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Shortcake #1
Shortcake
A genetically engineered child with no memory of her past. A killer with dreams of destruction. And the fate of a city hanging in the balance…
Enter a captivating world where science fiction and thrilling suspense converge. After plummeting from the roof of Helix Unbound, Amanda awakens to a life devoid of memories. Desperately longing to fit in, yet sensing she harbors an extraordinary secret beneath her seemingly ordinary facade, Amanda explores the unfamiliar world in an effort to find herself. And when a companion from her forgotten past becomes entangled in a serial killer’s deadly game, Amanda is thrust into a race against time to prevent a catastrophe of massive proportions.
Can she unlock the innate abilities buried within her before disaster strikes? Will she rise up to protect the city she now calls home? And can she redeem the only soul who understands and embraces her for what she is?
Join Amanda as she battles not only for her own destiny, but for the fate of an entire city. Dive into this gripping science fiction thriller that explores the emotional turmoil of life, resilience in the face of tragedy, the ever-present specter of death, and the eternal struggle to find the inherent goodness within us all.
"Wonderfully imaginative..." -Amazon Review
"A definite page turner..." -Amazon Review
"Shortcake does not disappoint..." -Amazon Review
“An engaging and captivating read” - Amazon Review
“Keeps readers on the edge of their seats” - Amazon Review
“Prepare yourself for an epic ride” -Amazon Review
Enter a captivating world where science fiction and thrilling suspense converge. After plummeting from the roof of Helix Unbound, Amanda awakens to a life devoid of memories. Desperately longing to fit in, yet sensing she harbors an extraordinary secret beneath her seemingly ordinary facade, Amanda explores the unfamiliar world in an effort to find herself. And when a companion from her forgotten past becomes entangled in a serial killer’s deadly game, Amanda is thrust into a race against time to prevent a catastrophe of massive proportions.
Can she unlock the innate abilities buried within her before disaster strikes? Will she rise up to protect the city she now calls home? And can she redeem the only soul who understands and embraces her for what she is?
Join Amanda as she battles not only for her own destiny, but for the fate of an entire city. Dive into this gripping science fiction thriller that explores the emotional turmoil of life, resilience in the face of tragedy, the ever-present specter of death, and the eternal struggle to find the inherent goodness within us all.
"Wonderfully imaginative..." -Amazon Review
"A definite page turner..." -Amazon Review
"Shortcake does not disappoint..." -Amazon Review
“An engaging and captivating read” - Amazon Review
“Keeps readers on the edge of their seats” - Amazon Review
“Prepare yourself for an epic ride” -Amazon Review
497 pages, Nook
First published January 3, 2012
About the author
Christopher Gorham Calvin
8 books11 followersChristopher Gorham Calvin writes “blockbusters with heart” - high-intensity thrillers that combine Hollywood-scale action, adventure, and suspense with the emotional impact of character-centric dramas.
Drawing inspiration from authors such as Michael Crichton and Dean Koontz, and filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg and James Cameron, he has authored the techno-thriller series The Shortcake Trilogy, supernatural suspense Chance Hotel series, and action/adventure Artifact Manor series.
Drawing inspiration from authors such as Michael Crichton and Dean Koontz, and filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg and James Cameron, he has authored the techno-thriller series The Shortcake Trilogy, supernatural suspense Chance Hotel series, and action/adventure Artifact Manor series.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 18, 2012
Looking for the perfect warrior, the government creates two children. One is Evan, and he was given the less affection of the two, making him a callous, merciless, and inhuman individual. The other of the two is Amanda, and she is raised with love and affection by one of the two doctors on the project. Dr. Madison finds out that Amanda is being given a concoction to make her more like Evan. He then gives her a compound to counteract the concotion and organizes an escape for her.
Frank Holmes is a detective that has once put his serial killer brother, Ray, behind bars. However he gets off on a technicality during the trial and disappears for several years. Suddenly, murders are starting up again and once more, Frank and Ray are play cat and mouse.
All of these forces are about to converge on the city of Eden. What will happen to Amanda after she escapes? What will become of Evan left at Helix Unbound? Will Frank catch his man? Will Ray bring about the prophecy he has been obsessed with since childhood?
The first part of the book kinda moved slow for me. I can't quite put my finger on why. However the last half of the book was fantastic and I really enjoyed it. The book is very well written and the descriptions are such that if you close your eyes you can picture it mentally.(less)
Frank Holmes is a detective that has once put his serial killer brother, Ray, behind bars. However he gets off on a technicality during the trial and disappears for several years. Suddenly, murders are starting up again and once more, Frank and Ray are play cat and mouse.
All of these forces are about to converge on the city of Eden. What will happen to Amanda after she escapes? What will become of Evan left at Helix Unbound? Will Frank catch his man? Will Ray bring about the prophecy he has been obsessed with since childhood?
The first part of the book kinda moved slow for me. I can't quite put my finger on why. However the last half of the book was fantastic and I really enjoyed it. The book is very well written and the descriptions are such that if you close your eyes you can picture it mentally.(less)
May 7, 2012
At times, I envy the Margaret Atwoods, George Orwells, and Jonathan Swifts of our literary profession. While cynicism is often so corrosive that it produces bitterness, the anger that it generates can lead to powerful writing that serves as a corrective for many of the ills of society. When Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" delivered a rhetorical roundhouse to the British establishment, with its suggestion that the poor infants of the Irish be prepared for slaughter rather than be forced to endure the privations of life in an unfair, oppressive economic system, the very nature of writing changed, as sarcasm became a mode of discourse.
Several hundred years later, as the depravity inherent in the clouds of mustard gas in the Great War, the speculative greed that fueled the Great Depression, the destructive might that turned Hiroshima and Nagasaki into rubble, and the slow constriction of freedom that ensued after V-J and V-E Days, as the increases in technology and information created more for government to control, the dystopian voices that informed "The Handmaiden," "1984," and a wealth of other dystopian visions burst onto the scene. While the first instances of this trend were popular, it is unlikely that their authors thought that their successors, such as Suzanne Collins, would find their works had become bestsellers, or that the dark truths that inform dystopian writing would become mass entertainment.
The flocks of dystopian trilogies (yes, Hunger Games, I'm talking to you)that are sashaying into the public spotlight and garnering hordes of increasingly younger fans are, as any form of shock value does, starting to lose their edge. Oppressive government engaging in secret espionage to control/terrify/oppress/harass the innocent? Heard it. Seen it. The idea that the government has a secret program that might end the human race as we know it? Already know that movie.
Into this morass bravely steps Christopher Gorham Calvin's "Shortcake," the first in a planned trilogy detailed the story of "Evan" and "Amanda," a pair of children genetically modified to have superhuman powers of violence, but who ultimately team up to change the world, after a brief encounter with a violently annoying mass murderer, a brutally apathetic mayor, a secret prison stocked with animals who are supposed to kill any human inhabitants, and many other surprises.
By the time Amanda and Evan find each other, after they've escaped their cloning facility, the city of Eden has almost collapsed into ruin. The wordy description and the questionable motives that follow them (not to mention the unrealistic survivor of at least one ally, and the unforeseeable sympathy from a soldier, the "twins" have dragged us through several hundred pages...and apparently resolved nothing, as this is only Book I. It will require some persuasion for me to put aside some of the other promising books in my reading list to have the time for Book II.
Several hundred years later, as the depravity inherent in the clouds of mustard gas in the Great War, the speculative greed that fueled the Great Depression, the destructive might that turned Hiroshima and Nagasaki into rubble, and the slow constriction of freedom that ensued after V-J and V-E Days, as the increases in technology and information created more for government to control, the dystopian voices that informed "The Handmaiden," "1984," and a wealth of other dystopian visions burst onto the scene. While the first instances of this trend were popular, it is unlikely that their authors thought that their successors, such as Suzanne Collins, would find their works had become bestsellers, or that the dark truths that inform dystopian writing would become mass entertainment.
The flocks of dystopian trilogies (yes, Hunger Games, I'm talking to you)that are sashaying into the public spotlight and garnering hordes of increasingly younger fans are, as any form of shock value does, starting to lose their edge. Oppressive government engaging in secret espionage to control/terrify/oppress/harass the innocent? Heard it. Seen it. The idea that the government has a secret program that might end the human race as we know it? Already know that movie.
Into this morass bravely steps Christopher Gorham Calvin's "Shortcake," the first in a planned trilogy detailed the story of "Evan" and "Amanda," a pair of children genetically modified to have superhuman powers of violence, but who ultimately team up to change the world, after a brief encounter with a violently annoying mass murderer, a brutally apathetic mayor, a secret prison stocked with animals who are supposed to kill any human inhabitants, and many other surprises.
By the time Amanda and Evan find each other, after they've escaped their cloning facility, the city of Eden has almost collapsed into ruin. The wordy description and the questionable motives that follow them (not to mention the unrealistic survivor of at least one ally, and the unforeseeable sympathy from a soldier, the "twins" have dragged us through several hundred pages...and apparently resolved nothing, as this is only Book I. It will require some persuasion for me to put aside some of the other promising books in my reading list to have the time for Book II.
January 18, 2012
“Captivating!” That is my one-word description of this book. Immediately I felt as if I had opened a hidden door concealed in an oak tree and walked right in, crossing to another land, one so similar to our reality, yet winningly different. My second thought was a reminder of Philip Reeve’s “The Hungry City Chronicles,” which also possess that subtle sense of otherworldliness and the same ability author Calvin demonstrates, to gently stroke his characters into creation. There is no need for conscious suspension of disbelief; that occurs automatically. This is why I term this book “captivating.” I knew from the first moment that “Shortcake” would be a welcome re-read, one of those books I just can’t bear to be away from.
