Customer Reviews

24/7

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

When I first examined this book prior to reading it I have to confess I was quite sure that I was not going to like it. It's plot, basically that of a reality TV show gone horribly wrong, sounded almost like a modernized "Friday the 13th," mostly an excuse for gratuitous violence. Fortunately, the problem wasn't the book, just some very poorly written advertising copy. I found my initial impression was quite wrong. Jim Brown, a broadcast journalist, reveals in his first novel enough talent and imagination to enjoy a promising career as a novelist.

The core of the plot is a reality TV show where 12 people will be left on Vassa, a Caribbean island, to struggle against both nature and their own fears. Extensive broadcasting and communication facilities ensure that the world will be able view all their activities and, by voting, gradually eliminate players until one is left to claim the prize - two million dollars and their heart's desire. But someone has other plans, and shortly after the show starts a tailored virus kills the show's entire crew, and the 12 contestants find they are playing for the highest stakes, their lives.

On-island the most important characters of the 12 are Justin Rourke, a pilot who struggles to find a way to stop the terror and Dana Kirsten, a last minute replacement contestant. Dana has entered the contest because her daughter is suffering from a degenerative form of leukemia and will die if she doesn't have an opportunity to participate in a new treatment program. These two quickly join in their efforts. Don't think that the other contestants are poorly done, though. Each of them has some quirk or fear that is exploited by the traps built into the island. My favorite was a mad scorpion stampede, but there is something for every reader's ghoulish streak.

Off-island, several threads develop and blend together. Tucker Thorne, an unknown press photographer, starts out by outsmarting a serial killer who is supposed to be dead and then finds himself in possession of information about Vassa Island that catapults him to a major news career. Dr. Sherman Lorrik, a specialist on terrorists, is called in by the President of the United States. His tasks are to find a way to resolve the Vassa crisis and to manipulate the outcome of the now fatal votes. The government itself must deal with the mystery of the Vassa plague and the islands mysterious ability to defend itself. For everyone involved this is a race against the clock.

The story line is quite complex with a great many imaginative twists and turns. It is surprising that, with such a large cast, most of the characters are satisfactorily developed. This is not simply an action story but a tale with plenty of puzzles and thinking to it as well. Brown gives away very little, and seems to take a great deal of pleasure in misleading the reader. Expect a lot of red herrings, with a totally outrageous ending. "24/7" is almost good enough to seem completely believable despite some technical plot devices that are nearly science fiction. But despite the occasional raised eyebrow this is a very readable book.

Marc Ruby - for The Mystery Reader

I've never been a fan of reality TV. As an avid reader, though, Jim Brown's premise appealed to me. Perhaps Brown, a former TV anchorman, could give this overworked idea a good kick in the pants.

Brown comes through with flying colors.

The premise: Twelve contestants, on an island, are involved in a "Survivor"-like TV series that turns ugly when an unknown entity informs them they have all been infected with a deadly designer virus. Based on the TV audience's votes, one contestant will be refused the daily antidote and will die a horrible death. It's a modern and macabre twist on the old lifeboat analogy.

Okay, so as a reader I found myself appalled and entranced by the horrors of Brown's tale. He quickly thrust me into the action and the next thing you know...I was hooked. I primarily read during my lunch-breaks in our employee cafeteria. With fork in hand, shovelling food into my mouth (successfully, in most cases), I raced through the pages to discover the story's ending. 24/7 jumps all over the place and follows a parade of characters, yet maintains an amazing congruity. Brown juggles a dozen subplots without dropping a single one. By the end, I was exhausted by the energy and intricate structure that brought the story to its conclusion.

Despite these plaudits, I must say that the story stretches credibility on more than one occasion. As with reality TV, I got the feeling more than once that this whole thing was rigged, that it wasn't as believable as it wanted me to think it was. The characters are brief, but memorable sketches, and the plot threads tie off nicely, if not too conveniently. Overall, 24/7 became a guilty pleasure. I couldn't put it down, though it seemed so shallow at its core.

Or maybe that was the very point. The irony of it all.

By ensnaring me in his thriller's web, Jim Brown showed me that I, like so many, am willing to "tune in" to see what'll happen, even if it means sacrificing my time, ethics, and integrity. Like his fictional TV audience, I was mentally voting death for the characters I disliked...and in so doing, I underlined the story's basic moral: In a society fueled by entertainment and false reality, we quickly sink to our lowest common denominator. Brown uses the very methods that'll attract his targets to slap them in the face with this harsh truth.

Okay, Jim, I learned my lesson...Are you ready to teach me another?

I loved this book. The pace is astonishing fast and the characters riveting, especially the lead a single mother who will do anything for her daughter. The plot lines are unique, enthralling and amazingly, all tie together in the end.

The premises is a live reality show that turns deadly when the contestants are infected with a virus lethal in 24 hours. Each day there will enough injections for all but one. The person who dies is decided by on line voted. Using just around the corner technology Brown creates a program that cannot be taken off the air.

The nation is both enthraled and appalled. And the Navy, forced to blockade the island to ensure the virus doesn't spread, has been given a time limit after which they will blast the entire facility to bottom of the sea. Meanwhile the contestants must continue to play the game but with deadly consequences.

And that's just the beginning. Once you start reading it's hard to stop.

Brown should be commended for writing a book that is compelling and at the same time, layered. It's only after you close the book and begin to think about what you've read (and you will think about it) that you realize how deeply layered the story truly is. What, on the surfaces is a fun, rollicking novel also contains profound social commentary and sounds a disturbing warning we all should hear.

I haven't been excited about a new writer since Judy Mercer and I can't wait to see what Jim Brown's next book.

Would you vote for someone to die? What if that was the only way to save another person's life? Those are just two of the questions driving this pulse-pounding novel.

First time writer, Jim Brown proves that he has the chops to be around for a long time. The plotting is incredible. And the twist are unpredictable and amazing.

If your life was in the hands of the public, what would you do to endear yourself?
How far would you go to win a game if winning was the only way to stay alive?

For contestants on the fiction reality show, 24/7 these question become real when terrorist take over the broadcast.

But despite the action, and there is plenty of it, 24/7 is in reality a psychological thriller. Because, even though the back drop is reality TV the true target is society.

This is what Stephen King's (Richard Bachman book) Running Man should have been.

I was given 24/7 as a Christmas gift and, not being a big fan of thrillers, did not expect to like it. I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, surprise seems to be the word that best describes this novel.

Mr. Brown has a wonderful, if twisted, imagination that makes it all but impossible to anticipate what will happen next. His plots are so compelling that you forget you are reading and if you're not careful, will loose an entire night's sleep.

Despite the large cast I felt connected to the main characters and frequently found my heart in my throat.

On two occasions I gasped out loud. Even as a frequent reader (I read at least two book a week) I can count on one hand the number of times that has happened in the last five years.

But perhaps the most surprising aspect of 24/7 is the plausibility. It could happen. Which makes this book compelling and frightening.

I recommend it for anyone who loves a good story.

See storyline above.

Being Jim Brown’s first novel, I must say he sure came out with a bang! The originality of the story is timely. A reality show gone haywire, where people actually die. Hmmm. I sure hope this doesn’t give the producers out there something to mull over. After all this was real â€~survivor’. It was, without a doubt, a very entertaining story. Action, mystery, and a little lovin’, will keep the reader racing to the end to solve the mystery. The writing style was good, but I think will improve with another novel or two under his belt. I think Jim Brown will become an author to keep an eye on.

Highly Recommended for younger adults

To my knowledge, broadcast-journalist Jim Brown is the first person to adapt the current rage for Reality TV into fictional form. His debut novel is not only a thematic trail-blazer, but an imaginatively-conceived, utterly chilling expose of the darker, more appalling side of America's obsession with vicarious thrills and violence. Its plotting and pacing are truly extraordinary; its characters, unforgettable; and its writing...absolutely first-rate!

Loosely based around the overall concept of the "Survivor" TV phenomenon, he has envisioned a scenario wherein the game situation suddenly becomes a life-or-death reality for its twelve players after a madman seizes 'Control' of their isolated island location while the TV cameras continue to operate 24/7. As the world watches in horror, the sponsoring network's entire technical staff is wiped out by an Ebola-type virus, and the contestants themselves are infected with a delayed version of the same deadly disease. The only way that they can stay alive is to receive a daily injection of a life-prolonging antidote. Control's dictum: that one-by-one decision shall rest entirely in the hands and votes of the viewing public. What immediately evolves into a frantic race against time and popular opinion for his protagonists is further complicated by an unusually effective twist in the plot (which also paves the way for its shocking denouement): if they can successfully accomplish a diabolically-individualized task wherein they are forced to face their worst fears under lethal circumstances, they will be rewarded with 'safety stones' which can cancel out a percentage of the negative votes that might be cast against them. Meanwhile their numbers diminish and their odds narrow as the government (at a loss for any other way to contain the unknown disease) hovers on the brink of a decision to obliterate the island. Cliff-hanger! In a nutshell, reality TV becomes the ultimate in reality reading, and Jim Brown has my vote to garner enough critical safety stones to take him straight to the top of the best-seller list!

24/7 is a gripping page-turner and IMPOSSIBLE to put down (Kept me up til 3 AM!) The story is great, whether you're a fan of reality TV or not (and I'm decidedly not), and the characters are VERY involving and interesting. Hey, Jim Brown - MORE PLEASE!!!

Sure, there are times when you think "yeah right, like that could happen" when things become a bit too convenient, but this book is alot of fun. It twists and turns, weaving together the stories of two main characters and it keep you guessing. Wasn't thrilled with "who" it turned out to be, but up until that part I really enjoyed the book, reading it in pretty much one sitting.

If you like thrillers, check it out.

Love "Reality" shows? Hate "Reality" shows? Read "24/7." For us uncomplicated souls who are slaves to "Survivor," we will enjoy competition to the max and a fine fix for our need to see ordinary people cope. (Though these characters are far from ordinary!). For those who despise the whole concept of such entertainment, you will get a cackle or two out of what happens when everything goes as wrong as it can on a reality show.

I read the book as if an animated film were unfolding and the dialogue was voice-overs. What happens if the hero climbs a flimsy radio tower to escape the inferno below him? Why a helicopter just happens to fly over, drop a ladder, and whisks him away from the leaping flames!

The book is good-natured with more story lines than a daytime soap opera, but somehow the author manages to control his story. With the exception of the principals, who come off like Tess Trueheart and Dick Stover, the characterizations are interesting and well done. I particularly liked a former Miss Universe who has the survival instincts of a cornered cobra.

Though not for the faint of heart, the author delivers an exciting story that has more than its share of twists, turns and surprises. Grade B-