Book Review: Influx by Daniel Suarez

Influx by Daniel Suarez

Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Dutton (February 20, 2014)

Author Information: Website

Mogsy's Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars 


Daniel Suarez has made a name for himself when it comes to techno-thrillers, and his talent for combining science with action has garnered him much praise and comparisons to the late Michael Crichton. And also, let's not forget how much I enjoyed Suarez's Daemon duology. All of this made me pretty excited for Influx, so now that I'm done I still find myself stunned to admit I was disappointed.

Many theories for generating artificial gravity have been proposed for decades, and even more have been presented by science fiction writers using all manner of methods and inventions. Jon Grady, particle physicist and the protagonist of Influx has achieved a breakthrough in the manipulation of gravity that would change the world. But instead of being showered with awards and lauded by the scientific community, his lab is shut down by a rogue government organization called the Bureau of Technology Control, his research deemed too dangerous to be unleashed on the unknowing public.

Grady himself is locked away in a secret prison when he refuses to cooperate, after BTC fakes his death and steals his gravity reflection technology. He's not the only one who has had his life taken away like this. It turns out that the world is more technologically advanced than we think, but the BTC has been monitoring science and technology for a long time, covering up and commandeering numerous revolutionizing discoveries and disappearing their creators to prevent social upheaval at all costs. In his nightmarish prison, Grady meets other great minds who have been held captive and they begin to formulate a plan of escape and to bring down the BTC.

With a snappy plot like that, I shouldn't have felt put off, but I did. Frustration is perhaps the best way to describe my experience, especially with the earlier and later parts of this novel. The author clearly loves technology and enjoys talking up the features of both the real and fictitious aspects of it, which would have been fine -- except often I felt like it was done to the detriment of his story. He places a lot of emphasis on the science and tech, an example being the pages upon pages towards the end of the novel dedicated to describing the use of a device, which coupled with Grady's gravity reflection research would allow a person to "fly". Instances like these do more than disrupt the pacing of the plot, because I think it also takes away from his characters and make them feel less compelling.

It's a shame, because the book is at its best when the focus in on the characters, reminding me what I loved so much about Suarez's Daemon and Freedom™. I was initially drawn to the series because of my inability to resist anything sci-fi and video game related, but came away happy to find the author is capable of doing great things with storytelling and character development as well. I wasn't quite as drawn to Jon Grady or the other characters in Influx (so that even when certain characters died unexpectedly, I was not affected much by their demise) but I did enjoy the story itself. Suarez goes heavy on the technological aspects but he definitely knows how to keep up the action and thrills too. I had a lot of fun with the book when the flow was smooth, or when the story wasn't interrupted by info dumps.

All in all, Influx was an okay book. It could have been great, but some of its flaws prevented me from jumping completely on board. I can definitely understand the comparisons of Suarez to Crichton, though I think the latter had a better knack for driving a story. Still, if you love techno-thrillers, I would recommend this -- especially if you have an inclination towards the "techno" part. If that's the case, I think you'd be well-pleased.

Book Review: The Abominable by Dan Simmons

The Abominable by Dan Simmons

Genre: Historical Fiction Horror

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Date of Publication: October 22, 2013

Author Information: Website

Mogsy's Rating: 3 of 5 stars - "A decent book that is not without its high points; story is paced slowly and weighed down with a lot of technical detail"

Dan Simmons has always been hit or miss for me, but I have to say his historical-horror novel The Terror about Franklin's lost expedition to the arctic remains one of my all time favorite books ever. While his newest novel The Abominable may not be a follow up, it certainly can be considered a companion piece; the fact that both books seem to share the same vein made me hopeful that Simmons will blow me away again. 

Unfortunately, that just didn't happen. Still, the book started promisingly enough, with an introduction from the author that really isn't an introduction at all. Instead, it's an interesting little meta-story about how Dan Simmons came upon a manuscript of this book, starting with a visit more than ten years ago to a former mountaineer named Jake Perry in a Colorado nursing home. The Abominable is essentially Jake's account of his 1926 expedition to Mount Everest, which Simmons receives in the form of a whole stack of notebooks hand-written by the old man.

