MEAT

by Dane Cobain

Veterinarian Tom Copeland takes a job at a factory farm called Sunnyvale after a scandal at his suburban practice. His job is to keep the animals alive for long enough to get them to slaughter.

But there are rumours of a strange creature living beneath the complex, accidents waiting to happen on brutal production lines, and the threat of zoonotic disease from the pigs, sheep, cows, chickens, and fish that the complex houses.

Suddenly, disaster rocks Sunnyvale and cleaners, butchers, security guards, and clerical staff alike must come together under the ruthless leadership of CEO John MacDonald. Together, they’ll learn what happens when there’s a sudden change to the food chain.

Bon appétit.

Genres: Horror, Novels

463 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 8, 2024

About the author

Dane Cobain (High Wycombe, UK) is a published author, freelance writer and (occasional) poet and musician with a passion for language and learning. When he’s not working on his next release, he can be found reading and reviewing books while trying not to be distracted by Wikipedia.

His releases include No Rest for the Wicked (supernatural thriller), Eyes Like Lighthouses When the Boats Come Home (poetry) Former.ly (literary fiction), Social Paranoia (non-fiction), Come On Up to the House (horror), Subject Verb Object (anthology), Driven (crime/detective), The Tower Hill Terror (crime/detective), Meat (horror), Scarlet Sins (short stories), The Lexicologist’s Handbook (non-fiction) and The Leipfold Files (crime/detective).

His short stories have also been anthologised in Local Haunts (ed. R. Saint Clare), We’re Not Home (ed. Cam Wolfe), Served Cold (ed. R. Saint Clare and Steve Donoghue) and Eccentric Circles (ed. Cynthia Brackett-Vincent).

Cobain’s love of words grew from an early age, whether he was rewriting the lyrics to pop songs or teaching his elder siblings – maths and computer science students at university – how to execute commands in MS-DOS, all before he hit double digits. He started writing at fourteen, and progressed from lyrics and music to journals, short stories and poetry before writing the first draft of an early novel whilst in lectures. He studied creative writing at London’s Roehampton University, earning a 2:1 bachelor’s degree before starting a career as a social media marketer.

It was this career in marketing, combined with his love for reading and writing, which led to the creation of SocialBookshelves.com, his book blog, which was featured on multiple “best book blog” lists and has since been merged with DaneCobain.com. Through SocialBookshelves.com, he met Jesse James Freeman, the former VP of Community Management at Booktrope Publishing. Cobain’s debut novella, a supernatural thriller called No Rest for the Wicked, was released by Booktrope’s Forsaken imprint on June 11th 2015.

His second release, a collection of poetry called Eyes Like Lighthouses When the Boats Come Home, was released by Booktrope Editions in March 2016. Cobain performed his poetry at stand up nights, slams and open mic nights, memorised all 101 poems in the book.

Cobain’s third book, a literary fiction novel called Former.ly, was released on June 11th 2016. It follows the story of the rise and fall of a social networking site for the dead. Users sign up to the site, create a profile that they populate with updates that only they can see, and then when they die, their profile goes live to the public. But there’s something sinister about the site – something that people are willing to kill for.

Former.ly was followed by a non-fiction book called Social Paranoia: How Consumers and Brands Can Stay Safe in a Connected World, which was released in August 2016. The year was rounded off with Come On Up to the House, a horror novella and screenplay, in November.

In 2017, Cobain quit his marketing job to focus on full-time self-employment as an author and freelance writer. He also released Subject Verb Object: An Anthology of New Writing, which features 18 pieces from different authors and which was collected by Cobain and edited by Dane Cobain and Pam Elise Harris. That was followed in 2018 by Driven, a crime/detective novel.

In the following months, Driven was picked up for re-release by Encircle Publications, with its sequel, The Tower Hill Terror, released in 2020. In the same year, he independently released Meat, a horror novel set on a factory farm.

2021 saw the release of short story collection Scarlet Sins and non-fiction book The Lexicologist’s Handbook. The third book in the Leipfold series, The Leipfold Files, was released in 2022.

Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Goodreads, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok to stay up-to-date and to hear more about new releases as and when they happen.

Reviews

[Emily Coffee and Commentary · Rating 2 out of 5]

A gory fight for survival that will inspire you to start packing salads for lunch. What makes this story interesting is the use of non-fiction research and real life materials to create a unique, and terrifyingly plausible spin on the zombie genre. Filled with action and packed with information that will make you examine real life farming and factory processes. Very thought provoking.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tom Copeland, veterinarian, begins his new job at Sunnyvale, a huge factory farm. Sunnyvale houses hundreds of thousands of animals, in the worst conditions imaginable. But CEO, John MacDonald couldn't care less about the overcrowding, underfeeding, minimal care, and general squalor; he's only out to make money.
Shortly after Tom starts, exacerbated by the disgusting conditions, there is a sudden outbreak of a mysterious virus, affecting all the animals. The military shows up, quarantining the facility, and also preventing any of the employees from leaving, lest the virus spread.
Meanwhile, the animals are breaking out of their cages; this illness has turned them violent and vicious, and they're ready to get their revenge on the humans who propagated their abuse for all these years. Not all of the animals stick around for revenge though; many escape, permitting the virus to spread like wildfire.
"The animals had escaped en masse, Sunnyvale style, from their prisons all over the world. The pattern was almost unanimous: the local wildlife became infected, then the infection spread to humans and before anyone knew it, the dead were walking. The story was the same all over the world. No country was safe, especially once the infection spread to the birds. The newspaper predicted that every human being on the planet would be dead within twelve weeks."

-----------------------

When I started reading this, one of the first things I thought was that it's a shame more people haven't read this. I really hope more people discover this, because it's a great book. It was fun and entertaining, and who doesn't love seeing animals take revenge on shitty humans? Not to mention, it touches on some really important issues, and does a great job of making you think twice about where your food comes from.
Honestly, this book was really not quite what I thought it would be, but I ended up enjoying it just the same anyways, so I definitely recommend it.

[Amanja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Meat


Thank you to author Dane Cobain for providing me with a copy of Meat in exchange for this honest review.

Meat is a horror novel with a premise so obvious I'm truly amazed I haven't seen it before. It takes place at a factory farm and anyone who's ever seen a documentary about the meat industry knows how terrifying and disgusting those places are. Animals are crammed into tight spaces left to rub each other raw with abscesses and disease while they cover the floor in excrement. Great setting for a scary story.

Tom Copeland is the new veterinarian for this nightmare. He had a scandal with his private practice and doesn't have much choice except to take this bottom barrel job. He is shut down every time he suggests improving the conditions because it's not profitable. His job is simply to keep the animals alive long enough to get to slaughter.

The animals start getting sick and dying and a faster rate than normal and Copeland can only assume that it's the combination of awful conditions causing it. Because of this assumption he misses the real problem and it rapidly gets out of control.

Sunnyvale farm has a very bad day when the perfect storm of issues occurs. They have aggressive and dying animals breaking free, a health inspector ready to shut them down, bold protestors damaging property, and a mystery in the basement they haven't discovered yet.

From there we are trapped with the workers of the farm as they attempt to wait out what appears to be a deadly outbreak. They must work together to survive but we know how well that goes. People are contrarians by nature and seem incapable of working together even in everyone's best interest.

As the characters get more and more desperate some of them begin acting more like animals. We can only hope that a few of the good ones are able to make it out to safety. But is there even any safety left to run to?

Meat is a well paced horror story that definitely aims to make you change your dinner plans. The stance of the book is clearly that we should go vegan or at least ethically source our diets but it is not preachy. The message is brought to us through a page turner fiction story that starts to feel more and more likely.

Full disclosure, I am not vegan and I still plan on eating meat even after reading Meat. I do cook a lot of vegan meals for my meal prep throughout the week but I cannot resist a big burger on the weekends now and then. With the rising costs of meat though I've found myself buying a lot more tofu. Believe me, there are a lot of vegan dishes out there that are really delicious and cutting back on factory farm products, even just a little, is still a step in the right direction.

The book closes with a ton of references and excerpts of interviews from experts in the fields. Author Cobain clearly put a lot of work into this book and it shows. It's not a rant about the industry but a well crafted "what if?" or even "how soon?"

The horror genre is no stranger to tying cultural morality into the fear factor. Horror movies used to be all about about the sin of sex. Cobain tapped into our guilt of contributing to climate change and animal abuse. Almost all of us are quite guilty in one way or another and that makes us feel an even stronger desire to see the characters live through this book.

I strongly recommend Meat, the book not the food.

5/5 cows 🐄🐄🐄🐄🐄

[Icy_Space_Cobwebs Join the Penguin Resistance!🐧🐧&#x1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Horror in this complex novel is widespread and terrifying, both mundane and otherworldly. On the surface, the abuse of varied species of animals in a concentrated farming operation (think "factory farm" on a massive scale, including pigs, chickens, geese, sheep, fish) is Horror by its very nature, revolting and disgusting. Then there are the hinted-at abuses of employees, and what may befall employees injured or departed. There is the workplace milieu in which Profit Greed is Supreme over literally all else.


