Pre-numbered label used for registration.

Hardback

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From Publishers Weekly
Derivative of such puzzle dramas as Lost, The Usual Suspects, Fight Club and The Matrix, this thriller by Dekker (Thr3e; Blink) reads more like a screenplay than a novel. Its third-person omniscient narrator includes mostly dialogue, blocking and description of scenery and little else. Early in the novel, five young adults are sucked into a serial killer's evil game. While experienced Dekker readers will see some of what is coming, a number of plot points are entirely unpredictable, due in large part to the constant barrage of red herrings the reader must endure before discovering the novel's final revelations. Unfortunately, the dialogue-dominated prose is hackneyed and juvenile; a reason is given for the childishness of some of the language, but this does not fully excuse the many clichéd passages of the book. These problems, however, are secondary to the novel's central flaw, which is that the ambitiously twisty plot does not make sense. The characters' backstories are implausible, and their actions and experiences in the present never quite add up. The novel is clearly intended to be a challenging exploration of the nature of beauty, morality and truth, but despite having put lots of words about these concepts in his confused characters' mouths, Dekker offers no new insights.


From Booklist
*Starred Review* A freak tornado drives five characters together in the little Nevada town of Summerville in this striking morality tale superficially reminiscent of Stephen King's Desperation (1996). Dekker's philosophical considerations are his own, however. It seems that as the storm descended a serial killer named Sterling Red began his killing spree. The reader won't understand why for a long time, but, apparently, the killer is partially motivated by the desire for revenge against a nervous deputy--a Las Vegas emigre--named Colt. Sterling Red makes a curious demand of the group: kill the ugliest person among you within six hours. Otherwise, he will wipe out the rest of Summerville. Not that the little group will accede, but just suppose. Is it beauty or ugliness that's skin deep?

Received from Booklady331

Very very good book!! I could not put it down.

bookring
ladilee24
perryfran

back to me

RELEASE NOTES:

going to mail it out!

This just arrived in today's mail. Thanks purple4. I will start reading it right away, as it looks like good suspenseful read.

This was a fast and exciting book, a thriller I enjoyed. Some plot points were a bit outlandish, but I got sucked into the storyline and just left those alone. Lots of twists and turns here, and the ending left me questioning whether another book with these characters would follow.

I'll be sending to perryfran in the next day or two.

Received in today's mail. Should be able to start reading soon (after I finish my current read). Thanks purple4 for including me in this bookring!

Finished reading this today. I thought it was a good thriller in the Stephen King/Dean Koontz vein. It also reminded me of the movies "The Matrix" and "The 13th Floor." There were seveal surprises in the book that I didn't expect including when the identity of "Red" was revealed. I figured out that the protagonists were in some kind of virtual reality early on in the novel but was surprised by what was really happening when it was revealed at the end. Overall I enjoyed the book and will probably read more by Dekker, however, I did find a some of the story to be repititious and tedious especially when the group was continually drawn back to the library and tried to abide by Red's rules. I think it could have been shortened by about 100 pages which would hopefully move the pace along more quickly.

Thanks purple4 for including me in this ring. I'm starting "Playing for Pizza" tomorrow and when finished, I will get both books in the mail to you.

RELEASE NOTES:

Mailing back to purple4 to complete this bookring. Thanks!

back home. will send to my nephew.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Giving to my nephew, I am sure he will enjoy it.