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Surrogate
Rebecca Hardwick wants nothing more than to start a family with her husband. But when a series of tragedies occur, she is left unable to have children by natural means.
Jane Nurelle is in an abusive relationship filled with beatings, drinking and drugs. But when she learns of her pregnancy, she is determined to turn her life around, even if it means resorting to violence.
Through an unlikely series of events, these two women come face-to-face with a notable scientist who has perfected a way for couples to have biologically matched children through the process of human cloning. But his service comes at a price…and the women share more in common than they ever thought possible.
Surrogate is an unforgettable tale of life, love, revenge and maternal instinct.
Jane Nurelle is in an abusive relationship filled with beatings, drinking and drugs. But when she learns of her pregnancy, she is determined to turn her life around, even if it means resorting to violence.
Through an unlikely series of events, these two women come face-to-face with a notable scientist who has perfected a way for couples to have biologically matched children through the process of human cloning. But his service comes at a price…and the women share more in common than they ever thought possible.
Surrogate is an unforgettable tale of life, love, revenge and maternal instinct.
- GenresHorror
ebook
First published October 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 15, 2014
Surrogate is my second read from David Bernstein and while not as strong as Relic of Death, it certainly explored an interesting topic but overall I felt there were a few issues that hampered the flow in an otherwise rocket paced novella.
The story opens with Rebecca Hardwick doing some gardening, then a second later she gets shot in the stomach, which I thought to be a bit random especially when it wasn’t mentioned again. The focus was then diverted to the fact that she could no longer have children as a result of the injuries sustained.
After much heartache the Hardwicks, Tom & Rebecca are presented with the proverbial cloud with a silver lining, when Dr Kotrich offers them the opportunity, at a cost and involving an extremely clandestine operation, to create another version of Rebecca. A clone, this clone can then be impregnated and used to give birth to a child which will in effect be theirs, with their DNA and their blood. And in just 15 months’ time they are the proud parents of ‘adopted’ baby Anna.
Jane Nurelle is an abused spouse, who just as her waters break, runs into the stumbling block that is her husband and his outright refusal to get medical help. If any bloke deserved a damned good kicking, this is the man and he does just get what’s coming to him, Jane drives to the hospital and is involved in a fatal accident. And this is where it got a bit messy for me.
Jane’s soul or something of that bearing ends up in the Hardwicks clone and it’s then an escape worthy of Clint’s breakout from Alcatraz with a little help from the A-team. Jane then goes looking for the one thing she’s desperate to find, her baby.
Surrogate is a well written, fast paced ride that certainly doesn’t leave a happy ending for everyone, enjoyable but with a few unbelievable moments in there.
A 3.5 Rating
http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
The story opens with Rebecca Hardwick doing some gardening, then a second later she gets shot in the stomach, which I thought to be a bit random especially when it wasn’t mentioned again. The focus was then diverted to the fact that she could no longer have children as a result of the injuries sustained.
After much heartache the Hardwicks, Tom & Rebecca are presented with the proverbial cloud with a silver lining, when Dr Kotrich offers them the opportunity, at a cost and involving an extremely clandestine operation, to create another version of Rebecca. A clone, this clone can then be impregnated and used to give birth to a child which will in effect be theirs, with their DNA and their blood. And in just 15 months’ time they are the proud parents of ‘adopted’ baby Anna.
Jane Nurelle is an abused spouse, who just as her waters break, runs into the stumbling block that is her husband and his outright refusal to get medical help. If any bloke deserved a damned good kicking, this is the man and he does just get what’s coming to him, Jane drives to the hospital and is involved in a fatal accident. And this is where it got a bit messy for me.
Jane’s soul or something of that bearing ends up in the Hardwicks clone and it’s then an escape worthy of Clint’s breakout from Alcatraz with a little help from the A-team. Jane then goes looking for the one thing she’s desperate to find, her baby.
Surrogate is a well written, fast paced ride that certainly doesn’t leave a happy ending for everyone, enjoyable but with a few unbelievable moments in there.
A 3.5 Rating
http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
August 17, 2014
This is the third story I've read by David Bernstein, and I must say that I am really enjoying his writing style. Of the three, I'd have to say that this one didn't strike as strong a chord with me as the first two, but that had more to do with the subject material itself.
Unable to have their own children due to a horrible set of circumstances, Rebecca's psychologist suggests to her a new--questionable--alternative. Here is where are story of medical "miracles" begins. Add to that a supernatural twist, and the novella takes on an entirely more sinister quality. This was a fast paced story from start to finish. My only complaints were that the second section left me with a few questions unanswered. Considering the overall complexity of the storyline, I felt that the ending was too abrupt, as well. The action was moving along rapidly, and then--it just ended. I think it almost needed a little "epilogue" or something to tie it up a little more convincingly.
Aside from that, the writing was strong, and the story sucked me into it completely. I will definitely be looking forward to more from David Bernstein.
Recommended!
Unable to have their own children due to a horrible set of circumstances, Rebecca's psychologist suggests to her a new--questionable--alternative. Here is where are story of medical "miracles" begins. Add to that a supernatural twist, and the novella takes on an entirely more sinister quality. This was a fast paced story from start to finish. My only complaints were that the second section left me with a few questions unanswered. Considering the overall complexity of the storyline, I felt that the ending was too abrupt, as well. The action was moving along rapidly, and then--it just ended. I think it almost needed a little "epilogue" or something to tie it up a little more convincingly.
Aside from that, the writing was strong, and the story sucked me into it completely. I will definitely be looking forward to more from David Bernstein.
Recommended!
January 20, 2015
3.5*
A random act of violence stops Rebecca and Tom's dreams of having children. Just when Rebecca thinks all hope is lost she is put in contact with a scientist who is using cloning as a means to give couples an opportunity to conceive their own children.
Another storyline concerns Jane who is pregnant and in an abusive relationship, when her labour starts she uses violence to escape her husband but is involved in a fatal car accident on her way to the hospital. On awakening, she finds herself in the body of Rebecca's clone, convinced that Rebecca and Tom have stolen her child and vows to make those responsible pay.
This was a fairly entertaining read but was hampered by lack of attention to detail and consistency. First of all, Rebecca is shot whilst gardening, this precipitates the discovery of her cancer as the surgeons have to repair the damage from the bullet. Oddly, this event is never mentioned again, there is no follow up with police, mention of shooter or court case. The author only uses this to bring in the need for surgery to facilitate the cancer part of the storyline. Another jarring point was that Jane, before the accident, seemed to be a fairly pleasant character, aside from murdering her husband, only concerned for her child's safety and the life they will have together. When she awakes in the facility she is hellbent on revenge and has the killing skills of a seasoned assassin.
Rebecca's character is the one that really makes any impact and I especially liked the scenes with her and Jane in the cabin as she fought for survival, although drinking your own urine after only a few hours of captivity is perhaps stretching things a little. Rebecca shows herself to have considerable mental and physical strength and ends up being more than a match for Jane.
Although there were quite a few things that bothered me about the story I did enjoy it and thought that the author created some great scenes, the scenes in the cabin with Rebecca were at times quite gut wrenching and very well done. Unfortunately the frantic pacing of the latter half of the novel fizzled out for the ending and I felt the conclusion was unsatisfactory and added nothing to the story
A random act of violence stops Rebecca and Tom's dreams of having children. Just when Rebecca thinks all hope is lost she is put in contact with a scientist who is using cloning as a means to give couples an opportunity to conceive their own children.
Another storyline concerns Jane who is pregnant and in an abusive relationship, when her labour starts she uses violence to escape her husband but is involved in a fatal car accident on her way to the hospital. On awakening, she finds herself in the body of Rebecca's clone, convinced that Rebecca and Tom have stolen her child and vows to make those responsible pay.
This was a fairly entertaining read but was hampered by lack of attention to detail and consistency. First of all, Rebecca is shot whilst gardening, this precipitates the discovery of her cancer as the surgeons have to repair the damage from the bullet. Oddly, this event is never mentioned again, there is no follow up with police, mention of shooter or court case. The author only uses this to bring in the need for surgery to facilitate the cancer part of the storyline. Another jarring point was that Jane, before the accident, seemed to be a fairly pleasant character, aside from murdering her husband, only concerned for her child's safety and the life they will have together. When she awakes in the facility she is hellbent on revenge and has the killing skills of a seasoned assassin.
Rebecca's character is the one that really makes any impact and I especially liked the scenes with her and Jane in the cabin as she fought for survival, although drinking your own urine after only a few hours of captivity is perhaps stretching things a little. Rebecca shows herself to have considerable mental and physical strength and ends up being more than a match for Jane.
Although there were quite a few things that bothered me about the story I did enjoy it and thought that the author created some great scenes, the scenes in the cabin with Rebecca were at times quite gut wrenching and very well done. Unfortunately the frantic pacing of the latter half of the novel fizzled out for the ending and I felt the conclusion was unsatisfactory and added nothing to the story
August 13, 2014
This one was just ok for me. It moved a bit fast and felt fragmented at times. While the writing was good, I was stuck feeling that the story was incomplete somehow. It also ended very abruptly and I was confused, again feeling like I was missing something. Too bad, because I thought it had intervals of potential, but ultimately, fell a wee flat.
There was one part that was Quitters, Inc-esque at the beginning and then it took a sharp turn and went psycho G.I. Jane on me. 2.5 Stars.
*As a member of the DarkFuse / NetGalley Readers Group, I received an advanced copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
There was one part that was Quitters, Inc-esque at the beginning and then it took a sharp turn and went psycho G.I. Jane on me. 2.5 Stars.
*As a member of the DarkFuse / NetGalley Readers Group, I received an advanced copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2014
Surrogate was my first time reading anything by Bernstein and it was a treat! Tom and Rebecca Hardwick have been trying to have a baby but their plans end in disaster when Rebecca gets hot by a stray bullet, ruining one of her ovaries. While in surgery to repair the damage, the surgeon finds that dreadful thing that affects everyone at some point in life: cancer. Unable to adopt, they are seeking counseling to help them cope when a new option is presented to them - what if someone can give them a baby of their very own after all even though Rebecca obviously can't have a child?
While I loved the style of writing and the storyline was captivating, there were some issues for me. At first, the left ovary was destroyed by the bullet and the right by cancer. A few pages later, the husband is saying that the left had cancer and the right was destroyed by the bullet. A few things happen in the book that left me feeling left out - there's no mention of Jane finding out the baby's name but she knows it all of a sudden; I would have loved to see her reaction to finding the name out. Sometimes thcharacters were either unbelievable or hard to connect with through actions - someone picks up a MP-5 and can automatically know how to shoot it with deadly accuracy to hit a moving target? Why would parents know that vicious murders are happening to the people that helped you get your child, be afraid of someone taking the child away and still let her outside to play for hours at a time unattended? Lastly, I felt that the ending was a tad rushed.
Having said that, why would I still rate this book 4 stars? It was an excellent storyline that captivated me from page one until the very end and I loved it. Bernstein is very talented at writing and connecting the reader to the story. I've heard that another of his books, Relic of Death, is even better than this so I'll be reading it soon! Highly recommended!
I'm a member of DarkFuse's NetGalley Readers Group and I received this ebook in exchange for my honest review.
While I loved the style of writing and the storyline was captivating, there were some issues for me. At first, the left ovary was destroyed by the bullet and the right by cancer. A few pages later, the husband is saying that the left had cancer and the right was destroyed by the bullet. A few things happen in the book that left me feeling left out - there's no mention of Jane finding out the baby's name but she knows it all of a sudden; I would have loved to see her reaction to finding the name out. Sometimes thcharacters were either unbelievable or hard to connect with through actions - someone picks up a MP-5 and can automatically know how to shoot it with deadly accuracy to hit a moving target? Why would parents know that vicious murders are happening to the people that helped you get your child, be afraid of someone taking the child away and still let her outside to play for hours at a time unattended? Lastly, I felt that the ending was a tad rushed.
Having said that, why would I still rate this book 4 stars? It was an excellent storyline that captivated me from page one until the very end and I loved it. Bernstein is very talented at writing and connecting the reader to the story. I've heard that another of his books, Relic of Death, is even better than this so I'll be reading it soon! Highly recommended!
I'm a member of DarkFuse's NetGalley Readers Group and I received this ebook in exchange for my honest review.
November 2, 2014
This is the second book by David I have read. The first being Relic of Death that I thought was very good. The story starts out with Rebecca working in the garden heard a gunshot, felt pain and saw red spot on her blouse. Tom her husband finds out she was shot and taken to Saint Lukes Hospital. The couple have been trying to have a baby. After she is out of surgery, Tom is told the bullet went thru and destroyed her left ovary. They found cancer in the right ovary and had to remove it. Rebecca now home after the chemo was depressed because she can't have kids now. They try to adopt but are turned down because of Tom's earlier criminal record. Because of her depression, Tom finally gets her to go see a shrink named Dr. Jerome Tuber. They talked about not being able to have kids or adopt. The doctor asked them if they would be interested if there was a way for them to have a baby. He tells them about his partner (Dr. Kotrich), about the cloning process and the facility. Tom's not sure about it but Rebecca is all excited about the possibility of having a child from the two of them. This is when the story gets going. I have to say I enjoyed reading David's work, very well written. I liked the way the story was drawn out but didn't like how fast the ending came about. I thought Relic of Death was better (4 1/2 stars) , but Surrogate is well worth a read. I gave Surrogate 3 1/2 stars.
I received an e-arc of this book from DarkFuse/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an e-arc of this book from DarkFuse/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2014
Tom and Rebecca want to start a family but can't do so in the usual way. Their doctor presents them with an option - a surrogate. But this isn't your usual type of surrogate mother, oh no...and here's where our story begins.
Bernstein takes us on a futuristic ride of medical miracles. Death and life are turned inside out. Psychotic ghosts take their turn and play a major role in this fast paced novella. My only problem was that it might have been just a little too fast paced as the author suddenly decided it was time for the end of the book and wrapped everything up in a quick couple of pages.
Still, it was a fun evening's read and one I'd recommend to all.
I received an e-arc of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my unbiased review.
Bernstein takes us on a futuristic ride of medical miracles. Death and life are turned inside out. Psychotic ghosts take their turn and play a major role in this fast paced novella. My only problem was that it might have been just a little too fast paced as the author suddenly decided it was time for the end of the book and wrapped everything up in a quick couple of pages.
Still, it was a fun evening's read and one I'd recommend to all.
I received an e-arc of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my unbiased review.
August 27, 2014
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Another very enjoyable novella from Darkfuse who is my go-to publisher for horror these days.
Rebecca and Tom are unable to have children and opt to engage the services of a ethically challenged doctor who clones humans (and then ages them rapidly some how or the other that is not explained) for use as baby incubators. Additionally, again some how or the other and again not explained, the pissed off soul of an abused woman (Jane) who is killed finds its way into Rebecca’s clone. With me so far?
I am sounding like I didn’t like the book and that isn’t true. I actually read a bunch of it at work off of my phone because I really wanted to see how it came out. I hate giving away too much of the plot but I will say that when Jane makes her cross-over into Rebecca’s clone the action gets ramped up several notches. Jane is the engine that moves this story and her interaction with Rebecca was riveting. I was hooked and had to read to the finish once those two got together and I read through to the end.
And, well, yeah......the ending.
Abrupt doesn’t even begin to describe it. More like someone kicking out the plug from the stereo. Again, I am sounding like I didn’t like the novella, which isn’t true. From the moment that Jane makes her appearance, this novella is pure suspense and action. I really enjoyed it and it makes me want to seek out more stories by Bernstein because the guy can really write a thriller.
All things considered (some may be more or less bothered by the plot issues I outlined) I enjoyed this novella quite a bit and give it 3.5 stars with points taken away for plot issues and the ending.
Another very enjoyable novella from Darkfuse who is my go-to publisher for horror these days.
Rebecca and Tom are unable to have children and opt to engage the services of a ethically challenged doctor who clones humans (and then ages them rapidly some how or the other that is not explained) for use as baby incubators. Additionally, again some how or the other and again not explained, the pissed off soul of an abused woman (Jane) who is killed finds its way into Rebecca’s clone. With me so far?
I am sounding like I didn’t like the book and that isn’t true. I actually read a bunch of it at work off of my phone because I really wanted to see how it came out. I hate giving away too much of the plot but I will say that when Jane makes her cross-over into Rebecca’s clone the action gets ramped up several notches. Jane is the engine that moves this story and her interaction with Rebecca was riveting. I was hooked and had to read to the finish once those two got together and I read through to the end.
And, well, yeah......the ending.
Abrupt doesn’t even begin to describe it. More like someone kicking out the plug from the stereo. Again, I am sounding like I didn’t like the novella, which isn’t true. From the moment that Jane makes her appearance, this novella is pure suspense and action. I really enjoyed it and it makes me want to seek out more stories by Bernstein because the guy can really write a thriller.
All things considered (some may be more or less bothered by the plot issues I outlined) I enjoyed this novella quite a bit and give it 3.5 stars with points taken away for plot issues and the ending.
September 12, 2014
** Spoilers **
Great, fast-paced story with a few glitches. I loved the concept of clones created in a top-secret facility to reproduce babies. Having a woman who dies and her soul and that of her baby going into one of the clones was a little far-fetched but I'll take it. The evil clone however made the book.
My only real issue with this one lies in the details. In the beginning of the book Rebecca finds out that she has cancer when she is gunned down in her vegetable garden by an unknown assailant. The problem is, after she goes to the hospital absolutely no mention is made as to who shot her, why or any sort of follow-up investigation. Rebecca having one ovary destroyed and the second one removed from cancer thereby making her infertile is the catalyst to the entire rest of the story.
Overall it was a fast and good read that was distracting enough that I didn't even notice the one issue until I was done reading it. I look forward to reading more from this author and would love to see more clone stories.
Great, fast-paced story with a few glitches. I loved the concept of clones created in a top-secret facility to reproduce babies. Having a woman who dies and her soul and that of her baby going into one of the clones was a little far-fetched but I'll take it. The evil clone however made the book.
My only real issue with this one lies in the details. In the beginning of the book Rebecca finds out that she has cancer when she is gunned down in her vegetable garden by an unknown assailant. The problem is, after she goes to the hospital absolutely no mention is made as to who shot her, why or any sort of follow-up investigation. Rebecca having one ovary destroyed and the second one removed from cancer thereby making her infertile is the catalyst to the entire rest of the story.
Overall it was a fast and good read that was distracting enough that I didn't even notice the one issue until I was done reading it. I look forward to reading more from this author and would love to see more clone stories.
September 14, 2015
Surrogate is a twisted, calculated, dark thriller that has a science fiction sprinkled in. It starts off with an opening that is guaranteed to grab your attention and the book remains fast paced until the end. Emotions run high and are portrayed well even though the book moves fast.
The characters are pretty well developed. Typically I prefer books to be written in 1st person, but this book is a great example of when 3rd person should be used. David Bernstein does a great job of conveying the effects of events on multiple characters by using 3rd person. Emotions are conveyed through action a lot in this book, which gives you a really good feel for the characters.
There is a science fiction feel for the majority of the book with the idea of cloning, and then it kind of takes a weird turn when Jane's soul jumps into a cloned body. This book could have remained a horror novel without the soul jumping weirdness. That whole aspect was what brought the book down in my opinion.
I feel like parts of this book were anti-climatic and could have been done a lot better. The ideas were great, but they weren't executed all that well. It was half science fiction, half horror novel, and half drama... that doesn't seem to add up does it? Exactly my point, they tried to shove too many genres into one book.
Each aspect could have been done great. It got really graphic at times, and that could have made for a great horror book. The character Jane had an interesting back story, so that could have made a great drama. The idea to have a clone grow a baby was a great idea for a science fiction book. But all of it mashed together in this short book was just a little much. This book aimed really high and fell short for me.
The characters are pretty well developed. Typically I prefer books to be written in 1st person, but this book is a great example of when 3rd person should be used. David Bernstein does a great job of conveying the effects of events on multiple characters by using 3rd person. Emotions are conveyed through action a lot in this book, which gives you a really good feel for the characters.
There is a science fiction feel for the majority of the book with the idea of cloning, and then it kind of takes a weird turn when Jane's soul jumps into a cloned body. This book could have remained a horror novel without the soul jumping weirdness. That whole aspect was what brought the book down in my opinion.
I feel like parts of this book were anti-climatic and could have been done a lot better. The ideas were great, but they weren't executed all that well. It was half science fiction, half horror novel, and half drama... that doesn't seem to add up does it? Exactly my point, they tried to shove too many genres into one book.
Each aspect could have been done great. It got really graphic at times, and that could have made for a great horror book. The character Jane had an interesting back story, so that could have made a great drama. The idea to have a clone grow a baby was a great idea for a science fiction book. But all of it mashed together in this short book was just a little much. This book aimed really high and fell short for me.
September 1, 2014
I'm afraid I really didn't care for this book. It started out with an interesting premise, and parts of it were quite good, but then the plot took a turn that I just didn't buy. That may sound odd for a supernatural book, but it just seemed so contrived that I couldn't get past it.
That would have been OK if I had enjoyed the writing, but I felt it was pretty rough in places. The dialogue just felt stilted at times, not sounding at all like something a person would actually say. Some of the word choices were really forced and inconsistent with the general style of the book, seemingly only there to try to exercise a larger vocabulary. And most of the similes were just painful, unfortunately.
I own a copy of Relic of Death, and have heard great things about it, so I definitely plan to read it. This felt very much like a first work that needed a lot more polishing before being ready for publication. I've read early works like this from authors who really grew and went on to publish a LOT of books.
That would have been OK if I had enjoyed the writing, but I felt it was pretty rough in places. The dialogue just felt stilted at times, not sounding at all like something a person would actually say. Some of the word choices were really forced and inconsistent with the general style of the book, seemingly only there to try to exercise a larger vocabulary. And most of the similes were just painful, unfortunately.
I own a copy of Relic of Death, and have heard great things about it, so I definitely plan to read it. This felt very much like a first work that needed a lot more polishing before being ready for publication. I've read early works like this from authors who really grew and went on to publish a LOT of books.
August 17, 2014
David Bernstein’s 294 page novella SURROGATE starts with an interesting idea, but never takes it anywhere. The real story doesn’t get started until halfway through the book and then it drags along ping-ponging back and forth between predictable and ridiculous. The plot depends on stupid characters making stupid decisions. The women are irrational and manipulative and the men are weak-willed and pathetic. The pace is bogged down by filler and characters constantly rehashing things the reader has already seen. Tricky plotting issues, like how one woman dragged another unconscious woman out of a basement by herself, are just skipped over. None of the characters are fully realized or behave in ways that make sense. The dialogue is silly, repetitive, and lacks maturity. The only insult any of the characters seem to know is “bitch,” which characters lob at each other no less than 13 times – middle-aged, professional, adult characters, mind you.
October 15, 2014
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...
I’m not sure if I even liked Surrogate. I mean, in terms of the quality of writing, it hit the jackpot, like most of DarkFuse’s publications. However, in terms of story…While original, and creative, the story was just too odd at times, too random, to be truly enjoyed.
Take the first chapter for example. Our main character, Rebecca Hardwick, is out gardening when she gets hit by a bullet coming out of nowhere. She loses one of her ovaries (it was cancerous and they discovered that during surgery) and will never be able to have children of her own. We focus on Rebecca’s journey for a while, while she struggles with depression and her husband Tom tries everything to cheer her up. Then their doctor suggests a new treatment: making a clone of Rebecca, aging the clone, and then impregnating the clone. It sounds like science-fiction, and Tom is reluctant to believe the doctor’s story, but Rebecca begs him take the doctor up on his offer.
Then, in one breezingly short chapter, we meet Jane, a woman stuck in an abusive relationships. She’s pregnant and determined to give her child the very best, to turn her life around. But her husband won’t let her go to the hospital when she feels the baby coming. She murders her husband, and ends up in a fatal accident.
But Jane wakes up again…in the body of Rebecca’s clone. She swears to take revenge on the institute that put her in this clone’s body (although not entirely sure why) and to take back her baby, which she believes is the child Tom and Rebecca are raising. Suspense is high from that point onward, and Jane turns out to be a completely delusional ego-maniac who will stop at nothing to have a child of her own.
While entertaining, the story is just too random. Why does Rebecca get hit by a bullet if it’s barely mentioned again? Then why do we even get that scene? How is it possible Jane woke up in the clone’s body when no one else did? Never explained. The dialogue is stiff at times as well, and ultimately, the story falls short.
I’m not sure if I even liked Surrogate. I mean, in terms of the quality of writing, it hit the jackpot, like most of DarkFuse’s publications. However, in terms of story…While original, and creative, the story was just too odd at times, too random, to be truly enjoyed.
Take the first chapter for example. Our main character, Rebecca Hardwick, is out gardening when she gets hit by a bullet coming out of nowhere. She loses one of her ovaries (it was cancerous and they discovered that during surgery) and will never be able to have children of her own. We focus on Rebecca’s journey for a while, while she struggles with depression and her husband Tom tries everything to cheer her up. Then their doctor suggests a new treatment: making a clone of Rebecca, aging the clone, and then impregnating the clone. It sounds like science-fiction, and Tom is reluctant to believe the doctor’s story, but Rebecca begs him take the doctor up on his offer.
Then, in one breezingly short chapter, we meet Jane, a woman stuck in an abusive relationships. She’s pregnant and determined to give her child the very best, to turn her life around. But her husband won’t let her go to the hospital when she feels the baby coming. She murders her husband, and ends up in a fatal accident.
But Jane wakes up again…in the body of Rebecca’s clone. She swears to take revenge on the institute that put her in this clone’s body (although not entirely sure why) and to take back her baby, which she believes is the child Tom and Rebecca are raising. Suspense is high from that point onward, and Jane turns out to be a completely delusional ego-maniac who will stop at nothing to have a child of her own.
While entertaining, the story is just too random. Why does Rebecca get hit by a bullet if it’s barely mentioned again? Then why do we even get that scene? How is it possible Jane woke up in the clone’s body when no one else did? Never explained. The dialogue is stiff at times as well, and ultimately, the story falls short.
December 26, 2014
Surrogate is one of those titles where I absolutely loved the premise, but wished it would have gone farther in its execution.
Author David Bernstein does a fine job of creating a credible atmosphere that is ripe with all sorts of potential horrors - from evil doppelgangers to the dark consequences of science run amok. The idea of creating a full-fledged clone for the purpose of surrogate pregnancies is imaginative and just borderline possible enough to make that willing suspension of disbelief all the easier. The measure of desperation that the book's leads, Rebecca, and her husband, Tom, experience make them sympathetic and their choices understand and reasonable, despite the fact that we, as readers, know that everything will soon be going to hell in a hand-basket.
I'm issuing a slight spoiler warning here so I can discuss what didn't work for me, and why.
What didn't work for me was the nature of the threat and the lack of credible underpinnings supporting the Hardwick's adversary, Jane. Jane is an abused spouse who ends up killing her husband on the eve of her delivery, but then ends up dying in a car crash. With little in the way of a satisfactory explanation, Jane's soul somehow comes to inhabit the empty shell of Rebecca's clone and goes on a murderous rampage.
My first problem with this may be due to personal bias. I'm not into spirituality and after an author has gone to such length to develop a plausible scientific rationale to set the story in motion, to suddenly rely on a scant mention that Jane returned from Heaven to get back her daughter is to ask me to stretch my ability to suspend disbelief a bit farther than I'm capable. Although I certainly enjoy a good ghost story, I don't believe in ghosts or goblins or demonic possession in real life. So, in fiction, when a story has already been establish to not be in that type of genre, well, it's really reaching with me and lost quite a bit of credibility as an effective horror story. It felt like a significant chunk of story on Jane's side of the plot was missing entirely, or either lost in editing or, worse, completely forgotten about. To structure this story around cloning and then having an entirely separate individual come to inhabit that cloned body off nothing more than sheer "just because" struck me as really weak story-telling.
My other issue is that when we first meet Jane, she's a beat-up housewife who has been suffering her husband's torment for, it seems, quite a while. And since we never get to really know her, or are allowed to inhabit her headspace for long enough before her demise, to then have her resurrected as some kind of cold-blooded executioner was way off-kilter. Again, it seemed like another instance of Jane behaving this way because the plot demanded it, or "just because," without any prior - and badly necessary - buildup.
End Spoiler
While there were a few things I enjoyed - the struggles between Rebecca and Jane, primarily, and the moral and ethical dilemmas surrounding the Hardwick's choices and repercussions of their deals with The Agency - I ultimately felt that Surrogate failed to gel as well as it should have. Either one of the narrative's conflicts would have made for a fine story in their own right, if fully developed. Instead, this novella feels more like two half-developed ideas sparsely glued together, with one hamstringing the other and both refusing to set properly.
Author David Bernstein does a fine job of creating a credible atmosphere that is ripe with all sorts of potential horrors - from evil doppelgangers to the dark consequences of science run amok. The idea of creating a full-fledged clone for the purpose of surrogate pregnancies is imaginative and just borderline possible enough to make that willing suspension of disbelief all the easier. The measure of desperation that the book's leads, Rebecca, and her husband, Tom, experience make them sympathetic and their choices understand and reasonable, despite the fact that we, as readers, know that everything will soon be going to hell in a hand-basket.
I'm issuing a slight spoiler warning here so I can discuss what didn't work for me, and why.
What didn't work for me was the nature of the threat and the lack of credible underpinnings supporting the Hardwick's adversary, Jane. Jane is an abused spouse who ends up killing her husband on the eve of her delivery, but then ends up dying in a car crash. With little in the way of a satisfactory explanation, Jane's soul somehow comes to inhabit the empty shell of Rebecca's clone and goes on a murderous rampage.
My first problem with this may be due to personal bias. I'm not into spirituality and after an author has gone to such length to develop a plausible scientific rationale to set the story in motion, to suddenly rely on a scant mention that Jane returned from Heaven to get back her daughter is to ask me to stretch my ability to suspend disbelief a bit farther than I'm capable. Although I certainly enjoy a good ghost story, I don't believe in ghosts or goblins or demonic possession in real life. So, in fiction, when a story has already been establish to not be in that type of genre, well, it's really reaching with me and lost quite a bit of credibility as an effective horror story. It felt like a significant chunk of story on Jane's side of the plot was missing entirely, or either lost in editing or, worse, completely forgotten about. To structure this story around cloning and then having an entirely separate individual come to inhabit that cloned body off nothing more than sheer "just because" struck me as really weak story-telling.
My other issue is that when we first meet Jane, she's a beat-up housewife who has been suffering her husband's torment for, it seems, quite a while. And since we never get to really know her, or are allowed to inhabit her headspace for long enough before her demise, to then have her resurrected as some kind of cold-blooded executioner was way off-kilter. Again, it seemed like another instance of Jane behaving this way because the plot demanded it, or "just because," without any prior - and badly necessary - buildup.
End Spoiler
While there were a few things I enjoyed - the struggles between Rebecca and Jane, primarily, and the moral and ethical dilemmas surrounding the Hardwick's choices and repercussions of their deals with The Agency - I ultimately felt that Surrogate failed to gel as well as it should have. Either one of the narrative's conflicts would have made for a fine story in their own right, if fully developed. Instead, this novella feels more like two half-developed ideas sparsely glued together, with one hamstringing the other and both refusing to set properly.
January 7, 2015
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
Rebecca Hardwick wants nothing more than to start a family with her husband. But when a series of tragedies occur, she is left unable to have children by natural means.
Jane Nurelle is in an abusive relationship filled with beatings, drinking and drugs. But when she learns of her pregnancy, she is determined to turn her life around, even if it means resorting to violence.
Through an unlikely series of events, these two women come face-to-face with a notable scientist who has perfected a way for couples to have biologically matched children through the process of human cloning. But his service comes at a price…and the women share more in common than they ever thought possible.
This is a novella by David Bernstein, author of Relic of Death which I read and enjoyed. The opportunity came along to read this book so I thought "Why not?"
This story certainly had an interesting premise: a couple are robbed of the opportunity to have a child by the way of a gunshot tragedy. They are referred to a doctor who specialises in cloning and, lo and behold, they are later rewarded with their very own child (at quite a cost and a lot of stipulations. We also meet Jane, pregnant and stuck in an abusive relationship, who will do everything in her means to protect her child. A lot of action, some interesting concepts and a writing style that was certainly worth a read.
However, some issues do exist: the first half of the book really laid down a story filled with promise - there was a really good build up for Rebecca and Tom, but Jane seemed to be a side story that would never really be as interesting. Then from there on, it just got a little fractured and I lost sight of the direction the author was trying to take the story. I spent the better part ofd the second half of the story thinking "...but, why?" It may have just been me but I have seen some other reviews that say similar things.
Also, the ending was certainly disappointing. By the time I had gotten up to speed with where the plot was finally heading, the book was over - if you have ever read a Richard Layman novel, you will understand. It was either a case of getting to the end far earlier than the author had planned or, and this one I believe to be closer to the truth, he had lost sight of the initial ending he had wanted and just said "That'll do."
Overall, a decent premise and interesting characters. For me, though, it got bogged down about halfway and never really recovered.
Paul
ARH
Rebecca Hardwick wants nothing more than to start a family with her husband. But when a series of tragedies occur, she is left unable to have children by natural means.
Jane Nurelle is in an abusive relationship filled with beatings, drinking and drugs. But when she learns of her pregnancy, she is determined to turn her life around, even if it means resorting to violence.
Through an unlikely series of events, these two women come face-to-face with a notable scientist who has perfected a way for couples to have biologically matched children through the process of human cloning. But his service comes at a price…and the women share more in common than they ever thought possible.
This is a novella by David Bernstein, author of Relic of Death which I read and enjoyed. The opportunity came along to read this book so I thought "Why not?"
This story certainly had an interesting premise: a couple are robbed of the opportunity to have a child by the way of a gunshot tragedy. They are referred to a doctor who specialises in cloning and, lo and behold, they are later rewarded with their very own child (at quite a cost and a lot of stipulations. We also meet Jane, pregnant and stuck in an abusive relationship, who will do everything in her means to protect her child. A lot of action, some interesting concepts and a writing style that was certainly worth a read.
However, some issues do exist: the first half of the book really laid down a story filled with promise - there was a really good build up for Rebecca and Tom, but Jane seemed to be a side story that would never really be as interesting. Then from there on, it just got a little fractured and I lost sight of the direction the author was trying to take the story. I spent the better part ofd the second half of the story thinking "...but, why?" It may have just been me but I have seen some other reviews that say similar things.
Also, the ending was certainly disappointing. By the time I had gotten up to speed with where the plot was finally heading, the book was over - if you have ever read a Richard Layman novel, you will understand. It was either a case of getting to the end far earlier than the author had planned or, and this one I believe to be closer to the truth, he had lost sight of the initial ending he had wanted and just said "That'll do."
Overall, a decent premise and interesting characters. For me, though, it got bogged down about halfway and never really recovered.
Paul
ARH
October 26, 2014
On the whole, I really enjoyed the premise of this story and it pulled me in right from the first chapter. I would never have believed that I would be only giving it three stars, but unfortunately there were so many flaws in the story that I ended up feeling quite frustrated with the writer by the end of the book.
Obviously, the whole concept of the story is fantastical and this is what the reader expects. However, readers do also expect the characters within the story to come to life and react to situations the same way that we would. I find it amazing that Jane's character went from being an oppressed little beaten wifey to the female version of Terminator within a few pages. How the hell does that happen? At the very least, if we had some explanation for this instant personality turnabout, I would accept it. Bernstein's biggest mistake is assuming that his readers will question nothing. How does Jane get Rebecca to the cabin? Is she teleported there? It's these simple little details which lend plausibility to the story and keep us readers happy.
In my opinion this would have been a terrific little story if not for these factors.
Obviously, the whole concept of the story is fantastical and this is what the reader expects. However, readers do also expect the characters within the story to come to life and react to situations the same way that we would. I find it amazing that Jane's character went from being an oppressed little beaten wifey to the female version of Terminator within a few pages. How the hell does that happen? At the very least, if we had some explanation for this instant personality turnabout, I would accept it. Bernstein's biggest mistake is assuming that his readers will question nothing. How does Jane get Rebecca to the cabin? Is she teleported there? It's these simple little details which lend plausibility to the story and keep us readers happy.
In my opinion this would have been a terrific little story if not for these factors.
March 2, 2015
This is the story of Tom and Rebecca. Rebecca is shot one day whilst out gardening and the resulting surgery reveals cancerous ovaries. Left unable to have children, she battles with depression until her therapist offers her a solution in the form of cloning. They are blessed with a daughter, and life seems rosy. Fast forward five years and we meet Jane. Pregnant and stuck in an abusive relationship, she kills her husband and is killed herself in a car accident. Jane, however has more in common with Tom and Rebecca than they will ever know...
This captivated me from the very beginning. It started with a bang and just kept on going, the pace rocketing along. About half way through however things took a horrific and menacing twist and things ramped up a notch. I literally couldn't take my eyes of the page and read the entire novella in two sittings. Despite the small cast, they kept the story going and I believed in them. Another fine release from both David and DarkFuse.
This captivated me from the very beginning. It started with a bang and just kept on going, the pace rocketing along. About half way through however things took a horrific and menacing twist and things ramped up a notch. I literally couldn't take my eyes of the page and read the entire novella in two sittings. Despite the small cast, they kept the story going and I believed in them. Another fine release from both David and DarkFuse.
October 14, 2014
Bernstein takes a more sci-fi approach to his latest horror novel, “Surrogate,” about a couple who find out after an accident that the wife, Rebecca, will never be able to have biological children.
Determined to find a way to have a biological child, Rebecca hears from her psychiatrist of an unconventional clinic that makes the impossible possible. Meanwhile, another woman, Jane, heavily pregnant and in an abusive relationship, is doing her best to fight for her life and that of her unborn child.
The gore level and gross factors are fairly high in this book, which will please readers who have come to expect this from Bernstein’s works. It’s action-packed and female-led sci-fi horror that will appeal to fans of “Lucy” with Scarlet Johannson. If you liked Bernstein’s “Tears of No Return,” you’ll enjoy “Surrogate” as it’s in the same vein.
Determined to find a way to have a biological child, Rebecca hears from her psychiatrist of an unconventional clinic that makes the impossible possible. Meanwhile, another woman, Jane, heavily pregnant and in an abusive relationship, is doing her best to fight for her life and that of her unborn child.
The gore level and gross factors are fairly high in this book, which will please readers who have come to expect this from Bernstein’s works. It’s action-packed and female-led sci-fi horror that will appeal to fans of “Lucy” with Scarlet Johannson. If you liked Bernstein’s “Tears of No Return,” you’ll enjoy “Surrogate” as it’s in the same vein.
September 2, 2014
“Surrogate” is a novella about a couple who are devastated when Rebecca receives a gun shot wound; although she survives – she finds she has cancer and her child bearing years are over.
Desperate for a child of her own, they turn to Dr. Tuber – a Doctor of a dubious nature and opt for surrogacy.
This novella is a bizarre tale about the lengths people will go to when they are desperate and the people who control the miracles. There were times in this book where I was truly horrified, because it blends medical speculation with the horrors of playing god.
A truly memorable chiller, that will make you look at things completely differently from now on
Desperate for a child of her own, they turn to Dr. Tuber – a Doctor of a dubious nature and opt for surrogacy.
This novella is a bizarre tale about the lengths people will go to when they are desperate and the people who control the miracles. There were times in this book where I was truly horrified, because it blends medical speculation with the horrors of playing god.
A truly memorable chiller, that will make you look at things completely differently from now on
September 20, 2014
Another great horror novella from DarkFuse and David Bernstein
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/surrog... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/surrog... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
September 13, 2014
Much enjoyed this story of a family at the mercy of a Killer clone. Highly recommended.
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