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Pacifica #2
Shattered Minds
She can uncover the truth, if she defeats her demons
Ex-neuroscientist Carina struggles with a drug problem, her conscience, and urges to kill. She satisfies her cravings in dreams, fuelled by the addictive drug ‘Zeal’. Now she’s heading for self-destruction – until she has a vision of a dead girl.
Sudice Inc. damaged Carina when she worked on their sinister brain-mapping project, causing her violent compulsions. And this girl was a similar experiment. When Carina realizes the vision was planted by her old colleague Mark, desperate for help to expose the company, she knows he’s probably dead. Her only hope is to unmask her nemesis – or she’s next.
To unlock the secrets Mark hid in her mind, she’ll need a group of specialist hackers. Dax is one of them, a doctor who can help Carina fight her addictions. If she holds on to her humanity, they might even have a future together. But first she must destroy her adversary – before it changes us and our society, forever.
Ex-neuroscientist Carina struggles with a drug problem, her conscience, and urges to kill. She satisfies her cravings in dreams, fuelled by the addictive drug ‘Zeal’. Now she’s heading for self-destruction – until she has a vision of a dead girl.
Sudice Inc. damaged Carina when she worked on their sinister brain-mapping project, causing her violent compulsions. And this girl was a similar experiment. When Carina realizes the vision was planted by her old colleague Mark, desperate for help to expose the company, she knows he’s probably dead. Her only hope is to unmask her nemesis – or she’s next.
To unlock the secrets Mark hid in her mind, she’ll need a group of specialist hackers. Dax is one of them, a doctor who can help Carina fight her addictions. If she holds on to her humanity, they might even have a future together. But first she must destroy her adversary – before it changes us and our society, forever.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published June 20, 2017
20 people are currently reading
2091 people want to read
About the author
L.R. Lam
27 books1,532 followersOriginally from sunny California, L.R. Lam now lives in cloudy Scotland. Lam is a Sunday Times Bestselling author whose work includes epic fantasy romance Dragonfall (The Dragon Scales Trilogy), the near-future space thriller, Goldilocks, feminist space opera Seven Devils and Seven Mercies (co-written with Elizabeth May), BBC Radio 2 Book Club section False Hearts, the companion novel Shattered Minds, and the award-winning Micah Grey series: Pantomime, Shadowplay, and Masquerade.
Their short fiction and essays have appeared in anthologies such as Nasty Women, Solaris Rising 3, Cranky Ladies of History, Scotland in Space, and more. Their romance alter ego is Laura Ambrose. Lam lectures part-time at Edinburgh Napier University and is Programme Leader of the Creative Writing MA.
*Please note I don't read my GR mail*
Their short fiction and essays have appeared in anthologies such as Nasty Women, Solaris Rising 3, Cranky Ladies of History, Scotland in Space, and more. Their romance alter ego is Laura Ambrose. Lam lectures part-time at Edinburgh Napier University and is Programme Leader of the Creative Writing MA.
*Please note I don't read my GR mail*
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
September 5, 2024
* Thank you to Shotsmag for supplying me with a paper copy of Shattered Minds for which I have given an honest review*
A futuristic sci-fi thriller where technology rules peoples daily lives - and even manipulates their dreams.
Carina is a former neuroscientist with a massive drug problem, and to compound matters further, she also has uncontrollable urges to kill. To counteract those urges, she takes a drug called Zeal, this drug enables her to satisfy those dangerous urges in dreams, rather than physically killing in the real world.
Carina's mind was damaged when she worked on a brain mapping experiment for Sudice Inc, and this is where her compulsion to kill others began. When she starts to have visions of a girl who was also involved in these experiments, she discovers that her old colleague Mark has planted this vision as part of his plan to expose the evil corporation of Sudice. To access data that has been planted in her mind by Sudice, she bands together with a group of hackers who are also intent on bringing down this corrupt corporation. They work together to gather the evidence needed, but they're up against some extremely violent people, who have no moral compass, and will kill without care for the consequences.
This is a dark and malicious futuristic world with a strong (if sinister) female lead in Carina. The storyline however is complicated and flips between past and present, and between the different characters. Hand on heart, I didn't like or care about any of the characters, so that made it difficult for me to connect with the story as a whole. That said, the author is clearly comfortable in her chosen genre and it does show in her portrayal of a terrifying future, where technology becomes something to fear.
A futuristic sci-fi thriller where technology rules peoples daily lives - and even manipulates their dreams.
Carina is a former neuroscientist with a massive drug problem, and to compound matters further, she also has uncontrollable urges to kill. To counteract those urges, she takes a drug called Zeal, this drug enables her to satisfy those dangerous urges in dreams, rather than physically killing in the real world.
Carina's mind was damaged when she worked on a brain mapping experiment for Sudice Inc, and this is where her compulsion to kill others began. When she starts to have visions of a girl who was also involved in these experiments, she discovers that her old colleague Mark has planted this vision as part of his plan to expose the evil corporation of Sudice. To access data that has been planted in her mind by Sudice, she bands together with a group of hackers who are also intent on bringing down this corrupt corporation. They work together to gather the evidence needed, but they're up against some extremely violent people, who have no moral compass, and will kill without care for the consequences.
This is a dark and malicious futuristic world with a strong (if sinister) female lead in Carina. The storyline however is complicated and flips between past and present, and between the different characters. Hand on heart, I didn't like or care about any of the characters, so that made it difficult for me to connect with the story as a whole. That said, the author is clearly comfortable in her chosen genre and it does show in her portrayal of a terrifying future, where technology becomes something to fear.
June 7, 2017
Their goals should align, in theory, but she can guarantee they won’t like her.
No one ever truly likes her. They all sense that, deep down, she’s broken.
I am really loving Laura Lam's dark sci-fi novels set in a future filled with drugs that can transport you to a fantasy world, corporations dabbling in twisted and illegal experiments, and encrypted messages hidden away in a person's cerebral cortex.
It's so creative and nasty. This book is set in the same world as False Hearts, but it is a completely separate story with new characters, so it can easily be read as a standalone.
Carina, the main character, is an ex-neuroscientist who is plagued by the desperate urge to kill people. She wasn't always like this. She used to be part of a team of scientists in a huge corporation called Sudice, but her increased desire to kill drove her to drugs, and the vivid dreams of death and destruction they gave her. But the question remains: what made Carina change into someone who craves murder?
When an old colleague dies, Carina receives a bizarre stream of messages from the deceased in her drug-fuelled dreams - messages that have been encrypted into her brain so that only she can access them. Using this information and a small team of allies, Carina sets out to expose and destroy the company that ruined her life - Sudice.
The narrative jumps between different characters and between the past and present of the story. It took a little while to get used to, but when I did, I found it really effective. The mysteries of the past unfolded alongside the action and drama in the present, ensuring that the novel remained tense. I also liked that we got to see the perspective of the main antagonist, offering a complexity to her character and making her more than a mindless villain.
Lam has created a world full of atmosphere. It's part science-heavy cyberpunk with mind-blowing futuristic technology and part fast-paced thrill ride. I love the setting and the fascinating cast of characters, from the drug and death-addicted Carina, to a transgender hacker called Dax, to the ambitious and manipulative Roz. I only hope there's more.
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July 21, 2017
"Shattered Minds" by Laura Lam is a futuristic sci-fi thriller that's probably not my normal reading genre, but I have to say that this book with its beautiful shiny cover and interesting blurb really caught my attention. Set in a time when dreams can be manipulated and ocular implants are in your everyday use, you have to stop and think just how much of the author's creation could actually occur in the future - a very frightening thought indeed!
Laura Lam is a tremendously imaginative author whose intelligent storyline and creative characters draw you into this highly compelling book and before long you are hooked by the intriguing and entertaining plot. Sci-fi fans of futuristic technological thrillers will devour this book and rightly so.
I haven't read anything by this author before but I would happily read more by her and hope there will be another in this series in the future.
Laura Lam is a tremendously imaginative author whose intelligent storyline and creative characters draw you into this highly compelling book and before long you are hooked by the intriguing and entertaining plot. Sci-fi fans of futuristic technological thrillers will devour this book and rightly so.
I haven't read anything by this author before but I would happily read more by her and hope there will be another in this series in the future.
August 30, 2017
The world created in these Pacifica novels is the perfect setting for a dark futuristic thriller. Although I loved the characters in the first book, it's awesome how this one reads as a standalone. It just goes to show how many awesome stories could be created within this world. I still feel like there is so much more to explore. My intrigue hasn't died down. So here's to hoping Laura Lam writes more!
The story follows Carina who is currently an addict to a drug that takes her into dreamscapes (similar to virtual reality). This is following her being a neuro-scientist working for the giant, corrupt Sudice corporation. The problem is: working there changed Carina and she now has an extreme urge to kill. Thus her escaping into dreamscapes to fulfill that urge, but ultimately not hurt anyone. It sounds complicated, but I promise it's really not. Something happened to make Carina change.
When Carina receives a message from a former co-worker while in a dreamscape, she's set on a mission to take down Sudice no matter what the cost. That co-worker is now dead making Carina the world's only hope to stand a chance.
