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Rule Zero
Harry Bacon, former head of psychic investigations for the Ministry of Defence, veteran of countless paranormal encounters, is about to do the retire. Then an unexpected message leads him into what could become his greatest – and strangest – case yet, a case whose foundations are inextricably linked to his own past.
Rule Zero is a darkly comic thriller packed with psychic spies, prescient journalists, contact clairvoyants, repressed supermen, a lethal cocktail waitress and a roving troupe of ape-like security guards.
Britain will never be the same again.
Rule Zero is a darkly comic thriller packed with psychic spies, prescient journalists, contact clairvoyants, repressed supermen, a lethal cocktail waitress and a roving troupe of ape-like security guards.
Britain will never be the same again.
- GenresFantasy
ebook
First published May 11, 2013
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52 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 13, 2013
As I continue to read more and more books by indie authors, I'm realizing what a diamond in the rough this book is. Not like I'm trying to diss anyone else's book. But this books is really great.
Usually it takes me a good while to get into books, but this one had me hooked immediately. The plot is interesting and unique; the suspense builds throughout and leaves you guessing, but not so much that you get frustrated. While you always have to suspend disbelief a little when you read books concerning superhuman/magic elements, I never consciously did that. Little by little, the book brought me along until I was like, "oh yeah, that guy's soul-essence is stuck in a van, obviously. Totally normal.'
The characters are all different. I know this sounds obvious, but I often find myself reading books where all the characters seem like derivations of the same person -- not so with this book. They all seem very real. I particularly liked the character Helen. She is wonderful and I found myself relating with her inner monologues very easily.
The book is sufficiently serious for the subject material, but has lots of dark humor. I laughed out loud. Over and over. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole book, and wholeheartedly recommend it--can't wait until the next Henry Bacon installment.
Usually it takes me a good while to get into books, but this one had me hooked immediately. The plot is interesting and unique; the suspense builds throughout and leaves you guessing, but not so much that you get frustrated. While you always have to suspend disbelief a little when you read books concerning superhuman/magic elements, I never consciously did that. Little by little, the book brought me along until I was like, "oh yeah, that guy's soul-essence is stuck in a van, obviously. Totally normal.'
The characters are all different. I know this sounds obvious, but I often find myself reading books where all the characters seem like derivations of the same person -- not so with this book. They all seem very real. I particularly liked the character Helen. She is wonderful and I found myself relating with her inner monologues very easily.
The book is sufficiently serious for the subject material, but has lots of dark humor. I laughed out loud. Over and over. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole book, and wholeheartedly recommend it--can't wait until the next Henry Bacon installment.
June 7, 2013
The style reminds me greatly of Jasper Fforde (The Eyre Affair, etc.) and it has the same irreverent approach to the status quo, though it is nominally a universe similar to ours. The novel uses gateway characters to good effect, using folk with no idea of this topsy-turvy underworld or those with only a toe in the water to draw the reader in.
The characters are brilliantly realised and, though you're never entirely sure who's on the side of right, you feel for every one of them. From the lifestyle journalist out of her depth to the genetic super-powered wonderboy, they are very human - they react to crisis in exactly the way you hope you wouldn't, but know deep down that you would.
My only reservation is how on earth he can follow it in the next book, considering what the whole debacle did to London. But Douglas Adams wrote four and three-quarter books after the total destruction of Earth, so I'm sure Laurence will find a way!
If you like Fforde or Adams or a bit of Pratchett, I think this book is for you.
The characters are brilliantly realised and, though you're never entirely sure who's on the side of right, you feel for every one of them. From the lifestyle journalist out of her depth to the genetic super-powered wonderboy, they are very human - they react to crisis in exactly the way you hope you wouldn't, but know deep down that you would.
My only reservation is how on earth he can follow it in the next book, considering what the whole debacle did to London. But Douglas Adams wrote four and three-quarter books after the total destruction of Earth, so I'm sure Laurence will find a way!
If you like Fforde or Adams or a bit of Pratchett, I think this book is for you.
August 18, 2013
If you love non-stop action, mayhem, explosions, wanton destruction and high body counts, with maybe a zombie thrown in for good measure, this is the book for you. Laurence Timms is a screenwriter, and it shows. If Rule Zero were made into a movie, it would be very much at home with the other Hollywood thrillers of the day, only perhaps even more so. Timms is what the genetically engineered offspring of Iain R. Banks and Douglas Adams would be like if he were also high on amphetamines.
Towards the start of the story, when things are calmer, there are some humorous and even insightful moments, especially pertaining to Helen, the luckless fluff-piece-writing journalist who gets caught up in the dangerous game going on between the Ministry of Defense and its enemies. For example, "She was the kind of person who packed four kinds of nightwear for a weekend away on the basis that you just never knew. What it was you never knew she wasn’t sure, but in Helen’s book equipping oneself with a choice of nightwear went some way to mitigating the horror of the unknown." These felicitous observations last until the action gets underway in earnest (up until that point, several people have tried to kill Helen, but it turns out that's nothing compared to what's coming), and then things are rather grim for quite some time.