Thus it was not so surprising that most of this book read like a memoir. What did surprise me, however, was how little action there was in a book supposedly touted as a "thrilling tale of supernatural adventure". A good chunk of it felt more like a guide to mountain climbing, complete with descriptions of climbing techniques and equipment which Simmons goes into with exhaustive detail. 

Okay, I'll give that it's interesting and all, but where's the relevance? I was more than a quarter of the way through this book (and that's about 150 pages in this monster of a novel) and they still weren't even in the Himalayas yet. At a certain point, I just desperately wanted the story to get moving, and the last thing I needed was yet another dozen or so pages on ice axes and 12-point crampons. At the end of this book, I felt like knew the ins-and-outs of how a Primus stove works more intimately than some of the main characters. This really bothered me, especially since I've never known Simmons to be the kind of author to flaunt his knowledge or research prowess by overwhelming the reader with unnecessary info dumps.

When he does get around to the action though, it can be very suspenseful. If I'd ever entertained thoughts of becoming a mountain climber, this book pretty much killed them dead. Mountain climbers are insane; I'll settle for living their adventures vicariously though books like this one, thanks. That being said, readers with a fear of heights might have a rough time with this, and of course Simmons is also the master of pushing his characters to extremes by placing them in these horrible, godforsaken situations. And it doesn't get any scarier and more extreme than on Mount Everest. 

To date, more than a thousand people have reached Everest's summit including a thirteen-year-old, but it's still one of the most treacherous mountains in the world, killing climbers every year. Can you imagine what a nightmare it must have been like in the 1920s? Climbers back then didn't have our current tech, didn't have the kind of safety gear and improved equipment we have today. It was less than a hundred years ago, and conquering Everest was still just a dream. Or more like, a hopeless challenge. When you read The Abominable and take in the struggles of Jake Perry and his companions, Simmons doesn't let you forget that for a second. 

Nevertheless, this book fell short of my expectations. Its dragging pace played into this, certainly. By the time things really started to heat up it was already three-quarters of the way through the book and a little too late. Still, it was the climax and big reveal that disappointed me the most. Without going into spoilers, let's just say that one of the reasons I loved The Terror so much was its touch of the supernatural. From its description, The Abominable looks like it teases the same, but things didn't actually turn out that way. The big twist was ultimately a let down, and I'll just leave it at that.

Bottom line, this book was not as good as I thought it would be, though it is not without its high points. History buffs with an interest in Everest and mountaineering will find the some of the details here fascinating (the doomed 1924 British Mount Everest Expedition and the deaths of renowned climbers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine served indirectly as a background for this novel) and a few sections of the plot are genuinely terrifying. Still, it is very little payoff for the amount of effort. The Abominable was a decent book, but I just wished it had been more the "bone-chilling, pulse-pounding story of supernatural suspense" its description vaunted.

 3 of 5 stars

Book Review: The Cure by Douglas E. Richards

The Cure by Douglas E. Richards

Genre: Science Fiction/Thriller

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Forge

Date of Publication: September 17, 2013

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy's Rating: 4 of 5 stars - "A wild ride, with genuinely unexpected plot twists and a bold driving pace; perfect for fans of techno-thrillers who enjoy a unique blend of science and suspense"  

Douglas E. Richards is known for his mind-bending science fiction thrillers that are a touch different from the mainstream variety, not to mention a penchant for throwing in unexpected twists that will leave you reeling. I finally got the chance to experience Richards' work for myself with his newest techno-thriller The Cure, and it appears that his knack for storytelling has not been exaggerated.

But first, readers should be aware that the prologue contains extremely graphic and brutal violence. I had a very hard time getting through it myself, and was tempted to skip the entire scene all together. However, as abhorrent as it was, this section served its purpose -- we are introduced to the main character Erin Palmer, whose entire life was shaped by a severely traumatic experience with a psychopath when she was just eleven years old.