The plot seems complex, but within this world it all works well. There are loads of futuristic technology and the cast of characters is once again diverse. There are many aspects to the novel from trying to figure out Carina's past to her being on the run to the attempt to take down Sudice and figuring out why it is Sudice finally needs to be taken down. Plus, there are several characters I found it hard not to care about. The group of hackers Carina finds herself with are all very fascinating.
The book being told from the several different perspectives given helps to give a full picture of the story even allowing insight into the antagonist.
If you like dark, gritty, fast-paced sci-fi thrillers, be sure to try out these Pacifica novels. The setting is so phenomenal.
The story follows Carina who is currently an addict to a drug that takes her into dreamscapes (similar to virtual reality). This is following her being a neuro-scientist working for the giant, corrupt Sudice corporation. The problem is: working there changed Carina and she now has an extreme urge to kill. Thus her escaping into dreamscapes to fulfill that urge, but ultimately not hurt anyone. It sounds complicated, but I promise it's really not. Something happened to make Carina change.
When Carina receives a message from a former co-worker while in a dreamscape, she's set on a mission to take down Sudice no matter what the cost. That co-worker is now dead making Carina the world's only hope to stand a chance.
The plot seems complex, but within this world it all works well. There are loads of futuristic technology and the cast of characters is once again diverse. There are many aspects to the novel from trying to figure out Carina's past to her being on the run to the attempt to take down Sudice and figuring out why it is Sudice finally needs to be taken down. Plus, there are several characters I found it hard not to care about. The group of hackers Carina finds herself with are all very fascinating.
The book being told from the several different perspectives given helps to give a full picture of the story even allowing insight into the antagonist.
If you like dark, gritty, fast-paced sci-fi thrillers, be sure to try out these Pacifica novels. The setting is so phenomenal.
March 1, 2020
Edit June 15th, 2017. The book is out! A few bits of news:
Amazon.com listed it as an editor's pick as one of the best SFF books of the month!
Also, if you crosspost your Goodreads review to a book retailer (Amazon, B&N, Waterstones, etc), I'll send you a signed bookplate and a bookmark as thanks. More info here: http://www.lauralam.co.uk/signed-book...
--
This is the next Pacifica thriller after False Hearts. It's a standalone set in the same world, so it can be read in any order, though you'll learn a few details about False Hearts' plot if you read this first.
Rather than being set in San Francisco, we move south to Los Angeles & Hollywood:
It stars Carina, a female Dexter with a drug problem.
She has a bunch of encrypted information dumped into her head, tied to five images (a bee, a rose, a thorn, a drop of blood, and heterochromic eyes), and each are accessed by personal memories. Which one is the problem:
She ends up partnering with a diverse group of hackers named The Trust, which includes Dax, a trans male character (& love interest):
Together, they have to take down the evil corporation of Sudice, which Carina used to work for. Her old boss, Roz, is after her, and she's sort of reminiscent of Rachel from Orphan Black.
It's probably my darkest book. I hope you like it.
Image credits and more on my Shattered Minds Pinterest board.
Amazon.com listed it as an editor's pick as one of the best SFF books of the month!
Also, if you crosspost your Goodreads review to a book retailer (Amazon, B&N, Waterstones, etc), I'll send you a signed bookplate and a bookmark as thanks. More info here: http://www.lauralam.co.uk/signed-book...
--
This is the next Pacifica thriller after False Hearts. It's a standalone set in the same world, so it can be read in any order, though you'll learn a few details about False Hearts' plot if you read this first.
Rather than being set in San Francisco, we move south to Los Angeles & Hollywood:
It stars Carina, a female Dexter with a drug problem.
She has a bunch of encrypted information dumped into her head, tied to five images (a bee, a rose, a thorn, a drop of blood, and heterochromic eyes), and each are accessed by personal memories. Which one is the problem:
She ends up partnering with a diverse group of hackers named The Trust, which includes Dax, a trans male character (& love interest):
Together, they have to take down the evil corporation of Sudice, which Carina used to work for. Her old boss, Roz, is after her, and she's sort of reminiscent of Rachel from Orphan Black.
It's probably my darkest book. I hope you like it.
Image credits and more on my Shattered Minds Pinterest board.
July 27, 2017
Full disclosure: I did not read the first Pacifica novel.
Having said that, I do not think that this novel loses much if you haven't read the first book, and it can easily be read as a stand-alone. There is also provision made at the end of the book for another installment in the lives of Carina and her friends, promising that there will be at least 3 books in the Pacifica series.
The plot is a riff on a well-used SF trope. An evil Corporation/Government in a far-off future land, that used to be called the USA, is plotting to control the populace by using some form of furutistic tech. The unsuspecting populace is none the wiser and it is up to a diverse band of misfits/criminals/etc. to expose the Corporation to the people and foil the evil plot.
Okay, it has been said that there are no more original plots out there. Possibly. But there could at least be an exciting angle/retelling of a story. This one was cumbersome to read. It did not live up to its promise of a "female Dexter" main character. Yes Carina is clearly intelligent. Yes she has trouble with empathy/emotions/social connections. Yes she has a taste for blood and kills criminals - albeit only in her drug-induced dreams. But she is not remotely like Dexter. She is quite pathetic at times and certainly self-pitying in spades!
To instill a sense of a future earth, tech was forced into everynook and cranny. And we are reminded over and over and over and over of the same pieces of mundane tech. If I ever read the words "from the replicator" again, I am going to lose my mind. I'll admit that I am a reader who prefers the writer to "show not tell"; to hint at some things and let me paint my own picture. It makes me feel more engaged - less talked at.
I also found it very difficult to connect with the main characters. It was impossible for me to empathise with them. Carina's developing love interest felt robotic and forced. The focus is constantly shifting between characters and between past and present and doesn't stay with one aspect of a character long enough to really feel like you know them. I kept putting the book down or falling asleep while reading it. Even during the final 10% of the book and what should've been an action-packed climax.
It's safe to say that I did not enjoy reading this book. But there are many others who did enjoy it, going by all the 4 and 5 star reviews, so this is probably just not a good fit for me personally. Can't love them all unfortunately.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC. This is an honest review.
Having said that, I do not think that this novel loses much if you haven't read the first book, and it can easily be read as a stand-alone. There is also provision made at the end of the book for another installment in the lives of Carina and her friends, promising that there will be at least 3 books in the Pacifica series.
The plot is a riff on a well-used SF trope. An evil Corporation/Government in a far-off future land, that used to be called the USA, is plotting to control the populace by using some form of furutistic tech. The unsuspecting populace is none the wiser and it is up to a diverse band of misfits/criminals/etc. to expose the Corporation to the people and foil the evil plot.
Okay, it has been said that there are no more original plots out there. Possibly. But there could at least be an exciting angle/retelling of a story. This one was cumbersome to read. It did not live up to its promise of a "female Dexter" main character. Yes Carina is clearly intelligent. Yes she has trouble with empathy/emotions/social connections. Yes she has a taste for blood and kills criminals - albeit only in her drug-induced dreams. But she is not remotely like Dexter. She is quite pathetic at times and certainly self-pitying in spades!
To instill a sense of a future earth, tech was forced into everynook and cranny. And we are reminded over and over and over and over of the same pieces of mundane tech. If I ever read the words "from the replicator" again, I am going to lose my mind. I'll admit that I am a reader who prefers the writer to "show not tell"; to hint at some things and let me paint my own picture. It makes me feel more engaged - less talked at.
I also found it very difficult to connect with the main characters. It was impossible for me to empathise with them. Carina's developing love interest felt robotic and forced. The focus is constantly shifting between characters and between past and present and doesn't stay with one aspect of a character long enough to really feel like you know them. I kept putting the book down or falling asleep while reading it. Even during the final 10% of the book and what should've been an action-packed climax.
It's safe to say that I did not enjoy reading this book. But there are many others who did enjoy it, going by all the 4 and 5 star reviews, so this is probably just not a good fit for me personally. Can't love them all unfortunately.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC. This is an honest review.
September 1, 2017
Here is another dark scifi thriller from Laura Lam set in the futuristic world of Pacifica. Although the action takes place in Los Angeles with a different cast, it is still the same atmosphere. Different city, yes, but same universe of Flesh Parlours and Zeal Lounges.
The point of view has been shifted to that of a Zealot, aberration in this perfect society. Carina has demons to fight in the shape of a debilitating thirst for murder, which she can only do in the safety of the virtual world for fear she'd harm anyone in the real one. This is however not 'just' the case of a potentially violent person but someone who has been abused and made into this death automaton at the hands of the ruthless Dr. Roz, playing God with people's brains. Carina has lost everything, including her job as neuro-programmer, in her effort to curb her urges, waiting to die... until that is a former co-worker uncovers explosive data and before dying downloads it into Carina's brain to be used to bring Roz and the global corporation that employs her down.
