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Icarus
It’s the winter of 1947 in Ashley Falls, West Virginia, and a teenage girl has gone missing. Local private detective Miller Brinkman takes the case, quickly uncovering a string of bizarre clues. A hidden diary, cryptic riddles, and buried secrets all pique Miller’s interest, but one key detail gives him pause: the girl’s parents haven’t reported her disappearance to the authorities.
As the case deepens, Miller’s investigation begins to poke holes in the idyllic picture of his beloved hometown. No longer certain whether anyone in his community can be trusted, Miller dives headfirst into a desperate search for the truth that extends far beyond the borders of Ashley Falls. He soon discovers that his missing persons case is not an isolated incident, but part of an otherworldly mystery—one that, if confronted, may threaten the very future of humanity.
As the case deepens, Miller’s investigation begins to poke holes in the idyllic picture of his beloved hometown. No longer certain whether anyone in his community can be trusted, Miller dives headfirst into a desperate search for the truth that extends far beyond the borders of Ashley Falls. He soon discovers that his missing persons case is not an isolated incident, but part of an otherworldly mystery—one that, if confronted, may threaten the very future of humanity.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 27, 2017
19 people are currently reading
1069 people want to read
About the author
David K. Hulegaard
15 books62 followersDavid K. Hulegaard is an American author and paranormal investigator. His Noble trilogy has garnered comparisons to the works of Philip K. Dick and Stephen King. In 2016, he collaborated with best-selling author Tony Healey on the novel Planet of Ice.
David previously worked at BioWare, a premiere video game development studio known for creating the popular Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises. He now lives in the Victorian seaport town of Port Townsend, Washington with his wife Jennie, and their banana-obsessed Welsh Terrier Tobi. In his spare time, he enjoys video games, professional wrestling, and photography.
David previously worked at BioWare, a premiere video game development studio known for creating the popular Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises. He now lives in the Victorian seaport town of Port Townsend, Washington with his wife Jennie, and their banana-obsessed Welsh Terrier Tobi. In his spare time, he enjoys video games, professional wrestling, and photography.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
September 12, 2018
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
When a girl from a small town misbehaves, she disappears. A private eye sets out to find her, only to learn that mysterious Men In Black are following people--and worse. As he closes in on the conspiracy, the Men In Black close in on him, desperate to protect their terrible secret.
A good book with a lot of tension.
When a girl from a small town misbehaves, she disappears. A private eye sets out to find her, only to learn that mysterious Men In Black are following people--and worse. As he closes in on the conspiracy, the Men In Black close in on him, desperate to protect their terrible secret.
A good book with a lot of tension.
January 23, 2019
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
I have two main problems with how the story was written: the setting and the characters. The novel is set in 1948, in the shadow of WWII in small town America. However, the war was only mentioned once, and main character Miller makes no mention of having gone off to war - despite the draft, which would have included him. Another issue I had was with the detailed understanding of panic attacks and agoraphobia, which is not something a man from a small town in that era would know anything about, if it was even discovered and coined yet. It felt like the setting was there only to a) have long train ride scenes, b) isolate the main character by not giving him phone access, and c) avoid needing any real technological know-how on the part of the clandestine organization.
As for the characters, they were stereotypes through-and-through. Miller is the private eye who was "too good" for the crooked small-town police department. Charissa was the perfect girlfriend who was funny and smart and seemed to do all the work for Miller. The crooked sheriff was so out of line that he was framing random people for murder. Puckett seemed to know everything and show up whenever Miller found himself in an inconvenient spot. Gabriel was a cartoon villain who spoke at length about his plans, laughed whenever Miller said anything self-righteous, bragged about his superior everything, and still managed to be taken down.
One last thing that got me: we know very early on that Miller is telling us this story at a 2 year remove. That means we know with absolute certainty that he survives, which takes away from the suspense of the story. There's no way he can die if he's safe two years later. It lessened the impact of all the scenes in which his life was threatened and made them feel almost cheapened.
