What do you think?
Rate this book
Show Time
Future viewing audiences have become totally desensitized to violence and entirely dependent on sensation to escape their boring workaday lives—an addiction nurtured by the media with graphic portrayals of war and crime and with so-called reality programming. Now, TV execs in pursuit of the only things they care about—higher ratings and bigger paychecks—have created the ultimate reality show: Seven people, each bearing the scars of his or her past, are deposited on an island in the middle of Lake Superior. Given some bare necessities and the promise of $400,000 each if they can endure, the three women and four men risk death by starvation or freezing as the Great Lakes winter approaches. The island is wired for sound, and flying drones provide the video feed, so everything the contestants do and say is broadcast worldwide. Their seven-month ordeal is entirely unscripted, they can’t ask for help or they forfeit the prize, and as far as the network is concerned—the fewer survivors the better.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2012
About the author
Phil Harvey
12 books33 followers
Phil Harvey’s fiction has appeared in twenty-two literary magazines, including Phantasmagoria, which nominated one of his stories for a Pushcart Prize, and Antietam Review, which named another the winner of its annual contest. Most recently his work has appeared in The MacGuffin, Natural Bridge, and the Dos Passos Review.
Harvey’ nonfiction includes: Let Every Child Be Wanted, which drew praise from former President Jimmy Carter; Government Creep, which, as one reviewer noted, “proves that government has invaded virtually every nook and cranny of our lives,” and The Government vs. Erotica, which Publishers Weekly and Booklist praised, the ALA Intellectual Freedom Roundtable nominated as the year’s best book on intellectual freedom, and Media Coalition called “a frightening, enlightening story.”
By day, Phil Harvey is president of DKT International, a non-profit family planning and AIDS prevention organization, and president and majority shareholder of Adam & Eve, a mail-order business that sells sexually oriented books and films. He lives with his wife, Harriet Lesser, in Cabin John, Maryland. He is stepfather and grandfather to several very promising kids. He welcomes emails from readers who have serious and thoughtful questions about any of his stories, novels or books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
October 28, 2015
" Do you think they'll do it?" Janice McNeeley said. She was staring a the #12 monitor. Jimmy Asaki looked up. "Yes," he said. They're starving......."
Picture where our world is headed. We the viewing audience, spend an enormous amount of time watching reality television. Welcome to the future. Where money and high ratings are driving these television executives to come out with some ultimate adventure for the viewer.
Seven people are going to be left on Peshekee Island in the middle of Lake Superior, which is wired for sound and cameras for the public's viewing pleasure. Everything they say and do will be watched on television for the next seven months. A $400,000.00 prize is at stake. That is if they can refrain from asking for help and survive each other. Reality T.V. and human survival. How far is too far?
Meet the contestants: purposely picked for their problems and personalities with the hopes they'll be true to their nature and provide a good show.
Ambrose-the 25 year old, married gambler. If he doesn't win his daughters life is at stake.
Maureen-red head with a bad reputation for being easy with the men.
Ashai-40's, the athletic photographer with the hard edges
Rudy-athletic, but hiding behind his ethnicity so people won't see the real him.
Cecily-who came to the game overweight, married with a daughter she doesn't deserve.
Valentin -loaner, 19 years old, actor, easy target with secrets that could be their undoing.
Ivan-former navy seal, crazy but reliable.
The story even starts off with a shocking scene from day 198. Monitored by the world. People questioning will they or won't they. Well they do and they will. Then we jump back to day 1 and where it all began. Riveting from the first chapter you almost don't want to believe it. But then again, if you were on an island starving to death how far would you go?
We're not talking just a summer on an island. We're talking a winter where the temps are going to fall fifteen to twenty degrees below zero. Skills in camping, hiking, hunting and outdoor life is going to predict who survives or who doesn't. Or will it? Maybe someone is so intent on winning the money that anything goes. Of course they've been sent in with two guns and such different personalities. Bent on conflict so that the audience will enjoy the fight to survive among them.
We follow each of them as they team up and separate. As they build their nests and look for food. As they eye each other and question everything about one another. Will they go so far to steal food from each other? Will they purposely start conflicts to keep the eyes on others and off of them and their behavior?
We learn about where each of them come from. What they're up against. What kind of people they are. How and why they came to be on this island. Everyone has a unique story to tell.
Maybe the contestants have something secret up their sleeves. Something to cure their boredom and ignite their audience. After all if the audience loves them it could lead to all kinds of offers when they get home. They found an area and removed the spyware making it their very own secret place.
But while they're making their own plans about how things should go the producers back home are worried about their ratings and what is happening on the island. Unethical behavior can be found anywhere when it comes to money and the shows success. Some truly shocking moments here.
I was unable to stop reading this book from the minute I started the first chapter. Well written with continued twists throughout the story. I was so surprised by the first chapter alone that I just had to see where this was going. I enjoyed the characters. They felt real and with similar shows on television these days any one of these characters could have been a real person. Horrifying and creepy. Welcome to paradise. Who wins? Who lives? Who dies? Are there no limits? What would you do for $400,000.00?
Thank you to Netgalley and Lost Coast Press for the A.R.C.
Picture where our world is headed. We the viewing audience, spend an enormous amount of time watching reality television. Welcome to the future. Where money and high ratings are driving these television executives to come out with some ultimate adventure for the viewer.
Seven people are going to be left on Peshekee Island in the middle of Lake Superior, which is wired for sound and cameras for the public's viewing pleasure. Everything they say and do will be watched on television for the next seven months. A $400,000.00 prize is at stake. That is if they can refrain from asking for help and survive each other. Reality T.V. and human survival. How far is too far?
Meet the contestants: purposely picked for their problems and personalities with the hopes they'll be true to their nature and provide a good show.
Ambrose-the 25 year old, married gambler. If he doesn't win his daughters life is at stake.
Maureen-red head with a bad reputation for being easy with the men.
Ashai-40's, the athletic photographer with the hard edges
Rudy-athletic, but hiding behind his ethnicity so people won't see the real him.
Cecily-who came to the game overweight, married with a daughter she doesn't deserve.
Valentin -loaner, 19 years old, actor, easy target with secrets that could be their undoing.
Ivan-former navy seal, crazy but reliable.
The story even starts off with a shocking scene from day 198. Monitored by the world. People questioning will they or won't they. Well they do and they will. Then we jump back to day 1 and where it all began. Riveting from the first chapter you almost don't want to believe it. But then again, if you were on an island starving to death how far would you go?
We're not talking just a summer on an island. We're talking a winter where the temps are going to fall fifteen to twenty degrees below zero. Skills in camping, hiking, hunting and outdoor life is going to predict who survives or who doesn't. Or will it? Maybe someone is so intent on winning the money that anything goes. Of course they've been sent in with two guns and such different personalities. Bent on conflict so that the audience will enjoy the fight to survive among them.
We follow each of them as they team up and separate. As they build their nests and look for food. As they eye each other and question everything about one another. Will they go so far to steal food from each other? Will they purposely start conflicts to keep the eyes on others and off of them and their behavior?
We learn about where each of them come from. What they're up against. What kind of people they are. How and why they came to be on this island. Everyone has a unique story to tell.
Maybe the contestants have something secret up their sleeves. Something to cure their boredom and ignite their audience. After all if the audience loves them it could lead to all kinds of offers when they get home. They found an area and removed the spyware making it their very own secret place.
But while they're making their own plans about how things should go the producers back home are worried about their ratings and what is happening on the island. Unethical behavior can be found anywhere when it comes to money and the shows success. Some truly shocking moments here.
I was unable to stop reading this book from the minute I started the first chapter. Well written with continued twists throughout the story. I was so surprised by the first chapter alone that I just had to see where this was going. I enjoyed the characters. They felt real and with similar shows on television these days any one of these characters could have been a real person. Horrifying and creepy. Welcome to paradise. Who wins? Who lives? Who dies? Are there no limits? What would you do for $400,000.00?
Thank you to Netgalley and Lost Coast Press for the A.R.C.
March 21, 2016
This book is like Hunger Games meets Survivor (the reality TV series) meets The Truman Show (movie). This book even consists BTS (behind-the-scenes) to every plot, conspiracies, connivance and plans that the contestants formulated in order to stay vigilant, outwit opponents and even kill.
The people behind the camera are ruthless. They demand great yet unscripted performances from the competitors, and sky-high ratings from TV audiences. Somebody's gotta do it, so it better be good. €400,000 is at stake. And their lives, too.
So far, I enjoyed the thrill and suspense in this book. The contestants were a motley crew of sorts and were really in for the big time. The TV execs were menacingly good, I had swell of a time cursing them because of their stupid ratings game. There's sex and violence, there are seven interesting characters, a good plot and overall, a good story.
The people behind the camera are ruthless. They demand great yet unscripted performances from the competitors, and sky-high ratings from TV audiences. Somebody's gotta do it, so it better be good. €400,000 is at stake. And their lives, too.
So far, I enjoyed the thrill and suspense in this book. The contestants were a motley crew of sorts and were really in for the big time. The TV execs were menacingly good, I had swell of a time cursing them because of their stupid ratings game. There's sex and violence, there are seven interesting characters, a good plot and overall, a good story.
October 17, 2015
Posted originally on my blog:
The Writer's Inkwell
What happens when you dangle the opportunity to earn $400,000 in front of someone? For those who are an average joe, that amount of money can be life changing. You can’t turn on today’s TV without being bombarded with reality television and Phil Harvey has perfectly demonstrated how far our fascination with “reality” may go in the future.
At first, I thought this book may be more of a Hunger Games scenario, only one victor could win the cash. And with the opening chapter being what it was… trust me, you might think the same thing as well. But the truth is, this book is a world of its own making and doesn’t really resemble anything else I have read.
The premise is simple: seven strangers are given this opportunity to earn a lot of cash. All they have to do is give up seven months of their time, any sense of privacy they may have once enjoyed and survive through the winter with little to no supplies. Even the best of friends would struggle to complete this mission and at first, I thought the two groups may actually kill one another. But most of them find common ground and devise a system to help everyone survive. But as time goes by, they realize they may be lacking in the entertainment portion of their endeavor and devise a plan to boost ratings and really stick it to the producers of the show: kill one of their own. I suppose I should say pretend to kill… or at least that was the plan initially.
Harvey does a great job capturing the two sides of reality television and the hazards of what can happen when things go too far. This story is intense, suspenseful and at times amusing. The group of characters stranded on the island are an assorted bunch and it’s almost as if it’s a modern day island of misfits. So if you enjoy drama and suspense in your thrillers, I think you’ll find this book is going to hit the mark. Especially when it becomes apparent that anyone, on or off the island could be a killer for the right price… or chance for ratings.
Reviewer's Note: I was given this book in exchange for a honest review
The Writer's Inkwell
What happens when you dangle the opportunity to earn $400,000 in front of someone? For those who are an average joe, that amount of money can be life changing. You can’t turn on today’s TV without being bombarded with reality television and Phil Harvey has perfectly demonstrated how far our fascination with “reality” may go in the future.
At first, I thought this book may be more of a Hunger Games scenario, only one victor could win the cash. And with the opening chapter being what it was… trust me, you might think the same thing as well. But the truth is, this book is a world of its own making and doesn’t really resemble anything else I have read.
The premise is simple: seven strangers are given this opportunity to earn a lot of cash. All they have to do is give up seven months of their time, any sense of privacy they may have once enjoyed and survive through the winter with little to no supplies. Even the best of friends would struggle to complete this mission and at first, I thought the two groups may actually kill one another. But most of them find common ground and devise a system to help everyone survive. But as time goes by, they realize they may be lacking in the entertainment portion of their endeavor and devise a plan to boost ratings and really stick it to the producers of the show: kill one of their own. I suppose I should say pretend to kill… or at least that was the plan initially.
Harvey does a great job capturing the two sides of reality television and the hazards of what can happen when things go too far. This story is intense, suspenseful and at times amusing. The group of characters stranded on the island are an assorted bunch and it’s almost as if it’s a modern day island of misfits. So if you enjoy drama and suspense in your thrillers, I think you’ll find this book is going to hit the mark. Especially when it becomes apparent that anyone, on or off the island could be a killer for the right price… or chance for ratings.
Reviewer's Note: I was given this book in exchange for a honest review
September 28, 2015
Have you seen that movie The Condemened (2007) with Steve Austin? Well, that is what this book wanted to be but failed. Ah! yes, the book also wanted to be like the Survivor show. The story even has the behind the cameras scenes like in the movie. Then I guess the book wanted to explore that cannibal instinct that we all have within (do we?) like in the movie Ravenous (1999) with Guy Pierce but it fell short at that too.
Seven people agree to survive for seven months on an island for $400,000...
Don't be fooled by the comparison of the book to The Hunger Games because it is NOTHING like that. At all. That said, this story was boring and tedious. It had some interesting premises, like some characters pretending to be something they were not, but that wasn't fully explored or taken advantage of.
Had I gotten this book from the library of paid for it, I had DNF it, but since I got it through Netgalley, I felt obligated to finish it. I also hoped that at the end something worth reading would happened, but nope. They even killed the only black guy in the story. You know, black and Hispanic characters always die first...
Let me see, what was good about this book? Well, the idea of the story. Really, it went a lot better in my mind than in what was actually written.
Seven people agree to survive for seven months on an island for $400,000...
Don't be fooled by the comparison of the book to The Hunger Games because it is NOTHING like that. At all. That said, this story was boring and tedious. It had some interesting premises, like some characters pretending to be something they were not, but that wasn't fully explored or taken advantage of.
Had I gotten this book from the library of paid for it, I had DNF it, but since I got it through Netgalley, I felt obligated to finish it. I also hoped that at the end something worth reading would happened, but nope. They even killed the only black guy in the story. You know, black and Hispanic characters always die first...
Let me see, what was good about this book? Well, the idea of the story. Really, it went a lot better in my mind than in what was actually written.
August 12, 2012
I'm a fan of "Survivor" so thought this book sounded interesting.
Seven people (three women and four men) are put on an island in the middle of Lake Superior for seven months (from August to March) with just three months of food each. Whoever lasts 'til the end wins $400,000. Two are given a rifle, another is given a map and another is given access to the others' backgrounds. With different backgrounds and issues, one has a gambling habit, another has a drug habit, another has left her husband and daughter, and another has been abused.
At first, they kind of get along and plot against the the show ... which is boring and makes for poor ratings. So the producers shake things up a bit to dire results.
I enjoyed the writing style but thought the book was just okay. It focused too much on the sexual relationships of the seven when the story itself could have been so much better and calculating. By the end, they were starving and freezing ... I would have liked to have read more about what maybe one did to take advantage of the others in true survivor style rather than the details of who was doing who.
Blog review: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2012/08...
Seven people (three women and four men) are put on an island in the middle of Lake Superior for seven months (from August to March) with just three months of food each. Whoever lasts 'til the end wins $400,000. Two are given a rifle, another is given a map and another is given access to the others' backgrounds. With different backgrounds and issues, one has a gambling habit, another has a drug habit, another has left her husband and daughter, and another has been abused.
At first, they kind of get along and plot against the the show ... which is boring and makes for poor ratings. So the producers shake things up a bit to dire results.
I enjoyed the writing style but thought the book was just okay. It focused too much on the sexual relationships of the seven when the story itself could have been so much better and calculating. By the end, they were starving and freezing ... I would have liked to have read more about what maybe one did to take advantage of the others in true survivor style rather than the details of who was doing who.
Blog review: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2012/08...
September 29, 2015
This book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I couldn't get into this book at all. I picked it up and put it down so many times I lost count. I really wanted to finish it because I received it through NetGalley but it's just one of those books where the blurb sounds better than the actual story turns out to be.
I couldn't get into this book at all. I picked it up and put it down so many times I lost count. I really wanted to finish it because I received it through NetGalley but it's just one of those books where the blurb sounds better than the actual story turns out to be.
June 18, 2013
Phil Harvey presents a daring premise as he intertwines two rather unflattering human phenomena---our propensity for cruelty and media exploitation of a range of base instincts. The result is a story both fascinating and frightening.
July 12, 2012
Show Time
takes place at some point in the near future, with the participants willingly subjecting themselves to a media portrayal of their jeopardy. The network drops seven contestants on a desolate island in the middle of Lake Superior with some necessities and minimal food. According to one of the agreements surrounding the games "it is recognized that entertainment involving genuine risks to real people is fundamentally necessary to the smooth functioning of a civilized society..." The broadcast network promises the contestants $400,000 each if they can endure.
The island is wired with cameras and microphones. In the air, flying drones and satellites add in more coverage so everything the contestants do and say is available to broadcast worldwide. Edited shows are broadcast, but dedicated viewers and pay for more detailed access.
An obvious analogy is the Hunger Games trilogy, which I found disappointing. A publisher's offer of a review copy of Show Time as a survival reality novel caught my attention.
These are adults, with interesting back stories and motivations. That was one of my criticisms of the Hunger Games. I thought the trilogy would have been more interesting if the main protagonists were adults instead of teenagers. I think Show Time shows that to be true.
However, Show Time lacks the action of Hunger Games. The seven contestants are placed on the island to kill each other. They are there to slowly starve, perhaps to death. A long, boring death.
The book also lacks much insight to the larger culture of the show's viewership. We are left to assume that it's a natural progression of today's reality television, mixed in with some government help, to create a modern bread and circus. I'm hard-pressed to believe that watching people hunt small game, pick berries, and chew on moss would make good television for 7 months. At least Survivor mixes in some contests for its participants.
The island is wired with cameras and microphones. In the air, flying drones and satellites add in more coverage so everything the contestants do and say is available to broadcast worldwide. Edited shows are broadcast, but dedicated viewers and pay for more detailed access.
An obvious analogy is the Hunger Games trilogy, which I found disappointing. A publisher's offer of a review copy of Show Time as a survival reality novel caught my attention.
These are adults, with interesting back stories and motivations. That was one of my criticisms of the Hunger Games. I thought the trilogy would have been more interesting if the main protagonists were adults instead of teenagers. I think Show Time shows that to be true.
However, Show Time lacks the action of Hunger Games. The seven contestants are placed on the island to kill each other. They are there to slowly starve, perhaps to death. A long, boring death.
The book also lacks much insight to the larger culture of the show's viewership. We are left to assume that it's a natural progression of today's reality television, mixed in with some government help, to create a modern bread and circus. I'm hard-pressed to believe that watching people hunt small game, pick berries, and chew on moss would make good television for 7 months. At least Survivor mixes in some contests for its participants.
October 20, 2015
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ugh, this book has issues. It also has some good ideas and could have been a really good book, but it has issues.
Otherwise, the book had some potential. If the author had shortened the scope, spent more time talking about their first few days on the island, built up characters early, then the story would've been better. There shouldn't be a need to go into a character's back story when you're 75% through the book. That should be a time that you reveal a deeper aspect of a story that's been alluded to, or have a twist that changes your view of an earlier event. I felt like the reaction of the contestants was unrealistic. Each of them were far too narcissistic and unaware of the danger they faced. Even Ambrose wasn't fully aware of the danger - if he was, he'd have been trying to convince them all to work together from day one.
Could've been a lot better.
Ugh, this book has issues. It also has some good ideas and could have been a really good book, but it has issues.
Otherwise, the book had some potential. If the author had shortened the scope, spent more time talking about their first few days on the island, built up characters early, then the story would've been better. There shouldn't be a need to go into a character's back story when you're 75% through the book. That should be a time that you reveal a deeper aspect of a story that's been alluded to, or have a twist that changes your view of an earlier event. I felt like the reaction of the contestants was unrealistic. Each of them were far too narcissistic and unaware of the danger they faced. Even Ambrose wasn't fully aware of the danger - if he was, he'd have been trying to convince them all to work together from day one.
Could've been a lot better.
October 30, 2015
“Show Time” is a powerfully interesting book. It describes the life of the contestants on a Survivor-like show. What makes is unlike Survivor is that there is a good chance that they won’t actually survive. Unlike reality TV in reality, the police, the Red Cross, everyone has agreed to let this play out for five months. The contestants, chosen, it seems, for the likelihood that they will fight with each other and/or have sex with each other, are dropped off on an uninhabited island in Lake Superior, given inadequate rations, a few tools, and wished luck. There are cameras all over the island, microphones, and drones picking up nearly everything that goes on.
That’s interesting. When you watch shows like Survivor, you know good and well that there are paramedics just off to the side ready to rush in if anything serious and for real happens. How much more compelling would the drama be if you thought there was a chance that they might actually die of starvation if they didn’t find food? Or exposure if they didn’t gather enough firewood for warmth?
What interested me the most, though, was the part of the producers. This book is not at all futuristic, but it obviously takes place in the future. In the future imagined by the author, politics motivates this violence. The Powers that Be have decided (Rightly? Wrongly?) that people have a need for violence, and if it is doled out in controlled doses that will prevent larger wars and more death and destruction. “Small wars” and shows like this one give the people what they need to avoid a world war.
Lots to think about. It was compelling reading, even if the dialogue was a little forced at times. Characters said what they needed to say to move the plot along as opposed to what those organic people would say in response to a situation. The non-dialogue prose was descriptive and evocative, and the pages slipped by easily.
To find this book, click any of the links below:
Amazon Link http://www.amazon.com/Show-Time-Phil-...
Apple Link https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/show...
Barnes & Noble Link http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/show-...
To read more about the author, visit his website at:
http://www.philharveylit.org/
For more of my book reviews, visit my review page at:
http://www.loriduffwrites.com/recomme...
That’s interesting. When you watch shows like Survivor, you know good and well that there are paramedics just off to the side ready to rush in if anything serious and for real happens. How much more compelling would the drama be if you thought there was a chance that they might actually die of starvation if they didn’t find food? Or exposure if they didn’t gather enough firewood for warmth?
What interested me the most, though, was the part of the producers. This book is not at all futuristic, but it obviously takes place in the future. In the future imagined by the author, politics motivates this violence. The Powers that Be have decided (Rightly? Wrongly?) that people have a need for violence, and if it is doled out in controlled doses that will prevent larger wars and more death and destruction. “Small wars” and shows like this one give the people what they need to avoid a world war.
Lots to think about. It was compelling reading, even if the dialogue was a little forced at times. Characters said what they needed to say to move the plot along as opposed to what those organic people would say in response to a situation. The non-dialogue prose was descriptive and evocative, and the pages slipped by easily.
To find this book, click any of the links below:
Amazon Link http://www.amazon.com/Show-Time-Phil-...
Apple Link https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/show...
Barnes & Noble Link http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/show-...
To read more about the author, visit his website at:
http://www.philharveylit.org/
For more of my book reviews, visit my review page at:
http://www.loriduffwrites.com/recomme...
October 19, 2015
Original Review Here
This book only took me a few days to read. I was glad of that. I think if it had dragged on for longer, I would have grown bored. As it was, I enjoyed what I read.
The plot was simply: seven people must survive on an island over winter with no outside help. Of course, there were a few twists along the way. Mainly that the outside world is not to be trusted. But while that threw a few curveballs to the characters, because the reader was privy to these actions, it didn’t work to build tension. The tension was literally between the characters rather than the characters and the reader. The lack of tension is the main reason I’m glad the book was no longer.
The narration changes between several characters. While I would define Ambrose as the “main” character, they are all developed at the same level. We know their backstories, although in an expositional way as they discuss their lives with the others. Considering the setting, this works though. They are strangers, after all. What lacks is a deep connection with them. There is sex, but there is no bond, no hint these people have had an impact on their lives beyond the island.
It is a story of sex and violence basically. But an interesting look at what our society could become in the future. It’s an intriguing idea – although I did think at the beginning I was entering the Hunger Games again. The writing is consistent and steady throughout, although the change in narration does become too frequent at times to stay engaged with what is happening.
