Soulware [Paperback]

Paul Black (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2, 2004

Book two in the Tel trilogy. Jonathan Kortel joined the Agency thinking it would teach him to master his potential, but he begins to suspect that the Agency has its own agenda, and it might not have his best interests at heart. Having been thrust into a world he cannot control, Jonathan begins a quest to uncover what's really going on at the Agency. And in his head. He soon ascertains that he's not only the Agency's star pupil, he's their most important experiment.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...Highly original...Mr. Black has quite an imagination and puts it to good use..." -- ~ Steve Powers, Dallas Morning News for The Tels

"...Soulware was a brilliantly embroidered story, mixing science and fiction in a plausible and entertaining way...I absolutely loved this book!" -- Ismael Manzano, G-POP.net

"...This is definitely one of the best science fiction novels I’ve ever read...the book is remarkable." -- ~ Marilyn Meredith, Writer’s Digest’s 11th Annual Book Awards for The Tels

"...biggest complaint about sci-fi is there's too much science and not enough fiction...Black brilliantly combines the two...." -- ~ Leslie Rigoulot, Continental Features Syndicate for The Tels

"...highly recommended...." -- Midwest Book Review

"Black is one of those writers that we who worship this genre look for every time..." -- ~ John Strange, thecityweb.com for The Tels and Paul Black

"Black rises above the Trekkie laser tag spastics...The Tels hits the mark." -- ~ Brian Abrams, Collegian for The Tels

"Paul Black's engaging prose promises big things for the future...." -- Writer's Notes Magazine

"Soulware doesn't miss a beat as it continues Jonathan's story, the story of his quest to find out exactly who he really is and why the Tels are so interested in him. The ending makes it clear that there's more to come, and readers who crave their science-fiction with a hint of weirdness can look forward to the next book in the series." -- The Dallas Morning News

Semi-finalist for Science Fiction, 2005 IPPY Book Awards -- Independent Publishers Book Awards

About the Author

Born and raised outside of Chicago, Illinois, this is Paul Black's third work of science fiction. Today, he lives and works in Dallas, Texas, where he is currently working on a new book of near-future fiction.

Product Details

• Paperback: 305 pages
• Publisher: Novel Instincts (December 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972600728
• ISBN-13: 978-0972600729
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,173,687 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Paul Black always wanted to make movies, but a career in advertising sidetracked him. Born and raised outside of Chicago, he is the national award-winning author of The Tels, Soulware, Nexus Point and The Presence. Today he lives and works in Dallas, where he manages his graphic design firm, feeds his passion for tennis and dreams of six figure movie deals. He is currently working on a new book of fiction tentatively called The Samsara Effect.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Cool SciFi Futuristic Novel On Telekinetics, December 17, 2010

By 

Glenda A Bixler "Glenda" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Soulware (Paperback)

What a cool book! Soulware by Paul Black is Book Two in the Tels Series, although this book easily stands on its own. In fact, the series is Winner of The Writer's Digest Book Award for genre fiction. Soulware received the Silver Medal in the Science Fiction category.

And this is indeed a wonderful example of a science fiction novel. It is a story that centers on Jonathan Kortel. He may look like he is human, but he is so much more. He has a telekinetic gift. There are others who have this gift, so many that they have formed a secret group called the Tels. But Jonathan is the most special of that group--and that makes him both the most dangerous as well as the most in danger!

Why? Well, even though Jonathan lives far in our future, greed and the lust for power seems never to go away. A hierarchy has been established within the Tels so that each individual is tested and assigned a grade based upon ability. Abilities, however, are not stagnant, they continued to grow in strength and thus, individuals may "move up" in the hierarchy.

The Biolution also changed the future. At that time, many industries that had been the leaders in the world's economy were destroyed. The ability to create synthetic oil had not been foreseen by the Middle East and when it happened, a final act of terrorism showed their anger--an untested biothermonuclear weapon totally eliminated what once had been the Hawaiian Islands!

Actually, the Tels had been around since the 1960s and became most influential in changing Khrushchev's mind about the nuclear missiles in Cuba... But the Tels quickly realized that the power was not political; it was in the corporate sector. American Tels formed an investment front for their activites...

Black does some very strange and fun things that have come about in this Biolution, especially about clothing. Imagine having your clothes actually be alive, molding to your body... or imagine an animal "printed" on that cloth that moves from place to place and even disappears into secret places... You'll enjoy these flights of imagination as much as I did, I am sure...

Because of their abilities, the Tels are in control of the world now, even if humans don't actually realize it! But as power corrupts, the Tels split into two rival groups, one of which is called The Agency.

Jonathan had joined The Agency and had worked for quite some time but he was getting to be known and, like those individuals in the old west who were constantly faced with those that wanted to see "who was faster to draw his gun," there were many who came after Jonathan just to see if his power was indeed...more than they had...

And even Jonathan had begun to wonder just how powerful his abilities had become. He noticed that testing was not being handled the same. And then he learned that he had been genetically implanted with bionanoware...the "lab boys" called it Soulware... But he also knows that his friend received a similar implantation and he was dead now!

Did I not tell you this was a cool book? And Black not only has an expansive imagination, he writes it so effectively that we read it like the newspaper telling how everything is going to be in the future and miss the dangers--almost! Will humans begin to evolve into future Tels? Who knows? But it is certainly fun and exciting to read about the possibilities. Or perhaps, Black writes of the future so well, because he is already one of them...

Science Fiction at its finest...Check it out! You won't be sorry...

Book Received Via

Science Fiction Reader.Com

G. A. Bixler