Customer Reviews

The Reach

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Many have likened this novel to King's "Firestarter" and it is very easy to see why. We have a little girl, with unimaginable power, an evil institution trying to bend and wield her power and an unlikely hero trying to save the child. Kenyon even named a secondary character "Charlie" as if to acknowledge the similarities and give homage to King. But "The Reach" although it shares so many similarities, reads as an entirely different story.

Short Synopsis: Jess Chambers is a star student in Psychiatry... she has come to the attention of her professor, Dr. Jean Shelley. Dr. Shelley decides to put Jess to the test on a very special patient... a little girl by the name of Sarah who has spent her entire life in an institution, the girl is diagnosed as schizophrenic and has not spoken in months. "Just try to befriend her, see if she will open up to you" Dr. Shelley tells Jess. What they didn't count on was the door they opened by inviting Jess into Sarah's life, and what it would lead to in the end. A series of twists and turns later... we come to an explosive ending that would make for great film.

From the opening scene I loved this book. It was fun, exciting, and elicited a concern from the reader for many of the characters. Who is good, who is bad, who is lying, who is truly in need, who can be trusted... the tables turn over and over as Jess tries to piece together the life of Sarah, and help her to come into her own. Men in dark suits with guns and scientists with nasty ambitions soon come into the picture and Jess finds that no one can be trusted. Is Sarah evil? Is she truly the antichrist as her family believes? Or is just a scared little girl with an unholy power?

The book moves quickly, you will find yourself whipping through the pages until you explode into the ending. The author has said that this is the first in a series of possibly 3 books, but don't let that stop you. Kenyon DOES wrap this one up nicely - no cliff hangers to leave you angry or frustrated. To be honest, I did not find this book to be scary - I found it to be more entertaining than anything else. I highly recommend this book, Kenyon was good when he wrote "Bloodstone" and he is even better with "The Reach" I look forward to his next novel.

Ten years old, Sarah has pretty much lived her whole life in a mental hospital. Dr. Wasserman at The Wasserman Facility has diagnosed Sarah as being a schizophrenic. Sarah isn't your normal schizophrenic; in fact Sarah is also a psychic. Jess Chambers has studied the extreme child psychology cases and that is why she is very excited to be able to meet young Sarah. The doctors at The Wasserman Facility have been able to control Sarah. You know the saying "Be careful what you wish for", well Jess is about to find out that wishes are not always a good thing. After Jess meets Sarah strange and scary things start happening at the facility that no one not even Sarah could predict.

This book was filled with plenty of intense and electrifying horror. The Reach started out very strong and ended on a high note. I thought Sarah was a normal ten year old; ok maybe she happened to have a unique gift but other then that fact, Sarah just wanted to have a voice and be heard. Dr. Wasserman won't let that take place. So what happens when someone who has not been able to speak for ten years, finally gets the chance...the end result is Nate Kenyon's The Reach; a book that will not disappoint and leave you wanting more. The Reach is the first book I have read by Mr. Kenyon. I can assure you that I will be reading more books by this very talented author.

With his second novel, Nate Kenyon has firmly established himself as one of today's premier suspense/thriller writers. "The Reach" is a chilling tale that's not only harrowing, but also a testament to the enduring human spirit. Very reminiscent of Dean Koontz, Kenyon shows the remarkable ability to take readers to dark places, only to show them the light after the storm.

From the moment she entered this world - in the middle of a snow storm - Sarah had always been different. However, different becomes dangerous as covert parties rip Sarah from her home, lock her up in the dark, and begin dangerous experiments on her. A desire for money and power fuels a desperate attempt to harness Sarah's "talents" and exploit them for personal gain. Her life descends into a drugged haze, in which she's convinced she's an abomination: a lethal oddity only worthy of study and nothing else.

Enter Jess Chambers, an idealistic graduate student trying to exorcise guilt over her autistic brother's death years before. At first, when she's invited to assist in Sarah's case - which is described to her as mere schizophrenia - she's worried only that there might be dangerous transference of her guilt to her interactions with Sarah. As time passes, Jess realizes that not only has she been lied to, but Sarah is far from schizophrenic; in fact - she's not like anything Jess has ever seen.

Soon, Jess finds herself in a frantic race against time, because not only are the experiments on Sarah beginning anew, but her power is growing; perhaps beyond anyone's ability to control.

Simply put, "The Reach" is wonderfully written. Kenyon has done what few writers manage at such an early stage in their career; write a story strong enough to transcend genre and touch a wide audience. Also, "The Reach" stands out because it ends not in tragedy, but with an exhalation of that which allows us to survive tragedy: the power of the human spirit. Kenyon's second novel will leave readers marveling over this, as well as eagerly anticipating his next work.