Now a grad student, Erin has dedicated much of her life to studying and trying to understand psychopathy. When her research attracts the attention of neuroscientist Hugh Raborn who contacts her with a possible treatment and ultimately a cure for the condition, one would think Erin would be over the moon. And yet, she is troubled by the ethical implications of a such a revolutionary scientific breakthrough, not to mention her suspicions that Raborn isn't being completely honest with her.

Then, enter the HUGE twist. Let's just say I spent a lot of time during the first third of this book scratching my head trying to figure out where the "science fiction" aspect comes in with regards to the plot. Granted, the author gets innovative and very high-tech when it comes to the science and medical theory, but up to this point, The Cure came across as more of a suspense-thriller. Suffice to say, everything changed when Richards drops a huge bombshell, at once giving me my sci-fi fix and taking the story in a direction I never would have seen coming in a million years!

For obvious reasons, I can't say much more pertaining to this development without revealing any major spoilers, and really, where would be the fun in that! If the book's plot sounds intriguing to you though, I do encourage you to check it out; albeit I admit I was initially skeptical over this new turn of events, they gradually grew on me. By the end of the revelation I was at least curious enough and willing to go along to see where Richards will take me, and it's a good thing I did because the rest of the book can only be described as one wild ride -- and emphasis on wild. If nothing else, this twist has definitely piqued my interest in the author's other books.

When first faced with the driving pace and unique blend of suspense and science in The Cure, one of my earliest thoughts was that Douglas E. Richards' style reminds me very much of the late Michael Crichton's. It also came as no surprise when I finished the book and did some further reading to discover that many others have made the same comparison. The writing took some time to get used to, since at times it was awkward and seemed almost didactic in nature, but it is clear Richards knows what he's talking about. I am no molecular biologist like the author, nor am I well-versed in fields like quantum physics or psychology, but he took some very complex theories and made it straightforward enough to make the story compelling, and for me to understand that there is a lot at stake.

The book wraps up nicely, which is astounding in light of the widely different subjects involved as well as multiple twists in the plot. The story is suspenseful, audacious and a lot of fun, especially if you're a fan of the kind of science-fiction thrillers by authors like Crichton or Douglas Preston. Once in a while, a book like this comes along and shakes up my reading list, which is something I can appreciate, and on top of that, it gave me plenty to think about.

 4 of 5 stars

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: The Deaths of Tao by Wesley Chu

The Deaths of Tao by Wesley Chu

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Book 2 of Tao

Publisher: Angry Robot

Date of Publication: October 29, 2013

Author Information: Website | Twitter 

Mogsy's Rating: 4 of 5 stars - "Even bigger and better than the first book, with both the Prophus and Genjix raising the stakes. Not to mention that incredibly explosive ending"

I had the great pleasure of reading Wesley Chu's debut The Lives of Tao earlier this year, so needless to say I was pretty excited about reading the sequel. And to my delight, The Deaths of Tao turned out to be a worthy follow-up to its predecessor! In many ways, I liked it even more than the first book; after all, the scope of the story has gotten bigger, but it still retains all the humor and action that first drew me in.

And yet, there are some changes too, most of which I enjoyed. For one thing, we're no longer focusing on the transformation of Roen Tan from an overweight dejected IT guy to an athletic fighting machine. After the first book, Tao has managed to train his human host into a full-fledged Prophus agent. But just because we no longer have the amusement of seeing Tao whip Roen into shape anymore, that doesn't mean the fun is over. Roen still has problems, just most of them now involve his personal life.

A few years have passed since the end of the first book. Apparently there has been no happily-ever-after for Roen and Jill, even after the two of them had gotten married and had a son. The Prophus and Genjix war has caused a rift between the couple, and Jill blames Tao for making Roen put his missions ahead of his family. It also hasn't helped that their side has been steadily losing ground while the enemy has been making headway in their plans to dominate the human race.

