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The Psychonaut Trilogy #1
The Psychonaut
How would it change your life if you knew what everyone else was thinking?
Merrick Whyte has used such a talent to profit from the world of high finance and business mergers. He puts it down to psychology, the study of body language and good background research.
But the game is about to change. Someone is seeking his skills for a different purpose - one that leads him into the clandestine world of the occult.
After falling foul of the law, he learns that discerning between friend and foe is not an easy task, especially when reality gets turned upside down. As he discovers the true extent of his psychonautic talents, he struggles to keep his enigmatic girlfriend, Lotus from being sucked into a conflict that spreads to Eastern Asia.
In an apocalyptic convergence of events, only Merrick and his Outcasts stand between a powerful enemy and the ultimate prize - dominion of this world and the realms beyond the Gateways.
Merrick Whyte has used such a talent to profit from the world of high finance and business mergers. He puts it down to psychology, the study of body language and good background research.
But the game is about to change. Someone is seeking his skills for a different purpose - one that leads him into the clandestine world of the occult.
After falling foul of the law, he learns that discerning between friend and foe is not an easy task, especially when reality gets turned upside down. As he discovers the true extent of his psychonautic talents, he struggles to keep his enigmatic girlfriend, Lotus from being sucked into a conflict that spreads to Eastern Asia.
In an apocalyptic convergence of events, only Merrick and his Outcasts stand between a powerful enemy and the ultimate prize - dominion of this world and the realms beyond the Gateways.
- GenresFantasy
387 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 20, 2016
38 people are currently reading
143 people want to read
About the author
Tom G.H. Adams
21 books73 followersTom Adams is an imaginer drifting between lands of fantasy, horror and bizarro. When he strays back into the realm called reality he finds himself in Middleland; a geologically beautiful gamut of scenery in the north west of England. The forces that drive him shift their shapes with sharp needles of inspiration, but at present include the art of Zdzislaw Beksinski, the music and words of Ronnie James Dio and a frankenstein amalgam of word-scriptors such as Vonnegut, Tolkien, Clevenger, Leonard and Bradbury.
He occupies niches in cyberspace at https://mosquitoinyourwhisky.wordpres... and https://www.facebook.com/tomghadams/
He occupies niches in cyberspace at https://mosquitoinyourwhisky.wordpres... and https://www.facebook.com/tomghadams/
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 29, 2016
If you can get through the first 15% of the book, it's a winner! The beginning of this book was very hard for me to read. I'm not a scientist or a doctor so it felt like I was hitting my dictionary every other word. Yes, the big words can be impressive and all, but look at your audience and make it user friendly. After the first few chapters, the writer eased up on scientific lingo and a fantastic story started. I'm a huge believer of other realms and this story fit right into that.
This story had action, a little romance and a whole lot of freaky characters. So what would happen if a power crazy dark mage goes to other realms to recruit his army to take over not only this world but others throughout the galaxy of realms? You get a bunch of other powerful mages flexing their magic muscle and taking case of business.
Other than the lingo in the beginning, I think this writer needs to hire a good proofreader. That was the other issue I had reading this story. The punctuation was really bad. Trust me when I say this, all writers need to keep a good proofreader on their staff. It just adds that extra polish and professionalism to your books.
This story had action, a little romance and a whole lot of freaky characters. So what would happen if a power crazy dark mage goes to other realms to recruit his army to take over not only this world but others throughout the galaxy of realms? You get a bunch of other powerful mages flexing their magic muscle and taking case of business.
Other than the lingo in the beginning, I think this writer needs to hire a good proofreader. That was the other issue I had reading this story. The punctuation was really bad. Trust me when I say this, all writers need to keep a good proofreader on their staff. It just adds that extra polish and professionalism to your books.
December 31, 2018
A Fantastic Novel About Fantasy
Tom Dams has written one of the best fantasy novels that I have read. Compared to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series. This book is a page turner from beginning
to end. You will encounter plots upon plots. The characters are diverse and are well developed. This book is well written and easy to follow from start to finish.I
You really get to know the characters both good guys and bad as they fight for control of the universe.
If you are looking for a 👍 book this is it. You will not be disappointed.
Tom Dams has written one of the best fantasy novels that I have read. Compared to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series. This book is a page turner from beginning
to end. You will encounter plots upon plots. The characters are diverse and are well developed. This book is well written and easy to follow from start to finish.I
You really get to know the characters both good guys and bad as they fight for control of the universe.
