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Fringe #1
The Zodiac Paradox
In 1971 university students Walter Bishop and William Bell use an exotic chemical compound to link their subconscious minds. Unexpectedly, they open a rip in space through which comes a menace unlike any our world has ever seen - the Zodiac Killer. His singular goal is death, and it falls to Bishop, Bell, and Nina Sharp to stop him.
355 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
93 people are currently reading
860 people want to read
About the author
Christa Faust
79 books398 followersChrista Faust is an American author who writes original novels, as well as novelizations and media tie-ins.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
February 6, 2018
In my humble opinion Fringe is one of the most underrated tv shows in the last 20 years.
I fell in love with Fringe long after it was cancelled by Fox. In fact I don't even remember ever hearing about it while it was on air. I discovered Fringe about 3 years ago, the way most people do these days, I discovered it on Netflix, while battling the flu and I fell totally in love.
Reasons I Love Fringe:
1. Joshua Jackson aka Peter Bishop aka Pacey Witter aka Cole Lockhart.
2. Its hilarious. Walter Bishop is probably one of my favorite tv characters.
3. Watching Fringe makes me feel both smarter and dumber(there is alot of Science)
4. The world created in Fringe is complete and unlike most Sci-fi shows Fringe was able to end in a satisfying way.
When I discovered a 3 book prequel series to Fringe existed I had to have them. I've missed the world of Fringe and could not wait to plunge back in to it.
Fringe is about a division of the FBI formed to investigate events that lie beyond the realm of possibly. Special Agent Olivia Dunham, Fringe scientists Walter Bishop, his son Peter Bishop, and Junior Agent Astrid Farnsworth work together to safeguard the very fabric of our reality.
This book series is not for people who haven't watched the show. It will be confusing and I just don't think they'd get it.
In book one The Zodiac Paradox we meet a young Walter Bishop, his best friend William Bell, and the always kickass Nina Sharp. I won't reveal the plot because it would be a spoiler if you ever plan to watch the show. I will say I liked it but didn't love it. I don't think Christa Faust captured the spirit of the show. I know the events in this book take place decades before the series but I didn't feel the chemistry between Walter and Belly was there.
My plan is to binge read the series and I have hope that the series will improve with each book.
Recommended only for people who loved the show and would like to spend more time in that world.
February read-a-thon: Read a New to You Author.
I fell in love with Fringe long after it was cancelled by Fox. In fact I don't even remember ever hearing about it while it was on air. I discovered Fringe about 3 years ago, the way most people do these days, I discovered it on Netflix, while battling the flu and I fell totally in love.
Reasons I Love Fringe:
1. Joshua Jackson aka Peter Bishop aka Pacey Witter aka Cole Lockhart.
2. Its hilarious. Walter Bishop is probably one of my favorite tv characters.
3. Watching Fringe makes me feel both smarter and dumber(there is alot of Science)
4. The world created in Fringe is complete and unlike most Sci-fi shows Fringe was able to end in a satisfying way.
When I discovered a 3 book prequel series to Fringe existed I had to have them. I've missed the world of Fringe and could not wait to plunge back in to it.
Fringe is about a division of the FBI formed to investigate events that lie beyond the realm of possibly. Special Agent Olivia Dunham, Fringe scientists Walter Bishop, his son Peter Bishop, and Junior Agent Astrid Farnsworth work together to safeguard the very fabric of our reality.
This book series is not for people who haven't watched the show. It will be confusing and I just don't think they'd get it.
In book one The Zodiac Paradox we meet a young Walter Bishop, his best friend William Bell, and the always kickass Nina Sharp. I won't reveal the plot because it would be a spoiler if you ever plan to watch the show. I will say I liked it but didn't love it. I don't think Christa Faust captured the spirit of the show. I know the events in this book take place decades before the series but I didn't feel the chemistry between Walter and Belly was there.
My plan is to binge read the series and I have hope that the series will improve with each book.
Recommended only for people who loved the show and would like to spend more time in that world.
February read-a-thon: Read a New to You Author.
September 2, 2013
Movie/TV tie-ins and novelizations are generally critic-proof. They are usually written solely for fans, who aren't necessarily reading them for brilliance of language or poetic flourishes. Indeed, it seems pointless to even comment on how well- or poorly written a tie-in is, so I won't even go there with Christa Faust's first of a three-part trilogy of novels based on the TV show Fringe, "The Zodiac Paradox". "Fringe", created by JJ Abrams, was one of the best sci-fi shows to grace TV screens since the wonderful "The X Files". It was, in fact, heavily inspired by that now-classic show.
The set-up: A special branch of the FBI known as Fringe Division is created to investigate an unusual number of crimes and incidents that seem to have no scientific explanation. Led by the skeptical but intrepid (and sexy and blonde) young agent Olivia Dunham, the team recruits one of the most brilliant scientific minds of the 21st century. Unfortunately, Dr. Walter Bishop's brain has been atrophying as a patient for the past decade in a Boston mental institution, where Dunham finds him. Dr. Bishop, a literal mad scientist, will only be released if his estranged son, Peter, signs him out and agrees to care for him. The equally-brilliant but morally questionable (and sexy and rugged) Peter Bishop (Dunham tracks him down in Baghdad, where he appears to be running guns) reluctantly joins the Fringe team.
Obviously, the sexual tension between Peter and Olivia runs high from the start, but the real reason that fans tuned in every week was Dr. Bishop (played wonderfully by actor John Noble), whose alternating scientific brilliance, child-like obsession with food, and heart-breaking moments of memories lost and regained stole every scene he was in.
Faust's novel provides the back-story that fans of the show have only gleaned from occasional references. Set in 1971, young scientists Bishop and William Bell are experimenting with their own lab-made hallucinogen (an early batch of cortexiphan) at Reiden Lake, when they create a powerful psychic link that accidentally tears a hole in the fabric of space-time, and a serial killer from the alternate universe comes through. This serial killer flees to San Francisco and begins to wreak havoc as the Zodiac killer. Bishop and Bell (with the help of Nina Sharp) track him down in order to stop him and send him back to his own universe. Unfortunately, a renegade FBI agent is also on the trail of the killer, not to stop him but to recruit him as a weapon for the U.S. government.
I'll admit, it was fun to read the continuing adventures of a young, pre-institutionalized Dr. Walter Bishop. As a stand-alone episode of Fringe, I think Faust succeeds in creating something that true fans will appreciate. As a stand-alone novel (for those who have never seen the show) it could probably have used more character development. The problem, of course, is that true fans would probably not need character development for characters that are already pretty well-established. Despite its flaws, though, "The Zodiac Paradox" is worth a read for Fringe fans, and I look forward to reading the next two in the series.
The set-up: A special branch of the FBI known as Fringe Division is created to investigate an unusual number of crimes and incidents that seem to have no scientific explanation. Led by the skeptical but intrepid (and sexy and blonde) young agent Olivia Dunham, the team recruits one of the most brilliant scientific minds of the 21st century. Unfortunately, Dr. Walter Bishop's brain has been atrophying as a patient for the past decade in a Boston mental institution, where Dunham finds him. Dr. Bishop, a literal mad scientist, will only be released if his estranged son, Peter, signs him out and agrees to care for him. The equally-brilliant but morally questionable (and sexy and rugged) Peter Bishop (Dunham tracks him down in Baghdad, where he appears to be running guns) reluctantly joins the Fringe team.
Obviously, the sexual tension between Peter and Olivia runs high from the start, but the real reason that fans tuned in every week was Dr. Bishop (played wonderfully by actor John Noble), whose alternating scientific brilliance, child-like obsession with food, and heart-breaking moments of memories lost and regained stole every scene he was in.
Faust's novel provides the back-story that fans of the show have only gleaned from occasional references. Set in 1971, young scientists Bishop and William Bell are experimenting with their own lab-made hallucinogen (an early batch of cortexiphan) at Reiden Lake, when they create a powerful psychic link that accidentally tears a hole in the fabric of space-time, and a serial killer from the alternate universe comes through. This serial killer flees to San Francisco and begins to wreak havoc as the Zodiac killer. Bishop and Bell (with the help of Nina Sharp) track him down in order to stop him and send him back to his own universe. Unfortunately, a renegade FBI agent is also on the trail of the killer, not to stop him but to recruit him as a weapon for the U.S. government.
I'll admit, it was fun to read the continuing adventures of a young, pre-institutionalized Dr. Walter Bishop. As a stand-alone episode of Fringe, I think Faust succeeds in creating something that true fans will appreciate. As a stand-alone novel (for those who have never seen the show) it could probably have used more character development. The problem, of course, is that true fans would probably not need character development for characters that are already pretty well-established. Despite its flaws, though, "The Zodiac Paradox" is worth a read for Fringe fans, and I look forward to reading the next two in the series.
June 3, 2013
If you missed Fox TV’s popular FRINGE television program, then you missed something special. For those of us who tuned in regularly were rewarded with a richly written program that tackled such subjects of life, death, and the very nature of existence. Multiple worlds were discovered and fractured timelines were breached as the Fringe Division – a special subset of the broader FBI dedicated to cases that defied conventional explanation – went about solving puzzles that couldn’t be easily fit into the appropriate boxes. Even richer were the characters – a mad scientist, his anti-authority son, and an FBI agent tasked with keeping them in check – who, each episode, took audiences on adventures that shattered expectations. It all built up to something very special … but, now, author Christa Faust offers readers a chance to understand where it all really began with a look into the past of these characters.
And it’s a past they may never have suspected possible …
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and characters. If you’re the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last two paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
A young Walter Bishop and his friend, William Bell, are experimenting with a consciousness-linking hallucinogen when they stumble across a startling discovery: with their minds linked together, they find they have inadvertently opened a porthole to what appears to be another universe. What they cannot know is that, in doing so, they’ve accidentally released the depraved Zodiac Killer back into our reality. Flashes of the man’s future convince them they know when he’ll strike again … but can two college students with only their flawed memories convince the authorities that what they know is true?
For my tastes, THE ZODIAC PARADOX starts very slow, almost lethargic, and part of that may be deliberate. As I’ve come to understand, this is only the first of three novels being published over the next few months, all of them written by Christa Faust. Ms. Faust was given unprecedented access to the show’s creative staff in order to plot out the course of these novels; and, without being absolutely certain, I tend to think that each will only build on the central mystery presented. Because this first novel may only be one part (one-third, to be precise) of a much bigger story, I have to wonder if more deliberate attempts at set-up were underway.
However, after about one hundred pages in to the 350 page novel, it all tightens up. It becomes clear that ZODIAC is – in every possible sense of the word – a prequel, and I’ve no doubt accepting that what Faust delivers is intended to be the definitive background of just how Bishop, Bell, and the mysterious Nina Sharp (all from the Fox TV show) met, as well as what their collaboration set into motion. That would appear to be the overwhelming dynamic, especially when you get to the last few pages of the book, as the interpersonal scope of this odd trinity is established.
Given that I may only be responding to one piece of a larger puzzle, I’m not entirely certain I can do justice to this story in a single review; still, without spoiling anything, I’m comfy concluding that everything at work in ZODIAC certainly works based on the mythology and characters of the TV show. Bishop is young and idealistic, and he allows his said idealism to occasionally stand in their way; by contract, Bell – his most influential partner – believes that the undiluted exploration of science is precisely what’s needed for their future together. They’re two sides of the same coin, so to speak, but both rely on the other in times of dire need. Exactly what role Sharp will play in this ‘intellectual property’ remains to be seen, though Nina herself has her sights clearly set in accomplishing Bell’s bidding.
I would imagine that long-time fans of FRINGE (the show) will be delighted by ZODIAC. It’s hard to say how newcomers to the property will embrace the novel; having a working familiarity with the cases of the Zodiac Killer certainly helps in understanding everything that’s going on here, but what’s more greatly rewarded is a grasp of the themes and ‘fringe’ science examined by the Fox program. Coupling that with these events, it becomes clear just how vivid this portrait of Bell and Bishop’s younger days is and what it will mean in the decades to come.
FRINGE: THE ZODIAC PARADOX is published by Titan Books. The tale is written by author Christa Faust. The book bears the cover price of $7.99 … and that’s a small investment indeed to once again visit a handful of characters and inspirations of the FRINGE universe.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. FRINGE: THE ZODIAC PARADOX starts slow – in part because the entire episodes is fueled by a radical drug trip experienced by the young Walter Bishop and William Bell – but, about halfway, the entirety of the set-up makes perfect sense. This is a prequel in every sense of the word, revisiting only a handful of the characters audiences met in Fox Television’s popular FRINGE program. Despite a successful ending, parts of it felt a bit rushed while other parts felt entirely unnecessary and/or mildly inconsequential – but as this is only the first of three books by Christa Faust being published very closely together, I’m inclined to belief that it may end up being part of a bigger, broader mystery. Definitely for fans of the show; newcomers may find themselves scratching their heads more than once or twice.
And it’s a past they may never have suspected possible …
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and characters. If you’re the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last two paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
A young Walter Bishop and his friend, William Bell, are experimenting with a consciousness-linking hallucinogen when they stumble across a startling discovery: with their minds linked together, they find they have inadvertently opened a porthole to what appears to be another universe. What they cannot know is that, in doing so, they’ve accidentally released the depraved Zodiac Killer back into our reality. Flashes of the man’s future convince them they know when he’ll strike again … but can two college students with only their flawed memories convince the authorities that what they know is true?
For my tastes, THE ZODIAC PARADOX starts very slow, almost lethargic, and part of that may be deliberate. As I’ve come to understand, this is only the first of three novels being published over the next few months, all of them written by Christa Faust. Ms. Faust was given unprecedented access to the show’s creative staff in order to plot out the course of these novels; and, without being absolutely certain, I tend to think that each will only build on the central mystery presented. Because this first novel may only be one part (one-third, to be precise) of a much bigger story, I have to wonder if more deliberate attempts at set-up were underway.
However, after about one hundred pages in to the 350 page novel, it all tightens up. It becomes clear that ZODIAC is – in every possible sense of the word – a prequel, and I’ve no doubt accepting that what Faust delivers is intended to be the definitive background of just how Bishop, Bell, and the mysterious Nina Sharp (all from the Fox TV show) met, as well as what their collaboration set into motion. That would appear to be the overwhelming dynamic, especially when you get to the last few pages of the book, as the interpersonal scope of this odd trinity is established.
Given that I may only be responding to one piece of a larger puzzle, I’m not entirely certain I can do justice to this story in a single review; still, without spoiling anything, I’m comfy concluding that everything at work in ZODIAC certainly works based on the mythology and characters of the TV show. Bishop is young and idealistic, and he allows his said idealism to occasionally stand in their way; by contract, Bell – his most influential partner – believes that the undiluted exploration of science is precisely what’s needed for their future together. They’re two sides of the same coin, so to speak, but both rely on the other in times of dire need. Exactly what role Sharp will play in this ‘intellectual property’ remains to be seen, though Nina herself has her sights clearly set in accomplishing Bell’s bidding.
I would imagine that long-time fans of FRINGE (the show) will be delighted by ZODIAC. It’s hard to say how newcomers to the property will embrace the novel; having a working familiarity with the cases of the Zodiac Killer certainly helps in understanding everything that’s going on here, but what’s more greatly rewarded is a grasp of the themes and ‘fringe’ science examined by the Fox program. Coupling that with these events, it becomes clear just how vivid this portrait of Bell and Bishop’s younger days is and what it will mean in the decades to come.
FRINGE: THE ZODIAC PARADOX is published by Titan Books. The tale is written by author Christa Faust. The book bears the cover price of $7.99 … and that’s a small investment indeed to once again visit a handful of characters and inspirations of the FRINGE universe.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. FRINGE: THE ZODIAC PARADOX starts slow – in part because the entire episodes is fueled by a radical drug trip experienced by the young Walter Bishop and William Bell – but, about halfway, the entirety of the set-up makes perfect sense. This is a prequel in every sense of the word, revisiting only a handful of the characters audiences met in Fox Television’s popular FRINGE program. Despite a successful ending, parts of it felt a bit rushed while other parts felt entirely unnecessary and/or mildly inconsequential – but as this is only the first of three books by Christa Faust being published very closely together, I’m inclined to belief that it may end up being part of a bigger, broader mystery. Definitely for fans of the show; newcomers may find themselves scratching their heads more than once or twice.
August 31, 2013
I am a huge fan of FRINGE and was disappointed when the show ended. I was ecstatic when I realized that there would be three books released and immediately ordered all three. Only the first two are out at the moment, and I've had a chance to read the first of the three.
The premise: We join Walter Bishop and William Bell (along with Nina Sharp) when they are college students in the late 60s and 70s. Experimenting with a new acid mixture at Reiden Lake, Walter and William encounter a strange side effect of the mix: they link minds, and somehow open a portal to the alternate universe. Before they realize that's happened, someone steps through into our world and for a brief, terrifying moment, they link minds with this man--a cold-hearted killer. But when the acid trip ends, they decide that the entire episode was simply a wild acid trip, since the man has vanished and there's no sign of the portal. But years later, they run into the man again, and realize they've brought a serial killer into our world: the Zodiac Killer. Now they need to figure out how to send him back, before he kills again. Only now, the Zodiac Killer is after them.
This book was a mixed bag to me. For a long while, I was going to rate it as 2 out of 5 stars, not 3. It was great to get back to the characters from the TV series, especially Walter, who's character is what made the series work in that first season in my opinion. I liked the set-up of the story as well, considering the mystery that still surrounds the Zodiac Killer. So playing with the idea that the serial killer came from the other side was intriguing. The story presented here itself was good.
My problem, and the reason I was leaning toward 2 stars, was two-fold after that. First, the writing really isn't all that great. It's decent, and serves the story, but it doesn't have the emotional depth that I like in my fiction. I wasn't dragged into the emotions of the characters all that much. Maybe once or twice in a few moments, but nothing like what I expect from the novels I read. I want to BE those characters, and in this book, I didn't get that engaged.
And the second problem was that the characters just weren't quite right. William Bell came across as completely flat. I have to admit that I never felt that the William Bell character in the show was developed all that well either, so maybe my reaction is just a reflection of that. But he felt like a set piece that was moved around here and there, not really a full-fledged character. Now, Walter's character felt just like Walter from the show . . . which is the problem. The entire premise of Walter's character from the show is that BEFORE he had those pieces of his brain removed, he was a rather hard, not very likable person. Only after the pieces were removed did he become someone that he wanted to be. This book is set BEFORE those pieces of his brain were removed, but he was the same person he was in the show, not the hard-nosed man he ended up despising (and fearing he'd become again) by the end of the series. So there was a disconnect with the accepted lore based on the series there, in my opinion.
Nina Sharp's character in the book was great and spot-on, I felt. Out of the three, she was the best represented.
In the end, I enjoyed the story and the way the author interplayed elements of the show with this past life. There are plenty of good "connections" that fans of the show can make as the story plays out. But there were some disjointed elements that I had a problem with (mostly dealing with characters) and the writing wasn't a sharp as I'd hoped. I'll certainly read the next two books . . . and likely any other books that they decide to release . . . but I'm hoping that the writing and the story lines improve.
The premise: We join Walter Bishop and William Bell (along with Nina Sharp) when they are college students in the late 60s and 70s. Experimenting with a new acid mixture at Reiden Lake, Walter and William encounter a strange side effect of the mix: they link minds, and somehow open a portal to the alternate universe. Before they realize that's happened, someone steps through into our world and for a brief, terrifying moment, they link minds with this man--a cold-hearted killer. But when the acid trip ends, they decide that the entire episode was simply a wild acid trip, since the man has vanished and there's no sign of the portal. But years later, they run into the man again, and realize they've brought a serial killer into our world: the Zodiac Killer. Now they need to figure out how to send him back, before he kills again. Only now, the Zodiac Killer is after them.
This book was a mixed bag to me. For a long while, I was going to rate it as 2 out of 5 stars, not 3. It was great to get back to the characters from the TV series, especially Walter, who's character is what made the series work in that first season in my opinion. I liked the set-up of the story as well, considering the mystery that still surrounds the Zodiac Killer. So playing with the idea that the serial killer came from the other side was intriguing. The story presented here itself was good.