Things are looking dire, but I actually quite like the direction this series has taken, as the dynamics between Roen and Tao's relationship have shifted. Of course, the humor and witty banter's still there, but now Roen's crumbling marriage is a source of tension between the human and alien, not to mention the pressure's on everyone now that it looks like the Genjix are about to win. The Prophus aren't taking it lying down though, and are still doing what they can to stop them.

Normally, I'd be wary about sequels that skip ahead a bunch of years, with characters whose relationships have evolved drastically. To a certain extent, a part of me always wishes that they could stay the same, but at the same time I know that runs the risk of becoming stale and stagnant. Changes therefore have to be handled carefully. However, I liked everything Wesley Chu did in this sequel; the changes are all compelling and they add to the story. I especially enjoyed reading about how the past few years have affected Roen and Jill, as well as their Quasings Tao and Baji. It's also great how the narration has expanded beyond Roen to include Jill and others.

Like I said, The Deaths of Tao is bigger and better. Firstly, this time we get to follow the war on a more international scale. Roen and his team are sent on a mission to Taiwan, where most of this book takes place, and Wesley Chu brings this setting to life with his wonderful descriptions of the country and its culture. Next, we discover that the Quasing conflict actually goes a lot deeper than we realized, extending into the economic and political realms. More information is revealed about how the aliens have influenced humanity and our history since time eternal. Lastly, a new villain emerges in the form of Enzo, a truly scary and insane megalomaniac who's unpredictable because he doesn't always play by the rules. Still, I find it incredibly interesting to see into the heads of bad guys, and as such I was pretty happy that we also got a part of the book told in his perspective.

I couldn't believe it when I got to the ending. Admittedly, it came way too soon, but it was also everything I could hope for. We get not one but three explosive clashes happening in different parts of the world, and then both alien factions raise the stakes. Now begins the wait for book three, and thanks to that cliffhanger I know I'm going to have a hard time being patient to see what happens next!

For more about Wesley Chu and THE DEATHS OF TAO, be sure to check in again later this week for an interview with the author!

 4 of 5 stars

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu

The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Book 1 of Tao

Publisher: Angry Robot

Date of Publication: April 30, 2013

Author Information: Website | Twitter


Alien stories are always a fun ride, especially when 1) the aliens are unconventional, and 2) their relationship with humankind goes beyond the typical invade them/uplift them dichotomy. Alien stories are even more interesting when they're mixed up in a spy thriller. That being said, the latter isn't usually my cup of tea, but I have to appreciate The Lives of Tao for not taking itself too seriously and for being just quirky enough to win me over.

I'm also as fond of unconventional heroes as I am of unconventional aliens. A self-doubting, weak-willed, TV-dinner-munching and out-of-shape IT technician working at a dead end job probably isn't someone who immediately comes to mind when you think of the ultimate secret agent. It definitely wasn't what ancient alien life-form Tao had in mind either when he had to choose a new host after the untimely death of his last one, but it's not like he had a choice. That's how our hapless protagonist Roen Tan woke up one day hearing an alien's voice in his head.

Two factions make up Tao's species, the Quasings: the peace-loving Prophus and the savage Genjix. The two sides have been engaged in a covert war for centuries, with the fate of humanity hanging in the balance. As a high-profile Prophus, Tao finds himself racing against time to whip Roen into shape and to train him in the subtle arts of espionage. His new host must become combat-ready and fast -- before the Genjix can discover his identity and eliminate him.

An alien consciousness in a person's head certainly isn't a new idea, but like I said before, this book struck me as more unique and scores highly with me because of the complexity in the relationship between the aliens and humans. And that's not all to it either; the internal conflicts between the Quasings themselves also gave this story a nice spin. Basically, stories about aliens that are out to invade earth and kill everyone are a dime a dozen. It's nice to read one where the extraterrestrials (or at least a faction of them, anyway) are on our side for a change, and what you do know, aliens can disagree amongst themselves too when it comes to how to deal with us puny humans.

