Customer Reviews

Driven (Gavin Pierce Series #1)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Krogan, an unpredictable, repulsive murdering maniac embarks on a vicious, headline-grabbing killing rampage. The evil killer is on the loose to hunt his next victim and nothing will stop him. He is determined to punish anyone who crosses his path, or makes him look bad. Unlike most serial killers, he may be a psychopath, but there's something different about him. His trademark and his motives are chilling, making you feel as if simply knowing his existence will indeed cause many sleepless nights. Gavin, a homicide detective is so obsessed with catching Krogan in the act, that his 'motto' to shoot first and ask questions later would take effect immediately. Why was the detective bitter with Krogan, and what did the serial killer do to Gavin's grandfather? I highly recommend this gripping novel to all thriller lovers, who enjoy high-speed action with intense suspense as well as paranormal fiction. W.G. Griffiths weaves together an incredible, compelling story that moves like a speeding bullet. A Masterpiece, based on Spirituality, reincarnation, and past life experiences and that's only the beginning through this riveting story. After living in Long Island, New York, forty-five years, I am indeed a witness to the author's picture-perfect setting. W.G. Griffiths dives into the supernatural, creates intriguing characters and has the reader hooked in the first chapter. The reader not only becomes addictive and craves for more at the end, but this mesmerizing story will leave you to ponder on why these incidents happen. What did the Reverend do, and how does the villain survive all the car crashes? What does the turtle represent? What will it take to prevent ongoing brutal attacks against more innocent victims, does hypnosis help, and will justice be served? Who else will be drawn into the killers' explosive game in a race against time? "DRIVEN" is as exciting as CAPE FEAR, as bone-chilling as ALONG CAME A SPIDER, and as haunting as THE OMEN.

Moderately compelling plot line drowned in boring characters weakly drawn and juvenile writing. Actually, for young teens it's probably a moderately satisfying read. Only managed to finish it for lack of something else handy to read. The second book (takedown) is surprisingly even more shallow and comes off as nothing more than a harlequin romance with a slightly better plot line. So bad I just couldn't finish it, which is a rare thing for me. Got both books because they sounded interesting and had strong reviews. Simply shocked by the celebrity reviews; what, did these people even read this book or were they just bought off? If you are interested in supernatural detective cross-over novels, give F. Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack series a try, they won't insult your intelligence and are a heck of a lot more fun to read.

I have become less and less interested in reading fiction as of late because of it's perdictability and bland characters, but I must admit that Driven was a truly refreshing read. The primary characters Gavin Pierce and "Krogan" were original and certainly unpredictable. The supernatural undertones of the book were creative as well, and the dialogue throughout was very convicing. All in all, this was a fast-paced thriller with great suspense and it continually kept me guessing as to what would happen next.

Fantastic! Read it in one day and during that time I was completely unaproachable. Great diologue, endearing characters, suspence all at the speed of light. Highly recommend it to anyone who can afford for a day spent in another world, because you'll be there and no where else. Just when you thought there was no other way to do time travel. ...

This book kept my attention from the first page to the last. I could not put it down and often found my self reading late into the night! The characters in this book are so real, so believable you almost expect to know them. By the end of the book you will feel as if you do know them. It is very well written and very creative. If you like a book that may cause you to rethink why things happen, what makes bad things happen then this is the book for you. I look forward to W.G. Griffiths next book!

I would have given this very original book 5 stars even if I didn't live on Long Island, but living here made me feel like it was all happening to me personally. Griffiths did a masterful job of weaving together of hypnosis, reincarnation, deliverence, high action, romance, police work, and spirituality in a thriller that moves at break-neck speed. I can't remember the last time I read almost 400 pages in two days. Plenty of surprises surround characters you quickly grow to love and care about. The bad guy is wildly unpredictable, original and somehow very believable. Diologue was excellent. Any thoughts I had on reincarnation and past life experiences were strongly challenged with a very plausable explaination I'd never thought of and might anger some. I enjoy books on time travel and Grifiths was able to satisy that hunger in me as well. He really did his homework with ancient languages and theology. The biggest surprise came at the end and left me with a spiritual consciousness that wasn't forced. I went to his website at WGGriffiths.com to find, as I hoped, that a sequel is on its way.

Driven, a simply written novel is an easy read that grips you into the storyline so much that you don't want to put it down. Granted yes, it is very basically written, but the fact that the action kept coming and coming meant I didn't want to put it down.

Driven is the story of a homicide detective who loses his grandpa to a serial killer who uses other people's cars as weapons and somehow always manages to not only survive each substantial crash, but escape as well. Gavin, the detective is obsessed with catching up with the killer, he has no intention of asking him twice to freeze when he has him at gunpoint. Krogan, the killer is not going to stop and will punish anyone trying to make him look bad or who gets in the way of his fun.

Got a little concerned when the biblical elements of the storyline started to appear, was very worried I was about to be preached to like when you unknowingly stumble across a tunnel vision Christian writer when you thought you were picking up a normal thriller or supernatural/horror novel. Authors such as Terri Blackstock and Robert Whitlow have certainly disgraced themselves by doing this and ripping off the unsuspecting public in the process of hard earned money. To my pleasant surprise Griffiths never started trying to convert me to his beliefs.

