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Zero Sight #2
Zero Sum
My name is Dieter Resnick. I was planning to turn eighteen in May, but I don't think I'm gonna make it. I've just been drafted into a war. And this war isn't usual. It's kinda sorta fought with spells.
Six months ago today, I was my high school's valedictorian. Now I'm Elliot College's newest combat-certified mage, and one of the few to survive a Talmax raid. I've got a weft-partner named Rei Acerba, whose hobbies include flaying the skin off her foes and perusing the sunscreen aisle. I've got a tutor named Jules Nelson, who spends her evenings talking to trees. And I've got a friend named Jay Dante, who tends to vanish when I need him most.
We're all part of a team called Lambda, and we've been ordered into the middle of a battle between North America's magical factions. The warriors of Talmax are surging up from the South. The Department of Mana Affair's once omnipotent DEA agents have been left cowering behind their wards. Our job is to reveal the enemy's secret weapon--before they take ownership of the entire West Coast.
Six months ago today, I was my high school's valedictorian. Now I'm Elliot College's newest combat-certified mage, and one of the few to survive a Talmax raid. I've got a weft-partner named Rei Acerba, whose hobbies include flaying the skin off her foes and perusing the sunscreen aisle. I've got a tutor named Jules Nelson, who spends her evenings talking to trees. And I've got a friend named Jay Dante, who tends to vanish when I need him most.
We're all part of a team called Lambda, and we've been ordered into the middle of a battle between North America's magical factions. The warriors of Talmax are surging up from the South. The Department of Mana Affair's once omnipotent DEA agents have been left cowering behind their wards. Our job is to reveal the enemy's secret weapon--before they take ownership of the entire West Coast.
450 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 22, 2011
50 people are currently reading
841 people want to read
About the author
B. Justin Shier
3 books441 followersB. Justin Shier grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada. After cashing in his winnings, he went to study at Washington University in St. Louis. He researched cancer biology for a few years before deciding on a career in medicine. He is currently pursuing his medical doctorate somewhere in California.
B. loves scuba diving and dirt bikes. He also enjoys writing in his journal at: http://www.bjustinshier.com
B. loves scuba diving and dirt bikes. He also enjoys writing in his journal at: http://www.bjustinshier.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
April 23, 2012
Better than the first. Curse you B. Justin! Now get the third one done!
January 10, 2012
This one felt a little less focused than Zero Sight, but I still loved it. Shier has come up with a winning series here, with a hero that takes me fully along on his journey. The concepts here are just awesome, and the plotting skillful. There's so much that I love about these books. And to think he writes these books while he's in medical school.... Keep writing!!!!
More, I need more!!!
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com
More, I need more!!!
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com
December 8, 2011
Review originally posted over at Fantasy Book Critic
ANALYSIS: Brian Justin Shier’s debut was an eye opener in terms of surprises & debut books. I was truly astonished to see how well written it was and what it hinted about the saga to come ahead. Going into the sequel, I had very high expectations and was waiting to see how it would measure up against its predecessor.
The story begins almost immediately after the events of the climax of Zero Sight. However before the journey begins, we get a crucial glimpse into Dieter’s past which I believe shows how mentally strong Dieter is and how events such as the one shown will play an important role in the future events of his life. The climatic events of the previous book heavily factor in to the start of this book wherein we are introduced to more about the geo-political nature of the current power struggles in North America. Dieter’s unit, the Lambda squad gets outfitted as an attack squad due to the potential of its members. They go through a grueling but short training period wherein they are told of their objective and then broken into smaller groups and sent to Las Vegas to unsettle Talmax and its operatives.
The settings of this tale follow almost the reverse order of Dieter’s journey in the first book and this was a very cool antithesis planned by the author. As with the earlier book Dieter is the sole narrator of the story and once again the reader is regaled by his witty observations, teenage inexperience and overall die-hard nature which makes him the special fool that the readers know and love him to be. One of my points I had raised in my previous review that amongst the cast of characters present in the book, none had been featured very vividly. Well the author has nicely remedied this front as we get to know more of Rei Acerba Bathory, Jules Nelson and a few other members of the Lambda squad. Characterization as with the last book is still a strong point and in this book we get to see more of the people around Dieter and their thoughts & opinions. Some characters from the past book also make an appearance and we learn more about them but the center stage is shared by two of his close friends (Jules & Rei) and Dieter’s bonds with both of them will surely be one of the major plot points of the future books.
The infectious energy of the first book is still present and makes this read an ultra-entertaining one again. Another electrifying feature of the story is that the world is expanded as is the magic system, this particular aspect of the saga is something which is particularly mined in this book and it proclaims the epic-ness of the story rather strongly. The action and intrigue in this story have been escalated as per the direction which the plot is taking and all of this doesn’t seem forced at all. Another particular point which I though was excellent was the usage of a particular point in US-Mexico relations. The author masterfully utilizes history to lay down the entanglements of this particular story and I haven’t seen use of such history in the many urban fantasy novels read. This not only raises the reader’s interest but also raises the question as to what all events in the past will come in to play with the future of this series.
And with everything going on, this time around the climax is a powerful one with several twists to it. Not only does the author end it on a strong note but he manages a poignant one. The particular climatic events not only give us a dramatic feel but raise several questions about the main protagonist and his familial genealogy. Combined with the ending and all the revelations present in this book, Zero Sum manages to overcome reader expectation completely and one-up its predecessor in almost all categories.
With this book I had almost next to nothing to nitpick about its contents, while the last book had a rather weak ending. That situation has been remedied precisely in this book. Maybe some readers would find a few points to nag about when in the middle of the book, certain events occur which can seem like a lull however I believe they stand crucial to the plot and hence add to the strength of the story.
CONCLUSION: A remarkable story in itself and the superb sequel to one of my favorite debuts of this year and it managed to overcome all of my anticipation. Expanding the world and adding depth to the story, Brian has to be lauded for delivering a rich story without shedding its earlier uniqueness. Zero Sum continues the magical journey undertaken by Dieter and beckons the reader to come along and enjoy what is to be, an urban fantasy series to rival the best amongst the ones out so far.
December 6, 2011
Zero Sum by B. Justin Shier continue the tale of Dieter Resnick. Dieter has survived his time at Elliot College, but just barely. Now he and the other members of the Lambda Squad are on a mission to take on Talmax.
The second book in the series brings back all of the notable characters from Zero Sight, including my favorites Rei and Dante. The rather unique relationship shared by Dieter and Rei continues to develop, as does their weft link. The book also reveals a bit more about the past of both characters as well. There are looks into just how troubled Dieter's childhood truly was and Rei finally unveils a little bit about her family.
There is still a lot of action this time around and a new breed of villain is introduced. The characters remain consistent with the first book, so there is plenty of humor to offset the violence. I enjoyed Dante's larger role and hope to see more of him as the series continues.
If you enjoyed the first book this one will be right up your alley. Well done again Mr. Shier bring on book 3.
The second book in the series brings back all of the notable characters from Zero Sight, including my favorites Rei and Dante. The rather unique relationship shared by Dieter and Rei continues to develop, as does their weft link. The book also reveals a bit more about the past of both characters as well. There are looks into just how troubled Dieter's childhood truly was and Rei finally unveils a little bit about her family.
There is still a lot of action this time around and a new breed of villain is introduced. The characters remain consistent with the first book, so there is plenty of humor to offset the violence. I enjoyed Dante's larger role and hope to see more of him as the series continues.
If you enjoyed the first book this one will be right up your alley. Well done again Mr. Shier bring on book 3.
March 5, 2014
The dreaded sequel, I hate sequels. More often than not they end up terrible or a lot of filler to get to the point of the third novel. Every now and then I get surprised by a good sequel. So I went into this with a little trepidation.
Shier did not disappoint. I would even argue that this book was better than the last. This sequel did what The Dark Knight did for the Batman franchise to me. It was so good and flushed out all the minor flaws of the first novel. The last novel had awesome characters, but not all were looked into in depth. The world was revealed, but there was still so much more to learn about and it ended on a cliffhanger.
The story picks up with a flashback that highlights Shier’s talent of showing and not telling the reader. He doesn't say Dieter’s childhood was troubled, and his dad couldn't handle him when mom split. Nope. He gives us a scene where Dieter is woken up hours before school to pick up the old drunken douche he calls pop. The story fills the reader in on what Dieter’s life was life and how he got to be who he was when we met him in the first novel.
Back in the present Lambda squad is getting ready for their mission. There’s so much action packed into this story! It doesn't just go from fight to fight either; Shier escalates every scene to a crescendo. The author really made me want to know what Dieter would decide. Our protagonist was taken through the ringer emotionally as well as physically and that kept the pages turning.
I realized I like world building to be shown in the first book, and explained further in the second. We find out more about the history, state of the economy, and the people and creatures who inhabit the world. But the telling felt natural, as if the characters were just being filled in gaps they were missing.
Magic, lore and character development are delivered in abundance and laced with action, drama, and teenage angst. We get to see Dieter grow into his own as a mage, a man, and a hero. The characterization is not just limited to Dieter and Rei in this installment though. We get to see more details from some of the Lambda crew. All of the characters, their interactions, emotions are conveyed in a believable light. Dante, Jules and Monique all tell a little more about themselves.
There are a lot of subplots and facets to this story too. Dieter has a plethora of issues. He has to confront his feelings about dating, Rei, and his father. Our hero gets to confront his daddy issues, and some of the mystery of his parentage as more is revealed about his dad. This is juicy stuff, like reality T.V. for me.
The plot isn't new, it’s just done right. It’s a quest to save the world, very Campbell-like. No secret where this is going to go, but what B. Justin does is give us unique moments, great action, and wonderful dialogue through the journey. The guy is so damn witty that I wanna be his friend. There is a lot of laugh out loud moments throughout the story. He drops lines filled with historical and pop culture references from Bunnicula to Gilles de Rais, The Shining to Jay-z, I cannot say enough about Shier’s witty banter.
Can’t wait for book three, I have troubles finishing flash fiction, this guy writes 5 star novels while in his residency. Gotta fix my perspective, read these books!
Shier did not disappoint. I would even argue that this book was better than the last. This sequel did what The Dark Knight did for the Batman franchise to me. It was so good and flushed out all the minor flaws of the first novel. The last novel had awesome characters, but not all were looked into in depth. The world was revealed, but there was still so much more to learn about and it ended on a cliffhanger.
The story picks up with a flashback that highlights Shier’s talent of showing and not telling the reader. He doesn't say Dieter’s childhood was troubled, and his dad couldn't handle him when mom split. Nope. He gives us a scene where Dieter is woken up hours before school to pick up the old drunken douche he calls pop. The story fills the reader in on what Dieter’s life was life and how he got to be who he was when we met him in the first novel.
Back in the present Lambda squad is getting ready for their mission. There’s so much action packed into this story! It doesn't just go from fight to fight either; Shier escalates every scene to a crescendo. The author really made me want to know what Dieter would decide. Our protagonist was taken through the ringer emotionally as well as physically and that kept the pages turning.
I realized I like world building to be shown in the first book, and explained further in the second. We find out more about the history, state of the economy, and the people and creatures who inhabit the world. But the telling felt natural, as if the characters were just being filled in gaps they were missing.
Magic, lore and character development are delivered in abundance and laced with action, drama, and teenage angst. We get to see Dieter grow into his own as a mage, a man, and a hero. The characterization is not just limited to Dieter and Rei in this installment though. We get to see more details from some of the Lambda crew. All of the characters, their interactions, emotions are conveyed in a believable light. Dante, Jules and Monique all tell a little more about themselves.
There are a lot of subplots and facets to this story too. Dieter has a plethora of issues. He has to confront his feelings about dating, Rei, and his father. Our hero gets to confront his daddy issues, and some of the mystery of his parentage as more is revealed about his dad. This is juicy stuff, like reality T.V. for me.