To my mind, the novel's biggest flaw is its length. There is so much of it, so many different characters and different things going on, that the problem is twofold; a great deal to remember, and plenty of time in which to forget it. So I often found myself thinking things like, "Who's that guy again?" "What is this SMILE company trying to achieve, anyway?" and finally, "Was that explained earlier? Because I didn't get that at all. Did I miss something?" I expect that won't be an uncommon experience for readers. It might be a good idea to keep notes. Failing that, you might have to read the book twice to fully understand it.
Towards the start of the story, when things are calmer, there are some humorous and even insightful moments, especially pertaining to Helen, the luckless fluff-piece-writing journalist who gets caught up in the dangerous game going on between the Ministry of Defense and its enemies. For example, "She was the kind of person who packed four kinds of nightwear for a weekend away on the basis that you just never knew. What it was you never knew she wasn’t sure, but in Helen’s book equipping oneself with a choice of nightwear went some way to mitigating the horror of the unknown." These felicitous observations last until the action gets underway in earnest (up until that point, several people have tried to kill Helen, but it turns out that's nothing compared to what's coming), and then things are rather grim for quite some time.
To my mind, the novel's biggest flaw is its length. There is so much of it, so many different characters and different things going on, that the problem is twofold; a great deal to remember, and plenty of time in which to forget it. So I often found myself thinking things like, "Who's that guy again?" "What is this SMILE company trying to achieve, anyway?" and finally, "Was that explained earlier? Because I didn't get that at all. Did I miss something?" I expect that won't be an uncommon experience for readers. It might be a good idea to keep notes. Failing that, you might have to read the book twice to fully understand it.
August 12, 2013
The Sweeney meets the X-men...what a refreshing mix of Comedy, Super-natural, Suspense and a sprinkling of good old fashioned drama. This all goes together perfectly to give a really clever and intuitive read. Set up nicely for a follow up I personally look forward to Laurence' next publication
April 21, 2018
3.5 stars
So it says here that this book was written in 2013 but spiritually, I reckon it dates back to the late 70s and the Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy books.
It reminded me a lot of those in tone.
It's squished full of ideas, the plot is frantic, manic even and never lets up. And the humour is there and Adams-esque. The body count is a little higher than H2G2 (although, entire pop. of earth in the first chapter of book 1...) It's definitely bloodier.
Having had it remind me of such great books I'm a bit at a loss as to why it didn't quite live up to that level. For most of the book I was a bit meh on it. It got better toward the end where certain characters were brought to the fore more. Also it felt like the relationships were being built.
I think I felt strangely ambivalent about Harry Bacon who is the main character. He should be the Harry Dresden-Inspector Nightingale-Doctor Who of it but he somehow lacks that charisma for me. Drinking milk and chain-smoking instead of eating jelly babies gives a different, less charming vibe for me.
But Helen, Eddie, Rook, and especially Leo Ares and Cavendish - they were folks I grew to like.
I'll probably read book 2 when it arrives. We'll see.
So it says here that this book was written in 2013 but spiritually, I reckon it dates back to the late 70s and the Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy books.
It reminded me a lot of those in tone.
It's squished full of ideas, the plot is frantic, manic even and never lets up. And the humour is there and Adams-esque. The body count is a little higher than H2G2 (although, entire pop. of earth in the first chapter of book 1...) It's definitely bloodier.
Having had it remind me of such great books I'm a bit at a loss as to why it didn't quite live up to that level. For most of the book I was a bit meh on it. It got better toward the end where certain characters were brought to the fore more. Also it felt like the relationships were being built.
I think I felt strangely ambivalent about Harry Bacon who is the main character. He should be the Harry Dresden-Inspector Nightingale-Doctor Who of it but he somehow lacks that charisma for me. Drinking milk and chain-smoking instead of eating jelly babies gives a different, less charming vibe for me.
But Helen, Eddie, Rook, and especially Leo Ares and Cavendish - they were folks I grew to like.
I'll probably read book 2 when it arrives. We'll see.
October 26, 2013
You have to like crazy to enjoy it. Luckily I'm a big fan of crazy.
It took about 12% to get going, and it is VERY rough around the edges. Apart from the stray editing mistakes I also felt at least one of the characters change personality at one point, as if what came before wasn't written too closely in time to what came after. But... I also found myself just really enjoying this book. It's rough, but it's a page turner. It's FUN.
It took about 12% to get going, and it is VERY rough around the edges. Apart from the stray editing mistakes I also felt at least one of the characters change personality at one point, as if what came before wasn't written too closely in time to what came after. But... I also found myself just really enjoying this book. It's rough, but it's a page turner. It's FUN.
December 30, 2016
Absolutly wonderful book. A good enough measure of crazy mixed with plenty of reality to allow for the characters to still be believable. Wasn't aware that it was a self published book until after I had read it ( was in the notes at the end) was a great debut novel and am really looking forward to the second in the series)
February 12, 2015
A rollicking ride of insanity. Good fun as a cross between Python, Hitchhikers Guide, the Goons and even Dad's Army. Psychic powers, civil servants and secret organisations set London ablaze.
More Bacon please
More Bacon please
February 5, 2014
It's cute but at times confusing. Skips around a little too much. Parts were amusing. It just misses.
March 30, 2016
This is a self-published debut book, and in some ways it shows.
But there is definitely potential here!
But there is definitely potential here!
July 2, 2018
Super weird British sci-fi spies!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews