Platform 21

by T.R. Patrick

Luke’s life is about to take a dangerous turn.
But first he has to die.

In the year 2052, high school sophomore Luke Gibson considers himself an average teenager in a world on the brink of monumental change. Joining his parents and sister, Laura, at the first World Energy Initiative Conference, he is among thousands gathered in a Denver arena to celebrate free renewable energy when a massive earthquake strikes killing everyone in the stadium. The last thing Luke sees before his death is a girl reaching out to him—a stranger whose face he remembers from his dreams.

The end, however, is not the end. Suddenly, inexplicably, Luke is back home in Ohio and everything is different. His sister is gone, the victim in an unsolved homicide years before. Angela, his mysterious dream girl, is here also, and the only person besides Luke who recalls the previous reality. And now their determination to uncover the truth about Laura’s murder and their transformed world is making them targets—forced to flee for their lives from a nameless shadow organization and a government seeking vengeance for an unthinkable act of terror—as they stand on the threshold of a dark conspiracy that threatens all humankind.

Genres: Science Fiction

347 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2013

About the author

Author Timothy R. Patrick, born in 1985, started writing when he was only nine, delivering his first short story to his Mom for her birthday. Since then, writing has been an incredible passion. Every chance he could write, he took it. He even scratched out a few stories in Naval Boot Camp at Great Lakes, Illinois.

Tim spent four years in the Navy achieving the rank of Petty Officer 2nd class. He served three years aboard USS Chosin and was deployed twice in support of the Global War on Terror, and Iraqi Freedom. However, he would always be remembered as the guy who sat in the corner of the mess decks writing a book he would never release. He said it wasn't good enough.

After his time in the Navy, Tim became a Test Engineer working for companies like Scientific Research Corporation and Hewlett Packard. During this phase of his life he moved to Charleston, South Carolina where he bought a home and tried to settle into the American Dream. But Tim wasn't content with that, he wanted to do something more than work the 9 to 5. So, he tried his hand at politics and ran for Dorchester County Council as an Independent. They said he was too young and verbose. After losing the election, he decided to try his hand at writing instead.

Today, Timothy Patrick is the author of, Platform 21 - the first installment of the "Beyond the Veil" series. Platform 21 is a novel set in the near future which follows a young man on a journey to solve his sister's murder in the midst of global conspiracy. His current project is, The Vorago Initiative - which picks up right where Platform 21 left off.

Reviews

[Marni · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I would like to thank the author for providing me a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around what I just read. It’s hard to come up with the exact words I’m looking for, but one stands out, unique. This story is unlike any that I’ve read in years. So many different twists and happening at times when you would least expect them to. It’s also the type of story that if read again, different items would stick out, much like watching a treasured movie.

There are layers of stories intertwined in this book. You go into it thinking there is but one, looking for Laura, but as soon as the book starts, BOOM, you are thrown completely off guard and left wondering for quite a while what just happened. As you start settling down and the story is moving along, once again, the ground drops from beneath you because another layer is introduced. Surprisingly, the author has done a superb job in keeping the reader attuned to the different storylines and confusion of what is what and who is who is kept to a tolerable level.

This is a YA scifi novel that readers of all ages will enjoy. The scifi aspect is not minimized for younger readers but not over the head of any. The reader will have to get through the first 100 or so pages though to realize that there is something else awaiting them than just the answer to the question that’s been nagging them since Chapter 2.

There is a bit of disorganization that made some of the reading a bit choppy and some areas of the story that were too drawn out that didn’t seem to have needed so much detail put into it. A good reference to this would be the soccer game where the story takes another turn. Too much detail in the actual plays of the game. Needed? Not really, but I’m going to assume that the author did that to draw out the next big event to take place. The characters chemistry with each other didn’t click several times. I’m not just talking about Luke and Angela, but their interaction with other characters and those characters interactions with some others. You do get the feel of the authors military background, and I really enjoyed when those interactions appeared because he wrote them flawlessly.

I do recommend this to anyone who likes a good multi-layered story with a mixture of thriller, conspiracies,paranormal and a heavy dose of scifi bringing it all together. A true scifi reader has an open mind, and that is needed to enjoy this book to its fullest. I look forward to reading further books in his Behind the Veil series, which Platform 21 is the beginning of. I have read on Goodreads that The Vorago Initiative is the next book in the series.

[J. Nicole]

From the very beginning, I was completely blown away by Platform 21. The book is absolutely unique, in a wonderful way. I can't really think of much I did not like about the novel. Normally, I'm not a fan of actual people featured on the cover, but even that worked well.

I really enjoyed the parallels that could be found in Platform 21 and our own lives today. Despite the fact that the novel is set decades in the future, and is a work of fiction, the world that Patrick creates seems completely real. I was captured by the story from the energy hype on page one, and soon felt to be an actual part of the story.

Platform 21 has a large amount of twists and suspense that will keep the reader at the edges of their seat and yearning to find out what will happen next. I instantly connected to the situation and wanted to learn everything about it.

Luke is an excellent protagonist. Despite being poetic - understandable, as he is a writer - he still manages to have the voice of an actual teenager. He definitely is not one of those characters that annoys the reader so intensely it distracts them from the reading experience. I thought he was incredibly well crafted, and allows for further connection into the world of the story.

When reading, I could not easily get what was going to happen next, which really allowed me to unravel the plot with the same pacing as the characters, which I really enjoy. Another bonus is that there is a heck of a lot of plot to unravel.

Platform 21 is an addicting read, guaranteed to impress. Between the political themes, ongoing mystery and conspiracy, excellent characters and beautiful writing, I just could not put it down. I highly recommend this read, and I can't wait to continue with this author's work.

[Sara Monteagudo · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY TAKE ON PLATFORM 21
T.R. Patrick manages to take you from one genre to the next with fluidity.

Fully engaged in the story, you feel terrified to apocalyptic dimensions one moment with scenes of futuristic chaos and destruction in a world where free, global energy is king.

The next page you get chills as the sight of a little girl ghost sings an eerie tune with clues that will lead to the solving of a murder mystery.

Platform 21 takes you on a journey that satisfies you along the way. Following Luke and Angela in their ordeal is just as entertaining as where the road traveled may lead them.

Platform 21 combines Native American elements of folklore that play an essential role in deciphering the plot as well as ancient relics and hometown characters who know about the wicked past of the town of East Liverpool, Ohio.

For interview with author, T.R. Patrick, go to:

http://saramonteagudo.blogspot.com.es...

[Julie Darley (Never judge a Book by its Movie) · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, WOW, WOW I have no other words for this book. I was asked if I would like to be a blogger for Worldwind Virtual Books and Platform 21 caught my eye immediately. I love the cover, it’s eye-catching and gives a good depiction of the story to come.

I don’t usually like my YA books to be too political, too cryptic, or have you wondering just what the hell is going on. Well I’m a convert, while the book isn’t overly political it does provide a haunting insight of how our society might evolve if our present governments continue on the paths they tread.

As for the cryptic, it wasn’t so much that but held the story extremely well giving out only the information you needed at the time and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised NOT to know what was going on because it allowed the story to be told. (I don’t like not knowing and getting to the end and still be in the same frame of mind, not the case in this book)

I want to say so much about this story, however I don’t want to do spoilers. Luke and Angela were so easy to like, both endured the tragic events in Denver only to wake up in a new reality. Struggling to find a grip on it they come together, was it by accident or by design. Did their teacher Mr Taylor play a part? Who actually is Jessica and Brian? are they merely ghosts of their past or innocents in their future.

And Laura, Luke’s sister, did she die back in Denver or was she murdered by an unknown assailant? Luke and Angela have so many unanswered questions and they start digging into the death of Laura and this is where it all gets interesting. The journey of Luke and Angela starts out as what looks like a political game of chess and intrigue, then it moves into a world of history, mysterious characters and rituals.

I was so engrossed, I couldn’t put it down. The depth T.R gives the story in unbelievably good. The intricate weave of moving from the terrorist plot on the government to the sacrificial deaths of key people was outstanding. The story of Angela was heartbreaking, yet again another sub story to enrich her character, but what was to come for her at Platform 21 had me floored with my jaw scraping along the floor.

I have to hand it to T.R, no shirking from having character’s dispensed with. He must know Suzanne Collins well ;) Not since Hunger Games have I been shocked, stunned and surprised of how a writer can take a subject such as politics and make a ground breaking story. Loved it….can’t wait for the next one, and there will be a next one!! I will hunt you down T.R if it isn’t soon.

Read more of my reviews at Never Judge a Book by its Movie http://www.juliedarley.com

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel is hard to explain. Luke Gibson is with his family at the unveiling of a monumental technology that will forever change the world. And then a disaster strikes. Luke clings to his younger sister in an effort to save her. Unfortunately he can and his world goes dark. He awakens at home in an alternate reality, with the memories of what happened in Denver.

This plot line, in and of itself, would make the novel. Unfortunately, the author seemed to think they needed to throw in EVERY element of sci-fi/fantasy. As a reader, it was just too busy and quite frankly, some things were just unnecessary. They didn't really add to the story, they just seemed to be thrown in for the sake of having them in there. And yes, I'm talking about the zombies.

The other thing in this novel that grated on my nerve was the constantly shifting point of view. There were several times where our narrator, Luke, would suddenly become a side character and someone else was telling the story. Or worse, there would be chapters that looked from another character's point of view and the author started things out with "I." I would read a paragraph and be confused because of the sudden departure from Luke's point of view. If you're going to do that, use I for Luke and then change point of view, you can't put it in the first person. It will confuse the reader less to have it in third person.

Honestly, I'm curious how the series continues, but the writing flaws make me wonder if I can read another novel.

[Steve Storck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't normally read young adult fiction, but a friend of mine recommended this book. Since I am always looking for something different and original, I decided to give this one a read. It is fantastic! It is not your typical young adult story; and if you found the popular vampire crap (read: Twilight) to be cheesy and horrible, this will be refreshing and redeeming.

I won't provide any spoilers in this review, but the plot is suspenseful and intricate, with a lot of twists and turns that you won't see coming. It's a page-turner for real, and this comes from someone who thinks that Dan Brown books are rather predictable. The characters are quite human and I'm sure that teens will be able to relate to them and feel like they know them.

When you finally reach the end (and you'll get there quickly, because this book is a real page-turner), you will realize that this is just the beginning of a story that must be mammoth in scope. I am looking forward to more!

[Jacob · Rating 2 out of 5]

So this one's a swing and a miss. There's a lot of cool stuff: a weird time/reality shift near the beginning, the prospect of free renewable energy transmitted worldwide wirelessly, at least one shadow organization and a monolithic, controlling government. Oh, and some cool and creepy mind control. And visions of the past that occur if you're in the right place.

Unfortunately, these ideas remain only half-explored, if that. There are too many of them to give us time to learn enough about them and it's not clear how most of them relate to each other. So other than a few small reveals about the *other* person who remembers the original reality, half of what the shadow organization is about, that the mind control can work both ways, and who is manipulating the government and sort of what they might want, there isn't nearly enough plot progress to get invested in the story.

The worst thing, though, is the writing. Mostly it's the pervasive use of passive voice. It lulls you into not paying attention and it often obscures when something happens, so half a page later you're wondering "Wait, what the heck is going on now?!"

My advice: keep half the shiny things and do more with them, and please please please go sentence by sentence and eliminate that passive voice!

[Mary Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an avid reader it takes a real good book to keep me guessing until the very end. This writer was able to take me through a lot of twists and turns, making it hard to put down. Luke and Angela are connected in ways you won't understand until the end. The other characters you'll meet in this story are intricate and help weave together this story.

It is action-packed, a mystery, and love story. You'll need tissues in several chapters. Technology only a glimmer in 2013, is used to its fullest in 2052. The setting is in East Liverpool, Ohio. A lot of the local folklore is sprinkled throughout the book.

I'm waiting for the next installment as the first book opens the door to a huge new world waiting to be explored.

[Alena Orrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

The storyline is interesting but that won’t save this book from lack of editing, narration that jolts the reader out of the story, and head-hopping. I got to 47% and decided to quit reading it since wading through all the excess junk was exhausting.

My note at 35%: The previous 3 paragraphs should be deleted. It’s a bunch of rhetoric aimed directly at the reader and does nothing for the story line. In fact, I almost quit reading the book at this point because I was pulled out of the story so completely.

And there’s some disjointed events, things that don’t connect at all, and random weird stuff going on. I kept hoping there would be a glimmer of direction, but halfway through there wasn’t. I don’t need to know the ending before I get there, but I do need to know there’s a point to what I’m reading. This book lacks direction.

This book needs some serious developmental editing followed by line editing and several revisions.

[Evan Farrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

actually really good. relaxing book.

[Neely · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book in the First Reads giveaway and I want to thank the author for providing this book to Goodread readers to win. :)

This book was very different than any other young adult book I've read. In a good way.

If you like sci-fi, paranormal, conspiracy, romance, mysteries and even zombies…you'll probably like this book quite a bit.

I really enjoyed the amount of depth T.R. Patrick put into the story. You seriously never expected what was coming and once you thought you did, it surprised you. Platform 21 isn't a mindless YA book with obnoxious characters that do really dumb things and you wonder what the heck they're thinking constantly. All of the characters had good heads on their shoulders. There was purpose and meaning behind the things they said and did. I never found the characters to be annoying, which I often do when reading YA books.

What I loved most about the book was how it seemed like it could be realistic in regards to the future of how the government could go. The conspiracy aspect of the book is what really drew me in and kept me there, I think. Something else about it that I really loved was it didn't seem to push views. Most of the YA books, or books in general, that I have read in the past are strongly on the more liberal side of things and really seem to push that agenda. Sometimes I felt like the miscarriage/abortion part of the story maybe held some personal views of the author, but over all it didn't bother me too badly. I felt like he maybe wanted to prove a point that if you push anti-abortion hard enough, you might just get something you didn't intend and that Christians needed to realize that. However, I could be entirely wrong…it wasn't something that made me dislike the book at all. It was just something I noticed. Overall, i think the author kept a solid middle ground when writing this part. And by that I mean, it wasn't extremely apparent what the authors views were outside of the book. I liked that.

The mystery part of the book was also extremely interesting. I will say, I didn't really like the ghosts and visions…but that's just a personal preference. With everything else that was going on conspiracy, science fiction, mystery, ect. I felt like the ghosts were just a bit much. But I understand that they did play a role in the story and will more than likely continue to do so, so it didn't make my rating go down. And I was very shocked to see who killed Luke's sister. I wasn't expecting that.

I enjoyed that the answers weren't revealed all at once. When you had questions they were answered appropriately and when they needed to be.

The only few complaints that I had were that even though I did enjoy that the teenagers in the story were intelligent and well-spoken sometimes they seemed a little TOO well spoken. I understand that Luke is a writer and has a way with words, but sometimes the teenagers in the story just spoke too well and eloquently. I have known lot of smart teenagers and even they didn't' speak that well all the time. The only other thing that kind of bothered me was that it seemed like every genre was all shoved into one book. Sometimes it seemed like there was a LOT going on. But, like I said earlier, it obviously didn't bother me enough to lower my rating. The story was strong and refreshing enough that the good things negated the "bad".

Overall, I think that this was a really great book. It had plenty of twists and turns, the characters were refreshingly intelligent, and a plot that brings a newness to the YA world. I would definitely recommend this book and I look forward to reading the others in the series!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Received a review copy for a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.*

If there's one way to describe Platform 21 that I'm completely sure of, it would be unique. The story sets itself apart from anything I've read recently, full of twists and turns that keep you interested. There's a lot more to this story than is first apparent, with multiple facets revealing themselves as you progress.

The sci-fi aspects were well-balanced; not too complex but also not completely glossed over. For this reason, it can transcend the YA label for sci-fi lovers. There is a delay before it really gets going, though.

Parts of the story are a bit disorganized or overly drawn-out. And occasionally character interaction was a little strained. But the story was still a great read. This is a great read for anyone who's a fan of sci-fi and mystery!

[Bon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

I think, overall, I liked this. The story would benefit, though, from some editing, both of the copy and cohesiveness varieties, despite it being amusing to see such a vivid and relatively long description of a beer being consumed by a 16 year old on page 58.
Additionally, many parts seemed cheaply written, i.e. cliched/amateurish/overly simplistic.

Initially, I thought this would be scifi (judging by the title and start of the story), but it became pretty obvious it's some kind of paranormal or ghost story set in the future. It was a bit disconcerting at first, but, once the story settled and I got used to it, I realized it was a pretty neat concept.

It'd be interesting to read the next book to see where the author is going with this.

[Louisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book, but it did sometimes make me want to put it down, it wasn't as interesting as it could've been, and the language used, wasn't the voice of a teen aged boy, and it kept throwing me. It's a good story, but it could've done with some more polishing.

[Kathryn · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's a page turner but the book is a little to anti-Christian for me.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

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