This was an enjoyable book. It didn’t spark of fireworks of creativity, but the pacing was strong and the length right for the content. Harvey should have introduced more tension to draw the reader in and care for his characters to add a new dimension to the book. There could have been more of a connection.
A steady book from a steady writer, although not one I would rush back to read again. I would recommend it to those interested in a dystopian genre though.
This book only took me a few days to read. I was glad of that. I think if it had dragged on for longer, I would have grown bored. As it was, I enjoyed what I read.
The plot was simply: seven people must survive on an island over winter with no outside help. Of course, there were a few twists along the way. Mainly that the outside world is not to be trusted. But while that threw a few curveballs to the characters, because the reader was privy to these actions, it didn’t work to build tension. The tension was literally between the characters rather than the characters and the reader. The lack of tension is the main reason I’m glad the book was no longer.
The narration changes between several characters. While I would define Ambrose as the “main” character, they are all developed at the same level. We know their backstories, although in an expositional way as they discuss their lives with the others. Considering the setting, this works though. They are strangers, after all. What lacks is a deep connection with them. There is sex, but there is no bond, no hint these people have had an impact on their lives beyond the island.
It is a story of sex and violence basically. But an interesting look at what our society could become in the future. It’s an intriguing idea – although I did think at the beginning I was entering the Hunger Games again. The writing is consistent and steady throughout, although the change in narration does become too frequent at times to stay engaged with what is happening.
This was an enjoyable book. It didn’t spark of fireworks of creativity, but the pacing was strong and the length right for the content. Harvey should have introduced more tension to draw the reader in and care for his characters to add a new dimension to the book. There could have been more of a connection.
A steady book from a steady writer, although not one I would rush back to read again. I would recommend it to those interested in a dystopian genre though.
June 20, 2012
This debut novel by Phil Harvey is meant to be a tense psychological thriller. I say “meant to be” because in reality it is tedious most of the time and almost boring at others. Seven people are dropped on an island in the middle of Lake Superior and must survive the brutal winter. For this feat, they will each win $400,000. No one is allowed on or off the island; indeed, no one may help them, even if they are injured or starving. All this is done for the sake of realty television and the viewing public. And so begins the struggle to survive: for shelter, for food. Alliances are formed, rules and agreements meted out. But plans do go awry, and bad things happen. The rules set down by the TV studio and by participants themselves are broken. The plot idea is an interesting one, but not well developed in this book. We have the struggle to find sufficient food, and the squabbling between the participants, but not much more. Oh, yes, there is the obligatory voyeuristic sex for the undiscriminating public. The characters are two dimensional figures with little to commend them. A smattering of facts is made known about them, but not nearly enough to make the reader care about what happens to them. The story ends abruptly, and life - and TV ratings – goes on. What does this story teach us? Bad things happen and bad guys can get away with it. There are much better survival novels if that is your cup of tea, or maybe the goal of this book is just to survive reading it to the bitter end.
July 26, 2012
There's nothing special or particularly memorable about "Show Time". The "Survivors"-on-steroids plot is doomed by the rehashing of the same storyline (sex, insults, hunting, eating, arguments, freezing, etc.) ad nauseum in the book's 240 pages.
"Show Time" deals with seven average, everyday people who agree to attempt to survive a harsh, northern Lake Superior winter as shown over national TV. There's plenty of motivation for these intrepid campers because each survivor receives $400,000. Speaking of those characters, author Phil Harvey barely fleshes them out and all seven are as about unlikeable a group as I can remember from any novel I've read. Instead of banding together as the terrible winter starts to take its toll on them, they continue to nitpick, insult, and chip away at each other. There are no winners here.
As messed up as these losers are, they look like model citizens when compared to to slimy network executives in the background of the program. There's one scene involving these executives and a number of US Senators during a Senate inquiry over the show's ethics and morals that's downright laughable.
The book's only redeemable quality (and the one that kept me plodding along) was a couple of decent plot twists.
When I won the book as part of an early reviewers program, I was excited to read it and offer my thoughts over what sounded like an interesting premise. That excitement vanished about as quickly as the nice Lake Superior fall weather as I limped to the finish with the characters in "Show Time".
"Show Time" deals with seven average, everyday people who agree to attempt to survive a harsh, northern Lake Superior winter as shown over national TV. There's plenty of motivation for these intrepid campers because each survivor receives $400,000. Speaking of those characters, author Phil Harvey barely fleshes them out and all seven are as about unlikeable a group as I can remember from any novel I've read. Instead of banding together as the terrible winter starts to take its toll on them, they continue to nitpick, insult, and chip away at each other. There are no winners here.
As messed up as these losers are, they look like model citizens when compared to to slimy network executives in the background of the program. There's one scene involving these executives and a number of US Senators during a Senate inquiry over the show's ethics and morals that's downright laughable.
The book's only redeemable quality (and the one that kept me plodding along) was a couple of decent plot twists.
When I won the book as part of an early reviewers program, I was excited to read it and offer my thoughts over what sounded like an interesting premise. That excitement vanished about as quickly as the nice Lake Superior fall weather as I limped to the finish with the characters in "Show Time".
October 5, 2015
***.6. 3.6/5
Show Time by Phil Harvey is unusual novel based on modern time, reality shows like Big Brother and I am a Celebrity. I am not a fan of these reality shows but the synopsis was intriguing.
Phil Harvey certainly captured the strengths and flaws of his characters: contestants who would give up seven months of their lives to brave the cold harsh winters around Lake Superior to the devious, immoral producers of the show.
The contestants soon realise that in order to survive and win €400,000 each they would have to work as a team but numerous egos get in the way as well as very human traits such as jealousy. As the novel developed so did the characteristics of the contestants, with many of their flaws coming to light. Where they picked because of these flaws, it would certainly seem so. It was obvious that the tv ratings were high priority for the producers and backers. How far would they go? Shocking.
Phil Harris portrayed his characters and the bitter, icy, unrelentingly cold winters of Lake Superior. A good book to read in the midst of a hot summer as it certainly cools the reader, who is firmly placed in the midst of this unforgiving landscape.
I was given a copy of Show Time for an honest and unbiased review. Show Time is an interestingly, good novel.
Show Time by Phil Harvey is unusual novel based on modern time, reality shows like Big Brother and I am a Celebrity. I am not a fan of these reality shows but the synopsis was intriguing.
Phil Harvey certainly captured the strengths and flaws of his characters: contestants who would give up seven months of their lives to brave the cold harsh winters around Lake Superior to the devious, immoral producers of the show.
The contestants soon realise that in order to survive and win €400,000 each they would have to work as a team but numerous egos get in the way as well as very human traits such as jealousy. As the novel developed so did the characteristics of the contestants, with many of their flaws coming to light. Where they picked because of these flaws, it would certainly seem so. It was obvious that the tv ratings were high priority for the producers and backers. How far would they go? Shocking.
Phil Harris portrayed his characters and the bitter, icy, unrelentingly cold winters of Lake Superior. A good book to read in the midst of a hot summer as it certainly cools the reader, who is firmly placed in the midst of this unforgiving landscape.
I was given a copy of Show Time for an honest and unbiased review. Show Time is an interestingly, good novel.
November 1, 2015
Would you be willing to participate in a reality TV show with six other people you did not know, and agree to spend seven months on an island with them where you would be tested physically, emotionally, and your very survival was in question? This is what Phil Harvey writes about in his fictional account called Show Time! The characters in this work are complex, flawed and all too real. For that I applaud his efforts. People will do almost anything for money, it seems, and the network is consumed with the show's ratings. I found myself questioning the humanity of the characters more and more as I read. The characters faced extreme conditions. Cold, hunger, loneliness, emotional term oil, and fear.
I found this book very disturbing, and I would not recommend it to anyone who does not wish to read material containing sexual content, violence or human depravity. The themes in this work are adult.
I received and Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this digital book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I found this book very disturbing, and I would not recommend it to anyone who does not wish to read material containing sexual content, violence or human depravity. The themes in this work are adult.
I received and Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this digital book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 19, 2015
In the near future, reality TV has taken on a whole new level of reality. Cameras are trained on contestants 24/7, which viewers can tap into at any time for an enhanced experience. Nothing is scripted - any hint of producer interference would cause the ratings to drop. 7 rather broken individuals are chosen to live on an island in the great lakes for several months, extending through the bitter winter season. Given minimal provisions, they are told to survive, and promised $400,000 if they do, and bonuses if they can hike the ratings.
I wasn't a major fan of this book - it's a little outside my usual reading. The story was compelling, in that I had a hard time putting it down. Trying to figure out what would happen to the reality TV stars was interesting. There are some surprising twists, but I felt the ending was a bit anticlimactic. I give it 4 stars because it is well written, and though not my preference, I believe others will enjoy this book.
I wasn't a major fan of this book - it's a little outside my usual reading. The story was compelling, in that I had a hard time putting it down. Trying to figure out what would happen to the reality TV stars was interesting. There are some surprising twists, but I felt the ending was a bit anticlimactic. I give it 4 stars because it is well written, and though not my preference, I believe others will enjoy this book.
December 15, 2015
Show Time by Phil Harvey
Seven people (three women, four men) are offered $400,000 to try to survive on an island for seven months, in the middle of Lake Superior. They are given bare necessities, and risk the dangers of the wild, cold and starvation.
Each person has a reason for needing the money, this is what motivates them to attempt to carry out this dangerous adventure. While this is being filmed as a reality show, the participants begin to wonder if they are not being set up (in some desperate way) to hike up the show's ratings.
The story moves at a fast pace with a lot of drama, action and surprises. There were a few times when I figured out what was going to happen, but that did not slow my interest, and I am glad I finished to the end. I do feel those who like a thrilling story with added drama and suspense will enjoy Show Time.
Seven people (three women, four men) are offered $400,000 to try to survive on an island for seven months, in the middle of Lake Superior. They are given bare necessities, and risk the dangers of the wild, cold and starvation.
Each person has a reason for needing the money, this is what motivates them to attempt to carry out this dangerous adventure. While this is being filmed as a reality show, the participants begin to wonder if they are not being set up (in some desperate way) to hike up the show's ratings.
The story moves at a fast pace with a lot of drama, action and surprises. There were a few times when I figured out what was going to happen, but that did not slow my interest, and I am glad I finished to the end. I do feel those who like a thrilling story with added drama and suspense will enjoy Show Time.
October 23, 2015
Well....this was one of the most weirdly depressing yet enthralling books I've picked up in a long time.
I didn't like that the first chapter led in with the big "finish" so to speak. I would have liked for that to be a surprise so I could be horrified with the rest of the "viewers."
The characters were a bit flat but it makes sense in the context of it being reality TV. Would reality shows go that far in the future for ratings? Are we constantly upping the ante?
As a frequent viewer of reality TV, I understand that I'm part of the problem. Books like this reinforce the idea every time.
Solid book but not something I'd be eager to recommend or pick up again.
I didn't like that the first chapter led in with the big "finish" so to speak. I would have liked for that to be a surprise so I could be horrified with the rest of the "viewers."
The characters were a bit flat but it makes sense in the context of it being reality TV. Would reality shows go that far in the future for ratings? Are we constantly upping the ante?
As a frequent viewer of reality TV, I understand that I'm part of the problem. Books like this reinforce the idea every time.
Solid book but not something I'd be eager to recommend or pick up again.
October 1, 2015
This was an interesting read I wasn't quite sure how I would feel about this book cos he'll you can just imagine in the future something like this happening and people would watch I'm sure . I found myself wondering how anyone would react in any of these peoples place and everyone will have their own answers to that question . I did enjoy this book I though t it was well written and entertaining some characters I grew to like and others not so much but it did make me think and it did make me want to read more books by this author
December 6, 2015
I read this book because it sounded like a unique plot. And it was. While I enjoyed the book for the most part I was not familiar with the author. I'm guessing a much older man wrote this. There are songs, references, etc., that only an older person would know. In addition, he didn't know how to write for the female characters. They lacked depth and most women would not behave, act or say things that we're written. They were like men in female bodies. Having said that, it's a good story and a quick read. I enjoyed the book
September 29, 2015
I found this one a hard book to rate. I found that I kept reading because I wanted to know what happened. At the same time I found it difficult to really like anyone all that much and found the events pretty hard to read about. It was certainly worth reading and thanks to Netgallery for giving me the opportunity.
September 29, 2015
I was interested in Show Time as I live only 5 minutes from Lake Superior and I know full well how harsh the winters can be in this area. Phil Harvey is showing us reality TV at it's worse. Think Survivor without any camera crew or nearby help, just cameras and mikes. No voting off the island. For better or worse you are staying in the game. Excellent story.
June 20, 2012
I won my copy thru Library Thing and I felt like this book missed the mark for me. Some of the content and language really put me off, I thought this book was going to be a lot better. If the language & content was a little different, I might have given it more stars.
October 13, 2015
Sorry to say this but I just could not get into this book the blurb sounded good and I tried a few times to read it but found the book just wasn't for me.
Thanks to the Author and Netgalley for a chance to try this book
Thanks to the Author and Netgalley for a chance to try this book
October 14, 2015
You can find my review here on my blog: https://clareholmanhobbs.wordpress.co...
August 10, 2017
Show Time is set in the near future where violence has nearly been eliminated from the world. So how do people get their fill of the dark side? They watch reality TV shows.
Show Time is a mixture of "Survivor" and "Big Brother". Seven contestants are left on an island (in the middle of Lake Michigan) for seven months. They have to endure nature, weather, hunger, and each other. Each contestant brings his or her personal baggage to the island, and we discover more about each one as the book progresses.
We also get to see the TV side of a reality show. I think the book takes a nice jab at the junk we see on TV today by focusing on the director and producer who will do ANYTHING for ratings. The book also takes a shot at government, which I think is very relatable to the world today. The government seems to believe that people will remain docile and not really pay attention to what is going on in the world as long as they have their favorite shows to watch. Television is used as a distraction from reality, so government doesn't have to deal with unrest from the people. I think the story parallels reality very well.
I liked the story, and I liked the behind-the-scenes details even more. The problem with the book is that none of the characters are sympathetic. I couldn't identify with any of them, and I really didn't care what happened to them. I would not watch this show past the first few episodes if it was actually on television. The scenes between characters do not go into enough depth to make us care about them.
The people are on the island for a long time, but the transitions between scenes, whether it's the weather, finding food, or dialogue between the characters are abrupt. The best example of this is the end of the book. It just ends. That's it. Over. We don't get to find out how the experience changed people--or if it does--because the book goes from a high tension scene to the end in just a few pages. There could definitely be a sequel to this book to follow the characters as they try to integrate back into society, knowing that the TV audience has seen them do some strange things. Yes, the characters will receive money, but it isn't enough to last for the rest of their lives, so they will have to go back to their jobs, their families, and their friends. I think that would be an interesting story as they each have to justify the things they did to survive.
I'm kind of torn about the rating for this book. The story is good, the realism of how TV is used to manipulate us is portrayed very well, and the off-island scenes show the ruthlessness to succeed at any cost that is so rampant in society today. However, the actual story of the people on the island is lacking and that's the majority of the book.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, through Reading Deals, so I could give an honest review.
Show Time is a mixture of "Survivor" and "Big Brother". Seven contestants are left on an island (in the middle of Lake Michigan) for seven months. They have to endure nature, weather, hunger, and each other. Each contestant brings his or her personal baggage to the island, and we discover more about each one as the book progresses.
We also get to see the TV side of a reality show. I think the book takes a nice jab at the junk we see on TV today by focusing on the director and producer who will do ANYTHING for ratings. The book also takes a shot at government, which I think is very relatable to the world today. The government seems to believe that people will remain docile and not really pay attention to what is going on in the world as long as they have their favorite shows to watch. Television is used as a distraction from reality, so government doesn't have to deal with unrest from the people. I think the story parallels reality very well.
I liked the story, and I liked the behind-the-scenes details even more. The problem with the book is that none of the characters are sympathetic. I couldn't identify with any of them, and I really didn't care what happened to them. I would not watch this show past the first few episodes if it was actually on television. The scenes between characters do not go into enough depth to make us care about them.
The people are on the island for a long time, but the transitions between scenes, whether it's the weather, finding food, or dialogue between the characters are abrupt. The best example of this is the end of the book. It just ends. That's it. Over. We don't get to find out how the experience changed people--or if it does--because the book goes from a high tension scene to the end in just a few pages. There could definitely be a sequel to this book to follow the characters as they try to integrate back into society, knowing that the TV audience has seen them do some strange things. Yes, the characters will receive money, but it isn't enough to last for the rest of their lives, so they will have to go back to their jobs, their families, and their friends. I think that would be an interesting story as they each have to justify the things they did to survive.
I'm kind of torn about the rating for this book. The story is good, the realism of how TV is used to manipulate us is portrayed very well, and the off-island scenes show the ruthlessness to succeed at any cost that is so rampant in society today. However, the actual story of the people on the island is lacking and that's the majority of the book.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, through Reading Deals, so I could give an honest review.
January 23, 2016
I was gracioulsy provided a copy of this book through Netgalley.
To be honest I was very hesitant to read this book. When I see the name P. Harvey, I automatically think about the radio commentator, Paul Harvey. So I wondered if Phil Harvey might be Paul Harvey's son and was worried it would be a political sattire or just a book about his personal ideas.
Well, I was very happy I took the plunge. I had a very hard time putting this book down.
It's a story of the future. A future where the population is blase' about violence. Where people will pay thousands a month to see seven people living on an island, hoping to see them starve, or freeze to death or even kill one and other. These seven people have agreed to live on an island for a specific amount of time. Everyone who survives earns $400,000. But what is the catch? They are given a limited amount of food and clothing and they have to survive the majority of winter, and they can't accept ANY outside help. Oh, and they are watched 24/7 by the public. Nothing in their life will be private. Now, each person has their own special reason for doing this, each person has their dark side.
Mr. Harvey has created a world that seems somewhat familiar. It's like Naked and Afraid, but with clothes-well, most of the time. Of course there are some who like to be watched no matter what they do.
I loved the way he developed the characters. I gained insight into each charaacter little by little. There isn't really any mystery. I can say there is some suspense, but not in the traditional sense of the genre. The suspense is in trying to figure out the reason each person has agreed to this insane challenge. There is also suspense in trying to figure out which ones will survive. Who will literally freeze to death? Who will starve to death? If someone were to die and the winter proved desolate of food, would they go all "Donner Party"??
Mr. Harvey did a great job of keeping me hooked. Each page kept me wondering what would happen next. Will the hoe sleep with everyone willing, even a woman? Will the married people stay true to their spouse? Will the hothead attack? Will there be fighting for food?
You are going to LOVE this book!
To be honest I was very hesitant to read this book. When I see the name P. Harvey, I automatically think about the radio commentator, Paul Harvey. So I wondered if Phil Harvey might be Paul Harvey's son and was worried it would be a political sattire or just a book about his personal ideas.
Well, I was very happy I took the plunge. I had a very hard time putting this book down.
It's a story of the future. A future where the population is blase' about violence. Where people will pay thousands a month to see seven people living on an island, hoping to see them starve, or freeze to death or even kill one and other. These seven people have agreed to live on an island for a specific amount of time. Everyone who survives earns $400,000. But what is the catch? They are given a limited amount of food and clothing and they have to survive the majority of winter, and they can't accept ANY outside help. Oh, and they are watched 24/7 by the public. Nothing in their life will be private. Now, each person has their own special reason for doing this, each person has their dark side.
Mr. Harvey has created a world that seems somewhat familiar. It's like Naked and Afraid, but with clothes-well, most of the time. Of course there are some who like to be watched no matter what they do.
I loved the way he developed the characters. I gained insight into each charaacter little by little. There isn't really any mystery. I can say there is some suspense, but not in the traditional sense of the genre. The suspense is in trying to figure out the reason each person has agreed to this insane challenge. There is also suspense in trying to figure out which ones will survive. Who will literally freeze to death? Who will starve to death? If someone were to die and the winter proved desolate of food, would they go all "Donner Party"??
Mr. Harvey did a great job of keeping me hooked. Each page kept me wondering what would happen next. Will the hoe sleep with everyone willing, even a woman? Will the married people stay true to their spouse? Will the hothead attack? Will there be fighting for food?
You are going to LOVE this book!
January 26, 2016
SHOW TIME by Phil Harvey is paints a picture of the next evolution of reality TV. Seven strangers, chosen specifically for their volatile nature and moral failings, are placed on an island in the Great Lakes near Michigan and are left there to survive for about seven months, through a harsh winter, and whoever survives wins $400,000. I think the author, Phil Harvey, has created this story to contemplate our society's voyeurism, the need to escape our own life, and also the need to feel wanted, needed, and loved.
I was attracted to premise of the story and it explored ideas I found interesting. I didn't particular like how virtually all of the characters were willing to whore (literally and figuratively) themselves out to get what they need. Perhaps part of why all these strangers were picked is because they are that way, but it made the group of them less likable. I just wish there had been a little more balance within them. The way that the environment affected the group physically and mentally, was also tough to take. While the times of suffering in the tough conditions were explained well, I felt like the progression of suffering was uneven. One day it was bad, then a few days later not so much, even though very little had changed for the better.
An interesting take on reality TV voyeurism, just a little uneven and uninspiring for me.
Thank you to Lost Coast Press, Phil Harvey and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I was attracted to premise of the story and it explored ideas I found interesting. I didn't particular like how virtually all of the characters were willing to whore (literally and figuratively) themselves out to get what they need. Perhaps part of why all these strangers were picked is because they are that way, but it made the group of them less likable. I just wish there had been a little more balance within them. The way that the environment affected the group physically and mentally, was also tough to take. While the times of suffering in the tough conditions were explained well, I felt like the progression of suffering was uneven. One day it was bad, then a few days later not so much, even though very little had changed for the better.
An interesting take on reality TV voyeurism, just a little uneven and uninspiring for me.
Thank you to Lost Coast Press, Phil Harvey and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
December 13, 2015
First off I must confess that one of my guilty pleasures is the TV reality show "Survivor". I have been watching it since the very first season. That being said, you can imagine how excited I was when I read the book description for Show Time by Phil Harvey which taunted an appeal for fans of survival reality shows.
I loved the idea of seven people being dropped off on an island with minimal supplies. Each must survive seven brutal months, relying on each other and their own survival skills, in order to receive $400,000. They may not ask for or receive any outside help or they forfeit the money.
I really wanted to love this book more than I did. I would have liked it much better if the author gave the reader just a little bit more in the way of character development. I didn't feel any emotional attachment to any of the characters. What I did like was the authors take on the lengths reality shows may be willing to take in order to score high ratings....possibly even murder.
I loved the idea of seven people being dropped off on an island with minimal supplies. Each must survive seven brutal months, relying on each other and their own survival skills, in order to receive $400,000. They may not ask for or receive any outside help or they forfeit the money.
I really wanted to love this book more than I did. I would have liked it much better if the author gave the reader just a little bit more in the way of character development. I didn't feel any emotional attachment to any of the characters. What I did like was the authors take on the lengths reality shows may be willing to take in order to score high ratings....possibly even murder.
January 8, 2016
Thank you Net Gallery for an opportunity to read Show Time. TV's ultimate survival show will now give audiences the chance to watch 7 people try to live (barely) for seven months and the prize is $400,000. Can they possibly survive with minimal supplies in a very isolated area? The audience will see everything, and if you pay more, well you can see more. This is the ultimate money maker for tv executives. The players are promised bonuses for more exciting tv episodes, so they fake a murder.
This book is relevant and edge of your seat reading. Some of the characters are likeable and some are not, but you won't be able to put this down if you are a fan of survivalist programming.
Really good.
This book is relevant and edge of your seat reading. Some of the characters are likeable and some are not, but you won't be able to put this down if you are a fan of survivalist programming.
Really good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews