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Connected: The Shift
After the events of Connected: The Call, many questions remain unanswered. What isn't Ellie telling? What will be Sam's retribution? And what is Salim going to do next? Connected: The Shift picks up almost immediately from where The Call left off, plungin
406 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 16, 2021
This was a fast paced read. Book 1 (The Call) introduced us to well drawn characters with the protagonists living danged-filled lives. The connection was made in book 2, the characters continue to live through the consequences of theirs and others actions. The 'faint-hearted' beware - the author has not held back with putting any of them through the pain barrier; even Sam and Ellie. The genre merging worked very well. The reader's tension and anticipation is built and held. For instance, the 'time' factor is integral to the plot. The use of light/good v dark/evil, are key to the outcome. I liked the description/s of the rulers of the other world and would have welcomed getting further insight into their world, their lives, the smells, tastes etc. To me, wanting to know more is a sign of a good hook.
February 25, 2016
“The Connected: The Shift” is the sequel to “The Connected: The Call”, Medhat’s first book in a series that is expected to contain three books. The first book of the series established the existence of a Mega-terrorist organization that threatens the entire world. In the fight against this terrorist powerhouse, Al Nadir, is MI6 operative Sam Noor. Sam is both a scientist and trained, lethal MI6 agent.
Against her will Sam’s wife, Ellie, is brought into the conflict. She is kidnapped and tortured repeatedly, for the most part in an attempt to control Sam who is Al Nadir’s greatest enemy. In the second book in the series, the stakes are raised and the story takes an immensely unexpected and fascinating turn. The existence of good and evil is shown in stark relief in the battle between Al Nadir and the Alliance of the U.K and the United states. But, in this second book, the meaning of good and evil, dark and light, becomes literally universal.
Somewhere outside of human physical reality is an advanced race called the Kudamaz. What appeared in the first book as standard geo-political conflict becomes a conflict that affects the entire universe, with Earth as its epicenter. The fate of the Earth, the conflict between extreme good and evil, the battle between Al Nadir and the Governments of the Earth, they are all intertwined, all part of a natural shift that underlies the universe. The shift is between dark and light.
A wise and surprising part of this story is that this it does not present a child’s idea of light and dark, the light being perfect enlightenment and goodness. In this case the balance discussed here is more like nature; a spectrum of good and evil, light and dark, that must be maintained by living creatures. In this case either extreme is harmful. Too much darkness, in a person, or on a planet, destroys judgement and threatens stability. Too much light robs a society or a person of the drive toward ambition and change. This, to me, is a more intelligent take on polar opposites in life.
As the tension mounts on earth and lives are taken brutally, a similar political conflict takes place on Kudamaz until the two meld and become the conflict that is always present in the universe, reined in by wisdom in the face of greed and megalomania. What has been nagging at me since I began this series is what it reminds me of. I finally realized that it occupies a rare place in the literary firmament with “A Wrinkle in Time”, the classic children’s book that is written for adults.
What starts as a story of espionage and violence becomes a story of transformation. This series is a lot deeper than it appears on the surface. I would recommend this to anyone who likes to read; it covers a hunger for action more than adequately but also is satisfying at another more personal level. Read this series. You won’t regret it.
Against her will Sam’s wife, Ellie, is brought into the conflict. She is kidnapped and tortured repeatedly, for the most part in an attempt to control Sam who is Al Nadir’s greatest enemy. In the second book in the series, the stakes are raised and the story takes an immensely unexpected and fascinating turn. The existence of good and evil is shown in stark relief in the battle between Al Nadir and the Alliance of the U.K and the United states. But, in this second book, the meaning of good and evil, dark and light, becomes literally universal.
Somewhere outside of human physical reality is an advanced race called the Kudamaz. What appeared in the first book as standard geo-political conflict becomes a conflict that affects the entire universe, with Earth as its epicenter. The fate of the Earth, the conflict between extreme good and evil, the battle between Al Nadir and the Governments of the Earth, they are all intertwined, all part of a natural shift that underlies the universe. The shift is between dark and light.
A wise and surprising part of this story is that this it does not present a child’s idea of light and dark, the light being perfect enlightenment and goodness. In this case the balance discussed here is more like nature; a spectrum of good and evil, light and dark, that must be maintained by living creatures. In this case either extreme is harmful. Too much darkness, in a person, or on a planet, destroys judgement and threatens stability. Too much light robs a society or a person of the drive toward ambition and change. This, to me, is a more intelligent take on polar opposites in life.
As the tension mounts on earth and lives are taken brutally, a similar political conflict takes place on Kudamaz until the two meld and become the conflict that is always present in the universe, reined in by wisdom in the face of greed and megalomania. What has been nagging at me since I began this series is what it reminds me of. I finally realized that it occupies a rare place in the literary firmament with “A Wrinkle in Time”, the classic children’s book that is written for adults.
What starts as a story of espionage and violence becomes a story of transformation. This series is a lot deeper than it appears on the surface. I would recommend this to anyone who likes to read; it covers a hunger for action more than adequately but also is satisfying at another more personal level. Read this series. You won’t regret it.
March 29, 2015
“Connected: The Shift” by Michelle Medhat is aptly named as this second part of the story takes a remarkable shift. While the evil protagonists from The Call increase in power, Al Nadir led by Dr. Salim Al Douri and Dr. Sabena Sanantoni display even more ruthless behaviors. As Sam Noor continues to lead the battle against the evil twosome and their followers things are happening in Sam’s personal life that can change the path of destruction the Earth is spinning on. It also becomes evident that Sam’s beloved wife Ellie is more than just a pretty romantic interest. Here is where Medhat takes a sharp turn and creatively melds science fiction, spies, terrorism, and romance into a breathtaking tale of good versus evil. In the end the biggest threat the Earth faces is not Al Nadir but interference from Kudamun where the forces of dark and light struggle to maintain equilibrium in the universe. The light side (the Ruling Side of Giznu) represented by Aby-od and the dark side (The Opposing House of Etima) represented by Lord Aswa-da disagree on how the planet Ki (Earth) should be handled. The interactions between these two leaders shadow those of the leaders on Earth as political intrigue proves to be a truly universal issue. Medhat’s ability to relate the eternal battle between light and dark, good and evil in both the settings of Earth and Kudamun is skillfully handled. As the tension increases it is apparent there is more going on than just a fight for Earth’s survival. Capturing the age old horror of hopelessness, isolation, and loneliness Medhat brings things to a terrifying climax. I highly recommend this book for readers who enjoy action packed stories with unexpected twists and turns. Be warned there is some extreme violence but it serves to define the strength of some characters as well as the evil that exists in others.
May 23, 2014
Sequel deepens characters, enlarges the Connected world
The Call ended as Ellie Noor, the innocent party in a world of outlaws, international terrorists and spies, became dangerously caught up in her husband’s mission. Now as we rejoin the cast of Connected for the next installment, Michelle Medhat deepens the readers’ connection with these strange, but disconcertingly recognizable, worlds and offers an exciting read.
The Shift is quick to bring the reader into the fray with a succession of high intensity scenes following Sam and Ellie’s capture. Kidnapped separately and tortured, they are forced to consider their own deaths apart from one another. Medhat opens up this world of violence and inhumanity quickly and effectively. I’ve never written a torture scene, but I imagine it’s tricky to strike a balance between describing every twinge and letting the reader’s imagination do the work...
To read the full review on Towerbabel, click here: http://www.towerbabel.com/library/115...
The Call ended as Ellie Noor, the innocent party in a world of outlaws, international terrorists and spies, became dangerously caught up in her husband’s mission. Now as we rejoin the cast of Connected for the next installment, Michelle Medhat deepens the readers’ connection with these strange, but disconcertingly recognizable, worlds and offers an exciting read.
The Shift is quick to bring the reader into the fray with a succession of high intensity scenes following Sam and Ellie’s capture. Kidnapped separately and tortured, they are forced to consider their own deaths apart from one another. Medhat opens up this world of violence and inhumanity quickly and effectively. I’ve never written a torture scene, but I imagine it’s tricky to strike a balance between describing every twinge and letting the reader’s imagination do the work...
To read the full review on Towerbabel, click here: http://www.towerbabel.com/library/115...
September 9, 2015
This sequel was just has exciting and fast paced as The call. Whether Ellie Noor could still fond a way to hold on to Sam noor forever kept me on the edge of my seat. A brilliant end or a start for Connected.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews