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Kinesis

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When two men break into Leonard Samson’s house, beat him unconscious and murder his six-year-old son, the police arrive to a gruesome scene. But they are shocked to find the mutilated bodies of the two intruders in the front room of Leonard’s home, while he waits in the kitchen with the surviving members of his family. Clarissa Chapman is a DCI of Psychokinetic Investigations - a new area of police work - instigated after the first genuine case of psychokinesis was discovered some fifteen years earlier. The Samson case is brought to her attention due to the strange way in which the two intruders were killed. She suspects Leonard Samson is a Kinetic. All Kinetics are blessed with a gift to move objects with only the power of their mind. But it is also a horrific curse. Within a few years of discovering their ability, they gradually develop violent insanity, and for this reason are locked away in specially designed prisons for the benefit of public safety. After discovering that the authorities suspect him of being a Kinetic, Leonard Samson runs, unaware that the police are not the only ones pursuing him. As the days pass by, Clarissa becomes increasingly concerned that certain aspects of the Samson case do not add up... The first two chapters of this book depict a violent home invasion and assault which some readers may find upsetting. THE KINETIC (Kinesis Book 2) NOW AVAILABLE! CORONA (Kinesis Book 3) NOW AVAILABLE!

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 18, 2012

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530 people want to read

About the author

Ethan Spier

6 books12 followers
Ethan Spier (Gary Walkden) was born in the middle of England in 1980, and grew up listening to music by The Beatles and reading books by Roald Dahl.

He started writing novels in his mid-twenties after having a history of penning a number of short stories. His first novel, Kinesis, was published in 2012 under the pen name, Ethan Spier. It has since been downloaded over 100,000 times around the world.

Two sequels (The Kinetic and Corona) were published in the subsequent years, as well as a standalone thriller called Kaleidoscope.

Gary is currently writing his fifth novel - a humorous science-fiction story with a focus on VR/AR technology called 'The Memory Engine'. This will be released under his own name later this year in eBook and paperback formats.

www.garywalkden.com
contact@garywalkden.com
Twitter: @ReckonerVR
Instagram: @ReckonerVR

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5 stars
143 (22%)
4 stars
217 (33%)
3 stars
186 (29%)
2 stars
67 (10%)
1 star
27 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
Profile Image for Julie Powell.
Author 72 books324 followers
June 11, 2013
Wow, this book had me hooked from the beginning! A disturbing first scene and yet a fantastic start to an interesting and intriguing idea. Seemingly set into the future (or a world a little different from the one we know), this story involves a fascinating subject - telekinesis, and what could happen to those who have such a gift (or curse).

I don't give spoilers, but it is a gripping read, believable in an intriguing way, with great characters and splendidly written, in that it pulls along the reader at an almighty speed (despite the typos). It is both alarming and exciting, dark and yet highlights the human condition from a different angle /evolutionary stance.

An excellent read and highly recommended.
Profile Image for Ethan Spier.
Author 6 books12 followers
June 16, 2013
This wasn't the first idea I had for a novel, but it was the first I completed. The idea was originally going to be a short story but it turned into a novel without too much effort and I'm glad it did.

I've given my own book 5/5 so feel free to chuckle at that (I would).

Thanks for giving it a go and I appreciate your reviews.
Profile Image for Melanie.
398 reviews75 followers
November 23, 2012
The beginning of this book was a little bit amazing. I made the mistake of starting to read it on the train, and I'm sure the first two chapters would have had me in tears if I'd been reading it at home. The first third is fast moving and intriguing, but it slows a little after this.

This is a world where psychokinesis (PK) was discovered to exist around the turn of the millennium. But there is a horrible twist, for those who develop this ability also develop incredibly violent tendencies and go mad, usually within a couple of years of the onset. We're told of some of the early incidences and research in mega info-dumps. Like, pages and pages long. It's disguised as extracts from a text book one of the characters is reading, but not very well. And it's not that exciting, and between this and the slowing of the story itself the middle section of the story struggles.

