Customer Reviews

Dark Prophecy: A Level 26 Thriller Featuring Steve Dark

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am a huge fan of the CSI franchise and was very excited to learn of Anthony Zuiker's new novel Dark Prophecy. It is very tough to come up with a fresh look at the serial murder detective genre.

And Anthony Zuiker does exactly that.

Zuiker delivers in more ways than one. His approach is fresh and exciting. It was hard to stop reading chapter after chapter. Steve Dark , his protagonist is very human and realistic, Rather than being a `guess who the killer is', we are drawn into how a detective would sort out the key to the killings.



The author also has expanded the genre into the virtual world. Zuiker spent over $250,000 creating an hour long cyber-bridge movie. This is a specially created film broken into smaller parts. Every few chapter you get a code that allows you to unlock the cyber-bridge at level26.com. These segments allow the writer a means of better illustrating his vision of the characters and the mood. Steve Dark now has a face. It is the modern means to illustrate novels. I expect to see more novelist utilizing the same method.

The only downside is now I must go and read the first book Dark Origin and I now have another writer to follow. I need to know more about the evil Sqweegel and the hints to Dark's dark family secret. [Sorry you have to read the book]

I am also looking forward to the CSI crossover of Dark's `Moriarty' Sqweegel on the October 14th episode.

Didn't come close to the first book, unfortunately. I was completely "creeped out" with the first book, full of suspense. The "bad guys" in this book were just regular, disgruntled, idiots. Was expecting much more. Probably would have like it more if I hadn't read the first book, but had high expectations for this after the first book. Too bad. A good mystery, but not exceptional. I didn't even bother going online into level26.com this time. What happened to the person who abandoned the black suit and I thought there was going to be a follow-up story about a red suit(?)

Dark Prophecy, the second Level 26 book, by Anthony E. Zuiker is just as good as the first. In some cases, I feel it is better. The bridges and the music will blow you away. They are hauntingly beautiful. I can tell you that many of them brought tears to my eyes. What can you say about Steve Dark? He's simply the best at what he does. His personal revelations in this book are a key factor to what he does and how he handles it. Dark's "rebirth" will leave you breathless, on one hand, and emotionally spent on the other. Justine Bateman, as Hilda, is fantastic. I loved her in the bridges and would love to see her reappear in book 3. The killers are scary and, of course, insane. Yet, you can feel empathy for what they have endured. Buy the book, read it and watch the bridges. Listen to "Henry's Theme". You will truly enjoy the experience.

Dark Prophecy: A Level 26 Thriller Featuring Steve Dark

Just finished the book and it was definitely a good read. Glad I bought it and I'm looking forward to the next installment in the series... That said

It's true that this book has a bit of a different "feel" than the first, but that doesn't make it poor read. For those who've read the novel of the series, Dark Origins, may have been expecting an almost super human killer. This book however, focused more on the character Steve Dark and made TCK, Tarot Card Killer, more anonymous and "human". As there are different kinds of people, why not killers. I for one would like to see yet another kind of killer in the next book.

The style of the Cyber-Bridges was unchanged from its first released book. If you enjoyed them, you will enjoy them again. My only concern is how they were released. I understand releasing them early helps draw attention to the novel, but at the same time, it draws away from the uniqueness that is the digi-novel. If you haven't already seen them, I would recommend waiting until you've reached the corresponding part of the book to do so.

It is my belief that with the story of Steve Dark being the main focus in this book, the next will focus on the killer yet again. Who knows what twisted mind will appear next.

Level 26 - that is a level of evil that few see they are so horribly demented, so void of remorse they are the creme de la creme of people crime investigators search for.
In Dark Images, the first digi-novel Level 26 book, Anthony E. Zuiker visionary creator of CSI and Duane Swierczynski brought the thriller book to a new level - going to the site Level 26 and actually SEEING the terror as it unfolded.
I got so scared, I stopped going to the site as the book was scary enough.
It also introduced us to one of the greatest crime fighting minds - Steve Dark. In the first book he paid a horrible price.
And walks away.
But somehow he is made a major part of this second Level 26 book, Dark Prophecy. I didn't know how Zuiker could top the first novel, but wow he did in this book!
To give away much of the novel would in a way give away too much, but as the book deals with Dark's becoming familiar with the Tarot Deck, it is fair to say, he gets involved with villians who know every nuance of the Tarot and he has to work it out. This time not within the means of the law. He becomes almost vigilante-like and that makes the plot even more scary.
Does the one who fights evil any way he can become more evil that the ones he goes out to stop?
The ending is scarier the more you think on it - Although I applaud you who are courageous enough to go online to Level 26, having it play in your mind is a lot scarier.
And you thought Sqweegel was the ultimate villian - whoa -
Great thriller!

Note: This is the 2nd book in the Level 26 series. First book is Dark Origins, which I read in Sept 2009 when it came out.
I really enjoyed Dark Prophecy. Started it on the 14th and just finished it last night. It made me want to savor it this time rather than rush though.

For me it flowed better than Dark Origins and the Cyber bridges were much more an enhancement of the book - altho the book was not dependant on them. There was a much improved balance between the book and the bridges this time. Of course my favorite bridge was the first one with The Reading & The Hanged Man - great character intros.

While I enjoyed the added look into who Steve Dark is and what makes him tick, I wasn't as satisfied in the development of TCK. It felt like so much time was spent on Steve that there had to be a rush to catch up on TCK in the last part of the book. And of course more Hilda would have been great! Like her MUCH better than his new "handler" (what's her name? see I even blocked her name!).

Now bring on Labyrinth!

Dark Prophecy is Book 2 in the Level 26 series. If you read and enjoyed "Level 26 Dark Origins" buy this book! If you read the first novel and were somewhat disappointed, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much more mature and developed Dark Prophecy.

This time around we explore Steve Dark 5 years after Dark Origins ends. Once again he is on the trail of a Serial Killer, this one is called TCK. I won't say more than that. You'll just have to pick up the book and find out for yourself!

For those unfamiliar with the Level 26 series, jump in anywhere, you're in for a great ride! Also, you get a free bonus -- online videos that go along with the books. This time, the videos that go along with Dark Prophecy are AMAZING! Justine Bateman as Hilda is an A+, the music score will bring tears to your eyes, and the whole production is just incredible.

Steven Dark returns in the 2nd of 3 books to chase down serial killers. The "cyber-bridge" videos (which make this series a bit unique) continue to add a nice addition to the book. In comparison to the first book, the killers lack that "Je ne sais quoi" that Sqweegel had. The book earns a good solid four stars but fails to make it to the 5 star rating for me.

As the third of a series this novel kept your attention and kept up the excitement. The digital movie was an added bonus and interesting twist.

I normally don't read this type novel. Someone told me about the first one and I reluctantly started reading it, now I'm addicted, this novel is as good as the first in fact it was so well done I've preordered the next one. I'm amazed with the mind of the author. I must admit I am not ready for the twists and turns of his imagination but once started its hard to put down and when finished it leaves me wanting more.