This is a pretty good horror listen (I used Audible). It does have the unsuspecting family, the townspeople who act mysteriously, and the brooding manThis is a pretty good horror listen (I used Audible). It does have the unsuspecting family, the townspeople who act mysteriously, and the brooding mansion that overlooks everything--especially the spooky bog. The Marquis who chooses to dwell in the mansion in the bog is a strange and disturbing figure--rude one day and charmingly attentive the next. His companion, an exotic young beauty by the name of Julia, has an ambiguous relationship with the older Marquis. Is she his wife? daughter? mistress? niece? No one knows. The only thing everyone agrees on is that she is smoking hot.
From here, this rather predictable setting takes some unexpected and quite unusual turns. It wasn't a story that made me uneasy about being alone in the house at night, but it was very enjoyable to read. David did get on my nerves at times, especially toward the end when he (view spoiler)[had ten minutes to find the ruby on the Marquis that contained all of his power. Given that with this jewel, he was pretty much unbeatable, you would think David would understand the importance of accomplishing this. But, no! With only ten minutes, David uses up almost all of that time carting the unconscious bodies of his wife and daughter out to the car. I understand the compulsion to save them, but hello? If you don't get the jewel, the Marquis is just going to kill them in the car! GET THE JEWEL! Then they'll be safe wherever they are. (hide spoiler)] As you can see, this irritated me! Aside from that, I highly recommend it!...more
This book threw me for a loop, but I really enjoyed it, overall. It's a crime thriller with stomach-churning, cringey torture scenes and a hint of theThis book threw me for a loop, but I really enjoyed it, overall. It's a crime thriller with stomach-churning, cringey torture scenes and a hint of the paranormal. It's fast-paced and I had trouble putting it down (except for the torture scenes--I had to put it down for those to regroup). The descriptions of the torture scenes are terrible, but they're not really prolonged. It's just that the images get in your head and you can't stop thinking about what it would have been like, and that's when I would have to put the book down and walk away. This is only the first of Masterton's books in this series, and I have already spent some time seriously considering whether he is going to up his game in the next book, or if that is even really possible. Is it possible to think of something more painful, both physically and psychologically, than what was done to the women in this book? I'm SO afraid that the answer to that question is yes! I've also spent some time wondering if anyone has ever actually done this or tried to do this to a person in real life. People can be so freaking evil--is there anything under the sun that someone HASN'T tried to do to someone else at some point in time?
I liked Katie as the protagonist, but I couldn't see why she stayed with her husband. I felt like his eventual departure was a blessing all around. I loved the ambiguity of the ending--was the witch actually coming or not? I also wonder if John Meaghan will be making a reappearance in Katie's life.
Anyway, Masterton clearly pushed my buttons with this one, but I am going to continue the series. I do have my fingers crossed that torture will not be figured as prominently in the next one, though! ...more
This book has some great inspirational advice for wanna-be writers. The nice thing is that the author doesn't sugarcoat it. She gives a frank account This book has some great inspirational advice for wanna-be writers. The nice thing is that the author doesn't sugarcoat it. She gives a frank account of the writing life--the procrastination, the agonies of the blank page, the self-doubt. She tells her readers bluntly that it is unlikely that many of them will be published, and even if they are, it's even less likely that this will result in a catapult into fame and wealth. But the book is also equally honest about the joys of writing, and that it should be a fulfillment within itself. I think it will prove extremely useful for my creative writing class....more
This is an enjoyable, unpredictable ride. Once the action started, I thought I had it figured out, but part of my theory got blown to hell pretty quicThis is an enjoyable, unpredictable ride. Once the action started, I thought I had it figured out, but part of my theory got blown to hell pretty quickly. I turned out to be right about the initial cause of the conflict, but did not comprehend the full scope of the situation because, you know, science.
The story starts off with the mundane life of Jason Dessen--husband to Daniela, father to 15-year-old Charlie, and professor of physics at a small, nondescript college. His marriage is happy, if a bit stale, and his career pays the bills. He once had hopes of great things: breakthroughs, inventions, accolades. That ended when he decided to marry his pregnant girlfriend. As the book opens, Jason's former college roommate is celebrating his win of a prestigious award, and our hero can't help but wonder, a little regretfully, about where he would be at this point in his life "if only." Little does he know that he's about to get a first-hand look.
