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Hook
Shortly before he dies, an elderly enlightened Teacher in India finds a way to leave his body and remain suspended in a dimension somewhere between life and death. Only Rahul, his loyal student, knows about the Teacher's plans, as the dying man gives him instructions for the future before leaving his body. Meanwhile, Konstantinos, a successful 35-year-old bachelor and owner of a software company, finds himself in the middle of the Teacher's grand plan without realizing it. His life is radically changed, along with that of the woman he loves and everyone else around them, as they all become involved in something so huge, it could positively alter the course of humanity.
Hook can be found on Amazon in paperback and kindle formats: http://www.amazon.com/HOOK-ebook/dp/B...
Hook can be found on Amazon in paperback and kindle formats: http://www.amazon.com/HOOK-ebook/dp/B...
170 pages, Paperback
First published September 14, 2011
3 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Nicolas Tsamis
5 books25 followersNicolas Tsamis (www.ntsamis.com) was born and raised in Athens, Greece. He works as a freelance program analyst while also writing. "Hook" is his first published novel, awarded as "Novel of the year 2011" in Greece. Two more novels have been published till now but not yet translated in English. The first one is "Buddy", which is actually the second part of the "Hook" sequel, and the second one is "The Coordinator" which is a stand alone novel on science fiction genre.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
March 22, 2013
*Copy courtesy of the author, Nicolas Tsamis, in exchange for an honest review.*
3.5 Stars
"You confront the fear of death by trying to bury it under an ongoing search for sensual pleasure, amassing goods and trying to remain young. You hold on to life and lose sight of its deeper meaning."
Can a single action determine the fate of the world? Will you sacrifice yourself for the sake of all?
I was pleasantly surprised of this book by Greek author Nicolas Tsamis. Let's see what is it about:
India: An enlightened Teacher dies peacefully but with a secret agenda, among his students.
Virginia, USA: A scientist on the verge of his greatest scientific breakthrough, is plagued by sleepless nights and weird dreams.
Athens, Greece: Konstantinos, a successful businessman, is watching the news about a talking dog sprouting eastern philosophy mantras and advices to people. He is unaware that his life is about change forever.
These are just the first, in a series of seemingly unrelated events that will alter the course of humanity.
Hook is Konstantinos' parrot and the maestro in our story. Possessed by the Teacher's spirit, he warns him that to save the Earth's future he must step aside and let his loved one meet her true soul-mate. Devastating events occur and Konstantinos makes the sacrifice. But now the universe must compensate him, or else everything will be lost...
“Nature abhors a vacuum.” François Rabelais
I really liked how this book encompassed philosophy, enlightment, karma and reincarnation.
The general respect towards religion and even agnosticism is apparent throughout the book. All the interactions between the characters are realistic and emotional and I loved the meaning that this book intentionally or unintentionally spreads:
I read this book in both greek and english. It is entertaining and fast-paced. It leaves you content and a little bit wiser. But I found, that sometimes the plot was all over the place, too much was going on and leaving you unable to focus, with events and the narration taking us from person to person all around the world. Also, I think that too much attention was given to unrelated details. In all, I was a little confused and my head ached from too much information...
Last but not least, the sight of a parrot giving life-altering ultimatums was slightly ridiculous (and hilarious)!
Despite my misgivings, this book is definitely worthy of more attention.
Nicolas Tsamis is an author to watch out for!
3.5 Stars
"You confront the fear of death by trying to bury it under an ongoing search for sensual pleasure, amassing goods and trying to remain young. You hold on to life and lose sight of its deeper meaning."
Can a single action determine the fate of the world? Will you sacrifice yourself for the sake of all?
I was pleasantly surprised of this book by Greek author Nicolas Tsamis. Let's see what is it about:
India: An enlightened Teacher dies peacefully but with a secret agenda, among his students.
Virginia, USA: A scientist on the verge of his greatest scientific breakthrough, is plagued by sleepless nights and weird dreams.
Athens, Greece: Konstantinos, a successful businessman, is watching the news about a talking dog sprouting eastern philosophy mantras and advices to people. He is unaware that his life is about change forever.
These are just the first, in a series of seemingly unrelated events that will alter the course of humanity.
Hook is Konstantinos' parrot and the maestro in our story. Possessed by the Teacher's spirit, he warns him that to save the Earth's future he must step aside and let his loved one meet her true soul-mate. Devastating events occur and Konstantinos makes the sacrifice. But now the universe must compensate him, or else everything will be lost...
“Nature abhors a vacuum.” François Rabelais
I really liked how this book encompassed philosophy, enlightment, karma and reincarnation.
The general respect towards religion and even agnosticism is apparent throughout the book. All the interactions between the characters are realistic and emotional and I loved the meaning that this book intentionally or unintentionally spreads:
LOVE IS DESTINED AND WILL SAVE THE WORLD
I read this book in both greek and english. It is entertaining and fast-paced. It leaves you content and a little bit wiser. But I found, that sometimes the plot was all over the place, too much was going on and leaving you unable to focus, with events and the narration taking us from person to person all around the world. Also, I think that too much attention was given to unrelated details. In all, I was a little confused and my head ached from too much information...
Last but not least, the sight of a parrot giving life-altering ultimatums was slightly ridiculous (and hilarious)!
Despite my misgivings, this book is definitely worthy of more attention.
Nicolas Tsamis is an author to watch out for!
January 16, 2013
I was sent a copy of this book by the author for review.
The synopsis of this book is very perplexing. Some of the concepts seemed a bit out there. It is about a spirit that can inhabit any body and it is trying to save humanity. In the beginning of the book we are introduced to Rahul, a man studying under Teacher (the spirit). The Teacher has died and with the knowledge of his plans, Rahul needs to find him in his next life. The second main character is Konstantinos, a Greek businessman. He was watching a talking dog on TV (the spirit), when his parrot Hook starts talking to him (hence the name of the book). The spirit tells him that he needs to get his lover to have a baby with another man, so that the spirit can be reborn and save humanity. Along with all of this science fiction stuff there is religion, philosophy, CIA, a ton of other stuff.
At the start of the book, I wasn't sure how much I would like it. The writing seemed a bit questionable and the point of view was all over the place. This continues throughout the entire book, and it can get a bit confusing. After I got into the whole story, I was really enjoying it. But I don't know, I wasn't able to read any of it for a few days because of a lot of homework and studying and when I finally got back to it (today) it was lagging a bit. Maybe because the flow stopped or something. I also think another bad thing was how the ending was very anticlimactic. I'm not sure if there is going to be a sequel or not, but I wasn't exactly satisfied with how things turned out.
I don't know. I probably wouldn't have read this if the author had contacted me, but I'm glad I read it. I'm also thankful for the author sending me a PDF copy because I have no money for Kindle books and stuff at the moment. But I think this book will definitely appeal to readers who enjoy more serious books that have religion and philosophy in a fictional format.
The synopsis of this book is very perplexing. Some of the concepts seemed a bit out there. It is about a spirit that can inhabit any body and it is trying to save humanity. In the beginning of the book we are introduced to Rahul, a man studying under Teacher (the spirit). The Teacher has died and with the knowledge of his plans, Rahul needs to find him in his next life. The second main character is Konstantinos, a Greek businessman. He was watching a talking dog on TV (the spirit), when his parrot Hook starts talking to him (hence the name of the book). The spirit tells him that he needs to get his lover to have a baby with another man, so that the spirit can be reborn and save humanity. Along with all of this science fiction stuff there is religion, philosophy, CIA, a ton of other stuff.
At the start of the book, I wasn't sure how much I would like it. The writing seemed a bit questionable and the point of view was all over the place. This continues throughout the entire book, and it can get a bit confusing. After I got into the whole story, I was really enjoying it. But I don't know, I wasn't able to read any of it for a few days because of a lot of homework and studying and when I finally got back to it (today) it was lagging a bit. Maybe because the flow stopped or something. I also think another bad thing was how the ending was very anticlimactic. I'm not sure if there is going to be a sequel or not, but I wasn't exactly satisfied with how things turned out.
I don't know. I probably wouldn't have read this if the author had contacted me, but I'm glad I read it. I'm also thankful for the author sending me a PDF copy because I have no money for Kindle books and stuff at the moment. But I think this book will definitely appeal to readers who enjoy more serious books that have religion and philosophy in a fictional format.
November 26, 2012
just loved it!
i couldn't stop reading until the book was done, and even then, i stayed with the strong desire of 'what's gonna happen next..'
Recounts in detail and delineates the characters of the story with so much wisdom that makes them perfectly affordable-could that be your friends or people who live in the apartment opposite.
brilliant and jocularity approaches with affability the most serious of all the matters .. How the man has forgotten how to be human by sacrificing his mental equilibrium on the altar of money and social appearances thus result the most disastrous of all his works.
and then within the so realistic scenario, enters the divine inspiration and vigilance in the form of an illuminated ... parrot!
reminds me kind of a Tom Robbins books.
well done and thousand congrats to the creator.
i couldn't stop reading until the book was done, and even then, i stayed with the strong desire of 'what's gonna happen next..'
Recounts in detail and delineates the characters of the story with so much wisdom that makes them perfectly affordable-could that be your friends or people who live in the apartment opposite.
brilliant and jocularity approaches with affability the most serious of all the matters .. How the man has forgotten how to be human by sacrificing his mental equilibrium on the altar of money and social appearances thus result the most disastrous of all his works.
and then within the so realistic scenario, enters the divine inspiration and vigilance in the form of an illuminated ... parrot!
reminds me kind of a Tom Robbins books.
well done and thousand congrats to the creator.
December 28, 2012
Well... I had things to do this morning... but I started to read Hook and wasn't able to put it down until I finished so those things remain undone... just as well I'm on vacation!
I approached this book with a little trepidation as I had read a review likening it to a Dan Brown novel, and I thought, oh no, not another copycat "religious relic conspiracy" novel, but Hook took me by surprise. Told from the varying viewpoints of the main protagonists in the story, this is a complex tale involving reincarnation, an abduction of a scientist, a romance, the imminent destruction of the earth and the creation of a possible saviour, however surprisingly it was an enjoyably easy read. Tsamis has created an original story that generally moves at a fair pace, though he does tend to get a little didactic at times (we could have done without a few of the mini history lessons, like the history of Google for example, as they did slow the plot down) I genuinely cared about the characters, and was particularly intrigued by Hanks, wondering who he was and how he was going to fit into the story. My biggest criticism of Hook was that it all ended quite suddenly, I was ready for at least another hour's reading before the resolution, only to see I had another 20 or so pages to go and couldn't imagine how Tsamis could finish the story in so few pages. This story also lacks the large body count you often get in thrillers these days, so I suspect that Tsamis likes his characters a little too well to go bumping them off to progress the plot !
Despite the thought provoking subject matter, this is a great Summer holiday read and one I'd recommend.
A disclosure: Nicolas Tsamis sent me a copy of Hook to read and asked if I would review it. This is my unbiased and honest assessment.
I approached this book with a little trepidation as I had read a review likening it to a Dan Brown novel, and I thought, oh no, not another copycat "religious relic conspiracy" novel, but Hook took me by surprise. Told from the varying viewpoints of the main protagonists in the story, this is a complex tale involving reincarnation, an abduction of a scientist, a romance, the imminent destruction of the earth and the creation of a possible saviour, however surprisingly it was an enjoyably easy read. Tsamis has created an original story that generally moves at a fair pace, though he does tend to get a little didactic at times (we could have done without a few of the mini history lessons, like the history of Google for example, as they did slow the plot down) I genuinely cared about the characters, and was particularly intrigued by Hanks, wondering who he was and how he was going to fit into the story. My biggest criticism of Hook was that it all ended quite suddenly, I was ready for at least another hour's reading before the resolution, only to see I had another 20 or so pages to go and couldn't imagine how Tsamis could finish the story in so few pages. This story also lacks the large body count you often get in thrillers these days, so I suspect that Tsamis likes his characters a little too well to go bumping them off to progress the plot !
Despite the thought provoking subject matter, this is a great Summer holiday read and one I'd recommend.
A disclosure: Nicolas Tsamis sent me a copy of Hook to read and asked if I would review it. This is my unbiased and honest assessment.
November 7, 2012
A great book by all means! Each new page surprised me. I couldn't put it down so it took me just 7 hours to finish it. The plot is amazing. Congrats on Nicolas Tsamis!!
November 28, 2012
Let me start off by saying that I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair review. Having the utmost respect for anyone who can actually complete and publish a book, I was very eager to love it. BUT…it didn’t quite happen that way.
It started out feeling very scattered to me. It seemed very ADHD. For example, I was only on page 17 and it was already in chapter 7, and each chapter seemed to change from one characters perspective to another. Once I almost started getting a feel for one character, it switched to a different one. Then a few times it was very unclear whose perspective you’re reading from until several paragraphs in, so the whole picture you’re trying desperately to form gets blown out of the water when you realize it was not who you thought it was.
I started getting more interested when I got to thirty or so pages. I think that’s when I finally became familiar with the main characters. They were well-created, likable characters, and most of the dialog was good, but there were only a handful of times when I felt intimately connected.
The author must be quite an intellectual because there were several parts that felt like a well written lecture in religious history, philosophy, environmental corruption, and economics. Though some of this information was vital to the storyline, it involved such deep revelations that it became a chore to read. On the other hand, there were many parts that felt much more personal and made me almost laugh out loud or feel the pain of the character. Along that same line, there were a few things included in the writing that may have brought the word count up but I felt wasted my time. (The book report on Google being an example.)
In my opinion, this book suffers from a multiple personality disorder – Was it political suspense? Paranormal romance? Spiritual fiction? It was all of these rolled up into one, which was a bit much for me to really enjoy it. It was very interesting and certainly not like anything I’ve read recently. But it was also one of those books that I really didn’t mind when I finally finished reading it.
Leaving on a positive note….I believe Mr. Tsamis is a talented, knowledgeable writer and did an incredible job of portraying character perspectives from a wide variety of cultures. He was able to transition his writing from a Greek businessman to an eastern philosopher to an American CIA agent among many others. In reviewing all of the other reviews, maybe it was the reader who fell short here and not the writer. Who knows!it was also one of those books that I really didn’t mind when I finally finished reading it.
It started out feeling very scattered to me. It seemed very ADHD. For example, I was only on page 17 and it was already in chapter 7, and each chapter seemed to change from one characters perspective to another. Once I almost started getting a feel for one character, it switched to a different one. Then a few times it was very unclear whose perspective you’re reading from until several paragraphs in, so the whole picture you’re trying desperately to form gets blown out of the water when you realize it was not who you thought it was.
I started getting more interested when I got to thirty or so pages. I think that’s when I finally became familiar with the main characters. They were well-created, likable characters, and most of the dialog was good, but there were only a handful of times when I felt intimately connected.
The author must be quite an intellectual because there were several parts that felt like a well written lecture in religious history, philosophy, environmental corruption, and economics. Though some of this information was vital to the storyline, it involved such deep revelations that it became a chore to read. On the other hand, there were many parts that felt much more personal and made me almost laugh out loud or feel the pain of the character. Along that same line, there were a few things included in the writing that may have brought the word count up but I felt wasted my time. (The book report on Google being an example.)