Mr. Calvin is an extraordinarily lyrical writer, making his prose soar like poetry, with vivid, catchy, unexpected descriptions and soul-soothing narration. The characters are lovingly drawn and for the most part, could be anyone: our friends, our neighbours, ourselves. Although Shortcake’s aura reminded me of Philip Reeve (the soul-soothing narrative, lyricism, lovable enduring characterisations) this novel is far from Steampunk. Instead, it is firmly grounded in modern technology, facing forward into the unfortunately-all-too-near future, of genetic engineering at perhaps its most extreme.
When perfection is desired, why build on an imperfect foundation? Why not start from scratch and build perfection in? Such a drive will of course be funded and thus heavily influenced by military and government resources. If we recall the moral of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” the desire for perfection brings with it hubris; and hubris usually leads to a fall, a crisis, an outcome far, far more dreary or deadly than planned.
I’ve used terms such as “captivating,” “riveting,” “engrossing,” but really, I can’t express sufficiently how great this book is! I truly could not break away from reading this novel, and as I’ve said, it’s a book I’ll return to over and over again. I hope author Christopher Gorham Calvin has a long and prolific writing career, because I eagerly anticipate reading further novels from him!
Mr. Calvin is an extraordinarily lyrical writer, making his prose soar like poetry, with vivid, catchy, unexpected descriptions and soul-soothing narration. The characters are lovingly drawn and for the most part, could be anyone: our friends, our neighbours, ourselves. Although Shortcake’s aura reminded me of Philip Reeve (the soul-soothing narrative, lyricism, lovable enduring characterisations) this novel is far from Steampunk. Instead, it is firmly grounded in modern technology, facing forward into the unfortunately-all-too-near future, of genetic engineering at perhaps its most extreme.
When perfection is desired, why build on an imperfect foundation? Why not start from scratch and build perfection in? Such a drive will of course be funded and thus heavily influenced by military and government resources. If we recall the moral of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” the desire for perfection brings with it hubris; and hubris usually leads to a fall, a crisis, an outcome far, far more dreary or deadly than planned.
I’ve used terms such as “captivating,” “riveting,” “engrossing,” but really, I can’t express sufficiently how great this book is! I truly could not break away from reading this novel, and as I’ve said, it’s a book I’ll return to over and over again. I hope author Christopher Gorham Calvin has a long and prolific writing career, because I eagerly anticipate reading further novels from him!
March 3, 2012
What an amazing amazing book!
Even though I considered it long some times, two-thirds into the book and I was craving for more. I love the Evan-Amanda relationship. It was actually very funny when both of them united.
Honestly, I wasn't expecting it to be such a great novel when I started reading it. I desperately wanted to know how the characters will fare. I personally love when a book touches on science because I believe so many things can be created from there. This novel left a lasting impression in me, I won't forget Evan, Amanda, and Ray very soon. I might actually miss them (except for Ray, he gives me the creeps. But he is a good killer)!
Some things that annoyed me:
Writing style: Calvin uses way to many nouns to describe his characters, sometimes, a good old pronoun or name does the job, you know? (e.g. "teenager", "killer", "detective", "sheriff", etc. you get the picture). He also used Said Bookism heavily. You cannot exclaim or gasp a sentence, right?
Foreshadowing: Was there any foreshadowing in the book? Unfortunately, no. I think the author abused of the third point narrative. Returning to the foreshadowing comment, he didn't used any because his novel was more telling than showing. The reader is not dumb, if the author writes that there is an oppressing feeling in the room, chances are that the killer is hiding somewhere in the room getting ready to pounce on the detective. This is good use of foreshadowing, by creating ambiance with the environment. However, Calvin told us right away that the killer was waiting somewhere, instead of letting the situation, or the character's own deductions, express that to us.
Endless explanations: Yeah, I think the book was unnecessary long. Part of it was the world-building and character development Calvin wanted to emphasize in his book. Which is okay but sometimes too many details at once really bores and overwhelms the reader. Explanations are important, but don't let that be the sole structure of your book. The only character whom I believe Calvin went into extensive description was Frank.
Inaccuracies: As far as the creation of the children goes, I have no problem there, I think it's fascinating. But some minor details are hard to believe in. For instance, the appearance of the eye for said scientific and geological reasons. The other inaccuracy was when Ray hijacked the train, the Jericho PD said they cannot intercept the train in time because it was ahead of them. I scoff at that, don't they have choppers that could possibly reach the train fast? And yet another one was when Frank submissively gave up his badge because of the day's incident. I thought he was more strong-willed and determined than that. However, some part of me was saying that Frank would probably leave Jericho for Eden. (Good foreshadowing). In this case, I give the author the benefit of the doubt. (See what I did there by using a noun to refer to Calvin. This is what he used to refer to his characters rather than by name).
Now that the technical details are over. Let's go into plot and character development! *rub hands together*
* Eden and Soul Wind Forest are such beautiful names! Helix Unbound was really intriguing and the experiments going on inside are totally captivating and roused my curiosity. I found myself liking the characters very much, particularly Evan (maybe because I'm a psycho just like him!) JUST KIDDING. I don't know why I developed a particular liking for him, maybe because he was the underdog (not physically, but emotionally). It really pained me to read all his feelings of abandonment and being less loved. Main reason why I partially disliked Professor Madison for always giving Amanda more attention. That is not to say that I dislike Amanda, I think she is such a sweet girl.
* The person who had the greatest growth from the novel was Evan, for all the things he had to go through, all the pain, rage, and hatred. I wasn't expecting an ending like that when all the characters linked to him professed their hatred towards him. Bit paradoxical there.
* One of my favorite parts was the escape. Truly amazing display of power. Blue for the win!
* I believe the most crucial part in the novel was Professor Madison and Evan's conversation before the latter was taken to Sunrise Isle. It was heart wrenching because I finally get a glimpse of Madison and Evan alone. It was tender to say the least, unfortunately shattered by the mention of Amanda because Madison's attention shifted to that of his beloved daughter. Which I'm not saying is bad, but it's a bit insensitive knowing that your son is going to be taken away.
* The Desmonds are nice people, but I couldn't stand them sometimes because they seem so possessive of Amanda. Though I might be imagining that because I mentioned they were good people. Maybe is my psychotic personality that tells me nobody is that nice. *ominous music playing in the background*
* Ray is such a chilling character. I got the creeps whenever a murder occurred. Man, those murders are gruesome and scary. The details were described clearly, without any withdrawn feelings of repulsiveness or gore.
*At first I thought it was odd that the book should have so many subplots and I was wondering when will all these converge. I wasn't disappointed that all of these entwined into the major plot. That's a major plus.
Joseph Madison contradicted himself when he said his second-to-last and last comment to Evan. I hated him so much for the former comment, and was warmed with affection for the latter comment.
I learned to love Amanda and Evan throughout the book, each child had to overcome different obstacles, but in the end, everything turned out to be good for everybody. While the overall ending was awesome, the events leading to it had become repetitive. I am speaking particularly of the final confrontations between Amanda and Evan. It was the same over and over again: Evan is angry, Amanda tries to make him see the light, Evan sees it momentarily but then he angers again. If my count is right, it happened four times towards the end of the book. The final final confrontation was kinda ridiculous (and again repetitive). Evan was giving his trust to Amanda, but for some reason he became paranoid again. Like the reader hasn't got enough of his mistrusting paranoia. If I were Amanda, I would have killed him in the spot.
I will contradict myself here. While I wished Amanda had killed Evan in the spot for something he did to her, I really liked the ending. Loved the ending actually. And loved the overall story.
As a final note, before I leave. I would like to say that "Shortcake" is not an appropriate title for the book. The story and elements in the novel are so interesting that a better name could have been formed. I was baffled by the name in the beginning because I couldn't connect it with anything I had read so far. Then I understood.
Also, last final note, I never got to know who the gentleman from the beginning was.
Can't wait for the second installment (I knew a sequel was coming. Good second foreshadowing Mr. Christopher Calvin)!
Even though I considered it long some times, two-thirds into the book and I was craving for more. I love the Evan-Amanda relationship. It was actually very funny when both of them united.
Honestly, I wasn't expecting it to be such a great novel when I started reading it. I desperately wanted to know how the characters will fare. I personally love when a book touches on science because I believe so many things can be created from there. This novel left a lasting impression in me, I won't forget Evan, Amanda, and Ray very soon. I might actually miss them (except for Ray, he gives me the creeps. But he is a good killer)!
Some things that annoyed me:
Writing style: Calvin uses way to many nouns to describe his characters, sometimes, a good old pronoun or name does the job, you know? (e.g. "teenager", "killer", "detective", "sheriff", etc. you get the picture). He also used Said Bookism heavily. You cannot exclaim or gasp a sentence, right?
Foreshadowing: Was there any foreshadowing in the book? Unfortunately, no. I think the author abused of the third point narrative. Returning to the foreshadowing comment, he didn't used any because his novel was more telling than showing. The reader is not dumb, if the author writes that there is an oppressing feeling in the room, chances are that the killer is hiding somewhere in the room getting ready to pounce on the detective. This is good use of foreshadowing, by creating ambiance with the environment. However, Calvin told us right away that the killer was waiting somewhere, instead of letting the situation, or the character's own deductions, express that to us.
Endless explanations: Yeah, I think the book was unnecessary long. Part of it was the world-building and character development Calvin wanted to emphasize in his book. Which is okay but sometimes too many details at once really bores and overwhelms the reader. Explanations are important, but don't let that be the sole structure of your book. The only character whom I believe Calvin went into extensive description was Frank.
Inaccuracies: As far as the creation of the children goes, I have no problem there, I think it's fascinating. But some minor details are hard to believe in. For instance, the appearance of the eye for said scientific and geological reasons. The other inaccuracy was when Ray hijacked the train, the Jericho PD said they cannot intercept the train in time because it was ahead of them. I scoff at that, don't they have choppers that could possibly reach the train fast? And yet another one was when Frank submissively gave up his badge because of the day's incident. I thought he was more strong-willed and determined than that. However, some part of me was saying that Frank would probably leave Jericho for Eden. (Good foreshadowing). In this case, I give the author the benefit of the doubt. (See what I did there by using a noun to refer to Calvin. This is what he used to refer to his characters rather than by name).
Now that the technical details are over. Let's go into plot and character development! *rub hands together*
* Eden and Soul Wind Forest are such beautiful names! Helix Unbound was really intriguing and the experiments going on inside are totally captivating and roused my curiosity. I found myself liking the characters very much, particularly Evan (maybe because I'm a psycho just like him!) JUST KIDDING. I don't know why I developed a particular liking for him, maybe because he was the underdog (not physically, but emotionally). It really pained me to read all his feelings of abandonment and being less loved. Main reason why I partially disliked Professor Madison for always giving Amanda more attention. That is not to say that I dislike Amanda, I think she is such a sweet girl.
* The person who had the greatest growth from the novel was Evan, for all the things he had to go through, all the pain, rage, and hatred. I wasn't expecting an ending like that when all the characters linked to him professed their hatred towards him. Bit paradoxical there.
* One of my favorite parts was the escape. Truly amazing display of power. Blue for the win!
* I believe the most crucial part in the novel was Professor Madison and Evan's conversation before the latter was taken to Sunrise Isle. It was heart wrenching because I finally get a glimpse of Madison and Evan alone. It was tender to say the least, unfortunately shattered by the mention of Amanda because Madison's attention shifted to that of his beloved daughter. Which I'm not saying is bad, but it's a bit insensitive knowing that your son is going to be taken away.
* The Desmonds are nice people, but I couldn't stand them sometimes because they seem so possessive of Amanda. Though I might be imagining that because I mentioned they were good people. Maybe is my psychotic personality that tells me nobody is that nice. *ominous music playing in the background*
* Ray is such a chilling character. I got the creeps whenever a murder occurred. Man, those murders are gruesome and scary. The details were described clearly, without any withdrawn feelings of repulsiveness or gore.
*At first I thought it was odd that the book should have so many subplots and I was wondering when will all these converge. I wasn't disappointed that all of these entwined into the major plot. That's a major plus.
Joseph Madison contradicted himself when he said his second-to-last and last comment to Evan. I hated him so much for the former comment, and was warmed with affection for the latter comment.
I learned to love Amanda and Evan throughout the book, each child had to overcome different obstacles, but in the end, everything turned out to be good for everybody. While the overall ending was awesome, the events leading to it had become repetitive. I am speaking particularly of the final confrontations between Amanda and Evan. It was the same over and over again: Evan is angry, Amanda tries to make him see the light, Evan sees it momentarily but then he angers again. If my count is right, it happened four times towards the end of the book. The final final confrontation was kinda ridiculous (and again repetitive). Evan was giving his trust to Amanda, but for some reason he became paranoid again. Like the reader hasn't got enough of his mistrusting paranoia. If I were Amanda, I would have killed him in the spot.
I will contradict myself here. While I wished Amanda had killed Evan in the spot for something he did to her, I really liked the ending. Loved the ending actually. And loved the overall story.
As a final note, before I leave. I would like to say that "Shortcake" is not an appropriate title for the book. The story and elements in the novel are so interesting that a better name could have been formed. I was baffled by the name in the beginning because I couldn't connect it with anything I had read so far. Then I understood.
Also, last final note, I never got to know who the gentleman from the beginning was.
Can't wait for the second installment (I knew a sequel was coming. Good second foreshadowing Mr. Christopher Calvin)!
April 18, 2018
Deep in the Soul Wind Forest, outside the city of Eden, is a government facility where two young children of science were born or engineered as super human soldiers. A boy and a girl, both demonstrating remarkable abilities and each endowed with the ability to kill. When the girl, Amanda, escapes the facility things begin to change. Focus shifts to the boy, Evan, as a way to redeem the project and the substantial investment it represents. Things begin to spiral out of control when two later Evan escapes an island dedicated to top secret government training and makes his way back to Eden looking for revenge.
Meanwhile, a serial killer from nearby Jericho City makes his way back to his hometown of Eden. The police comb the forest searching for any sign of the killer or what he may be planning.
Chaos ensues as these two events near their conclusions. It becomes a race to not just catch the bad guys but to save the city.
I very much enjoyed this book and was drawn in from the beginning. Because the author did such a good job with character development, I found myself invested in the characters and their well being.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers, especially those that make you think.
Meanwhile, a serial killer from nearby Jericho City makes his way back to his hometown of Eden. The police comb the forest searching for any sign of the killer or what he may be planning.
Chaos ensues as these two events near their conclusions. It becomes a race to not just catch the bad guys but to save the city.
I very much enjoyed this book and was drawn in from the beginning. Because the author did such a good job with character development, I found myself invested in the characters and their well being.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers, especially those that make you think.
May 10, 2022
Helix Unbound decides to alleviate the middle man and create genetically engineered children for the purpose of making super soldiers that are as deadly as they are obedient. They accidentally create two such children in Evan and Amanda but things did not go as planned for one child is as planned and the other is not. Evan and Amanda both demonstrate remarkable strength, conditioning and intelligence but lack other things.
Frank Holmes is a police officer on the hunt for his psychotic murdering brother Ray who has turned into a serial killer. Frank wants to put his brother behind bars where he belongs but he is released because of a technicality. Ray lays low for awhile then returns with a vengeance all the while taunting his brother with messages left at the crime scenes.
Chaos erupts when all the factions end up in Eden together. The characters are well developed and the story is nicely written but a little long winded with barely any suspense because the author gives too many details and doesn't let the scene play out.
I received this book for free at my request but it has no bearing on my review. This is my honest unbiased review that I am voluntarily leaving of my own volition.
Frank Holmes is a police officer on the hunt for his psychotic murdering brother Ray who has turned into a serial killer. Frank wants to put his brother behind bars where he belongs but he is released because of a technicality. Ray lays low for awhile then returns with a vengeance all the while taunting his brother with messages left at the crime scenes.
Chaos erupts when all the factions end up in Eden together. The characters are well developed and the story is nicely written but a little long winded with barely any suspense because the author gives too many details and doesn't let the scene play out.
I received this book for free at my request but it has no bearing on my review. This is my honest unbiased review that I am voluntarily leaving of my own volition.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2024
Non stop, riviting,
You think things like this wont happen but the way this story goes is all too real and scary. Two genetically modified children, a boy and a girl, both test tube babies. Raised seperately and differently, nature or nurture. First the girl gets help from her surrogate father, to escape the facility, from testing a modifying drug on her, to make her into an unfeeling warrior, like her counterpart. She ends up finding a father and son camping in the nearby forest. While the institute has the military out looking for her in the forest, her newfound family hides her. So she now gets to grow up in a normal household, hiding her special abilities that she was bred for. Then her mail counterpart has his 'abilities ' tested by being drugged, tied up, and blindfolded with a burlap bag tied over his head and stripped of all his clothing. Dropped just off from the beach, possibly drowning. This island is only inhabited with specially selected master preditors. He has to survive on this island for three days. The rest of this story tells of the horrifying details, when the children are put into lives they arent equipped to handle. You'll be on the edge of your seat and not able to stop reading, just waiting to find out what happens next.
You think things like this wont happen but the way this story goes is all too real and scary. Two genetically modified children, a boy and a girl, both test tube babies. Raised seperately and differently, nature or nurture. First the girl gets help from her surrogate father, to escape the facility, from testing a modifying drug on her, to make her into an unfeeling warrior, like her counterpart. She ends up finding a father and son camping in the nearby forest. While the institute has the military out looking for her in the forest, her newfound family hides her. So she now gets to grow up in a normal household, hiding her special abilities that she was bred for. Then her mail counterpart has his 'abilities ' tested by being drugged, tied up, and blindfolded with a burlap bag tied over his head and stripped of all his clothing. Dropped just off from the beach, possibly drowning. This island is only inhabited with specially selected master preditors. He has to survive on this island for three days. The rest of this story tells of the horrifying details, when the children are put into lives they arent equipped to handle. You'll be on the edge of your seat and not able to stop reading, just waiting to find out what happens next.
May 31, 2023
An otherwise good story marred by bad science. I am a geologist and the geological things reported in the story are implausible at best. Bombs have never been shown to cause lava flows. Numerous volcanoes and tectonically active areas had tons of explosives dropped on them during WWII, with no discernible affect. To my knowledge the only active volcanic activity that took place in a combat zone was the eruption of Mt. Etna in 1944, and there is no evidence to indicate that it was the result of the bombs and artillery shells exploding in the area. During the sixties a study estimated that a ten megaton nuclear device exploded at a depth of one to two kilometers might cause a surface flow or eruption from a shallow magma source. Having said that, a large explosion in an area of Karst topography has been known to cause large sinkholes to form, but there would be no magma associated with that.
I am not a physicist, but to my knowledge, taking things apart at the atomic level releases lots of energy, a lot of it in the form of heat. This would also negatively affect some of the actions taken place in the story.
I am not a physicist, but to my knowledge, taking things apart at the atomic level releases lots of energy, a lot of it in the form of heat. This would also negatively affect some of the actions taken place in the story.
May 21, 2024
So, I got this as a free book from B&N, with literally no knowledge of the book beforehand. Honestly, this was a smooth, easy read and reads well. I was reading Plato's The Republic before this, and this felt like a nice mental break after reading that.
This would make a great movie adaptation, but with that being said, many of the story tropes are rather predictable, and there's a major plot hole that I won't spoil.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read. I haven't decided if I'm gonna read the next two books yet, but if I do, it won't be anytime soon.
This would make a great movie adaptation, but with that being said, many of the story tropes are rather predictable, and there's a major plot hole that I won't spoil.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read. I haven't decided if I'm gonna read the next two books yet, but if I do, it won't be anytime soon.
June 24, 2024
Good book, but...
This book held my attention thoroughly. The main reasons that I gave it a 3-star & not higher was due to the editing & writing style.
The story kept jumping between characters & scenarios. It did eventually tie together, but the un-eveness of the flow was distracting.
Additionally, there were no breaks between sections in each chapter which also lead to some confusion by this reader.
That being said, the main storyline was intriguing & well worth the time spent on reading this book.
This book held my attention thoroughly. The main reasons that I gave it a 3-star & not higher was due to the editing & writing style.
The story kept jumping between characters & scenarios. It did eventually tie together, but the un-eveness of the flow was distracting.
Additionally, there were no breaks between sections in each chapter which also lead to some confusion by this reader.
That being said, the main storyline was intriguing & well worth the time spent on reading this book.
October 5, 2022
Unique story
Although it started out somewhat similar to many superpower/superhero type stories, there is an insight into peoples feelings which often does exist in this kind of book. I can’t say I enjoyed the difficult scenes I can really do without gore descriptions of any kind but I know that in this case they were necessary. some of the science was questionable but then that happens in a lot of this kind of story and that’s not the point of the tale.
Although it started out somewhat similar to many superpower/superhero type stories, there is an insight into peoples feelings which often does exist in this kind of book. I can’t say I enjoyed the difficult scenes I can really do without gore descriptions of any kind but I know that in this case they were necessary. some of the science was questionable but then that happens in a lot of this kind of story and that’s not the point of the tale.
June 29, 2022
Audible:A good story. An underground lab.An experiment gone wrong,or right depending on your perspective. Shortcake escapes and gets to be a real girl for a little while.I enjoyed it!I wish the ending had been different. Chiquito Joaquim Crasto was a fine narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
July 8, 2022
This was a interesting storyline where Government Experiments Do Not take in to account of the actually experimental Mental Health. The product of their experimental subjects are not treated as human beings and therefore become volatile. Narrator was alright, but his accent was distracting since the town was in USA.
December 2, 2022
this was a great start to the Shortcake Trilogy series, i was glad this was so well written and the story line was really well done. I enjoyed the way Christopher Gorham Calvin wrote this and look forward to more in this universe.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 5, 2023
Stating something is science does not make it so, does not make it correct, and does not make it justifiable or moral. An evil government conspiracy to create genetic soldiers of mass destruction goes terribly wrong. Separately a brother goes insane becoming a mass murderer. Lots of action and I guess this is a morality tale. Purchased this item on December 15, 2022, from Amazon for free.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2022
This book was so good and suspenseful. I can’t wait to read more!!! I was hooked from the very first page. I felt like I was in the book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 10, 2023
creepers
A little too gross with all the incestual nonsense between the MC and her brothers. Isn’t she like 9 years old? She seems awfully interested in seducing her adopted brother, which is gross. The serial killer side plot with his brother is also gross and creepy.
A little too gross with all the incestual nonsense between the MC and her brothers. Isn’t she like 9 years old? She seems awfully interested in seducing her adopted brother, which is gross. The serial killer side plot with his brother is also gross and creepy.
January 26, 2024
keeping you on the edge of your seat
The books started out slow giving all the background information but with the changing and evolving story let me right in the edge of seat to see what would happen next. Would the children destroy each other or would they make something better.
The books started out slow giving all the background information but with the changing and evolving story let me right in the edge of seat to see what would happen next. Would the children destroy each other or would they make something better.
April 7, 2024
love.death and hope
Although a bit fantastical nea the end..it was an exciting read.
The characters were alive, incredible and oh so human. .A remarkable story of love strength and courage
Although a bit fantastical nea the end..it was an exciting read.
The characters were alive, incredible and oh so human. .A remarkable story of love strength and courage
July 1, 2024
The writing style changed a little bit at times and it threw me off. So, good book. Little bits of stuff from things I've watched on Netflix or Prime or Hulu blended together. It almost brings too much in. I could have done without the sexual assault scene.
November 11, 2024
Thrilling
This book gets a score of five stars for the author and the way he spins a story. It kept me reading until b the end you will fall in love with some of the characters and hate others .a great read
This book gets a score of five stars for the author and the way he spins a story. It kept me reading until b the end you will fall in love with some of the characters and hate others .a great read
March 30, 2023
great story
I enjoyed this coming of age story about two lab created superheroes. Though it contained a little too much violence and profanity.
I enjoyed this coming of age story about two lab created superheroes. Though it contained a little too much violence and profanity.
February 8, 2024
Usually don't select science fiction but this was a fun experience. Test tube children bred to be killers. One good one not so good and the people involved with them.
November 5, 2024
A Science Fiction thriller! It drew 3 separate stories and entwined them for a great ending. I could easily visualize the settings and scenes. This would make a great movie!
February 4, 2025
Had to bail out. Really creepy incest vibes.
February 14, 2012
This review is also available on my blog, Qwerty
Too long...this book is unnecessarily too long! Why did the author have to torture his valuable readers with frilly and fluffy details that add nothing to the story? I found myself skipping a few paragraph here and there and I still did not feel that I missed anything important. I read this book on my Adobe Digital Editions and it eclipsed 700 pages! The annoying thing was the first 300 pages was so boring, I kept falling asleep after about 50 pages or so.
To the author's credit, the story did pick up afterwards. I would say that the complexity of the story intrigued me and the way every minor plot intertwined with each other in the end was beautifully crafted. Sadly, it was not accompanied with fluid and gripping writing style. It is one of many skills that probably depend heavily on natural talent and honestly, I don't think the writer possesses it.
The title, Shortcake for me was quite inadequate to attract more readers and it also does not provide appropriate description of what this book is all about. I found none of the characters as appealing. Normally, I would vote for psychotic serial killer like Ray and Evan but they did not have the charm that many fictional serial killers have.
Some of the scenes were questionable as well such as when Ray hijacked the train to Eden. The police squad mentioned that they cannot do anything until the train reached its destination. I thought the police could ask the train conductor to stop at any stop before Eden and send their force at that stop. Even when Ray was on the loose in Eden, only the local policemen and Frank who tried to caught him but not the elite squad such as FBI.
Some of the dialogues were downright dry and sometimes irritating. For example;
Frank could see where this was leading: "I'm fired, am I? It's okay, you can just tell me. I respect you and this was completely my doing. I'm not going to hold it against you."
Come on! Frank supposed to be a determined police detective! What was that? An effort to be humble? It sounded to me as someone who is pessimistic and easily pushed around.
In short, this book is not that bad but as the first book from the author, that was reflected in his work. The book does contain some strong language and explicit descriptions, thus it may not be suitable for readers under 15 years of age.
Too long...this book is unnecessarily too long! Why did the author have to torture his valuable readers with frilly and fluffy details that add nothing to the story? I found myself skipping a few paragraph here and there and I still did not feel that I missed anything important. I read this book on my Adobe Digital Editions and it eclipsed 700 pages! The annoying thing was the first 300 pages was so boring, I kept falling asleep after about 50 pages or so.
To the author's credit, the story did pick up afterwards. I would say that the complexity of the story intrigued me and the way every minor plot intertwined with each other in the end was beautifully crafted. Sadly, it was not accompanied with fluid and gripping writing style. It is one of many skills that probably depend heavily on natural talent and honestly, I don't think the writer possesses it.
The title, Shortcake for me was quite inadequate to attract more readers and it also does not provide appropriate description of what this book is all about. I found none of the characters as appealing. Normally, I would vote for psychotic serial killer like Ray and Evan but they did not have the charm that many fictional serial killers have.
Some of the scenes were questionable as well such as when Ray hijacked the train to Eden. The police squad mentioned that they cannot do anything until the train reached its destination. I thought the police could ask the train conductor to stop at any stop before Eden and send their force at that stop. Even when Ray was on the loose in Eden, only the local policemen and Frank who tried to caught him but not the elite squad such as FBI.
Some of the dialogues were downright dry and sometimes irritating. For example;
Frank could see where this was leading: "I'm fired, am I? It's okay, you can just tell me. I respect you and this was completely my doing. I'm not going to hold it against you."
Come on! Frank supposed to be a determined police detective! What was that? An effort to be humble? It sounded to me as someone who is pessimistic and easily pushed around.
In short, this book is not that bad but as the first book from the author, that was reflected in his work. The book does contain some strong language and explicit descriptions, thus it may not be suitable for readers under 15 years of age.
February 29, 2012
This book was a good book though way too long. I thought the story could have been condensed. However, I did find it interesting - though hard to read at times because of the events happening in the story. I also fed so bad for the kids - being created and brought up the way that they did, you just wish someone would have shown more affection to the boy and everything could have been different.
I think people who light a little mystery and a little paranormal will enjoy this book. I am undecided whether I'll continue with the series.
I think people who light a little mystery and a little paranormal will enjoy this book. I am undecided whether I'll continue with the series.
May 28, 2012
This is quite the thriller with a number of story lines that come together in the end. Some of it is science fiction, some murder mystery. A good read
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