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Impulse
A Future Where Singing Is A Felony And Music Is Banned
Keep Quiet Or Face The Consequences
Hundreds of years after nuclear devastation, the world is forever changed. All forms of loud noise are illegal.Offenders are cast out once a year, into the hopeless, irradiated wastelands.
But it's not the rebels who face the greatest threats. The dark powers who maintain the status quo set their sights on several innocent, brilliant college students.
They push a young doctor-to-be into a conspiracy, putting his reputation, family, and life under fire. They raise a girl into becoming a gorgeous, coveted celebrity, a puppet to please the masses. And they force a boy and girl to rendezvous in the secrecy of a singer group in the desert, hiding their forbidden relationship.
This is the story of rats in a maze, who get pushed too far.
Impulse is the first episode in an epic, new adult dystopian thriller of politics, hatred, love, bitterness, and warped minds. Read Feedback to experience...
1. A complex story with flawed but good-minded characters on either side. Can making the world tolerant of sound really save it?
2. A futuristic-yet-realistic setting reflecting changes in modern-day technology.
3. A post-apocalyptic, falsely-beautiful world. Bright colors, delicious food, and unsettling physical contact are meant to ease the deprivation of sound.
4. Moments of humor and passion sprinkled amidst a dark, oppressive atmosphere.
5. Unusual, controversial romances that test modern conventions.
Author Info: Shane Hall has written speculative fiction since 2007, and enjoys writing stories based on impossible, fantastical, futuristic, or mysterious elements.
Keep Quiet Or Face The Consequences
Hundreds of years after nuclear devastation, the world is forever changed. All forms of loud noise are illegal.Offenders are cast out once a year, into the hopeless, irradiated wastelands.
But it's not the rebels who face the greatest threats. The dark powers who maintain the status quo set their sights on several innocent, brilliant college students.
They push a young doctor-to-be into a conspiracy, putting his reputation, family, and life under fire. They raise a girl into becoming a gorgeous, coveted celebrity, a puppet to please the masses. And they force a boy and girl to rendezvous in the secrecy of a singer group in the desert, hiding their forbidden relationship.
This is the story of rats in a maze, who get pushed too far.
Impulse is the first episode in an epic, new adult dystopian thriller of politics, hatred, love, bitterness, and warped minds. Read Feedback to experience...
1. A complex story with flawed but good-minded characters on either side. Can making the world tolerant of sound really save it?
2. A futuristic-yet-realistic setting reflecting changes in modern-day technology.
3. A post-apocalyptic, falsely-beautiful world. Bright colors, delicious food, and unsettling physical contact are meant to ease the deprivation of sound.
4. Moments of humor and passion sprinkled amidst a dark, oppressive atmosphere.
5. Unusual, controversial romances that test modern conventions.
Author Info: Shane Hall has written speculative fiction since 2007, and enjoys writing stories based on impossible, fantastical, futuristic, or mysterious elements.
107 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 27, 2015
20 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 7, 2015
This book by Shane Hall is meant to be a thriller and does begin with a lot of incidents that resulted in my having plenty of questions requiring answers before the end of the book. This is something that a reader naturally expects when reading a thriller. The book is set in a dystopian future with novel devices, like an innovative glow-ball, and imposed social conditions, like a singing ban, that certainly arouse the curiosity. We are introduced to an autocratic, almost tyrant-like, man known as Jack aka Grand Mogul and want to know – What is going on here?
The main characters, Eric, Will, Winona and Janet are challenged with discovering what happened to a fellow student, the brilliant inventor of the glow-ball, Freyara, when she mysteriously vanishes after a meeting with the Grand Mogul. There are numerous intrigues presented to the reader one after the other, and all within a bewildering, mainly believable scenario. But this reader still wanted more answers to the questions set by the author as the plot grew and developed.
The novel took quite a long time to increase the fast pace that one expects in a thriller. However, the latter part of the story appropriately builds the required suspense for anyone who enjoys the thriller genre - but left me disappointed with an unsatisfactory ending. It felt like a cop-out to be told that I had to read the next book in the series to find out the majority of the answers I’d been seeking. That feeling made me determined not to read any more in this series, since I felt conned. It is not a very long book and thus with the abrupt “finish” felt “unfinished”. Yes, I wanted more but in this book, the one I was reading at the time. I happen to believe that each book in a series can, and probably should, be able to stand on its own as a complete novel in its own right. This novel does not because I could not “get the point” of it.
The main characters, Eric, Will, Winona and Janet are challenged with discovering what happened to a fellow student, the brilliant inventor of the glow-ball, Freyara, when she mysteriously vanishes after a meeting with the Grand Mogul. There are numerous intrigues presented to the reader one after the other, and all within a bewildering, mainly believable scenario. But this reader still wanted more answers to the questions set by the author as the plot grew and developed.
The novel took quite a long time to increase the fast pace that one expects in a thriller. However, the latter part of the story appropriately builds the required suspense for anyone who enjoys the thriller genre - but left me disappointed with an unsatisfactory ending. It felt like a cop-out to be told that I had to read the next book in the series to find out the majority of the answers I’d been seeking. That feeling made me determined not to read any more in this series, since I felt conned. It is not a very long book and thus with the abrupt “finish” felt “unfinished”. Yes, I wanted more but in this book, the one I was reading at the time. I happen to believe that each book in a series can, and probably should, be able to stand on its own as a complete novel in its own right. This novel does not because I could not “get the point” of it.
June 28, 2015
If I ruled the world and could only achieve one major goal, I'd have to give serious consideration between making sure every human being had enough to eat - or - making the world QUIET!
We are bombarded with unrelenting noise - from people talking too loud on their cell phones to car stereos blasting booming rap music to loud vehicles and police and news helicopters, planes flying over, motorcycles with no mufflers, and on and on ad infinitum. As I write this there is an airliner departing John Wayne Airport flying about two thousand feet over my house for Christ's sake. So it was with great anticipation I started reading 'Impulse' where noise is illegal.
Great idea, iffy execution. First, it was advertised as a thriller, but in no way no how is this snail paced story a 'thriller'. It is a pretty slim 116 pages of science fiction - period. The book seems as though it was written for schoolchildren with it's overly simplistic style of using only first names, and titles like 'the Grand Mogul'. Furthermore it appears to be a YA category because the characters are mostly self important college students who invent all kinds of miraculous machines or who are skilled surgeons/ boxers (yeah that's right), and exams / grades are prominently featured. But the real problem is nothing much is ever explained - like especially WHY noise and singing are illegal.
I suggest the author market this book appropriately (as a YA Sci-fi tale) since I am obviously not the intended market and didn't get the author's point at all - unless he is advocating FOR noise pollution and this is supposed to be a cautionary tale? Oh wait! This is about college kids, who love to make as much noise as possible... Not my cup of tea.
We are bombarded with unrelenting noise - from people talking too loud on their cell phones to car stereos blasting booming rap music to loud vehicles and police and news helicopters, planes flying over, motorcycles with no mufflers, and on and on ad infinitum. As I write this there is an airliner departing John Wayne Airport flying about two thousand feet over my house for Christ's sake. So it was with great anticipation I started reading 'Impulse' where noise is illegal.
Great idea, iffy execution. First, it was advertised as a thriller, but in no way no how is this snail paced story a 'thriller'. It is a pretty slim 116 pages of science fiction - period. The book seems as though it was written for schoolchildren with it's overly simplistic style of using only first names, and titles like 'the Grand Mogul'. Furthermore it appears to be a YA category because the characters are mostly self important college students who invent all kinds of miraculous machines or who are skilled surgeons/ boxers (yeah that's right), and exams / grades are prominently featured. But the real problem is nothing much is ever explained - like especially WHY noise and singing are illegal.
I suggest the author market this book appropriately (as a YA Sci-fi tale) since I am obviously not the intended market and didn't get the author's point at all - unless he is advocating FOR noise pollution and this is supposed to be a cautionary tale? Oh wait! This is about college kids, who love to make as much noise as possible... Not my cup of tea.
October 4, 2017
Title: Impulse
Author: Shane Hall
Publisher: Shane Hall
ISBN: B00YBLK4W8
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Feedback Serial 1
A Future Where Singing Is A Felony And Music Is Banned
Keep Quiet Or Face The Consequences
Hundreds of years after nuclear devastation, the world is forever changed. All forms of loud noise are illegal. Offenders are cast out once a year, into the hopeless, irradiated wastelands.
But it's not the rebels who face the greatest threats. The dark powers who maintain the status quo set their sights on several innocent, brilliant college students.
They push a young doctor-to-be into a conspiracy, putting his reputation, family, and life under fire. They raise a girl into becoming a gorgeous, coveted celebrity, a puppet to please the masses. And they force a boy and girl to rendezvous in the secrecy of a singer group in the desert, hiding their forbidden relationship.
This is the story of rats in a maze, who get pushed too far.
Impulse is the first episode in an epic, new adult dystopian thriller of politics, hatred, love, bitterness, and warped minds. Read Feedback to experience...
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
Received for an honest review.
In a world where your every move is monitored and the sound police will arrest anyone who breaks the law, Eric didn't like what was happening, but all he wanted was to pass his tests and become a doctor. Eric's friend Freyara is about to pitch her invention to a company and Eric is determined to be there to support her. Everything was going well until the unthinkable happened and Freyara disappeared. This placed Eric and his girlfriend Winona at the center of a whirlwind pitting them against forces that are determined to manipulate them. Add to that most of the police who will do whatever they are told except for Will who is a friend of Eric. It is hard to imagine all sounds being monitored and anyone who disobeys could be forced out of the safe city zones.
This was a fast paced intricate story and the series has just begun. This is a must read for anyone who enjoyed dystopian futuristic books.
Author: Shane Hall
Publisher: Shane Hall
ISBN: B00YBLK4W8
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Feedback Serial 1
A Future Where Singing Is A Felony And Music Is Banned
Keep Quiet Or Face The Consequences
Hundreds of years after nuclear devastation, the world is forever changed. All forms of loud noise are illegal. Offenders are cast out once a year, into the hopeless, irradiated wastelands.
But it's not the rebels who face the greatest threats. The dark powers who maintain the status quo set their sights on several innocent, brilliant college students.
They push a young doctor-to-be into a conspiracy, putting his reputation, family, and life under fire. They raise a girl into becoming a gorgeous, coveted celebrity, a puppet to please the masses. And they force a boy and girl to rendezvous in the secrecy of a singer group in the desert, hiding their forbidden relationship.
This is the story of rats in a maze, who get pushed too far.
Impulse is the first episode in an epic, new adult dystopian thriller of politics, hatred, love, bitterness, and warped minds. Read Feedback to experience...
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
Received for an honest review.
In a world where your every move is monitored and the sound police will arrest anyone who breaks the law, Eric didn't like what was happening, but all he wanted was to pass his tests and become a doctor. Eric's friend Freyara is about to pitch her invention to a company and Eric is determined to be there to support her. Everything was going well until the unthinkable happened and Freyara disappeared. This placed Eric and his girlfriend Winona at the center of a whirlwind pitting them against forces that are determined to manipulate them. Add to that most of the police who will do whatever they are told except for Will who is a friend of Eric. It is hard to imagine all sounds being monitored and anyone who disobeys could be forced out of the safe city zones.
This was a fast paced intricate story and the series has just begun. This is a must read for anyone who enjoyed dystopian futuristic books.
November 13, 2017
I have been following Shane Hall through his novel Verminox which I absolutely love, so I though i would read some of his other works and read The first season of Impulse! This was completely different to what i was expecting after reading Verminox but it is also as full of twists and turns as Verminox however in a completely different setting . Took me a few pages to get into it but once I did I was blown away by the originality of this dystopic society, this is typical of Hall's writings! We meet the people living in Flatson, a society dominated by a group known only as the Nexus and the high mogul who has full monopoly of media and everyone in the society. In this society noise is not allowed by law, of course laid down by the same dictator! Now coming from a world full of noise pollution we might all thing, oh that would be heavenly, however, when even clapping is forbidden and the worst criminals are those involved in making music especially the singers, one can see how drab such a life must be! The singers are either killed outright or else given a chance to leave Flatson to go and try to survive in the wastelands. The people are becoming angry at these restrictions and a group of young students are rebelling!! The book ends at a very precarious moment so i am dying to get my hands on the next books in the series. The characters of Eric, Janet his sister, Will his friend and Wynona his girlfriend are all very interesting characters and the reader finds that they are routing for them especially when their lives are threatened on all areas, school, homefront, work etc!! Will Eric shelf his values as he is forced into using the Mortality Manipulator machine, to bring back his distant cousin from the dead? The Mogul is playing games with all of them but where will it end? I am sure that Shane Hall will keep us all in suspense and not knowing how things are going to turn out till the very end as this is so much his exceptional style! Definitely worth the read.
March 24, 2017
According to the summary it's a deep, rich look into a "post-apocalyptic, falsely-beautiful world" but I didn't get that impression. Maybe that's a better description for the series as a whole, but I just don't know yet. Without this forward I'm not sure I would have kept waiting for the pace to pick up.
I love this version of a dystopian future, for some reason noise is an offense you can get arrested for. Interesting! What's disappointing is that I don't know why, what happened? I get that we were never misled - this book was always intended to be part of a series, but be warned that no answers whatsoever are provided in this installment.
I think I like the main characters Eric, Winona, Will and Janet. I wish there was more of them to like though! The backgrounds of these people are developed just enough that you don't question their motives, but there's not a lot of internal dialogue... each person fills their role within the story and doesn't really struggle with any decision making.
The other main characters in play, Jack, Leonardo, and "the Bird" have seemingly important stations in society, but the origin of this government/journalism/underground structure is entirely unclear.
This book is very intense, which is good, and I think it's partly because there is a lack of minor characters. We are thrown into this new world, and like a good dystopian plot, we are forced to accept the new way of things. But, without much world-building other than descriptions of rubber flooring, I wasn't satisfied.
I received this #feedbackserial book free of charge in exchange for my review.
I love this version of a dystopian future, for some reason noise is an offense you can get arrested for. Interesting! What's disappointing is that I don't know why, what happened? I get that we were never misled - this book was always intended to be part of a series, but be warned that no answers whatsoever are provided in this installment.
I think I like the main characters Eric, Winona, Will and Janet. I wish there was more of them to like though! The backgrounds of these people are developed just enough that you don't question their motives, but there's not a lot of internal dialogue... each person fills their role within the story and doesn't really struggle with any decision making.
The other main characters in play, Jack, Leonardo, and "the Bird" have seemingly important stations in society, but the origin of this government/journalism/underground structure is entirely unclear.
This book is very intense, which is good, and I think it's partly because there is a lack of minor characters. We are thrown into this new world, and like a good dystopian plot, we are forced to accept the new way of things. But, without much world-building other than descriptions of rubber flooring, I wasn't satisfied.
I received this #feedbackserial book free of charge in exchange for my review.
June 24, 2015
I could not put this book down!
Set in a future world where excessive noise is illegal and the floors are made of rubber, Hall takes us on a journey to find out what is really going on.
A promising young inventor goes missing right before graduation after making the biggest pitch of her life.
A brilliant future surgeon is set up to take the fall for his friend's disappearance...unless he performs an illegal procedure.
This young man's sister is in love with the worst kind of criminal, a singer.
His girlfriend is caught in the middle of what appears to be a turf war between the powerhouses in the story.
There is a struggle to be number one and who you think is calling shots...isn't.
There are so many unanswered questions that leave me wanting to devour the next book in the series.
Hall has developed an incredible dystopian society and his attention to detail builds a vivid picture for the reader of what this world looks like and just who is living in it. Hall has created characters that the reader becomes invested in. I want to know more!
Full of suspense, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a thriller.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own
Set in a future world where excessive noise is illegal and the floors are made of rubber, Hall takes us on a journey to find out what is really going on.
A promising young inventor goes missing right before graduation after making the biggest pitch of her life.
A brilliant future surgeon is set up to take the fall for his friend's disappearance...unless he performs an illegal procedure.
This young man's sister is in love with the worst kind of criminal, a singer.
His girlfriend is caught in the middle of what appears to be a turf war between the powerhouses in the story.
There is a struggle to be number one and who you think is calling shots...isn't.
There are so many unanswered questions that leave me wanting to devour the next book in the series.
Hall has developed an incredible dystopian society and his attention to detail builds a vivid picture for the reader of what this world looks like and just who is living in it. Hall has created characters that the reader becomes invested in. I want to know more!
Full of suspense, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a thriller.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own
December 30, 2015
Silence is Golden
At least it is the world that author Shane Hall has created.
This world has been ravaged by war, excessive noise is outlawed along with all forms of music and even singing. Those found guilty of excessive noise are arrested and in several years previously those prisoners were exiled to either the underground tunnels or the wastelands.
Mystery abounds in this first installment of the Feedback series. Eric's best friend and head of the class goes missing and he is bumped up not just one spot but all the way up to the head of the class. These odd circumstances makes Eric a suspect but what could anyone gain from making Eric's friend disappear and then pin it on him.
All he wanted to do was graduate.
Hall leaves many questions unanswered as he sets up the mood and circumstance for the next installment of Feedback.
I may have received this book for free or at a discount in exchange for a fair and honest review.
At least it is the world that author Shane Hall has created.
This world has been ravaged by war, excessive noise is outlawed along with all forms of music and even singing. Those found guilty of excessive noise are arrested and in several years previously those prisoners were exiled to either the underground tunnels or the wastelands.
Mystery abounds in this first installment of the Feedback series. Eric's best friend and head of the class goes missing and he is bumped up not just one spot but all the way up to the head of the class. These odd circumstances makes Eric a suspect but what could anyone gain from making Eric's friend disappear and then pin it on him.
All he wanted to do was graduate.
Hall leaves many questions unanswered as he sets up the mood and circumstance for the next installment of Feedback.
I may have received this book for free or at a discount in exchange for a fair and honest review.
September 10, 2016
It took me all afternoon to read ‘Impulse’, but I couldn’t put it down. A unique science fiction look at what our world may be like centuries from now, with a great blend of character, action and technology, without overwhelming the reader with too much technical jargon – which I have found uninspiring in other sci-fi books, as they appear to want to bamboozle you with technology. I liked the fact it was short on description, with a dive-in attitude, not playing the reader for a fool, just expecting me to keep up and get with the program!
Fast paced, full of characters with issues, flaws and motivations that are sometimes well hidden. A thoroughly entertaining read that will keep you guessing and keen for the next one.
Fast paced, full of characters with issues, flaws and motivations that are sometimes well hidden. A thoroughly entertaining read that will keep you guessing and keen for the next one.
August 9, 2016
*received an ARC via Instafreebie in exchange for an honest review*
3.7 for me. I didn't much feels from this, but I can definitely say I was intrigued by this new and horrid world. A life without music? Loud noises? Yikes. I liked the characters and how this story was a constant flow of different POVs. Normally I don't like that but this was done really well. The author worked with it and used it to build up tension and suspense both in the story and in the characters involved. I'm still a bit confused about the 'why' of things, but otherwise I thought it was an interesting read.
3.7 for me. I didn't much feels from this, but I can definitely say I was intrigued by this new and horrid world. A life without music? Loud noises? Yikes. I liked the characters and how this story was a constant flow of different POVs. Normally I don't like that but this was done really well. The author worked with it and used it to build up tension and suspense both in the story and in the characters involved. I'm still a bit confused about the 'why' of things, but otherwise I thought it was an interesting read.
November 10, 2015
good narrative flow
The sentences are formed like poetic lines joined together by a narrative flow. The pacing starts slowly and quickens towards the middle, more action and tension happens. I would say this is work of literature, the words are nicely put in the right places and pleasing to the ears. The action that comes with this is unique, I don't usually read this genre but i would say it's a promising story and I look forward to the sequel !
The sentences are formed like poetic lines joined together by a narrative flow. The pacing starts slowly and quickens towards the middle, more action and tension happens. I would say this is work of literature, the words are nicely put in the right places and pleasing to the ears. The action that comes with this is unique, I don't usually read this genre but i would say it's a promising story and I look forward to the sequel !
June 9, 2016
I received a copy of this free in return for a honest review. I really enjoyed this book, it was very interesting to me. It is a very diverse story and with plots and twists . Makes you question alot of things while reading. I recommend it !!!
August 28, 2016
Um.....????? Too much going on. Good premise but....no.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews