Customer Reviews

Mirage

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

 

 

So far, Mirage has an average rating of four stars. I must respectfully dissent: Mirage is a big disappointment, especially when Passman's first book, The Visionary, was so good. The plot revolves an army experiment in mind control; when it is shut down many of those men involved in it have no place to go but into the shadow world of terrorism where their skills can find a market. One of the first victims is computer specialist John Bergman. Here the story begins to weaken, as beyond Bergman the cast of characters is cartoonish, even silly - with one exception which I dare not reveal. Between the interesting beginning and the non- surprise ending, the book careens from pillar to post with the good guys acting like Keystone Kops and the bad guys like the Three Stooges. What is really scary is that the FBI field agents' relationship with Washington reads like the Congressional hearings we are witnessing now.

Jill Landis, the lead agent in the field on this case does show some strengths. But like Bergman, who seems to wear a name tag that says "Geek", she wears one saying "Vulnerable". One character worth watching is the mind-control specialist Landis consults. Trying to figure him out is a useful distraction if you are determined to get through the book. I should also mention that there are a couple of scenes of gratuitous violence which added nothing to the story but were a sledge hammer to a nail in trying to move the story along.

The mind control/terrorism plot with its Manchurian Candidate twist was a great idea. Unfortunately it really doesn't go anywhere. I'm willing to bet that Mr. Passman has some more good writing in him. It just doesn't show in Mirage.

This is a very fast paced and excellent thriller. John Berger is a struggling computer encryption specialist on the verge of a breakthrough on the program he has been working on. One morning he goes to work only to find out that his office and building have been blown up. Everything starts to unravel at this point. His girlfriend Linda who was about to break up with him is missing, his job is on hold until the company rebuilds, he has no money, the FBI has him on their list of suspects for the bombing and the chess tournament he thought he went to over the weekend never happened.

John starts to think that he is going crazy. He starts to hear voices in his head and starts having attacks of extreme anger.

In Orlando, Florida a Mr. Simms goes to work one day and blows up his place of business as well as all but one co-worker. Are the two bombings connected? The FBI sends out agent Jill Landis to investigate the bombings as well as John Berger.

This book was very enjoyable and portrayed some ideas about mind control that are very shocking. Can these things happen? Probably. Are they already happening? I sincerely hope not.

I just read Mirage by Don Passman and it was a great read. It's about a brilliant computer cryptographer who is the unwitting victim of a brainwashing project, as the FBI engages a cult deprogrammer/mind control specialist to unlock what's in his mind. The book is a real page-turner which I definitely recommend. ...

A bomb explodes in the Los Angeles office of EXC. The law enforcement experts trace the location to the desk of computer cryptographer John Berger. A few hours later, a bomb erupts in Orlando. Though dissimilar in most ways and no terrorist group claims credit for either one, the FBI wonders if there is a link between the incidents.

Not considered important enough, they assign the investigation to a minor leaguer, LA agent Jill Landis. The EXC incident leaves her questioning what really happened as the prime suspect Berger, an intelligent Stanford grad, provides a terrible alibi. He claims to have played in a chess game at the Convention Center. Not only was there no game, but many of his named opponents were in other parts of the country and even outside America. As Jill digs deeper, she begins to see a connection between the bombings and a military experiment shut down three years ago. However, as John becomes a target of killers, Jill concludes that the two bombings were a pre-test for a much more dangerous terrorist act that she must uncover and stop with her only lead being Berger, whose mind is rapidly deteriorating.

MIRAGE is an exciting thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seat throughout the tale. The story line moves rapidly forward, but in logical steps as subplots cleverly rejoin the main theme. Fans who enjoy a combination terrorist-medical "brainwashing" thriller will believe that Don Passman is a VISIONARY who brings freshness and light to the genre.

Harriet Klausner

Although I did manage to read it all the way through, it was not as easy to follow as "The Visionary". There is alot of jumping from one place/event to another, and it is sort of hard to keep up with the charaters. All in all, it was interesting, just not what I usually like to read.

There has probably never been as successful a book on mind-control/brainwashing as Condon's "Manchurian Candidate." Passman attempts this concept in this well-written, if slightly overwrought, novel. Our hero, John Berger, is one of those likeable mid-forty guys who has a ponytail and an earring, so you know he's got to be cool... He is brainwashed and becomes a suspect in a bombing that kills two people. As most heroes do, he stupidly runs from the FBI, and tries to find out what really happened on that bizarre weekend.
Along for the ride are several standard characters: the vulnerably shy FBI agent, Jill Landis, who falls in love with Herr Berger; the power-driven Combs, who resurrects a government program called "Mirage" after it is shut down by the government; Chuck Durham, one of those nice, well-built guys who knows all about mind control; Berger's mother who is one heck of a woman; and several other cookie-cutter characters that serve no purpose but to help advance the plot.
But, look, I don't think Passman wanted great literature, just a chase novel, that is loaded with some pretty effective scenes, and even a major plot twist at the end that you didn't see coming. All in all, a good diversion.
RECOMMENDED.

One of the best Mystery novels I've read in a while. I highly recommend folks to check this one out! In a short synopsis, the book is about a computer genius who loses it! The rest you have to find out for yourself. I don't want to give it away!! You should definitely check it out!

OK

I found myself reading a few chapters, and then putting it down so I could get back to work. Soon, I was finding an excuse to put off my work so I could pick it up to read a couple of more chapters. It's certainly not the greatest thriller in the world but yet it is addictive. The characters are mildly interesting, the plot is developed well, and it's fascinating to see how the plot moves the characters along to a conclusion. I haven't read Passman's other book but I plan to do so based upon this read.

Kenneth Combs is the director of a government project called MIRAGE, and after the project is shut down-he remains the only person with knowledge of the project...knowledge he will use for his own master plan.

John Berger works for EXC, he is a computer cryptographer, and upon arriving to work one Monday morning he finds the building has been destroyed by an explosion. The explosion was caused by a bomb that has been traced back to his desk.

After explaining to the FBI that he was attending a chess tournament over the weekend, he is shocked to find out that the tournament did NOT exist.

Agent Jill Landis is assigned to the case, and although Berger is the number one suspect, her instinct tells her he is innocent.

Landis must begin a search to find out who is behind the bombing and why, and stop them before they set forth an attack on the United States. Her search will lead her to an evil she is not prepared for.

"Mirage" is a good thriller, keeping the reader on the edge of their seats by disclosing plot twists a little at a time, and throwing in cliffhangers in each chapter. The puzzle of this novel keeps readers guesing until the last page has been turned.

Don Passman has created a good read, although it is different from his previous novel "The Visionary". Readers looking for something different in the thriller genre should enjoy this.

Nick Gonnella

I just read Mirage by Don Passman and it was a great read. It's about a brilliant computer cryptographer who is the unwitting victim of a brainwashing project, as the FBI engages a cult deprogrammer/mind control specialist to unlock what's in his mind. The book is a real page-turner which I definitely recommend. ...