In my opinion, this book suffers from a multiple personality disorder – Was it political suspense? Paranormal romance? Spiritual fiction? It was all of these rolled up into one, which was a bit much for me to really enjoy it. It was very interesting and certainly not like anything I’ve read recently. But it was also one of those books that I really didn’t mind when I finally finished reading it.
Leaving on a positive note….I believe Mr. Tsamis is a talented, knowledgeable writer and did an incredible job of portraying character perspectives from a wide variety of cultures. He was able to transition his writing from a Greek businessman to an eastern philosopher to an American CIA agent among many others. In reviewing all of the other reviews, maybe it was the reader who fell short here and not the writer. Who knows!it was also one of those books that I really didn’t mind when I finally finished reading it.
January 25, 2013
This was a more interesting book than I expected!! When I got contacted by the author asking me if I wanted to review his book, I was a bit hesitant at first, thinking that this is not really my kind of book. Fortunately, I agreed and only after a few pages into it, all my doubts were dispelled. This book starts fast and just keeps going. Things just keep happening, there's absolutely no downtime between events and there are almost no filler-pages. The author had a very interesting story to tell and he did just that. Maybe that's why this is shorter than an average novel, having just under 200 pages but I see this a plus and not a minus.
The characters are all really well made and each has a distinct style and personality, no generic cookie-cutter cliches here. The dialogues are really refreshing, it's been a long time since I read a book with such realistic and life-like dialogue (based on the greek edition of the novel). The plot is really unique and believe me when I say that there's no easy way to summarize it in a few phrases, what with all the plot-twists and the insanely fast pace of things happening.
Not all is perfect though. The "love-relationship" parts didn't really connect with me, they felt a bit strange the way things escalated and evolved. Also, there was occassional info-dumps that really felt out of place and stuck out of the captivating and frenetic pace of the story. Finally, the ending felt rushed, as if the author run out of steam during the last few chapters. Or maybe he cut part of the story in order to make a sequel... I can't possibly know, but the last few chapters felt rushed and incomplete to me.
But my gripes certainly do not take away from the general enjoyment of this book. I read the greek version and parts of the english one, and while the translation is very good, I would definitely recommend the greek version to greek readers, mostly due to the beautifully natural dialogues that unfortunately loose their kick in the translation.
Well done mr Tsamis... now I wish my dogs spoke too... :)
The characters are all really well made and each has a distinct style and personality, no generic cookie-cutter cliches here. The dialogues are really refreshing, it's been a long time since I read a book with such realistic and life-like dialogue (based on the greek edition of the novel). The plot is really unique and believe me when I say that there's no easy way to summarize it in a few phrases, what with all the plot-twists and the insanely fast pace of things happening.
Not all is perfect though. The "love-relationship" parts didn't really connect with me, they felt a bit strange the way things escalated and evolved. Also, there was occassional info-dumps that really felt out of place and stuck out of the captivating and frenetic pace of the story. Finally, the ending felt rushed, as if the author run out of steam during the last few chapters. Or maybe he cut part of the story in order to make a sequel... I can't possibly know, but the last few chapters felt rushed and incomplete to me.
But my gripes certainly do not take away from the general enjoyment of this book. I read the greek version and parts of the english one, and while the translation is very good, I would definitely recommend the greek version to greek readers, mostly due to the beautifully natural dialogues that unfortunately loose their kick in the translation.
Well done mr Tsamis... now I wish my dogs spoke too... :)
February 17, 2013
Boy am I glad that I always email authors requesting reviews that I will be honest, because if I had a paperback of this piece I would have labelled it 'fire-starting'
I felt like the author must have read a book on how to write, then purposefully decided to break every rule. Not in a 'I'm startlingly original' fashion, but in a 'I want to torture the reader' style.
The first 100 pages are completely empty of tension or mystery - a yogi has decided to possess the protagonist's parrot Hook and tells him he must break up with his current girlfriend. This might have contained some suspense if said protag hadn't just hired the hottest secretary every imagined (SPOILER, he hooks up with her.) Yogi/Hook proceed to spell out an entire plan to save the world, that not only goes exactly according to, but the only concern being whether Mr protag accepts it (SPOILER, he does instantly)
After page 100 the CIA is introduced, but somehow fails to add any drama. All the action is spoken about in generalities, and the author uses a bizarre technique I will call fore-lighting, where a CIA agent that almost looks like he might be the bad-guy reveals 'who would have thought in my future I would join the good-guys and ensure their success?'
The only reason this piece extends to bookish length is the pointless information dumps covering the Greek economy, Google, Tantric Sex and reincarnation lore.
Glancing over the other reviews, I'm not sure how anyone else has enjoyed this piece- I only completed it because I agreed to a review. The only positive I can provide is Hook was free of spelling errors and well proof-read.
I felt like the author must have read a book on how to write, then purposefully decided to break every rule. Not in a 'I'm startlingly original' fashion, but in a 'I want to torture the reader' style.
The first 100 pages are completely empty of tension or mystery - a yogi has decided to possess the protagonist's parrot Hook and tells him he must break up with his current girlfriend. This might have contained some suspense if said protag hadn't just hired the hottest secretary every imagined (SPOILER, he hooks up with her.) Yogi/Hook proceed to spell out an entire plan to save the world, that not only goes exactly according to, but the only concern being whether Mr protag accepts it (SPOILER, he does instantly)
After page 100 the CIA is introduced, but somehow fails to add any drama. All the action is spoken about in generalities, and the author uses a bizarre technique I will call fore-lighting, where a CIA agent that almost looks like he might be the bad-guy reveals 'who would have thought in my future I would join the good-guys and ensure their success?'
The only reason this piece extends to bookish length is the pointless information dumps covering the Greek economy, Google, Tantric Sex and reincarnation lore.
Glancing over the other reviews, I'm not sure how anyone else has enjoyed this piece- I only completed it because I agreed to a review. The only positive I can provide is Hook was free of spelling errors and well proof-read.
January 16, 2013
In India, an elderly enlightened Teacher discovers a way to leave his body before death and postpone the final stage of his existence. In Greece, Konstantinos is approached by the Teacher who speaks to him through Konstantinos’ pet parrot, Hook. Hook informs Konstantinos that his girlfriend is in her last life before enlightenment and she must meet and fall in love with another man in order for them to have the child that will save the world from its own destruction. Will Konstantinos be able to give up the woman he loves? Can he find happiness after his life is shifted on its foundation?
Hook tells an entrancing story through several characters viewpoints. People in India, Greece, and America all come together as friend and foe to help and try to stop the Teacher’s plan. The book as a whole is truly enjoyable and I don’t regret any of the time I spent reading it. Many parts of the dialog were stunted, but I believe that may have happened during translation. I read the book after Nicolas Tsamis offered to provide a free reader’s pdf, but I received my copy from Amazon’s Lending Library instead. Hook is a quick enjoyable read that will leave the reader thinking about what actions they may be taking that would affect the entire world. The books would have been even better if it was a little longer and the ending was developed more.
Hook tells an entrancing story through several characters viewpoints. People in India, Greece, and America all come together as friend and foe to help and try to stop the Teacher’s plan. The book as a whole is truly enjoyable and I don’t regret any of the time I spent reading it. Many parts of the dialog were stunted, but I believe that may have happened during translation. I read the book after Nicolas Tsamis offered to provide a free reader’s pdf, but I received my copy from Amazon’s Lending Library instead. Hook is a quick enjoyable read that will leave the reader thinking about what actions they may be taking that would affect the entire world. The books would have been even better if it was a little longer and the ending was developed more.
November 30, 2012
A friend of mine advised me to read a book by Nick Tsamis called HOOK which he described as a different style of Dan Brown. Although this is not down my alley of reading material I decided to begin reading the book with the thought that I could always drop it if I did not like it.
Well it turns out that I was wonderfully surprised and read it to the end rather quickly. Each chapter is written from the perspective of one of the main characters which in the beginning might seem confusing, but once you catch on it flows easily. It has simple people who are living day to day lives trying to grapple with world environmental problems, so it is easy to associate with them. It brings together eastern religion and philosophy with the CIA. It is all done such a simple and laid back manner that you do not realize it until the end feeling you want more. If Dan Brown had written the story it would have been at least 1,000 pages long yet it is all over in 250 pages. To tell the truth I would have preferred more build up and action in the plot but then it might have ruined the distinct positive feeling that the book gives you all the way to the end. Not to mention Nick Tsamis hilarious humor.
On the whole I must say it is no Stairway to Heaven but it sure gets your foot tapping!
Well it turns out that I was wonderfully surprised and read it to the end rather quickly. Each chapter is written from the perspective of one of the main characters which in the beginning might seem confusing, but once you catch on it flows easily. It has simple people who are living day to day lives trying to grapple with world environmental problems, so it is easy to associate with them. It brings together eastern religion and philosophy with the CIA. It is all done such a simple and laid back manner that you do not realize it until the end feeling you want more. If Dan Brown had written the story it would have been at least 1,000 pages long yet it is all over in 250 pages. To tell the truth I would have preferred more build up and action in the plot but then it might have ruined the distinct positive feeling that the book gives you all the way to the end. Not to mention Nick Tsamis hilarious humor.
On the whole I must say it is no Stairway to Heaven but it sure gets your foot tapping!
March 9, 2013
Let's see... 5 out 5 for concept, ideas and overall research and the underlying meaning behind this book. 3 out 5 for some of the bits (particularly in the first 50 pages) that need some serious review and revision by the author in terms of phrase construction and scene setting (i.e. mostly forced and trying to impose on the reader the specific feelings rather than trusting the reader to understand from the actual physical description). Thus 4 stars seems fair!
So basically, if the Mr. Tsamis goes back and adds a little to the start to flesh it out a bit, trusts his readers to understand the underlying implications of the scene, then the book will be significantly easier to get into.
The ending while rewarding, actually, let me rephrase, VERY rewarding, does seem to come way to soon in that there's so many opportunities to really raise the tension and build a greater climax. I especially felt that one of the 'villains' could have had a much greater role in the book and done a lot more to hamper and prevent the protagonists while at the same time the sacrifice made at the end could therefore have been so much more significant and rewarding if he had had to fight the machinations he had set in motion more vigourously.
Anyways, I'm nitpicking, the book is awesome. READ IT!
So basically, if the Mr. Tsamis goes back and adds a little to the start to flesh it out a bit, trusts his readers to understand the underlying implications of the scene, then the book will be significantly easier to get into.
The ending while rewarding, actually, let me rephrase, VERY rewarding, does seem to come way to soon in that there's so many opportunities to really raise the tension and build a greater climax. I especially felt that one of the 'villains' could have had a much greater role in the book and done a lot more to hamper and prevent the protagonists while at the same time the sacrifice made at the end could therefore have been so much more significant and rewarding if he had had to fight the machinations he had set in motion more vigourously.
Anyways, I'm nitpicking, the book is awesome. READ IT!
November 30, 2012
This book was given to me by the author in return for an honest review (how cool is that! :D )
What happens when animals start talking? And what happens when they make totally sense?
And what is the connection between a Greek businessman, and Indian monk, a well kept scientific experiment and a CIA manhunt.
If you are interested well you better get your hands in this book because there are more truths to be revealed.
Several almost irrelevant stories come together in a scheme of epic proportions that brings people from all across the globe in the center of an event meant to change all mankind.
I loved the author’s voice, his way of thought and reasoning was very familiar to me and his knowledge of science, religion and economics shows me that he has done his homework.
Overall I really liked it and especially the religious note was a revelation.
What happens when animals start talking? And what happens when they make totally sense?
And what is the connection between a Greek businessman, and Indian monk, a well kept scientific experiment and a CIA manhunt.
If you are interested well you better get your hands in this book because there are more truths to be revealed.
Several almost irrelevant stories come together in a scheme of epic proportions that brings people from all across the globe in the center of an event meant to change all mankind.
I loved the author’s voice, his way of thought and reasoning was very familiar to me and his knowledge of science, religion and economics shows me that he has done his homework.
Overall I really liked it and especially the religious note was a revelation.
November 7, 2012
An interesting combination between the real and the surreal but without risking to become a fairy tale, the Hook gives a lot of food-for-thought to the reader. Even thought the author has a good and accurate perspective of the Greek pre-crisis upper middle class society , he has enough knowledge and experience as to "travel" through different countries and most important different mentalities and philosophies, "entangling" its characters and the unfolding of the story in what at the end becomes a "global" philosophical scenery.
The best part is the "conversations" and the "attitude" of, who else, the Hook!
The best part is the "conversations" and the "attitude" of, who else, the Hook!
November 5, 2012
Hook is a complete joy to read...There is a pleasant mix of reality, fantasy,mystery,love and humor that makes you read it in just one night (as I did. I couldn't put it down!).I would love to see it on the big screen! I cannot wait to read his next one!
February 10, 2013
One day, I found an inbox from the author of this book, asking me if I wanted to read it and leave an honest review. Of course, I said yes, because the only thing better than a book is a free book!
I was given the choice of having it sent to me either in English or in Greek. I speak Greek, Italian and English, so if a book is originally written in one of those, I prefer reading it in its original language. So I chose greek (it may seem irrelevant, but I'll get to that later on).
The plot
"Shortly before he dies, an elderly enlightened Teacher in India finds a way to leave his body and remain suspended in a dimension somewhere between life and death. Only Rahul, his loyal student, knows about the Teacher's plans, as the dying man gives him instructions for the future before leaving his body.
Meanwhile, Konstantinos, a successful 35-year-old bachelor and owner of a software company, finds himself in the middle of the Teacher's grand plan without realizing it. His life is radically changed, along with that of the woman he loves and everyone else around them, as they all become involved in something so huge, it could positively alter the course of humanity."
(taken by the book's GoodReads page.)
What do I think?
It's been a while since a book had me this confused on whether to like it or not. In the end, I like it, but there are some points that had quite a negative effect on what I thought of it. Don't be alarmed of how much longer the "didn't like it" part is, the scale is in favor of the book!
Why I liked it
The way it was written kept me interested. Every chapter was from a different character's point of view, so I didn't get the chance to get annoyed and leave it for later. The plot unravels in a reasonable pace, not too quickly, not too slow. It's easy to keep up and it kept me wondering of what will happen.
The idea of the book was really interesting. It was really close to my ideals. Planet Earth is being mistreated and the human race is so corrupted that it worsens the situation day by day. So, I loved the idea of some people trying to save it, never being blinded by greed and selfishness.
Why I didn't like it
Being half greek and raised in Greece, there were a few things that seemed unnatural to me. First of all, something that I've noticed in many modern greek authors; the dialogues, at least between the greeks of the story, were not quite natural. They didn't seem "everyday talk" to me. It's clear that the author tried to make them sound natural, but he didn't succeed in that. He used expressions and words that are nice on paper, but you rarely hear on everyday life, by everyday people.
Which brings us to the next point: everyday people. Greece is a country strongly attached to its religion, which is the Eastern Orthodox Christianity. It may be influenced by other cultures and open to the idea that there people believe in other religions too, but family and school teach a kid to believe in God. I don't, by the way, I'm not trying to convert anyone here. It's just the reason it was hard for me to believe that some characters in the book were so easily convinced by a talking parrot and end up having spiritual sessions with a Buddhist monk. I was convinced by Mirna and maybe Nikos, but it was very hard for me to picture a young head of a rising software company, his partner, a husband and father of two, and his secretary, a beautiful tennis instructor in her late 20s, none of whom had a previous contact with that kind of religion and spirituality, being so open about such a situation.
I also didn't care much about the chapters that didn't refer to any character, but seemed like bits taken from a modern encyclopedia, with the only purpose of informing the reader about key subjects of the book. I don't have an alternative in mind, but they left me neutral. I liked the information and the chapters were not boring to read, but they didn't "click" with the rest of the book in my mind.
And, finally, I was a bit disappointed that it didn't reach a climax. There was anticipation for something big, that didn't happen. I guess maybe that was the point, since there's already a second book. It was a bit "lukewarm", like we say in Greece!
And one last, tiny detail. As a huge horse lover, in the only page in the book that horses are mentioned, I was bothered by a small detail that shows that the writer didn't make much effort to research some simple things.
Overall, I liked the book. If someone asked me if they should read it, I would say yes. It's something different, especially for a Greek author. But after the reviews I read, I expected something more, something more intense than what I read. But I think I'll read the second book as well at some point.
I was given the choice of having it sent to me either in English or in Greek. I speak Greek, Italian and English, so if a book is originally written in one of those, I prefer reading it in its original language. So I chose greek (it may seem irrelevant, but I'll get to that later on).
The plot
"Shortly before he dies, an elderly enlightened Teacher in India finds a way to leave his body and remain suspended in a dimension somewhere between life and death. Only Rahul, his loyal student, knows about the Teacher's plans, as the dying man gives him instructions for the future before leaving his body.
Meanwhile, Konstantinos, a successful 35-year-old bachelor and owner of a software company, finds himself in the middle of the Teacher's grand plan without realizing it. His life is radically changed, along with that of the woman he loves and everyone else around them, as they all become involved in something so huge, it could positively alter the course of humanity."
(taken by the book's GoodReads page.)
What do I think?
It's been a while since a book had me this confused on whether to like it or not. In the end, I like it, but there are some points that had quite a negative effect on what I thought of it. Don't be alarmed of how much longer the "didn't like it" part is, the scale is in favor of the book!
Why I liked it
The way it was written kept me interested. Every chapter was from a different character's point of view, so I didn't get the chance to get annoyed and leave it for later. The plot unravels in a reasonable pace, not too quickly, not too slow. It's easy to keep up and it kept me wondering of what will happen.
The idea of the book was really interesting. It was really close to my ideals. Planet Earth is being mistreated and the human race is so corrupted that it worsens the situation day by day. So, I loved the idea of some people trying to save it, never being blinded by greed and selfishness.
Why I didn't like it
Being half greek and raised in Greece, there were a few things that seemed unnatural to me. First of all, something that I've noticed in many modern greek authors; the dialogues, at least between the greeks of the story, were not quite natural. They didn't seem "everyday talk" to me. It's clear that the author tried to make them sound natural, but he didn't succeed in that. He used expressions and words that are nice on paper, but you rarely hear on everyday life, by everyday people.
Which brings us to the next point: everyday people. Greece is a country strongly attached to its religion, which is the Eastern Orthodox Christianity. It may be influenced by other cultures and open to the idea that there people believe in other religions too, but family and school teach a kid to believe in God. I don't, by the way, I'm not trying to convert anyone here. It's just the reason it was hard for me to believe that some characters in the book were so easily convinced by a talking parrot and end up having spiritual sessions with a Buddhist monk. I was convinced by Mirna and maybe Nikos, but it was very hard for me to picture a young head of a rising software company, his partner, a husband and father of two, and his secretary, a beautiful tennis instructor in her late 20s, none of whom had a previous contact with that kind of religion and spirituality, being so open about such a situation.
I also didn't care much about the chapters that didn't refer to any character, but seemed like bits taken from a modern encyclopedia, with the only purpose of informing the reader about key subjects of the book. I don't have an alternative in mind, but they left me neutral. I liked the information and the chapters were not boring to read, but they didn't "click" with the rest of the book in my mind.
And, finally, I was a bit disappointed that it didn't reach a climax. There was anticipation for something big, that didn't happen. I guess maybe that was the point, since there's already a second book. It was a bit "lukewarm", like we say in Greece!
And one last, tiny detail. As a huge horse lover, in the only page in the book that horses are mentioned, I was bothered by a small detail that shows that the writer didn't make much effort to research some simple things.
Overall, I liked the book. If someone asked me if they should read it, I would say yes. It's something different, especially for a Greek author. But after the reviews I read, I expected something more, something more intense than what I read. But I think I'll read the second book as well at some point.
July 4, 2013
To put things straight this was a better book than what Dan Brown writes. I especially choose Dan Brown for comparison because that’s where I would expect to read similar themes. And when I say “better” I mean where Dan Brown is infuriating this was merely frustrating.
To put the worst things behind us and move to the least negative stuff i feel obliged to point out that its been a long time that I have encountered a text that radiates such complete ignorance of socio politic relations and human nature. There is not a single identifiable human character in this book and that’s the only reason I will let the abominably sexist and slanted depiction of female characters slide. Of which there are three. One is an elderly housekeeper who is happy to have someone to cook for. The second is a secretary who instantly falls desperately in love with her boss and is at a certain time described as a “thoroughbred”... for really… And the third one is the charm. The pinnacle of the female human soul that has completed its symbiotic journey on this planet living through a multitude of lives and has come to the end of the road in perfect balance, ready to become one with the universe is described as… beautiful to look upon. Yeah that’s it , she’s pretty. And people love to look at her apparently. She doesn’t do anything special, she doesn’t even work. She goes on vacations and calms people who happen to have her on their peripheral vision. Her male counterpart at least had the decency to become a doctor in this last life. It really was pretty hard to push through the underlying sexism that permitted the text but as I said the all around misguided presentation of the human psyche surprisingly eased the way.
The premise of the book is basically that Hinduism or some unnamed sect of it are correct. This of course goes along with the practice of all related customs , techniques and paraphernalia , such as reincarnation , enlightenment and so on. If the reader is ok with that ( and why not?) the reader can proceed.
The execution of said premise is where usually the trick is. This time the fact that Hinduism is indeed the correct religion is presented by a german shepherd. Who gives a press conference. I don’t know about you but if a dog gave a press conference I would totally believe it. So, what happens after that. Does the crumbling of the two major religions and their political and economical branches on this planet create utter chaos and confusion? Does the stock markets around the world skydive? Are there mass riots caused by zealots? Confusion on the high ranks of ecclesiastical leadership? Nope, and if there is it isn’t mentioned and it doesn’t affect the characters’ most active enterprises. Apparently the story calls for some relationship drama. There is a parrot , a whiny playboy , the “thoroughbred” secretary , some other blurry characters and the tension resolves about a hundred pages in. After that it almost becomes an exciting espionage novel. Its only for fifty pages though and after that the author completely fails to weave an interesting ending that is not based on circumstance , lucky coincidence and boring revelations.
The prose starts a little clanky but it smoothes till the end. The translation is sound but for the occasional error of judgement.
All in all , I had so much fun reading this book and writing about it that I cannot think of anyone I wouldn’t recommend it to. It’s short, it’s fun , it can drive you crazy. It’s like a day at the beach with annoying people and cold beer.
To put the worst things behind us and move to the least negative stuff i feel obliged to point out that its been a long time that I have encountered a text that radiates such complete ignorance of socio politic relations and human nature. There is not a single identifiable human character in this book and that’s the only reason I will let the abominably sexist and slanted depiction of female characters slide. Of which there are three. One is an elderly housekeeper who is happy to have someone to cook for. The second is a secretary who instantly falls desperately in love with her boss and is at a certain time described as a “thoroughbred”... for really… And the third one is the charm. The pinnacle of the female human soul that has completed its symbiotic journey on this planet living through a multitude of lives and has come to the end of the road in perfect balance, ready to become one with the universe is described as… beautiful to look upon. Yeah that’s it , she’s pretty. And people love to look at her apparently. She doesn’t do anything special, she doesn’t even work. She goes on vacations and calms people who happen to have her on their peripheral vision. Her male counterpart at least had the decency to become a doctor in this last life. It really was pretty hard to push through the underlying sexism that permitted the text but as I said the all around misguided presentation of the human psyche surprisingly eased the way.
The premise of the book is basically that Hinduism or some unnamed sect of it are correct. This of course goes along with the practice of all related customs , techniques and paraphernalia , such as reincarnation , enlightenment and so on. If the reader is ok with that ( and why not?) the reader can proceed.
The execution of said premise is where usually the trick is. This time the fact that Hinduism is indeed the correct religion is presented by a german shepherd. Who gives a press conference. I don’t know about you but if a dog gave a press conference I would totally believe it. So, what happens after that. Does the crumbling of the two major religions and their political and economical branches on this planet create utter chaos and confusion? Does the stock markets around the world skydive? Are there mass riots caused by zealots? Confusion on the high ranks of ecclesiastical leadership? Nope, and if there is it isn’t mentioned and it doesn’t affect the characters’ most active enterprises. Apparently the story calls for some relationship drama. There is a parrot , a whiny playboy , the “thoroughbred” secretary , some other blurry characters and the tension resolves about a hundred pages in. After that it almost becomes an exciting espionage novel. Its only for fifty pages though and after that the author completely fails to weave an interesting ending that is not based on circumstance , lucky coincidence and boring revelations.
The prose starts a little clanky but it smoothes till the end. The translation is sound but for the occasional error of judgement.
All in all , I had so much fun reading this book and writing about it that I cannot think of anyone I wouldn’t recommend it to. It’s short, it’s fun , it can drive you crazy. It’s like a day at the beach with annoying people and cold beer.
February 26, 2013
I received a copy of this book requested a review and I happily agreed. I appreciate the gesture and since I am a writer myself, I understand how hard it is to write a book and how harder it is to reach the readers. I believe in fair reviews and after all, reviews are just opinions and we all have a different one to add. So, here are my thoughts about the HOOK.
The story was an interesting one with some very powerful elements. The world is heading to destruction by peoples’ selfishness; a soul is hanging between the living and the dead trying to help the mankind, a man in love finds himself in a very difficult situation and the CIA is involved trying to hide critical information. These are very promising elements for a good and adventurous book.
I will start with the things that I liked. The book was well written and you could read it fast and with pleasure. The dialogues were fast and easy to read, the characters were nicely developed, the chapters were small, which I like and I enjoyed the different perspectives. There was a mystery hanging in the air and made you want to know more and keep reading, which I think is crucial in these stories. I personally liked the ending and I didn't find it abrupt since it ends answering the question we were waiting. It is a book focusing more on the relationships between people and the talking about reincarnation and circle of lives can make you think about life and death even after you finish the book, which is the most important, I think.
What I didn’t like. First of all I missed the action. I was excepting hell to break loose. I was waiting to see agents chasing the protagonists, gun fires, black Ops. Since world’s destruction is on the table and the CIA has a leak of top secret information; that was the least I waited to read. But, things are smoothly when it could be so much more! Plus, a huge part of the book was about relationships where I think it should be action. Also I didn’t enjoy that the narration was changing between the first and the third person and that some parts were not binding so good with the story. I also didn’t like that the characters were so easily convinced for everything.
These are my thoughts and notes about the Hook. Generally it was a nice read but, in my opinion, there are some thorns that don’t allow you to really enjoy it.
The story was an interesting one with some very powerful elements. The world is heading to destruction by peoples’ selfishness; a soul is hanging between the living and the dead trying to help the mankind, a man in love finds himself in a very difficult situation and the CIA is involved trying to hide critical information. These are very promising elements for a good and adventurous book.
I will start with the things that I liked. The book was well written and you could read it fast and with pleasure. The dialogues were fast and easy to read, the characters were nicely developed, the chapters were small, which I like and I enjoyed the different perspectives. There was a mystery hanging in the air and made you want to know more and keep reading, which I think is crucial in these stories. I personally liked the ending and I didn't find it abrupt since it ends answering the question we were waiting. It is a book focusing more on the relationships between people and the talking about reincarnation and circle of lives can make you think about life and death even after you finish the book, which is the most important, I think.
What I didn’t like. First of all I missed the action. I was excepting hell to break loose. I was waiting to see agents chasing the protagonists, gun fires, black Ops. Since world’s destruction is on the table and the CIA has a leak of top secret information; that was the least I waited to read. But, things are smoothly when it could be so much more! Plus, a huge part of the book was about relationships where I think it should be action. Also I didn’t enjoy that the narration was changing between the first and the third person and that some parts were not binding so good with the story. I also didn’t like that the characters were so easily convinced for everything.
These are my thoughts and notes about the Hook. Generally it was a nice read but, in my opinion, there are some thorns that don’t allow you to really enjoy it.
November 29, 2012
3.5 So I just finished a very unique and interesting book. The description does justice to what the book is about so I am not going to give a long recap (A spirit is caught between worlds and it has the power to change humanity as we see it with a little help from some friends. Fingers crossed that the wrong people won't find them first). The last third of the book, I couldn't put it down. When everything started to come together and actually happen, it was engrossing. I actually wanted to sneak a peek at the end to find out, but I couldn't ruin it! Overall this book is quite informative with history and facts that coincide with material of the book. Also, some of the lines written were so powerful and meaningful: "The damage that has been caused to the planet and by the extension to humans themselves because of their greed and self-centered ness is now so great that only radical change guided by your love can save this organism you call planet Earth. You have to realize that you are tearing down your own house. You have to allow Earth and humans to coexist in harmony." WOW!
On the other hand, I did find some things confusing. I enjoy reading books from different POVs because it gives you a more well rounded feel to the story and characters, but this one caught me off guard sometimes. Many of the other books makes a notation or there is something distinct that shows there has been a change in POV. This book, I felt that I needed to reread the beginning of sections several times to figure out who was talking. My other issue was that I did not connect to the characters. There was just something missing, no chemistry and maybe it was due to the fact that there were so many main important POVs that I wasn't able to really become engulfed in any one character.
Overall this was an enjoyable and quick read. It really gets you scratching your head and thinking outside the box.
On the other hand, I did find some things confusing. I enjoy reading books from different POVs because it gives you a more well rounded feel to the story and characters, but this one caught me off guard sometimes. Many of the other books makes a notation or there is something distinct that shows there has been a change in POV. This book, I felt that I needed to reread the beginning of sections several times to figure out who was talking. My other issue was that I did not connect to the characters. There was just something missing, no chemistry and maybe it was due to the fact that there were so many main important POVs that I wasn't able to really become engulfed in any one character.
