feeling protective of her, and will do anything to make sure she is safe. This of course lands him in the "Dungeon" several times.

The guards target Ryan for an experimentation that the Scientist have been working on. Ryan is beat and dragged to the room and strapped to a medal table. After a painfully horrific experiment, Ryan starts undergoing even more changes and starts becoming more and more like a "werewolf". Can Ryan fight this never ending battle he is having inside of him every full moon or will it be enough to consume him? Can he keep Anna safe?

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very different from what I was expecting. The protagonist Ryan Zachery is an exceptionally likable character whom I could easily relate to. His life is a nightmare – inescapable, ongoing, terrifying existence. He, along with many others, is locked up and routinely tortured. Three years earlier he survived a brutal attack but soon became a pariah because during the assault he became infected with lycanthropy. This is his story.

The book revolves around the inmates, guards, and scientists living and working in the internment camp. The living conditions for the afflicted inmates are abysmal. The author excels at painting the picture of abject squalor and hopelessness. There is very little human kindness evident in this horrible place. As I read I could feel the rot, despair and callous disregard for individual rights. Escape is impossible. I kept waiting for a shift, for a hopeful sign but always even the faintest glimmer of change was extinguished by the utter brutality all around. Finally, almost unwittingly Ryan becomes the protector of a small group. Together, they are stronger, but all the odds are against them.

This book kept my attention, but I felt it was too long and drawn out. There was too much rehashing of feelings and events. As expected from the title, overall it was a depressing story. I had a problem with the fact that one well-known scientist could have been so oblivious to so much for so long – that he, too, is infected, and not caged, really strained my capacity to suspend disbelief.

This book appears to be the beginning of a series, and I am looking forward to finding out where the author takes us next.

The cover has been changed! Boo! I definitely liked the previous cover better. I am so tired of seeing hunky, bare-chested men. This book is not a romance, nor is it a GLBT book, as the cover seems to imply, at least to me, anyway.

This book was given to me in exchange for my honest review.

Reviewed by Laurie-J

[Christie R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was not something that I would normally read but I was intrigued by the plot and characters. Michael Loring brings together a brilliant and different story about werewolves than the typical supernatural depiction. The characters in this story are realistic, heart felt and really made you feel like you got to know them in their journey. Ryan is a young man that was bitten by a werewolf and taken from his family to a "camp." There he finds it isn't like they portray to the public being all flowers and roses, its hell! The scientists are doing cruel and torturous experiments that are unethical and inhumane trying to supposedly find a cure. The guards are brutal and violent and have the attitude that these people who have the "Lycanthropy" disease are nothing but animals and trash, so they treat them as such. Ryan keeps to himself pretty much until he meets someone that changes his whole way of living there. Anna is new to the prison and is stuck in a cell with Ryan and eventually through time find that they are in fact mates. Sarah is a girl who uses sex to buy her protection from the violent fights that break out on the yard between the captives. She tries getting with Ryan multiple times but he is disgusted by her and rudely tells her to leave him alone. Eventually he sees that she is just a scared and broken girl trying to stay alive in a violent in awful place. Ryan and Anna come to her aide when she is being hurt by a guy who is forcefully trying to have sex with her and their friendship blossoms from there. This book will lead you through some raw and painful emotions throughout their journey and leave you surprised by what you find. This book was well written, graphic and violent but a great read. I really enjoyed the authors style of writing and will forever be a fan of his! I can't wait to read more of his books!

[Victoria Stolte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying that I was surprised by how much enjoyed this book, not that I didn't think I would not like it but I didn't know I would LOVE it the way I did... This story was like Stephen King's The Stand, Underworld, Jekyll and Hyde, with a little bit of Escape from Alcatraz all rolled into one.. And what is not to like about that? In this story we meet Ryan Zachery who under ordinary circumstances would have probably been a care-free young adult.. But unfortunately for him... He has become more than that.. And in a world that has seemed to completely lost hope he has to learn how to live with the beast inside (as we all do) and move past that to find the hope to survive. I really enjoyed how Michael made you want to understand the characters and even sympathize with the werewolves. He was very descriptive and that gives you a sense of what it would be like as if you were there, I always enjoy that in a book. In the end I was left with a totally different view on Lycanthropy, and it was one I rather liked. I am definitely looking forward to more in the future

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

When we are young we feel that nothing will happen to us but little does Ryan know that his choice to walk home from a party in the middle of the night will have devastating consequences that will change his life forever and quite possibly leave him Dehumanized.

Definitely not your typical werewolf book, Dehumanized, is a very serious look into our society if lycanthropy was real and how we, as humans, would treat them. It's a very real and very dark look at how humans treat those they are afraid of and how it would be to be on the inside. I found this book to be very dark and thought provoking; not my typical read but very well written. There is some course language involved as you can imagine, I am honestly surprised there wasn't more. I would have the mouth of a sailor if I was put through those kind of paces.