This was a really great book, filled with action and suspense as well as plenty of humor. However, beneath all that is also a very good message. Throughout the course of the novel, we see Roen grow from a loser with low self-esteem to a someone with confidence who's no longer afraid to fight for what he wants. As unlikely as it sounds, this really is a Cinderella story, with its main character starting out dejected and miserable but ending up a much happier and healthier man. Tao taught Roen many things beyond gathering intelligence and martial arts, not the very least is the fact that complaining will get you nowhere. If you want something, you have to work for it -- and getting off your butt is only the first step.

All in all, an entertaining science fiction thriller with a heavy dose of comedy, which almost makes this one feel like an...urban sci-fi? In any case, it'll be like nothing you've read before. I'm looking forward to more by Wesley Chu, and definitely can't wait until we catch up with Roen and Tao again.

Final verdict:

4 of 5 stars

Book Review: Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig

Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig

I can't get enough of Miriam Black. I just can't. I thought the initial delight of discovering this twisted and refreshingly candid series would have worn off a bit by now, but it hasn't. If anything, I think I'm finally starting to sense of who Miriam is and the direction in which these books are going. Or that might just be wishful thinking. Regardless, I'm still having a blast.

Some time has passed since we last left Miriam and Louis in Blackbirds (book one of the series, my review here). For the sake of their relationship, Miriam has attempted to settle down, living in a double-wide trailer and working as a check-out girl at a local grocery store. No more drifting around the country, and no more utilizing her morbid ability to see and how and when someone is going to die simply by making skin-on-skin contact with them. For Miriam, it means a new life filled with lots of tedium, grin-and-bear-it moments, and constantly wearing gloves.

But a girl can only take so much. Fed up, Miriam packs up and gets ready to hit the road when Louis tells her about Katey, a contact of his who is convinced she is dying and wants to pay Miriam to confirm her suspicions. Eager to be herself again, Miriam readily accepts the job, which is how she finds herself dropped off at a prestigious boarding school for troubled girls where Katey is employed as a teacher. Very soon, Miriam finds herself caught up in much more than she bargained for, when she encounters Lauren, a student at the school whom Miriam's death visions tell her will die brutally at the hands of a crazed serial killer.

With Mockingbird, I think I feel a little more confident in describing the Miriam Black books as less of a traditional Urban Fantasy series, and more of a Thriller-Suspense with paranormal elements. Given the dark nature of Miriam's power, I would throw in a bit of horror, too. There are some intensely graphic and frightening scenes in this book worthy of the goriest slasher flicks, and if you're anything like me, at certain points while reading you'll likely find yourself squirming in your seat in an uncomfortable-yet-not-too-entirely-unpleasant kind of way.

Though, that's sort of what I've come to expect with Chuck Wendig. His writing and stories can make you desperately want to turn the page and be scared to do so at the same time. His characters and dialogue can induce me to laugh my ass off yet at once make me feel like a terrible person. And I love every minute of it. Why do people go and watch scary movies anyway? On a certain level, we do it for the express purpose of being terrified out of our wits. Similarly, that was why I was so eager to pick up this second installment of Miriam Black -- I wanted what I got out of Blackbirds the first time around, to again be shocked, scandalized and enthralled by Wendig's particular brand of dark humor and suspense. I was not disappointed.

Mockingbird also gave us a better look at who Miriam is as a person. I mentioned in my review of the first book that I know deep down beneath that snarky rough exterior she is good person with a good heart, and here I think we see that a little more in her determination to help the schoolgirls and her refusal to simply walk away from the situation. The origins of her mysterious power are still largely unexplained, but we do get a bit of that too. The best part, though, is this book provided a lot of insight into Miriam's past, like her childhood and her relationship with her mother, which gave me a better idea of how she became the way she is.