Overall this was an enjoyable and quick read. It really gets you scratching your head and thinking outside the box.
January 7, 2013
I was given a copy of this book to read & review by the author.
If Greenpeace (or other environmental organizations) could write a novel advocating their values this would be it. I found the premise (or the moral of this story) - that of "capitalists & corporations are all greedy money-grubbing, resource-sucking, planet earth-destroyers" to be more than a little tiresome. That the "good guys" in this scenario also amassed riches for their cause (that of saving the planet from the evil large corporations & the CIA) and used the same resources that everyone else in the world did - probably using the same amount of them as those in other developed nations as well.
While the pattern of the storyline seems to be similar to that of other authors, such as Dan Brown, this novel seemed a bit fractured or scattered somehow, and therefore a little more difficult to follow. I also felt that Tsamis could have developed the characters a bit more. I did, however, find the main character, Konstantinos, to be very likable, and I found myself, at the beginning of the story, to feel some of his pain at the selfless sacrifice that he was asked to make. I found Myrna, though, a little too good to be true and caught myself actually rolling my eyes while reading some of the passages regarding her.
Tsamis delves into Eastern philosophy which may be helpful to readers who are unfamiliar with the basic tenets of the religions & philosophies of that region. However, I did find myself sort of skipping through much of that after awhile just to get through the story.
Tsamis does use a fair amount of humor within the story which I enjoyed. Konstantinos and Aphrodite flirted quite a bit with each other as their romance began which amused and entertained me. The Spirit - while in the body of Hook - used some humor which I appreciated as well.
All in all, this was a decent story, just not really my cup-of-tea.
If Greenpeace (or other environmental organizations) could write a novel advocating their values this would be it. I found the premise (or the moral of this story) - that of "capitalists & corporations are all greedy money-grubbing, resource-sucking, planet earth-destroyers" to be more than a little tiresome. That the "good guys" in this scenario also amassed riches for their cause (that of saving the planet from the evil large corporations & the CIA) and used the same resources that everyone else in the world did - probably using the same amount of them as those in other developed nations as well.
While the pattern of the storyline seems to be similar to that of other authors, such as Dan Brown, this novel seemed a bit fractured or scattered somehow, and therefore a little more difficult to follow. I also felt that Tsamis could have developed the characters a bit more. I did, however, find the main character, Konstantinos, to be very likable, and I found myself, at the beginning of the story, to feel some of his pain at the selfless sacrifice that he was asked to make. I found Myrna, though, a little too good to be true and caught myself actually rolling my eyes while reading some of the passages regarding her.
Tsamis delves into Eastern philosophy which may be helpful to readers who are unfamiliar with the basic tenets of the religions & philosophies of that region. However, I did find myself sort of skipping through much of that after awhile just to get through the story.
Tsamis does use a fair amount of humor within the story which I enjoyed. Konstantinos and Aphrodite flirted quite a bit with each other as their romance began which amused and entertained me. The Spirit - while in the body of Hook - used some humor which I appreciated as well.
All in all, this was a decent story, just not really my cup-of-tea.
June 10, 2013
I was given this book by the author and asked for an honest review. Let me just start by saying that this is not a genre I usually read or prefer, but the story did sound interesting and caught my attention, so I thought I'd give it a try.
First of all, I have to say that the whole concept was quite a unique one, a refreshing change from all the garden-variety books and stories we usually read. The idea of an enlightened Teacher in India finding a way to leave his body and remain suspended in a dimension between life and death, then subsequently discovering a way to talk to people by occupying animals' bodies, is an intriguing one.
The ultimate purpose to all this is to save humanity, and so an elaborate plan is set into motion. A successful 35-year-old owner of a software company is persuaded to give up the love of his life as a means to this end. And this is the part that I found the most interesting. How a person can find the strength to forsake a profound love for the good of mankind.
I also enjoyed the humourous element in the book although I do believe a lot of the humour was lost on the reader as a consequence of translation, which is the case with many books that are not read in the original language they were written in unfortunately.
However, I think the style of writing where the speaker and perspective constantly changes from one character to the other was a bit tiring. I found it a little difficult to keep up with bounding from one vantage point to the next. Moreover, I expected a hint more excitement when the CIA got involved, apparently with a grand scheme to prevent the teacher from realising his plan, although that seemed to fall a bit flat.
All in all, the message of love and enlightenment was a positive one, and one that gives you food for thought.
First of all, I have to say that the whole concept was quite a unique one, a refreshing change from all the garden-variety books and stories we usually read. The idea of an enlightened Teacher in India finding a way to leave his body and remain suspended in a dimension between life and death, then subsequently discovering a way to talk to people by occupying animals' bodies, is an intriguing one.
The ultimate purpose to all this is to save humanity, and so an elaborate plan is set into motion. A successful 35-year-old owner of a software company is persuaded to give up the love of his life as a means to this end. And this is the part that I found the most interesting. How a person can find the strength to forsake a profound love for the good of mankind.
I also enjoyed the humourous element in the book although I do believe a lot of the humour was lost on the reader as a consequence of translation, which is the case with many books that are not read in the original language they were written in unfortunately.
However, I think the style of writing where the speaker and perspective constantly changes from one character to the other was a bit tiring. I found it a little difficult to keep up with bounding from one vantage point to the next. Moreover, I expected a hint more excitement when the CIA got involved, apparently with a grand scheme to prevent the teacher from realising his plan, although that seemed to fall a bit flat.
All in all, the message of love and enlightenment was a positive one, and one that gives you food for thought.
February 17, 2013
I was given this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. I found the concept and idea behind this book to be very interesting and very in depth and it had me thinking some very deep thoughts while I was reading and even after, which in case you are wondering that is a good thing in my world that is one of the many things I love about reading. I have read mostly YA for the past couple of years and so this is probably not something I would have picked up on my own I found myself enjoying it and I am glad I read it.
With the arrival of "the Spirit" many people's lives are turned upside down, but in my opinion Konstantinos had the hardest part to play in the series of events that unfolded and my heart broke for him, but as I kept reading he handled himself really well overall even when things got more complex and difficult, doing as Hook advised him and a few others he put his ego aside to help others.
Early on this book was full of a wide range of characters and the author does a great job weaving the stories and having them unravel in such as a way that I was kept interested and wondering what was building up, and now that brings me to the one thing that let me down a little I felt that it fell a little flat for me at the end.
Overall I enjoyed this read and I would like to thank the author Nicolas Tsamis for giving me the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone I built in Young Adult novels and find myself enjoying the ride.
With the arrival of "the Spirit" many people's lives are turned upside down, but in my opinion Konstantinos had the hardest part to play in the series of events that unfolded and my heart broke for him, but as I kept reading he handled himself really well overall even when things got more complex and difficult, doing as Hook advised him and a few others he put his ego aside to help others.
Early on this book was full of a wide range of characters and the author does a great job weaving the stories and having them unravel in such as a way that I was kept interested and wondering what was building up, and now that brings me to the one thing that let me down a little I felt that it fell a little flat for me at the end.
Overall I enjoyed this read and I would like to thank the author Nicolas Tsamis for giving me the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone I built in Young Adult novels and find myself enjoying the ride.
January 12, 2013
I read this book because the author Nicolas send a free copy to read and review it . I was simply surprised to see his mail and accepted because I read the summary of his book ' Hook ' , it got me intrigued and instantly wanted to know the entire story.
So today I decided to read Hook The moment I started reading the first chapter, I was so engrossed and enthralled right from the start to the end with no break .
Wow,simply amazing.I love all these characters expecially Kostanstinos. It touched my heart when I read that Kostanstinos has to step aside and allowed the woman he loves with her ' other half ' to save humanity.
