The Purification: Book One Alpha Evolution Series by Michele L. Coffman is a post-apocalyptic military thriller and even though its pages are crawling with monsters, there’s a beautiful love story at its heart.
A mysterious global disaster killed billions of people and drove the rest deep into underground bunkers where they have spent years waiting for their opportunity to return to the surface. Until then, they live regimented and lean lives dreaming of the day when they can finally breath some fresh air.
Trish Webber has spent her entire life underground. Her mother was murdered when she very young and her father would rather do anything than be involved with her. Trish’s only real friends are Lieutenant Colonel Aralyn Williams (who had once been in love with Trish’s mother) and the soldiers under her command. When it is discovered that Trish is no ordinary teenager, Aralyn and her unit help Trish escape the bunker.
Christina has spent her entire life above ground. She lives with her parents in a walled in community built and maintained by some of the few survivors of the disaster. Resources are sparse but the biggest danger comes from the creatures that live outside the walls. Monstrous and cruel, they will either eat you or infect you. Neither option is on Christina’s to do list, but the community needs supplies and it’s Christina’s turn to head out on the next run.
A chance encounter brings the two women together and the attraction is immediate and undeniable. But Trish has always been a loner and has no social experience whatsoever, whereas Christina can be rash and opinionated, and has had a very social upbringing. Throw gruesome monsters and government conspiracies into the mix and it seems impossible that love could bloom amidst the chaos. Yet each new discovery and threat brings them closer as they seek out what caused the infectious monsters and who is really responsible for the deaths of billions of people.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
Nefarious governments and villainous CDC scientists combine to create a monster filled hellscape on Earth. Folks, I know it can be rather vexing for the characters and all…but welcome to my dystopian happy place! There’s a reason the Newsflesh series by Mira Grant is one of my all-time favourite reads. Speaking of monsters, I really enjoyed the type of beasts that roam this particular hellscape. They are not mindless zombies stumbling around in search of a tasty brain buffet but instead display intelligence and are much more difficult adversaries.
The world building is both terrifying and fantastic with a disturbingly believable premise (you know, monsters aside of course). The main characters are well fleshed out, believable in their motivations, and have great chemistry. They come from different worlds but share the same values. While their relationship progress is slow, it is lovely to watch it develop. The rest of the cast are loyal, fierce, and affable and the comradery they share reminds me of my days in the military.
Cons And Heads Up
There are a few instances where the mains were joking with one another and refer to having “bimbos” on the side which kind of rankled me. There are also a couple of occasions where someone refers to a character as dyke in a derogatory manner which works in terms of the novel and in solidifying distaste for the antagonist, but just calling it out as a content warning.
The Conclusion
Lots of action. Lots of love. Lots of conspiracy. And a whole slew of monsters. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat and it is only the beginning of the series. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Excerpt from The Purification: Book One Alpha Evolution Series by Michele L. Coffman
May 4, 2070
Amy pivoted to the clock. “This is it. We are near the moment humanity celebrates taking back control from our failing Mother Earth.”
The pale sky filled with a plethora of glowing light. A few seconds later, a faint crackling noise was heard. As the objects drew closer, Amy counted down from ten along with the excited crowd packed into the area. The moment the gathering hit “One,” eruptions rand out overhead, and colorful displays showered down above them.
Groupings of red, orange, and purple exploded into pictures of planets, and the crowd oohed, and aahed. Red, white, and blue star shapes filled the sky, and the pandemonium was magnificent. When the five-minute grand finale of dazzling shades painted the sky, Amy’s tears of happiness flowed, and those around her cheered.
Once the last of the pods ignited and the final fireworks trailed away, Amy beamed wide-eyed to the camera. “I can feel it. It’s like a watery mist of life on my skin.” She rubbed the droplets in and gladly accepted a jumping hug from a teenage girl beside her. “It’s amazing. I wish you all were here to enjoy it. Now, I’m going to go eat, drink, and be merry with everyone else. This is Amy Daniels, signing off.”
August 4, 2070
Doctor James Burgos replaced the slide on his microscope and rubbed his irritated eyes. He bent forward, refocused the magnification to a different setting, and inspected the image. The specimen was the same as the last fifty or so he studied earlier, leading to the cruel deaths of over six billion people.
Several of the virologists James worked with throughout the CDC went missing days prior to the capsules being released. Others died from the virus contained inside those capsules. He and a handful of colleagues were left to determine what the virus was and where it came from.
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Series
The Purification
Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 978-1633042278
Publisher: Launch Point Press
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