Overall, a very suspenseful and chilling novel which I could barely put down. As a special treat, I bought the Whispersync Kindle/Audible bundle so I was able to listen to parts of this in audiobook format too. The narrator Emily Beresford is fantastic as Miriam Black, her talent coming through especially when she sings the "Mockingbird" song, the serial killer's rendition of the folk song "Wicked Polly". The song earwormed itself into my head for days, which I have to say made the book even more memorable and creepy.

Final verdict:

4.5 of 5 stars

Mogsy: A Book That Makes You Sad

 

11/22/63 by Stephen King

 
Can I take "Book that made me sad" to also mean "Book that made me bawl my friggin' eyes out so hard that I couldn't even see well enough to finish the last page"?

If so, this would be it. 11/22/63 isn't really that sad per se, but the ending is gut-wrenchingly bittersweet. I found myself at the kitchen table the morning I finished this book sobbing so loudly my husband rushed in from the back of the house to ask me if anything was wrong.

"Uh, yeah," I said. "Stephen King actually made me cry!"

Yup. Stephen King. Made me cry. I doubt he'd be the first one to come to mind when naming authors adept at pulling heartstrings, and in fact, I believe King has been criticized in the past for his awkward handling of scenes that involve any deep emotion or feeling. For example, you wouldn't think romance would be his forte.

11/22/63 would prove that wrong. Obviously, the book isn't a tearjerker romance (Note: it's not horror either; personally I would say Thriller/Suspense). Still, I can't deny those emotional factors made it even stronger, and ultimately it's the love story in the end that stayed with me.

But the book is about so much more! Basically, it's one giant "what if" scenario involving John F. Kennedy and his assassination by Lee Harvey Oswald that fateful day in 1963. It's got aspects of time travel, alternate history, historical fiction, thrills and chills -- honestly, it's great. But I'd say the less you know about the story going in, the better the experience is going to be. It's just one of those books!

Book Review: Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig

Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig 

Oh man, what can I say about Miriam Black? Funny how Chuck Wendig was able to hook me on his Blackbirds female protagonist the way he couldn't with Mookie Pearl in The Blue Blazes, my first book by this author. I may have mentioned my aversion for rough, brutish, brawn-over-brains characters like Mookie in my review of that book, but here I find myself completely taken with Miriam and her snarky, foul-mouthed, firebrand hellion devil-may-care badass ways. This chick had me at, "That's me. My fair fuckin' lady."

Miriam also has a very special ability -- she can foresee the manner in which a person will die and know exactly when, down to the very micro-second. All she needs is any skin-on-skin contact and the visions will trigger, the deaths playing out in her mind in their entirety but lasting only a couple seconds to anyone watching from the outside. She used to care, used to want to save others from their preventable demises, but quickly learned her lesson: What fate wants, fate gets. Now she's a vagrant, hopping from city to city trailing those she knows will soon meet their end, so she can swoop in and rob them at the time of their deaths and no one will be the wiser.

Then one day she meets Louis, the random truck driver who gives her a lift and is the first person in a long time to show her even a hint of kindness. She finds she likes him, but then she shakes his hand and sees his death -- in 30 days, Louis will be brutally murdered. Miriam is shocked; she's seen hundreds of deaths from accidents, suicides, and health problems, but very rarely has she seen murder. And the kicker is, in her vision right before Louis dies, he looks up past his killer and calls Miriam's name...like he sees her there.

It was difficult to put this book down. Obviously, the plot being such a tease was a major draw, but like I said before, I was also very much taken with Miriam. I still don't know why, really; it's not like I can relate to her all that easily since I am nothing like her, but I felt connected to her regardless. She's definitely unique, and it'll be a mistake going into this book expecting her to be just another independent, tough-as-nails paranormal fiction female protagonist. Miriam would probably just beat someone like her up, but only after cussing her out and drinking her under the table.

A lot of the criticisms I've seen directed at this book claim Miriam's character doesn't read like a "real girl", but I have to disagree. Not only do I know women who act just like Miriam, I also think that her rough, trashy badass exterior reflects the kind of life she's had growing up with her disturbing power, making her behavior and personality convincing and refreshingly honest. At the same time, I sense that underneath is someone more perceptive and complex, with a introspective, kind and caring side to her that you just have to dig a little bit beneath the surface to find. Okay, maybe make that dig A LOT beneath the surface, but I still know it's there.

This book also made me start appreciating Chuck Wendig's style a lot more than I had before. His writing, topics, and characters are infused with this attitude which to me is a little reminiscent of the transgressiveness in books one might find by authors like Chuck Palahniuk or Bret Easton Ellis. I also love the paranormal spin to Blackbirds, but I would also hesitate to categorize it as urban fantasy because it throws so many of that genre's conventions out the window; my guess is that a person can be really put off by this book if caught completely unprepared by it.

Sometimes, it does feel like the book is deliberately out to shock you, what with some of its violent and graphic scenes as well as Miriam's potty mouth, but I was strangely cool with it. The subject matter also had a way of making me feel deliciously unsettled, but it at least made this book memorable. I admit I was somewhat initially hesitant about tackling another Chuck Wendig book after enjoying but not being completely blown away by The Blue Blazes, but I definitely liked Blackbirds more than I thought I would.

Final verdict:

  4.5 of 5 stars

Book Review: Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

I picked up this book because I love the series. The premise of a serial killer killing other serial killers was just too interesting to pass up. You actually root for Dex, even though you know that he's the bad guy as well. The beginning of this book was just like watching the series. The series mirrored it perfectly. I could hear Michael C. Hall in my head just as he sounded on that first episode while reading the beginning of this.

Dexter spends a great deal of time trying to make us believe that he is completely incapable of any kind of human emotion, even as he does express a certain amount of elation while he's butchering others and while he's admiring the work of this new killer, and while that seemed repetitive for some readers, I interpreted it as a mechanism to make himself truly believe that he has no feelings because many of his actions and thoughts say otherwise. Yes, I do believe that he's partly right in his assessment of himself. It takes a certain kind of uncaring, broken person to do the things he does, even if it IS to others like himself. However, I don't believe that he's really as uncaring as he tries to paint himself to believe.

This book was like a personal look into the dark side of a person's psych (same with the series). It makes you wonder if that bright smile from the mailman is really hiding something sinister behind it.

Final Verdict: 

4.5 of 5 stars

Book Review: Playing Tyler by T.L. Costa

Playing Tyler by T.L. Costa

Expected Date of Publication: July 2, 2013

Thank you to Netgalley and Angry Robot/Strange Chemistry for providing me with an e-ARC of Playing Tyler in exchange for an honest review. When I read the synopsis for this young adult novel, it was the video game angle that initially piqued my interest. Being an avid gamer myself, I was immediately drawn to the story.

It begins with just a typical day for 17-year-old Tyler MacCandless. Tyler has ADHD, but has long stopped taking his medication because his older brother Brandon kept stealing it before landing himself in rehab for drug abuse. School's a struggle when none of the other students or his teachers understand what's going on in his life. Tyler's father is dead and his mother isn't dealing too well with the problems at home, so the only person Tyler can turn to is Rick, his friend and mentor at the Civilian Air Patrol.

Tyler loves playing video games, so it was a dream come true one day when Rick asks him to beta test a new flight simulator, which may also be Tyler's chance to get into flight school if he scores well enough. Even better, the designer behind the game is teen prodigy Ani Bagdorian AKA Slayergrrl, legendary International League Gaming champion. It doesn't take long for the two of them to strike up a romantic relationship. However, just as Tyler think his life is finally on the right track, Brandon goes missing from rehab and it appears there is more to the simulator game than meets the eye.

Right away, I liked that this was a story about two teenagers who fall outside conventions when it comes to YA protagonists. Video gaming as a hobby is still often made a subject of ridicule in mainstream pop culture, with its enthusiasts portrayed as weirdos who don't get out much, which is why I love how the hero and heroine of this novel are both hardcore gamers. When you try to picture someone who is good enough to win championships at international gaming competitions, you don't typically think of a smart and beautiful 16-year-old female Yale student, which is why I think Ani is especially kick-ass.
 