The narration is shared between the key players on both sides, focusing mainly on Carina, Roz, and Dax, a member of the group trying to bring justice to this society. Once more, the author uses a psychological lense on her story, which I really enjoyed, focusing on what makes people tick, and how they deal with certain situations, all taken to the extreme in this crazy place. I also really appreciated how she treated Dax's trans nature, making it just one aspect of his personality and not the defining one. The plot is compelling, even if a couple of times the pacing was a little off. We are often in Carina's head, which is fascinating, even disturbing, or rather morbidly captivating, but it does slow down the rest of the story, which is why I scored this book a tiny bit less than False Hearts. Additionally, although you can read this without the first instalment, it will make a lot more sense if you do.
Can't wait to see what else Laura Lam writes.
The point of view has been shifted to that of a Zealot, aberration in this perfect society. Carina has demons to fight in the shape of a debilitating thirst for murder, which she can only do in the safety of the virtual world for fear she'd harm anyone in the real one. This is however not 'just' the case of a potentially violent person but someone who has been abused and made into this death automaton at the hands of the ruthless Dr. Roz, playing God with people's brains. Carina has lost everything, including her job as neuro-programmer, in her effort to curb her urges, waiting to die... until that is a former co-worker uncovers explosive data and before dying downloads it into Carina's brain to be used to bring Roz and the global corporation that employs her down.
The narration is shared between the key players on both sides, focusing mainly on Carina, Roz, and Dax, a member of the group trying to bring justice to this society. Once more, the author uses a psychological lense on her story, which I really enjoyed, focusing on what makes people tick, and how they deal with certain situations, all taken to the extreme in this crazy place. I also really appreciated how she treated Dax's trans nature, making it just one aspect of his personality and not the defining one. The plot is compelling, even if a couple of times the pacing was a little off. We are often in Carina's head, which is fascinating, even disturbing, or rather morbidly captivating, but it does slow down the rest of the story, which is why I scored this book a tiny bit less than False Hearts. Additionally, although you can read this without the first instalment, it will make a lot more sense if you do.
Can't wait to see what else Laura Lam writes.
August 16, 2017
Ex-neuroscientist Carina doesn't know which is more disturbing, her addiction the virtual reality drug, Zeal, or her real-life compulsion for murder. Forgotten by her former colleagues and over-looked by the government meant to protect her, Carina believes what is left of her life will be spent in the haze of a drug-trip where she can shape reality to her own choosing. But reality has other plans for her.
The synopsis of this promised a fast-paced, high-intrigue read and that is exactly what it delivered. I did however find the plot a little overwhelming and felt I missed a lot of the reason behind the action occurring.
Perhaps this was not this particular novel's fault, as I find this a recurring problem with science fiction. Give me complex rules of magic and I'll be fine, but for some reason futuristic settings and scientific advancements overwhelm me. I enjoyed the parts I understood but felt a little like I was drowning in other parts of this. This was an interesting concept and I enjoyed exploring the darkness of the human psyche but still felt lost and needed a guide map to this world.
I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Laura Lam, and the publisher, Pan, for this opportunity.
The synopsis of this promised a fast-paced, high-intrigue read and that is exactly what it delivered. I did however find the plot a little overwhelming and felt I missed a lot of the reason behind the action occurring.
Perhaps this was not this particular novel's fault, as I find this a recurring problem with science fiction. Give me complex rules of magic and I'll be fine, but for some reason futuristic settings and scientific advancements overwhelm me. I enjoyed the parts I understood but felt a little like I was drowning in other parts of this. This was an interesting concept and I enjoyed exploring the darkness of the human psyche but still felt lost and needed a guide map to this world.
I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Laura Lam, and the publisher, Pan, for this opportunity.
September 7, 2017
I enjoyed returning to Pacifica, Laura Lam's future California, and an entirely new set of characters. (Well, almost entirely.) Great plot with lots of turns, and a very interesting heroine at the centre.
August 13, 2017
The world building of the Pacifica series is really quite fascinating. Wax workers can change your body in anyway you desire. Implants in your brain (your actual brain!!) connect you to the internet projecting what you see onto walls near you. Bored of your hair colour, have those genes altered. It's really quite inventive.
Then there's the plot. The huge company who can download to your implants is corrupt, leaving a trail of bodies on its path for wealth and glory. A group of 'vigilantes' want to reveal that corruption, struggling to reach their goal and stay hidden, masking their implants and i.d. chips.
All very exciting. Set in the same world as the previous novel but can be read alone.
Then there's the plot. The huge company who can download to your implants is corrupt, leaving a trail of bodies on its path for wealth and glory. A group of 'vigilantes' want to reveal that corruption, struggling to reach their goal and stay hidden, masking their implants and i.d. chips.
All very exciting. Set in the same world as the previous novel but can be read alone.
September 6, 2017
My Video Review:
https://youtu.be/1BRVfGiFbOA
https://youtu.be/1BRVfGiFbOA
June 24, 2017
Really couldn't get into this one and DNF-ed it at 40%. It seems to me that Shattered Minds is aimed at a younger audience.
(Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC).
(Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC).
September 20, 2017
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
This book . . . Gah.
I didn't know what I was getting into.
I didn't know the outside world would cease to exist the moment I started it until the moment I finished it (at roughly 3am, FYI). I didn't know I would be haunted by the images from Carina'sdreamzealscape.
Speaking of Carina, I didn't know I could like a heroine as messed up as she is. I'm talking Dexter-level messed up. So I guess I did know I could like a character as messed up as Carina b/c I bloody loved Dexter .
Carina lives in near(ish) utopian(ish) future version of our world where the USA has been divided by war. Pacifica, the region that covers what used to be California, has practically zero crime . . .
BUT.
As anyone with the most basic understanding of human nature knows, Utopia is an unrealistic daydream, and Pacifica is nowhere near as crime-free as the government would have its citizens believe.
BUT.
The illusion is maintained by a drug called Zeal. This drug allows people to enter a make-believe world in which they can act out their deviant urges, returning to themselves sated of the need for violence.
So in all fairness, yes, crime has been drastically reduced for the average person.
For Carina? Not so much.
Why?
READ THE BOOK.
My only complaint is purely a matter of preference . . . There are certain scenarios that just don't work for me. "Secret" identical twin siblings, for example. Anytime a Secret Twin makes an appearance as a plot twist, I . . . can't. Similarly, anytime the major conflict involves , I roll my eyes and grind my teeth. It's just so . . . Pinky and the Brain .
But that's my issue, (probably) not yours. And I loved it anyway. The second I figured out that SHATTERED MINDS is a companion novel for another book (FALSE HEARTS) set in this world, I downloaded it immediately.
Verdict: SHATTERED MINDS is the first book I've read of Lam's, but it won't be the last. Recommended for anyone who likes the sound of a gritty sci-fi lite thriller.
This book . . . Gah.
I didn't know what I was getting into.
I didn't know the outside world would cease to exist the moment I started it until the moment I finished it (at roughly 3am, FYI). I didn't know I would be haunted by the images from Carina's
Speaking of Carina, I didn't know I could like a heroine as messed up as she is. I'm talking Dexter-level messed up. So I guess I did know I could like a character as messed up as Carina b/c I bloody loved Dexter .
Carina lives in near(ish) utopian(ish) future version of our world where the USA has been divided by war. Pacifica, the region that covers what used to be California, has practically zero crime . . .
BUT.
As anyone with the most basic understanding of human nature knows, Utopia is an unrealistic daydream, and Pacifica is nowhere near as crime-free as the government would have its citizens believe.
BUT.
The illusion is maintained by a drug called Zeal. This drug allows people to enter a make-believe world in which they can act out their deviant urges, returning to themselves sated of the need for violence.
So in all fairness, yes, crime has been drastically reduced for the average person.
For Carina? Not so much.
Why?
READ THE BOOK.
My only complaint is purely a matter of preference . . . There are certain scenarios that just don't work for me. "Secret" identical twin siblings, for example. Anytime a Secret Twin makes an appearance as a plot twist, I . . . can't. Similarly, anytime the major conflict involves , I roll my eyes and grind my teeth. It's just so . . . Pinky and the Brain .
But that's my issue, (probably) not yours. And I loved it anyway. The second I figured out that SHATTERED MINDS is a companion novel for another book (FALSE HEARTS) set in this world, I downloaded it immediately.
Verdict: SHATTERED MINDS is the first book I've read of Lam's, but it won't be the last. Recommended for anyone who likes the sound of a gritty sci-fi lite thriller.
February 23, 2020
DNF @ 67%
I really liked the first book in this series but I just could not get into this one. They are basically standalone books set in the same universe so this is not a continuation of the first book and that isn't really the problem I had with it, I just found this one much harder to follow. There seemed to be a lot more characters and POVs in this one and I just couldn't keep track of who was doing what and why I was supposed to care. I liked the first one because I think the structure was set up very well with the two main sister characters and the past vs present timeline but this one just seemed to be all over the place. Still, I really love everything else I've read by this author so don't let my low rating discourage you from trying something by her, this was probably a case of 'it's not you it's me'.
I really liked the first book in this series but I just could not get into this one. They are basically standalone books set in the same universe so this is not a continuation of the first book and that isn't really the problem I had with it, I just found this one much harder to follow. There seemed to be a lot more characters and POVs in this one and I just couldn't keep track of who was doing what and why I was supposed to care. I liked the first one because I think the structure was set up very well with the two main sister characters and the past vs present timeline but this one just seemed to be all over the place. Still, I really love everything else I've read by this author so don't let my low rating discourage you from trying something by her, this was probably a case of 'it's not you it's me'.
