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"What is the oculus?"
Autumn has arrived in New York, and Jordan Pendragon is a freshman at Cornell University. Gifted in mathematics, he balances life as a research assistant with that of a student athlete.
But Jordan also has a quest. He must find the Black Tower, a monolithic edifice housing a thing that defines the very structure of the universe. Jordan believes it is buried somewhere in Antarctica under miles of prehistoric ice.
October finds Jordan earning a starting position with the Cornell hockey team. But a dark cloud gathers over his rookie season. Unexplained deaths, whispers of a cannibal cult, a prophecy, and a stone known only as the Oculus, cast a shadow over his athletic ambitions. It is the start of a terrifying journey down a path of mystery, murder, and to a confrontation with an Evil more ancient than the stars.
Autumn has arrived in New York, and Jordan Pendragon is a freshman at Cornell University. Gifted in mathematics, he balances life as a research assistant with that of a student athlete.
But Jordan also has a quest. He must find the Black Tower, a monolithic edifice housing a thing that defines the very structure of the universe. Jordan believes it is buried somewhere in Antarctica under miles of prehistoric ice.
October finds Jordan earning a starting position with the Cornell hockey team. But a dark cloud gathers over his rookie season. Unexplained deaths, whispers of a cannibal cult, a prophecy, and a stone known only as the Oculus, cast a shadow over his athletic ambitions. It is the start of a terrifying journey down a path of mystery, murder, and to a confrontation with an Evil more ancient than the stars.
- GenresLGBTScience Fiction
Paperback
First published November 6, 2012
235 people want to read
About the author
Michael Offutt
8 books61 followersMichael Offutt writes speculative fiction books that have science fiction, GLBT, and paranormal elements. His first book, "Slipstream" has received some critical acclaim and was published by Double Dragon in spring 2012. The sequel, "Oculus," was published in 2012. He has one brother, no pets, and a few roots that keep his tree of life sufficiently watered. By day, he works for the State of Utah as a Technical Specialist. By night, he watches lots of t.v., writes, draws, and sometimes dreams of chocolate.
Michael Offutt graduated from the University of Idaho in 1994 with a Bachelor's degree in English.
He keeps a blog and would appreciate a visit or two even if all you want to do is say hi.
Michael Offutt graduated from the University of Idaho in 1994 with a Bachelor's degree in English.
He keeps a blog and would appreciate a visit or two even if all you want to do is say hi.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 23, 2012
Reviewed on Hearts On Fire... http://heartsonfirereviews.com/
This second installment in A Crisis of Two Worlds picks up pretty close to where Slipstream ended. Jordan and Kathy are now attending Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. with Kolin and Jordan living in a tiny apartment and Kathy living in a sorority house. The minions of the Horcus are here on Earth and it's a race to locate the Black Tower and to unravel a lot of very cryptic clues about The Boy Who Won't Die and the role that he will play. One of Kathy's sorority sisters wears a stone on a necklace and the stone called the Oculus is awakened by Jordan's touch. This leads to a confrontation in which Jordan learns of his father and finds many references to King Arthur and his famous sword. Kathy speaks to her long dead mother and learns many of the same things Jordan does. I thoroughly enjoyed Slipstream and had to keep reminding myself that the cast of characters were primarily teenagers. I did not have that problem in this book as the main characters, Jordan, Kathy, Kolin and Dylan acted like a bunch of immature teenagers in most of the story. I felt very let down by this story because of all the filler information that Mr. Offutt used in writing it. In my opinion, this 462 page book was 350 pages of hockey games, school parties, and touring Ithaca. I realize that Jordan is a hockey player but half of a hockey game written out is a bit much when the reader it trying to follow the real action of the story of which there truly was not much of this time around. Jordan came off as a bit of a nitwit at times between the adult women hitting on him and his drunken behavior which is attributed to stress relief. The flow of the story was very choppy and the important parts of the story such as information about the Black Tower, King Arthur and the battle with the demons was scattered through the dull filler in a haphazard way. I found myself losing interest in the story many times and wondering when the white rabbit was going to appear as everything else was shoved into the story. Nothing was resolved in Oculus as Mr. Offutt has at least two more books coming in this series and only more questions were raised. As a lover of fantasy and sci-fi books, I think that this series is going to flounder and burn out unless the fat is trimmed from these books.
This second installment in A Crisis of Two Worlds picks up pretty close to where Slipstream ended. Jordan and Kathy are now attending Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. with Kolin and Jordan living in a tiny apartment and Kathy living in a sorority house. The minions of the Horcus are here on Earth and it's a race to locate the Black Tower and to unravel a lot of very cryptic clues about The Boy Who Won't Die and the role that he will play. One of Kathy's sorority sisters wears a stone on a necklace and the stone called the Oculus is awakened by Jordan's touch. This leads to a confrontation in which Jordan learns of his father and finds many references to King Arthur and his famous sword. Kathy speaks to her long dead mother and learns many of the same things Jordan does. I thoroughly enjoyed Slipstream and had to keep reminding myself that the cast of characters were primarily teenagers. I did not have that problem in this book as the main characters, Jordan, Kathy, Kolin and Dylan acted like a bunch of immature teenagers in most of the story. I felt very let down by this story because of all the filler information that Mr. Offutt used in writing it. In my opinion, this 462 page book was 350 pages of hockey games, school parties, and touring Ithaca. I realize that Jordan is a hockey player but half of a hockey game written out is a bit much when the reader it trying to follow the real action of the story of which there truly was not much of this time around. Jordan came off as a bit of a nitwit at times between the adult women hitting on him and his drunken behavior which is attributed to stress relief. The flow of the story was very choppy and the important parts of the story such as information about the Black Tower, King Arthur and the battle with the demons was scattered through the dull filler in a haphazard way. I found myself losing interest in the story many times and wondering when the white rabbit was going to appear as everything else was shoved into the story. Nothing was resolved in Oculus as Mr. Offutt has at least two more books coming in this series and only more questions were raised. As a lover of fantasy and sci-fi books, I think that this series is going to flounder and burn out unless the fat is trimmed from these books.
January 19, 2013
“My life changed in ten minutes…” –Jordan Pendragon
Oculus is a great sequel to Michael Offutt’s debut novel Slipstream. The writing has taken off in this second book, it’s stronger and more confident as is the editing. Michael also does a great job weaving mythology, legends, and hard science fiction into one fantastic story. Jordan, his sister Kathy, and their friends from Avalon are back on Earth and are now attending Cornell University. Jordan hopes to use Cornell’s particle collider to help him locate the Black Tower; the fate of two worlds depends on Jordan’s ability to find it. But the Horcus is still after them and Charon will do anything to prevent Jordan from finding the Black Tower and destroying the Shadow.
In Oculus, the plot has become much more intricate and exciting as new characters are introduced and information about the past unfolds. We see Jordan’s powers evolving in exciting ways but I think we’re only seeing the tip of the ice burg of what he is really capable of doing. Kathy’s powers are also evolving, but her gift is slightly different from that of Jordan’s.
Oculus also reveals more information about Jordan and Kathy’s parents and the horrific events that occurred to them and how that impacts the present. The term oculus is also referenced in several different ways through out the book. For one, it’s the stone on the necklace worn by Myrddin, one of Kathy’s sorority sisters. The stone, awakened by Jordan’s touch, puts into motion a chain of events that leads Jordan to the truth about his father and information about a sect of radical cultists. But the oculus is also referenced in the book as The Oculus Report, a clinical study of a woman by the name of Charlotte Pendragon. Kathy is able to speak to Charlotte through the use of the slipstream and makes a startling discovery. We also learn the existence of Watchers and of one in particular, who will help Jordan uncover the identity and importance of the Boy Who Cannot Die. All these individuals are vital to Jordan’s success in finding the Black Tower and restore balance between the two worlds.
The book also has some great action scenes, battles against soulless monsters and demons that kept me on the edge of my seat and turning the pages. Another big part of the book takes place on the ice during the hockey games. Now I’m not a hockey fan and I though I’d skip over these parts, but they were so well written that I found myself skating along with Jordan and Andy and tackling players for the puck. But the hockey games are not just fillers and they play an important role in the plot, and by the end of the book (SPOILER) the ice rink becomes a site for demonic activity.
I enjoyed this book very much and I’m eagerly awaiting Caledfwlch, the third book in the series. A lot of questions are raised in Oculus and I’m anxious to see what lies ahead for Jordan and his friends in their quest to seek out answers and find the location of the Black Tower.
Oculus is a great sequel to Michael Offutt’s debut novel Slipstream. The writing has taken off in this second book, it’s stronger and more confident as is the editing. Michael also does a great job weaving mythology, legends, and hard science fiction into one fantastic story. Jordan, his sister Kathy, and their friends from Avalon are back on Earth and are now attending Cornell University. Jordan hopes to use Cornell’s particle collider to help him locate the Black Tower; the fate of two worlds depends on Jordan’s ability to find it. But the Horcus is still after them and Charon will do anything to prevent Jordan from finding the Black Tower and destroying the Shadow.
In Oculus, the plot has become much more intricate and exciting as new characters are introduced and information about the past unfolds. We see Jordan’s powers evolving in exciting ways but I think we’re only seeing the tip of the ice burg of what he is really capable of doing. Kathy’s powers are also evolving, but her gift is slightly different from that of Jordan’s.
Oculus also reveals more information about Jordan and Kathy’s parents and the horrific events that occurred to them and how that impacts the present. The term oculus is also referenced in several different ways through out the book. For one, it’s the stone on the necklace worn by Myrddin, one of Kathy’s sorority sisters. The stone, awakened by Jordan’s touch, puts into motion a chain of events that leads Jordan to the truth about his father and information about a sect of radical cultists. But the oculus is also referenced in the book as The Oculus Report, a clinical study of a woman by the name of Charlotte Pendragon. Kathy is able to speak to Charlotte through the use of the slipstream and makes a startling discovery. We also learn the existence of Watchers and of one in particular, who will help Jordan uncover the identity and importance of the Boy Who Cannot Die. All these individuals are vital to Jordan’s success in finding the Black Tower and restore balance between the two worlds.
The book also has some great action scenes, battles against soulless monsters and demons that kept me on the edge of my seat and turning the pages. Another big part of the book takes place on the ice during the hockey games. Now I’m not a hockey fan and I though I’d skip over these parts, but they were so well written that I found myself skating along with Jordan and Andy and tackling players for the puck. But the hockey games are not just fillers and they play an important role in the plot, and by the end of the book (SPOILER) the ice rink becomes a site for demonic activity.
I enjoyed this book very much and I’m eagerly awaiting Caledfwlch, the third book in the series. A lot of questions are raised in Oculus and I’m anxious to see what lies ahead for Jordan and his friends in their quest to seek out answers and find the location of the Black Tower.
January 3, 2013
Oculus is a captivating second installment in speculative fiction writer Michael Offutt's series A Crisis of Two Worlds, which blends theoretical science with British mythology and religious concepts.
In the first book, Slipstream, we learned that main character Jordan Pendragon, an orphan from Salt Lake City, Utah, and his twin sister Kathy are critical players to solve a complex problem that threatens the existence of two worlds: Earth and a parallel sister-world called Avalon. Using the power of a phenomenon of speculative physics called "the slipstream," Jordan was able to move between Earth and Avalon, taking his sister with him. There, the siblings hooked up with an underground "rebel alliance" group that is trying to help the side of good to overcome the evil currently running Avalon.
In Oculus, the Pendragon twins and each of their Avalon boyfriends are back on Earth working to find the Black Tower, which houses something that defines the nature of the universe. To do this, Jordan and Kathy have enrolled as freshmen at Cornell, which has a machine Jordan plans to use to help him identify the location of the Black Tower.
Because he has gained admission to Cornell on a hockey scholarship, Jordan's life also includes a lot of hockey, in addition to a lot of theoretical physics, and sexytimes with his boyfriend. Jordan's sexual orientation becomes more contentious in this book, whereas it was not treated as important or even particularly relevant in Avalon. Additionally, apparently due to his hockey-player physique and darn good looks, it begins to seem that everybody has the hots for Jordan Pendragon. However, his boyfriend Kolin is more worried about Jordan's immature nature and tendency to go off on his own to try to save the world, in complete disregard for his own safety or the concerns of his friends and sister.
Readers who wondered about the Pendragon's parents will be pleased to learn more about the mystery barely touched upon in Slipstream, as Offutt reveals in Oculus the fate of their father -- a particularly poignant point in the book which drives Jordan to use the power of the slipstream in a new and terrifying way -- as well as some information about their mother.
See this review on my blog.
In the first book, Slipstream, we learned that main character Jordan Pendragon, an orphan from Salt Lake City, Utah, and his twin sister Kathy are critical players to solve a complex problem that threatens the existence of two worlds: Earth and a parallel sister-world called Avalon. Using the power of a phenomenon of speculative physics called "the slipstream," Jordan was able to move between Earth and Avalon, taking his sister with him. There, the siblings hooked up with an underground "rebel alliance" group that is trying to help the side of good to overcome the evil currently running Avalon.
In Oculus, the Pendragon twins and each of their Avalon boyfriends are back on Earth working to find the Black Tower, which houses something that defines the nature of the universe. To do this, Jordan and Kathy have enrolled as freshmen at Cornell, which has a machine Jordan plans to use to help him identify the location of the Black Tower.
Because he has gained admission to Cornell on a hockey scholarship, Jordan's life also includes a lot of hockey, in addition to a lot of theoretical physics, and sexytimes with his boyfriend. Jordan's sexual orientation becomes more contentious in this book, whereas it was not treated as important or even particularly relevant in Avalon. Additionally, apparently due to his hockey-player physique and darn good looks, it begins to seem that everybody has the hots for Jordan Pendragon. However, his boyfriend Kolin is more worried about Jordan's immature nature and tendency to go off on his own to try to save the world, in complete disregard for his own safety or the concerns of his friends and sister.
Readers who wondered about the Pendragon's parents will be pleased to learn more about the mystery barely touched upon in Slipstream, as Offutt reveals in Oculus the fate of their father -- a particularly poignant point in the book which drives Jordan to use the power of the slipstream in a new and terrifying way -- as well as some information about their mother.
See this review on my blog.
December 19, 2012
Michael Offutt’s Oculus picks up right where Slipstream left off. Jordan and Kathy are starting their freshman year at Cornell and have brought along their significant others, Kolin and Dylan. They know their futures are uncertain and Jordon is in search of the Black Tower, but they want to attempt normal lives for the time being. Jordan has joined the school hockey team and Kathy has joined a sorority, shooting for typical Ivy League college experiences. But the dark forces of Avalon have followed them back to Earth.
The adventure really beings when Jordan is introduced to one of Kathy’s sorority sisters, Myd, and awakens the stone on her necklace called the Oculus. Jordon discovers the mystery behind his father’s murder and Kathy gets the opportunity to speak with her dead mother, which is all part of something greater that we only get a glimpse of in this book. King Arthur, Merlin, Excalibur, and the Lady of the Lake are more than fairy tales, but secrets that Jordan and his group must unlock to uncover his ultimate destiny and aid in his search for the Black Tower.
There are many pieces coming together that will most likely reveal a sublime picture of the Black Tower itself. From the Horcus to the cannibal cult, from the gruesome discoveries in the asylum to revelations from deceased parents, from the court of King Author to angels and demons, we are given glimpses into very exciting elements to where the series is going. The bloody climax in Hell’s Kitchen is a hell of a rush and my favorite scene in the series thus far. I am also really intrigued with the growing relationship between Jordan and Alex. With Oculus taking place solely on Earth, it may be more approachable, but there also seems to be filler scenes slowing us down from the real adventure. I want to know more about the mysteries plaguing these two worlds.
Oculus is a big setup for Caledfwlch, the third book in A Crisis of Two Worlds series. There are some great revelations in this book, but few resolutions. I think the true adventure is just beginning and I can’t wait to find out how all the pieces fit together and where Jordon’s journey ultimately leads. If you are a fan of Slipstream, then Oculus is a must-read. But if you’re just being introduced to the series, then you really should start at the beginning.
The adventure really beings when Jordan is introduced to one of Kathy’s sorority sisters, Myd, and awakens the stone on her necklace called the Oculus. Jordon discovers the mystery behind his father’s murder and Kathy gets the opportunity to speak with her dead mother, which is all part of something greater that we only get a glimpse of in this book. King Arthur, Merlin, Excalibur, and the Lady of the Lake are more than fairy tales, but secrets that Jordan and his group must unlock to uncover his ultimate destiny and aid in his search for the Black Tower.
There are many pieces coming together that will most likely reveal a sublime picture of the Black Tower itself. From the Horcus to the cannibal cult, from the gruesome discoveries in the asylum to revelations from deceased parents, from the court of King Author to angels and demons, we are given glimpses into very exciting elements to where the series is going. The bloody climax in Hell’s Kitchen is a hell of a rush and my favorite scene in the series thus far. I am also really intrigued with the growing relationship between Jordan and Alex. With Oculus taking place solely on Earth, it may be more approachable, but there also seems to be filler scenes slowing us down from the real adventure. I want to know more about the mysteries plaguing these two worlds.
Oculus is a big setup for Caledfwlch, the third book in A Crisis of Two Worlds series. There are some great revelations in this book, but few resolutions. I think the true adventure is just beginning and I can’t wait to find out how all the pieces fit together and where Jordon’s journey ultimately leads. If you are a fan of Slipstream, then Oculus is a must-read. But if you’re just being introduced to the series, then you really should start at the beginning.
December 14, 2012
While the author previous "Slipstream" was filled with a lot of wild stuff, "Oculus" is far more down to earth--probably because it takes place on Earth and not the parallel world of Avalon with all its far-out technology. This probably makes it more accessible for more casual readers than the first book.
Jordan Pendragon has returned with his twin sister Kathy from a stint in Avalon. He resumes his normal life at Cornell, where he majors in Physics and plays on the ice hockey team. At the same time he uses the supercollider at the school to study Antarctic ice samples in order to locate the "Black Tower" that holds the key to saving Avalon and Earth from the evil Shadow.
Then Jordan meets a young woman with a weird old stone called the oculus. A wacko religious group sort of like Opus Dei in "The da Vinci Code" also want the oculus, though for far different reasons. The battle for the oculus and its secrets ends up (appropriately enough) in Hell's Kitchen where Jordan and his boyfriend Kolin, his best friend Robbie, and his teammate Andy do battle against a bunch of demons who would be at home in a "Hellraiser" movie or one of the old Doom video games.
There might be a few too many eating, hockey, and snogging scenes for my taste, but overall the story is well-told. There aren't many mysteries wrapped up, just a few more pieces to the puzzle. As I said at the beginning, since this is mainly situated on Earth it's a little more approachable for more casual sci-fi readers than the first book; there are fewer alien concepts to grasp and far more familiar settings like upstate New York and New York City. Book 3 promises to be exciting as we get to learn more about Excalibur and Jordan's connection to it. So if you haven't already, you should definitely get into the series now.
That is all.
Jordan Pendragon has returned with his twin sister Kathy from a stint in Avalon. He resumes his normal life at Cornell, where he majors in Physics and plays on the ice hockey team. At the same time he uses the supercollider at the school to study Antarctic ice samples in order to locate the "Black Tower" that holds the key to saving Avalon and Earth from the evil Shadow.
Then Jordan meets a young woman with a weird old stone called the oculus. A wacko religious group sort of like Opus Dei in "The da Vinci Code" also want the oculus, though for far different reasons. The battle for the oculus and its secrets ends up (appropriately enough) in Hell's Kitchen where Jordan and his boyfriend Kolin, his best friend Robbie, and his teammate Andy do battle against a bunch of demons who would be at home in a "Hellraiser" movie or one of the old Doom video games.
There might be a few too many eating, hockey, and snogging scenes for my taste, but overall the story is well-told. There aren't many mysteries wrapped up, just a few more pieces to the puzzle. As I said at the beginning, since this is mainly situated on Earth it's a little more approachable for more casual sci-fi readers than the first book; there are fewer alien concepts to grasp and far more familiar settings like upstate New York and New York City. Book 3 promises to be exciting as we get to learn more about Excalibur and Jordan's connection to it. So if you haven't already, you should definitely get into the series now.
That is all.
December 19, 2012
The story picks up with Jordan, Kolin and his sister Kathy back on Earth. Jordan has to find the Black Tower if he wants to save the Earth, but deep down he only wants to be normal. Since the lives of millions are hanging on Jordan’s success, normal isn’t going to be an option.
Oculus is similar to Slipstream in that it’s a blend of dark fantasy, paranormal and hard science fiction. This sequel goes into more depth than the first book. Jordan is more mature and his knowledge of physics has grown. Whenever something scientific comes up, the reader is given the details about how it all works. For this reason, the geek types (myself included) enjoy these details.
I was glued to page when more details about Jordan’s parents came out. At one point, Jordan was threatened by an enemy of his father, and I liked the way Jordan handled the situation.
There is a lot of graphic sex in this book mostly between Jordan and Kolin. For this reason, I think Oculus has added the genre of erotica as well. I skimmed through those parts as I’m more interested in the science fiction/adventure.
At times, Oculus takes detours from the main plot. These filler type scenes didn’t seem needed, and at times I felt impatient to get back to the plot. Yet, some of these diversions were fun. For example, there is a detailed hockey game that was like a short story within the book, so I thought of it as a bonus. I also found the writing more polished this time.
Lastly, the climax in Hell’s Kitchen rocks. Fans of the first book will be pleased with this sequel. This series is complex and not a light read, so be sure to read Slipstream first.
Oculus is similar to Slipstream in that it’s a blend of dark fantasy, paranormal and hard science fiction. This sequel goes into more depth than the first book. Jordan is more mature and his knowledge of physics has grown. Whenever something scientific comes up, the reader is given the details about how it all works. For this reason, the geek types (myself included) enjoy these details.
I was glued to page when more details about Jordan’s parents came out. At one point, Jordan was threatened by an enemy of his father, and I liked the way Jordan handled the situation.
There is a lot of graphic sex in this book mostly between Jordan and Kolin. For this reason, I think Oculus has added the genre of erotica as well. I skimmed through those parts as I’m more interested in the science fiction/adventure.
At times, Oculus takes detours from the main plot. These filler type scenes didn’t seem needed, and at times I felt impatient to get back to the plot. Yet, some of these diversions were fun. For example, there is a detailed hockey game that was like a short story within the book, so I thought of it as a bonus. I also found the writing more polished this time.
Lastly, the climax in Hell’s Kitchen rocks. Fans of the first book will be pleased with this sequel. This series is complex and not a light read, so be sure to read Slipstream first.
January 14, 2013
A stunning sequel, OCULUS by Michael Offutt increases the intensity as it bridges fantasy and science fiction.
Jordan Pendragon craves normalcy, but for this genius college freshman, a normal life might be just out of his reach. As he enters life on Cornell’s campus, he makes new friends, enjoys spending time with his boyfriend, and plays hockey for Cornell’s team. Normal life, right? Wrong! Evil is all around him. Students are dying, and he has a major role in a prophecy as ancient as King Arthur. Jordan has a lot more he needs to save before he can really find his normal life.
OCULUS takes place completely on Earth. Jordan has left Avalon, but the evil of that world has crossed over into ours. The story grabs the reader at the very beginning and mixes college life with the supernatural, science with the fantastical. The characters have grown more real since SLIPSTREAM, especially Jordan. The action is fast-paced, and Offutt has done a wonderful job in bringing to life the Cornell campus. The evil is more real as well, and several times I gasped at what happened. As they discover more answers, more questions are uncovered to a stunning cliffhanger ending that’ll leave the reader breathless.
Michael Offutt’s OCULUS keeps the reader guessing. I can’t wait to read book three!
Jordan Pendragon craves normalcy, but for this genius college freshman, a normal life might be just out of his reach. As he enters life on Cornell’s campus, he makes new friends, enjoys spending time with his boyfriend, and plays hockey for Cornell’s team. Normal life, right? Wrong! Evil is all around him. Students are dying, and he has a major role in a prophecy as ancient as King Arthur. Jordan has a lot more he needs to save before he can really find his normal life.
OCULUS takes place completely on Earth. Jordan has left Avalon, but the evil of that world has crossed over into ours. The story grabs the reader at the very beginning and mixes college life with the supernatural, science with the fantastical. The characters have grown more real since SLIPSTREAM, especially Jordan. The action is fast-paced, and Offutt has done a wonderful job in bringing to life the Cornell campus. The evil is more real as well, and several times I gasped at what happened. As they discover more answers, more questions are uncovered to a stunning cliffhanger ending that’ll leave the reader breathless.
Michael Offutt’s OCULUS keeps the reader guessing. I can’t wait to read book three!
November 11, 2012
Well, I wrote it, and I think my book is amazing. It took me over two years to write, and I edited it until I was blue in the face. I think that this is my best book. I've come a long way as a writer since the first story I wrote back in the eighties. I hope that you'll go and check out my website because I post a lot of my own artwork that has to do with the series on my blog. If you are planning to read my story, I just want to say thank you.
May 1, 2013
I'll keep it simple.
Oculus is even better than its predecessor.
The writing is very concise and tight. There's just enough detail to give you a vivid image in your mind, but it's the strength of characters that drives this book.
You can't help but care about Jordan and Kathy.
Oh, and I'm a sucker for quest stories and King Arthur mythology.
Oculus is even better than its predecessor.
The writing is very concise and tight. There's just enough detail to give you a vivid image in your mind, but it's the strength of characters that drives this book.
You can't help but care about Jordan and Kathy.
Oh, and I'm a sucker for quest stories and King Arthur mythology.
Want to read
December 2, 2012Really enjoyed Slipstream and so am looking forward to reading this next installment.
August 29, 2022
DNF 64%, so take my review with a grain of salt.
Since starting to read in my adult life, because it just wasn’t a thing I did as a hobby, and started using this app, I haven’t written a book review. However, I have to make an exception here because I was drawn into this series from the positive reviews and feel like it needs some balancing.
First and foremost, I want to say that I enjoyed the first book, Slipstream. There were some things that bothered me; like the fact that Jordan came up with the name “Slipstream” for his time controlling powers, but everyone knew what he was talking about when he used it in a sentence. Also as an English person, the way that Kolin speaks irritates the hell out of me. We don’t talk all “dogs bollocks” and “bees knees” and “scrummy”. Stop it, it’s cringy.
What the first book did very well, and that’s probably due to the location within which it takes place, was that it was very sci-fi heavy. There was a lot of physics and maths talk which I didn’t mind, and a lot of talk of sports and sex and stuff and that’s all fine because it was deeply interspersed with action and mystery and even horror. It did a lot of stuff right and even introduced some really cool social mechanics, like this whole liquid life thing. I thought that was genius. Everyone was a bit of an asshole, but I just took that to be part of the whole evil alternate universe thing.
This book however takes place on Earth. Boring, normal, everyday Earth. And even though there is still a villain and many henchmen and plenty of sci-fi, it’s so much fewer and farther apart than the first book. And what’s left to fill the gaps is teen drama, parties, everyday life monotony and HOCKEY. Oh god there is so much hockey talk. I skipped TWO ENTIRE CHAPTERS, because they were just super detailed hockey matches. I couldn’t care less.
How Jordon manages to juggle being an A grade student, doing homework, going to parties every other night, hockey several times a week, science experiments the rest and also has time for like vacationing is simply beyond me. It’s also really frustrating how clever he is. He’s 17 and he knows enough Latin to be able to translate bits of it, knows Physics on par with at least a bachelors graduate, architectural history, and god only knows what else that I can’t remember because I felt myself skipping paragraphs when his ex machina kicked in. And when on the rare occasion he doesn’t know something, one person he is with at the time will be able to fill in the gaps without problem.
And then there’s the weird (and I mean weird) sexual attraction everyone has with Jordan. Boys, girls, teachers, even straight guys. Some of them are really creepy about it too, like staring at him and being all “alluring”. It’s just strange how there are so many people horny for him, especially since he’s 17. And what’s worse is that Kolin just doesn’t seem to care. Like, they’re in a closed, committed relationship, but they just flirt with everyone. I’m in a gay open relationship, and their dynamic is unlike anything I’ve seen. Girls especially will just keep rubbing up against him and cuddling him and neither of them stop it. It’s stranger still when Kolin and Jordan just outright get really openly sexual right in front of his sister and friends, and none of them address it. They just keep talking like nothings happening. Also Kolin is even more sexually rampant than the first book. It was good at first but then it just got a little bit gross.
Then there’s just strange social interactions. For example, this isn’t a spoiler cause it was like one page and never discussed again, the gang talk to Kolin about how they thing Jordan has a drinking problem. Kolin agrees he’s noticed it too and says he’s worried about him or whatever. That’s all cool. Then at a party, Kolin allows Jordan to have one beer and says something like “ok just the one and then I don’t want you to have any more.” And Jordan’s just like “OK” and is now cured of his drinking problem. It is never addressed again.
There are so many strange, inhuman behaviours that crop up time and time again that either just never get addressed or are glossed over very briefly. Or there are hugely intricate details that add very little to the actual plot of the story (like a really long fight scene) and then the team escaping the building requiring stealth and preservation of life being summed up in a paragraph; and then going to the hospital and then splitting up and then a car crash all happening on the same page. After all that stuff happening, the chapter just goes full breakneck speed to close off the sub-plot.
There’s just the overwhelming vicious cycle of boring life drama, splash of action and intrigue, everything gets resolved and start again. Things actually started getting interesting around the halfway mark when sci-fi elements became a bit more prevalent. But after another pointless hockey match, a talk about how Jordan being gay makes the team look bad so he should stop being so gay (and Jordan agreeing?!) and then a hint at the idea of Jordan possibly getting into self-harming, I just couldn’t go on. I doubt that’s a spoiler, considering all vices can be cured by his boyfriend saying “don’t do that I love you”.
It’s too slow, and then too fast. Too weirdly horny, and awkward. Too smart and then too stupid. Too hockey. And too long. And what filled me with dread every time I started another chapter, was that the closer I got to the end knowing nothing of interest had happened, there are another three more books after this one. Only one more published sequel exists at the moment, and I can’t even spell its name, let alone pronounce it; heaven knows why he went with the Welsh word for Excalibur, instead of just EXCALIBUR. Whatever.
Read it or don’t, it’s up to you. But in my opinion, it is a measly shadow of its predecessor and should have been trimmed by about 200 pages during editing.
Since starting to read in my adult life, because it just wasn’t a thing I did as a hobby, and started using this app, I haven’t written a book review. However, I have to make an exception here because I was drawn into this series from the positive reviews and feel like it needs some balancing.
First and foremost, I want to say that I enjoyed the first book, Slipstream. There were some things that bothered me; like the fact that Jordan came up with the name “Slipstream” for his time controlling powers, but everyone knew what he was talking about when he used it in a sentence. Also as an English person, the way that Kolin speaks irritates the hell out of me. We don’t talk all “dogs bollocks” and “bees knees” and “scrummy”. Stop it, it’s cringy.
What the first book did very well, and that’s probably due to the location within which it takes place, was that it was very sci-fi heavy. There was a lot of physics and maths talk which I didn’t mind, and a lot of talk of sports and sex and stuff and that’s all fine because it was deeply interspersed with action and mystery and even horror. It did a lot of stuff right and even introduced some really cool social mechanics, like this whole liquid life thing. I thought that was genius. Everyone was a bit of an asshole, but I just took that to be part of the whole evil alternate universe thing.
This book however takes place on Earth. Boring, normal, everyday Earth. And even though there is still a villain and many henchmen and plenty of sci-fi, it’s so much fewer and farther apart than the first book. And what’s left to fill the gaps is teen drama, parties, everyday life monotony and HOCKEY. Oh god there is so much hockey talk. I skipped TWO ENTIRE CHAPTERS, because they were just super detailed hockey matches. I couldn’t care less.
How Jordon manages to juggle being an A grade student, doing homework, going to parties every other night, hockey several times a week, science experiments the rest and also has time for like vacationing is simply beyond me. It’s also really frustrating how clever he is. He’s 17 and he knows enough Latin to be able to translate bits of it, knows Physics on par with at least a bachelors graduate, architectural history, and god only knows what else that I can’t remember because I felt myself skipping paragraphs when his ex machina kicked in. And when on the rare occasion he doesn’t know something, one person he is with at the time will be able to fill in the gaps without problem.
And then there’s the weird (and I mean weird) sexual attraction everyone has with Jordan. Boys, girls, teachers, even straight guys. Some of them are really creepy about it too, like staring at him and being all “alluring”. It’s just strange how there are so many people horny for him, especially since he’s 17. And what’s worse is that Kolin just doesn’t seem to care. Like, they’re in a closed, committed relationship, but they just flirt with everyone. I’m in a gay open relationship, and their dynamic is unlike anything I’ve seen. Girls especially will just keep rubbing up against him and cuddling him and neither of them stop it. It’s stranger still when Kolin and Jordan just outright get really openly sexual right in front of his sister and friends, and none of them address it. They just keep talking like nothings happening. Also Kolin is even more sexually rampant than the first book. It was good at first but then it just got a little bit gross.
Then there’s just strange social interactions. For example, this isn’t a spoiler cause it was like one page and never discussed again, the gang talk to Kolin about how they thing Jordan has a drinking problem. Kolin agrees he’s noticed it too and says he’s worried about him or whatever. That’s all cool. Then at a party, Kolin allows Jordan to have one beer and says something like “ok just the one and then I don’t want you to have any more.” And Jordan’s just like “OK” and is now cured of his drinking problem. It is never addressed again.
There are so many strange, inhuman behaviours that crop up time and time again that either just never get addressed or are glossed over very briefly. Or there are hugely intricate details that add very little to the actual plot of the story (like a really long fight scene) and then the team escaping the building requiring stealth and preservation of life being summed up in a paragraph; and then going to the hospital and then splitting up and then a car crash all happening on the same page. After all that stuff happening, the chapter just goes full breakneck speed to close off the sub-plot.
There’s just the overwhelming vicious cycle of boring life drama, splash of action and intrigue, everything gets resolved and start again. Things actually started getting interesting around the halfway mark when sci-fi elements became a bit more prevalent. But after another pointless hockey match, a talk about how Jordan being gay makes the team look bad so he should stop being so gay (and Jordan agreeing?!) and then a hint at the idea of Jordan possibly getting into self-harming, I just couldn’t go on. I doubt that’s a spoiler, considering all vices can be cured by his boyfriend saying “don’t do that I love you”.
It’s too slow, and then too fast. Too weirdly horny, and awkward. Too smart and then too stupid. Too hockey. And too long. And what filled me with dread every time I started another chapter, was that the closer I got to the end knowing nothing of interest had happened, there are another three more books after this one. Only one more published sequel exists at the moment, and I can’t even spell its name, let alone pronounce it; heaven knows why he went with the Welsh word for Excalibur, instead of just EXCALIBUR. Whatever.
Read it or don’t, it’s up to you. But in my opinion, it is a measly shadow of its predecessor and should have been trimmed by about 200 pages during editing.
February 24, 2013
Another awesome effort.
Even better that the first one which I reviewed as "Offutt has created his own world; it is at once fantastical and realistic. This book is an amazing work from an amazingly imaginative writer of the type that only comes along once a century. lets hope he writes us dome more."
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