Idle Thoughts

by Vaughan W. Smith

If you were used as a tool for murder and then paid afterwards, what would you do next?

A man wakes with no idea who he is and what he's involved in. Thrust into a world of intrigue and mystery he must rely on his instincts to survive.

Idle Thoughts is a story of discovery. Follow along as the mysterious storyteller uncovers the secrets of his past, the events he is involved in and the rare artifacts that seem to be at the heart of it all.

Paperback

First published December 20, 2012

About the author

Vaughan W. Smith is a fiction writer from Sydney, Australia, who explores big life questions through story. His favourite genres are Fantasy, Mystery, Science Fiction and Thrillers.

Reviews

[Brick ONeil · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was like a roller coaster, ups and downs, long, slow parts and fast, quick passages. Based on Amnesia stories where the protagonist finds themselves in dangerous situations, they slowly discover pieces of themselves throughout the tangled web of the narrative. Not so with "Idle Thoughts". What I thought was a promising storyline, quickly became splintered plots, new one-dimensional characters who only had one thought process that really added nothing to the plot.

With each new hit, we are led to believe the protagonist with no name would discover clues about who he is, but no. He discovers a new trail of mysterious icons of unknown origin and age (although we are told 'hundreds' of years). No known provenance, age or history-only that they are important. And a worldly, rich and reclusive heartless man wants them. Because he doesn't know what they do, either. So, through countless deaths courtesy of our amnesiac, he becomes involved in not wanting to discover his own identity, but these icons, that are also chased by a new character.

She becomes a somewhat secondary protagonist of her own, thrown in as a 'what the hell, here she is' kind of way. Our amnesiac now is smitten with this unknown woman, who is also after these icons and the original protagonist's boss, who he now is against.

Still with me?

At this point, I wasn't feeling quite so sorry for the author. I felt I was on a wild goose chase and wondered just where the story would end. And it didn't. We are cut off from the end scene without explaining what the whole story was about, who the people are and what the whole point of the icons were. I felt cheated. Smith can write but at least in "Idle Thoughts" he can't string a narrative together in a coherent theme. Books, novels-especially Mystery Novels should have a clear Beginning, middle and end. This was all middle. I give 1 1/2 stars.

[Ana Kostoska · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a smart crime novel! Can't wait to see it as a movie :)

[Rheanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know where to start. Heading into this book, I expected it to be another cheap take on the Bourne Identity books. However, it didn't take me long to realise that there is no other book like this. If you take this book in its entirety, including the big reveal at the end, there is no one sentence that could sum up this audacious book.
The first thought that wrongfully struck my mind was that the writing was terrible. This is because it came across as unrealistic, given that for a man who had no memory, he certainly didn't ask a lot of questions. However, upon learning on the true format of the book (being something of a report or journal), this could be excused.
However, I say 'wrongfully' because it did not take the author long to pick up his pace and rapidly improve his writing.
The book, narrated by a mysterious individual who had lost his memory, tells the story of crime families and their obsessions over artifacts that, once combined 'reveal the secret behind life itself'. The story focuses on the mysterious individual and how he works out his place in the events.
I can not string together the right words to explain how much this book enthralled me and I can honestly say that I had too much fun following this man along on his quest. My reading experience was completed when I 'solved the riddle' as the blurb instructed and all I will say that the answer I worked out kept me up thinking for many hours.
Overall, this book has thrilled me more than any book has done, notwithstanding the minor few flaws. I would most definitely recommend this book to anyone. And you know this book has pleased me so, as I have never written a review nor did I ever intend to- but I had so much to say about this book that I had to.
I won this book on Goodreads First Reads.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

“If you were used as a tool for murder and then paid afterwards, what would you do next?
A man wakes with no idea who he is and what he's involved in. Thrust into a world of intrigue and mystery he must rely on his instincts to survive.
Idle Thoughts is a story of discovery. Follow along as the mysterious storyteller uncovers the secrets of his past, the events he is involved in and the rare artifacts that seem to be at the heart of it all.
Can you solve the riddle of the artifacts and unlock the true meaning of Idle Thoughts?”


This was an interesting book and for uniqueness I would have to give it a 5 * rating. I particularly enjoyed the newspaper articles that were printed and how he kept track of his time and adventures. But half way through I just got tired of the main characters adventures and everyday it was the same thing, even though there was no sameness in his life. After all that happened in the book the ending was disappointing and sort of left you right off where you started! But it is unique in that I’ve never read a mystery like this before!

[Carol Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. That is until the last few pages. The book kept you going as events happened. You were looking forward to what was going to happen next. The answers to questions posed in the adventures were soon to become apparent. You are at the edge of your seat, and then nothing. Even the epilog didn't help me feel better. All it did was make me say "What?". Others who have read or will read this book have had or will have a different take on this.

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a conundrum. The main character goes to bed, and wakes up some place he has never been. He and a woman are tasked with accumulating a dozen artifacts by different means. He ends up killing various people whom he doesn't know. He travels around from one place to another, not knowing where he is going. He learns various modes of defense, and perseveres.

[Ally · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of the protagonist waking up with no idea who he is and being thrust into a world of crime. But I found some of the scenes a little unrealistic. I'd also like to have seen more tension between the protagonist and Alexis.
I didn't particularly like the ending, but that's just me, I like concrete endings!
*received a free copy from goodreads giveaway!