I have two main problems with how the story was written: the setting and the characters. The novel is set in 1948, in the shadow of WWII in small town America. However, the war was only mentioned once, and main character Miller makes no mention of having gone off to war - despite the draft, which would have included him. Another issue I had was with the detailed understanding of panic attacks and agoraphobia, which is not something a man from a small town in that era would know anything about, if it was even discovered and coined yet. It felt like the setting was there only to a) have long train ride scenes, b) isolate the main character by not giving him phone access, and c) avoid needing any real technological know-how on the part of the clandestine organization.
As for the characters, they were stereotypes through-and-through. Miller is the private eye who was "too good" for the crooked small-town police department. Charissa was the perfect girlfriend who was funny and smart and seemed to do all the work for Miller. The crooked sheriff was so out of line that he was framing random people for murder. Puckett seemed to know everything and show up whenever Miller found himself in an inconvenient spot. Gabriel was a cartoon villain who spoke at length about his plans, laughed whenever Miller said anything self-righteous, bragged about his superior everything, and still managed to be taken down.
One last thing that got me: we know very early on that Miller is telling us this story at a 2 year remove. That means we know with absolute certainty that he survives, which takes away from the suspense of the story. There's no way he can die if he's safe two years later. It lessened the impact of all the scenes in which his life was threatened and made them feel almost cheapened.
July 30, 2017
First, seventeen year old Jane Emmett disappears from Ashley Falls, West Virginia. A rebellious young woman often in conflict with her parents, Jane might well have run away from home, but if that’s true, there’s no trace of her, aside from some cryptic poetry and a pocket watch that clearly belongs to someone else.
Next, Jane’s best friend Jessie Fryman is found dead at the foot of the cliff that gives the town its name. The town sheriff plans to pin the murder on Miller Brinkman, a mild-mannered private eye whom Jessie had consulted about her missing friend. Sheriff Coleman knows Brinkman isn’t the culprit, but the sheriff has a score to settle. Besides, the lawman is somehow mixed up with the shadowy “men in black” who seem to have caused Jane to vanish.
Brinkman is a man with a strong moral compass, and more courage than he gives himself credit for. Despite his agoraphobia, he leaves Ashley Falls, where he has spent his entire life, to follow clues left by Jane and Jessie. His gut tells him there’s something sinister going on and he’s determined to get to the bottom of the situation, even though it puts him in mortal danger.
He expects to find something peculiar, but the horrible truth about Jane’s fate is far beyond anything the sheltered PI could possibly have imagined.
Icarus is a brilliantly suspenseful novel with a unwitting but winning hero. Miller Brinkman thinks he’s ordinary, a small town guy who will never amount to much. However, he’s intelligent, intuitive, surprisingly brave, and above all, good. He pursues the question of Jane’s disappearance and Jessie’s murder not because he’s being paid by a client, not for the intellectual satisfaction of solving a puzzle, but because he senses some dark fate has swallowed her and maybe others.
From the first pages, I was sucked in to the mystery. We know from the prologue that Jane has been abducted, but we have no idea by whom. As the book progresses, though, it becomes clear that her kidnappers are both determined and vicious. I couldn’t guess the real story, despite many hints.
David Hulegaard does a great job bringing both Brinkman and post World War II America to life. In those times, a train trip from West Virginia to Baltimore was a major journey. Hulegaard makes you feel the distance. The writing is generally excellent, as is the editing (something I really appreciate in an indie novel). The story flows smoothly, propelled by Miller’s almost heart-breaking quest for justice. In fact the PI loses what he holds most dear before he solves the mystery.
I have only two complaints about Icarus. First, though the build up is amazing, the truth about Jane’s fate struck me as far-fetched, even contrived. Although I knew that the book was labeled as science fiction, it reads more like a who-dunnit until that point. The change was a bit disorienting. Second, although the dialogue overall struck me as excellent, Sheriff Coleman’s speeches were rendered in an incredibly irritating dialect:
I have a feeling that the author wanted us to remember that Coleman was a black man. However, this really rubbed me the wrong way. No other character in the book has this sort of extreme accent.