Behind all that is a totally unexpected Horror, one whose presence signals subtly in ways that animals readily recognize, but that humans have forgotten since Intelligence buried signals from the limbic brain. For the reader, the clues are present though, and wisely heeded. And when the nature of the otherworldly Horror is revealed, speechless terror results.


For readers who reveled in the classic movie "Frogs" as Nature avenges itself on careless and abusive humans, MEAT will be a terrifying joy to encounter.

[Yesha- Books Teacup and Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

review - https://booksteacupreviews.com/2022/1...

Meat is thrilling and thought provoking horror thriller that focuses on Sunnyvale factory farm housing thousands of animals in abominably cruel conditions that is soon riddled with zoonotic disease that turns animals violent and vicious against humans spreading the disease like wildfire.

Meat has heavy theme and many thought-provoking layers that might turn nonvegetarians to vegans and send vegans on protest. The story is about factory farming, animal cruelty, animal abuse, animal health and illness, impact of factory farming on environment, man-made disease, survival, and retribution.

Writing is lucid, vivid, and gripping with steady pace. The story is written in omniscient third person narrative that also gives the glimpse of the creature who started the disease making the story even more eerie.

What I liked most is how this fiction is close to reality. While half the part- disease and zombies- are fictional, factory farming and conditions of animals in the industry are very much real which is reflected through author’s interview with experts while researching on the subject which is included at the end of the story.

Why 4 star- My only small issue is with the end. It’s unbelievable. It’s also a bit slow in some parts.

Overall, Meat is excellent, mindblowing, thoughtprovoking and intense horror thriller with theme of factory farming that gives closer look to reality of the industry.

[Jeremy Fee · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a disclaimer, I’ve been interacting with Dane Cobain via YouTube in the comments on videos. Also, we both have short stories published in some of the same anthologies. I purchased MEAT from Amazon as a paperback. This review is my honest opinion.

First of all, I love the cover for this one; the art is amazing and the title having multiple colors emphasizes the difference between MEAT and EAT. Second, reading MEAT was a real treat. I think this is the eighth book by Dane Cobain that I’ve read, and it may be his best work yet. The situation here involves a veterinarian who comes to work at a factory farm where all hell breaks loose. The writing is spot on, the situations are horrific, and I found there were plenty of strange antics to keep my attention throughout. My only warning would be that if you are sensitive to the idea of animals being harmed, you may find some passages difficult to get through; ironically though, I think that’s the point of this book as it clearly sends a message that what our society is doing with factory farming is a nightmare.

I highly recommend this book to horror readers.

[Mary-Ann Maronski · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent horror thriller, that doesn’t hold back on the blood and gore, but may have you double checking some of your food labels by the end. I’m sure it will also inspire a few vegetarian meal options in the minds of most readers too.

[Ellie Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

~About

After losing his veterinary practice and his family, Tom Copeland goes to work at Sunnyvale, a cruel factory farm, with the entire place being ‘designed to run like a machine.’ Tom soon learns that this is not the type of place where one asks questions, or makes waves. However, the farm animals have been acting stranger as of late and Tom intends to find out why.

Before long, a mysterious infection spreads across the farm, jumping from species to species, infecting hundreds of thousands of animals. Can Tom and his new colleagues survive this hellish outbreak, or will they too succumb to the terrible disease rampaging through Sunnyvale?


~Characters

Tom Copeland (also known as ‘Doc’) lost his veterinary practice and subsequently his family after he was forced to steal drugs from storage. Now he feels alone, eager to start a new job working at Sunnyvale Farm. From the get go, Tom seemed a rather private man, keeping himself to himself. He clearly preferred animals to people and, perhaps unlike the other Sunnyvale workers, showed a great deal of compassion for the animals he was to inspect and treat. At first, he appeared almost innocent and naïve to the sadistic ways of the factory farm, although over time, he proved determined to survive at all costs once the infection began to spread. I found myself admiring Tom because he always looked out for those around him, caring for those in need and showing a great deal of empathy for other’s pain, even to those who might not deserve it.


In contrast, John MacDonald, CEO of Sunnyvale was a more strict and aggressive man, who saw the animals on his farm merely as ‘numbers on a spreadsheet.’ I took an instant dislike to him and his selfish and unpredictable ways. He seemed to care for nobody-else save for himself. However, over time, I feel as though he redeemed himself and began to show a greater deal of empathy toward others, especially when working in close quarters with Tom to handle the outbreak situation.