The story is pretty fast-moving, although it did bog down in a couple of places. Although Blake Crouch definitely has some unique ideas (I'm a fan of the Wayward Pines series, but I've never read the book), I found the writing rather simplistic. That could partially be to the fact that the last audiobook I listened to was IT, that fantastic extravaganza of lush imagery, exquisite character detail, and flowing prose. Whatever the reason, the writing seemed unpleasantly simple at times. I mean, the narrator is a physics professor, which means that although descriptive writing may not be his thing, he does have a level of education that leads one to believe him capable of forming complex sentences and using polysyllabic words. My favorite was when he described Daniela's eyes as "dark and wet". Not wet with tears--she wasn't crying--just "wet." Dude--ever hear of the word "lustrous"? C'mon!
*** SPOILERS AHEAD ***
The action is fairly non-stop until I hit the 70% mark, at which it starts sounding more like a sappy love story. I figured that the Jason from the world the MC wakes up in engineered the switching of places, since he didn't seem confused about where he was, but I thought the MC would be faced with the choice of staying brilliant and famous with the exciting new Daniela, or going back to the same old, same old. Both original Jason and original Daniela seem pleased with the new versions of their significant other's, so I wasn't sure what his choice would be. Then the new Daniela gets it right between the eyes, so there went that theory!
I got so annoyed with Jason when they enter the world where the plague has hit Chicago. They're obviously NOT in the right world, and something is clearly wrong with this place since it appears to be completely deserted and they hear the quarantine message on the radio. Despite Amanda's warnings and begging him to leave, all he can say is "I've gotta see my house" even though it is clearly not going to be his house. Then what does he do? He has to go to the door. He has to talk to--and TOUCH--the diseased Daniela who answers the door. Then he has to go INSIDE the plague-infested house. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? If I was Amanda, I would have driven off and left him there. I know, I know, he's been torn out of his life and he just wants it back, and these people look like his people, so it's hard to just walk away. But he's risking Amanda's life, too, against her will, for no reason--this is not his real family. What's even dumber is the fact that he's exposing himself (and Amanda) to this plague, and then he plans to climb back into the box in search of his family. What if the right family is the next stop? What a great souvenir of his travels to bring to them! "So glad to be back, and I've brought you the plague!'
Once Amanda (wisely) cuts him loose, then it bogged down for me. We're reading about him being a hobo, living behind "his" house in whatever world he's in, mooning over Daniela. I found this part sappy and pretty boring. It seems a little contrived that he would stumble back into his own world with one ampule left, and no explanation of how he manages to find the right place after all the misses, but okay. He's back! Then the complication I could never have imagined in a million years. It's probably based off of some physics theory that has been extended to cover the multiverse, but I don't get it. I think how it works is that every time Jason went into one of the wrong worlds and left, it created another version of him. Every one of these versions has the same mission--to get back to the "real" Jason's world and reclaim his family. I was curious to see how this would play out. The ending was right for the situation, but I thought it sucked for Jason and his family. I understood the reasoning behind letting Charlie select their new destination, but the thought of putting your fate into the hands of a high-school freshman . . . brrr! That sends shivers down my spine!
I had some fun trying to imagine the fallout after Jason, Daniela, and Charlie flee the hordes of wannabe Jasons. What is the effect on our world? I could see Jason's murder being broadcast on the news, and the flood of calls reporting sightings of him coming in from everywhere, many simultaneous but at different locations. Then the discovery of the carnage at the cabin (the remote location prevents an immediate find), the subsequent DNA testing of the bodies and the resulting confusion over eight or nine identical men.
I thought that maybe the remaining Jasons could band together and take possession of the family's abandoned house and turn it into the Jason Dessen Home for Lonely Clones. They'd still have the problem of not letting people see more than one of them at a time, so that probably wouldn't fly. Oh, well, I guess the best thing for them to do is disburse themselves throughout the multiverse. Find a place and stay put, for God's sakes! Don't be world-hopping, or there would be enough Jason Dessens out there to people your own planet! Hmmm . . . I wonder if Jason and his family stay put in the first place they come to? If not, that could be a problem. If they world-hop, Charlie might find himself being beaten up one day by a pack of Charlies trying to get his prom date!
Once you get past the sappy part, which is relatively short, the action picks back up and kicks into overdrive. The ending took me completely by surprise, but fit with the story. It didn't completely blow me out of the water, but it's a fun, unpredictable read!...more
I picked this book up because I didn't want to cart the hefty hardback I'm in the middle of to jury duty, and thought this slim paperback would fit niI picked this book up because I didn't want to cart the hefty hardback I'm in the middle of to jury duty, and thought this slim paperback would fit nicely in my purse. It did, and once I started it, it was really difficult to put down. It's science fiction, but thank God! not as droningly sciencey as The Martian.
The first chapter is a great hook, but after that the story settles into a more sedate pace . . . for awhile. Then it picks up and really hits the gas and doesn't let up until the end. The main character, Mike, is a likable guy, and I promise it's not because he is an 11th grade English teacher (like me)! He's very laid-back and friendly, and . . . oh, yeah, he's like a supercomputer with legs. He has a crazy high IQ and an eidetic memory, which means that if his eyes see it, it's in his brain to stay. I did wonder what such a genius is doing teaching high school. Don't get me wrong--a photographic memory can be very helpful when those little scamps start trying to convince you that you never returned their paper, or you told them it was okay to copy their essay from the internet. On the other hand, there are definitely some sights and experiences that I am glad to let sink into obscurity, so I guess it's a mixed bag. Clines offers some very solid reasons for Mike's choices, so it makes sense.
Mike's longtime friend, Reggie, has been trying to entice Mike to come work for him in the government forever, but Mike has been firm in his refusals--until now. He allows himself to be talked into checking out this secret research experiment that Reggie's department has been funding. Although the experiment seems to be going well, Reggie is uneasy about it and wants Mike to see if he can nose out any hidden problems. The project is called the Albuquerque Door, and it came about during exploration into teleportation. It's not teleportation, but it's the next best thing. Everything seems to be going gangbusters, but as Mike starts to dig, he starts to discover things the project team would prefer to keep hidden. Mike is very friendly and polite to them, but most of them treat him with contempt and outright hostility. I liked that he holds his ground and does not allow their rudeness to intimidate or anger him. I also liked the unique way his extraordinary intelligence is characterized (hint: it has to do with insects). I, personally, have always struggled with absentmindedness, and am envious of people who seem to have no trouble recalling names, events, dates, numbers, etc. To me, a photographic memory seems a gift, something extremely desirable. Clines introduces us to the downside of never being able to forget anything.
I can't get into any more without giving it away, but it is definitely a page-turner. I thought the science explanations were handled well, with the meaning being made clear without beating me to death with long, detailed explanations of how things work (I'm looking at you, Andy Weir!). I found the plot to be plausible and riveting, and even the rudest characters came together eventually. I thought it was kind of convenient that (view spoiler)[ the surly and damaged--both emotionally and physically--girl who was clearly earmarked as Mike's love interest, Jamie, is exchanged for an affectionate, fun, and scar-free party girl about halfway through the book. Lucky for Mike! (hide spoiler)]
If you're looking for a thrill ride of a story, I highly recommend!...more
This is a VERY enjoyable horror story! It does have a Blair Witch-esh vibe to it, with all the cameras involved, but the premise of these semi-pro filThis is a VERY enjoyable horror story! It does have a Blair Witch-esh vibe to it, with all the cameras involved, but the premise of these semi-pro filmmakers, desperate for a film that will put them on the map, slowly but inexorably being sucked into the madness and horror of a world they didn't even know existed--it's compelling. By the time they realize that this world even exists, they've already been targeted, and it just gets more tense and suspenseful with each page.
The thing I like about it is that the story jumps pretty quickly into the action--and it stays there. It never eases off, it never backs down. If you're looking for a real page-turner, I recommend it!...more
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