2.0 out of 5 stars
Must... Suspend... All... Belief..., March 26, 2009
This review is from: Carbon Copy: Alpha Man (Paperback)
I did not enjoy reading CARBON COPY: ALPHA MAN. When reading science fiction I do not mind suspending belief as long as it is reinforced with solid ideas and some level of plausibility. Unfortunately, CARBON COPY: ALPHA MAN forces the reading to suspend all possible belief with absolutely no level plausibility. The science is rudimentary and impossible to "buy into."
The characters are introduced haphazardly with no real background and explanation for their "elite skill set." For example, the opening sentence:
"Call me Derek 008. I'm a former secret agent of a major world power. I'm being pursued by teams of secret agent hunters. Most of the Nations want me alive. Some Nations want me dead. After this book is published, I will be hunted like a snake by a mongoose."
This is just a small example of the author pumping up the "excitement" without any real explanation or background to develop the character.
The storyline of CARBON COPY: ALPHA MAN is so far out of left field it is unbelievable. I do not mind stories that fit that description, as long as they are executed well; which unfortunately, this book is not. The story introduces so many varied plot lines of equally outstanding and fantastic nature. The story is all over the place and difficult to manage as a reader.
The reason I gave this book two stars (instead of one) is because I could see myself recommending CARBON COPY: ALPHA MAN to a mature young reader to possibly peak his or her interest in the science fiction genre. There is some vulgar language but nothing unmanageable for a mature reader.
Your best bet? Pass on this book.
Good reading,
J.Stoner
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5.0 out of 5 stars
great sci-fi thriller, March 5, 2009
This review is from: Carbon Copy: Alpha Man (Paperback)
although i am more interested in gary's other book types- i did read this one as a loyal fan - i thought it was very interesting and colorful as i could picture all the scenes like i was there- i think he did a great job with his story and i would def. recommend this book!!
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2.0 out of 5 stars
Rambling and unfocused throughout, February 22, 2009
This review is from: Carbon Copy: Alpha Man (Paperback)
Too much clutter, too many plot paths and not enough depth is the way to describe this book. There are ruthless secret agents that get new faces when the need arises and a set of aliens from worlds that are not clearly defined. The main character is an agent named Derek whose mind is directly connected to a prisoner from the Roswell crash site. Derek also has a love interest and he wants to "retire" from being an agent but the only way he can do that is to die. Janet is his love interest and also an agent so she needs to die as well. While they both manage to do just that it involves elephants grazing at the bottom of the ocean, swarms of killer birds the size of coins and a reverse alien abduction where the agents are dropped on the ground by a flying saucer.
This book combines the worst aspects of the secret agent genre with that of aliens among us. I found it difficult to follow the story throughout, it bounced around with no real clear direction and at times the prose is brief yet rambling. For example, the last paragraph of chapter 1 is
"People will faint with fear. No jet would fly the sky in the face of God. A broadcast over the water would show the ocean on fire. The oil tankers stopped. A sky full of rockets and jets. The ocean full of battleships. With maybe only one real sub, ready to shoot a torpedo."
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