My problem, and the reason I was leaning toward 2 stars, was two-fold after that. First, the writing really isn't all that great. It's decent, and serves the story, but it doesn't have the emotional depth that I like in my fiction. I wasn't dragged into the emotions of the characters all that much. Maybe once or twice in a few moments, but nothing like what I expect from the novels I read. I want to BE those characters, and in this book, I didn't get that engaged.
And the second problem was that the characters just weren't quite right. William Bell came across as completely flat. I have to admit that I never felt that the William Bell character in the show was developed all that well either, so maybe my reaction is just a reflection of that. But he felt like a set piece that was moved around here and there, not really a full-fledged character. Now, Walter's character felt just like Walter from the show . . . which is the problem. The entire premise of Walter's character from the show is that BEFORE he had those pieces of his brain removed, he was a rather hard, not very likable person. Only after the pieces were removed did he become someone that he wanted to be. This book is set BEFORE those pieces of his brain were removed, but he was the same person he was in the show, not the hard-nosed man he ended up despising (and fearing he'd become again) by the end of the series. So there was a disconnect with the accepted lore based on the series there, in my opinion.
Nina Sharp's character in the book was great and spot-on, I felt. Out of the three, she was the best represented.
In the end, I enjoyed the story and the way the author interplayed elements of the show with this past life. There are plenty of good "connections" that fans of the show can make as the story plays out. But there were some disjointed elements that I had a problem with (mostly dealing with characters) and the writing wasn't a sharp as I'd hoped. I'll certainly read the next two books . . . and likely any other books that they decide to release . . . but I'm hoping that the writing and the story lines improve.
May 31, 2013
As a Fringe story, this books works pretty well but as a novel taken on its own merits it's fairly average.
If you're a fan of the show (and you'd have to be to have any interest in this book at all), the main thing you'll be interested in is the portrayal of Walter Bishop. I can say for certain that Faust's characterization of Walter is very much in line with what you saw in the TV series. For most fans, this will be a welcome relief and an enjoyable aspect of the book. But part of me wishes that the author took more liberties with Walter's youth. Everyone changes as they mature, but in this book Walter in his late twenties is pretty much exactly the same as Walter in his sixties (even the way he dresses).
The story does often feel like an overlong standalone episode of the series (in both good ways and bad). It's a good concept, and one that fits into the Fringe lore.
But a great concept needs great execution, and this book has a few issues. These supposedly genius-level characters often do fairly stupid things, and although Nina comes off as the "sharpest" of the bunch, she and William Bell are still lacking the cunning minds we came to know in the series. Also, the author does a little too much description for my tastes. She often delves into long descriptions of minutiae about side characters who barely appear for a few pages, and places that are just briefly visited. I'm don't mind descriptive, rich world-building, but sometimes it should be done with a light touch so the main story can flow. Far too often, the descriptions got in the way of the story and I found myself fighting the urge to skip over paragraphs. But, I'll readily admit this is a matter of reading taste and others may find this style to their liking.
If you really, really liked Fringe and you felt the series ended too soon, this book will definitely give you your fix. If you were a more of a casual fan, you might not like this as much.
disclosure: I received a free ARC copy from the publisher
If you're a fan of the show (and you'd have to be to have any interest in this book at all), the main thing you'll be interested in is the portrayal of Walter Bishop. I can say for certain that Faust's characterization of Walter is very much in line with what you saw in the TV series. For most fans, this will be a welcome relief and an enjoyable aspect of the book. But part of me wishes that the author took more liberties with Walter's youth. Everyone changes as they mature, but in this book Walter in his late twenties is pretty much exactly the same as Walter in his sixties (even the way he dresses).
The story does often feel like an overlong standalone episode of the series (in both good ways and bad). It's a good concept, and one that fits into the Fringe lore.
But a great concept needs great execution, and this book has a few issues. These supposedly genius-level characters often do fairly stupid things, and although Nina comes off as the "sharpest" of the bunch, she and William Bell are still lacking the cunning minds we came to know in the series. Also, the author does a little too much description for my tastes. She often delves into long descriptions of minutiae about side characters who barely appear for a few pages, and places that are just briefly visited. I'm don't mind descriptive, rich world-building, but sometimes it should be done with a light touch so the main story can flow. Far too often, the descriptions got in the way of the story and I found myself fighting the urge to skip over paragraphs. But, I'll readily admit this is a matter of reading taste and others may find this style to their liking.
If you really, really liked Fringe and you felt the series ended too soon, this book will definitely give you your fix. If you were a more of a casual fan, you might not like this as much.
disclosure: I received a free ARC copy from the publisher
August 26, 2013
Originally posted at http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-zodiac-paradox.html
The Zodiac Paradox is the first tie-in novel set in the Fringe universe. Fringe is a well popular TV series that has been airing for five seasons with 100 episodes. I have watched several episodes myself and I am a big fan of the supernatural aspects. The tie-in novels aim to reveal much more about the the mythology of Fringe and how everything came to pass. Featuring never before aired material. In total three books will be released: The Zodiac Paradox, The Burning Man and Sins of the Father.
The first book in the series, The Zodiac Paradox, picks up in September of 1968, and introduces us to Walter Bishop and William Bell. They are experimenting with several hallucinogenic substances trying to link their subconscious together. But what they hadn't expect was what they brought along with it, opening a gate from another dimension, giving rise to a new Zodiac Killer. However they do not fully understand until a few years later when there are newspaper articles and photographs and things fall into place. Now it falls into the hands of these scientists to undo what they have brought into the world. But not really understanding what they did and how they did it and even how to catch the Zodiac Killer, Walter and William have a lot to learn...
The Zodiac Paradox is the first tie-in book to the popular TV series, however for me with only having watched a couple of episodes, a lot of the idea's and the general descriptions felt new and very interesting. The books starts of with the right set of mind, introducing the events that will eventually lead up to the chase to catch The Zodiac Killer in the remainder of the book. When I first read the scenes is was like, "Ok, what?" but later on you get to learn more and more on how everything came to pass and I think that this is one aspect where the book gets it's strength from, slowly building up the storyline step by step, exposing more and more of the first steps of the frigne division. Which makes this book, I think, in addition to readers who are familiar with Fringe a valuable addition to get more background information, and for reader who are like me less familiar a great new start of an interesting series. In essence it's a great supernatural thriller/crime, if you have never heard of Fringe before.
The two main characters, William and Walter are shown just in a spot on manner regarding their background and their part in the story. They are both scientists and this greatly reflects how they act in the book. Wanting to find out how things exactly work but also, giving great thought about how to plan it, being confronted with The Zodiac Killer they come to the conclusion that it is better from them to do a mind-to-mind battle instead of challenging him physically and of course repeat the experiment! This both gives some laughable moments but also some very serious and tense moments. Nina Sharp comes in the story a bit later on, her job feels that she is more or less keeping Walter and William in check, not to let their enthusiasm run to wild of a course. In terms of each of the three main characters, Christina Faust has done an excellent job in voicing them, they feel young, vibrant and are keen on undertaking.
The bad guy of the story, The Zodiac Killer get his own point-of-view in the story, though a bit more early compared to the later parts of the book. This does add another layer to the story. The Zodiac Killer is clearly a psychopath and his action really reflect this, but he is also struggling with himself what he now is and the pleasing the voices in his head. When I read a the introduction of "Dear Editor" I knew that his character would haunt me, and he did. He is creepy and doesn't show remorse, especially when you see him lurking in the shadows planning his next move, there are also a few close encounters between him and Walter and William where I actually thought it would be a done deal. I really like when bad guys get their own visions in a book, really adds much more flavour to the story.
The mythology of Fringe is shown in a nice way in The Zodiac Paradox, laying the focus on the early discovery and the subsequent testing of the drug Cortexaphan. Because the original TV series starts of with several things already well established, these new insights in the book about everything for me proved to be really fruitful, and I am interested to learn more and more about it the history in the books to follow. The Zodiac Paradox can be read as a stand alone book since the story is well contained and has a solid ending, lets see what else will be revealed soon!
The Zodiac Paradox makes up great start of this tie-in series (just a note: not having watched all the episodes I cannot say it has all new info), but I can say that I enjoyed it a lot and when read without any or less knowledge of the TV series proves to be just as great. Christina Faust wrote up a great beginning of the book, building up the story step by step with all that was possible and the consequences of the actions. Making this introduction and describing the events in a engaging manner which made me feel right here in the story. The whole supernatural aspect of the book resonates quite nicely through the pages and the eagerness of William and Walter to explore the possibilities of the drug and that even they don't fully understand the potential yet, leaves enough open space for the story to continue with. The second book in the Fringe series, The Burning Man was released July 16th by Titan Books.
The Zodiac Paradox is the first tie-in novel set in the Fringe universe. Fringe is a well popular TV series that has been airing for five seasons with 100 episodes. I have watched several episodes myself and I am a big fan of the supernatural aspects. The tie-in novels aim to reveal much more about the the mythology of Fringe and how everything came to pass. Featuring never before aired material. In total three books will be released: The Zodiac Paradox, The Burning Man and Sins of the Father.
The first book in the series, The Zodiac Paradox, picks up in September of 1968, and introduces us to Walter Bishop and William Bell. They are experimenting with several hallucinogenic substances trying to link their subconscious together. But what they hadn't expect was what they brought along with it, opening a gate from another dimension, giving rise to a new Zodiac Killer. However they do not fully understand until a few years later when there are newspaper articles and photographs and things fall into place. Now it falls into the hands of these scientists to undo what they have brought into the world. But not really understanding what they did and how they did it and even how to catch the Zodiac Killer, Walter and William have a lot to learn...
The Zodiac Paradox is the first tie-in book to the popular TV series, however for me with only having watched a couple of episodes, a lot of the idea's and the general descriptions felt new and very interesting. The books starts of with the right set of mind, introducing the events that will eventually lead up to the chase to catch The Zodiac Killer in the remainder of the book. When I first read the scenes is was like, "Ok, what?" but later on you get to learn more and more on how everything came to pass and I think that this is one aspect where the book gets it's strength from, slowly building up the storyline step by step, exposing more and more of the first steps of the frigne division. Which makes this book, I think, in addition to readers who are familiar with Fringe a valuable addition to get more background information, and for reader who are like me less familiar a great new start of an interesting series. In essence it's a great supernatural thriller/crime, if you have never heard of Fringe before.
