F2f (R) [Paperback]

Phillip Finch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1997

A filmmaker idly responds to a murder threat posted on an electronic bulletin board and receives a cryptic warning that her life is in danger from a madman stalking the Internet. Reprint. LJ. PW. K.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Finch's Sugarland was lauded for its "plot, introspection...and disturbing insight" (LJ 9/1/91). F2F (i.e., "face to face") tells of a murderer who stalks an online community.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Gripping hi-tech computer thriller, smartly up-to-date and yet, at the same time, already dated by recent films like The Net and Michael Crichton's Disclosure. Finch (Paradise Junction, 1993, etc.), though, keeps up a fast pace and pours out an easily grasped flood of details as a San Francisco nut--motivated by little more than his inflated respect for the unimaginably powerful force (``this magnificent animal'') of the computer, trivialized by mere gameplayers and chatsters of the Internet--threatens computer folk less bright than himself. Christian Willem Hartmundt, a.k.a. Corwin Sturmer, has devised a devilishly complex game (TRY ME) that only true computer wizards can beat, and through it he sucks in victims. Masquerading as Snowflake, he first attracts people through postings in the Verba Interchange on the Net. Victim number one is found with his head skinned and a spike hole through his breast. The second is drenched with gasoline and burned alive in a garage. A woman is split open with a machete, and so on--all of which acts are videotaped by the villain. Meanwhile, Ellis Hoile (named after gamesmaster Hoyle?), a wizard known on Verba as Avatar, matches Snowflake and his ghastly game of TRY ME. Eillis has been recently divorced by filmmaker Kate Lavin, whom Snowflake has on his list of five or six cowlike future quarry. Also included is computer whiz Stephen Leviste, an adolescent whom Snowflake kidnaps and thrusts into a real version of his virtual reality maze. By now the visually juiced up reader knows he's in movie script, not just turning pages in a thriller. Ellis calls in the police, but Snowflake escapes and kidnaps Kate for a final game of TRY ME. Enter here to be F2F (face to face) with a champion trickster of the Net. (Film rights to Touchstone) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Spectra (January 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553572164
• ISBN-13: 978-0553572162
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,554,492 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent! Kumusta Pare!, January 6, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: F2f (R) (Paperback)

Anything by this guy is fantastic! What a future vision...paranoia about keeping your personal information off the public domain seems like a good thing after reading this work.

Great book Phil! Miss you guys!

Rusty In KC

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW! A hell of a read!, May 15, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: F2f (R) (Paperback)

For those out there who have any interest in the Net and everything related to it, pick this up. And if you do, you won't look at your computer sceen the same again.
A hell of a read by someone who has previously written many great novels such as "Paradise Junction"
and "In A Place Dark And Secret". Watch out folks, here comes Mr. Finch!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best thrillers by a brilliant new author, January 9, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: F2f (R) (Paperback)

If you are into great thrillers that you simply cannot put down then this is the book for you. The writing style of Finch is easy yet at the same time draws readers in like the proverbial spiders web for the fly - and he leaves you wanting more. Characters are well described as well as being believable and likeable (with the exception of the killer!) Readers will find that they simply cannot put the book down as they are lured into a world where anything and everything is possible through the touch of a finger on a keyboard. The reason why this book dosen't score the perfect 10/10 is that it is a tad unbelievable in parts. However do not let this deter you from reading as I belive that this new author has a better standard of writing that some of the so callled 'star' writers who have been around so long that they have become stale. I am looking forward to more work from this fresh writer