July 9, 2017
A dangerous, gifted young woman flees a successful career and is well on the way to killing herself with addiction, until a former colleague gives her the keys to bring down her former boss. Fighting the addiction and her urges to kill, Carina must win over an underground cell of malcontents and help them unlock the secrets that will destroy Sudice, the supposedly benevolent megacorp who has hardware and software embedded in every head in Pacifica. But Roz will stop at nothing to find and destroy them before they can destroy her life's work. Can Carina master her own programming -
natural and neural - before Roz can overwrite it with something worse?
Hard to warm to with its psychopathic protagonists, but Shattered Minds is another taut, thrilling page turner. If I were being reductive, I'd say this is Serenity meets Orphan Black - and given those are two of my favourite things, that's a great start.
Full review.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
natural and neural - before Roz can overwrite it with something worse?
Hard to warm to with its psychopathic protagonists, but Shattered Minds is another taut, thrilling page turner. If I were being reductive, I'd say this is Serenity meets Orphan Black - and given those are two of my favourite things, that's a great start.
Full review.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2018
The world of "Pacifica" is reason enough to indulge in this series.
⇝Ratings Breakdown⇜
Plot: 4.3/5
Main Characters: 4/5
Secondary Characters: 4.2/5
The Feels: 4/5
Pacing: 4/5
Addictiveness: 4.2/5
Theme or Tone: 4.3/5
Flow (Writing Style): 3.8/5
Backdrop (World Building): 4.7/5
Originality: 4.5/5
Book Cover: 4/5
Ending: 4.3/5 Cliffhanger: Nope, but
Steam Factor 0-5: 3
Setting: A Futuristic Los Angeles, CA (Pacifica)
Source: Kindle eBook (Library)
Total: 4.2/5 STARS - GRADE=B+
⇝My Thoughts⇜
The world of Shattered Minds and False Hearts is Pacifica. This place is a fantastically imaginative futuristic world, I found it easily imagined and was engulfed in its seedy underbelly, it is a drug-induced, dream-freaky hell-of-a-ride.
While still an interesting read, sadly, I didn't like this quite as much as the first book, False Hearts. I think because I listened to that on Audio, as opposed to reading this, it was off-putting to me because it lacked a proofreader (I could totally do this, btw). I'm thinking, maybe I didn't notice the errors in the prior book because someone read it to me (a fan-freakin-tastic narrator…January Lavoy). I also felt it lacked character development. I didn't really like Carina all that much.
⇝Will I continue this series?⇜ If she writes more, than...yeah. This world is so intriguing, after all. I would prefer audiobooks, though…
⇝Ratings Breakdown⇜
Plot: 4.3/5
Main Characters: 4/5
Secondary Characters: 4.2/5
The Feels: 4/5
Pacing: 4/5
Addictiveness: 4.2/5
Theme or Tone: 4.3/5
Flow (Writing Style): 3.8/5
Backdrop (World Building): 4.7/5
Originality: 4.5/5
Book Cover: 4/5
Ending: 4.3/5 Cliffhanger: Nope, but
Steam Factor 0-5: 3
Setting: A Futuristic Los Angeles, CA (Pacifica)
Source: Kindle eBook (Library)
Total: 4.2/5 STARS - GRADE=B+
⇝My Thoughts⇜
The world of Shattered Minds and False Hearts is Pacifica. This place is a fantastically imaginative futuristic world, I found it easily imagined and was engulfed in its seedy underbelly, it is a drug-induced, dream-freaky hell-of-a-ride.
While still an interesting read, sadly, I didn't like this quite as much as the first book, False Hearts. I think because I listened to that on Audio, as opposed to reading this, it was off-putting to me because it lacked a proofreader (I could totally do this, btw). I'm thinking, maybe I didn't notice the errors in the prior book because someone read it to me (a fan-freakin-tastic narrator…January Lavoy). I also felt it lacked character development. I didn't really like Carina all that much.
⇝Will I continue this series?⇜ If she writes more, than...yeah. This world is so intriguing, after all. I would prefer audiobooks, though…
June 6, 2017
4.5 stars
Set in the same dark future as 'False Hearts', the newest offering from Laura Lam is a very different book. Whereas 'False Hearts' was a book of neon warmth and arching redwoods, 'Shattered Minds' is a story filled with clinical chrome and the buzz of electronic instruments. It is a harder, colder book, less forgiving, with characters that take a little bit longer to love. But love them you definitely do.
Centring around a hacking group that is attempting to bring down a large, corrupt corporation that seems to own most of the West Coast (now Pacifica), 'Shattered Minds' has a really classic cyberpunk feel that put me in mind of William Gibson's 'Neuromancer'. Members of society now have complex neural implants to allow functions such as the straight downloading of information from external systems. Such neural implants can also allow hacking via VR, a more natural interface than hard code, though also bringing the added risk of cybersecurity systems being able to 'fry' user implants remotely, and, with them, the user's own mind.
Carina, our protagonist, an ex neuroprogrammer, takes some time to warm to. She's blunt and difficult, though once you realise how much of that 'difficulty' is due to self loathing and trauma she's much easier to understand. She's a character who has been betrayed by everyone she ever thought to trust, from her father to Roz, the scientist who was supposed to take her pain away. 'Taking the pain' away in Carina's case turned out to be much more literal, with Roz re-engineering Carina's brain in a way that made it so she rarely felt strong emotion. It was only when that programming began to unravel and sudden strong compulsions to commit violence and murder began to develop that Carina realised what had happened to her. Terrified of hurting people, she retreats into the world of zeal, a drug that allows users to manipulate their own dreamscapes. Her body falling apart at the seams, Carina feels that at least she is less of a threat to those around her…it's heartbreaking on so many levels. The story raises the question on multiple occasions of just how much of Carina's personality is her own and how much is what the brain engineering made her. Even if they were to reverse that engineering, how much of what Carina is was caused by nature and how much is what was done to her?
Dax, an important secondary POV character and love interest, was my favourite. I try not to play favourites, but I just couldn’t help it. He is, in Laura's own words, the 'cinnamon roll', and I entirely agree with that assessment. The medic to our hacking collective, Dax originally was a surgeon specialising in body modification, common in the state of Pacifica. Always excellent at including LGBTQA+ characters and respectful rep in her stories, Laura's decision to write Dax as a trans man is such a positive thing. Dax's identity is not a plot point, it's not a twist, it simply is. More books need to include LGBTQA+ characters in a way that makes identity incidental and not somehow part of the plot. LGBTQA+ people exist and their story doesn't have to end there, let them have stories beyond that! Let them be heroes and villains and hackers and doctors, let them be whatever your stories need them to be, like any other character.
Also, you know, let them be cinnamon roll Native Doctors, because I love Dax so much.
Before I go on an excessively long ramble about how much I love one character, I'll direct you towards our villain, the ruthlessly driven Roz. It's been a while since I've disliked a villain quite as much as Roz. Cold, hard, indifferent to the feelings of others, she is probably my entire opposite, but I don't think it's even that which got under my skin so much. The most horrifying thing about Roz is how she doesn't view consent as something sacred. She doesn't care what you want, you're simply her experiment and she has no qualms whatsoever in knocking you out and making fundamental changes to your brain. Genuinely, she gives me the shudders.
The half a star came off because I wasn't able to gel with the story quite as much as I would have liked. It has a complicated structure, moving backwards and forwards in time in a way that makes a lot of sense for the plot and for Carina's character, but sometimes left me a little confused. I've also mentioned before that Carina is maybe a little more difficult to love than your classic protagonist, but I think, once again, that that's a personal thing and I know from reading other reviews that other people have absolutely adored her.
One of my favourite parts of the world that Laura builds for her Pacifica novels is the culture and the cities. There are all these subtle hints at other stories happening behind the scenes, like the fan who tried to clone his idols and led to a fashion for covering all fingerprints and shaving off all hair, so that no DNA was accidentally left behind. There's also some overlap with 'False Hearts', in mentions of the cult that the protagonists were raised in, characters reappearing and further discussion of the some of the repercussions of events in the other book. Whilst you don't have to have read 'False Hearts' to enjoy this, I'd honest recommend picking up both books, because 'False Hearts' is one of my favourite books of all time, and the world that Laura has created is a joy to read.
So, if you're looking for a cerebral thriller (no pun intended), with diverse characters, genuine threat and much much neurohacking, this is definitely the book for you.
'Shattered Minds' is out on the 15th of June, and Laura has a pre order promotion going at the moment with 10K of extra Pacifica fiction available in return for proof of pre-order!
Many thanks to Tor Books for a copy in return for an honest review!
Originally posted at Moon Magister Reviews.
Set in the same dark future as 'False Hearts', the newest offering from Laura Lam is a very different book. Whereas 'False Hearts' was a book of neon warmth and arching redwoods, 'Shattered Minds' is a story filled with clinical chrome and the buzz of electronic instruments. It is a harder, colder book, less forgiving, with characters that take a little bit longer to love. But love them you definitely do.
Centring around a hacking group that is attempting to bring down a large, corrupt corporation that seems to own most of the West Coast (now Pacifica), 'Shattered Minds' has a really classic cyberpunk feel that put me in mind of William Gibson's 'Neuromancer'. Members of society now have complex neural implants to allow functions such as the straight downloading of information from external systems. Such neural implants can also allow hacking via VR, a more natural interface than hard code, though also bringing the added risk of cybersecurity systems being able to 'fry' user implants remotely, and, with them, the user's own mind.
Carina, our protagonist, an ex neuroprogrammer, takes some time to warm to. She's blunt and difficult, though once you realise how much of that 'difficulty' is due to self loathing and trauma she's much easier to understand. She's a character who has been betrayed by everyone she ever thought to trust, from her father to Roz, the scientist who was supposed to take her pain away. 'Taking the pain' away in Carina's case turned out to be much more literal, with Roz re-engineering Carina's brain in a way that made it so she rarely felt strong emotion. It was only when that programming began to unravel and sudden strong compulsions to commit violence and murder began to develop that Carina realised what had happened to her. Terrified of hurting people, she retreats into the world of zeal, a drug that allows users to manipulate their own dreamscapes. Her body falling apart at the seams, Carina feels that at least she is less of a threat to those around her…it's heartbreaking on so many levels. The story raises the question on multiple occasions of just how much of Carina's personality is her own and how much is what the brain engineering made her. Even if they were to reverse that engineering, how much of what Carina is was caused by nature and how much is what was done to her?
Dax, an important secondary POV character and love interest, was my favourite. I try not to play favourites, but I just couldn’t help it. He is, in Laura's own words, the 'cinnamon roll', and I entirely agree with that assessment. The medic to our hacking collective, Dax originally was a surgeon specialising in body modification, common in the state of Pacifica. Always excellent at including LGBTQA+ characters and respectful rep in her stories, Laura's decision to write Dax as a trans man is such a positive thing. Dax's identity is not a plot point, it's not a twist, it simply is. More books need to include LGBTQA+ characters in a way that makes identity incidental and not somehow part of the plot. LGBTQA+ people exist and their story doesn't have to end there, let them have stories beyond that! Let them be heroes and villains and hackers and doctors, let them be whatever your stories need them to be, like any other character.
Also, you know, let them be cinnamon roll Native Doctors, because I love Dax so much.
Before I go on an excessively long ramble about how much I love one character, I'll direct you towards our villain, the ruthlessly driven Roz. It's been a while since I've disliked a villain quite as much as Roz. Cold, hard, indifferent to the feelings of others, she is probably my entire opposite, but I don't think it's even that which got under my skin so much. The most horrifying thing about Roz is how she doesn't view consent as something sacred. She doesn't care what you want, you're simply her experiment and she has no qualms whatsoever in knocking you out and making fundamental changes to your brain. Genuinely, she gives me the shudders.
The half a star came off because I wasn't able to gel with the story quite as much as I would have liked. It has a complicated structure, moving backwards and forwards in time in a way that makes a lot of sense for the plot and for Carina's character, but sometimes left me a little confused. I've also mentioned before that Carina is maybe a little more difficult to love than your classic protagonist, but I think, once again, that that's a personal thing and I know from reading other reviews that other people have absolutely adored her.
One of my favourite parts of the world that Laura builds for her Pacifica novels is the culture and the cities. There are all these subtle hints at other stories happening behind the scenes, like the fan who tried to clone his idols and led to a fashion for covering all fingerprints and shaving off all hair, so that no DNA was accidentally left behind. There's also some overlap with 'False Hearts', in mentions of the cult that the protagonists were raised in, characters reappearing and further discussion of the some of the repercussions of events in the other book. Whilst you don't have to have read 'False Hearts' to enjoy this, I'd honest recommend picking up both books, because 'False Hearts' is one of my favourite books of all time, and the world that Laura has created is a joy to read.
So, if you're looking for a cerebral thriller (no pun intended), with diverse characters, genuine threat and much much neurohacking, this is definitely the book for you.
'Shattered Minds' is out on the 15th of June, and Laura has a pre order promotion going at the moment with 10K of extra Pacifica fiction available in return for proof of pre-order!
Many thanks to Tor Books for a copy in return for an honest review!
Originally posted at Moon Magister Reviews.
dnf
June 6, 2018my link text: 4 ★'s
Shattered Minds: Lost Interest in Series
—
The first book was really good! The second book is from a different POV and I'm not really interested in that character.
___
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Shattered Minds: Lost Interest in Series
—
The first book was really good! The second book is from a different POV and I'm not really interested in that character.
___
│Blog│Instagram│Twitter│Tumblr│
July 16, 2018
Well that was DARK. And a little grim. And pretty damn excellent.
May 30, 2017
In a dark and malevolent futuristic world, a drug-addicted ex-neuroscientist Carina satisfies her urges to kill within drug-fueled dreams. Within her mind sections of data are planted which she can only unlock by recalling her early memories. So she bands together with a group of hackers in order to take down an evil corporation. The writing is fluid and vivid, often darkly violent and brilliantly portrays a frightening high technology near-future. I loved the blend of crime, psychology, sci-fi and futurism. The world-building and technology are awesome.
Carina was an interesting character, she had a hard edge with violent compulsions she struggles to control but also a softer more likeable human side. She fights against her addictions and her past so she can expose Sudice Inc. These many facets to her personality made her a believable "bad girl". Its certainly a book for people who enjoy complex female leads. Dax (her love interest) is a trans-male hacker and another fascinating well -written character. I enjoyed how their story played out.
The narrative jumped around between different people, past and present to unfold the complicated story. I had to pay attention to the heading at the start of each chapter to ensure I knew whose perspective it was written from and where on the timeline it was occurring. So it took a bit longer for me to read. But don't let you put this off. Its well worth the attention.
Recommended if you enjoy: strong female characters, technological sci-fi, futuristic crime fiction, cyber-punk elements.
Carina was an interesting character, she had a hard edge with violent compulsions she struggles to control but also a softer more likeable human side. She fights against her addictions and her past so she can expose Sudice Inc. These many facets to her personality made her a believable "bad girl". Its certainly a book for people who enjoy complex female leads. Dax (her love interest) is a trans-male hacker and another fascinating well -written character. I enjoyed how their story played out.
The narrative jumped around between different people, past and present to unfold the complicated story. I had to pay attention to the heading at the start of each chapter to ensure I knew whose perspective it was written from and where on the timeline it was occurring. So it took a bit longer for me to read. But don't let you put this off. Its well worth the attention.
Recommended if you enjoy: strong female characters, technological sci-fi, futuristic crime fiction, cyber-punk elements.
June 14, 2017
3.5*
A good, fast-paced read.
A good, fast-paced read.
August 28, 2017
3.5 Stars
Carina is trying to escape the horrors of her rewired brain after being experimented on against her will and without her knowledge. Carina’s brain, which was used to be calm and unfeeling is now filled with murderous intent, with every day a battle against the urge to kill those around her. The only thing that seems to help her? A drug called Zeal. Now an addict on the brink of death she is given one last chance to get back at those that destroyed her mind. Her former employers.
I decided to take a chance on something completely different with Shattered Minds. Laura Lam is a new author for me, but I couldn’t help but be intrigued by this cyberpunk thriller. Although the book didn’t immediately draw me in and it took a few chapters before I found myself invested, it was a chance I am glad I took. I enjoyed the world that Lam created, we wade into the gritty side of this almost Utopian society, where it seems as though you can get your brain and your body rewritten as easily as you change your hair colour.
With most books, it isn’t the story that will keep me hooked, although it helps; however, if there is a set of characters I love, despite the flimsiness of the plot, the chances are I will like it. Unusually with Shattered Minds I found the opposite. Although I liked the characters well enough, they weren’t that well realised and it seemed to only Carina whose personality went more than skin deep. For me, it was the story and the world that kept me reading. I wanted to know what was going to happen, what were the bad guys up to? Would they be able to stop them once they found out? Anything else, including the romance seemed a little peripheral.
However, the action was great and I loved the whole atmosphere, it felt like a conspiracy noir film set in a very near future. It was suitably dramatic and mysterious. I am really glad I gave this book a chance and I recommend it if you fancy something a little different. I am definitely planning on picking up any further books in this series.
September 25, 2019
Galley provided by publisher
Rep: gay side character, trans li, non-white characters
I think it's safe to say that me and present tense narratives do not get along. That's not to say that's the sole reason for my low rating of this book, but it's a big one. And when it's present tense for both the present and past (besides Carina's memories), that just makes things even more confusing. I don't know exactly why I have a problem with present tense narratives, but I can't name any books that have used one that I've particularly liked.
On top of the present tense writing, some phrases just came across as purple-prosey, forced, and downright cringeworthy at times. There were scenes which sounded exactly like badly written action film scenes (you know the type) and it just didn't work in a book.
I mostly found the plot of the book boring, to be honest. Firstly, it was hard to sympathise with a serial killer as the main character (though granted she only killed people who had themselves committed terrible crimes, and only in her drug-induced world, but it still was hard to connect to her). Also, I didn't really need all the graphic descriptions of exactly how she was fantasising killing people. Thanks, but no thanks.
Secondly, the story never really seemed high stakes enough. Sure, there was the risk of death if any of them actually got caught, but it honestly never really seemed like the bad guys were even getting close. There was one close shave that seemed like it was slotted in to try raise the stakes, but it still didn't help.
The whole idea of the plot was great, and I really thought I'd like it, but in the end, I was just a bit bored by it all.
Rep: gay side character, trans li, non-white characters
I think it's safe to say that me and present tense narratives do not get along. That's not to say that's the sole reason for my low rating of this book, but it's a big one. And when it's present tense for both the present and past (besides Carina's memories), that just makes things even more confusing. I don't know exactly why I have a problem with present tense narratives, but I can't name any books that have used one that I've particularly liked.
On top of the present tense writing, some phrases just came across as purple-prosey, forced, and downright cringeworthy at times. There were scenes which sounded exactly like badly written action film scenes (you know the type) and it just didn't work in a book.
I mostly found the plot of the book boring, to be honest. Firstly, it was hard to sympathise with a serial killer as the main character (though granted she only killed people who had themselves committed terrible crimes, and only in her drug-induced world, but it still was hard to connect to her). Also, I didn't really need all the graphic descriptions of exactly how she was fantasising killing people. Thanks, but no thanks.
Secondly, the story never really seemed high stakes enough. Sure, there was the risk of death if any of them actually got caught, but it honestly never really seemed like the bad guys were even getting close. There was one close shave that seemed like it was slotted in to try raise the stakes, but it still didn't help.
The whole idea of the plot was great, and I really thought I'd like it, but in the end, I was just a bit bored by it all.
June 26, 2017
Well that was pretty twisted! What a ride. I would love to read more Pacifica novels in the future.
June 14, 2017
Originally reviewed here: http://thequeenofblades.blogspot.co.u...
*Thanks to Tor Books UK for providing me with an ARC*
Set in the futuristic corporate state of Pacifica, Shattered Minds tells the tale of Carina. A drug addicted young woman with murderous impulses. In this future, crime is virtually non-existent. Instead, citizens can live out their fantasies in a virtual reality, known as the Zealscape.
For the most part it has been a huge success. After all, who wouldn't want to punch their boss in the face? Or stab their husband when he leaves a wet towel on the bed? Again. Or teabags in the fucking sink? Ahem.... Anyway, a small portion of the population have an adverse reaction to the drug used to enter the Zealscape, these people are typically violent individuals. Just like Carina. Every spare moment of hers is spent under the influence of the drug Zeal, torturing, maiming, and finally killing her victims.Yeah she's messed up. And she knows it.
Its on one of these murderous virtual binges that Carina has a 'vision', someone has implanted external data into her Zealscape. As she delves deeper into the mysteries of the data, she begins to find a reason to live. Even if that reason is taking down the biggest corporation around!
Through her journey, Carina begins to unlock memories of her past, and in doing so find some peace. This is very much a story of redemption. A very satisfying one.
*Thanks to Tor Books UK for providing me with an ARC*
Set in the futuristic corporate state of Pacifica, Shattered Minds tells the tale of Carina. A drug addicted young woman with murderous impulses. In this future, crime is virtually non-existent. Instead, citizens can live out their fantasies in a virtual reality, known as the Zealscape.
For the most part it has been a huge success. After all, who wouldn't want to punch their boss in the face? Or stab their husband when he leaves a wet towel on the bed? Again. Or teabags in the fucking sink? Ahem.... Anyway, a small portion of the population have an adverse reaction to the drug used to enter the Zealscape, these people are typically violent individuals. Just like Carina. Every spare moment of hers is spent under the influence of the drug Zeal, torturing, maiming, and finally killing her victims.Yeah she's messed up. And she knows it.
Its on one of these murderous virtual binges that Carina has a 'vision', someone has implanted external data into her Zealscape. As she delves deeper into the mysteries of the data, she begins to find a reason to live. Even if that reason is taking down the biggest corporation around!
Through her journey, Carina begins to unlock memories of her past, and in doing so find some peace. This is very much a story of redemption. A very satisfying one.
June 20, 2017
Pros: diverse cast, interesting plot
Cons: minimal world-building
Carina is a zeal addict, living her life plugged into her dreams where she slowly kills virtual people. When a former co-worker uploads coded packets of information into her brain that will help take down her previous employer, she’s not sure she’s capable of sobering up and not becoming a monster in the real world.
This book is set in the same world as the author’s previous novel, False Hearts. While some characters overlap, Shattered Minds works perfectly on its own.
Carina’s a fascinating character. Having information tied to her memories was a clever idea, and allowed for some great development. I was surprised by how much I liked her considering she had very little emotion, had constant urges to kill, and spent the first part of the book heavily addicted. But then, I also enjoyed seeing the world from Roz’s point of view, and she’s a pretty terrible person. Her scenes didn’t make me relate to her at all, but sometime’s its nice to read about bad guys who are truly evil.
The cast is pretty diverse with one character a native american trans man, which isn’t something you read often. Dax was probably my favourite character, considerate, competent, cool under pressure.
I had mixed feelings about the romantic elements of the book. I liked the pairing, and the text makes it clear that the two find each other attractive. But given Carina’s inability to feel anything other than pleasure at the thought of killing, I didn’t really get the gut feeling that she was even capable of any kind of intimate relationship. I appreciated that things moved slowly, but there was one scene that felt like it happened too early and so didn’t give the emotional satisfaction that it should have. At this point they knew each other better but still didn’t have the emotional connection such a scene requires. Oddly enough, had the author waited a bit, there was a place where I think that would have fit better.
While I felt the author knew how this world worked, there were times when it would have helped to understand more of what makes Pacifica tick. Towards the end of the book there’s a throwaway comment about the potential consequences of taking down Sudice, of how society could unravel because the company’s tied into so many things. This would have been good to bring up earlier. In fact, the comment states that the group has discussed this issue, though the reader never sees any of these discussions. It’s a failure of world-building because as a readier I didn’t realize the full import of the company they want to bring down and that the Trust’s actions might not be as black and white as they’re being portrayed. Knowing what Sudice does, and how the world would be impacted would have added more depth and complexity to the characters, and the show how difficult the decision they’re making really is.
The book is paced well so there’s a good mix of action and down time. The mystery of what Roz is doing and how the Trust can take her down is quite entertaining, and there are a good number of twists to keep things interesting.
On the whole I enjoyed the book.
Cons: minimal world-building
Carina is a zeal addict, living her life plugged into her dreams where she slowly kills virtual people. When a former co-worker uploads coded packets of information into her brain that will help take down her previous employer, she’s not sure she’s capable of sobering up and not becoming a monster in the real world.
This book is set in the same world as the author’s previous novel, False Hearts. While some characters overlap, Shattered Minds works perfectly on its own.
Carina’s a fascinating character. Having information tied to her memories was a clever idea, and allowed for some great development. I was surprised by how much I liked her considering she had very little emotion, had constant urges to kill, and spent the first part of the book heavily addicted. But then, I also enjoyed seeing the world from Roz’s point of view, and she’s a pretty terrible person. Her scenes didn’t make me relate to her at all, but sometime’s its nice to read about bad guys who are truly evil.
The cast is pretty diverse with one character a native american trans man, which isn’t something you read often. Dax was probably my favourite character, considerate, competent, cool under pressure.
I had mixed feelings about the romantic elements of the book. I liked the pairing, and the text makes it clear that the two find each other attractive. But given Carina’s inability to feel anything other than pleasure at the thought of killing, I didn’t really get the gut feeling that she was even capable of any kind of intimate relationship. I appreciated that things moved slowly, but there was one scene that felt like it happened too early and so didn’t give the emotional satisfaction that it should have. At this point they knew each other better but still didn’t have the emotional connection such a scene requires. Oddly enough, had the author waited a bit, there was a place where I think that would have fit better.
While I felt the author knew how this world worked, there were times when it would have helped to understand more of what makes Pacifica tick. Towards the end of the book there’s a throwaway comment about the potential consequences of taking down Sudice, of how society could unravel because the company’s tied into so many things. This would have been good to bring up earlier. In fact, the comment states that the group has discussed this issue, though the reader never sees any of these discussions. It’s a failure of world-building because as a readier I didn’t realize the full import of the company they want to bring down and that the Trust’s actions might not be as black and white as they’re being portrayed. Knowing what Sudice does, and how the world would be impacted would have added more depth and complexity to the characters, and the show how difficult the decision they’re making really is.
The book is paced well so there’s a good mix of action and down time. The mystery of what Roz is doing and how the Trust can take her down is quite entertaining, and there are a good number of twists to keep things interesting.
On the whole I enjoyed the book.
August 18, 2017
Originally published The Curious SFF Reader
[3.5]
Carina is a former neuroscientist with a drug problem, she constantly has urges to murder people and, to prevent that, she is destroying herself by taking Zeal, a drug allowing humans to enter a virtual reality where all their dreams are materialized. For Carina, Zeal is her only opportunity to kill people without actually murdering anyone and, in her Zeal space she can summon murderers and kill them slowly, just like she wants it….Until the day her Zeal space is hijacked by a vision of a girl being killed by one of her ex-colleague working at Sudice Inc, Carina’s former employer.
Sudice, a company making neurological implants allowing humans to be connected at all times, is now working on a new brain-mapping project that might not be as innocent as claimed, meaning that it might involve a few murders. Carina soon realizes that the vision was sent to her by Mark, a man who used to work for Sudice and who’s now missing after discovering incriminating information about the new project. Mark sent all the information he had through the vision he sent Carina but, to access them, she has to unlock some memories once taken away from her and that she doesn’t especially want to recall. In order to expose the project, she will have to work with the Trust, an organization of people who wants to stop Sudice and put an end to her Zeal addiction, all of that without murdering someone in the process, which might be harder than it seems.
Set in the same world as False Hearts, Lam’s previous novel, Shattered Minds is a dark science fiction thriller filled with evil companies, corruption and murders. It would make a terrific movie or TV shows, the world felt vivid and it was fascinating to see how the society worked in this dark future. The pacing of the story was very interesting as we constantly jumped between past and present as Carina unlocked her memories and it definitely kept the story moving. If you are a fan of stories with evil and corrupt companies, I think Shattered Minds will be a real treat for you. I enjoyed the story quite a bit as it was an interesting thriller with cool sci fi/cyberpunk elements and my only complain is that I wished the characters were a bit more complex. Since Carina was the main character, she was a bit more developped but some of the side characters felt a bit flat. However, I liked the fact that some of the chapters had different POVs and I especially appreciated the ones following the antagonist, it was really interesting to see her motivations and her reasoning.
It was my first Laura Lam book and now I am very intrigued by her other works, especially False Hearts since it is set in the same universe and I really enjoyed reading about this dystopian near future America, I don’t know if she will write other books in the same universe but if she does, I am definitely interested!
Recommended!
I received a copy of this book for free from the pupblisher Tor Books through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
[3.5]
Carina is a former neuroscientist with a drug problem, she constantly has urges to murder people and, to prevent that, she is destroying herself by taking Zeal, a drug allowing humans to enter a virtual reality where all their dreams are materialized. For Carina, Zeal is her only opportunity to kill people without actually murdering anyone and, in her Zeal space she can summon murderers and kill them slowly, just like she wants it….Until the day her Zeal space is hijacked by a vision of a girl being killed by one of her ex-colleague working at Sudice Inc, Carina’s former employer.
Sudice, a company making neurological implants allowing humans to be connected at all times, is now working on a new brain-mapping project that might not be as innocent as claimed, meaning that it might involve a few murders. Carina soon realizes that the vision was sent to her by Mark, a man who used to work for Sudice and who’s now missing after discovering incriminating information about the new project. Mark sent all the information he had through the vision he sent Carina but, to access them, she has to unlock some memories once taken away from her and that she doesn’t especially want to recall. In order to expose the project, she will have to work with the Trust, an organization of people who wants to stop Sudice and put an end to her Zeal addiction, all of that without murdering someone in the process, which might be harder than it seems.
Set in the same world as False Hearts, Lam’s previous novel, Shattered Minds is a dark science fiction thriller filled with evil companies, corruption and murders. It would make a terrific movie or TV shows, the world felt vivid and it was fascinating to see how the society worked in this dark future. The pacing of the story was very interesting as we constantly jumped between past and present as Carina unlocked her memories and it definitely kept the story moving. If you are a fan of stories with evil and corrupt companies, I think Shattered Minds will be a real treat for you. I enjoyed the story quite a bit as it was an interesting thriller with cool sci fi/cyberpunk elements and my only complain is that I wished the characters were a bit more complex. Since Carina was the main character, she was a bit more developped but some of the side characters felt a bit flat. However, I liked the fact that some of the chapters had different POVs and I especially appreciated the ones following the antagonist, it was really interesting to see her motivations and her reasoning.
It was my first Laura Lam book and now I am very intrigued by her other works, especially False Hearts since it is set in the same universe and I really enjoyed reading about this dystopian near future America, I don’t know if she will write other books in the same universe but if she does, I am definitely interested!
Recommended!
I received a copy of this book for free from the pupblisher Tor Books through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
June 13, 2017
*I received this ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review*
Shattered Minds is a sequel to False Hearts, although the stories and characters do not really overlap. What connects the two is the setting, the concept of Zeal (a drug which allows people to plug into fantasy dreamscapes and live out any fantasies or unfortunate ‘urges’) and Sudice – a corporation that is tied into the very infrastructure of Pacifa, and so obviously evil that they might as well have an secret volcano base, a load of swivel chairs with fluffy cats sitting on them ready for whenever they need to reveal an evil plan, and a compulsory uniform that requires all employees to have evil villain moustaches (fake or otherwise) to twirl when concocting dastardly schemes.
The thing that differs Shattered Minds from False Hearts is that it takes a lot of the sci-fi tropes in the series to their sinister extremes. While Zeal was a periphery plot tool in False Hearts, it takes centre stage in this book. Shattered Minds is a deliberately dark book, and does contain triggering material, particularly graphic violence. But (spoilers) it does have a reasonably happy ending, so if you’re worried you’re going to finish this book just as depressed as you were when you started it, don’t worry, the outlook is not as bleak as it might appear when 50 pages in.
Things I liked about it:
The protagonist. The reason I picked this book up is because I love morally grey characters, and particularly protagonists, because I think its interesting to see how unlikeable you can make a person and still have sympathy for their story. Carina is a strong anti-hero; you spend a lot of the time watching her grapple with depraved thoughts, but also see her genuine good intentions and the strong will she requires to adhere to them. It was not a comfortable place to be, and certainly at times I didn’t sympathise with her at all, but (without spoilers) I think I can genuinely say that Laura Lam gets the balance right and you end up still on Carina’s side.
Dax. Dax is a really good character, both in the sense that he provides a much needed ray of moral light on the aforementioned bleak landscape, and is also just genuinely complex and likeable. His portions of the story almost provide a ‘breathing space’, where you see things compassionately, with common sense, and without the veil of violence that pervades Carina’s chapters. I can’t really comment on the accuracy of his representation, but I think this is the first book I have personally read that has a trans male love interest so I’m glad that dynamic was included, and sensitivity readers were mentioned in the acknowledgements so *fingers crossed*.
The plot. The plot revolves around unpicking the images in Carina’s mind to solve both the mystery of her current mental state, and to reveal a conspiracy that could destroy Sudice forever. It’s a good basis for a thriller, because it has both the small scale mystery of Carina’s past that the reader definitely wants to find out, and the large scale stakes that give the plot consequences.
Things I didn’t like:
The third person narration. This is the first book by Laura Lam that I’ve read that isn’t in first person, and I have to say I prefer her first person voice. I can see why it was done, because I think a book entirely in the head of any of the characters would either be a) unrelentingly dark and bleak or b) extremely limited and unable to deliver the dramatic irony that is a central part of the story. But I have to include it in the ‘things I didn’t like’ section because it did definitely put me off in the first few chapters until I was able to push past it, and I do think that I genuinely prefer her first person writing.
Shattered Minds is a dark sci-fi mystery thriller which includes conscious diverse rep, but also some triggering material. It is released in the UK on the 15th June.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Shattered Minds is a sequel to False Hearts, although the stories and characters do not really overlap. What connects the two is the setting, the concept of Zeal (a drug which allows people to plug into fantasy dreamscapes and live out any fantasies or unfortunate ‘urges’) and Sudice – a corporation that is tied into the very infrastructure of Pacifa, and so obviously evil that they might as well have an secret volcano base, a load of swivel chairs with fluffy cats sitting on them ready for whenever they need to reveal an evil plan, and a compulsory uniform that requires all employees to have evil villain moustaches (fake or otherwise) to twirl when concocting dastardly schemes.
The thing that differs Shattered Minds from False Hearts is that it takes a lot of the sci-fi tropes in the series to their sinister extremes. While Zeal was a periphery plot tool in False Hearts, it takes centre stage in this book. Shattered Minds is a deliberately dark book, and does contain triggering material, particularly graphic violence. But (spoilers) it does have a reasonably happy ending, so if you’re worried you’re going to finish this book just as depressed as you were when you started it, don’t worry, the outlook is not as bleak as it might appear when 50 pages in.
Things I liked about it:
The protagonist. The reason I picked this book up is because I love morally grey characters, and particularly protagonists, because I think its interesting to see how unlikeable you can make a person and still have sympathy for their story. Carina is a strong anti-hero; you spend a lot of the time watching her grapple with depraved thoughts, but also see her genuine good intentions and the strong will she requires to adhere to them. It was not a comfortable place to be, and certainly at times I didn’t sympathise with her at all, but (without spoilers) I think I can genuinely say that Laura Lam gets the balance right and you end up still on Carina’s side.
Dax. Dax is a really good character, both in the sense that he provides a much needed ray of moral light on the aforementioned bleak landscape, and is also just genuinely complex and likeable. His portions of the story almost provide a ‘breathing space’, where you see things compassionately, with common sense, and without the veil of violence that pervades Carina’s chapters. I can’t really comment on the accuracy of his representation, but I think this is the first book I have personally read that has a trans male love interest so I’m glad that dynamic was included, and sensitivity readers were mentioned in the acknowledgements so *fingers crossed*.
The plot. The plot revolves around unpicking the images in Carina’s mind to solve both the mystery of her current mental state, and to reveal a conspiracy that could destroy Sudice forever. It’s a good basis for a thriller, because it has both the small scale mystery of Carina’s past that the reader definitely wants to find out, and the large scale stakes that give the plot consequences.
Things I didn’t like:
The third person narration. This is the first book by Laura Lam that I’ve read that isn’t in first person, and I have to say I prefer her first person voice. I can see why it was done, because I think a book entirely in the head of any of the characters would either be a) unrelentingly dark and bleak or b) extremely limited and unable to deliver the dramatic irony that is a central part of the story. But I have to include it in the ‘things I didn’t like’ section because it did definitely put me off in the first few chapters until I was able to push past it, and I do think that I genuinely prefer her first person writing.
Shattered Minds is a dark sci-fi mystery thriller which includes conscious diverse rep, but also some triggering material. It is released in the UK on the 15th June.
Overall Rating: 4/5
June 8, 2017
--- I received this book through NetGalley against an honest review. ---
The first volume was a good surprise and I was more than happy to receive this second one in preview.
I think that the most important point in this book is the universe, it is futuristic and plays on very current matters such as freewill, the influence of companies on the government which results in conflicts of Interest and sometimes worse. I liked this resonance to our current world where technological advances and laws are not always fittings and where the protection of the user is not always assured. The author plays skillfully with what we know to create a universe that is frightening.
As for the characters, first a big bravo for the diverse representation (something already present in volume 1). We follow Carina who, following a bad scientific experiment, finds himself with violent impulses of murder. While she is in a simulation, she is going to receive encrypted informations and she become the center of a conspiracy. I think it was the strangest heroine, but the most touching I had seen. She will do everything to counter her impulses, and even if it puts her in danger, she clings to her human side and it is a daily struggle, she is a fighter on this point. We follow in parallel Dax who belongs to a rebel group, he seeks to do good, and even if it was more the fight of his sister, he is involved in the cause.
Overall, well, it's once again a successful reading, there is a good world building and the characters are interesting and endearing thanks to their flaws and errors. The rhythm is sustained and fluid, I plunge easily into the history and I ask for more. So at the end, a book to discover.
The first volume was a good surprise and I was more than happy to receive this second one in preview.
I think that the most important point in this book is the universe, it is futuristic and plays on very current matters such as freewill, the influence of companies on the government which results in conflicts of Interest and sometimes worse. I liked this resonance to our current world where technological advances and laws are not always fittings and where the protection of the user is not always assured. The author plays skillfully with what we know to create a universe that is frightening.
As for the characters, first a big bravo for the diverse representation (something already present in volume 1). We follow Carina who, following a bad scientific experiment, finds himself with violent impulses of murder. While she is in a simulation, she is going to receive encrypted informations and she become the center of a conspiracy. I think it was the strangest heroine, but the most touching I had seen. She will do everything to counter her impulses, and even if it puts her in danger, she clings to her human side and it is a daily struggle, she is a fighter on this point. We follow in parallel Dax who belongs to a rebel group, he seeks to do good, and even if it was more the fight of his sister, he is involved in the cause.
Overall, well, it's once again a successful reading, there is a good world building and the characters are interesting and endearing thanks to their flaws and errors. The rhythm is sustained and fluid, I plunge easily into the history and I ask for more. So at the end, a book to discover.
June 4, 2017
Shattered Minds is a near future, science fiction thriller set in the same world as Laura Lam’s False Hearts. However, it’s a completely separate story with its own plot and cast of characters. The two books can be read in any order.
Carina’s mind is unraveling. Once a talented neuroscientist, she’s now a drug addict who struggles to contain her cravings to kill with the immersive reality drug “Zeal.” Then when she’s under she sees something that’s not one of her own fantasies – it’s a message sent beyond the grave by a former colleague, Mark, warning her that Sudice Inc. and her old boss are killing innocent victims in their quest to shape an individual’s personality… and Carina herself was one of the test subjects and had her memory of it stolen. To aid her, Mark put her in touch with a group of hackers determined to bring down Sudice. He also locked dangerous information within Carina’s brain. Can she recover Mark’s messages and help bring down Sudice? And can she control her addiction and dangerous urges?
Forewarning, Shattered Minds is not for the faint of heart. It is pretty gruesome. I think I have a relatively high tolerance for gore in books, but Shattered Minds was pushing my boundaries. Laura Lam has elsewhere described Carina as a “female Dexter,” and it’s a fairly accurate summation. Carina is a burgeoning serial killer. She has impulses towards violence and death, possibly because of her abusive childhood and possibly because of how Sudice and her former mentor Roz interfered with her brain. After Roz “treated” her, Carina sunk into a sort of apathy, unable to feel empathy or much anything at all. She was supposed to be Roz’s vision of the perfect scientist, completely aloof. But then whatever Roz did to her started failing, and she became able to feel again. Along with her ability to feel emotions came the desire to kill, which Carina channels into Zeal fantasies where she slays “deserving victims,” criminals of some sort. It’s unclear if she’s actually killed enough to fit the technical definition of a serial killer… but she definitely has the brain of one. If spending time within the mind of a serial killer isn’t something you can stomach, than you should skip over Shattered Minds. However, Carina did make for an unique and fascinating anti-heroine.
Shattered Minds is largely told through three perspectives: Carina, Roz, and Dax, one of the hackers working to take down Sudice. Dax was probably the most straight forward heroic of the three. He’s a doctor specializing in body modification (this is one of those SF futures where they can change people’s entire faces easily) who got his start after being inspired by his own operation as part of his transition. His twin sister got caught in the midst of a Sudice hack gone wrong and is now in a coma – it’s unknown if her mind is still present. In addition to being the male lead, Dax is also Carina’s love interest. Which as you can imagine is a bit… complicated given Carina’s serial killer tendencies.
Shattered Minds had more of a cyberpunk feel to it than False Hearts, thanks largely to the presence of some heroic hackers, intent on taking down an evil corporation. It’s easily the darkest story yet from Laura Lam. That said, it’s one I’d recommend.
Review originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
Carina’s mind is unraveling. Once a talented neuroscientist, she’s now a drug addict who struggles to contain her cravings to kill with the immersive reality drug “Zeal.” Then when she’s under she sees something that’s not one of her own fantasies – it’s a message sent beyond the grave by a former colleague, Mark, warning her that Sudice Inc. and her old boss are killing innocent victims in their quest to shape an individual’s personality… and Carina herself was one of the test subjects and had her memory of it stolen. To aid her, Mark put her in touch with a group of hackers determined to bring down Sudice. He also locked dangerous information within Carina’s brain. Can she recover Mark’s messages and help bring down Sudice? And can she control her addiction and dangerous urges?
Forewarning, Shattered Minds is not for the faint of heart. It is pretty gruesome. I think I have a relatively high tolerance for gore in books, but Shattered Minds was pushing my boundaries. Laura Lam has elsewhere described Carina as a “female Dexter,” and it’s a fairly accurate summation. Carina is a burgeoning serial killer. She has impulses towards violence and death, possibly because of her abusive childhood and possibly because of how Sudice and her former mentor Roz interfered with her brain. After Roz “treated” her, Carina sunk into a sort of apathy, unable to feel empathy or much anything at all. She was supposed to be Roz’s vision of the perfect scientist, completely aloof. But then whatever Roz did to her started failing, and she became able to feel again. Along with her ability to feel emotions came the desire to kill, which Carina channels into Zeal fantasies where she slays “deserving victims,” criminals of some sort. It’s unclear if she’s actually killed enough to fit the technical definition of a serial killer… but she definitely has the brain of one. If spending time within the mind of a serial killer isn’t something you can stomach, than you should skip over Shattered Minds. However, Carina did make for an unique and fascinating anti-heroine.
Shattered Minds is largely told through three perspectives: Carina, Roz, and Dax, one of the hackers working to take down Sudice. Dax was probably the most straight forward heroic of the three. He’s a doctor specializing in body modification (this is one of those SF futures where they can change people’s entire faces easily) who got his start after being inspired by his own operation as part of his transition. His twin sister got caught in the midst of a Sudice hack gone wrong and is now in a coma – it’s unknown if her mind is still present. In addition to being the male lead, Dax is also Carina’s love interest. Which as you can imagine is a bit… complicated given Carina’s serial killer tendencies.
Shattered Minds had more of a cyberpunk feel to it than False Hearts, thanks largely to the presence of some heroic hackers, intent on taking down an evil corporation. It’s easily the darkest story yet from Laura Lam. That said, it’s one I’d recommend.
Review originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
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