The plot isn't new, it’s just done right. It’s a quest to save the world, very Campbell-like. No secret where this is going to go, but what B. Justin does is give us unique moments, great action, and wonderful dialogue through the journey. The guy is so damn witty that I wanna be his friend. There is a lot of laugh out loud moments throughout the story. He drops lines filled with historical and pop culture references from Bunnicula to Gilles de Rais, The Shining to Jay-z, I cannot say enough about Shier’s witty banter.
Can’t wait for book three, I have troubles finishing flash fiction, this guy writes 5 star novels while in his residency. Gotta fix my perspective, read these books!
June 26, 2012
Oh. My. Gods. If my emotional state right now does not tell it, I do not know how I will be able to explain to you how moving and attention grasping it was. Man, that even sounded suckish. Well, for the knowledge of you Imperiti, this book would not let me put it down. My mother had to issue an order before I could let it out of my Sight. (See what I did there?) Many times I would stop identifying myself as me, and start thinking or acting as Deiter would. (Love his name by the way.) To be honest, this book not only denyed all steriotypes and expectations I had about it, it completely obliterated them. It was equivilant to The Shirt Of Ultimate Disambiguation. ("NO." Thats seriously all the shirt says.) The turmoil at the end made me cry, (I thought i had a handle on that) and I experenced every characters seperate emotions as they were described. (That kitsune bit was quite funny...)
In short, thisbookwasabsoultelyamazingeveryonegobuyitandreaditsoyoucanbepartoftheawesomenesstoo!!!!
Thank you,
Hailey. *bows*
In short, thisbookwasabsoultelyamazingeveryonegobuyitandreaditsoyoucanbepartoftheawesomenesstoo!!!!
Thank you,
Hailey. *bows*
November 26, 2011
Absolutely amazing read! My best purchase this year by far ($3.99 if i recall correctly?) It was like The Dresden Files but with characters I actually liked and cared about. It was like Lev Grossman's The Magicians but with a plausible story line.
My only issue was the handful of times when characters would hint at, or outright say, something strange and mysterious and then not explain at all. I would think, "Hey that sounds cool! I'm sure it will be explained later in the book." But then page 363 came around and this had happened four or fives. And still no explanation.
This, combined with the epic "wut?" cliffhanger ending, can (hopefully) only mean one thing. SEQUELS! DOZENS OF THEM! TONS MORE ZERO SIGHT
BOOKS! HURAH!!! GET WRITING MR.SHIER!
My only issue was the handful of times when characters would hint at, or outright say, something strange and mysterious and then not explain at all. I would think, "Hey that sounds cool! I'm sure it will be explained later in the book." But then page 363 came around and this had happened four or fives. And still no explanation.
This, combined with the epic "wut?" cliffhanger ending, can (hopefully) only mean one thing. SEQUELS! DOZENS OF THEM! TONS MORE ZERO SIGHT
BOOKS! HURAH!!! GET WRITING MR.SHIER!
December 5, 2011
Its an entertaining read ruined by forced climax. Mr Shier has certainly improved as a writer. Flow and pace of the book are much better this time around. Characters remain funny, believable and interesting. But the ending seems rushed. There is a lot of unnecessary exposition in last few chapters. Rise of new enemy and separation between two main characters seems contrived and obvious setup for third book, which takes away part of the enjoyment.
November 30, 2011
WOW again!! Was completely blown away by this. Being an indie author, I had not expected the high standards set in the first book to continue this way and wish that I could lay my hands on the next book in this series right now :)
The first book primarily focused on Dieter. This book however, elaborates further on that and also provides more information about his father and the origin of his powers. Although Rei was already introduced as one of the major characters in this series in the first book, Jules surprisingly plays a major role in the events of "Zero Sum". Of course, there are a few questions which are left unanswered in this book and I am hoping that they will be answered in the next book which promises to be an interesting read considering the way Rei and Dieter parted ways at the end.
I was surprised to discover that this book is as good as, if not better than the first book in this series and I would strongly recommend anyone who likes a nice cocktail of humor, action, romance and intrigue in a book to read this series. Doesn't matter whether you are plainly interested in dark fantasy, YA or thriller, this book successfully delivers on all fronts. It is wonderfully paced and B. has done a great job of mixing humor in even the most serious action sequences. Besides Tim Marquitz & B., I do not know of any other author who does this so well (yes, not even Jim Butcher and I love that guy).
Thanks goes to Mihir & FantasyBookCritic for introducing such wonderful books and authors to us since I would have never tried them otherwise.
The first book primarily focused on Dieter. This book however, elaborates further on that and also provides more information about his father and the origin of his powers. Although Rei was already introduced as one of the major characters in this series in the first book, Jules surprisingly plays a major role in the events of "Zero Sum". Of course, there are a few questions which are left unanswered in this book and I am hoping that they will be answered in the next book which promises to be an interesting read considering the way Rei and Dieter parted ways at the end.
I was surprised to discover that this book is as good as, if not better than the first book in this series and I would strongly recommend anyone who likes a nice cocktail of humor, action, romance and intrigue in a book to read this series. Doesn't matter whether you are plainly interested in dark fantasy, YA or thriller, this book successfully delivers on all fronts. It is wonderfully paced and B. has done a great job of mixing humor in even the most serious action sequences. Besides Tim Marquitz & B., I do not know of any other author who does this so well (yes, not even Jim Butcher and I love that guy).
Thanks goes to Mihir & FantasyBookCritic for introducing such wonderful books and authors to us since I would have never tried them otherwise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2011
Zero Sum is Justin B Shier's second book, and it's much better than the first in the series.
Zero Sum picks up where Zero Sight (Book One) leaves off. Dieter, our protaganist, grows a bit more mature and a bit more powerful, learning some of who, and what, he is along the way. The main conflict (cliffhanger) introduced in the first novel is satisfactorily resolved, and a bigger, better cliffhanger is introduced. This is done in a non-annoying way.
Relationships between Dieter and other characters progress believably. Shier handles the overused 'outcast vampire that isn't evil' trope in an interesting way, and even the newly introduced love triangle is fairly well written.
Like Zero Sight, there's nothing really ground-breaking or mind-blowing about Zero Sum. But it's an incredibly fun read set in an interesting, internally consistent world. Shier's medical knowledge also makes for some believable yet bizzarre and graphic scenes.
If you like Jim Butcher's 'Dresden Files', you'll probably enjoy Zero Sight and Zero Sum.
Zero Sum picks up where Zero Sight (Book One) leaves off. Dieter, our protaganist, grows a bit more mature and a bit more powerful, learning some of who, and what, he is along the way. The main conflict (cliffhanger) introduced in the first novel is satisfactorily resolved, and a bigger, better cliffhanger is introduced. This is done in a non-annoying way.
Relationships between Dieter and other characters progress believably. Shier handles the overused 'outcast vampire that isn't evil' trope in an interesting way, and even the newly introduced love triangle is fairly well written.
Like Zero Sight, there's nothing really ground-breaking or mind-blowing about Zero Sum. But it's an incredibly fun read set in an interesting, internally consistent world. Shier's medical knowledge also makes for some believable yet bizzarre and graphic scenes.
If you like Jim Butcher's 'Dresden Files', you'll probably enjoy Zero Sight and Zero Sum.
January 21, 2012
This was even better than the first book in the series. It really builds on what happened in the first book and quite a few things are explained which is one of the things that makes this a satisfying read. These are among the best fantasy novels I have read in a while and it's a great pity they aren't available in print version. I'm very much looking forward to book 3 in the series.
March 20, 2012
Intense! That is the best word for this book. The story picks up almost where we left off, the initial dream is devastating for background of our young hero Dieter. We got some serious background on the vampires and some pieces on the Magical culture. As a side I must say that the writing will take you on a emotional roller coaster the ending was a rough. But you will want more!
March 27, 2016
maybe a chubby ,with glasses and mediocre grades who is awkward but witty with the ladies is too much to ask (Kip in the the lightbringer series came close but not quite)
but the writer said he wrote the novel he wanted to read and this is what i want to read
but the writer said he wrote the novel he wanted to read and this is what i want to read
March 20, 2024
Stars below! Now I actually have a bottom "book" to rate the other books by...
Stars below! The "hero" doesn't grow. He is presented as this super brilliant youth with a plan but at every turn he behaves like macho super hero from movies and just survives thanks to the plot armor, which I can overlook when it happens a few first times. But when it happens every incident? Why even bother to write about the struggle when there is actually none? The whole premise also turns into the trope of "our hero is presumed as a nobody" but is actually super rare super powerful and super desirable. And by desirable I mean desirable by every pretty woman he encounters. Which is weird because IMHO he has no redeeming qualities.
Stars bellow! The magic system could be cool if it wasn't always so accommodating and it's rules bent for the "hero". The clear case of rules for thee but not for me. Stars Bellow!
Stars bellow! After I slogged through the 1st book. I decided against my better judgement to read the second one because I was interested in the world setting and the magic system. But the second book didn't do much and from what was written I was actually rooting for the bad guys.
Sorry for the "Stars bellow!" part, it's just that I was so mad at the protagonist using "stars above" so much, I just needed to went.
TL;DR: The book is so bad, I exclaimed aloud "for crying out loud" every 2 pages and draw some unwanted attention. Due to that some people might think I was mad, which I think I am otherwise I wouldn't have read this book...
Stars below! The "hero" doesn't grow. He is presented as this super brilliant youth with a plan but at every turn he behaves like macho super hero from movies and just survives thanks to the plot armor, which I can overlook when it happens a few first times. But when it happens every incident? Why even bother to write about the struggle when there is actually none? The whole premise also turns into the trope of "our hero is presumed as a nobody" but is actually super rare super powerful and super desirable. And by desirable I mean desirable by every pretty woman he encounters. Which is weird because IMHO he has no redeeming qualities.
Stars bellow! The magic system could be cool if it wasn't always so accommodating and it's rules bent for the "hero". The clear case of rules for thee but not for me. Stars Bellow!
Stars bellow! After I slogged through the 1st book. I decided against my better judgement to read the second one because I was interested in the world setting and the magic system. But the second book didn't do much and from what was written I was actually rooting for the bad guys.
Sorry for the "Stars bellow!" part, it's just that I was so mad at the protagonist using "stars above" so much, I just needed to went.
TL;DR: The book is so bad, I exclaimed aloud "for crying out loud" every 2 pages and draw some unwanted attention. Due to that some people might think I was mad, which I think I am otherwise I wouldn't have read this book...
November 20, 2019
Another Day another woke book. Look I like the dialogue. I truly do but in the end we can only take soo many decrees from wokingham palace.
The whole this woman is stronger than me and that woman is better than me and this woman is smarter than me thing is just...... tired and old. Look I know, I know this is the “modern age” but you’ve turned your main character into kind of a joke by making him bow to every female on the world.
Plus now we have the whole USA guilt thing which is again ridiculous. We annexed Texas through the voices of the people of Texas, they didn’t like it, and fired on our troops. Well if you don’t want to lose a war you should be stronger. Also you shouldn’t invite a bunch of immigrants into your territory that don’t assimilate to your culture because that breeds trouble. Gotta love a modern day connection huh? (Also China doesn’t invent anything other than new ways to steal tech, just saying).
Look I like the writing style and some of the jokes are choice but the relationships are ridiculous. Vampire stuff aside Strong women like a Strong man who isn’t constantly saying I’m wrong honey please make every decision and save me. During my fighting and football days I never saw women getting hot for that.
(Wife fist bumps husband)
The whole this woman is stronger than me and that woman is better than me and this woman is smarter than me thing is just...... tired and old. Look I know, I know this is the “modern age” but you’ve turned your main character into kind of a joke by making him bow to every female on the world.
Plus now we have the whole USA guilt thing which is again ridiculous. We annexed Texas through the voices of the people of Texas, they didn’t like it, and fired on our troops. Well if you don’t want to lose a war you should be stronger. Also you shouldn’t invite a bunch of immigrants into your territory that don’t assimilate to your culture because that breeds trouble. Gotta love a modern day connection huh? (Also China doesn’t invent anything other than new ways to steal tech, just saying).
