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Reviver Trilogy #1
Reviver
Revivers. Able to wake the recently dead, and let them bear witness to their own demise. Twelve years after the first reviver came to light, they have become accepted by an uneasy public. The testimony of the dead is permitted in courtrooms across the world. Forensic revival is a routine part of police investigation. In the United States, that responsibility falls to the Forensic Revival Service. Despite his troubled past, Jonah Miller is one of their best. But while reviving the victim of a brutal murder, he encounters a terrifying presence. Something is watching. Waiting. His superiors tell him it was only in his mind, a product of stress. Jonah is not so certain. Then Daniel Harker, the first journalist to bring revival to public attention, is murdered, and Jonah finds himself getting dragged into the hunt for answers. Working with Harker's daughter Annabel, he becomes determined to find those responsible and bring them to justice. Soon they uncover long-hidden truths that call into doubt everything Jonah stands for, and reveal a threat that if not stopped in time, will put all of humanity in danger ...
406 pages, Hardcover
First published June 18, 2013
56 people are currently reading
2013 people want to read
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December 4, 2022
Reviver (Reviver Trilogy, #1)
by Seth Patrick
Love this book! It has paranormal aspects, touch of horror, love the plot and characters, and the total weirdness and creep factor! I got this on sale from Chirp and now I will be watching for the other books in the series to be on sale!
This has people that are able to temporarily bring recently dead people back from the dead. Mostly for finding out crime details but also families get insurance so they can say their last good byes. But a couple of times the revivers noticed a dark presence was voiced by the dead. Something they were scared of. Something dark was trying to come through.
But some companies decide to use revivers for a different reason. A reason so unheard of. This is where it gets spooky! Great story from beginning to end!
Great narration!
by Seth Patrick
Love this book! It has paranormal aspects, touch of horror, love the plot and characters, and the total weirdness and creep factor! I got this on sale from Chirp and now I will be watching for the other books in the series to be on sale!
This has people that are able to temporarily bring recently dead people back from the dead. Mostly for finding out crime details but also families get insurance so they can say their last good byes. But a couple of times the revivers noticed a dark presence was voiced by the dead. Something they were scared of. Something dark was trying to come through.
But some companies decide to use revivers for a different reason. A reason so unheard of. This is where it gets spooky! Great story from beginning to end!
Great narration!
August 23, 2013
Oh Reviver...you temptress, you minx, you tease. From the moment I saw you I knew I had to know all there was about you. And right from the beginning you grabbed me and pulled me in. The first day was spent in your constant company, and we stayed up together until the early hours of the following morning, and I found that I did not tire of you. But...something happened that second day. The things you showed me up front weren't really you, and I found that we didn't get along as well as I thought. That second day was a pale imitation of the first, and it was nearly a struggle to remain in your presence. I persevered, and overall my time with you was memorable, but sadly it wasn't all that it could have been, and we could only part on merely amicable terms...
I wanted to love this book. I really really did. And honestly, for the first half, I was entranced. The concept of Reviving is one of the coolest literary inventions I've read in a long time. And the way the legality, morality, and public perception of it was handled was simply brilliant. One of the main characters didn't have nearly the arc I expected, and that was a pleasant surprise. And the ominous feeling of something from beyond was teased just enough that you wanted to know more. That you just KNEW that something evil was coming for Jonah.
Except...that's not really how it ended up happening. What started out as a wonderful ghost story/forensic procedural morphed and devolved into a by-the-numbers action adventure tale, with enough close scrapes for a Bond movie. Programmers turned action heroes, villains who weren't very...villainous, gotta save the world and get the girl mentality near the end, and a beer drinking & microwave meal eating 30 something whom nearly every woman in the book is attracted to (sorry, but if that's a 30+ year old male's only diet, he won't get a first glance, let alone a second).
And Never Geary...oh you wonderful, impossible man you. I loved him and hated him in equal measure. He was a little...too perfect in my opinion. If we all had friends like that, the world would be a utopia.
I guess it was the rapid shift in tone that really did it in for me. The writing was fine, the concepts solid, the main conceit absolutely amazing and unique, the side effects of the Reviving process were believable and carried real heft, and the horror/dread elements were all in place. The tension ratcheted up, the stakes got a little higher, and then BAM, everything kinda changed. I still like the book, for sure, but the last 40% or so really brought the rating down for me.
I wanted to love this book. I really really did. And honestly, for the first half, I was entranced. The concept of Reviving is one of the coolest literary inventions I've read in a long time. And the way the legality, morality, and public perception of it was handled was simply brilliant. One of the main characters didn't have nearly the arc I expected, and that was a pleasant surprise. And the ominous feeling of something from beyond was teased just enough that you wanted to know more. That you just KNEW that something evil was coming for Jonah.
Except...that's not really how it ended up happening. What started out as a wonderful ghost story/forensic procedural morphed and devolved into a by-the-numbers action adventure tale, with enough close scrapes for a Bond movie. Programmers turned action heroes, villains who weren't very...villainous, gotta save the world and get the girl mentality near the end, and a beer drinking & microwave meal eating 30 something whom nearly every woman in the book is attracted to (sorry, but if that's a 30+ year old male's only diet, he won't get a first glance, let alone a second).
And Never Geary...oh you wonderful, impossible man you. I loved him and hated him in equal measure. He was a little...too perfect in my opinion. If we all had friends like that, the world would be a utopia.
I guess it was the rapid shift in tone that really did it in for me. The writing was fine, the concepts solid, the main conceit absolutely amazing and unique, the side effects of the Reviving process were believable and carried real heft, and the horror/dread elements were all in place. The tension ratcheted up, the stakes got a little higher, and then BAM, everything kinda changed. I still like the book, for sure, but the last 40% or so really brought the rating down for me.
April 2, 2015
I did not finish this book--I made it about halfway in, and set it aside with a sigh. My three reasons for doing so are as follows:
1) This is so very much a first novel. There's a ton of exposition, a lot of telling instead of showing, several instances of "As you know, Bob..." fact-dumping, and the characters are, with the exception of the protagonist, one-dimensional. You know who's good and who's bad. There are also multiple instances of heavy-handed foreshadowing that are meant to ramp up suspicion, but instead made me say with a sigh, "Well, that character's doomed..."
2) This book could not be angled any more to be made into a TV series if it *tried*. It reads almost like a procedural script, the pacing is reminiscent of an episode (event, reactions, research, bigger event, aftermath, quiet moment...), and the simple characters have about as much development as your average detectives on any variant of Law and Order or CSI--enough so you can tell them apart, but not quite enough to make them real. I want to read a *book*, not an adaptation-to-screen treatment.
3) A quibble, but it started to really bug me. The author of this book is Irish, living in England. This book is set in northern Virginia, and while a couple of supporting characters are British or Irish, the protagonist himself is American. Nevertheless, he and most other American characters continually use British turns of phrase. *Continually*. It does not sound right for a 30ish American male to say things like "Ah, the milk's gone off," or "I'll spend the evening in the bath", and it's even more jarring when background characters are saying things like "Good on you!" and specifically drinking Guinness in a bar (not that I don't like Guinness, but single American men drinking after a long day of reviving corpses would probably be drinking American beer).
In short, loved the premise, but the execution falls flat.
1) This is so very much a first novel. There's a ton of exposition, a lot of telling instead of showing, several instances of "As you know, Bob..." fact-dumping, and the characters are, with the exception of the protagonist, one-dimensional. You know who's good and who's bad. There are also multiple instances of heavy-handed foreshadowing that are meant to ramp up suspicion, but instead made me say with a sigh, "Well, that character's doomed..."
2) This book could not be angled any more to be made into a TV series if it *tried*. It reads almost like a procedural script, the pacing is reminiscent of an episode (event, reactions, research, bigger event, aftermath, quiet moment...), and the simple characters have about as much development as your average detectives on any variant of Law and Order or CSI--enough so you can tell them apart, but not quite enough to make them real. I want to read a *book*, not an adaptation-to-screen treatment.
3) A quibble, but it started to really bug me. The author of this book is Irish, living in England. This book is set in northern Virginia, and while a couple of supporting characters are British or Irish, the protagonist himself is American. Nevertheless, he and most other American characters continually use British turns of phrase. *Continually*. It does not sound right for a 30ish American male to say things like "Ah, the milk's gone off," or "I'll spend the evening in the bath", and it's even more jarring when background characters are saying things like "Good on you!" and specifically drinking Guinness in a bar (not that I don't like Guinness, but single American men drinking after a long day of reviving corpses would probably be drinking American beer).
In short, loved the premise, but the execution falls flat.
July 28, 2021
Second read, because I've been meaning to get around to the rest of this series, and absolutely nothing stuck in my head from the first time around (it's been 8 years - plus it was that last 8 years we just had, which I think have me aging in dog years now)
This was good! A novel idea - speaking to the dead without a hint of psychic phenomena, a mystery, and the threat of something huge and menacing lurking in the dark beyond the veil.
Reviver is a pretty quick read, entertaining, and an interesting idea with a likeable main character.
This was good! A novel idea - speaking to the dead without a hint of psychic phenomena, a mystery, and the threat of something huge and menacing lurking in the dark beyond the veil.
Reviver is a pretty quick read, entertaining, and an interesting idea with a likeable main character.
February 19, 2017
Mé očekávání?
Realita?
Ale když jsem toto překousla, tak to byl vcelku milý příběh. :D
Nějaký ten oficiálně blogový článek?
http://spacewithbooks.blogspot.cz/201...
Realita?
Ale když jsem toto překousla, tak to byl vcelku milý příběh. :D
Nějaký ten oficiálně blogový článek?
http://spacewithbooks.blogspot.cz/201...
July 27, 2013
Bring me back,
from death's decay.
There are some things
I need to say.
Don't let my death,
be your downfall.
Don't cry for me.
No tears at all.
Celebrate my life.
The good, the strive.
In my heart did you dwell.
Goodbye to you.
My sweet,
Farewell.
by Nikki
This is one of those reads where you wish another author would have written it, put their brand on it. The concept of human beings who can revive the dead (Revivers) to say their goodbyes, tell how they were killed, or who murdered them is great.
It takes a toll on the Revivers and they need time to recuperate. Lately though, one Reviver, Jonah, is having remnant memories. Memories from the dead that stay with him even after the dead have been laid to rest for the final time.
Something evil is waiting to be set free and only Revivers can do it.
Sound great, right?
Sorry. Poor execution and some bland characters make this read slow and unsatisfying.
from death's decay.
There are some things
I need to say.
Don't let my death,
be your downfall.
Don't cry for me.
No tears at all.
Celebrate my life.
The good, the strive.
In my heart did you dwell.
Goodbye to you.
My sweet,
Farewell.
by Nikki
This is one of those reads where you wish another author would have written it, put their brand on it. The concept of human beings who can revive the dead (Revivers) to say their goodbyes, tell how they were killed, or who murdered them is great.
It takes a toll on the Revivers and they need time to recuperate. Lately though, one Reviver, Jonah, is having remnant memories. Memories from the dead that stay with him even after the dead have been laid to rest for the final time.
Something evil is waiting to be set free and only Revivers can do it.
Sound great, right?
Sorry. Poor execution and some bland characters make this read slow and unsatisfying.
September 25, 2013
A really cool concept, but I just couldn't get invested in the characters.
'Reviver' is a book that was all about the concept for me, I'd read somewhat similar things featured in side-plots of other novels (mainly in the urban fantasy genre) and was interested to see the concept become the main focus of a novel. The concept being that there are people in the world, who are capable of 'reviving' people who have been murdered, so they can tell the police what has happened and who killed them.
While I have given the novel a low(ish) score overall, there were a few things I liked here. There was a definitive effort here to give you the back story of the 'revivers' and how these people developed these powers and what public opinion on them was. They even focused on the political side as opposed to just the moral, and I think it felt quite real in the way that it would be perceived. There was also side plots about the side effects, and medical repercussions for the actual revivers themselves that were quite interesting, that were told in a very scientific way, which was a nice touch.
I also liked the somewhat supernatural twist that happens towards the end, and the idea of something piggybacking onto a murdered persons soul and being released into this world was a really good idea, and one of the reasons I may read the sequel somewhere down the line.
The main thing that I felt let it down and my main issue was, in the novels characters. I just couldn't get fully invested in them, it's not even that they are paper thin cardboard cutouts. The first half of the novel is slow with the build up, and we get some definite character development for our main character, but I just couldn't get too enthusiastic about him. I was never really convinced to root or care for him.
Overall, this is an interesting debut novel, and in all likeliness, the issues I had with this entry could even be improved upon come the next entry in this series. I can say that I probably would read the sequel, if just to see how the religious aspects at the end of this entry developed after the end of this one.
'Reviver' is a book that was all about the concept for me, I'd read somewhat similar things featured in side-plots of other novels (mainly in the urban fantasy genre) and was interested to see the concept become the main focus of a novel. The concept being that there are people in the world, who are capable of 'reviving' people who have been murdered, so they can tell the police what has happened and who killed them.
While I have given the novel a low(ish) score overall, there were a few things I liked here. There was a definitive effort here to give you the back story of the 'revivers' and how these people developed these powers and what public opinion on them was. They even focused on the political side as opposed to just the moral, and I think it felt quite real in the way that it would be perceived. There was also side plots about the side effects, and medical repercussions for the actual revivers themselves that were quite interesting, that were told in a very scientific way, which was a nice touch.
I also liked the somewhat supernatural twist that happens towards the end, and the idea of something piggybacking onto a murdered persons soul and being released into this world was a really good idea, and one of the reasons I may read the sequel somewhere down the line.
The main thing that I felt let it down and my main issue was, in the novels characters. I just couldn't get fully invested in them, it's not even that they are paper thin cardboard cutouts. The first half of the novel is slow with the build up, and we get some definite character development for our main character, but I just couldn't get too enthusiastic about him. I was never really convinced to root or care for him.
Overall, this is an interesting debut novel, and in all likeliness, the issues I had with this entry could even be improved upon come the next entry in this series. I can say that I probably would read the sequel, if just to see how the religious aspects at the end of this entry developed after the end of this one.
September 25, 2013
Reviver is the debut novel and the start of a new trilogy by Seth Patrick, first off the cover is electrifying but what impressed me was when the guy in the book shop opened an app on his phone called blippar and we looked at the book cover through his phone, suddenly the cover came alive and I was suitably stunned as the book took on the appearance of the trailer to a horror movie. A simple video, but small things amuse small minds and I was sold, hopefully the book would be as impressive as the interactive cover.
Jonah Miller is a Reviver, he can communicate with the dead for a short while after they have passed, ideal for finding the cause of death and if needed the perpetrator. Jonah is called to a murder, Alice Decker and he has to ascertain the murderer. It’s a harrowing experience talking to the newly dead, they’re confused, frightened and you don’t have a lot of time but when the job is done and the camera’s cease recording, Jonah is startled when the corpse raises its head and says ‘we see you’, the dead it seems want something from him.
This is put down to overwork and Jonah gets sick time, more drugs but on his next revival, the murder of a young girl he feels as if momentarily he’s taken over by the girl to the point of identifying the killer. The Revival boundaries are becoming blurred, something big is about to happen and Jonah it seems is a passenger on a trip he wants no part of.
Definitely an interesting concept, with a well-paced story, the crime thriller and supernatural crossover give an abundance of tension while at the same time being just a little bit creepy in the right way. Looking forward to the second in the Reviver trilogy and the book is certainly as good as the cover. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend Reviver.
Jonah Miller is a Reviver, he can communicate with the dead for a short while after they have passed, ideal for finding the cause of death and if needed the perpetrator. Jonah is called to a murder, Alice Decker and he has to ascertain the murderer. It’s a harrowing experience talking to the newly dead, they’re confused, frightened and you don’t have a lot of time but when the job is done and the camera’s cease recording, Jonah is startled when the corpse raises its head and says ‘we see you’, the dead it seems want something from him.
This is put down to overwork and Jonah gets sick time, more drugs but on his next revival, the murder of a young girl he feels as if momentarily he’s taken over by the girl to the point of identifying the killer. The Revival boundaries are becoming blurred, something big is about to happen and Jonah it seems is a passenger on a trip he wants no part of.
Definitely an interesting concept, with a well-paced story, the crime thriller and supernatural crossover give an abundance of tension while at the same time being just a little bit creepy in the right way. Looking forward to the second in the Reviver trilogy and the book is certainly as good as the cover. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend Reviver.
September 6, 2019
3.5/5
Lo más sorprendente de este libro es lo mucho que me gustó, generalmente no me van los libros de corte paranormal, me gusta el terror, pero cuando hay estas mezclas extrañas entre lo paranormal y cualquier otro género, como que siempre terminan por parecerme tan inverosimiles.
Pues bueno, aquí estoy terminando un thriller paranormal y que me he disfrutado desde la primera hasta la última página, para empezar, es realmente entretenido, tiene un gran ritmo, no decae para nada y para la cantidad de cosas que cuenta y algunas bastante locas e incluso algunas cosas que son mero relleno, tengo que reconocer que no pude soltar este libro.