The end of this book was very good, and there was a nice, though slightly sad, ending sequence and an intriguing epilogue. I'll probably keep an eye out for the next in the series, for although I'm not all that attached to the any of the characters I'm kinda interested to see where the story goes.

Full review now on my blog! :)
http://bookaholicsbookcase.blogspot.c...
Profile Image for Sophie Narey (Bookreview- aholic) .
1,063 reviews127 followers
January 2, 2016
Published: 18/01/2012
Author: Ethan Spier
Recommended for: fan's of sci-fi thrillers
Edition: Kindle


I absolutely loved this book!! it is very hard to put down you just want to keep on reading it. I am glad it was a full novel as I wanted it to last forever. It moves at an enjoyable pace that keeps it up throughout the book. I will capture your attention and draw you into the book with little effort at all. There is no doubt that Ethan Spier is an extremely talented written and he will be your new favourite author! I recommend this book to everyone it is a must read :)
Profile Image for Michelle.
1,116 reviews2 followers
January 28, 2017
This books tells of a robbery and home invasion where the two criminals were found dead at the scene. They had killed Leonard Samson's six year old son and had raped his wife and were about to rape his 10 year old daughter. Leonard himself had been beaten unconscious and when h came to the perpetrators of the crimes had been ripped apart. He was arrested on suspicion of being a Kinetic and the book tells his story after his arrest. It was an interesting read which leaves a lot of unanswered questions about telekinesis
Profile Image for solitaryfossil.
420 reviews21 followers
November 16, 2018
More Thriller than Science Fiction, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this one. My only complaint would be that the characters were a bit thin, they could have used a little more fleshing out perhaps. But the story overall was quite interesting, and I found this to be an enjoyable thriller. And I’ll also read the two books remaining in the series. Good story.
Profile Image for Hege.
21 reviews3 followers
September 13, 2017
I like the premise for this book, and wish the execution was better. Unfortunately, the writing (and proofreading) leaves a lot to be desired.
56 reviews
September 30, 2018
Different

Enjoyed the book, but not enough to purchase the next two books. This can be a stand alone book. Interesting concept.
Profile Image for Michelle.
22 reviews
July 16, 2019
It held my interest from the first word. The story is well composed. I really loved the characters. The title tells you what it is about....how incredible it would be to move objects with one's mind!
Profile Image for Slytherin Rose.
158 reviews12 followers
December 17, 2014
Genre: Thriller/Mystery
Author: Ethan Spier
Book: Kinesis
My Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Will I read I read it again? yes

Intro: When two men break into Leonard Samson’s house, beat him unconscious and murder his six-year-old son, the police arrive to a gruesome scene. But they are shocked to find the mutilated bodies of the two intruders in the front room of Leonard’s home, while he waits in the kitchen with the surviving members of his family.

Clarissa Chapman is a DCI of Psychokinetic Investigations - a new area of police work - instigated after the first genuine case of psychokinesis was discovered, some fifteen years earlier. The Samson case is brought to her attention due to the strange way in which the two intruders were killed. She suspects Leonard Samson is a Kinetic.

All Kinetics are blessed with a gift to move objects with only the power of their mind. But it is also a horrific curse. Within a few years of discovering their ability, they all develop violent insanity, and for this reason, are locked away in specially designed prisons for the benefit of public safety.

After discovering that the authorities suspect him of being a Kinetic, Leonard Samson runs; unaware that the police are not the only ones pursuing him.

As the days pass by, Clarissa becomes increasingly aware that certain aspects of the Samson case just do not add up...
Wow, usually I am not much into this kind of book. But I must say this book got me from the beginning and took me for a good read! Just fair warning, the first two chapters are bloody, but it must be told for the rest of the book to make since and see his story. I have always wanted to have this special gift. This book makes me wonder, if I did have it, would it have made me crazy as well? Just think of how much power you would have if you had the gift/ability.
You will also meet other Kinetics as well. But the main story is about Leonard Samson. During the book we follow Leonard as he is on the Lam. He does not act crazy like all the other Kinetics, so we wonder does he really have the ability??
This book had it all. Action packed, mystery, a little paranormal and of course murder. Although this book has sadness I still can’t wait until I read book 2.
I was given this book to read and give an honest review. This review is my honest opinion and I have fully read this book.
Profile Image for David Clarkson.
Author 7 books2 followers
April 8, 2015
The idea of telekinesis has long fascinated me and to find a book exploring the subject in a real world speculative context rather than within an overblown superhero story was what attracted me to this novel. The story did not disappoint. I enjoyed the concept of the “kinetics” gradually descending into madness and the need for the role of a psych-kinetic investigator to track them down. The pacing of the plot was well done and the climax, though predictable, tied up events nicely before leading into a tantalising tease for the sequel.

However, there were some minor downsides to the book. Though both Leonard and Clarissa were likeable protagonists, the character development was weak with regards to the familial relationships (the fact Clarissa had a daughter seemed irrelevant, as did the almost romance with her partner), which left little subtext beneath the meat of the plot. There were also a number of typos that should have been picked up by a proof reader. They were just simple typos too, as the overall punctuation and grammar was of a high standard.
All in all, I would recommend this book to fans of speculative sci-fi and thrillers in general, and look forward to seeing how the story progresses in the sequels.
Profile Image for Carol.
397 reviews
January 12, 2013
I got this book for 99 cents so wasn't expecting too much for my money but I was hooked from the first page. Its gripping first chapter leads you into a violent scene and moves you to want to know more. There were parts of this story that seemed implausible but it never interfered with my enjoyment. I tended to relax and go along for the ride as the story makes you root for this family which is in the wrong place at the wrong time.We are led into the lives of others that are different from most people at a cost. The title gives you part of what this tale is about but it is the emotional roller coaster of doubt then fear of who we can be coupled with the love of family that leaves you wondering if humanity helps or hinders when one is misunderstood. The tortured patriarch resonates through out this book and it is his journey that touched me the most as he inwardly battles with his own demons and the grief for his family.
My first book from this author as I don't usually read this type of stuff but I'm glad I took the chance.
Profile Image for Georgiann Hennelly.
1,960 reviews25 followers
April 10, 2014
A gripping read. I was hooked from page one. Two men break into Leonard Samson's house, beat him unconsious and murder his six year old son police arrive to a gruesome scene the multilated bodies of the intruders in the front room of Leonard's house. Clarissa Chapman is a DCJ of psychokinetic investigations a new area of police work. The Samson case is brought to her she suspects Leonard is a Kinetic. All Kinetics are blessed with the ability to move objects using their mind. But it can be a horrofic curse. Within a few years of discovering their ability they all develop violent insanity and have to be locked away. When Leonard realizes the police suspect him of being a Kinetic, he runs but the authorities aren't the only one's looking for him. If you enjoy books about people with mental powers you,ll love Kinesis.
Profile Image for Marco Oliver.
3 reviews
June 2, 2015
This book grips you instantly and had potential to be one of my favourite books of the supernatural genre, however it fell short of the finish line.

Based on the premise that all power comes at a cost, this book keeps you guessing as to the potential outcome of the protagonist who is quite endearing. Spier was able to "make me care" about the protagonists and kept me interested enough to finish the book. However after such a fantastic start the book fell slightly flat in places which was a shame and I personally felt that anyone other than the Leonard and Clarissa were pretty one dimensional. It also didn't help that there appeared to be a fair few grammatical errors (a proof read wouldn't go a miss.)

Would I recommend this book? Probably not! But if someone had started reading it id advise them to finish.
Profile Image for Sean Randall.
2,120 reviews54 followers
July 2, 2013
I quite enjoyed this, although despite being supposedly proofread I still gritted my teeth at grammatical errors and inconsistencies. Par for the course these days sadly.

The idea here is terrifying, especially because the whole ethos is quite plausible. There's a rather unconscionable amount of government stupidity though, and the revelation at the end would've been best left to the reader to figure out, rather than handed over. Still, a good read and one I'd enjoy seeing progress in future stories.
Profile Image for Philip.
Author 24 books51 followers
July 25, 2013
The concept of this tale of developing human abilities in telekinesis was very interesting with echoes of other stories in this genre. Mixed in with a police procedural and the world of kinetics was an undeveloped and meandering relationship tale. Much of the book I enjoyed but I thought the relationship either should have gone somewhere or not been included at all. Unfortunately the plot was a little too telegraphed for my liking to raise it above three stars but nonetheless I liked the story
Profile Image for DoodlePanda.
305 reviews25 followers
October 29, 2016
This book started very promising (and gory). The story is interesting, a world where kinesis is normal, but where everyone with the ability to move objects with their mind are immediately place in prison as they will go crazy and use their powers to kill.

Unfortunately, for me it kinda lost interest half way through. Though I was still interested enough to finish it, the story was catchy enough to make me want to know how it all ended. Readin the last half was a little of a chore to me though, as I just wanted to get to the end.
I am glad I did finish it though, I liked the way it ended.
Profile Image for Neil Robinson.
1 review
December 4, 2012
A fairly good book with a decent story and a great premise, Kinesis bridges the gap between crime thriller and sci-fi well, a good twist on the genre. The ending is a touch predictable, having been able to guess it two or three chapters beforehand.

The rest of the book, however, is very good. Not a classic, but certainly good enough to whittle away the train to and from Scotland into nought but a breeze.
Profile Image for Star.
7 reviews
August 4, 2014
I really liked this book a whole lot more than I thought I would. It moved along at an enjoyable pace, the character development was on point and as a whole, this book kept me on the edge of my seat. Yes, as another reviewer had pointed out, the proofreading was not perfect, but the mistakes were few and far between. I am left waiting for the second book to come out for the nook then I will gobble it up. Overall, a very good book.
Profile Image for Ethan Spier.
Author 6 books12 followers
March 3, 2014
This wasn't the first idea I had for a novel, but it was the first I completed. The idea was originally going to be a short story but it turned into a novel without too much effort and I'm glad it did.

I've given my own book 5/5 so feel free to chuckle at that (I would).

Thanks for giving it a go and I appreciate your reviews.
Profile Image for Jacob Prytherch.
Author 28 books12 followers
May 19, 2013
Excellent first novel from a talented writer. Begins with a bloody opening scene that sets the tone for the rest of the book, with the author thankfully sidestepping the easy route and making a compelling first part in what will no doubt be a very successful series.
2,954 reviews
January 26, 2014
Excellent! Good character development; plenty of action, suspense, some twists and turns, everything you could ask for in this very well-written thriller. I rated this one 4.8 stars and will be reading more by this author. Jim rated this one 4 stars.
Profile Image for Tim.
135 reviews2 followers
October 8, 2013
Excellent book on the interesting topic of being able to control objects with the mind. Kept me riveted through & had an unpredictable ending. Free on Amazon, but I will happily pay for his other books.
Profile Image for Anne Jackson.
9 reviews1 follower
November 26, 2013
Excellent book for FREE off Amazon!
With action, suspense, some twists and turns
telekinesis
The characters had the ability to move or deform inanimate objects by mental power and what happened to people because of their power!
A good thriller keeps you wondering
give it a go!

Profile Image for Ann.
1,112 reviews6 followers
April 22, 2014
​Kinesis has an interesting sci-fi plot. It falls under the heading of it could be possible. I enjoyed it and feel Mr Spier did a good job telling the story. Kinesis could have used a little better editing but it is a good read.
Profile Image for Tammy.
144 reviews13 followers
April 7, 2015
Very original !

It held my interest from the first word. The story is well composed. I really loved the characters. The title tells you what it is about....how incredible it would be to move objects with one's mind!
Profile Image for Dan.
Author 3 books20 followers
April 20, 2015
Interesting concept. Intriguing reading. The ending a bit obvious, it might have been nice to have some, any, kind of twist as it wound down. Many spelling and grammatical mistakes - this book is in serious need of proofreading. Liked it, but not enough to go on to the second in the series.
Profile Image for Tanya.
19 reviews
November 28, 2012
Rubbish. Silly storyline, unlikeable characters. Also was very predictable.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews

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