The two main characters, William and Walter are shown just in a spot on manner regarding their background and their part in the story. They are both scientists and this greatly reflects how they act in the book. Wanting to find out how things exactly work but also, giving great thought about how to plan it, being confronted with The Zodiac Killer they come to the conclusion that it is better from them to do a mind-to-mind battle instead of challenging him physically and of course repeat the experiment! This both gives some laughable moments but also some very serious and tense moments. Nina Sharp comes in the story a bit later on, her job feels that she is more or less keeping Walter and William in check, not to let their enthusiasm run to wild of a course. In terms of each of the three main characters, Christina Faust has done an excellent job in voicing them, they feel young, vibrant and are keen on undertaking.
The bad guy of the story, The Zodiac Killer get his own point-of-view in the story, though a bit more early compared to the later parts of the book. This does add another layer to the story. The Zodiac Killer is clearly a psychopath and his action really reflect this, but he is also struggling with himself what he now is and the pleasing the voices in his head. When I read a the introduction of "Dear Editor" I knew that his character would haunt me, and he did. He is creepy and doesn't show remorse, especially when you see him lurking in the shadows planning his next move, there are also a few close encounters between him and Walter and William where I actually thought it would be a done deal. I really like when bad guys get their own visions in a book, really adds much more flavour to the story.
The mythology of Fringe is shown in a nice way in The Zodiac Paradox, laying the focus on the early discovery and the subsequent testing of the drug Cortexaphan. Because the original TV series starts of with several things already well established, these new insights in the book about everything for me proved to be really fruitful, and I am interested to learn more and more about it the history in the books to follow. The Zodiac Paradox can be read as a stand alone book since the story is well contained and has a solid ending, lets see what else will be revealed soon!
The Zodiac Paradox makes up great start of this tie-in series (just a note: not having watched all the episodes I cannot say it has all new info), but I can say that I enjoyed it a lot and when read without any or less knowledge of the TV series proves to be just as great. Christina Faust wrote up a great beginning of the book, building up the story step by step with all that was possible and the consequences of the actions. Making this introduction and describing the events in a engaging manner which made me feel right here in the story. The whole supernatural aspect of the book resonates quite nicely through the pages and the eagerness of William and Walter to explore the possibilities of the drug and that even they don't fully understand the potential yet, leaves enough open space for the story to continue with. The second book in the Fringe series, The Burning Man was released July 16th by Titan Books.
March 24, 2021
What a fun book! If you were a fan of the show, I think you'll dig this book. You get to enjoy some of Walter and "Belly's" antics from the good old days and Christa threaded their backstory in with an interesting Zodiac killer plot that kept me wondering how it was going to play out throughout the novel. Solid job Christa!
July 30, 2013
Most of the readers of this book will be fans of the show Fringe, as I am.
The wisdom of starting a series of tie-in books AFTER a show is over is dubious at best. But it is nice to revisit that universe and get new content.
And many who pick up this book will be surprised that the book is about Walter Bishop, William Bell and Nina Sharp (and the band Violet Sedan Chair--whom Walter is obsessed with), circa 1968-1974.
In Christa Faust's "The Zodiac Paradox," the plot is that Walter and "Belly" in the midst of an acid trip (with their "special" blend) at Reiden Lake accidentally pull the Zodiac Killer through from the "other side." And the Zodiac Killer does what he does best once he's on this side, first killing his own doppelganger and then resuming his evil, murderous ways on this side.
Okay, it's Fringe. I can kinda believe that's possible. It's even a good idea for a story. And it shows how the three protagonists bond together as a team. They're kind of the first "Fringe" team, but working very much outside the law and with very little oversight.
I would have given this book a solid, four star rating but for two things...
1) The Zodiac Killer is somehow radioactive as well as evil. This is never adequately explained. He seems to be able to use his "radioactive superpowers" at will, with no damage to himself. Just being an inter-dimensional serial killer isn't bad enough, apparently, he now has to be able to melt faces. A cool idea, in theory, but flies directly in the face of what I know of how the dimension hopping works from the Fringe TV show.
Though I'm certain some "helpful" soul will explain how it actually "works" within the show's mythology to me...whether I like it or not...yet it still made the book less interesting for me because that aspect just seemed not to "fit" with my understanding of how the science of the TV show functioned.
2) The sort of offhand way the "helpful" students died. Yes, the Zodiac Killer was defeated--through the intervention of the Observers--but it killed all of the students who were helping Walter, Bell and Nina. And the author, in her hurry to both wrap up the story and drop lots of canon "portent" on us (like Walter's vision of the dying Peter, who hadn't been born yet) just sweeps those deaths aside as if they were of no consequence. True, if the students had lived, they would have told of the whole operation. But their mentor, Dr. Rayley, did survive. Anyway, that whole thread just seems to be an example of shoddy writing in an otherwise good book.
Though I said there are only two reasons why this book got only three stars from me, I have two smaller problems as well. One being that they never explain exactly why that Walter and Roscoe (the leader of Violet Sedan Chair--played by Christopher Lloyd on Fringe) don't remember each other years later when they meet again. They have both been through severe mental trauma, but that, again, makes little sense and seems like bad writing.
Though adding Violet Sedan Chair at all seems to serve no real purpose except as a nod to the "universe" of Fringe...and to make the story longer. Which leads me to my second smaller complaint--and it's one I often have with tie-in books--the novel is at least a third "filler" and the story lacks immediacy as a result.
Of the three main characters, William Bell seems the least well-drawn. Walter and Nina are quite vivid, but Bell is more a collection of traits than an actual character.
But despite the above complaints and issues, I did enjoy "The Zodiac Paradox." Once I got close to the end, I didn't put it down until I was finished. To me, that means I had some fun with it. The interference of The Observers at the end was a bit "Deus Ex Machina" for me. But at least it made sense in the context of the story and the Fringe universe.
Let's just say I have higher hopes for the next two books in the Fringe series of tie-in novels.
The wisdom of starting a series of tie-in books AFTER a show is over is dubious at best. But it is nice to revisit that universe and get new content.
And many who pick up this book will be surprised that the book is about Walter Bishop, William Bell and Nina Sharp (and the band Violet Sedan Chair--whom Walter is obsessed with), circa 1968-1974.
In Christa Faust's "The Zodiac Paradox," the plot is that Walter and "Belly" in the midst of an acid trip (with their "special" blend) at Reiden Lake accidentally pull the Zodiac Killer through from the "other side." And the Zodiac Killer does what he does best once he's on this side, first killing his own doppelganger and then resuming his evil, murderous ways on this side.
Okay, it's Fringe. I can kinda believe that's possible. It's even a good idea for a story. And it shows how the three protagonists bond together as a team. They're kind of the first "Fringe" team, but working very much outside the law and with very little oversight.
I would have given this book a solid, four star rating but for two things...
1) The Zodiac Killer is somehow radioactive as well as evil. This is never adequately explained. He seems to be able to use his "radioactive superpowers" at will, with no damage to himself. Just being an inter-dimensional serial killer isn't bad enough, apparently, he now has to be able to melt faces. A cool idea, in theory, but flies directly in the face of what I know of how the dimension hopping works from the Fringe TV show.
Though I'm certain some "helpful" soul will explain how it actually "works" within the show's mythology to me...whether I like it or not...yet it still made the book less interesting for me because that aspect just seemed not to "fit" with my understanding of how the science of the TV show functioned.
2) The sort of offhand way the "helpful" students died. Yes, the Zodiac Killer was defeated--through the intervention of the Observers--but it killed all of the students who were helping Walter, Bell and Nina. And the author, in her hurry to both wrap up the story and drop lots of canon "portent" on us (like Walter's vision of the dying Peter, who hadn't been born yet) just sweeps those deaths aside as if they were of no consequence. True, if the students had lived, they would have told of the whole operation. But their mentor, Dr. Rayley, did survive. Anyway, that whole thread just seems to be an example of shoddy writing in an otherwise good book.
Though I said there are only two reasons why this book got only three stars from me, I have two smaller problems as well. One being that they never explain exactly why that Walter and Roscoe (the leader of Violet Sedan Chair--played by Christopher Lloyd on Fringe) don't remember each other years later when they meet again. They have both been through severe mental trauma, but that, again, makes little sense and seems like bad writing.
Though adding Violet Sedan Chair at all seems to serve no real purpose except as a nod to the "universe" of Fringe...and to make the story longer. Which leads me to my second smaller complaint--and it's one I often have with tie-in books--the novel is at least a third "filler" and the story lacks immediacy as a result.
Of the three main characters, William Bell seems the least well-drawn. Walter and Nina are quite vivid, but Bell is more a collection of traits than an actual character.
But despite the above complaints and issues, I did enjoy "The Zodiac Paradox." Once I got close to the end, I didn't put it down until I was finished. To me, that means I had some fun with it. The interference of The Observers at the end was a bit "Deus Ex Machina" for me. But at least it made sense in the context of the story and the Fringe universe.
Let's just say I have higher hopes for the next two books in the Fringe series of tie-in novels.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2013
My Review: 4 - Problematic, but Promising
Let's be honest: I went into this with LOW expectations. LOW because when it comes to media tie-in novels, they have a bad reputation for not being well-written, and most of the time, the authors skimp on all the usual things that original novels demand: setting, characterization, world-building, etc, knowing their readers are fans of the franchise they're writing in and will therefore fill in the blanks. Not ALL media tie-in novels are like this, but that's the reputation, and that's what I expected when I broke down and pre-ordered Fringe: The Zodiac Paradox for my Kindle. Because while I assumed it would be bad, I miss Fringe and I couldn't resist seeing what the spin-off novels would be like.
I got what I expected, with a notch above in terms of quality/interest level. The pluses: Nina was very well presented on the page (I was going to say very sharp on the page, but that would've been a grown-worthy pun), and I liked her interactions with Walter, Bell, and her housemates. I also really liked Faust's characterization and POV of the Zodiac Killer (where he comes from rocked my world), because while some of it was a little too pat and stereotypical for me, I couldn't deny feeling very engaged by his POV.
Walter, as much as I love that character, left me in confusing shambles. I kept seeing OUR Walter: the Fringe universe Walter, the Walter after he's been in a mental institute for years and years, the Walter who's missing some vital parts of his noggin. That's how he came off to me, but this story? Is a YOUNG Walter. A Walter before all that other stuff happened. And while I could acknowledge the author may be making a case that OUR Walter was the original Walter all along, but events shaped him into the hard man he became that cost him so much, and the Zodiac Killer was one of the main triggering events. I can get that as an argument, but on paper, as shown in the novel, I couldn't. I wanted a different Walter, one different from the man I know and love and cried for. I want a devil-may-care Walter, someone who might feel a bit guilty about some of the things he has to do, but is able to put them aside for the sake of science, for justice.
William Bell, as a character, came off as a sounding box for whatever needed to be said, whenever it needed to be said. I never fully bought him as a character so much as a mouthpiece, but given William Bell's role in the show, I can't say I'm surprised. The character has always been enigmatic.
The writing as a whole is mostly generic (including one painful shout-out to William Gibson's Neuromancer), with nothing fleshed out and, as expected, the reader is required to fill in the blanks. This isn't a book I'd give to someone to introduce them to the Fringe universe: this is a book I'd give to someone who's missing that universe, wants new adventures, and doesn't place too much stock in whether or not the book is considered "high literature." It's fun and fast to read, and I'll admit it: I've pre-ordered the next two books, if only to see what Olivia and Peter's prequel adventures will be like.
Let's be honest: I went into this with LOW expectations. LOW because when it comes to media tie-in novels, they have a bad reputation for not being well-written, and most of the time, the authors skimp on all the usual things that original novels demand: setting, characterization, world-building, etc, knowing their readers are fans of the franchise they're writing in and will therefore fill in the blanks. Not ALL media tie-in novels are like this, but that's the reputation, and that's what I expected when I broke down and pre-ordered Fringe: The Zodiac Paradox for my Kindle. Because while I assumed it would be bad, I miss Fringe and I couldn't resist seeing what the spin-off novels would be like.
I got what I expected, with a notch above in terms of quality/interest level. The pluses: Nina was very well presented on the page (I was going to say very sharp on the page, but that would've been a grown-worthy pun), and I liked her interactions with Walter, Bell, and her housemates. I also really liked Faust's characterization and POV of the Zodiac Killer (where he comes from rocked my world), because while some of it was a little too pat and stereotypical for me, I couldn't deny feeling very engaged by his POV.
Walter, as much as I love that character, left me in confusing shambles. I kept seeing OUR Walter: the Fringe universe Walter, the Walter after he's been in a mental institute for years and years, the Walter who's missing some vital parts of his noggin. That's how he came off to me, but this story? Is a YOUNG Walter. A Walter before all that other stuff happened. And while I could acknowledge the author may be making a case that OUR Walter was the original Walter all along, but events shaped him into the hard man he became that cost him so much, and the Zodiac Killer was one of the main triggering events. I can get that as an argument, but on paper, as shown in the novel, I couldn't. I wanted a different Walter, one different from the man I know and love and cried for. I want a devil-may-care Walter, someone who might feel a bit guilty about some of the things he has to do, but is able to put them aside for the sake of science, for justice.
William Bell, as a character, came off as a sounding box for whatever needed to be said, whenever it needed to be said. I never fully bought him as a character so much as a mouthpiece, but given William Bell's role in the show, I can't say I'm surprised. The character has always been enigmatic.
The writing as a whole is mostly generic (including one painful shout-out to William Gibson's Neuromancer), with nothing fleshed out and, as expected, the reader is required to fill in the blanks. This isn't a book I'd give to someone to introduce them to the Fringe universe: this is a book I'd give to someone who's missing that universe, wants new adventures, and doesn't place too much stock in whether or not the book is considered "high literature." It's fun and fast to read, and I'll admit it: I've pre-ordered the next two books, if only to see what Olivia and Peter's prequel adventures will be like.
July 26, 2013
I received a review copy of Fringe: The Zodiac Paradox by Christa Faust from Titan Books, which is fortunate, because I was an avid fan of the Fringe television series. But how does the book compare? Read on for my full review.
Fringe: The Zodiac Paradox serves as a prequel to the hit Fox television series. In this new book, Walter Bishop, Nina Sharp and William “Belly” Bell are in their early 20′s and they have not yet become a part of Global Dynamics. They’re still kids, but they’re the most brilliant minds of their generation. When Walter and William start experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs, they unwittingly open a gateway to an alternate universe. Through that gate comes a killer, one of the most remembered of the time: The Zodiac Killer. It’s up to Walter, William and Nina to make sure the killer gets sent back to where he came from.
It’s interesting to see the characters in their younger incarnations in the book. Walter, however, hasn’t changed much from the bumbling genius that he is to grow into and that we know from the television series. I still don’t feel like I know William Bell, very well, though – he’s always been enigmatic and remains so in this book. Nina, however, is different and much more vibrant as a young woman and this book shows a side of her I wish we could have seen on-screen. The characters are written true to form and seeing them in their younger incarnations is fascinating.
There are many things in this book that actually lead up to things that happened on the television. We see the early form of cortexiphan and the results that Walter and William had with it. We also see some foreshadowing of Walter’s own future concerning his son and the beginnings of what will eventually become the government’s Fringe division.
Unfortunately, another thing seen when reading this book is a great deal of typos. These things don’t usually spoil my reading experience, but when they’re as noticeable as they are here, it does provide some distraction from the story. I will also admit that I was a little let down that we didn’t see more hints about Olivia Dunham, but the book does take place in 1971, before she was born. However, Walter does have a vision about Peter, so I suppose there’s that.
With that being said, fans of Fringe will enjoy this book, which expands the story a little further and gives us a good background of just how things began. You can buy it now on Amazon.
Fringe: The Zodiac Paradox serves as a prequel to the hit Fox television series. In this new book, Walter Bishop, Nina Sharp and William “Belly” Bell are in their early 20′s and they have not yet become a part of Global Dynamics. They’re still kids, but they’re the most brilliant minds of their generation. When Walter and William start experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs, they unwittingly open a gateway to an alternate universe. Through that gate comes a killer, one of the most remembered of the time: The Zodiac Killer. It’s up to Walter, William and Nina to make sure the killer gets sent back to where he came from.
It’s interesting to see the characters in their younger incarnations in the book. Walter, however, hasn’t changed much from the bumbling genius that he is to grow into and that we know from the television series. I still don’t feel like I know William Bell, very well, though – he’s always been enigmatic and remains so in this book. Nina, however, is different and much more vibrant as a young woman and this book shows a side of her I wish we could have seen on-screen. The characters are written true to form and seeing them in their younger incarnations is fascinating.
There are many things in this book that actually lead up to things that happened on the television. We see the early form of cortexiphan and the results that Walter and William had with it. We also see some foreshadowing of Walter’s own future concerning his son and the beginnings of what will eventually become the government’s Fringe division.
Unfortunately, another thing seen when reading this book is a great deal of typos. These things don’t usually spoil my reading experience, but when they’re as noticeable as they are here, it does provide some distraction from the story. I will also admit that I was a little let down that we didn’t see more hints about Olivia Dunham, but the book does take place in 1971, before she was born. However, Walter does have a vision about Peter, so I suppose there’s that.
With that being said, fans of Fringe will enjoy this book, which expands the story a little further and gives us a good background of just how things began. You can buy it now on Amazon.
July 8, 2013
Being a huge fan of the TV series, I was extremely happy when I found out that a series of tie-in books would be coming out that furthered the Fringe universe and would give fans some new material concerning the backstories of the main characters.
I was excited to know more about Walter and Bell's friendship prior to where the TV series begins, and when I read the synopsis for The Zodiac Paradox I was super excited; I even pre-ordered the book on Amazon because I couldn't wait to have my own copy. Unfortunately, what begins as a very interesting premise turns into a sloppy mess by the end of the novel.
I wanted so badly to give this book more than one star just for the sake of it being a continuation into the lives of the characters I grew to love on the show, but the sloppy writing was too much for me to bear and I knew I would be lying if I gave this book more than one star.
For about the first 30 pages, I was pretty optimistic that the book would be good; I liked where the story was going and how the author was able to blend a real-life serial killer in with the sci-fi universe of Fringe. Plus, I've always been a little fascinated with the Zodiac killings and I figured it would be a good fit for this type of setting.
However, the grammar and punctuation errors in this book are abundant and really began to take me out of the story. This book needed a much better editor to fix these mistakes and make the story more condensed. I would say a good 50 pages could have been edited out of the book to make it better.
I also thought a lot of the dialogue was cheesy and melodramatic. For example, on page 262 in relation to the Zodiac killer FBI Agent Iverson says, "'You want to repay me?' he asked. 'Whatever you do, don't let Latimer capture the Zodiac. He's become obsessed, and can't be reasoned with. He thinks Zodiac is the ultimate nuclear weapon, and all he cares about is controlling him. It's up to you three to prevent it.'"
Overall, this was one of my most disappointing reads so far this year. I will still continue reading the other books in the series because I love Fringe, but I've lowered my expectations a considerable amount. I guess I will just shelve this book under guilty pleasures, even though it would probably be a job trying to get myself to read through this again.
I was excited to know more about Walter and Bell's friendship prior to where the TV series begins, and when I read the synopsis for The Zodiac Paradox I was super excited; I even pre-ordered the book on Amazon because I couldn't wait to have my own copy. Unfortunately, what begins as a very interesting premise turns into a sloppy mess by the end of the novel.
I wanted so badly to give this book more than one star just for the sake of it being a continuation into the lives of the characters I grew to love on the show, but the sloppy writing was too much for me to bear and I knew I would be lying if I gave this book more than one star.
For about the first 30 pages, I was pretty optimistic that the book would be good; I liked where the story was going and how the author was able to blend a real-life serial killer in with the sci-fi universe of Fringe. Plus, I've always been a little fascinated with the Zodiac killings and I figured it would be a good fit for this type of setting.
However, the grammar and punctuation errors in this book are abundant and really began to take me out of the story. This book needed a much better editor to fix these mistakes and make the story more condensed. I would say a good 50 pages could have been edited out of the book to make it better.
I also thought a lot of the dialogue was cheesy and melodramatic. For example, on page 262 in relation to the Zodiac killer FBI Agent Iverson says, "'You want to repay me?' he asked. 'Whatever you do, don't let Latimer capture the Zodiac. He's become obsessed, and can't be reasoned with. He thinks Zodiac is the ultimate nuclear weapon, and all he cares about is controlling him. It's up to you three to prevent it.'"
Overall, this was one of my most disappointing reads so far this year. I will still continue reading the other books in the series because I love Fringe, but I've lowered my expectations a considerable amount. I guess I will just shelve this book under guilty pleasures, even though it would probably be a job trying to get myself to read through this again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2015
Before I get into this tie-in novel, I want to talk about the show it was spun off from. I am assuming if you’re checking out this book review you probably watched the FOX show. Fringe is one of my favorite shows of all time. I know many who watched the pilot and just a few episodes feel like Fringe is just an X-files rip-off.
If you watched the show you know it is much more science fiction than X-files and in my opinion it has a better mythology. Walter Bishop played in emmy/ golden globe worthy performances over five season by John Noble is one of my favorite TV characters. The mythlogy of the show extends into alternate universes and perfectly incorporated monsters of the week which were always based on interesting sci-fi concepts. All the characters were well written and performed. The finale was heartbreaking and tear jerker so I was pleased when scanning the shelves in Sci-fi and saw this book.
What made me even more excited was seeing the name of the author. Christa Faust is a great writer twice nominated for the Edgar award. This told me instantly that the book would be high quality. Two Faust written Fringe novels have been released and from what I can tell we will get a third and maybe a fourth. It also appears that Faust had access to writers from the show to develop these books.
It seems she is genuine fan of the show and the characters, which is not always the case in Tie-in novels. I only had tiny nit-picks with how the characters were realized in the book, but they were such small problems they are not worth going into.
This is a very Fringe story, set in the late sixties and 70’s with young Walter Bishop, William Bell and Nina Sharp. Tied into the Zodiac killings, experimental drugs and an alternate universe origin of the Zodiac killer.
Faust ties all these elements together and created a excellently realized prequel. Above average prose for a tie-in and short fast moving chapters make this a must read for Fringe fans.
If you watched the show you know it is much more science fiction than X-files and in my opinion it has a better mythology. Walter Bishop played in emmy/ golden globe worthy performances over five season by John Noble is one of my favorite TV characters. The mythlogy of the show extends into alternate universes and perfectly incorporated monsters of the week which were always based on interesting sci-fi concepts. All the characters were well written and performed. The finale was heartbreaking and tear jerker so I was pleased when scanning the shelves in Sci-fi and saw this book.
What made me even more excited was seeing the name of the author. Christa Faust is a great writer twice nominated for the Edgar award. This told me instantly that the book would be high quality. Two Faust written Fringe novels have been released and from what I can tell we will get a third and maybe a fourth. It also appears that Faust had access to writers from the show to develop these books.
It seems she is genuine fan of the show and the characters, which is not always the case in Tie-in novels. I only had tiny nit-picks with how the characters were realized in the book, but they were such small problems they are not worth going into.
This is a very Fringe story, set in the late sixties and 70’s with young Walter Bishop, William Bell and Nina Sharp. Tied into the Zodiac killings, experimental drugs and an alternate universe origin of the Zodiac killer.
Faust ties all these elements together and created a excellently realized prequel. Above average prose for a tie-in and short fast moving chapters make this a must read for Fringe fans.
April 10, 2020
I watched Fringe TV series later than usual being in India at that time only way to watch it was to download the episodes which I did with extreme eagerness for this was a wonderful Sci-Fi series which actually ended properly. So it was fun to revisit that world after a long time. These series are a prequel series each focusing on one of the main character this first book focuses of exploits of Walter Bishop in 60s and 70s along with Bell and Nina Sharp.
This mostly focuses on how Bishop and Bell open up the first gate which allows a criminal from the other dimension to our world and he turns out to be the Zodiac killer yes Fringe takes a swing at the Zodiac case to make it sci-fi and also details how the Fringe department in FBI came in existence. This was a fun read and Bishop and Bell's friendship and the way they stumble through their experience and their experiments in Boston and San Francisco of 70s. It was fun to learn about the history of these characters.
Do check this book if you already seen the Fringe TV series because this would be better and would give you much more fun but even if you haven't seen the series it's still a good sci-fi book, read it then Keep on Reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genre but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
This mostly focuses on how Bishop and Bell open up the first gate which allows a criminal from the other dimension to our world and he turns out to be the Zodiac killer yes Fringe takes a swing at the Zodiac case to make it sci-fi and also details how the Fringe department in FBI came in existence. This was a fun read and Bishop and Bell's friendship and the way they stumble through their experience and their experiments in Boston and San Francisco of 70s. It was fun to learn about the history of these characters.
Do check this book if you already seen the Fringe TV series because this would be better and would give you much more fun but even if you haven't seen the series it's still a good sci-fi book, read it then Keep on Reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genre but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
January 14, 2015
Warning: Do not read unless you have a complete understanding of the Fringe TV Series.
“Fringe: The Zodiac Paradox” is one prequel to the TV series and shows why certain characters did certain things later on. It takes place in the early 1970s, about 40 years before the TV show’s storyline, when there is no Fringe Division, and there is only one major character from the series, Walter Bishop and two supporting characters, Nina Sharp and William Bell are seemingly promoted to major characters. There are cases that were never mentioned before, but they explain the later events. Most people write the first book first, and then continue in order chronologically. The book was based off of the TV show, but still manages to keep the sense of order, even though it was not decided that the events of the TV show would be explained by the events of The Zodiac Paradox until Christa Faust decided to write it in her book.
The Zodiac Paradox also gives a reasonable explanation to the “Zodiac Mystery” of the 1960s and 1970s, though a strange one (no one would think that such a person came from the Parallel Universe and had trouble with himself). The favorite scientist, Walter Bishop is messing around with William Bell and they accidentally open a rift between universes, in which a person uses to accidentally travel to this universe, the Prime Universe. When he starts to wreak havoc, Walter and his friends find out about the mistake they made, and try to set things right. Being a biochemist, there is only one way they can do this. How it turns out lies within the book.
Christa Faust did a remarkable job in tying her novel to the original TV series and reality at the same time, considering that most of the previous major characters are not present. Congratulations on getting 5 stars!
“Fringe: The Zodiac Paradox” is one prequel to the TV series and shows why certain characters did certain things later on. It takes place in the early 1970s, about 40 years before the TV show’s storyline, when there is no Fringe Division, and there is only one major character from the series, Walter Bishop and two supporting characters, Nina Sharp and William Bell are seemingly promoted to major characters. There are cases that were never mentioned before, but they explain the later events. Most people write the first book first, and then continue in order chronologically. The book was based off of the TV show, but still manages to keep the sense of order, even though it was not decided that the events of the TV show would be explained by the events of The Zodiac Paradox until Christa Faust decided to write it in her book.
The Zodiac Paradox also gives a reasonable explanation to the “Zodiac Mystery” of the 1960s and 1970s, though a strange one (no one would think that such a person came from the Parallel Universe and had trouble with himself). The favorite scientist, Walter Bishop is messing around with William Bell and they accidentally open a rift between universes, in which a person uses to accidentally travel to this universe, the Prime Universe. When he starts to wreak havoc, Walter and his friends find out about the mistake they made, and try to set things right. Being a biochemist, there is only one way they can do this. How it turns out lies within the book.
Christa Faust did a remarkable job in tying her novel to the original TV series and reality at the same time, considering that most of the previous major characters are not present. Congratulations on getting 5 stars!
June 29, 2015
A couple months ago I re-watched Fringe and immediately after doing that I wanted MORE! So I searched and found this series. As anyone that has read book adaptations of non-book worlds know they can be hit or miss. I’ve loved some Star Trek books and hated others, the same with the Fable video game books. However, I really wanted more in the world and bought the first one, without reading the blurb, not sure why I did that.
I should have been clued in by the title but I was still surprised that the book was about the Zodiac Killer. I’ve read some books on serial killers that of course mention the Zodiac but it’s been a few years so I couldn’t tell you if the facts were right. Honestly, I don’t think it matters.
The story was interesting and revolved around Walter, Bell, and Nina. It was nice to see them younger and see the beginning of… everything really. You saw Bell and Nina get it on for the first time and their more than romantic bond begin. You also saw the beginning of chortexisphan (?).
I was unsure of the depiction of Walter. In most of the flashbacks that I remember in the TV show he seemed very focused on Science, but not as absent minded or crazy as he seemed in this book. I thought the crazy didn’t happen until they took the part out of his brain. He was the moral center of this book, but was easily overruled by Bell and Nina, which I don’t really see becoming the character that is in such control in the TV show before the brain slice.
I liked seeing Walter again but I’d really like to read more about the other characters. This was definitely a prequel to the TV show and I’m never too fond of those, however, it was nice to see the origins in this case.
4/5
I should have been clued in by the title but I was still surprised that the book was about the Zodiac Killer. I’ve read some books on serial killers that of course mention the Zodiac but it’s been a few years so I couldn’t tell you if the facts were right. Honestly, I don’t think it matters.
The story was interesting and revolved around Walter, Bell, and Nina. It was nice to see them younger and see the beginning of… everything really. You saw Bell and Nina get it on for the first time and their more than romantic bond begin. You also saw the beginning of chortexisphan (?).
I was unsure of the depiction of Walter. In most of the flashbacks that I remember in the TV show he seemed very focused on Science, but not as absent minded or crazy as he seemed in this book. I thought the crazy didn’t happen until they took the part out of his brain. He was the moral center of this book, but was easily overruled by Bell and Nina, which I don’t really see becoming the character that is in such control in the TV show before the brain slice.
I liked seeing Walter again but I’d really like to read more about the other characters. This was definitely a prequel to the TV show and I’m never too fond of those, however, it was nice to see the origins in this case.
4/5
March 2, 2015
As an avid fan of the television series Fringe, I was a bit skeptical about a tie-in novel. However, I love the series so much and I love reading as well, so I decided to give this book a chance to win me over. I'm glad I gave it the chance, because this book was definitely better than expected. I think the real key to the success of this book and the believable feel of the tie-in aspect was the fact that Christina Faust did not try to recreate the series itself, but decided to go back long before the Fringe team was formed and delve into the histories and beginnings of Walter Bishop, William Bell, and Nina Sharp. With all of the science, action, and breath-taking cliff hangers of an episode of the show, The Zodiac Paradox drew me in and didn't let me go until the last word on the last page. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this book for me were the minute details that tied the book in with the rest of the show. These details were not so blatant as to make me feel as if I were being hit across the face with them, but rather were subtly woven into the larger picture of the story and made me gasp with surprise every time a new connection was made. While I would not necessarily recommend this book for non-watchers of the show, it is not completely impossible to follow the story-line from an outsider's perspective. Overall, a great story and an enjoyable return to the world of Fringe.
July 3, 2013
I was a fan of the show so I thought this might be worth the read. I really enjoyed it. This book takes you back before the TV series. It follows Walter, William Bell, and Nina in the 70’s before the discovery of an alternate universe. I thought it was interesting to see how their relationship was before the show started. We never really get know them before the show except little glances here and there. Walter is the eccentric and scatterbrained as he in the show. William Bell is the controlled and more devious then portrayed in the show. Nina seems exactly how she is in the show.
Walter and Bell are experimenting with drugs formula that plays a big part in the series. The Zodiac killer manages to crossover into their universe during this drug experiment. This is their first experience with opening the gate to the alternative universe. The trio is determined to send him back to where he came from. The book mostly is a mix of chasing the Zodiac and figuring out how to get him back.
I enjoyed getting a look back before the show to see how these characters came to be when the show started. It looks like there are at least 2 other books that will be released in the series. The next one has Olivia on the cover and the third one Peter. I think it will be interesting to see their back story too.
Walter and Bell are experimenting with drugs formula that plays a big part in the series. The Zodiac killer manages to crossover into their universe during this drug experiment. This is their first experience with opening the gate to the alternative universe. The trio is determined to send him back to where he came from. The book mostly is a mix of chasing the Zodiac and figuring out how to get him back.
I enjoyed getting a look back before the show to see how these characters came to be when the show started. It looks like there are at least 2 other books that will be released in the series. The next one has Olivia on the cover and the third one Peter. I think it will be interesting to see their back story too.
June 28, 2013
I love Fringe.
I even liked seasons 4 and 5.
This book though, I could not get into. I didn't get excited when reading it, I just trudged through it because it was Fringe. It wasn't just the subject matter (Really? The Zodiac Killer?) but the whole thing seemed very fan-fiction to me and not canon. As others have said Walter was written as the goofy, drugged out, spacy Walter from most of the series and not the serious scientist Walter shown in '1985' episodes (flashbacks?) of the TV show. It just didn't fit and it took me out of the story. Half the time I was thinking "Walter wouldn't act like that."
I didn't have a problem with the writing style, yes it was a little heavy handed with descriptions of every little thing and a few paragraphs I had a tendency to skim over.
I think what bothered me was how extremely far-fetched it seemed (I know right!) For Fringe it just didn't seem like it was about the same characters we've grown to love on the show. Their plan for solving their Zodiac Killer problem was silly and out of character. Surely Bell and Walter would have come up with a better idea than this. The secondary characters were too involved and had too much back story for a book about Walter, Nina, and Bell.
I'm sure I'll read the next two books, just out of love for Fringe and the characters, and I hope they're better than this one.
I even liked seasons 4 and 5.
This book though, I could not get into. I didn't get excited when reading it, I just trudged through it because it was Fringe. It wasn't just the subject matter (Really? The Zodiac Killer?) but the whole thing seemed very fan-fiction to me and not canon. As others have said Walter was written as the goofy, drugged out, spacy Walter from most of the series and not the serious scientist Walter shown in '1985' episodes (flashbacks?) of the TV show. It just didn't fit and it took me out of the story. Half the time I was thinking "Walter wouldn't act like that."
I didn't have a problem with the writing style, yes it was a little heavy handed with descriptions of every little thing and a few paragraphs I had a tendency to skim over.
I think what bothered me was how extremely far-fetched it seemed (I know right!) For Fringe it just didn't seem like it was about the same characters we've grown to love on the show. Their plan for solving their Zodiac Killer problem was silly and out of character. Surely Bell and Walter would have come up with a better idea than this. The secondary characters were too involved and had too much back story for a book about Walter, Nina, and Bell.
I'm sure I'll read the next two books, just out of love for Fringe and the characters, and I hope they're better than this one.
January 25, 2014
**LOVED** this book!!! I am a big fan of the TV series (which I'm slowly making my way though via Netflix) and this was like coming home! :-D This book is definitely a prequel to the series and tells how Walter, Bell and Nina all come together.
There are teasers and spoilers around every turn. Those little "ah ha!" moments that bridge the TV series and the book, filling in gaps here and there. Walter, even a young Walter, is still the awkward 3rd wheel - he's delightedly Walterish! :-D
I was startled several times in the book as they referenced moments from the TV series. I worried that they would utilize the TV series so heavily that you felt if you hadn't seen the series you wouldn't get the book. On the contrary the book is definitely stand alone, just with our favorite characters. The little zips and zings, "deja vu's" if you will, from the TV series greatly enhance without ever detracting from this book.
It would seem that our trio was solving crimes, murders, even before coming together as we know them. Bell is still the snake I've always thought him to be! Whoops! Did I type that out loud? I guess that would be a spoiler! LOL! ;-)
Regardless, if you're a fan of the TV series, give this book a read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to add the sequel to my reading pile very soon. :-)
XXOO
~Hope
There are teasers and spoilers around every turn. Those little "ah ha!" moments that bridge the TV series and the book, filling in gaps here and there. Walter, even a young Walter, is still the awkward 3rd wheel - he's delightedly Walterish! :-D
I was startled several times in the book as they referenced moments from the TV series. I worried that they would utilize the TV series so heavily that you felt if you hadn't seen the series you wouldn't get the book. On the contrary the book is definitely stand alone, just with our favorite characters. The little zips and zings, "deja vu's" if you will, from the TV series greatly enhance without ever detracting from this book.
It would seem that our trio was solving crimes, murders, even before coming together as we know them. Bell is still the snake I've always thought him to be! Whoops! Did I type that out loud? I guess that would be a spoiler! LOL! ;-)
Regardless, if you're a fan of the TV series, give this book a read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to add the sequel to my reading pile very soon. :-)
XXOO
~Hope
January 25, 2014
**LOVED** this book!!! I am a big fan of the TV series (which I'm slowly making my way though via Netflix) and this was like coming home! :-D This book is definitely a prequel to the series and tells how Walter, Bell and Nina all come together.
There are teasers and spoilers around every turn. Those little "ah ha!" moments that bridge the TV series and the book, filling in gaps here and there. Walter, even a young Walter, is still the awkward 3rd wheel - he's delightedly Walterish! :-D
I was startled several times in the book as they referenced moments from the TV series. I worried that they would utilize the TV series so heavily that you felt if you hadn't seen the series you wouldn't get the book. On the contrary the book is definitely stand alone, just with our favorite characters. The little zips and zings, "deja vu's" if you will, from the TV series greatly enhance without ever detracting from this book.
It would seem that our trio was solving crimes, murders, even before coming together as we know them. Bell is still the snake I've always thought him to be! Whoops! Did I type that out loud? I guess that would be a spoiler! LOL! ;-)
Regardless, if you're a fan of the TV series, give this book a read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to add the sequel to my reading pile very soon. :-)
XXOO
~Hope
There are teasers and spoilers around every turn. Those little "ah ha!" moments that bridge the TV series and the book, filling in gaps here and there. Walter, even a young Walter, is still the awkward 3rd wheel - he's delightedly Walterish! :-D
I was startled several times in the book as they referenced moments from the TV series. I worried that they would utilize the TV series so heavily that you felt if you hadn't seen the series you wouldn't get the book. On the contrary the book is definitely stand alone, just with our favorite characters. The little zips and zings, "deja vu's" if you will, from the TV series greatly enhance without ever detracting from this book.
It would seem that our trio was solving crimes, murders, even before coming together as we know them. Bell is still the snake I've always thought him to be! Whoops! Did I type that out loud? I guess that would be a spoiler! LOL! ;-)
Regardless, if you're a fan of the TV series, give this book a read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to add the sequel to my reading pile very soon. :-)
XXOO
~Hope
December 4, 2013
This was a great start to a new series of books based on the x-TV show Fringe. These books are supposed to fill in the story holes left open by the series and the first one starts it right off. As I was reading this, I felt I was in the spirit of the show with the subtle shout outs to the idiosyncrasies of Walter and William (less on William as he wasn't a prominent character on the show). I loved that Christa was able to capture the spirit of the early 70's with such great descriptions. I miss my mom's VW Beetle now.
I did have some problems with the bad guy in the book though. His reasoning and purpose seemed to shift quite a bit and there is a lot of unanswered questions. Why did he develop that freaky power? why did it only work sometimes? Why wasn't he surprised by it when it developed? I felt that Miranda's fate should have been more meaningful. Iverson of the FBI was a complete joke IMHO.
I would have given this a 3.5 but didn't feel it deserved to be penalized by a 3 star. I am looking forward to the next book which deals with a young Olivia. Now its time for some Pancakes!
I did have some problems with the bad guy in the book though. His reasoning and purpose seemed to shift quite a bit and there is a lot of unanswered questions. Why did he develop that freaky power? why did it only work sometimes? Why wasn't he surprised by it when it developed? I felt that Miranda's fate should have been more meaningful. Iverson of the FBI was a complete joke IMHO.
I would have given this a 3.5 but didn't feel it deserved to be penalized by a 3 star. I am looking forward to the next book which deals with a young Olivia. Now its time for some Pancakes!
June 21, 2013
As a huge fan of the Fringe TV series, I immediately jumped at the chance to read this book and get my "Fringe fix" even though the show is now off the air. I really enjoyed the story in The Zodiac Paradox and thought it was a nice tie-in for the series. It was a very interesting take on the actual Zodiac Killer's existence mixed with a background story of the early stages of what becomes cortexiphan, which includes a young Walter Bishop and William Bell tripping on their own hallucinogenic mix. So, what's not to like? My only negative criticism is that this author 100% relies on assuming that all readers of this book will already be familiar with Walter and Bell and their characters are not fleshed out very well. If you didn't watch the TV show, you would not have a very clear image of these characters. As other reviews have mentioned, Nina Sharp is actually very well written and feels like her characterization was much more in depth than the other two. Again, the story itself is great, but the writing itself isn't the greatest but the book is overall very enjoyable. I'm looking forward to reading the next ones!
November 24, 2013
This is a book for someone who watched the series Fringe. I was a casual viewer in the third through fifth seasons so I knew the characters, but not the whole arc of the series. I enjoyed this book. It had just enough back story to follow and enough new story to keep me interested.
Walter and Bell invent their own type of LSD that helps them connect mentally while tripping, but this connection unlocks a parallel universe. A killer comes through the gate created to that universe and he is vicious.
We know the killer is Allan from the start of the book, but since he is lost in his gate trip we are in just as much suspense as he is about what’s happening to and around him. He even becomes radioactive.
Bell and Walter try to recreate their trip to banish the killer. To help them, they enlist a rock band because they do drugs-why not. They also get a group of college students that are up for an experiment.
The story doesn’t end happy, but it has a resolution.
I can’t recommend this to someone who never followed the show because the end wouldn’t make sense. I got it and enjoyed the book.
Walter and Bell invent their own type of LSD that helps them connect mentally while tripping, but this connection unlocks a parallel universe. A killer comes through the gate created to that universe and he is vicious.
We know the killer is Allan from the start of the book, but since he is lost in his gate trip we are in just as much suspense as he is about what’s happening to and around him. He even becomes radioactive.
Bell and Walter try to recreate their trip to banish the killer. To help them, they enlist a rock band because they do drugs-why not. They also get a group of college students that are up for an experiment.
The story doesn’t end happy, but it has a resolution.
I can’t recommend this to someone who never followed the show because the end wouldn’t make sense. I got it and enjoyed the book.
June 21, 2013
For Fringe lovers, this details the origins of Cortexephan and the early days of the Walter-William-Nina triad. A lot of filler makes it a fairly skimmable read (many of the secondary characters have way too much back story, and it slogs the action).
The time period would seem to be ripe to get a more compelling study of Bell, a character rarely seen in the series. Faust does a better job of illuminating Nina, with her role always on stage essentially that of reigning in the boys when they're too busy tripping or muttering.
Somehow this origin tale just doesn't ring right with me. I think the killer might have been more compelling if it had not been a known serial killer. I don't remember enough details of the actual Zodiac killings to be informed for this read, and I sort of felt the author expected the readers to know details already. More importantly, I don't feel like I know William or Nina in more depth than I did before. Fans of the character development of the show may find themselves disappointed.
The time period would seem to be ripe to get a more compelling study of Bell, a character rarely seen in the series. Faust does a better job of illuminating Nina, with her role always on stage essentially that of reigning in the boys when they're too busy tripping or muttering.
Somehow this origin tale just doesn't ring right with me. I think the killer might have been more compelling if it had not been a known serial killer. I don't remember enough details of the actual Zodiac killings to be informed for this read, and I sort of felt the author expected the readers to know details already. More importantly, I don't feel like I know William or Nina in more depth than I did before. Fans of the character development of the show may find themselves disappointed.
June 19, 2014
Fringe Prequel - Book 1 !!!
Actual Rating 4.5 stars
I loved immersing myself in the world of Fringe again. I wanted to shout out to everyone that Fringe was back, Fringe was back! I could imagine the characters so easily, Walter Bishop, William Bell, Nina Sharp. Even though they're in their 20's, their personalities are so... them....
I don't know if I would have enjoyed the book if I had never watched the show. I don't know. A lot of the scientific gobbledeygook went over my head and I may have been scared, thinking I don't understand this, too hard. But because I know that's just the way Walter and Belly talk or think, its ok... its not imperative we understand.
I dropped it half a star only because some of it was a tad far fetched, even for science fiction.
It was also a bit gruesome in parts, a bit too much for my current tastes, but...... it was fringe!
Actual Rating 4.5 stars
I loved immersing myself in the world of Fringe again. I wanted to shout out to everyone that Fringe was back, Fringe was back! I could imagine the characters so easily, Walter Bishop, William Bell, Nina Sharp. Even though they're in their 20's, their personalities are so... them....
I don't know if I would have enjoyed the book if I had never watched the show. I don't know. A lot of the scientific gobbledeygook went over my head and I may have been scared, thinking I don't understand this, too hard. But because I know that's just the way Walter and Belly talk or think, its ok... its not imperative we understand.
I dropped it half a star only because some of it was a tad far fetched, even for science fiction.
It was also a bit gruesome in parts, a bit too much for my current tastes, but...... it was fringe!
September 24, 2014
Picked this up in LA needing something to read on my flight. I've always liked the TV show, and I don't read much mystery/suspense, but I decided to try it out.
It was interesting. It took me a bit to get in my head that the characters were all younger, and interacted well too. But, once I trained myself, it was kind of a fun read.
The writing isn't the best- it didn't really pull me in or give me any feeling. The plot is certainly fringe-like though, so that was good. Having majored in chemistry/biochemistry, none of the thinking behind their work or methods make any sense....but that's what makes it FRINGE!! So fun.
Walter is still my favorite. I really did like the way that Nina is portrayed though. It's kind of interesting....the way she is, being so brilliant. I'm glad they gave her a bigger role.
Also, the bad guy, the Zodiac Killer....he's creepy. I'm not sure if that's how serial killers think, but...goodness. No. NO thank you.
So yeah, the book was different from my normal, but I still liked it. It was nice for change.
It was interesting. It took me a bit to get in my head that the characters were all younger, and interacted well too. But, once I trained myself, it was kind of a fun read.
The writing isn't the best- it didn't really pull me in or give me any feeling. The plot is certainly fringe-like though, so that was good. Having majored in chemistry/biochemistry, none of the thinking behind their work or methods make any sense....but that's what makes it FRINGE!! So fun.
Walter is still my favorite. I really did like the way that Nina is portrayed though. It's kind of interesting....the way she is, being so brilliant. I'm glad they gave her a bigger role.
Also, the bad guy, the Zodiac Killer....he's creepy. I'm not sure if that's how serial killers think, but...goodness. No. NO thank you.
So yeah, the book was different from my normal, but I still liked it. It was nice for change.
September 9, 2013
an ok book. if your a fan of Fringe I think its worth your time.
There were two issues for me, the biggest one was the portrayal of Walter. As we've seen in flashback episodes of the Show, before walter was imprisoned in the asylum ( and he had Bell remove parts of his brain), he was a pretty well adjusted, even forceful character (more or less Walternate, really). but here he is portrayed more like the post asylum/surgery version - and this is a problem since the book happens between 1969 and 1974. It had a tendency to take me out of the story at a few points (and admittedly, maybe it's just me).
Other than that, the backfilling was a bit by the numbers: gotta squeeze this in, put a reference to this, etc. the Violet Sedan Chair make an appearance (which is fine, but thats not enough it goes deeper).
There were two issues for me, the biggest one was the portrayal of Walter. As we've seen in flashback episodes of the Show, before walter was imprisoned in the asylum ( and he had Bell remove parts of his brain), he was a pretty well adjusted, even forceful character (more or less Walternate, really). but here he is portrayed more like the post asylum/surgery version - and this is a problem since the book happens between 1969 and 1974. It had a tendency to take me out of the story at a few points (and admittedly, maybe it's just me).
Other than that, the backfilling was a bit by the numbers: gotta squeeze this in, put a reference to this, etc. the Violet Sedan Chair make an appearance (which is fine, but thats not enough it goes deeper).
August 16, 2013
From a previous comment I made:
I had a hard time with the man who said, "There's only one god in this lab," and the one portrayed in the book. Pre-institute Walter is supposed to be a bit of a megalomaniac and there's no evidence of that here. Bell was very two dimensional and anyone who's watched Leonard Nimoy over the years know he's anything but. I do feel the author underplayed his character here although she emphasized Bell's and Nina's past meeting and involvement well. I did like the twist on the Zodiac killer's story as a way to introduce the altiverse but did not see the need for Walter to know about future-Peter.
I had a hard time with the man who said, "There's only one god in this lab," and the one portrayed in the book. Pre-institute Walter is supposed to be a bit of a megalomaniac and there's no evidence of that here. Bell was very two dimensional and anyone who's watched Leonard Nimoy over the years know he's anything but. I do feel the author underplayed his character here although she emphasized Bell's and Nina's past meeting and involvement well. I did like the twist on the Zodiac killer's story as a way to introduce the altiverse but did not see the need for Walter to know about future-Peter.
May 7, 2018
William Bell and Walter Bishop are in their early 20s. It's late '60s, early '70s. Bell has recently gotten involved with Nina Sharp. Bell & Bishop trip on their own chemical hallucinogenic formula and inadvertently open a rift which a criminal from a parallel universe accidentally slips through. That criminal turns out to be the Zodiac Killer. Bell, Bishop, and Nina have to find a way to recreate the rift & lure the killer back through it to his own universe.
Fans of the TV show will appreciate the nods, such as how Bell & Bishop got the idea to later test Cortexiphan on kids and the dark future Bell & Nina's relationship would end up at.
Fans of the TV show will appreciate the nods, such as how Bell & Bishop got the idea to later test Cortexiphan on kids and the dark future Bell & Nina's relationship would end up at.
June 28, 2017
I know media tie-in books have a bad reputation, but this one is genuinely good. I think Faust really captures the characters from the series, and renders them as complex, believable, and mostly likable people. The dialogue is smooth and realistic. The action is intense. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel.
If the premise of mad scientists using psychedelics to stop the Zodiac Killer interests you at all, I recommend this book regardless of your familiarity with the Fringe show.
If the premise of mad scientists using psychedelics to stop the Zodiac Killer interests you at all, I recommend this book regardless of your familiarity with the Fringe show.
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