Customer Reviews

The Eyes of God

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After waiting almost two years Mark Kreighbaum's book was finally available in Australia, much to my delight. What a blast! I finished it in one day, then went over my favourites bits to relish and adore the characters, structure and plot. Frankly, it was well worth the wait. Vida, Rico et al were very real. Mr Kreighbaum is on par with William Gibson. The story was alluring and exciting. His explanations of cyberspace and the Map mysteriously exciting, making me wish I had neural jackins and other glorious things that may free the mind and flow - The Map moves. It left me wanting more. I am, however, grateful that Mr Kreighbaum chose to explain the story in two books instead of a long drawn out saga which normally results in a frustrated reader. The book was spellbinding and enthralling. I cannot wait for his next one. Congratulations Mr Kreighbaum

"Eyes of God" is a tightly woven, electrifying book that goes beyond the usual SciFi offerings. The author creates multi-dimensional characters navigating in intricate & harrowing situations. He has crafted societies with past/present/future dimensions which are not only entertaining forays into meta-thought, but challenging mental puzzles. One must have one's wits about them to absorb all this author has to offer. "Palace" was excellent, but this is even better.

It took me months to find this book. But it was worth the wait. To finally be able to read the conclusion to the whole Rico/Vida love story, the lengths the Lep terrorist Riva would go to to destroy Vida, and the whole swirling sci-fantasy world of Palace, was definitely a story worth waiting for.

This book comes alive on every page, as the original did, and completes a well-written, intricately thought out story that grabs your attention and refuses to let go.

And to top it all, a signed copy !!! Thanks, Mark.

After searching for what seemed an age I finally found a copy of the second book in the brilliant `Pinch' series. To say that it was well worth the wait would be an understatement! The deep, twisting story that Katherine Kerr and Mark Kreighbaum started with `Palace', Mr Kreighbaum continues with explosive and deadly results. Utterly captivated from the first paragraph, I found myself swept along with the characters in their race to find out the true identity of Riva, the role of the L'Vars and of course, whether all would come good for our two heros, Vida and Rico. I must say that I truely admire the way Mr Kreighbaum weaves and binds many complex plots together successfully to complete what, as far as I am concerned, is only the first arc of the `Pinch' story. `The Eyes of God' may have provide us with all the answers to the questions that remained with us after reading `Palace', but I was definately left wanting more and felt that Vida and Rico's story had only just begun. I hope that someday I will be able to read the books which continue this series and follow them accross the stars.
I would recomend this series to anyone with a love of books and I guaranty that they are one hell of a read!

I have to agree with all the other reviewers..... this is a stunning novel. In fact, I don't think I've ever found a sci-fi book so satisfying on every level. Plot, characters, setting.... all lovingly crafted, highly engaging, and utterly believable. It took me a long time to find it though... kept searching under Katharine Kerr when looking for a sequel! Also, I don't think it's ever been published in Britain, which is a great pity.

What makes great science fiction? To me it's a combination of new ideas, a well told story, and memorable characters. The two books the comprise this series "The Pinch" are both great, in fact the only complaint I have is that there are only two books.

The world created here isn't entirely new, but I have yet to read science fiction that doesn't borrow something from a tale told previously. It does have enough new and unique elements that provoke some thought to be entertaining. The story is definitely well told with pacing and plot well matched.

If there is any weak point it might be the characters. They are well enough drawn, but just don't grab attention like a Bilbao Baggins, Vlad Taltos, or Ganoes Paran. Still this book is good enough to deserve a 5, though it isn't quite perfect.

It is nearly impossible to understand what is going on without reading "Palace" the first book of the "Pinch" world. This isn't a bad thing because "Palace is a great book too and you'll be pleased to read both.

I know it sounds impossible, but The Eyes of God is better than Palace! Againt everything experience taught! Why do I say that?

Well, for starters, it took up where Palace left off ( more or less ), and kept right on going! It really is a page turner!

There are lots of supprises, especially toward the end.

I thought the pace was slightly on the slow side in the beginning, although it really took off during the last few chapters! Mark Kreighbaum didn't focus as much on the characters in this book: understandable, as the events make the story.
The style of writing in this book is also different than in Palace, and it suits the story well! The events flow logically and without any jarring contradictions right out of Palace.

This book is a masterpiece! Why it is out of print I cannot comprehend! Well worth reading.

In this sequel to Palace (written jointly by Mark Kreighbaum & Katharine Kerr) Mark Kreighbaum goes solo and brings this tale to it's long awaited conclusion. I definitely recommend your having read Palace prior to starting Eye of God as the book leaps right in where Palace left off and doesn't waste time explaining back story to those who don't know it. In fact, even if you have read it a re-read is a good idea, as you'll find many themes and hints followed up in Eye of God that you may have forgotten.

Without spoiling too much of the story and the surprises I'll give you a small overview. Rico and Vida are still in love and struggling to cope with her marriage and Rico's investigations into Riva, which have disastrous consequences with a surprising twist. Cybersorcerers after all? The Peronida family continue their political machinations, against each other and anyone in their way, regardless of the possible consequences. Dukayn's instability, only hinted at in Palace, comes to the fore when Sister Romero discovers Karlo's deceit. Dukayn's obsession will not allow his `God' to be threatened, by anyone. Jevon's misery is compounded and brought to an ugly conclusion and to top it all off the secret Lep movement guided by Riva achieves it's horrendous goal, bringing the Map to it's knees and endangering the lives of everyone on Palace.

Eyes of God has a much faster pace than Palace, it's riveting with so much intensity and build-up putting down the book is something of a struggle! You discover so much more about each character and all the skeletons come tumbling out of those closets! Not a book to pike out with a syrupy ending, Eye of God isn't afraid to kill off characters for realism, even the ones you really liked! I found this added to the drama and enjoyment, nothing like the odd tissue moment in a good story. It becomes a real thriller with a gripping conclusion that satisfies all those hanging ends. I still feel vaguely abandoned though, as while that story is over there's still so much more, the Garang Japat for instance. There's a story there and what happens with the saccules? Mark Kreighbaum may have finished up one great story but he's definitely left the door open for more. I'll be keeping an `eye' out for future novels from The Pinch.

This book is superb, it started a little slow the first twenty pages or so then suddenly it picks you up, throws you round a bit and kept me up all night!

Palace left me feeling like I had read a very good introduction to the usually good five book sci fi series, I was then astounded to have to wait so long to eventually get a copy of this title and to discover that there are no more books out from this series yet???

The plot is excellent with lot's of twists and turns and the characters really grow on you and are, as the best authors make them, very believeable and real, hence my comment of wanting more....

To conclude I have read sci fi for the last twenty years and would say this one is up there in my top twenty - Thank you.

Mark does a wonderful job in his book "The Eyes of God". The story continues on from the events of "Palace", we see Vida and Rico develop a more meaningful relationship. While Vida grows her political powerbase and Rico takes on mastership of his cyber skills the story unravels to expose the secrets behind Riva.

The book is well written with respects to both plot and characters. What is surprising though is the amazing improvements in dialog since "Palace".

This book is a must read for anyone who would like to see a well rounded extrapolation of where our current information age will lead us. This book does to the internet what Asimovs "Robot" series did to computers.