Just finished the ARC I was fortunate to receive, and this was a nice departure from his excellent debut, Bloodstone. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in his young career, and at 276 pages, this book fairly zips along. The main characters are well drawn, and the inevitable conclusion is excellent and sets the stage for a possible sequel. Great action scenes, and a strong protagonist make for a great book. 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. Craig

This is a beautiful thing, seeing Kenyon flex his muscles over the short span of just two novels. It speaks very promising for his future as a novelist.

I enjoyed Bloodstone but Kenyon really turns up the heat with The Reach. It calls to mind a couple of different influences such as King's Firestarter, The Ring and the video game F.E.A.R. But don't let that fool you -- this story is completely unique and told in a way that only Kenyon can tell it. It's a dark, multi-layered story that unfolds masterfully as you go. What did it for me is the feeling of emotion you get out of the story and the characters.

We get drops and drips of Sarah's potential throughout the novel but the explosive climax is just irresistable in its delicious carnage. You'll find yourself cheering Sarah on. I know I did.

Just stay on her good side. This novel is definitely a keeper, and I think Mr. Kenyon is just warming up. I can't wait to see what he's cooking up next.

Others have written synopses, so I won't.
I'll say the book is a great read. The storyline is believable, the characters are full, and the prose is wonderful. It's the first novel I've read by Kenyon, but I plan to pick up his first and the new one coming out in July.

The book is not a scary novel, but it never pretends to be. Instead, the horror is subtle. It is more of a dark suspense. There are a lot of twists and turns that make it difficult to put down.

Since there are no sex scenes and very little gore and minor cussing, I would say many kids (11 or 12+) could probably read and enjoy this. Their only stumbling block might be some of the technical terms.

This book was definitely worth the price I paid and the time I took to read it. It's one of the best I've read in the past year--if not longer.

There is no question of what this talented author wants you see and feel as you read, his descriptive prose paints a visual world and puts you in the middle of it. By challenging us to question the reasons 'why' people do things, Kenyon uses our everyday world to transition us to his much darker one. A fast and enjoyable read that left me wanting to grab his next one immediately.

Nate Kenyon, one of the brightest new stars in horror, easily tops his excellent first novel "Bloodstone" with this high-strung thriller.

Nate Kenyon was a finalist for the Bram Stoker Award with his first novel, BLOODSTONE. He has followed up nicely with his latest effort - THE REACH - and the comparisons he has received to the early works of Stephen King are well deserved.

To call THE REACH a horror novel is far too limiting and does not do justice to the scope of this story or to the genre itself. What Nate Kenyon has accomplished is a novel filled with horrific elements that are based on plausible scientific research into the psychic abilities many people possess. THE REACH builds the tension slowly and sustains it right up until the stunning climax.

The premise of the novel is that a 9-year old girl named Sarah is locked away inside a run-down medical facility on the outskirts of Boston because she possesses an incredible power referred to as `the reach'. The term comes from an actual text called THE REACH OF THE MIND by J.B. Rhine that discusses studies on individuals possessing higher mental abilities and powers. Psychology student, Jess Chambers, is sent to the Wasserman Facility by one of her teachers and mentors for the specific purpose of attempting to connect with Sarah. When Jess arrives she finds the young girl locked up in a padded cell and restrained by a strait jacket. Sarah is also consistently kept medicated beyond the ability to communicate properly. Jess Chambers realizes she has her work cut out for her and slowly begins to put together the puzzle pieces of Sarah's history with alarming results.

Coming from a family background that includes parental abuse, mental illness, incest and genetic deformities, Sarah's abilities are proven to be the culmination of this family history. Jess Chambers finds out that the breadth of Sarah's `reach' ability is stronger than anyone can possibly imagine and Dr. Wasserman himself states that `she will destroy the world.' Jess also uncovers the fact that she was not given this mission by chance but was carefully selected because of her own potential abilities. A scientific research corporation is seeking to harness the Psi Gene and turn it into a drug of unpredictable power. All of these characters and forces are on a collision course with potentially tragic results. To say any more would give too much away. Suffice it to say that Nate Kenyon plays with the reader masterfully and THE REACH is a book that is impossible to put down until the exciting finish. Well done!

Reviewed by Ray Palen

I absolutely Loved this book.
The details were extremly vivid.
I was able to actually form images in my head as I was reading the book and envision the events as they were unfolding.
The Characters were likable and believable, you actually start to form a bond with Sara and feel sorry for her.
You can also feel and relate to the stress building within Jess because of the need to help Sara.
I highly recommend this book, I could not put it down.
It would make an Excellent Movie, I rate it right up there with Stephen King's Firestarter