If you are looking for a 👍 book this is it. You will not be disappointed.
May 18, 2018
The Psychonaut was a thrill ride from beginning to end! I really enjoyed the Main character, Merrick, and how the Author, Tom G.H. Adams, evolved his character throughout the story. I knew going into this book that I would get some kind of reward for my fascination with fantasy novels, and I was very happy that my intuition was met with a good payoff. The Psychonaut was unlike many other books that I have read in the past, in that, it seemed to blend several genres together, where the narrater seems to flawlessly present a scene with enough fantasy-detail, while giving the reader a good idea of how the main character feels about his cicumstance, in addition to showing how the other characters are affected by his actions. I tend to read more books that are written in the third person-limited perspective, and so, that is what is to my liking usually, because I like to get an unbiased story from muliple points of view, however, I feel that with the Psychonaut, I may have found a book that gives a fair account of what the main character, as well as other characters are going through, without going overboard on setting or scene detail; something that can be a real challenge in first person novels.
It's always been about the balance of character development in relation to the story for me, in why I choose to read a book. The Psychonaut delivered by keeping me turning the pages, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book, Demon slayer, in Tom G.H. Adams's Psychonaut series.
It's always been about the balance of character development in relation to the story for me, in why I choose to read a book. The Psychonaut delivered by keeping me turning the pages, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book, Demon slayer, in Tom G.H. Adams's Psychonaut series.
February 12, 2023
A fine indie book. Kinda The Matrix by way of the occult. To be honest I thought it would be more about the actual magic system...instead it's one of those stories where our protagonist is already a master at portal magic right off the bat, once the secret society finally finds him. I definitely expected a different kind of "11th hour character reveal"...the one we got was like getting a complimentary slice of untoasted white bread with your meal...I didn't want it, but here it is, and it really didn't add to or detract from the whole...
The book is kinda horny...it's fine...if I weren't listening to the book I would have just skipped over the pages...that's just a personal thing.
The narrator of the audiobook had unique voices for every character and did a fantastic job...even if some of the accents were a little annoying when they had long bits of dialog.
I'm being too judgy...it's a fine book, it tells the story it wants to tell in a clear and sometimes cinematic way.
The villain's name is Sha-moan (not sure of the exact spelling...cause audiobook), and EVERY TIME the narrator said the antagonists name my ADHD brain repeated it like one of michael jackson's filler sounds...every time.
The book is kinda horny...it's fine...if I weren't listening to the book I would have just skipped over the pages...that's just a personal thing.
The narrator of the audiobook had unique voices for every character and did a fantastic job...even if some of the accents were a little annoying when they had long bits of dialog.
I'm being too judgy...it's a fine book, it tells the story it wants to tell in a clear and sometimes cinematic way.
The villain's name is Sha-moan (not sure of the exact spelling...cause audiobook), and EVERY TIME the narrator said the antagonists name my ADHD brain repeated it like one of michael jackson's filler sounds...every time.
May 31, 2016
Tom Adams helps you decide from the start if this story is for you with a torture scene that helps set the tone for the rest of the book.
The action is fast paced, balancing the edge between thriller/horror/urban fantasy, concocting a rich melange from the various genres.
Some of the reveals come off as a trite cliche, and Adams misses the mark a bit when showing why the good guys might not be quite so good.
The book is at its best when it zeroes in on the conflicts between the major players, but falls short a bit when he tries to zoom out on the action.
All in all I would recommend this book if you enjoy horror or urban fantasy.
The action is fast paced, balancing the edge between thriller/horror/urban fantasy, concocting a rich melange from the various genres.
Some of the reveals come off as a trite cliche, and Adams misses the mark a bit when showing why the good guys might not be quite so good.
The book is at its best when it zeroes in on the conflicts between the major players, but falls short a bit when he tries to zoom out on the action.
All in all I would recommend this book if you enjoy horror or urban fantasy.
June 12, 2016
Sex, violence and a cracking read. What more could you ask? Well, maybe drugs and rock'n'roll, but three out of five ain't bad.
It's not often that Brampton pushes a novelist onto the world stage. But when it does, it does it good. Just like Athena emerging fully-fledged from the skull of Zeus, Tom Adams has pealed his clarion cry of war and looks fair set to rive a place in the global pantheon of supernatural thriller writers. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.
It's not often that Brampton pushes a novelist onto the world stage. But when it does, it does it good. Just like Athena emerging fully-fledged from the skull of Zeus, Tom Adams has pealed his clarion cry of war and looks fair set to rive a place in the global pantheon of supernatural thriller writers. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.
August 9, 2016
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this with all the twists and turns and expected events. Very well written and kind of makes me want to be like Merrick. What an amazing ability. All of them truly had amazing abilities. This is well worth reading.
March 4, 2018
Absolutely stunning tale. A well blended story with strong ties to Clive Barkers imagery and White Wolf's Mage: The Ascension tab!e top roleplay game. Well written action packed page turner . More please 😁
May 14, 2018
Hits and Misses
3 out of 5 stars
I fell right in the middle on this book. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it and I took a couple days after finishing it to write my review hoping that I could wrap my head around whether or not I liked the book. First off, as other reviewers have said – I would classify this book as Urban Fantasy. This is not a genre that I read a ton of so I am not even close to an expert in what to expect from it – but I did enjoy some of the mystical and non-normal parts more than I expected.
Adams had an ability to draw me deep into this book and then proceeded to lose me. This happened numerous times in the book – the opening scenes are graphic and I was like, well what the heck am I getting into (in a good way) – then the book slowed down again, picking back up later. The up and down for characters, pacing, and all things Psyhonaut is one of the reasons I’m on the fence with this book.
I did read this book from beginning to end and I did find myself thinking about it after – so that’s a win in my book. But the entire book itself felt like it was missing something and I cannot put my finger on exactly what was missing
The character development in The Psychonaut is another thing that I’m on the fence about – some of the characters that I was supposed to like I found myself thinking, why are other people around him? He’s kind of a terrible person.
Unfortunately, as I stated earlier – Urban Fantasy isn’t always my cup of tea and I’m no expert – so my advice on this book should definitely be taken with a grain of salt. I enjoyed parts of it and didn’t enjoy others. I think that some people would like this book while others would find it bothersome. I don’t know which camp you’ll fall in but if you read this book, let me know what you thought.
The narration of this book was pretty good. There were scenes that I found myself not really able to discern certain accents but it didn’t take me out of the book like it can sometimes.
3 out of 5 stars
I fell right in the middle on this book. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it and I took a couple days after finishing it to write my review hoping that I could wrap my head around whether or not I liked the book. First off, as other reviewers have said – I would classify this book as Urban Fantasy. This is not a genre that I read a ton of so I am not even close to an expert in what to expect from it – but I did enjoy some of the mystical and non-normal parts more than I expected.
Adams had an ability to draw me deep into this book and then proceeded to lose me. This happened numerous times in the book – the opening scenes are graphic and I was like, well what the heck am I getting into (in a good way) – then the book slowed down again, picking back up later. The up and down for characters, pacing, and all things Psyhonaut is one of the reasons I’m on the fence with this book.
I did read this book from beginning to end and I did find myself thinking about it after – so that’s a win in my book. But the entire book itself felt like it was missing something and I cannot put my finger on exactly what was missing
The character development in The Psychonaut is another thing that I’m on the fence about – some of the characters that I was supposed to like I found myself thinking, why are other people around him? He’s kind of a terrible person.
Unfortunately, as I stated earlier – Urban Fantasy isn’t always my cup of tea and I’m no expert – so my advice on this book should definitely be taken with a grain of salt. I enjoyed parts of it and didn’t enjoy others. I think that some people would like this book while others would find it bothersome. I don’t know which camp you’ll fall in but if you read this book, let me know what you thought.
The narration of this book was pretty good. There were scenes that I found myself not really able to discern certain accents but it didn’t take me out of the book like it can sometimes.
June 16, 2018
Disclaimer.
I had requested and received audiobook version of this book for free from the author, in exchange for an unbiased review.
What I liked about the book -
The author built a very intriguing world in this book, with close to real characters with real shades. The "good guys" aren't flawless and the bad guys aren't pure evil. All the characters are quite believable and their actions relatable. The book is for mature audience and contains material which might not be suited for all readers, specially if you don't like dark stories. But if you do like real, dark n gritty stories, you'd love this one.
What I disliked about the book -
At places the story seemed to be dragging a bit.
Narration -
Narration by Tom Adams added proper flavor to the story telling, making it immersive.