This is a really powerful piece that is thought provoking and dark but there is a silver lining if you are the type that needs that reassurance, like I do.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this was totally not my normal type of read and it did take me awhile to finish the book but, in the end, I do have to say it was a good book. I have already told a few people about it and I know one is looking into it.
Dehumanized took a different twist on the "Werewolf" thing, and it was a twist I ended up liking. Here, it is a virus that was created and everyone knows about it. If you are bitten, you are thrown into a place I like to refer to as a "internment camp". There, you are treated as an animal, not as a human at all. And take mind not to get to close to anyone there, they could be gone the next day. But Ryan, our main character, finds Anna and although it took a while for me to trust her, they grow close and form a bond of types.
Dehumanized was a thrilling book, and I will read the next book. Thank you Michael Loring for bring us a new twist on the werewolf stories we are so use to.

[Ricky Penley · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I was a younger man I enjoyed my Sci-Fi stuff as any other young man. This book brought back a lot of the thing things that scared me in the night. This isn’t your typical creature of the night. This more of a story of how the infection came about. How it was spread throughout the world and how they tried to contain it. But what happens when you have a place full of creatures of the night that change once a month. You have the tale of this book. But what do you get when you try and cure the infection you mutate the subject into something more then what they are already. This book will grasp you from the beginning and will not let you go until the end. But once you hit about the 80% mark you will not and I mean WILL NOT be able to put it down. The author did an excellent job on this book and I want to commend him of the job well done. I receive this book for an honest review.

[Rebecca Johnson Dye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book & asked to give an honest review. I really enjoyed this story! It was like reading Koontz & King wrapped up into one story. A dystopian novel were Lycanthropy is spreading through the population & the only way they can deal with it is to lock the infected up & experiment on them for a supposed cure. Ryan is bitten one fated one on his way home from a party and his life is forever changed. Ripped from his family & hauled off to a "Camp" where the infected are kept. The 2 yrs. he is there are " Hell on Earth" where you learn not to care about another person because it shows your weak. That is until Anna his new cell mate comes into to his life. Ryan must learn to deal with the his wolf, his feelings for Anna & how to not look weak. Can they escape the harsh treatment & save their humanity? Find out & get a copy of this book!

[Claire Thake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dehumanized is one of the books I have had on my TBR list for quite sometime, so I was really looking forward to getting stuck in when I was given the chance to review it.

Now being completely honest I did find the book a struggle to get into at the beginning and I wondered where the story was headed. It felt very drawn out to begin with and I did wonder how far I would make through it before giving up! But I pushed on and the more I read the more I wanted to keep reading and I'm very glad I did. This takes a completely different look on Ware wolfs, looking at the condition as an infection whoch I think is a great take on it. I loved the interactions and relationships that develop between the characters and how Ryan and Anna's relationship grows. Ryan is a great character and very likable from the very beginning. Will be making sure to grab a copy of the second book when I can!

[Susie Fitzwater · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great from the start. it keeps you on the edge during reading it the whole time. This book is a different take on werewolves. It makes it all the more interesting. The character were well written and love the descriptions of them. The story provides details so that you can have a better understanding and helps you to feel their feelings.
Ryan Zachery was walking one night when he was bit by something that attacked him. After that his whole life changed. He ended up going to a compound to live with no family. He tried to not to make friends or to care about anyone until Anna came. The reason was because you never know when a test will go wrong or who will die.
This story had a great plot and was very well written. It was packed with tons of action and drama, and some romance. I recommend this to people that love stories like this!

[Heather Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know the saying "It will never happen to me" well that just what Ryan Zachery a nineteen year old man always thought, that is until one day it happened to him..... Ryan was bitten and infected by a werewolf!!
Now a prisoner of a camp full of others infected with "Lycanthropy" Ryan has to try and stay alive and becoming close to anyone is considered a weakness and could result in his death. Surviving one day at a time takes on a whole new meaning when Anna is brought in to the prison and stuck as Ryan's new cell mate...will Ryan be able to resist the pull he feels for Anna and the need for human companionship or will the need to survive and show no weakness in a place where people don't survive long win out?

[Raquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dehumanized is a different take from the usual werewolf story. In this book, werewolves were created as a result of a man made virus. If infected, the person exhibited the same symptoms as a werewolf and those affected would be sent to containment camps for treatment.

The story follows Ryan who is bitten one evening and sent to a camp in a Eastern Canada. There, he is subjected to scientific experiments and cruelty. He learns to survive his harsh reality by distancing himself from others at camp so as not to appear weak. However, when Anna is brought in as his cell mate, Ryan cannot help becoming attached and fighting back.

Dehumanized is action packed with a lead character worth rooting for. Overall a good read.

[Laurel Wistrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started out not really liking the book because it just seemed to be moving so slow for me, but I hate to not finish a book so I kept reading and am glad I did.

This was whole new take on Lycanthrophy that I found very interesting. One bite changes your world and not in a good way. I got so frustrated at all the people who just accepted things and made no move to change their circumstances. Never so happy to see Ryan fight the system and for Anna to be their to encourage him. There were some really good plot twists that I didn't see coming.

I gave this book 4 stars just because of how slow it started out but I am really glad I finished it and ended up liking the book.