The next character to stand out was Big Jim, a fiery Scottish man, with a strong accent and an intimidating presence. Big Jim often led by example throughout the story, taking calculated risks where possible, to try and maximise his chances of survival. Although at first he appeared hard and callous, over time, he too appeared to change, demonstrating a more caring and protective side toward others. In addition, he was courageous and resourceful, really pulling his weight in a true time of crisis. I must admit that over time, he became one of my favourite characters.


Finally, I would like to explore Sunnyvale Farm as a character in its own right. As soon as the farm was introduced, there was a feeling of intense desperation to it. The author describes it as a place with a great stench of fish, ‘sweat and fear, blood and bile.’ The immediate impression given is not of a nice, friendly environment, but one of pain, heartache, and general misery.


~Positive Aspects

There were numerous positive aspects to Meat, which I have detailed below in a bulleted list.

-Firstly, the author paints the picture of a mysterious and secretive factory farm, where people are supposed to do their job, not make friends, and to – above all – toe the company line.

-Secondly, by altering the narrating character throughout the story, we get multiple perspectives (and memories) of Sunnyvale Farm shown to us, which provides a broader picture of its inner workings.

-The author does a superb job of gradually building tension and foreshadowing events to come.

-The problems in the story mount up slowly – gradually – forcing the lead characters to make increasingly difficult decisions.

-Furthermore, the author evokes a real sense of hopelessness and desperation as the infection spreads throughout the farm, endangering the lives of both animal and human.

-Finally, I thoroughly enjoyed the story’s ending, given how nature seemed to restore itself to a previously balanced state, having eradicated the humans who had wreaked much destruction on the land.


~Memorable Quotes

While reading Meat, I came across five quotes which stood out to me.


1) ‘Never criticise Sunnyvale. The walls have ears.

As one of the first things Tom hears upon joining Sunnyvale’s ranks, this made me shudder. It suggests that Sunnyvale’s employees were constantly being watched, giving off a very sinister vibe.


2) ‘Sunnyvale was like another country, some far off land in which no-one ever had to deal with consequences. What happened in Sunnyvale stayed in Sunnyvale and people’s personal lives were irrelevant – work and play didn’t mix in a place like Sunnyvale.’


3) ‘It’s like a cult – creating a culture of fear and suspicion.’


4) ‘There was a madness in the air, in the water and under the ground. It spread from bird to beast, bringing pain and misery and misfortune.’


5) ‘Nothing can run so far that the past can’t catch up with it.’


All of the above quotes hint at the true nature of Sunnvale Farm throughout the story, that it is a place of desperation and fear, where one does as they’re told and isn’t permitted to ask questions. Such quotes did a wonderful job at emphasizing the subconscious sense of dread that the author was trying to create.


~Overview

Overall, I found Meat to be a chilling tale of animal cruelty.
Themes included surveillance, survival, a sense of dwindling humanity, teamwork, and – in a sense – retribution.

My Rating: 5 stars.
Recommended to: horror lovers, who appreciate the exploration of important topics such as animal cruelty in factory farms.

[The Pursuit Of Bookiness · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you take just one recommendation from me this year, PLEASE make it this one! I cannot understand how this book is not being talked about everywhere!

I can hand on heart say I have never been affected by a book in the way Meat did….I will never, ever look at a chicken in the same way ever again! There is one thing you should know about this book before you pick it up and that is….if violence and a healthy dose of gore is not your thing, this book is not for you! But for the rest of you out there who love a good horror/thriller, read on.

The book follows the story of disgraced vet Tom Copeland who needed a job….Sunnydale provided a no questions asked job to keep the animals alive long enough to get them to slaughter. Some seriously dodgy practices take place at this mega factory farm that would make you never touch meat again should news get out….it did….but that turned out to be the least of the CEO’s problem, there’s something lurking under Sunnydale that’s about to change the world and Sunnydale becomes ground zero for humanity’s fight for survival.

I am not embarrassed to say that this book gave me nightmares (to the point I couldn’t read it before bed!!) The story highlights some of the most appalling treatment of livestock that enters the food chain, but also shows how pandemic level viruses can arise from facilities such as these. Yes, this is a work of fiction (to some extent and the author explains all his research into how factory farms run at the end of the book…also a nice touch!) but the way the story is built up in the early chapters makes the scenario feel like a very real possibility.

I love the way it’s set in the UK and the author has taken time to find places that would fit the story well and bring it alive for readers which is sometimes lacking in stories where place names are made up, it definitely added a extra dimension and by focussing down on a few key survivors it helped keep the plotline clean and easy to follow. I’m not going to say too much about the ending but let me just say it ties it all up in a neat circle which is a great way to leave it…but…sequel please?!!

Overall, this book will make you think as well as entertain you! Take the time to read the interviews at the end, they are really informative but also make the story just that bit more scary!

I cannot say anything that isn’t glowing about this book, it really is a FANTASTIC read but then I shouldn’t be surprised, having read some of Dane’s other books, namely Former.ly (Amazing btw) and No Rest for the Wicked. If you want an edgy, horrifying but gripping read, MEAT is definitely one you should read!

The Pursuit of Bookiness received a copy of this book free of charge in return for an honest review, all opinions are our own

[Laura Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meat follows veterinarian Tom Copeland’s new job at Sunnyvale, a factory farm with poor operational practices which leads to a deadly viral outbreak which causes its thousands of animals to eventually attack its staff. As the survivors remain trapped at the facility, morale breaks down, especially under CEO John MacDonald. And as they grow desperate to survive, the staff becomes as dangerous to each other as the animals, especially once the virus starts to affect them as well.

Meat is a cautionary tale about our dependence on animal products and how our mistreatment of them can literally come back to bite us. It has all of the classic elements of a traditional zombie outbreak story with this unique, topical angle. It’s a little long and drags in the middle, but it’s well written, incorporates a significant death count and gory, horrific situations, and contains a diverse set of well-developed characters who convincingly populate this story of speculative fiction.

You can read my full review here: https://laurasbooksandblogs.com/meat-...

[Madie DeGrammont · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Copeland takes a veterinary job for Sunnyvale, one of the largest commercial animal facilities. His primary job is to keep them alive until slaughter but the conditions within the facility make it very difficult. CEO John MacDonald refuses to do anything but pump the animals with more antibiotics. Rumors are swirling about the Rat King, a creature that lives under the facility made of hundreds of rats. When the animals start acting weird, is the Rat King to blame or is it something else?

Do not read this book if you are squeamish, easily quesy, or get really uncomfortable with animal abuse situtations... Now, read that last sentence again. This book is full of blood and gore and very, very detailed situations that might make some people really uncomfortable. However, I found it interesting and was rooting for the animals (sorry, not sorry!). The book does slow in the middle but stick through it because it doesn't turn out bad in the end.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, Yay! A map! I am a reader who loves maps in books. Usually I’m flipping back and forth so I can accurately place settings, action sequences, etc.
More authors need to add maps in my opinion, so thank you Dane Cobain!

Meat the book: following Dr.Copeland, a disgraced version of James Herriot, we discover that something is beyond seriously wrong at the Sunnyvale Meat Factory. The poor animals living and dying in those conditions is horrifying enough, but add in some bizarre diseases (and a rat monstrosity) and things get even more messy. I was captivated and couldn’t stop reading.

The only thing I noticed that could be improved were some continuity issues. These could be fixed with some further editing. One example is that Greg Hamze was a “no response” on the role call sheet, but then is mentioned as being part of the survivors assault team.

Thank you to BookSirens & Dane Cobain

[Cat B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bit of a cautionary tale in the beginning that quickly turns to straight up horror. The descriptions of some of the scenes are very visceral, right up your alley if you like gore. I happen to be one that does. The beginning, though, I found very disturbing in the depiction of the treatment of feed animals in factory farms as deep in my heart I feel it is 100%. That aside, a very well written story that had me enthralled. The characters are very well filled out and absolutely believable. All in all , an darn good tale.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.

[Tam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gritty, intense, fast-paced, riveting, edgy, horrifying thrill ride full of dark secrets, shocking plot twists and pulse-pounding, palpable tension. A MUST for fans who thrive on high octane. superbly-written, unputdownable thrillers!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

[Sky · Rating 5 out of 5]

The words I'd like to quote from the author: "Human beings show no lack of imagination when it comes to making a profit."

Truthfully, I like the fact that Dane Cobain came out with a fiction that included the heavy issues (not many do that) - animal cruelty, factory farming, animal abuses, farmed animal illnesses and injuries, etc. I read for entertainment at first, but I stayed for the educational part. Such an eye opening book! Not forgetting that the author also put in the beneficial information of the interviews he carried out throughout the writing process! He really did a thorough research on what he wrote. Thanks to him, I learnt a lot from this book. Putting aside the knowledge I've gained, I also liked the writing style and the author made me almost throw up in each page. Even so, I enjoyed reading the book to the fullest!

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Todd Wittenmyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is one of the best horror novels that I have ever read! Easily in my Top 10, maybe even higher! The characters are fully fleshed, the atmosphere is always edgy, and the pace is very consistent! This book delivers from cover to cover! Dane was firing on all cylinders with this one! Congratulations dude! This book should be on the Bestseller List! And that ain't no B.S.! 5 stars!

[ems_booknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What a great read!

Who doesn’t love a good zombie-like animal apocalypse? Dane doesn’t hold back on the horror or the blood and gore and I am here for it! An amazing job, something different and out of the normal scope for me.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Gee Liz Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, can we just appreciate the name of the Author for just a moment. Dane Cobain. Dane. Cobain. What an incredible name, eh?! Anyway, now we’ve agreed that Dane Cobain has got the coolest name ever, let��s get down to business.

Let me tell you about this book I read. A book that I could not put down. A book that has frightened me to my very core, made never want to eat meat again (not like I was a big meat eater anyway), and made me very wary of farm animals and large groups of birds (yes, I was already scared of chickens… even more so now).

I’m going to start with the cover. Something I don’t often talk about in my reviews unless they really captivate me or dissuade me from reading the book. It’s good news – I love the cover. I think it is really captivating. The title is perfect for this book too. One thing I did dislike about this cover, and which could potentially put people off buying it, is the sheep on the back of the cover. It looks like it is in a lot of pain and has lots of wounds all over it. I understand why it is there but it is slightly distressing.

Jumping into the book now and you are introduced to Tom Copeland, the new Veterinarian at a farm factory called Sunnyvale, which, as I’m a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, I kept on reading as Sunnydale. Sunnyvale is horrid and the author does a good job of letting you know this. It houses far too many animals in unsanitary, cruel conditions which, eventually leads to a disease outbreak. Cobain explained this in so much detail with it all being part of the story so it didn’t come across as a lecture or anything like that. I love that Cobain has done his research into disease outbreaks and factory farms making this story very believable and something that could actually happen.

Throughout the story you are introduced to quite a lot of characters but Cobain has managed to describe each person so well and give them all their own personality that there is no difficulty in remembering who is who. My favourite secondary character was Jill Macdonald. I felt so sorry for her at times but I loved her character development throughout.

As the story progresses, the disease spreads and causes the animals to escape at the same time as the army place the factory under quarantine. This means that the workers, specifically those that survived the initial stampede of diseased, man-eating animals to survive together in the admin building of the factory farm. Lots of things happen during this time, things I don’t want to ruin for you as you NEED to read this book but let me tell you, all you will want to do is read, read, read.

Now, those of you that know me know that my number one phobia is zombies and my nightmares were answered towards the end of this book when human zombies were introduced. Did I stay up all night absolutely petrified? Did I forget to breath while I read this book due to being overwhelmed by fear? Did I drop the book more than once because I was absolutely terrified? Yes, yes and you guessed it, yes again! But that’s what a talented author does. A talented author brings out your emotions and they make you think about the book after you’ve finished it. There work should stay with you, and I’m telling you now, ‘Meat’ will stay with me for a long time. I’m surrounded by cows and sheep where I live, I’m already looking at moving!

I really enjoyed Dane’s writing style though it’s not something I know how to explain. He just has a talent of making the story flow and seem realistic, and his metaphors are unique and *chefs kiss*. I did notice an error in the book but it didn’t stop me from enjoying it overall as it didn’t effect the story.

I would definitely recommend you all read this book. I mean seriously, it’s just incredible. I however will NOT be reading it ever again as it is most definitely etched into my sub-cranium as one of the scariest books I have and will EVER read.

Woah, that was a long ass review but I just wanted to get everything in!

[M. K. French · Rating 4 out of 5]

Veterinarian Tom Copeland escapes a scandal at his suburban practice by moving to the Sunnyvale factory farm, keeping animals alive long enough for slaughter. There are rumors of strange creatures beneath the complex, as well as the threat of a zoonotic disease. When disaster strikes Sunnyvale, all of its security begins to make sense. Now all of the staff must band together under the ruthless leadership of the CEO John MacDonald, or they’ll be at the bottom of the food chain.

Our opening has Tom arriving at Sunnyvale with two other workers, allowing us to see what kind of employees work there, as well as the extent of the security the facility has. We also see just how filthy and awful the place is, an environment that values nothing but fattening up animals for slaughter to put into supermarkets for the cheapest price. Even in chapter one there is a hint of more to come, in that other things going on are above their pay grade. Conditions there are poor, and no doubt help produce the virus that hits the facility and affects all of the animals there. The animals are violent and vicious, and the military quarantine isn’t enough to keep them from escaping.

From there, we have a grim tale of humans holed up in the admin building as the rest of the facility is isolated from the outside world. The humans must survive and outwit the animals roaming free, and pigs are smart to begin with. Add a viral vicious streak, and it's dangerous for everyone involved. Even without the eldritch thing living beneath the facility, this is the stuff of horror movies already. It feels like the book shifts genre. First, we see a factory farm and its hellish conditions breed a virus turning the animals vicious, then it mutates and can infect humans. It also becomes something of a zombie apocalypse, and even the characters mention movies like "28 Days Later" in the text. We get to see the worst of humanity as the survivor count drops until we get to a bleak end. I literally chewed off several nails while reading this late at night, because I find zombies terrifying, and zombie animals are somehow worse. This is a horror novel, after all, and death ultimately comes for everyone.

[Lynda Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tom Copeland, a vet with a somewhat shady history is offered a job at a local farm in England with Old MC Donald (yes, this writer has something of a wit). But it's not a benign country farm of the nursery rhyme. It's a factory bent on making profit at all costs out of the hapless animals it breeds and houses for slaughter. The animals include sheep, cows, pigs, chickens, fish - all kept on concentration-camp conditions. All made so much easier since the UK left the EU, which had expected certain standards.

Copeland keeps his head down, he wants to keep his job, and he soons notices that employers that talk tend to get discouraged physically from so doing. But then his boss begins to notice that that animals are starting to get restlesss, and asks Copeland to investigate. Not long afterwards, the first employee meets a sticky end from the first animals going rogue. An army quarantine is imposed, but is it already too late?

From then on, the action heats up quickly as the employees are stranded on the upper floors of the building with almost nil sanitation nor food, as dissent grows from within. Meanwhile, murderous hordes of animals below block all avenues of escape.

Degradation and disgust are piled on from now on with as much schlock as the writer can muster, as conditions for the employees continue to deteriorate over the months, and more individuals get picked off. And yes - here be zombies, even the odd mutant lurking in the sewers, and when the birds return from beyond with a Hitchcockian vengeance, Copeland wonders how far beyond their quarantine their new disease has spread. Could it be the end for humanity?

Death or undeath by zombie virus, and zombie apocalypse for that matter, is something of a trope, though perhaps what is newer is the ruthless way this writer puts it to use. But the again, this is a writer with a mission - to expose what really goes on inside battery farms and abbatoirs, something which certainly isn't pretty by anyone's standards. The horror of zombies is possibly to illustrate the level of degradation humans have already brought themselves down to - along with the animals they kill and exploit. For some readers this novel may of course be preaching to the choir. Fair readers, there is plenty to glut on here if you like that sort of thing.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Emily | bookswith.emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was not what I was expecting at all, there was a much deeper meaning to the story towards the end. I liked how this book was based on a lot of research done by the author, that must have been very time consuming! This research did pay off because I found it very thought provoking when I finished reading it. I did enjoy this book, I thought it was very entertaining and the post-apocalyptic theme made the book very action packed.

The plot was interesting and it was unlike anything I’ve read before. I’ve read books about a zombie apocalypse and dystopian end of the world scenarios but this book had an edge to it. I think the inclusion of the factory farm and the animals was gory. It has definitely encouraged me to stay vegetarian!! I don’t want to say too much more about the plot because I don’t want to spoil anything but I will mention how horrifying the animals become.

As the apocalypse became more dangerous, the characters began to act very bizarre. This was interesting to read about how different people react to life threatening situations. Some people were rationing resources but others wanted it all for themselves. At the start of the book, I had my favourite characters, but the lost did change as i read further. The main character, Tom Copeland, was a strong person, especially for going to work at Sunnyvale. I enjoyed reading his story and his journey throughout the apocalypse.

Overall, I thought this was a great read, I recommend it and I hope more people read it! It is gory so I wouldn’t recommend reading it while eating. I liked how much work the author put into this book and it can really be seen by how detailed the story is.

[Boomer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not exactly sure how to classify this one. I was expecting a horror novel, and it certainly delivers there, but it seems to alternate between trying to be serious and then switching to slapstick Evil Dead style gore scenes. The blurb is vague about the story, but it involves a factory farm in the UK becoming ground zero for a virus that turns the animals into mindless killers, forcing a group of survivors to hunker down and wait for rescue. Things turn worse as the virus slowly spreads to the human population.

If you think the idea of killer/zombie cows, pigs, chickens and sheep sounds ridiculous you're absolutely right. Despite the absurdity, it's strangely entertaining and somber in different places. The descriptions of the animal cruelty involved in the factory farm are disturbing, and make for tough reading. Definitely not for everyone, but I can see how it's necessary with this story.

That said, it's not a book I can take seriously. Whether it's the killer barnyard animals, the fact that the owner of the farm is named Macdonald (and is referred to as "old Macdonald" numerous times), or the ridiculous Rat King monster, it just feels a little too tongue in cheek, rather then the serious horror novel I was hoping for. None of the characters except for Jill are really likeable, which means I didn't care whether they survived the animal apocalypse or not.