Reading Kostanstinos 's thoughts and his interaction with ' Hook' the parrot.It was a bit humorous to see ' Hook ' interacting with humans through various means.
Kostanstinos is my favorite character among all and love the cute baby Little Stavros too. Love the mystery plot . It got me hooked and thinking ' now what's going to happen if they catches them' and all.
Wish the ending was a bit longer as I would love to know how their life are and about Little Stravos too.This is the first book I have read about reincarnation and unconditional love and others.loved it!! :)
You have done a good job in writing this book.Congratulations!!!
So today I decided to read Hook The moment I started reading the first chapter, I was so engrossed and enthralled right from the start to the end with no break .
Wow,simply amazing.I love all these characters expecially Kostanstinos. It touched my heart when I read that Kostanstinos has to step aside and allowed the woman he loves with her ' other half ' to save humanity.
Reading Kostanstinos 's thoughts and his interaction with ' Hook' the parrot.It was a bit humorous to see ' Hook ' interacting with humans through various means.
Kostanstinos is my favorite character among all and love the cute baby Little Stavros too. Love the mystery plot . It got me hooked and thinking ' now what's going to happen if they catches them' and all.
Wish the ending was a bit longer as I would love to know how their life are and about Little Stravos too.This is the first book I have read about reincarnation and unconditional love and others.loved it!! :)
You have done a good job in writing this book.Congratulations!!!
January 10, 2013
I read this book because the author sent me a free copy to read and review. A wonderful idea for any new author starting out.
Ok to the book now...
Wow what a ride! Although the start of this book was a bit hard to understand due to the shifts in perspective by the author, once I got the hang of the character change at every chapter I enjoyed this unique story. It had me smiling in many spots and the pages were easy to turn, meaning I didn't feel it a chore to read by any means.
I liked the chapter lengths because it kept the action going and the different perspectives gave freshness to the story. I did feel that it could have had better editing in the beginning to clear up the confusion that the reader feels, and there were some typos as well that could have been caught too.
Over all though I felt that this is a great story for Nicolas Tsamis to have put out, and Kudos to him for managing such an worthwhile feat!
Ok to the book now...
Wow what a ride! Although the start of this book was a bit hard to understand due to the shifts in perspective by the author, once I got the hang of the character change at every chapter I enjoyed this unique story. It had me smiling in many spots and the pages were easy to turn, meaning I didn't feel it a chore to read by any means.
I liked the chapter lengths because it kept the action going and the different perspectives gave freshness to the story. I did feel that it could have had better editing in the beginning to clear up the confusion that the reader feels, and there were some typos as well that could have been caught too.
Over all though I felt that this is a great story for Nicolas Tsamis to have put out, and Kudos to him for managing such an worthwhile feat!
October 24, 2022
I just finished reading Hook by Nicolas Tsamis and i have to say the book was amazing.It had the perfect mixture of humor,agony,compationship and love.The whole picture it paints makes you wish you were a part of it.You just get sucked in it and don't won't to let go.
It exposes you to new cultures and ideas that you don't come across very often.Frankly,it makes you think about the world.About how humans have taken advantage of nature and how greedy they have become.It motivates you to think,something that most books don't do these days.
The characters create the perfect company for you with their vices and virtues.You get a glimpse into different minds and how they act and behave towards cruel situations.You end up seeing a lot of youself in them.
In the end,this book is worth your time and you will enjoy it immensly.
It exposes you to new cultures and ideas that you don't come across very often.Frankly,it makes you think about the world.About how humans have taken advantage of nature and how greedy they have become.It motivates you to think,something that most books don't do these days.
The characters create the perfect company for you with their vices and virtues.You get a glimpse into different minds and how they act and behave towards cruel situations.You end up seeing a lot of youself in them.
In the end,this book is worth your time and you will enjoy it immensly.
December 26, 2012
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Guess I don't have to go into the synopsis as it has been provided here.
I like the first chapter as it managed to capture my interest. It has the mysterious feel to it.
However, the few chapters after that were confusing for me as I don't know in whose voice it's written till after reading a few paragraphs. It would help greatly if the author would label the chapters based on the characters name at the beginning of each new chapters.
The "romance language " here was a bit "stiff".
I love the suspense part. It was page turning. The author would make a great suspense/thriller genre author.
Guess I don't have to go into the synopsis as it has been provided here.
I like the first chapter as it managed to capture my interest. It has the mysterious feel to it.
However, the few chapters after that were confusing for me as I don't know in whose voice it's written till after reading a few paragraphs. It would help greatly if the author would label the chapters based on the characters name at the beginning of each new chapters.
The "romance language " here was a bit "stiff".
I love the suspense part. It was page turning. The author would make a great suspense/thriller genre author.
May 2, 2013
Hook is a smart read, intense and thought provoking. I would give it a 5 of 5, but I found the revolving first person difficult to keep up with even though the chapters were named for the character. If you have time to read this in longer sittings than I did you should not have a problem, but my 30 minute increments left me at times having to back track.
The concept is deep, and the characters are intense. The author has a strong grasp of Eastern theology and has applied it to modern problems seamlessly for an UN-enlightened reader such as myself.
This is not like every other book on the shelf, I recommend it highly.
The concept is deep, and the characters are intense. The author has a strong grasp of Eastern theology and has applied it to modern problems seamlessly for an UN-enlightened reader such as myself.
This is not like every other book on the shelf, I recommend it highly.
March 15, 2013
I enjoyed reading the "Hook". It's creative, fast-paced, filled with intriguing ideas on karma, destiny, love, soul-mates and reincarnation.
The characters are well-imagined and well-described, but it was hard for me to connect with them or care for them.
The suspense part was good enough, but not mind-blowing.
I recommend it to anyone that looks for a refreshing read and wants to (re)consider some views on spirituality.
P.S Many thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy!
The characters are well-imagined and well-described, but it was hard for me to connect with them or care for them.
The suspense part was good enough, but not mind-blowing.
I recommend it to anyone that looks for a refreshing read and wants to (re)consider some views on spirituality.
P.S Many thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy!
December 1, 2012
A unique story , a rapid plot, a concern about environmental issues and self improvement references. I found this book more than interesting. I finished it very quickly and I wanted for this book to had more chapters (There is a book #2 that continues the story). I suggest it for relaxed evenings. The only thing that confused me is that there is a double first-person narration, such as a double main character on it.
January 17, 2013
Very well written and wow does the author know about Eastern culture/religion!
It presented me some topics I was used to ignoring till then.
I really like the DAN BROWN-ish way it was written though I found some interesting parts could have been developed more than others, but I think it's just a matter of 'taste'.
This is the kind of book I would really like to see in the big screen (let's say directed by the WACHOWSKY bros.) ;-)
It presented me some topics I was used to ignoring till then.
I really like the DAN BROWN-ish way it was written though I found some interesting parts could have been developed more than others, but I think it's just a matter of 'taste'.
This is the kind of book I would really like to see in the big screen (let's say directed by the WACHOWSKY bros.) ;-)
December 30, 2012
I have to begin by saying i am not good with book reviewing.So ill do my best!
This book puzzled me.Its one of those books but i really loved and i really hated at the same time.The writing is really good,its obvious the writer has talent and that the story is very interesting.The only problem i had with it was that i didnt connect with the characters very easily.All in all id say i was glad i read it, it gave me food for thought.
This book puzzled me.Its one of those books but i really loved and i really hated at the same time.The writing is really good,its obvious the writer has talent and that the story is very interesting.The only problem i had with it was that i didnt connect with the characters very easily.All in all id say i was glad i read it, it gave me food for thought.
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