Customer Reviews

The Forgotten (Pinnacle Horror)

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

 

 

The small town of Caledonia, California is experiencing a number of strange phenomenon: masses of birds crashing through windows, people hearing voices, seeing ghosts. Will Banning, a local psychologist, is a skeptic when it come to the supernatural but he is unable to explain the sudden influx of patients who are seeing and hearing things.

The latest book by Tamara Thorne is a perfect, curl up by the fire, page turner. I finished it in two evenings. A great choice for fans of Dean Koontz and Bentley Little.

it is obvious given the amount of negative votes here that i will receive my share for this negative review. I have purchased all six of Tamara's books and she has a record with me of 4 wins and 2 losses. The Haunted, and Moonfall were extremely good books and I also enjoyed Eternity and Bad Things. Her latest offering, The Forgotten, is one of the most boring and uninspired novels I have read in some time. I really hate to say that but I have to. Please do yourself a favor and spend your money on something else. I won't even loan this book to any of my friends. It is that bad.

In Tamara Thorne's latest horror novel, THE FORGOTTEN, she explores a new area of the supernatural that deals with Extra-Low Frequency electronic transmissions and how they can affect the energy around us. The story starts off with the sudden erratic behavior of birds and animals in the seaside community of Caledonia, California. Psychologist Will Banning is in the middle of a therapy session when a large flock of crows crash through the back French doors of his office, reminiscent of the old Hitchcock movie, The Birds. Before the day is over with, Banning discovers that it wasn't only the birds that acted unusual, but also dogs and cats and even people. He and his best friend, Maggie Maewood (the local veterinarian), along with a few other close friends, attempt to make sense of the whole incident, but find themselves dumbfounded. Things grow steadily worse in the days ahead as many of the town's people begin to hear voices and to see actual ghosts. What only a handful of individuals are aware of is that this strange phenomenon is the direct result of a secret government experiment involving low frequency electronic transmissions. No one, however, expected the transmissions to seriously affect the energy level within the town and to cause the appearance of ghosts and the deaths of innocent people. As Will and Maggie draw closer to the answers, the Army personal involved with this experiment may have to take drastic measures to ensure that no word of this becomes public knowledge, even if it means murdering some of Caledonia's finest citizens. THE FORGOTTEN is the type of fun novel that you want to curl up with at night, or on a lazy Saturday afternoon, digging into the story, becoming friends with many of the characters, trying to guest what's going to happen, and delighting when the "wicked" get their just dues. The characters of Will and Maggie are like the old movie romances of the thirties and forties-lovable, honest, intelligent people who are unable to see the strong bond that they have between each other, though everyone else seems to be aware of it. I have to admit that it takes forever for them to finally kiss, but the wait is well worth it. Their close friends, Gabe and Kevin, and Will's three cats, however, almost steal the show. The Orange Boys (Will's cats) are definitely more in tune with what's going on than their owner is. People should automatically pay closer attention to their animal's behavior. Cats are smart and won't lead you astray. With regards to Gabe and Kevin, they're too busy enjoying their lives-especially their sex lives-together than to worry about what's going on in Caledonia. Will's brother, Pete, also grabs a good deal of the attention because he's the type of sibling every kid has nightmares of having. This is the kind of guy who beats up on his little brother and mistreats the women in his life. Still, other than Gabe and Kevin, Pete seems to be about the only one having an active sex life. You have to admire the guy for that. Another thing I liked about THE FORGOTTEN is the use of quantum physics and how certain low microwave transmissions might be able to influence the energy of spirits. Everything in the universe is energy, and energy can't be destroyed. It can only change shape. What today's scientists know about the universe and humanity's relationship to it is only the tip of the iceberg. Things we can't see or understand today might be commonly accepted twenty years from now, and that goes for ghosts. There's simply too much that we still don't understand about death and energy. If you just want to have some light fun and escape from the drudgery of day-to-day living, then pick up Tamara Thorne's THE FORGOTTEN and visit the town of Caledonia for a short period of time. I promise it will give you pause on how you choose to view cable television and the behavior of your pets. That alone is worth the price of admission.

I've read all of Tamara Thorne's books, and have to say that her endless obssession with sex and perversion gets really boring after awhile. If I wanted to read about wild sexual antics, I'd pick up some good erotica, not a supposed horror novel. A little bit in moderation is fine, but with her books, it seems like on every other page you're reading about someone's sexual fantasies, escapades, or perversions (including rape) - INSTEAD of getting a few good scares.

This book isn't really a horror novel - it's a novel about mind control through cable boxes. And when it ends abruptly, leaving a number of loose ends hanging and much unexplained, it doesn't provide much satisfaction to the reader.

"The Forgotten" was a disappointment.

Psychologist Will Banning is seeing a bizarre increase in schizophrenic behavior, in his little California hometown of Caledonia. That's not all he's seeing: he's seeing ghosts. So, apparently, are his patients - and his friends. Birds are smashing into home and office windows in record number. Fish are fleeing the ocean. Housepets are strangely skittish. Worst of all, Will's creepy sociopathic brother is trying to wedge his way back into Will's life.

What's going on? Earth tremors? Government experiments? Solar flares?

Thorne tips her hand early on, so it's not spoiling anything to say there's a clandestine high-tech military experiment in progress. But are secret microwaves causing shared hallucinations - or actually attuning people's mental vibrations to seeing real ghosts?

Finding out is only part of the fun. As usual, Thorne crafts a sardonically wry story with witty and memorable characters. Her style is highly reminiscent of early Dean Koontz, back when he was writing lean, mean thrillers. The dialogue is crisp and often wickedly funny, the characters likeable, the plot constantly in motion. Thorne's one typical flaw is evident here, which is a too-abrupt conclusion - but that hardly detracts from the enjoyment of the ride. Fans of her earlier novels will be pleased to see characters from Haunted and Candle Bay in minor support roles in this story.

If you haven't yet had the pleasure of encountering Tamara Thorne, this is as good a place as any to start. I heartily recommend all of her books. She never disappoints.

I was suprised to read of the negative reviews given to this book...i started reading it not expecting to get into it as it was a book i had to read for an english report, but i loved it...i read it within 2 days...the plot is very unexpected in relation to the books title...and only remotly as scary as it suggests in one specific occasion, but it is however a very good read. I think this book will be one of those like marmite...you either love it or you hate it...but its definitly worth a read to find out...

Ok...It is usually easy For me to get started on a book..This was the worst!!!..It didnt grab me at all...I picked up and put it down 10 times within a week...I would definately FORGET this one...Try Bad things...or Haunted..Much better reads!

I picked this up at the library and couldn't put it down. I thought it was a very interesting concept, and the characters drew me in pretty quickly. The lead role, Will Banning, is a psychologist in a small town where odd things start happening. Of course, he is skeptical of the supernatural and believes a normal, rational reason is behind it. I won't ruin it for anyone by going further. While this isn't a blood-soaked gorefest (which I also enjoy) there was plenty of suspense and action. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Ryan K Hoover
Author of "Immortal Implements"

This woman can't even remember what she wrote two pages earlier!! The editor should be fired for allowing such glaring errors and inconsistencies.
Never again.

A flock of crows commits mass suicide...Fish are literally jumping from the ocean...Domestic animals become terrified...and people are seeing ghosts. Are people loosing their minds in the sleepy California town or have their minds finally become open to what has always been there, but never before seen?

A good fast read. My only complaints are that the characters are a little superficial and predictable and the ending was rushed. I will, however, be seeking out Ms. Thorne's other books. This book will have you asking yourself questions about what is real in this world, and what is not.