I had requested and received audiobook version of this book for free from the author, in exchange for an unbiased review.
What I liked about the book -
The author built a very intriguing world in this book, with close to real characters with real shades. The "good guys" aren't flawless and the bad guys aren't pure evil. All the characters are quite believable and their actions relatable. The book is for mature audience and contains material which might not be suited for all readers, specially if you don't like dark stories. But if you do like real, dark n gritty stories, you'd love this one.
What I disliked about the book -
At places the story seemed to be dragging a bit.
Narration -
Narration by Tom Adams added proper flavor to the story telling, making it immersive.
September 27, 2021
This one kept falling down into my TBR pile and I decided to pull it out and read it. I don't know why it took so long, but I really recommend you do the same. If you're into good scifi and fantasy, this one is for you. There IS British slang and you WILL look up words and you will have to think, but it is a nice, long read, all worth the ride. Merrick learns the ability he has, that he thought was just good observational training, turns out to be an actual paranormal ability for which he will be sought out by many-good and bad. There is plenty of magic and dimensional worries, but the plot is as strong as the characters, and will keep you reading from the first chapter. It IS a longer read than most, but that is exactly what I was looking for at the time.
* I was give a copy for an honest [always] review *
* I was give a copy for an honest [always] review *
March 8, 2021
A good hippy fantasy.
Author freebie. Suitable for adults. How is this a hippy fantasy? Beautiful women fall in love with the hero, no std, unwanted pregnancy or claims of rape. People offer him wonderful drugs, free of charge. He can solve many problems just by taking the right drugs. Merrick is a born pyschonaut , and gets better without even a training montage. The police rarely arrest Merrick and when they do its just a minor inconvenience, he outwits or escapes easily. He even reluctantly takes a leadership position after stating his moral objectivity on occasion. Meets his long lost dad. Finds true love. Etc.
Author freebie. Suitable for adults. How is this a hippy fantasy? Beautiful women fall in love with the hero, no std, unwanted pregnancy or claims of rape. People offer him wonderful drugs, free of charge. He can solve many problems just by taking the right drugs. Merrick is a born pyschonaut , and gets better without even a training montage. The police rarely arrest Merrick and when they do its just a minor inconvenience, he outwits or escapes easily. He even reluctantly takes a leadership position after stating his moral objectivity on occasion. Meets his long lost dad. Finds true love. Etc.
February 26, 2018
A dark, exciting fantasy story
The beginning of the Psychonaut will either draw readers in or turn them off with its dark masochistic content. I personally nearly stopped reading. I'm glad I kept going, as once I got past the most twisted part, the book was a very good, entertaining fantasy.
Contains graphic violence, torture, violent sex, and language.
The beginning of the Psychonaut will either draw readers in or turn them off with its dark masochistic content. I personally nearly stopped reading. I'm glad I kept going, as once I got past the most twisted part, the book was a very good, entertaining fantasy.
Contains graphic violence, torture, violent sex, and language.
October 29, 2019
Bit of a rollercoaster ride from start to finish. Bit boring in the beginning but then came all the exciting parts, rushing out and its a thrill ride. Liked the writing style and the way the characters evolved as the story went on. Good read 👍.
January 29, 2020
Review on Audible. Dates are approximate.
May 14, 2020
2 + 1/2 stars
April 15, 2024
An interesting mix of genres. Quite enjoyable.
January 4, 2026
Excellent mix of sci-fi, adventure and fantasy. Highly recommend this book.
July 25, 2016
This is not my normal genre, but I enjoyed the book - which kept me hooked all the way through.
February 17, 2019
How would it change your life if you knew what everyone else was thinking?
Merrick Whyte has used such a talent to profit from the world of high finance and business mergers. He puts it down to psychology, the study of body language and good background research.
But the game is about to change. Someone is seeking his skills for a different purpose - one that leads him into the clandestine world of the occult.
After falling foul of the law, he learns that discerning between friend and foe is not an easy task, especially when reality gets turned upside down. As he discovers the true extent of his psychonautic talents, he struggles to keep his enigmatic girlfriend, Lotus from being sucked into a conflict that spreads to Eastern Asia.
In an apocalyptic convergence of events, only Merrick and his Outcasts stand between a powerful enemy and the ultimate prize - dominion of this world and the realms beyond the Gateways.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews