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James S. Murray

Författare till Awakened: A Novel

11 verk 379 medlemmar 17 recensioner

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Verk av James S. Murray

Awakened: A Novel (2018) 159 exemplar
The Stowaway (2021) 63 exemplar
The Brink: An Awakened Novel (2019) — Författare — 51 exemplar
Don't Move (2020) 42 exemplar
Alien Summer (2022) 15 exemplar
Stowaway (2023) 6 exemplar
Zoned Out (2022) 5 exemplar
Don’t Move 3 exemplar
Time Chasers (2023) 2 exemplar

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I won’t call myself an Impractical Jokers superfan but I like the show well enough, have seen many episodes, and read this book because I was curious if Murr had actual writing chops or not.

Awakened showed early promise as a high-concept horror idea only to end up feeling every bit as rough as I expected from a debut novel that was likely published, at least in part, due to the author’s fan following.

Plagued with paper-thin character and an overuse of tropes (the female SWAT hero, the reformed Hispanic ex-gang member, the corrupt politician), I found Awakened to be somewhat poorly written and often telegraphing. If the author had let the action play itself out without warning what might happen (usually via unnecessary inner dialogue), the end result would have been a much more enjoyable, far less predictable read. This is a newbie error and I’m surprised developmental editing didn’t tip him off. Plot-wise, Awakened borders on scatter-shot. It’s a horror novel but it’s a political thriller that dips its toes into sci-fi waters. The lack of focus feels like a book trying to accomplish too much in too few pages. Some of what it does manage to pull together is either laughably bad, improbable, or cliché.

That said, the book is action-packed. The premise is great—subterranean creatures thwarting the building of a fast train connecting NYC to NJ by way of a tunnel under the Hudson—and the first few chapters grabbed me. When the train makes its tragic maiden run, arriving at the platform heavily damaged, empty of passengers, and dripping with blood and viscera, I had to know where everyone went.

I wouldn’t have figured Murr for a horror writer but some of the best moments in the book are the most graphic. That guy outside the IMAX? Brutal, in the most awesome way. What the author lacks in finesse (and the writing is, at times, painfully bad), he makes up for in imagination. I’d put Awakened in the beach read category. Entertaining, if you don’t want to think too much about what you’re reading and if you can curb literary snobbery. I’m not clamoring for the next installment, but Awakened was a fun read while it lasted.
… (mer)
 
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bfrisch | 6 andra recensioner | Dec 9, 2022 |
This fast-paced "creature feature" is well worth a read. I'd equate it with a good old popcorn movie. While it's a little predictable, some elements left me a little shocked as a reader (I won't say why.) And the ending, well, not quite a cliffhanger, but an open door for more. I'd walk through! And I don't recommend eating popcorn while reading. Too much butter on my ereader.
 
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lee.gabel | 1 annan recension | Dec 22, 2021 |
Holy.

First off, for anyone reading this review who hasn't read any of James S. Murray's books with Darren Wearmouth yet, and is only familiar with his comedy, please don't underestimate him. The man transitions to thriller and horror seamlessly.

This was such a ride. It's fast-paced, original, and the main character is just so multidimensional and human. It took some unexpected turns, and the one reveal towards the end made me audibly gasp. I love the way it ended, and I really hope to be reading more about Maria Fontana (a certified badass through and through) soon.… (mer)
 
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kordasix | 5 andra recensioner | Oct 31, 2021 |
The Short of It:

Gruesome, but oddly entertaining.

The Rest of It:

Two years ago, Maria Fontana, the head of the Psychology Department at Columbia University, sat on a jury for one of the most depraved cases ever to pass through the hallowed halls of City Hall. ~ Indiebound

The set-up is very good. Maria’s role on that jury comes back to haunt her and her family as they are vacationing on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean. Maria and her fiancé are trying to put the events of the past behind them while getting a little R&R with Maria’s young children in tow. But things suddenly take a dangerous turn on the ship when people turn up dead. People, mostly, young children. How can this be? Could the man on trial, Wyatt Butler have a copycat?

Maria spent a lot of time reviewing the evidence of that case. All the gruesome photos of Butler’s young victims. Plus, her background in Psychology gives her enough info to know how these serial killers work, but could there really be a copycat on board? Why? What is he after?

This book is a classic example of being trapped with no place to run. It’s a ship but there are only so many places to hide and Maria’s knowledge of the case and what this killer is capable of keeps the story flowing at a breakneck pace. I really enjoyed this one. I read it in one sitting and could not put it down for long.

But…

It’s gruesome. The crime scenes are very graphic. It seemed somewhat tolerable only because the killings are not in real time. As readers, we only hear of the aftermath but it’s children, which is a bit hard to swallow. Many of you warned me about how graphic it was but it was done well-enough that it didn’t keep me from frantically turning those pages.

If you need something a little different, something that is hard to put down and you don’t mind the graphic nature of these killings, then I highly recommend it.

For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter.
… (mer)
 
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tibobi | 5 andra recensioner | Oct 25, 2021 |

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Richard L. Aquan Cover designer

Statistik

Verk
11
Medlemmar
379
Popularitet
#63,709
Betyg
½ 3.3
Recensioner
17
ISBN
48
Språk
1

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