Still, at first, I wasn't sure if I was going to get into this book. It begins with Tyler's perspective, whose ADHD made his narration a little confusing to follow, since the writing style is so abrupt to convey that his attention is all over the place. The positive side is that it's also very effective, because it made me feel like I'm actually inside his head. Tyler's sections do get a bit easier on the eyes after a while, once you start getting used to it. Ani's point-of-view, which alternates with Tyler's, also helped change things up a little and gave me the breaks I needed.

The story itself was a little predictable, perhaps, and yet still quite suspenseful, especially once you reach the final chapters. But one thing I wasn't a big fan of was the romance. I'm aware that having the element of a love story is a big thing and a wise decision in YA fiction these days, but quite honestly, I felt Playing Tyler could have been much stronger and better as a straight-up thriller suspense story. 

Even just the gradual build-up of the relationship between Tyler and Ani would have been sufficient, without the first third of the novel devoted to getting them together. I felt that bogged down the beginning of the story somewhat, and that's really where I'm looking for a book to hook me and pick up momentum. Though, I do have to admit I found some of the awkward "first date" moments oddly enjoyable to read, especially with Tyler's penchant to say the wrong things at the wrong time. It was sort of funny and cute in its own way.

I would say this book would be perfect for its intended audience, which includes readers who like YA fiction as well as older teens, since it does contain mature themes and some instances of strong language. There's a good combination of thrills and intrigue, a very strong debut novel from a new author and an engaging read over all.

Final verdict:

3.5 of 5 stars

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

Christine Lucas, the protagonist of this psychological thriller, has a problem. Years ago, an accident robbed her of her ability to retain day-to-day memories. Each night, her mind erases everything when she goes to sleep, and most days when she wakes, she is unable to remember anything past her young adult years. Her husband Ben is a stranger beside her in the bed she wakes up in every morning, and she is unfamiliar with the middle-aged face she sees in the mirror, still believing herself to be in her early 20s.

Ben does his best to help her cope, keeping her grounded by guiding her through each day with photos, scrapbooks and patience. Then one day, Christine discovers she has been working secretly with a doctor, who has been encouraging her to document each day in her journal. Using it to piece together daily events, she discovers there is more to her past, a past that her husband may have been keeping from her. What do you do when the only person you can trust is only telling you half the story? What can you believe when you don't even trust your own memories?

Before I go to Sleep is like 50 First Dates meets Memento, a dramatic tale that very quickly transforms into a suspenseful, psychological thriller. It is hard to believe this is a debut novel, since beneath the twists and turns lies a very complex theme, a darker truth that many would find difficult to think about. If what makes a person is their lifetime of memories, who are we if we can't recall our lives or even ourselves? Not being able to remember anything is a scary thought. On the one hand, while painful or disturbing memories can be abandoned each night, so will the memories of all the happy times and of those you love. It's a little bit like dying every night, and when I really think about it, I can't help but sympathize with Christine even more.

Given the premise of the novel, I was really curious as to how the author would handle the narrative. Not surprisingly, I found it a little awkward and confusing, but it was nonetheless well executed and better than I had hoped. After a while, I started getting used to the style and structure, and decided in the end that it was the best possible way to tell this story in light of the challenges it presents.

I thought this was a good mystery novel, with a very emotional build up to a startling and explosive conclusion. The only problem with this is that sometimes, I felt like the book was genre-confused, not knowing whether or not it wanted to be a heartfelt drama, or a suspenseful thriller. In the end, I guess it is a little bit of both. If I had known this beforehand, I probably would have liked this book even more, but as it is, I often found myself perplexed with its pacing while I was reading. Some parts of the beginning and middle felt a bit slow, while the ending was anything but.

Still, Before I go to Sleep succeeds at being an entertaining and enjoyable read. It is probably one of the more original stories I've read so far this year, and more thought-provoking than I expected.

My Rating (out of 5)