Look I like the writing style and some of the jokes are choice but the relationships are ridiculous. Vampire stuff aside Strong women like a Strong man who isn’t constantly saying I’m wrong honey please make every decision and save me. During my fighting and football days I never saw women getting hot for that.
(Wife fist bumps husband)
May 5, 2019
By accident, I read the second book before the first one. I still understood the story, but of course not the reference to events in the previous book. In many ways, this book reminds me of a Japanese Manga/Anime. Teenagers from a magical college are asked to fight in a war. The good part is the interaction between the main characters, which consists mainly of banter. I felt as lost as the main character when it came to the magic though.
Overall I liked the book, but at times it was a little slow-going. The story was still interesting, but there were too many descriptions and I started to skip over them. And of course, there is the budding love triangle between the main character and two of his fellow students that is probably going to annoy me in the next book. I found the concept interesting, also liked the characters and the dialogue, but found the author's writing style only mediocre. I'll probably still pick up the next one to find out how the story ends. Assuming that it's a trilogy.
Overall I liked the book, but at times it was a little slow-going. The story was still interesting, but there were too many descriptions and I started to skip over them. And of course, there is the budding love triangle between the main character and two of his fellow students that is probably going to annoy me in the next book. I found the concept interesting, also liked the characters and the dialogue, but found the author's writing style only mediocre. I'll probably still pick up the next one to find out how the story ends. Assuming that it's a trilogy.
January 3, 2020
Spoiler-FREE review sentence about ‘Zero Sum’
“A True war is only waged when men don’t want to live to see what failure looks like.”
3.0/5.0 Just wanted to give an update if anyone cares (or have read my review about the first book). This is the last book in a currently unfinished (and most likely will never be finished) series. While it ends the books arc the overall plot arc is unanswered and we are left with a cliffhanger between two characters.
“A True war is only waged when men don’t want to live to see what failure looks like.”
3.0/5.0 Just wanted to give an update if anyone cares (or have read my review about the first book). This is the last book in a currently unfinished (and most likely will never be finished) series. While it ends the books arc the overall plot arc is unanswered and we are left with a cliffhanger between two characters.
March 20, 2021
Rather more of an all action story than the first one, and more of a buddy novel too. I must confess I got a little lost in the developments of the protagonists' powers and the moral dilemmas seem to reach new depths.
March 22, 2018
No third book in this trilogy?
August 7, 2018
Loved it
Really really really enjoyed this book. I love the lore and how Dieter is growing to be quite powerful. Keep em coming!!
Really really really enjoyed this book. I love the lore and how Dieter is growing to be quite powerful. Keep em coming!!
August 16, 2019
Please continue writing Justin! You've got a talent for it and we all want to know how this ends. It's a great story!
June 11, 2014
Again Shier does a good job of storytelling and main character development. Zero Sum picks up right where Zero Sight left off and sprints forward at a pace that leaves little room for breathing. The tension building in Sum shows growth from Sight without changing the overall feel of the series.
My complaints about this one are the same as my complaints about the first book in this series. Jules isn't a believable character and is just badly written. I think that Shier is trying for comic relief here but doesn't hit the mark. Roster is as one dimensional as he was in Zero Sight. I was hoping that the Lambada team members would have a little more development than they did in the last book and while some was attempted I just feel like they still come across flat, at least outside of Dieter and Rei.
While I know that Dieter is really who these books are about I think his team should be more fleshed out as well. Now we get a couple of flashes of this but one is with a character who won't be with us in the next book. I really hope that the next installment takes care of some of these issues although I don't see how Jules could be fixed without it being jarring. Maybe that doesn't matter as she's already pretty jarring to being with.
However, even with all of that, Zero Sum kept me engaged from start to finish. With Sheir's obvious storytelling abilities this is shaping up to be a really good series. I like the combination of a, for lack of a better term, magic school and the government agencies. The supernatural politics, brought to the forefront in this one, seem like a good source of further adventures for our protagonists.
One of the problems that I see coming down the pipe for Shier is falling in to the trap of the main character becoming overpowered and having to create bigger and badder villains as time passes. So far he's done a good job with this even with a little plot devicium right at the climax of this one. I think this could be avoided by finishing Dieter's current story line and perhaps writing from Rei's perspective and bringing some of the politics from the vampire side of things in to play. It wouldn't hurt to put Dieter on a shelf, so to speaks, and do some stuff with other members of Lambada.
I'll keep reading this series and recommending it to my friends who enjoy straight urban fantasy. I am intrigued with the story and the reveal about Dieter's father was a very well timed plot device as was the last scene with Rei. Even with all of my complaints, and I am a nitpicky bastard, I really have to know what happens in the next book. I've given this one four stars because, while my complaints might seem the same, the writing has matured and Shier has made me want to keep reading this series. Hell even with my nitpicking this easily one of top five series this year.
My complaints about this one are the same as my complaints about the first book in this series. Jules isn't a believable character and is just badly written. I think that Shier is trying for comic relief here but doesn't hit the mark. Roster is as one dimensional as he was in Zero Sight. I was hoping that the Lambada team members would have a little more development than they did in the last book and while some was attempted I just feel like they still come across flat, at least outside of Dieter and Rei.
While I know that Dieter is really who these books are about I think his team should be more fleshed out as well. Now we get a couple of flashes of this but one is with a character who won't be with us in the next book. I really hope that the next installment takes care of some of these issues although I don't see how Jules could be fixed without it being jarring. Maybe that doesn't matter as she's already pretty jarring to being with.
However, even with all of that, Zero Sum kept me engaged from start to finish. With Sheir's obvious storytelling abilities this is shaping up to be a really good series. I like the combination of a, for lack of a better term, magic school and the government agencies. The supernatural politics, brought to the forefront in this one, seem like a good source of further adventures for our protagonists.
One of the problems that I see coming down the pipe for Shier is falling in to the trap of the main character becoming overpowered and having to create bigger and badder villains as time passes. So far he's done a good job with this even with a little plot devicium right at the climax of this one. I think this could be avoided by finishing Dieter's current story line and perhaps writing from Rei's perspective and bringing some of the politics from the vampire side of things in to play. It wouldn't hurt to put Dieter on a shelf, so to speaks, and do some stuff with other members of Lambada.
I'll keep reading this series and recommending it to my friends who enjoy straight urban fantasy. I am intrigued with the story and the reveal about Dieter's father was a very well timed plot device as was the last scene with Rei. Even with all of my complaints, and I am a nitpicky bastard, I really have to know what happens in the next book. I've given this one four stars because, while my complaints might seem the same, the writing has matured and Shier has made me want to keep reading this series. Hell even with my nitpicking this easily one of top five series this year.
July 29, 2016
"Zero Sum" picks up where "Zero Sight" left off — literally.
At the end of "Zero Sight," Dieter Resnick and his fellow Elliot College squadmates had been briefed on the threat facing the Department of Mana Affairs. Parts of campus have been blown up, but thanks to the efforts of Dieter and Rei, the students and the faculty — which had been targeted for assassination — were saved. "Sight" opens the next morning as the students pick up the pieces and start getting ready for war. Their enemy has a name and a face, and it's up to Dieter and the rest of Lambda to infiltrate his camp in Dieter's hometown of Las Vegas. Between preparing for that, adjusting to his weft-bond with Rei and trying to defuse the growing hostility between Rei and Jules, his Irish tutor, Dieter has his hands full.
In this sequel, Shier steps away from the example set by the Harry Potter books and more fully into his own creation. Dieter and his classmates are no longer mages-in-training at magic school; they're novice mages at the front lines of a battle. The characters who were introduced in the first book are fleshed out, especially Jules, Danta and, of course, Rei. Jules in particular is given heavy focus, as she's clearly set up as a counterpoint (and counter-love interest) to Rei.
Speaking of Rei, more attention is paid to the society of vampires and its role in relation to the mages. Shier refrains from humanizing them or otherwise weakening their status as monsters, which — as previously stated — I'm enjoying. More of Rei's back story is filled in through the introduction of family members, some in person and some in passing.
The plot is mostly straightforward, but the ending featured at least two major twists. One of them, related to the book's villain, I didn't see coming, but it was logically supported in retrospect. The other, related to Dieter's family, came out of left field and left me scratching my head. I'll be interested to see how Shier explains some of the previously given back story to make that revelation work. (And, yes, I know that's obtuse, but I can't be more clear without ruining the twist.)
You could read this book first and not be too lost, but reading "Zero Sight" before "Zero Sum" will make the twists more surprising and the cliffhanger ending more emotionally charged.
On his website, Shier says he's working on a third entry in the series. I'm looking forward to it.
At the end of "Zero Sight," Dieter Resnick and his fellow Elliot College squadmates had been briefed on the threat facing the Department of Mana Affairs. Parts of campus have been blown up, but thanks to the efforts of Dieter and Rei, the students and the faculty — which had been targeted for assassination — were saved. "Sight" opens the next morning as the students pick up the pieces and start getting ready for war. Their enemy has a name and a face, and it's up to Dieter and the rest of Lambda to infiltrate his camp in Dieter's hometown of Las Vegas. Between preparing for that, adjusting to his weft-bond with Rei and trying to defuse the growing hostility between Rei and Jules, his Irish tutor, Dieter has his hands full.
In this sequel, Shier steps away from the example set by the Harry Potter books and more fully into his own creation. Dieter and his classmates are no longer mages-in-training at magic school; they're novice mages at the front lines of a battle. The characters who were introduced in the first book are fleshed out, especially Jules, Danta and, of course, Rei. Jules in particular is given heavy focus, as she's clearly set up as a counterpoint (and counter-love interest) to Rei.
Speaking of Rei, more attention is paid to the society of vampires and its role in relation to the mages. Shier refrains from humanizing them or otherwise weakening their status as monsters, which — as previously stated — I'm enjoying. More of Rei's back story is filled in through the introduction of family members, some in person and some in passing.
The plot is mostly straightforward, but the ending featured at least two major twists. One of them, related to the book's villain, I didn't see coming, but it was logically supported in retrospect. The other, related to Dieter's family, came out of left field and left me scratching my head. I'll be interested to see how Shier explains some of the previously given back story to make that revelation work. (And, yes, I know that's obtuse, but I can't be more clear without ruining the twist.)
You could read this book first and not be too lost, but reading "Zero Sight" before "Zero Sum" will make the twists more surprising and the cliffhanger ending more emotionally charged.
On his website, Shier says he's working on a third entry in the series. I'm looking forward to it.
February 26, 2016
Great book. Very seldom does one feel that you know the characters as real people, but here it worked. That's a trick that not many books succeed in. The work also had twists and turns that took me by surprise: not a simple feat after reading pretty much every genre-book I could get my hands to the past twenty years.
From the story point, I would have wished to know more about the world where Dieter lived in, starting from economic situation, how different magics worked, the common mage terminology etc. - pretty much all the stuff Dieter would have known after living in Las Vegas for his childhood and in Elliot for months.
As a written fiction, this book also gave me few pauses. English isn't my first language but over the years I've gained a vast registry of English words and I very seldom have to go to the dictionary. This book proved to be the exemption to the rule a fact that I find quite interesting - I wonder how the author came to know all these words!
The biggest faults in the book have to do with editing and pacing - common problems with self-published books. It's not always apparent who are talking, who else is in the room or what the hell is happening. At points like this you just push onward and hope that somebody explains the situation later on. All in all, this is a small problem compared to the characters and the plot, but worth noting.
.............................
If I understood correctly, this book already had a draft finished when the previous book was published, but the third book only existed in the idea space when this was put to sale. As a result, I don't really expect the sequel(s) to pop up even semiyearly - particularly as sequels are sometimes pain to write. And sometimes projects get abandoned. These things happen. Hope the author is well. Not updating twitter/blog for two years concerns me more from health-perspective than the fact that he hasn't mentioned updates concerning the sequel in three.
From the story point, I would have wished to know more about the world where Dieter lived in, starting from economic situation, how different magics worked, the common mage terminology etc. - pretty much all the stuff Dieter would have known after living in Las Vegas for his childhood and in Elliot for months.
As a written fiction, this book also gave me few pauses. English isn't my first language but over the years I've gained a vast registry of English words and I very seldom have to go to the dictionary. This book proved to be the exemption to the rule a fact that I find quite interesting - I wonder how the author came to know all these words!
The biggest faults in the book have to do with editing and pacing - common problems with self-published books. It's not always apparent who are talking, who else is in the room or what the hell is happening. At points like this you just push onward and hope that somebody explains the situation later on. All in all, this is a small problem compared to the characters and the plot, but worth noting.
.............................
If I understood correctly, this book already had a draft finished when the previous book was published, but the third book only existed in the idea space when this was put to sale. As a result, I don't really expect the sequel(s) to pop up even semiyearly - particularly as sequels are sometimes pain to write. And sometimes projects get abandoned. These things happen. Hope the author is well. Not updating twitter/blog for two years concerns me more from health-perspective than the fact that he hasn't mentioned updates concerning the sequel in three.
April 18, 2013
I started reading book 1 of this series two days ago on my way to San Francisco. It felt good to get caught up in another book. I've been on a history kick recently, and as awesome as those books have been, I don't get sucked in like I can with a good fictional story.
I polished book 1 off at about 1:45AM yesterday. And then I started book 2 and read till 3:00AM. Dont worry. I'm at a conference and surrounded by 3 starbucks! and... I was hooked. Thus the skipped review of book 1.
There were a few inconsistencies, quite a few spelling errors, but I liked the characters, scratch that.
I loved the characters.
It was like Harry Potter and the Outsiders mixed together, but throw in a little darkness, a lot of death, and make everyone a few years older. Think college (18-22).
And this book was in the low budget section of Amazon. $3.99??? That was $4.00 of awesome.
So back to the summary: Protagonist has special abilities but doesn't truly understand them. He finds out that a magical world exists under his nose. He is led by the nose through initiation. He is constantly bewildered and surprised. And he has two women who are interested in him.
The plot is cool too, but its really all about "Dieter" (the protagonist) and his fun, horrific, explosive trials as he becomes a member of the "Conscious" society. He has a temper, an inability to not save the damsel in distress, and a complete misunderstanding of women.
Oh, and the Ender Wiggin mindset of how to deal with enemies.
That's the two books in a nutshell without giving too much away. Give them a try. For 3.99, they're a steal!
I polished book 1 off at about 1:45AM yesterday. And then I started book 2 and read till 3:00AM. Dont worry. I'm at a conference and surrounded by 3 starbucks! and... I was hooked. Thus the skipped review of book 1.
There were a few inconsistencies, quite a few spelling errors, but I liked the characters, scratch that.
I loved the characters.
It was like Harry Potter and the Outsiders mixed together, but throw in a little darkness, a lot of death, and make everyone a few years older. Think college (18-22).
And this book was in the low budget section of Amazon. $3.99??? That was $4.00 of awesome.
So back to the summary: Protagonist has special abilities but doesn't truly understand them. He finds out that a magical world exists under his nose. He is led by the nose through initiation. He is constantly bewildered and surprised. And he has two women who are interested in him.
The plot is cool too, but its really all about "Dieter" (the protagonist) and his fun, horrific, explosive trials as he becomes a member of the "Conscious" society. He has a temper, an inability to not save the damsel in distress, and a complete misunderstanding of women.
Oh, and the Ender Wiggin mindset of how to deal with enemies.
That's the two books in a nutshell without giving too much away. Give them a try. For 3.99, they're a steal!
January 25, 2013
In Zero Sum, Mr. Shier continues the story of Dieter Resnick, and more stuff involving happens to him involving the convoluted magic system the author employs.
Why to buy this book: The writing technique is sound, and the voice is good. If you liked the first in the series, you’re probably not going to absolutely hate this one.
Why not to buy the book: Though a lot happened in the first book, it still felt character driven. For this book, I felt the characters got lost in all the plot development. My biggest indictment is that a lot of major events happened to the characters that should have evoked emotional responses. Truthfully, I felt nothing. Side rant with minor spoiler ahead – If you’re going to introduce a potential romantic relationship, the reader has certain expectations. I think it’s fine that the two didn’t get together in the first book. Drawing out a relationship can be a good thing. However, the lack of development of that relationship throughout the second book just got tedious. Readers (or, at least, I) will accept character stasis for only so long.
Bottom Line: Overall, it was a solid read but left me disappointed at the lack of emotional development. It wasn’t bad enough that I’m giving up on the series, but it wasn’t good enough that I’ll buy the next one without reading reviews first. That leaves me at 3 stars.
Why to buy this book: The writing technique is sound, and the voice is good. If you liked the first in the series, you’re probably not going to absolutely hate this one.
Why not to buy the book: Though a lot happened in the first book, it still felt character driven. For this book, I felt the characters got lost in all the plot development. My biggest indictment is that a lot of major events happened to the characters that should have evoked emotional responses. Truthfully, I felt nothing. Side rant with minor spoiler ahead – If you’re going to introduce a potential romantic relationship, the reader has certain expectations. I think it’s fine that the two didn’t get together in the first book. Drawing out a relationship can be a good thing. However, the lack of development of that relationship throughout the second book just got tedious. Readers (or, at least, I) will accept character stasis for only so long.
Bottom Line: Overall, it was a solid read but left me disappointed at the lack of emotional development. It wasn’t bad enough that I’m giving up on the series, but it wasn’t good enough that I’ll buy the next one without reading reviews first. That leaves me at 3 stars.
May 26, 2013
BOOM and we're back in the world of mages, imperiti, and nostophoros NOT nosophoros. Moving straight back into the story after Zero Sight we watch as the IKAM get ready to rumble.
After the rumble in the first book half the dorms have been destroyed and all the squads are roughing it in the bat cave. Roughly the first third of the book is at school where Lambda is told they are a glamour resistant squad and they have to infiltrate a super secret casino in Las Vegas. Deiter is going home.
The people are just really well done. The Irish Jules becomes funnier. Dante becomes more likeable. Resnick is overall better, but still oblivious to Jules feelings until she kisses him. And Rai is just more...Rai.
The weft pair is always fun to watch. Easily my favourite scenes. They argue and they fight and then they get to the end of the book and all these emotions come flying. Inspired in no small way by Rai's half sister. Curvy and lethal. Gotta love vampires.
Then after some good story telling we get to the end of the book and after revelations, both major and minor, and a betrayal or two, we hit the plot line for the next book. And just like that, it's over.
Amazing book. JS really made an interesting read.
After the rumble in the first book half the dorms have been destroyed and all the squads are roughing it in the bat cave. Roughly the first third of the book is at school where Lambda is told they are a glamour resistant squad and they have to infiltrate a super secret casino in Las Vegas. Deiter is going home.
The people are just really well done. The Irish Jules becomes funnier. Dante becomes more likeable. Resnick is overall better, but still oblivious to Jules feelings until she kisses him. And Rai is just more...Rai.
The weft pair is always fun to watch. Easily my favourite scenes. They argue and they fight and then they get to the end of the book and all these emotions come flying. Inspired in no small way by Rai's half sister. Curvy and lethal. Gotta love vampires.
Then after some good story telling we get to the end of the book and after revelations, both major and minor, and a betrayal or two, we hit the plot line for the next book. And just like that, it's over.
Amazing book. JS really made an interesting read.
April 7, 2014
love this series i cant wait for the next one!
k so i loved rei, i loved dieter i loved jules and dante and all the characters ! omg ! it was awesome...
something i was somewhat surprised about was how complete the characters where. i was also impressed with how feminist-ic these books were! like there are alot of female characters that are full rounded characters not just strong, but smart, pig-headed, weak, arrogant, feminine, boyish ect! B. Justin Shire did a trully amazing job writing them as full ppl, without mixing in misogynistic shit in there! like even the scenes where it would have been so simple to reduse a character to a "hysterical woman" she remained full like when whats her name collins was scared of rei and trying to get dieter on her side. it was really great!!!!! and i was also impressed with the male characters who were strong and yes dieter was full of machismo but the male characters were also multi dimensional. strong but human, them had traditionally feminine traits like when dieters friend mourned Taylor even if he had blinded him or when dieter was fighter against his conscience. so it was a master piece really!! even if the plot twist's were sometimes confusing. i cant wait for the next one!
k so i loved rei, i loved dieter i loved jules and dante and all the characters ! omg ! it was awesome...
something i was somewhat surprised about was how complete the characters where. i was also impressed with how feminist-ic these books were! like there are alot of female characters that are full rounded characters not just strong, but smart, pig-headed, weak, arrogant, feminine, boyish ect! B. Justin Shire did a trully amazing job writing them as full ppl, without mixing in misogynistic shit in there! like even the scenes where it would have been so simple to reduse a character to a "hysterical woman" she remained full like when whats her name collins was scared of rei and trying to get dieter on her side. it was really great!!!!! and i was also impressed with the male characters who were strong and yes dieter was full of machismo but the male characters were also multi dimensional. strong but human, them had traditionally feminine traits like when dieters friend mourned Taylor even if he had blinded him or when dieter was fighter against his conscience. so it was a master piece really!! even if the plot twist's were sometimes confusing. i cant wait for the next one!
September 15, 2014
I have read a lot of amazing books over the years and there are many I've read again and again and again but very few had me so engrossed that I was unable to put them down until I consumed them all.
This was one of them. I've finished the first novel of this series yesterday and I started reading this one in the evening. And even though I knew I had to wake up early in the morning I was unable to put it down I believe only reason I didn't finish it during the night is that I passed out from pure exhaustion around 3AM.
I kept saying to myself "One more chapter,then I am going to sleep." Next thing I knew I've gone through several chapters. Several of my favorite books have a sort of a natural stopping point a break in the action that allows you to lay the book down and continue again later, but the story just flows here and I was unable to separate myself.
There were some parts I wasn't completely sold on but overall this was a fantastic book and I am anxiously awaiting the next one.
This was one of them. I've finished the first novel of this series yesterday and I started reading this one in the evening. And even though I knew I had to wake up early in the morning I was unable to put it down I believe only reason I didn't finish it during the night is that I passed out from pure exhaustion around 3AM.
I kept saying to myself "One more chapter,then I am going to sleep." Next thing I knew I've gone through several chapters. Several of my favorite books have a sort of a natural stopping point a break in the action that allows you to lay the book down and continue again later, but the story just flows here and I was unable to separate myself.
There were some parts I wasn't completely sold on but overall this was a fantastic book and I am anxiously awaiting the next one.
May 10, 2012
Dieter Resnick and his school team must undertake a covert ops to infiltrate the headquarters of Talmax to retrieve proof that they are using technology from beyond this universe. If they can do that then ICE will destroy them. I'm not sure how a team of partially trained students expects to survive, but they are all that is available.
A lot less action than the first but just as interesting. I still love the odd love/hate relationship between Rei Bathory and Resnick and I found the counterpoint Jules a good contrast. I really enjoy the characters but other than Rei, Jules, and Dieter (and maybe Dante) the characters are more flat than I would like (although likable). And the ending...that was a cruel thing to do to me very bitter sweet.
I did not like this book quite as much as the first (still loved it) but I am still totally hooked and would recommend it. It needed a bit more serious action. Can't wait for the next book(s)!
A lot less action than the first but just as interesting. I still love the odd love/hate relationship between Rei Bathory and Resnick and I found the counterpoint Jules a good contrast. I really enjoy the characters but other than Rei, Jules, and Dieter (and maybe Dante) the characters are more flat than I would like (although likable). And the ending...that was a cruel thing to do to me very bitter sweet.
I did not like this book quite as much as the first (still loved it) but I am still totally hooked and would recommend it. It needed a bit more serious action. Can't wait for the next book(s)!
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