La parte del thriller está muy bien, yo lo pondría como que el 75% de la parte del thriller podría competir con cualquier novela de ese género muy a pesar de todo el rollo paranormal que maneja, que, dicho sea de paso, aunque se trata de algo realmente loco, la autora lo ha planteado de tal manera que para nada resulta chocante.
Es verdad que hay un punto ya casi al final del libro que me pareció demasiado, pero luego recordé que el libro es paranormal y no un thriller, lo que sucede es que la autora nos plantea casi todo el tiempo las cosas de una manera tan realista que se me olvidó que el libro tiene que tener sus rollos de cosas sobrenaturales
Es verdad que tiene algunas escenas donde inevitablemente puse los ojos en blanco de tan imposibles y donde creo que exageró un poquitín, pero aún con eso el libro tiene lo suyo y no puedo más que decir que lo he disfrutado de principio a fin.
En resumen, me ha gustad
Lo más sorprendente de este libro es lo mucho que me gustó, generalmente no me van los libros de corte paranormal, me gusta el terror, pero cuando hay estas mezclas extrañas entre lo paranormal y cualquier otro género, como que siempre terminan por parecerme tan inverosimiles.
Pues bueno, aquí estoy terminando un thriller paranormal y que me he disfrutado desde la primera hasta la última página, para empezar, es realmente entretenido, tiene un gran ritmo, no decae para nada y para la cantidad de cosas que cuenta y algunas bastante locas e incluso algunas cosas que son mero relleno, tengo que reconocer que no pude soltar este libro.
La parte del thriller está muy bien, yo lo pondría como que el 75% de la parte del thriller podría competir con cualquier novela de ese género muy a pesar de todo el rollo paranormal que maneja, que, dicho sea de paso, aunque se trata de algo realmente loco, la autora lo ha planteado de tal manera que para nada resulta chocante.
Es verdad que hay un punto ya casi al final del libro que me pareció demasiado, pero luego recordé que el libro es paranormal y no un thriller, lo que sucede es que la autora nos plantea casi todo el tiempo las cosas de una manera tan realista que se me olvidó que el libro tiene que tener sus rollos de cosas sobrenaturales
Es verdad que tiene algunas escenas donde inevitablemente puse los ojos en blanco de tan imposibles y donde creo que exageró un poquitín, pero aún con eso el libro tiene lo suyo y no puedo más que decir que lo he disfrutado de principio a fin.
En resumen, me ha gustad
July 21, 2013
For a debut novel this is incredible. It starts off so utterly different from anything I have ever read but then it slightly fails a little and didn't keep my attention as much as the first half, for reasons I cannot explain.
Jonah Miller is a brilliant and very complex hero but Never Geary really captured my heart. I just loved this character. The plot is absolutely brilliant, as has been covered by other reviewers, but I felt it became a little hard going and deviated from the revivals too much for me. For the first half I couldn't put my kindle down and it was so engrossing I actually felt I had been watching a film.
I cannot wait for a follow up and hope Never and Jonah come back again as I feel there is enough life in the story - no pun intended - for this to be a brilliant series by a fantastic new writer.
Recommended
Jonah Miller is a brilliant and very complex hero but Never Geary really captured my heart. I just loved this character. The plot is absolutely brilliant, as has been covered by other reviewers, but I felt it became a little hard going and deviated from the revivals too much for me. For the first half I couldn't put my kindle down and it was so engrossing I actually felt I had been watching a film.
I cannot wait for a follow up and hope Never and Jonah come back again as I feel there is enough life in the story - no pun intended - for this to be a brilliant series by a fantastic new writer.
Recommended
July 29, 2013
Reviver is Seth Patrick’s debut novel and the first in a planned trilogy. He is an Oxford mathematics graduate and Seth Partrick works in the video game industry as a programmer for a.o. the award winning Total War series. Movie rights have already been optioned by Legendary Entertainment, the producers behind The Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel.
When I first read about the book Reviver, it showed a great new concept in the genres of horror and thriller. With a name like Reviver one might think it has to do with zombies, but it hasn’t. Reviver is a chilling forensic-police thriller, where the dead haven’t found there last resting place after they have passed just yet. For specific purposes, people can be temporarily revived…
In Reviver you follow the main protagonist Jonah Miller, who is Reviver and one of the best there is. Revivers are able to temporarily bring back deceased people to question hem one last time. In the US the Revivers are part of a new division the US Forensics Revival Service. In the beginning of the book there is an emphasis on how this unit operates, what the importance of it is and also you see the daily life od Jonah, which is quite stressful, hectic and Jonah has to fight his own demons. Bordering on a break-down, Jonah’s life become just more difficult. Soon you learn more about the past of Jonah’s character and that he is special. Having been able to revive his mother only once she was dead for only 4 minutes. Forced to take a leave so Jonah can relax, he is called back to reviving once he is the only one left. And this throws him in a path that he hadn’t thought of possible. All his believes of his tutors and best friend proof to be different.
Not only Revivers make up the FRS, there are also technician that play an important role in solving the cases. Jonah’s best friend Never makes up a large part of the storyline and acts as a great supporting character, both in taking the storyline further as well as creating some witty and humorous comments to Jonah to liven up the story. There are some other great characters in the FRS and friends of Jonah that make a good impression in the storyline. There was one character Tess, whom I initially thought was a bit far-fetched in the storyline a too sudden introduction and not making any sense. However there is this turnaround point at about 3 quarters of the book where this is all corrected and felt like a door slamming in your face. It’s also here when you see that the earlier plotting and hints introduced by Seth Patrick start to make sense, this was very neatly done. When I started reading Reviver I hadn’t thought about the other things that could be done with reviving… suited for more ominous goals.
Now for the Reviving part, WOW, let me rephrase that WOW!!! I have read a fair bit of fiction so far but never would have guessed that this was possible. Seth Patrick introduces a cooler that cool concept with reviving. In was meant to bring criminals to justice, reviving murder victims to let them tell you who murdered them. But it isn’t a science that has been around long only for the last few decades. I think this allowed Seth Patrick to really create this to his own liking and with it shaping the book in a brilliant manner. Because it isn’t a hasty introduction with this is reviving and it allows you to talk to a dead person. No on the contrary, Seth Patrick breaking reviving down to the elementary facts. Seth Patrick takes enough time, not only in the beginning but all throughout the book, to tell a lot of how the fundamental work of reviving. Like the phases of reviving with the reversal and the surge. Also mentioning that people cannot lie when they are revived. But Seth Patrick also involves a lot more around everything like mentioning the group known as the Afterlifers who are against reviving, thereby creating a sense that it isn’t only viewed upon for the better, there is also the private sector for reviving and even insurances for talking to your closes relative one last time. So it’s not only the importance for solving murder cases that is shown but also the deeper economical and sociological aspects. This taken on the whole gave a well thought trough feeling about the reviving, Seth Patrick really created his own science with it and I am very curious as to how it is explored in the later books.
I already mentioned above that at 3 quarter the storyline transforms. Seth Patrick managed in a great way to lead you on the chase to find answer, keeping the action tight and not revealing too much of what might come. I really thought that reviving was a great idea in terms of solving the murder cases, however the more ominous idea’s of what might be possible did make me look at it differently, but that was only the first twist that was introduced. Later on there is a much more bigger and more dangerous element added to the story that refers to one of the first scenes of the book when Jonah revives a person and he hears different voices. I found this relation was plotted out in such a clever way and the things that it brought along gave me the chills. Another thing that was interesting in the story were the big pharmaceutical companies and showing the origins of the Reviving art how it al started with Baseline and what kind of experiments they carried out, some for the better and some for the worse. This gave a much more larger feeling to the storyline of Reviver. It shows that there was very careful plotting and a lot of thinking put into Reviver.
Reviver is a blockbuster. I had high hopes for Reviver and Seth Patrick’s Reviver lived up to this and went beyond. With Reviver being a debut, it is even better. Reviver is one of the best debuts for 2013 and if you haven’t read this book you are sorely missing out on one of the best books. Seth Patrick has thought of all the large details as well as the minor details, breaking down the Reviver art down to the small part really gave a good grip on what it could do and where possible limitations might be. The characters that you meet along the lines all add there own part to the story and especially Jonah, with being part guinea pig and his friend Never made this whole story come to fruition. From idea to concept to execution, Reviver couldn’t have turned out to be better. I’m hoping to watch this on the big screen soon.
originally posted at http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2013/07/reviver.html
When I first read about the book Reviver, it showed a great new concept in the genres of horror and thriller. With a name like Reviver one might think it has to do with zombies, but it hasn’t. Reviver is a chilling forensic-police thriller, where the dead haven’t found there last resting place after they have passed just yet. For specific purposes, people can be temporarily revived…
In Reviver you follow the main protagonist Jonah Miller, who is Reviver and one of the best there is. Revivers are able to temporarily bring back deceased people to question hem one last time. In the US the Revivers are part of a new division the US Forensics Revival Service. In the beginning of the book there is an emphasis on how this unit operates, what the importance of it is and also you see the daily life od Jonah, which is quite stressful, hectic and Jonah has to fight his own demons. Bordering on a break-down, Jonah’s life become just more difficult. Soon you learn more about the past of Jonah’s character and that he is special. Having been able to revive his mother only once she was dead for only 4 minutes. Forced to take a leave so Jonah can relax, he is called back to reviving once he is the only one left. And this throws him in a path that he hadn’t thought of possible. All his believes of his tutors and best friend proof to be different.
Not only Revivers make up the FRS, there are also technician that play an important role in solving the cases. Jonah’s best friend Never makes up a large part of the storyline and acts as a great supporting character, both in taking the storyline further as well as creating some witty and humorous comments to Jonah to liven up the story. There are some other great characters in the FRS and friends of Jonah that make a good impression in the storyline. There was one character Tess, whom I initially thought was a bit far-fetched in the storyline a too sudden introduction and not making any sense. However there is this turnaround point at about 3 quarters of the book where this is all corrected and felt like a door slamming in your face. It’s also here when you see that the earlier plotting and hints introduced by Seth Patrick start to make sense, this was very neatly done. When I started reading Reviver I hadn’t thought about the other things that could be done with reviving… suited for more ominous goals.
Now for the Reviving part, WOW, let me rephrase that WOW!!! I have read a fair bit of fiction so far but never would have guessed that this was possible. Seth Patrick introduces a cooler that cool concept with reviving. In was meant to bring criminals to justice, reviving murder victims to let them tell you who murdered them. But it isn’t a science that has been around long only for the last few decades. I think this allowed Seth Patrick to really create this to his own liking and with it shaping the book in a brilliant manner. Because it isn’t a hasty introduction with this is reviving and it allows you to talk to a dead person. No on the contrary, Seth Patrick breaking reviving down to the elementary facts. Seth Patrick takes enough time, not only in the beginning but all throughout the book, to tell a lot of how the fundamental work of reviving. Like the phases of reviving with the reversal and the surge. Also mentioning that people cannot lie when they are revived. But Seth Patrick also involves a lot more around everything like mentioning the group known as the Afterlifers who are against reviving, thereby creating a sense that it isn’t only viewed upon for the better, there is also the private sector for reviving and even insurances for talking to your closes relative one last time. So it’s not only the importance for solving murder cases that is shown but also the deeper economical and sociological aspects. This taken on the whole gave a well thought trough feeling about the reviving, Seth Patrick really created his own science with it and I am very curious as to how it is explored in the later books.
I already mentioned above that at 3 quarter the storyline transforms. Seth Patrick managed in a great way to lead you on the chase to find answer, keeping the action tight and not revealing too much of what might come. I really thought that reviving was a great idea in terms of solving the murder cases, however the more ominous idea’s of what might be possible did make me look at it differently, but that was only the first twist that was introduced. Later on there is a much more bigger and more dangerous element added to the story that refers to one of the first scenes of the book when Jonah revives a person and he hears different voices. I found this relation was plotted out in such a clever way and the things that it brought along gave me the chills. Another thing that was interesting in the story were the big pharmaceutical companies and showing the origins of the Reviving art how it al started with Baseline and what kind of experiments they carried out, some for the better and some for the worse. This gave a much more larger feeling to the storyline of Reviver. It shows that there was very careful plotting and a lot of thinking put into Reviver.
Reviver is a blockbuster. I had high hopes for Reviver and Seth Patrick’s Reviver lived up to this and went beyond. With Reviver being a debut, it is even better. Reviver is one of the best debuts for 2013 and if you haven’t read this book you are sorely missing out on one of the best books. Seth Patrick has thought of all the large details as well as the minor details, breaking down the Reviver art down to the small part really gave a good grip on what it could do and where possible limitations might be. The characters that you meet along the lines all add there own part to the story and especially Jonah, with being part guinea pig and his friend Never made this whole story come to fruition. From idea to concept to execution, Reviver couldn’t have turned out to be better. I’m hoping to watch this on the big screen soon.
originally posted at http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2013/07/reviver.html
April 1, 2021
This book started great. Five stars great. It was a murder mystery wrapped up in a new and mystical type of forensics. It was well told, fast paced and fun to read.
The murder was solved and the perpetrators identified about halfway through the book. Then... it turned into a spy thriller? Maybe, I don't read those much. Or maybe it was horror? I read those less.
The second half of the book was MUCH harder to read. New characters were introduced. Others marginalized. It really felt like two stories jammed together with some loose filling. The longer it went the fewer stars I felt it deserved as a whole book. By the time I ended the book with an epilog that undid everything that was accomplished in the book and set up a sequel I was down to three stars. And that is solely because of how likeable and relatable the main character is. That speaks to a lot of credit to the author for preserving that likability while the structure of the story collapsed around him.
The reason why I went all the way down to three stars is that it was totally unnecessary. The underlying concept of forensics that can speak with the dead is really fun to play with. The author came up with a unique method and justification. It is shrouded with questions and unknowns. There is so much there to work with it seems like a shame to turn it into a Saturday afternoon monster movie where the bad guy always escapes and comes back in "Bad Monster Movie 2" It felt cheap, and lessened the entire impact of the book.
Plus, I no longer have confidence that the personal growth that the extremely likeable semi-hero Jonah Miller is. He's a walking personal disaster but it's all understandable because of the revealed childhood wounds. He's broken, but doing his best, and has good friends. Through the book these friends help him expand his horizons, realize some of his capabilities, and begin to reach out to other people in a meaningful way.
But then the author undid all the good of the plot, so now why should I believe that he won't undo all the good he's done in the characters too.
I feel burned, cheated, mislead. I don't know if I can take any more in this world.
It's a first novel so I hope that his writing improves. I'll be watching for more stories from him, but as for this Reviver world... yeah... I don't know if I can go back.
The murder was solved and the perpetrators identified about halfway through the book. Then... it turned into a spy thriller? Maybe, I don't read those much. Or maybe it was horror? I read those less.
The second half of the book was MUCH harder to read. New characters were introduced. Others marginalized. It really felt like two stories jammed together with some loose filling. The longer it went the fewer stars I felt it deserved as a whole book. By the time I ended the book with an epilog that undid everything that was accomplished in the book and set up a sequel I was down to three stars. And that is solely because of how likeable and relatable the main character is. That speaks to a lot of credit to the author for preserving that likability while the structure of the story collapsed around him.
The reason why I went all the way down to three stars is that it was totally unnecessary. The underlying concept of forensics that can speak with the dead is really fun to play with. The author came up with a unique method and justification. It is shrouded with questions and unknowns. There is so much there to work with it seems like a shame to turn it into a Saturday afternoon monster movie where the bad guy always escapes and comes back in "Bad Monster Movie 2" It felt cheap, and lessened the entire impact of the book.
Plus, I no longer have confidence that the personal growth that the extremely likeable semi-hero Jonah Miller is. He's a walking personal disaster but it's all understandable because of the revealed childhood wounds. He's broken, but doing his best, and has good friends. Through the book these friends help him expand his horizons, realize some of his capabilities, and begin to reach out to other people in a meaningful way.
But then the author undid all the good of the plot, so now why should I believe that he won't undo all the good he's done in the characters too.
I feel burned, cheated, mislead. I don't know if I can take any more in this world.
It's a first novel so I hope that his writing improves. I'll be watching for more stories from him, but as for this Reviver world... yeah... I don't know if I can go back.
June 6, 2013
Jonah is a reviver. He has the ability to touch a person who is dead and communicate with them. Due to his talent he is a great asset to the police department. He has helped solved many murder cases.
After his latest case Jonah wonders if he is not going crazy. After he has finished talking with the dead, the victim looks right at Jonah and says” We see you”. Jonah tells his boss but his boss just brushes it off as if Jonah has been working too hard and needs a break. Whatever the “we” are, they are coming for Jonah.
The first reason I noticed this book was the book cover. It was eye catching and creepy in a good way. Then I read the back cover of this book and the summary and I knew I had to check this book out.
So glad I did. This book was everything I hoped it would be. It was intriguing, good storyline and a great main character. The ability that Jonah has as a reviver is cool but I can also see how it can also be a burden. I was reading this book and going along fine until I got to this one part in the book where right after Jonah had just revived a young girl. She had walked in on a burglar. She was killed. Jonah had an experience moment where he spotted the killer and jumped him. Afterwards he looked right at the girl’s father and said “I’m sorry” “It was him, Dad. He did it. He killed me.” This is when I knew I was really hooked.
The ending finished strong. It leaves me waiting in anticipation for the next book. Reviver is thrilling, roller coaster of a good time that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat!
After his latest case Jonah wonders if he is not going crazy. After he has finished talking with the dead, the victim looks right at Jonah and says” We see you”. Jonah tells his boss but his boss just brushes it off as if Jonah has been working too hard and needs a break. Whatever the “we” are, they are coming for Jonah.
The first reason I noticed this book was the book cover. It was eye catching and creepy in a good way. Then I read the back cover of this book and the summary and I knew I had to check this book out.
So glad I did. This book was everything I hoped it would be. It was intriguing, good storyline and a great main character. The ability that Jonah has as a reviver is cool but I can also see how it can also be a burden. I was reading this book and going along fine until I got to this one part in the book where right after Jonah had just revived a young girl. She had walked in on a burglar. She was killed. Jonah had an experience moment where he spotted the killer and jumped him. Afterwards he looked right at the girl’s father and said “I’m sorry” “It was him, Dad. He did it. He killed me.” This is when I knew I was really hooked.
The ending finished strong. It leaves me waiting in anticipation for the next book. Reviver is thrilling, roller coaster of a good time that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat!
September 17, 2025
This book was good from start to finish. I find myself wanting to read it again as I did not want to miss anything in the story. I thought this was a stand alone I am happy to discover it is the beginning of a series. I look forward to reading it. For those who like creepy ish stories of death and the afterlife this is for you. I truly enjoyed this book it was just enough horror to make me go “what!” In the middle of the night.
June 26, 2014
http://iblamewizards.com/review-the-r...
With an original concept and a fast-paced, exciting and most importantly spine-tingling story, Seth Patrick’s The Reviver is a strong horror début that kept me devouring every last word until the final page.
Jonah Miller is a Reviver, working for the FRS (Forensic Revival Service) as a forensic reviver. Revival is a means of restoring the consciousness of the recently deceased for a brief time in order to firstly, give closure to the grieving families in the case of private revivals, and secondly, in the case of forensic revivals, to question the victims of violent crimes as a means of identifying their attackers. During a routine revival, Jonah feels a dark and evil presence which he just can’t shake. His colleagues tell him it is simply overwork, but when a journalist who was instrumental in the public acceptance of revival is found dead, Jonah finds himself on a hunt for the truth and the reasons behind his so-called hallucinations.
The plot of The Reviver is strong, and it is this plot which props this novel up. Seth Patrick’s writing is clunky in places and his moods don’t quite hit their mark, but the plot is so well crafted and immersive that a few pages in these small failings cease to matter. The characters are perfectly realised and they feel like old friends in no time.
What most impressed me was Patrick’s character interactions. They felt natural and nothing seemed out of place. Any odd behaviours were quickly explained in a way which made them understandable, and personal relationships were developed to increase characterisation rather than drive the plot and distract from the central premise.
While there were some moments I wish had been dwelt on in greater detail, the overall pace is wonderful. The main antagonist could have had a touch more characterisation and motive, as could the elusive ‘unity’ project, however I’m lead to believe this is potentially a trilogy, so I hope that this is all still to come.
Seth Patrick’s novel stands well alone, and was a simply great read. I enjoyed every second of it, and can’t wait for the rest.
With an original concept and a fast-paced, exciting and most importantly spine-tingling story, Seth Patrick’s The Reviver is a strong horror début that kept me devouring every last word until the final page.
Jonah Miller is a Reviver, working for the FRS (Forensic Revival Service) as a forensic reviver. Revival is a means of restoring the consciousness of the recently deceased for a brief time in order to firstly, give closure to the grieving families in the case of private revivals, and secondly, in the case of forensic revivals, to question the victims of violent crimes as a means of identifying their attackers. During a routine revival, Jonah feels a dark and evil presence which he just can’t shake. His colleagues tell him it is simply overwork, but when a journalist who was instrumental in the public acceptance of revival is found dead, Jonah finds himself on a hunt for the truth and the reasons behind his so-called hallucinations.
The plot of The Reviver is strong, and it is this plot which props this novel up. Seth Patrick’s writing is clunky in places and his moods don’t quite hit their mark, but the plot is so well crafted and immersive that a few pages in these small failings cease to matter. The characters are perfectly realised and they feel like old friends in no time.
What most impressed me was Patrick’s character interactions. They felt natural and nothing seemed out of place. Any odd behaviours were quickly explained in a way which made them understandable, and personal relationships were developed to increase characterisation rather than drive the plot and distract from the central premise.
While there were some moments I wish had been dwelt on in greater detail, the overall pace is wonderful. The main antagonist could have had a touch more characterisation and motive, as could the elusive ‘unity’ project, however I’m lead to believe this is potentially a trilogy, so I hope that this is all still to come.
Seth Patrick’s novel stands well alone, and was a simply great read. I enjoyed every second of it, and can’t wait for the rest.
August 13, 2013
Spoilers ahead...
The subject of reviving was very interesting to me. The ability to revive a person for a few minutes after death to close a murder case or to help find the perpetrator intrigued me. But that subject wasn't enough to save this book. I liked Jonah Miller and I liked Never. They were great characters and you could tell that they cared about each other. Jonah is a nice, caring person whom works as a reviver to bring closure to families wanting to say goodbye. Never is a technician who helps record the session during revival but he also goes above and beyond to ensure Johan does not go crazy. How can you not like them?
I'm not going to lie I was quickly engaged since the first chapter but after a few chapters I couldn't understand what the major plot line was. I felt like the book went off on the tangent without really hinting on what we should focus on until a hundred pages in. But even when you get that far in you just lose interest (at least for me). I didn't care for Daniel Harker and to focus the big mystery around his death was a big led down because his death was left to chance. But I guess if it wasn't for Harki we wouldn't know that the bigger picture was using revival to bring an ancient demon back to life and it was Jonah's job to stop this from happening. I would have liked the story if the mystery was played out more. I just needed more excitement. I also didn't like Daniel's daughter, Annabel, she's such a manipulated, push-over, over-achiever journalist. I pray in the book world Jonah will break free from her. He deserves someone better. I wanted to love this book but just couldn't but I do give the author credit for experimenting with a new subject. I know this can be expanded more but it just needs some more magic to make it enjoyable.
The subject of reviving was very interesting to me. The ability to revive a person for a few minutes after death to close a murder case or to help find the perpetrator intrigued me. But that subject wasn't enough to save this book. I liked Jonah Miller and I liked Never. They were great characters and you could tell that they cared about each other. Jonah is a nice, caring person whom works as a reviver to bring closure to families wanting to say goodbye. Never is a technician who helps record the session during revival but he also goes above and beyond to ensure Johan does not go crazy. How can you not like them?
I'm not going to lie I was quickly engaged since the first chapter but after a few chapters I couldn't understand what the major plot line was. I felt like the book went off on the tangent without really hinting on what we should focus on until a hundred pages in. But even when you get that far in you just lose interest (at least for me). I didn't care for Daniel Harker and to focus the big mystery around his death was a big led down because his death was left to chance. But I guess if it wasn't for Harki we wouldn't know that the bigger picture was using revival to bring an ancient demon back to life and it was Jonah's job to stop this from happening. I would have liked the story if the mystery was played out more. I just needed more excitement. I also didn't like Daniel's daughter, Annabel, she's such a manipulated, push-over, over-achiever journalist. I pray in the book world Jonah will break free from her. He deserves someone better. I wanted to love this book but just couldn't but I do give the author credit for experimenting with a new subject. I know this can be expanded more but it just needs some more magic to make it enjoyable.
August 8, 2013
It's a book of two halves. The early chapters are so long winded, setting scenes and delving inside heads for page after page after page. It seemed to take forever to get going, taking so very long to get to any point at all, I was screaming inside, skipping over paragraphs like a skimmed stone, desperate for it to get to the bloody point. I very nearly gave it up.
About a quarter of the way in, it finds its feet and the story emerges and from then on in, it got very much better. The story is good and there's a nice twist towards the end, but the thing as a whole is so lightweight and unsatisfying. Maybe because it's so very visual? It feels written for the purpose of inserting CGI. I'm not at all surprised that the film rights have been sold - or that the author is a games developer for Sega.
Ultimately, it was the characters that spoiled it for me; they never really seemed to come alive. Never aside (Never was good), I couldn't believe in any of them. Jonah, the main protagonist, was as animated as balsa wood and with less substance, I couldn't engage with him at all - but there was nothing in the least bit satisfying about any one of the characters, they were all avatars, more or less interchangeable, serving only to advance the plot. I frequently lost touch with which character had done what, they were all so instantly forgettable.
In short, when the story finally gets going, it's pretty good, sometimes more than good. The ideas, the concepts are terrific, but the execution isn't up to the task. Reviver feels like a gorgeous veneer of a tremendous concept laid over a badly knocked-together thing of MDF. What a waste.
About a quarter of the way in, it finds its feet and the story emerges and from then on in, it got very much better. The story is good and there's a nice twist towards the end, but the thing as a whole is so lightweight and unsatisfying. Maybe because it's so very visual? It feels written for the purpose of inserting CGI. I'm not at all surprised that the film rights have been sold - or that the author is a games developer for Sega.
Ultimately, it was the characters that spoiled it for me; they never really seemed to come alive. Never aside (Never was good), I couldn't believe in any of them. Jonah, the main protagonist, was as animated as balsa wood and with less substance, I couldn't engage with him at all - but there was nothing in the least bit satisfying about any one of the characters, they were all avatars, more or less interchangeable, serving only to advance the plot. I frequently lost touch with which character had done what, they were all so instantly forgettable.
In short, when the story finally gets going, it's pretty good, sometimes more than good. The ideas, the concepts are terrific, but the execution isn't up to the task. Reviver feels like a gorgeous veneer of a tremendous concept laid over a badly knocked-together thing of MDF. What a waste.
July 25, 2022
MUY ENTRETENIDO Y ORIGINAL 8/10
October 18, 2019
This started off pretty great... but went downhill.
What’s it about?
So basically now some people have a special ability to temporarily (not permanently) bring the dead back to life given the right conditions. In this it mostly focuses on that world and how a reviver who’s a cop and uses his power in murder investigations. That’s basically all I can say without spoilers.
Pros:
The story is pretty cool. More unique than just another standard crime drama (don’t get me wrong, I love that genre but it’s cool to see something fresh).
Mostly unpredictable. So I did see some of the twists coming but a lot of it is still surprising.
There are some pretty exciting action scenes!
The world building is pretty interesting and very well done. There’s a lot more to the world of this book than I expected.
There are a few chuckle worthy comic relief moments.
The ending is good and has some interesting stuff for book 2.
Cons:
The characters are kinda bland. Even with their backstories they still seem generic. For example, the main character is a generic cop character that acts the same way a lot of other cop characters in crime dramas do.
There are some slow parts that go on and on to the point I kinda couldn’t help but accidentally lose interest in and be like “oh yeah book” (though I doubt this happened for more than 5 minutes anytime this happened).
There’s a horror element. It gets more horror-y in the final half or so of the book but unfortunately doesn’t work as well as it should.
There’s some filler stuff that honestly just made this book longer and slower than it needed to be.
Mixed thoughts:
There’s some social commentary. Now I understand that this is something that’s sometimes a little hard to write. In this it is well written and clever... but there’s a few bits that began to beat a dead horse unfortunately. That’s why I have mixed thoughts on it.
The narrator of the audio edition I listened to. Sometimes he’s good but unfortunately does this thing of getting super quiet, even in moments that don’t make sense.
Overall:
Something about this is unfortunate. So it started as a book with 5 star level potential, than I had a few problems so 4 star and in the end more problems so a 3 star rating. This isn’t bad and I added book 2 to my reading list but it definitely has quite a few issues, including some big ones.
If you like crime drama stories this is worth checking out for something unique and this is a decent book, there are some things I like about it but as a whole it’s only okay IMO.
3/5
What’s it about?
So basically now some people have a special ability to temporarily (not permanently) bring the dead back to life given the right conditions. In this it mostly focuses on that world and how a reviver who’s a cop and uses his power in murder investigations. That’s basically all I can say without spoilers.
Pros:
The story is pretty cool. More unique than just another standard crime drama (don’t get me wrong, I love that genre but it’s cool to see something fresh).
Mostly unpredictable. So I did see some of the twists coming but a lot of it is still surprising.
There are some pretty exciting action scenes!
The world building is pretty interesting and very well done. There’s a lot more to the world of this book than I expected.
There are a few chuckle worthy comic relief moments.
The ending is good and has some interesting stuff for book 2.
Cons:
The characters are kinda bland. Even with their backstories they still seem generic. For example, the main character is a generic cop character that acts the same way a lot of other cop characters in crime dramas do.
There are some slow parts that go on and on to the point I kinda couldn’t help but accidentally lose interest in and be like “oh yeah book” (though I doubt this happened for more than 5 minutes anytime this happened).
There’s a horror element. It gets more horror-y in the final half or so of the book but unfortunately doesn’t work as well as it should.
There’s some filler stuff that honestly just made this book longer and slower than it needed to be.
Mixed thoughts:
There’s some social commentary. Now I understand that this is something that’s sometimes a little hard to write. In this it is well written and clever... but there’s a few bits that began to beat a dead horse unfortunately. That’s why I have mixed thoughts on it.
The narrator of the audio edition I listened to. Sometimes he’s good but unfortunately does this thing of getting super quiet, even in moments that don’t make sense.
Overall:
Something about this is unfortunate. So it started as a book with 5 star level potential, than I had a few problems so 4 star and in the end more problems so a 3 star rating. This isn’t bad and I added book 2 to my reading list but it definitely has quite a few issues, including some big ones.
If you like crime drama stories this is worth checking out for something unique and this is a decent book, there are some things I like about it but as a whole it’s only okay IMO.
3/5
April 15, 2020
Aj keď som na to nadávala, chcem vedieť ako sa skončí celá séria.. Ale k samotnej knihe, no, mohla byť tak o 100 strán kratšia, bolo tam veľa častí, kde som sa vyslovene nudila. Postavy však stáli za to, bolo ľahké si ich obľúbiť a to prostredie, hlavne niektoré časti boli ako keby sa Stranger Things stretli s Votrelcom. 😀 Aj keď niektorým častiam chýbala logika, musím povedať, že to bola celkom fajn oddychovka. 😊
November 18, 2013
Sometime in the near future, a select portion of the population discovers in themselves the ability to revive the recently deceased for a short period of time. Initially used as a way to allow the decedent and their loved ones to make their final goodbyes, the phenomenon is eventually subjected to scientific study, and then adapted for use during criminal investigations. Reaching the dead is a spotty business, often made more difficult by the condition of the body, time constraints, and the skill or ability of the individual initiating contact (the reviver).
Jonah Miller is a forensic reviver near the top of his field, but one of his revivals brings back more than he intended. After speaking with the recently murdered Alice Decker, he ends up talking to an unknown, seemingly malevolent force. This encounter, coupled with the murder of a prominent figure in the revival world, leads him on a search for the truth behind what a reviver is really capable of.
The concept was interesting, and the spooky cover drew me in, but I think it could have become a better book than it did. Some of the characters struck me as flat, particularly Jonah's best friend, who seemed more an archetype than anything. A better ending would have definitely helped, but, as it was, the explanation for all the goings-on felt farfetched. With proper development and back story, maybe a few clues thrown in here and there, I might have been better able to accept the reason for Jonah's revival experiences, but instead the answers, such as they were, felt thrown at me during the last few chapters.
Two personal pet-peeves added annoyance to the overall experience. First there's a character named Never. It's a nickname, and kind of a silly one at that, but it had the annoying tendency of drawing my eye as I read. I read fairly quickly, and that's usually not a barrier to comprehension for me, but in this case I often had to remind myself that the author was referring to a name, not the word as defined in the dictionary. No one was actually saying "Never," even thought the word was glaring out of the page at me! (Ok... maybe this particular pet peeve really only reflects my own inadequacies, but the problem would have never existed if the character had just had a real name! George, Harry, Bartholomew... anything but "Never."
Secondly, Seth Patrick is an Irish-born writer who currently lives in England. He is writing a book that seems to be mostly set in the Virginia-North Carolina area. (One of the cities that he frequently references is Greensboro, which is only about an hour's drive south of me.) All this is fine, but I kept feeling a surge of annoyance when the American edition referred several times to the "tyres" on a car. I can understand using tyres in a book set in the UK, or even in the UK edition of this title, but the use of the word "tyres" here only served as a jarring reminder to me that the author was writing about an area that he might not know that much about it. Sloppy editing, to be sure--something that could have been overlooked in a work of overall higher quality, but less forgivable in this book.
Jonah Miller is a forensic reviver near the top of his field, but one of his revivals brings back more than he intended. After speaking with the recently murdered Alice Decker, he ends up talking to an unknown, seemingly malevolent force. This encounter, coupled with the murder of a prominent figure in the revival world, leads him on a search for the truth behind what a reviver is really capable of.
The concept was interesting, and the spooky cover drew me in, but I think it could have become a better book than it did. Some of the characters struck me as flat, particularly Jonah's best friend, who seemed more an archetype than anything. A better ending would have definitely helped, but, as it was, the explanation for all the goings-on felt farfetched. With proper development and back story, maybe a few clues thrown in here and there, I might have been better able to accept the reason for Jonah's revival experiences, but instead the answers, such as they were, felt thrown at me during the last few chapters.
Two personal pet-peeves added annoyance to the overall experience. First there's a character named Never. It's a nickname, and kind of a silly one at that, but it had the annoying tendency of drawing my eye as I read. I read fairly quickly, and that's usually not a barrier to comprehension for me, but in this case I often had to remind myself that the author was referring to a name, not the word as defined in the dictionary. No one was actually saying "Never," even thought the word was glaring out of the page at me! (Ok... maybe this particular pet peeve really only reflects my own inadequacies, but the problem would have never existed if the character had just had a real name! George, Harry, Bartholomew... anything but "Never."
Secondly, Seth Patrick is an Irish-born writer who currently lives in England. He is writing a book that seems to be mostly set in the Virginia-North Carolina area. (One of the cities that he frequently references is Greensboro, which is only about an hour's drive south of me.) All this is fine, but I kept feeling a surge of annoyance when the American edition referred several times to the "tyres" on a car. I can understand using tyres in a book set in the UK, or even in the UK edition of this title, but the use of the word "tyres" here only served as a jarring reminder to me that the author was writing about an area that he might not know that much about it. Sloppy editing, to be sure--something that could have been overlooked in a work of overall higher quality, but less forgivable in this book.
August 21, 2013
I actually quite enjoyed this book, it was unique and different and was a cross between a crime / conspiracy novel with an unnerving supernatural vein running through it. However, even though I did like it, there were a few bumps in the road and you could tell it was a debut novel.
I loved the idea of certain people being able to raise the dead but in a more unconventional way that we would expect. Revivers do not bring back shambling rotting zombies, for a short period of time they are able to put your consciousness back into you body so you can discuss your death, say goodbye to a loved one, or identify your killer. But reviving is still a relatively unknown phenomena, and nobody is 100% sure what else could be pulled through the void when a reviver reaches in to find you in the dark...
The reviving aspect of the book was dealt with very well, and explored in a scientific way that made sense and seemed very real.
The first half of the book is quite slow going, there is a lot of very detailed scene setting, world building and character thoughts, so sometimes the flow and momentum suffered, and occasionally it felt a little bogged down.
Once we are fully immersed into the story in the second half of the book, the action picks up dramatically. There are many twists and turns revealed that are obviously going to be fully explored in the sequels to come, and I'm looking forward to delving further into the religious hints that were dropped.
I have high hopes for the next book, now that the initial difficulty of setting up the series has been overcome, I think it will be a much smoother ride.
I loved the idea of certain people being able to raise the dead but in a more unconventional way that we would expect. Revivers do not bring back shambling rotting zombies, for a short period of time they are able to put your consciousness back into you body so you can discuss your death, say goodbye to a loved one, or identify your killer. But reviving is still a relatively unknown phenomena, and nobody is 100% sure what else could be pulled through the void when a reviver reaches in to find you in the dark...
The reviving aspect of the book was dealt with very well, and explored in a scientific way that made sense and seemed very real.
The first half of the book is quite slow going, there is a lot of very detailed scene setting, world building and character thoughts, so sometimes the flow and momentum suffered, and occasionally it felt a little bogged down.
Once we are fully immersed into the story in the second half of the book, the action picks up dramatically. There are many twists and turns revealed that are obviously going to be fully explored in the sequels to come, and I'm looking forward to delving further into the religious hints that were dropped.
I have high hopes for the next book, now that the initial difficulty of setting up the series has been overcome, I think it will be a much smoother ride.
March 13, 2016
I’m going to be completely honest and admit that I was somewhat tentative about this read. I felt as though the idea – whilst somewhat simple – had a lot of potential and I feared for the worst. However, I can honestly say I was not at all disappointed. I was hooked within a few pages, sitting up all night to finish reading the book. With the ending I was suddenly curious as to whether there would be a second only to find out it is the first in a trilogy and was overjoyed! I will admit that I hate waiting around for the next book in a series – and by the time I get my hands on it I will probably be pulling my hair out from waiting – but I am seriously excited.
The story follows Jonah, a Forensic Reviver, someone with the ability to bring the dead back to ask them questions about how they died. During a revival he senses something out there, something dark and twisted, and soon the world he knew no longer seems to exist in quite the same way. Within a few pages you will be powering your way through the book, unwilling to put it down, wanting to know exactly what is waiting around the corner.
Pick it up, it’s worth it!
The story follows Jonah, a Forensic Reviver, someone with the ability to bring the dead back to ask them questions about how they died. During a revival he senses something out there, something dark and twisted, and soon the world he knew no longer seems to exist in quite the same way. Within a few pages you will be powering your way through the book, unwilling to put it down, wanting to know exactly what is waiting around the corner.
Pick it up, it’s worth it!
July 7, 2016
I'm a huge fan of Orphan Black. Reviver is not as well written but has many similar themes. We live in a world where nothing is beyond belief or science. People have strong views about reviving the soul to communicate with the living. There are those that will defend this practice and others will oppose. Some want to use it for good while others want to use it for their advantage (police, military) or for something even more ominous. REVIVER has plenty of conspiracies, twists, and action which made it a satisfying and worthwhile read. I am not a fan of trilogies and tend not to start them, but I did this one and was glad I did. It could have stood alone and I hope after reading book 2, Lost Souls, I won't be left wishing it was.
July 28, 2013
This was a brilliant book loved the story a different approach to the forensic type story. I can't write much as I really don't want to spoil it for potential readers. At times it had my skin crawling because it actually seemed feasible to talk to the not long dead in this manner. The ending was neat and tidy I wasn't left with any questions although there may be the potential for a follow on. I do hope Seth Patrick writes more along these lines as I am now a fan.
July 12, 2013
***Won in a Goodreads Giveaway***
Part ghost story, part murder mystery, part saving the world. A really great read, with very well written characters to go with the unusual premise.
I'd recommend this one.
Part ghost story, part murder mystery, part saving the world. A really great read, with very well written characters to go with the unusual premise.
I'd recommend this one.
February 13, 2014
This book is absolutely awesome, the best book I've ever read, can't wait for the next one! Can't recommend this book enough, this is a MUST read.
July 24, 2019
I probably wouldn't even have read Seth Patrick's novel Reviver (2013), but I noticed on the back cover a small review by SF author Neal Asher. I'm familiar with Asher's work and even share the Table of Contents with him in a recent SciFi anthology, so naturally I was intrigued.
A few weeks back, I was at the local branch of my little public library, and although I was already reading two books, found myself stuck there with my books and my beloved laptop still at home. So I started wandering the stacks. This library is small enough not to differentiate between general fiction, science fiction, and fantasy, so they are all intermixed. I was randomly strolling through, occasionally picking up and reading the summaries of various novels, when I happened upon "Reviver" and noticed Asher's name on the back cover. I figured, what the heck.
This is Seth Patrick's very first novel, and I can only imagine he went through quite a few iterations before he arrived at the final product I consumed. It was a terrific mix of horror, mystery, and a hint of speculative fiction. I know there are purists who detest that sort of thing, but I never was one for the extreme blood, guts, and gore of modern horror. Yes, there is graphic imagery in the novel, but nothing I couldn't handle, and the psychological horror totally hooked me.
The premise of the story revolves around people known as "revivers." They have the mysterious (presumably neurological) ability to summon the "souls" of dead people hours after they've died, but only for a few minutes before they must be permanently let go.
The protagonist, Jonah Miller is an experienced forensic reviver, someone who recalls the dead after a murder or other police involved death, to discover the identity of the killer or other vital information for a criminal case. He's also flawed, damaged, and utterly likeable.
Revivers work both in forensics and in private practice, but Jonah has chosen the former. However, through a set of circumstances he initially doesn't understand, after a difficult revival, he finds himself in contact with something else beyond the grave, something ancient and evil.
No one believes him, chalking up his experiences to overwork, stress, and after all, he did have a previous breakdown.
However, when award-winning novelist Daniel Harker, the man who broke the news of revival to the world, is murdered, presumably by fanatics who are zealously opposed to revival, Jonah, Harker's journalist daughter Annabel, and his friend and support technician "Never" Geary, find themselves embroiled in a conspiracy that transcends religious fanaticism, covert government experiments in revival as torture, and are thrown into the depths of true evil.
Mr. Patrick is Irish, and Geary also being from Ireland, is a nod to that, but the other characters are American and the action takes place in the U.S. Even if published for UK audiences, the editors did let slip the odd "Britishism" in the speech of Americans. I didn't write down each incident, so I can't give examples, and fortunately, they were minor enough not to drag me out of the narrative for very long.
Just to let you know, I stayed awake until early morning today finishing off "Reviver." Yes, it is a literal page turner.
I didn't know while reading it that this was the first book of a trilogy, but the Epilogue certainly set everything up for a sequel. I was a tad disappointed, because by that time, I was relating to Jonah as a person, and I know he needed the rest.
This one is pure horror, mystery, and fun, so it gets my highest recommendation. Go out and get a copy.
A few weeks back, I was at the local branch of my little public library, and although I was already reading two books, found myself stuck there with my books and my beloved laptop still at home. So I started wandering the stacks. This library is small enough not to differentiate between general fiction, science fiction, and fantasy, so they are all intermixed. I was randomly strolling through, occasionally picking up and reading the summaries of various novels, when I happened upon "Reviver" and noticed Asher's name on the back cover. I figured, what the heck.
This is Seth Patrick's very first novel, and I can only imagine he went through quite a few iterations before he arrived at the final product I consumed. It was a terrific mix of horror, mystery, and a hint of speculative fiction. I know there are purists who detest that sort of thing, but I never was one for the extreme blood, guts, and gore of modern horror. Yes, there is graphic imagery in the novel, but nothing I couldn't handle, and the psychological horror totally hooked me.
The premise of the story revolves around people known as "revivers." They have the mysterious (presumably neurological) ability to summon the "souls" of dead people hours after they've died, but only for a few minutes before they must be permanently let go.
The protagonist, Jonah Miller is an experienced forensic reviver, someone who recalls the dead after a murder or other police involved death, to discover the identity of the killer or other vital information for a criminal case. He's also flawed, damaged, and utterly likeable.
Revivers work both in forensics and in private practice, but Jonah has chosen the former. However, through a set of circumstances he initially doesn't understand, after a difficult revival, he finds himself in contact with something else beyond the grave, something ancient and evil.
No one believes him, chalking up his experiences to overwork, stress, and after all, he did have a previous breakdown.
However, when award-winning novelist Daniel Harker, the man who broke the news of revival to the world, is murdered, presumably by fanatics who are zealously opposed to revival, Jonah, Harker's journalist daughter Annabel, and his friend and support technician "Never" Geary, find themselves embroiled in a conspiracy that transcends religious fanaticism, covert government experiments in revival as torture, and are thrown into the depths of true evil.
Mr. Patrick is Irish, and Geary also being from Ireland, is a nod to that, but the other characters are American and the action takes place in the U.S. Even if published for UK audiences, the editors did let slip the odd "Britishism" in the speech of Americans. I didn't write down each incident, so I can't give examples, and fortunately, they were minor enough not to drag me out of the narrative for very long.
Just to let you know, I stayed awake until early morning today finishing off "Reviver." Yes, it is a literal page turner.
I didn't know while reading it that this was the first book of a trilogy, but the Epilogue certainly set everything up for a sequel. I was a tad disappointed, because by that time, I was relating to Jonah as a person, and I know he needed the rest.
This one is pure horror, mystery, and fun, so it gets my highest recommendation. Go out and get a copy.
May 25, 2022
Apparently, this was optioned for a screen adaptation before it was even published. I still don't get how that works. Did the people who optioned it get to read it? I really have to wonder, because this was published in 2014 and there still hasn't been an adaptation. I suspect those who bought the rights got an opportunity to then actually read it and realised there wasn't really much to work with. This is the first in a trilogy, and it would seem the next two books pretty much got released without anyone really caring. And you can kind of see why, because while this has a good concept and some workable moments, it doesn't exactly leave you raring to go for the next installment.
This is set in today's world, but in which certain people have a specialist skill known as reviving, in which the reviver can bring a person's soul back after death in order to find out how they died. It has been used to solve murders and mysterious deaths, and is even used privately so that people can say goodbye to loved ones. Like I said, it's a neat concept. Even more intriguing is the set-up, in which protagonist Jonah Miller gets the sense that an evil presence, possibly not human, is out there, trying to piggy-back into our world through a revival, when a woman he revives speaks in a voice that is not hers, saying, "We see you."
But then the book just dies in the ass. To be fair, a lot of this is devoted to world-building, so that we get the full picture of what a world with revivers is like, and those opposed to it, and the various ailments that can be suffered by revivers. The book never seemed to be going anywhere for the longest time, as it was filled with exposition about this thing that happened one time, and this other thing that happened this other time. By the time the book was going into detail about the "chill" experienced when a normal person touches a reviver, I was ready to tap out. I was so bored. (Plus, the whole "chill" aspect brings NOTHING to the story.) I put this down for days at a time.
So by the time the story finally kicks into gear, there's not much to work with. Is it about shadowy government organisations? Is it about an evil presence seeking to enter our world via another person's revival. The book kind of smushes the two together and it's a bit confusing and all over the place. The final quarter is reasonably exciting and entertaining, and that, along with the cool concept, saves this from one star. Points for originality, I guess! But protagonist Jonah Miller is a real wet rag Mary-Sue of a hero, and once all was said and done, I can't say I was particularly interested in what would happen in the next book.
This is set in today's world, but in which certain people have a specialist skill known as reviving, in which the reviver can bring a person's soul back after death in order to find out how they died. It has been used to solve murders and mysterious deaths, and is even used privately so that people can say goodbye to loved ones. Like I said, it's a neat concept. Even more intriguing is the set-up, in which protagonist Jonah Miller gets the sense that an evil presence, possibly not human, is out there, trying to piggy-back into our world through a revival, when a woman he revives speaks in a voice that is not hers, saying, "We see you."
But then the book just dies in the ass. To be fair, a lot of this is devoted to world-building, so that we get the full picture of what a world with revivers is like, and those opposed to it, and the various ailments that can be suffered by revivers. The book never seemed to be going anywhere for the longest time, as it was filled with exposition about this thing that happened one time, and this other thing that happened this other time. By the time the book was going into detail about the "chill" experienced when a normal person touches a reviver, I was ready to tap out. I was so bored. (Plus, the whole "chill" aspect brings NOTHING to the story.) I put this down for days at a time.
So by the time the story finally kicks into gear, there's not much to work with. Is it about shadowy government organisations? Is it about an evil presence seeking to enter our world via another person's revival. The book kind of smushes the two together and it's a bit confusing and all over the place. The final quarter is reasonably exciting and entertaining, and that, along with the cool concept, saves this from one star. Points for originality, I guess! But protagonist Jonah Miller is a real wet rag Mary-Sue of a hero, and once all was said and done, I can't say I was particularly interested in what would happen in the next book.
September 17, 2024
4.5 stars, rounded up.
Well, I am pleasantly surprised! I will actually go on to read the next two in this very obscure and little known (it seems to me) trilogy. The Goodreads page describes this book as CSI meets The Sixth Sense but I would go so far as to say it's closer to CSI meets The Omen meets Die Hard or another equally fun, action-packed movie.
The concept for this novel is so fresh and creates such an interesting platform or world to do so many different things with it, I'm surprised that this series isn't more popular overall. If they took this and turned it into a TV series, or a movie trilogy, it would do incredibly well. In fact, I think a TV series format would be even better as my only gripe with this book is that there are quite a few characters to keep track of. It reads like a real crime procedural, but that's because it was intended for long format consumption - three books (OR godammit, make it into a four-season TV show!)
I think as the second book delves deeper into the supernatural aspect of this series, it will either make or break the strength of the overall story. I guess I will see!
Well, I am pleasantly surprised! I will actually go on to read the next two in this very obscure and little known (it seems to me) trilogy. The Goodreads page describes this book as CSI meets The Sixth Sense but I would go so far as to say it's closer to CSI meets The Omen meets Die Hard or another equally fun, action-packed movie.
The concept for this novel is so fresh and creates such an interesting platform or world to do so many different things with it, I'm surprised that this series isn't more popular overall. If they took this and turned it into a TV series, or a movie trilogy, it would do incredibly well. In fact, I think a TV series format would be even better as my only gripe with this book is that there are quite a few characters to keep track of. It reads like a real crime procedural, but that's because it was intended for long format consumption - three books (OR godammit, make it into a four-season TV show!)
I think as the second book delves deeper into the supernatural aspect of this series, it will either make or break the strength of the overall story. I guess I will see!
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