Driven is no masterpiece, but it is a pleasant enough way to pass the time.

This novel has delved into the super natural realm .It is done in a very believable way. The characters are strong and believable, there is a lot of depths to there personality.This novel along with "Takedown"(by the same author)are the best books in the Christian Fiction field that I have read.Other Christian authors could learn from Mr.Griffiths.

Okay, I'll admit that, for a while, this book had me hooked. I managed to look past the distracting rhyming adjectives ("bruised and confused", "wired and tired"). I tried to look past the fact that Reverend Jesse J. Buchanan suddenly became Reverend Samuel J. Buchanan (was there a legal name change we weren't made aware of?). But how on earth did Gavin survive being impaled with "a jagged piece of wooden decking, ugly enough to slay a vampire" without any medical attention? In fact, a few minutes later he's snuggled up with his girlfriend, trying to decide where to go on vacation! Was the editor asleep? Judging by the lapses throughout the book, I'm tempted to suggest that there was no editor. Too bad... all these problems ruined an otherwise exciting story. Rather than looking forward to reading a sequel (the story is left open-ended enough for a sequel to be possible), I felt like tossing the book across the room. The only reason I give the book two stars instead of one is because it started out with a bang and got me hooked right away. I wish that momentum hadn't been interrupted by such silly, obvious problems.

Basically, this book was a disappointment. I'm a fan of paranormal and supernatural fiction and non-fiction, and was drawn to this book by the description that this was a piece of Christian fiction that was a genuine crossover. It wasn't. But before I tell you why it was so disappointing, let me first go over what does make it different from other Christian paranormal / supernatural fiction, which, with one exception (see below) is boring, unimaginative, formulaic, sloppily researched, and generally unrealistic.

Driven succeeds in featuring an interesting (not clever or imaginative) villain in Krogan, who we find out (sooner than the author tells) us is a demon. The author did a good job of taking what could have been a big plot mistake, a predictable M.O. (Krogan uses the same instrument for killing people) by coming up with interesting variations. Add to that Krogan's maniacal and disgusting persona, and he's entertaining - but not scary in the least (just repulsive). We are also spared (thank God, and thank you, Mr. Griffiths) from what seems to be a staple of the lackluster Christian fiction genre - a scene where someone converts to Christianity. The action also moved pretty well, and the two lead characters were fairly likeable, although I never felt like I truly cared about either (I wouldn't have been upset had either died at the end). The turtle at the end (read the book) was the only surprise - and that was cool. Now for the problems.

First, like I said, it wasn't at all scary. Second, the "past life/reincarnation" theme was unconvincing. Both of these problems were due to poor (if any) research. The author could have benefited greatly from reading a book like Malachi Martin's "Hostage to the Devil," based on his decades of experience with exorcism. All that Driven offered were glorified wrestling matches. The author also could have added significant research points from the work of psychologist and medical doctors who research this subject and have produced the toughest data points to deny it - like children who remember past lives and who are born with birthmarks and birth defects that correspond to wounds or other marks on the deceased person whose life the child remembers. As it is in Driven, the reincarnation angle is only there to stave off the inevitable "it's a demon" revelation, most likely to be palatable to a Christian audience that rejects reincarnation, or try to make the story less formulaic for a non-christian publishing house. It doesn't work because it lacks intellectual rigor - the tough data points for the audience to think about - and be alarmed about. Research drawn from books like "Children Who Remember Previous Lives: A Question of Reincarnation" and "Where Reincarnation and Biology Intersect," both by Ian Stevenson would have made this much more intriguing and suspenseful. A third problem relates to the simplistic approach to the demonology of the book. Once again, we are "treated" to the idea that every emotional and psychological problem (grief, fear, despair, lust, etc.) is because of demonic oppression or possession. This just isn't the biblical picture. People really do get depressed because life is hard - and all grief and calamity are traced to God's allowance, not possession (remember the book of Job?). One also wonders why Jesus himself was fearful or depressed in the garden of Gethsemane. The idea that a demon won't say the name "Jesus" is also false (cf. Acts 19:15). I don't bring these up to nit-pick, but because they are important plot threads. Lastly, there are simply no surprises in the book (other than the turtle - I really like the turtle!). There was so much that was predictable (who was going to live and die) and even inconsistent. For example, we knew the exorcist character would succeed - even though he was unable to exorcise Krogan in the past - yet this time, even though weak and injured, the exorcism succeeds in only one attempt. Why? We are never told, and there is no explanation. It just didn't hang together, and there are other examples. Like I said, a disappointment - but less formulaic than Left Behind, and a reader's intelligence is insulted far less. If you want a truly mesmerizing piece of Christian paranormal fiction, with multiple plot twists, cutting edge research content, and some mind-blowing theological / paranormal revelations, I'd recommend The Façade, by Michael S. Heiser. Even though that book was self-published, it's the most amazing read I've had in a very, very long time. I know it's being shopped now to find a major publisher (I subscribe to the author's newsletter), and hopefully someone will pick it up. It deserves wide reading, especially for Jews and Christian readers who take their faith seriously and are starving for genuinely imaginative science fiction or paranormal fiction. It's "real feel" makes it even more chilling. See my review on Amazon (and lots of reviewers there agree with me).