Solid three star book. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Wish it had either gone full comedy horror, or been 100% serious and disturbing. Either way would have made it much better

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, let me just say this book was absolutely terrifying and gut wrenching at times - as an animal lover and someone who was a vegetarian for many years, the beginning of the book made me realize the importance of being conscious of where and how we get our animal produce. It also made me sick to my stomach during some parts to read about the abuse that goes on in meat farms. This book was an eye opener to a cause I think deserves to be talked about more and it is clear the author is someone who cares deeply about animals as well.

When I was first contacted by Dane and his team in regard to reviewing this book, the first thing I did was look up the book on goodreads to see what the story was about and to see if this were something I would be interested in reading. Seeing as spooky season was near, I decided to give it a go despite it not being my preferred genre of books to read and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I do in fact appreciate the survival/mystery/horror genre.

Throughout the entire book, I did not once guess what was about to happen, every scene and every chapter had me sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next which is always a plus when reading a thriller/mystery.

One thing I appreciated a lot was the way the book was written and the structure of it, the story itself was divided into three distinct parts which is something i always love in a good book and then, at the end of the book, once we had reached the end of the story, not only did it include ressources on the subject at hands but also interviews with different people the author talk to for the purpose of reasearch and as well as a list of charcaters and their description. I love when the author gives a little bit more after the ending of the story.

Although I did get many weird looks - seeing how graphic the back cover was - while reading this book in public spaces, I did enjoy my experience reading it and it left me with wanting to check out more of this author's writing.

Overall, I'm debating whether this book sits at 3.75 or 4 stars rating for me personally. Was it the best book I've ever read? No but it was a good read, and I did learn a few things during my experience with this novel. It also opened up a new genre for me to explore which I didn't know was something that piqued my interest.

Thanks again to Dane and his team for sending me this book in exchange of a review!

The full blog post can be found here; https://7latenightthoughtswithzoe.wor...

[Fee (Ebook Addicts) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review coming soon

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book for an honest review, by the author.

This horror/end of the world book is creepy because it could really happen. Covid has shown viruses jumping from an animal and causing a pandemic. What if other viruses or even something man-made brings worse. Dark enough to make you wonder if you should take that next bite of ham or fried egg, or go vegetarian. A Bon Appetit of horror.

Read the rest of the review at http://www.ismellsheep.com/2022/05/bo...

[Oli Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always been a dormant follower of Dane Cobain’s work, and I can say without lie that Meat is his best piece I’ve read yet. What starts as a tale about the world of factory farms turns into the kind of nightmare one would expect from Stephen King. Characters are given life, creatures stalk violently through the chapters, and death is gruesome and vibrant.

There is some narrative placement in the first third and beginnings of the second act that can jar, and the underlying theme of eating meat being bad and being vegan being good is thick at times, but neither are a detriment to the overall tale.

I really enjoyed Meat, and see it as the point when Dane found his stride and style, and produced a story that is as engrossing as it is horrifying. Highly recommended.

[HorrorBook HellHound · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy friggin shite! I did not think I was signing up for THAT wild of a ride with this book, but boy it did NOT disappoint! The scariest part of this story is that I could legitimately see it happening just like this with all of the disgusting things that get borne out of factory farm conditions, and if you do even the barest of research into it your skin will definitely start to crawl a bit. I haven't eaten meat in about 8 or 9 years now, but after reading this I'm thinking it might be time to cut out all animal products. Our society makes that extremely difficult, but changes like this are ones we need to start making now...sorry to get preachy in a book review! Other than the obvious message this story tells the overall journey our main characters take is devastating, brutal, and the author does a wonderful job of baring all the bloody, disgusting process for the readers to digest. A very solid and interesting read for sure! And just to add this on, the book is really not preachy at all in my opinion (that's just me) so be sure to give it a chance even if you have no interest in animal rights or anything like that!

[Kelly J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found myself thinking about this book weeks after I finished it - for me, that is the mark of a good book. Still, it was about difficult subject matter and parts were hard to read, yet also makes the reader really think about many things in our society that we take for granted. The characters were believable and relatable, and the writing is good. Human nature, animal nature - are we all just Meat? I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Serenity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable yet disturbing read

Definitely well written. Trigger for animal abuse. Loved the characters! Really enjoyable until that last chapter or so. The ending was just eh. Definitely recommend regardless.

[Daniel Nobles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I believe after reading a quarter of the book, I am now a licensed veterinarian. The book drags and uses a bit too many words taking the oomph out of the buildup. At 45%, it started to feel more like a horror story. Descent book overall.