Overall, though, I greatly enjoyed reading Icarus. Indeed, the book left me eagerly awaiting the next novel in the series, because I really wanted to know more about Alyssa Noble.
Who is Alyssa Noble, you might ask?
Well, you’ll have to read the book and find out for yourself.
Next, Jane’s best friend Jessie Fryman is found dead at the foot of the cliff that gives the town its name. The town sheriff plans to pin the murder on Miller Brinkman, a mild-mannered private eye whom Jessie had consulted about her missing friend. Sheriff Coleman knows Brinkman isn’t the culprit, but the sheriff has a score to settle. Besides, the lawman is somehow mixed up with the shadowy “men in black” who seem to have caused Jane to vanish.
Brinkman is a man with a strong moral compass, and more courage than he gives himself credit for. Despite his agoraphobia, he leaves Ashley Falls, where he has spent his entire life, to follow clues left by Jane and Jessie. His gut tells him there’s something sinister going on and he’s determined to get to the bottom of the situation, even though it puts him in mortal danger.
He expects to find something peculiar, but the horrible truth about Jane’s fate is far beyond anything the sheltered PI could possibly have imagined.
Icarus is a brilliantly suspenseful novel with a unwitting but winning hero. Miller Brinkman thinks he’s ordinary, a small town guy who will never amount to much. However, he’s intelligent, intuitive, surprisingly brave, and above all, good. He pursues the question of Jane’s disappearance and Jessie’s murder not because he’s being paid by a client, not for the intellectual satisfaction of solving a puzzle, but because he senses some dark fate has swallowed her and maybe others.
From the first pages, I was sucked in to the mystery. We know from the prologue that Jane has been abducted, but we have no idea by whom. As the book progresses, though, it becomes clear that her kidnappers are both determined and vicious. I couldn’t guess the real story, despite many hints.
David Hulegaard does a great job bringing both Brinkman and post World War II America to life. In those times, a train trip from West Virginia to Baltimore was a major journey. Hulegaard makes you feel the distance. The writing is generally excellent, as is the editing (something I really appreciate in an indie novel). The story flows smoothly, propelled by Miller’s almost heart-breaking quest for justice. In fact the PI loses what he holds most dear before he solves the mystery.
I have only two complaints about Icarus. First, though the build up is amazing, the truth about Jane’s fate struck me as far-fetched, even contrived. Although I knew that the book was labeled as science fiction, it reads more like a who-dunnit until that point. The change was a bit disorienting. Second, although the dialogue overall struck me as excellent, Sheriff Coleman’s speeches were rendered in an incredibly irritating dialect:
Coleman stepped away. “Head back to the station, and when ya get there, leave yer badge on my desk.”
I rubbed my throat and coughed.
“Yer days as deputy are done,” he said with his back to me. “And a word of advice: forget any of this ever happened, and don’t ya ever come ’round my station again. It’d be a cryin’ shame if ya ended up like Benny.”
I have a feeling that the author wanted us to remember that Coleman was a black man. However, this really rubbed me the wrong way. No other character in the book has this sort of extreme accent.
Overall, though, I greatly enjoyed reading Icarus. Indeed, the book left me eagerly awaiting the next novel in the series, because I really wanted to know more about Alyssa Noble.
Who is Alyssa Noble, you might ask?
Well, you’ll have to read the book and find out for yourself.
November 27, 2017
Miller Brinkman grew up in the small community of Ashley Falls, West Virginia. Once a policeman, he now works as a private investigator. When Jessie Fryman, best friend of Jane Emmett, contacts him, he knows he must take the case. What he doesn’t realize is the cost of his snooping.
Icarus is a mystery thriller, part one of the Noble trilogy. Set in 1950, it follows Miller Brinkman as he explores the circumstances around Jane’s disappearance. After all, how far could a 17-year-old girl go?
Miller begins his investigations of Jane’s disappearance, but the truth of the matter lies deeper than the missing girl; as he moves closer and closer to the truth, his enemies—and allies—draw nearer as well. Much more than a simple missing-persons case, this crime has deeper roots than Miller initially expects, and it will take him down memory lane and towards the future of humanity in the depth and breadth of his search.
This book begins very much like your typical mystery, complete with crime, clues, and private investigator. Towards the middle, however, readers get a sense that there is more at stake here than the life of one young girl. About 90 pages in, I couldn’t stop reading and ended up finishing the book because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. The pacing was good and the characters were very well fleshed out and natural in their dialogue and actions. As a reader, I was focused on the movement of the plot, nothing else.
I received an advance reader copy of this book. Icarus was easy to get into and the story line is very clear from the beginning, even though there are mysteries and revelations throughout. The descriptions do the plot line justice and keep the reader intrigued. The movement of the story is not deterred by the small detours into Miller’s past and the small snippets of recordings that preface most chapters keeps the larger plot of Jane’s disappearance fresh in the reader’s mind. I finished reading this book wanting to know much more about what has happened to Miller and exactly who Alyssa Noble is.
I would rate this book as a 4 out of 5 stars, mostly because I think a 5 out of 5 is hard to achieve. I didn’t have any issues with the plot or characters or writing, simply that it was a good book but I can think of a few that I enjoyed more. I plan to read the second novel and in fact the whole trilogy. If you’re looking for a good mystery with thrilling elements, check out David K. Hulegaard’s Icarus today!
Icarus is a mystery thriller, part one of the Noble trilogy. Set in 1950, it follows Miller Brinkman as he explores the circumstances around Jane’s disappearance. After all, how far could a 17-year-old girl go?
Miller begins his investigations of Jane’s disappearance, but the truth of the matter lies deeper than the missing girl; as he moves closer and closer to the truth, his enemies—and allies—draw nearer as well. Much more than a simple missing-persons case, this crime has deeper roots than Miller initially expects, and it will take him down memory lane and towards the future of humanity in the depth and breadth of his search.
This book begins very much like your typical mystery, complete with crime, clues, and private investigator. Towards the middle, however, readers get a sense that there is more at stake here than the life of one young girl. About 90 pages in, I couldn’t stop reading and ended up finishing the book because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. The pacing was good and the characters were very well fleshed out and natural in their dialogue and actions. As a reader, I was focused on the movement of the plot, nothing else.
I received an advance reader copy of this book. Icarus was easy to get into and the story line is very clear from the beginning, even though there are mysteries and revelations throughout. The descriptions do the plot line justice and keep the reader intrigued. The movement of the story is not deterred by the small detours into Miller’s past and the small snippets of recordings that preface most chapters keeps the larger plot of Jane’s disappearance fresh in the reader’s mind. I finished reading this book wanting to know much more about what has happened to Miller and exactly who Alyssa Noble is.
I would rate this book as a 4 out of 5 stars, mostly because I think a 5 out of 5 is hard to achieve. I didn’t have any issues with the plot or characters or writing, simply that it was a good book but I can think of a few that I enjoyed more. I plan to read the second novel and in fact the whole trilogy. If you’re looking for a good mystery with thrilling elements, check out David K. Hulegaard’s Icarus today!
December 23, 2017
Miller Brinkman is a private eye in small-town 1950’s USA, with his usual cases whatever the widely-respected town sheriff doesn’t want or doesn’t have time for. However, when Jane Emmett, the town’s problem child, vanishes abruptly from the public eye and a rumour is spread that she’s been sent away to school, her only friend begs Brinkman to find out what happened to her. Following the clues left in a disturbing series of Jane’s diary entries that indicate something very different than an involuntary departure to a finishing school, Brinkman has no idea of what he’s about to discover...
Icarus combines two of my favourite genres in a page-turning read. With an economical turn of description that allows the spotlight to shine on the events of the plot, author David K. Hulegaard creates an atmospheric mystery with enough darkness woven into it to keep the reader on edge. Brinkman, our protagonist, comes with enough human flaws to make him plausible and keep him from the superhuman trope. All of the characters show excellent development, with enough background to make them solidly real in the story without straying into the territory of the fatal info-dump, and many with the characteristically ‘small-town’ scandals and links that support the main plot. All in all, I don’t give out five stars very often – this book definitely earnt them.
Reviewed for By Rite of Word.
Icarus combines two of my favourite genres in a page-turning read. With an economical turn of description that allows the spotlight to shine on the events of the plot, author David K. Hulegaard creates an atmospheric mystery with enough darkness woven into it to keep the reader on edge. Brinkman, our protagonist, comes with enough human flaws to make him plausible and keep him from the superhuman trope. All of the characters show excellent development, with enough background to make them solidly real in the story without straying into the territory of the fatal info-dump, and many with the characteristically ‘small-town’ scandals and links that support the main plot. All in all, I don’t give out five stars very often – this book definitely earnt them.
Reviewed for By Rite of Word.
June 1, 2018
I won a print copy of Icarus the first book in The Noble Trilogy by David K. Hulegaard in a Goodreads Giveaway.
Icarus is a great start to an ongoing story of mystery, murder, noir detective, with overtones of political/military/alien subversive activity. This first entry leaves a lot of unanswered questions; the most intriguing being who the bad guys actually are.
Not predictable at all for me. (Mini spoiler) I was shocked by the demise of who I thought were main characters. This just tells me there are a lot of twists and turns to come.
Set in the late 40's, we have a not-very-hard-boiled detective (Miller Brinkman) caught up in a colossal world shattering secret operation. By the end of this first book we are not sure of who is actually in control of the sinister agenda.
A lot of character development in the form of flashbacks. A lot of story yet to be developed. Perhaps a bit slow in the beginning (not enough to make me want to stop reading), I was thoroughly hooked before long.
Icarus does employ the ever vilified cliffhanger ending, although given the flow of the story I have a hard time seeing how it could have been avoided. Author Hulegaard has an engaging style, keeping the reader interested in the story, while building the suspense and terror (oh yes, there's terror). I really liked Icarus, Book 1 of The Noble Trilogy by David K. Hulegaard and am looking forward to continuing on Miller Brinkman's investigation. Enjoy!
Icarus is a great start to an ongoing story of mystery, murder, noir detective, with overtones of political/military/alien subversive activity. This first entry leaves a lot of unanswered questions; the most intriguing being who the bad guys actually are.
Not predictable at all for me. (Mini spoiler) I was shocked by the demise of who I thought were main characters. This just tells me there are a lot of twists and turns to come.
Set in the late 40's, we have a not-very-hard-boiled detective (Miller Brinkman) caught up in a colossal world shattering secret operation. By the end of this first book we are not sure of who is actually in control of the sinister agenda.
A lot of character development in the form of flashbacks. A lot of story yet to be developed. Perhaps a bit slow in the beginning (not enough to make me want to stop reading), I was thoroughly hooked before long.
Icarus does employ the ever vilified cliffhanger ending, although given the flow of the story I have a hard time seeing how it could have been avoided. Author Hulegaard has an engaging style, keeping the reader interested in the story, while building the suspense and terror (oh yes, there's terror). I really liked Icarus, Book 1 of The Noble Trilogy by David K. Hulegaard and am looking forward to continuing on Miller Brinkman's investigation. Enjoy!
February 10, 2017
Excellent Book!!! Highly Recommend. Read in one sitting!
Amazing story, very well written. I'm about to read the next book in the trilogy. Very much enjoyed the author's writing style.
Amazing story, very well written. I'm about to read the next book in the trilogy. Very much enjoyed the author's writing style.
March 27, 2017
I thought this was a really good story. The characters are likable and charming while the antagonists are villainous. Charissa was my favorite. I was able to easily picture the settings of each event and I was intrigued the whole time. I look forward to the next book.
May 31, 2017
“Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite”
Miller Brinkman, a private investigator, has spent all his life in Ashley Falls, a small, sleepy town in West Virginia. In Icarus, by David Hulegaard, the winter of 1947 will prove a turning point in Miller’s life when Jane Emmett, the daughter of Ashley Falls’ most prominent family, disappears. Did she run away from home, has she been murdered, kidnapped, or what? Hired by Jane’s best friend, Jessie, to uncover the truth, Miller finds a disturbing set of clues that point in several possible directions. Oddest of all, it seems, is Jane’s family have not even reported the girl missing. The trail of clues will inevitably lead Brinkman on a wild ride through Washington DC and Baltimore in search of the missing girl, uncovering conspiracy theories and discovering information that may change the world forever.
Hulegaard has penned a fast-moving, thrilling, “spy type” novel here, in Icarus, that at times borders on science fiction. I felt the author perfectly captured the time period of the book, with the austerity and optimism of an America emerging from the Second World War. I could easily picture Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall playing the two main characters in the story, Miller, and Charissa. I particularly liked the character of Miller Brinkman. He was portrayed as a strong, determined person, but one who was haunted by a bad decision he had made, in his early days as a deputy on the Ashley Falls’ Police Department. He also suffers from an anxiety disorder and is subject to panic attacks, which meant leaving Ashley Falls to investigate this case was always going to be hard for him. It was easy to empathise with him. As the first novel in a trilogy, Icarus sets a fascinating scene for the next two books in the series.
Miller Brinkman, a private investigator, has spent all his life in Ashley Falls, a small, sleepy town in West Virginia. In Icarus, by David Hulegaard, the winter of 1947 will prove a turning point in Miller’s life when Jane Emmett, the daughter of Ashley Falls’ most prominent family, disappears. Did she run away from home, has she been murdered, kidnapped, or what? Hired by Jane’s best friend, Jessie, to uncover the truth, Miller finds a disturbing set of clues that point in several possible directions. Oddest of all, it seems, is Jane’s family have not even reported the girl missing. The trail of clues will inevitably lead Brinkman on a wild ride through Washington DC and Baltimore in search of the missing girl, uncovering conspiracy theories and discovering information that may change the world forever.
Hulegaard has penned a fast-moving, thrilling, “spy type” novel here, in Icarus, that at times borders on science fiction. I felt the author perfectly captured the time period of the book, with the austerity and optimism of an America emerging from the Second World War. I could easily picture Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall playing the two main characters in the story, Miller, and Charissa. I particularly liked the character of Miller Brinkman. He was portrayed as a strong, determined person, but one who was haunted by a bad decision he had made, in his early days as a deputy on the Ashley Falls’ Police Department. He also suffers from an anxiety disorder and is subject to panic attacks, which meant leaving Ashley Falls to investigate this case was always going to be hard for him. It was easy to empathise with him. As the first novel in a trilogy, Icarus sets a fascinating scene for the next two books in the series.
February 24, 2020
I received my copy of Icarus via Goodreads giveaway which has no influence on my review.
Oh, boy. Where to begin?
I'm a sucker for children-in-peril (even, occasionally, when they're a bratty teen) and shady government agency books, and that is literally the only reason I kept reading this book long past the point I normally would have given up. I kept waiting for the plot to gel and things to get good, but they never did.
Riddled with editing errors (not only several misspellings but a handful of sentences that were rendered nonsensical by missing words), I would have been embarrassed to be one of the two editors named in the author's ending acknowledgments, and if I owned the editing company he mentioned, I would have filed Chapter 13 and reopened elsewhere under a different name.
There are a lot of elements at play here, and none of them really made sense in a coherent way. A troubled teen girl is missing. Her best friend wants her to be found, so hires a private investigator. I guess PIs were cheap or babysitting paid really well in the 1940s.
As the PI investigates, he runs afoul of a shadowy organization that has infiltrated local authorities, and he finds himself in danger even as people related to the case start dying.
The ending doesn't provide answers, just more questions (which, obviously, lead to the second book in the trilogy). While I usually enjoy most of the elements of this story, here they were an unsatisfying mishmash of unresolved plot threads that ended in frustration.
I won't continue the series or read anything else from the author.
1 out of 5 stars.
Oh, boy. Where to begin?
I'm a sucker for children-in-peril (even, occasionally, when they're a bratty teen) and shady government agency books, and that is literally the only reason I kept reading this book long past the point I normally would have given up. I kept waiting for the plot to gel and things to get good, but they never did.
Riddled with editing errors (not only several misspellings but a handful of sentences that were rendered nonsensical by missing words), I would have been embarrassed to be one of the two editors named in the author's ending acknowledgments, and if I owned the editing company he mentioned, I would have filed Chapter 13 and reopened elsewhere under a different name.
There are a lot of elements at play here, and none of them really made sense in a coherent way. A troubled teen girl is missing. Her best friend wants her to be found, so hires a private investigator. I guess PIs were cheap or babysitting paid really well in the 1940s.
As the PI investigates, he runs afoul of a shadowy organization that has infiltrated local authorities, and he finds himself in danger even as people related to the case start dying.
The ending doesn't provide answers, just more questions (which, obviously, lead to the second book in the trilogy). While I usually enjoy most of the elements of this story, here they were an unsatisfying mishmash of unresolved plot threads that ended in frustration.
I won't continue the series or read anything else from the author.
1 out of 5 stars.
September 28, 2018
Being caught stealing is just another incident in the long line of trouble teen Jane Emmett finds herself in. Her parents have had enough - and are searching for a severe enough punishment to draw her back in line. But then, Jane mysteriously disappears from town and her parents are telling everyone she is sick at home. Concerned when she is turned away from seeing her again and again, her best friend Jessie Fryman reaches out to private detective Miller Brinkman. As he begins to investigate, he is increasingly convinced that Jane just ran away - until Jessie is found dead after relaying her worry about a man in black following her. Miller continues his investigation, but the more he gets involved and the more everything he holds dear is put at risk until he finds the answers he seeks. But sometimes, you should be careful what you wish for....
I picked up this novel because of the title. Let’s face it, I have a large interest in the story of Icarus. I kept that in mind as I was making my way through the novel hoping to see some sort of connection. I’m not going to spoil it for anyone and say whether it did or not (sorry!) but I was not entranced with the novel as I thought I would be. The concept of the story is certainly an interesting one, but I found it could have been better executed. I also had too many unanswered questions at the end to be satisfied. I know this novel is part of a series so I imagine many of the questions may be answered as those books release but as of now I have my reservations as to whether I will pick up the second novel.
Disclaimer: I received this book as part of a GoodReads giveaway, but the thoughts and opinions are my own.
I picked up this novel because of the title. Let’s face it, I have a large interest in the story of Icarus. I kept that in mind as I was making my way through the novel hoping to see some sort of connection. I’m not going to spoil it for anyone and say whether it did or not (sorry!) but I was not entranced with the novel as I thought I would be. The concept of the story is certainly an interesting one, but I found it could have been better executed. I also had too many unanswered questions at the end to be satisfied. I know this novel is part of a series so I imagine many of the questions may be answered as those books release but as of now I have my reservations as to whether I will pick up the second novel.
Disclaimer: I received this book as part of a GoodReads giveaway, but the thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 31, 2018
I received a free copy of this novel in a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Before I began this book, I wasn’t expecting much, but for some reason I thought the story would be set in the future. Instead, this book is set in 1947, and seems to be inspired by noirs from that time period.
This novel in the beginning seemed to be lighthearted, but I should have known better with the creepy recordings that would begin at each chapter. The story becomes twisted much later and leaves a lot of unanswered questions than answers.
Overall, I am glad my expectations were low, since this book really impressed me. I am planning to keep my eye out for the next book. I highly recommend this book to others who want a mystery that has a different plot then most mysteries.
Side Note: I already enjoyed this book before I found out that the author worked on my two favorite video games Mass Effect and Dragon Age. I think it is pretty cool that someone from the Bioware team decided to write their own novel.
This novel in the beginning seemed to be lighthearted, but I should have known better with the creepy recordings that would begin at each chapter. The story becomes twisted much later and leaves a lot of unanswered questions than answers.
Overall, I am glad my expectations were low, since this book really impressed me. I am planning to keep my eye out for the next book. I highly recommend this book to others who want a mystery that has a different plot then most mysteries.
Side Note: I already enjoyed this book before I found out that the author worked on my two favorite video games Mass Effect and Dragon Age. I think it is pretty cool that someone from the Bioware team decided to write their own novel.
August 11, 2017
ICARUS BY DAVID K HULEGAARD:
What a page turner this book is! This is first in a series & I cant wait to get ahold of the next one. The book is short, 262 pages but its a wh0 done it all the way through!
Miller Brinkman, PI lives in Ashley Falls, a little town in Virginia in the 1940's . He is persuaded by a teenaged girl to find her best friend. The weird part about this case is her family deny's she's even missing. The case takes Brinkman to hell and back and he finds out things aren't what they seemed to be.
Loved every page of this book and cant wait to read the next in the series.
I recieved this book free from goodreads in exchange for a review.
What a page turner this book is! This is first in a series & I cant wait to get ahold of the next one. The book is short, 262 pages but its a wh0 done it all the way through!
Miller Brinkman, PI lives in Ashley Falls, a little town in Virginia in the 1940's . He is persuaded by a teenaged girl to find her best friend. The weird part about this case is her family deny's she's even missing. The case takes Brinkman to hell and back and he finds out things aren't what they seemed to be.
Loved every page of this book and cant wait to read the next in the series.
I recieved this book free from goodreads in exchange for a review.
March 17, 2017
I expected a nice detective story and was a little bit disappointed. Myself being a rather slow guesser, I suppose, the storyline is quite predictable. So, each time somebody praised the detective skills of the main character, it felt a little surprising. Still, there was some nice reasoning (ex, I liked Jane's poem). The ending is somewhat messy, I think. Either the book should have been cut earlier, or united with the second one.
The characters and descriptions are quite stereotypical (that kiss was on top of everything!) but bearable. The great detective could be more natural, I mean, most of his inner life appears as dry second thoughts rather than actual feelings (save those weird food passages!). Nevertheless those thoughts seem to be his own ones. His character is truthful and easy to empathize.
Everything else is good. Language is clear and easy. The whole story is absorbing, and the physical world is elaborate, with thorough details. The message is strong and beautiful and expressed clearly throughout the book. I don't regret of having read it.
The characters and descriptions are quite stereotypical (that kiss was on top of everything!) but bearable. The great detective could be more natural, I mean, most of his inner life appears as dry second thoughts rather than actual feelings (save those weird food passages!). Nevertheless those thoughts seem to be his own ones. His character is truthful and easy to empathize.
Everything else is good. Language is clear and easy. The whole story is absorbing, and the physical world is elaborate, with thorough details. The message is strong and beautiful and expressed clearly throughout the book. I don't regret of having read it.
May 29, 2017
Very impressed with the writing abilities of this author. The characters and story plot is so real like and believable that you feel as if you're living this life. It's a page turner that will keep you intrigued with all the twist along the way. Believe that this is the first I have read of this author but will not be the last as this author's ability and skill of writing has made my all time favorite author list!
April 7, 2019
I wasn't expecting to like this book. I'm not usually into paranormal and the premise seemed a bit silly, but it was on my "to read" list, so I figured I would give it a try. I really enjoyed this. It kept my attention and I couldn't put it down. I'm excited to read the next book in the series. The author writes really well and the characters were all clear. Even though it's set in the 40s, it didn't stand out as excessively old timey or otherwise feel dated. It's a weird book and definitely one that I recommend.
October 22, 2017
Icarus is a book I won on Goodreads. It is a very interesting story, one that I don't think I've ever read. This is the first book in a trilogy, and I am going to have to get the other two books to find out what happens. Girls are missing from Ashley Falls, WV. A friend of one of the girls hires a P.I. to see if he can find what happened to her. This is a story with lots of twists and turns.
May 16, 2017
Ooo another good find
Good writing, great characters, very believable. Picked it up on a whim and found a gem! Started the 2nd one at 1:00 in the morning as I couldn't wait. Nice mix of detective, mystery, romance and supernatural. Highly recommended.
Good writing, great characters, very believable. Picked it up on a whim and found a gem! Started the 2nd one at 1:00 in the morning as I couldn't wait. Nice mix of detective, mystery, romance and supernatural. Highly recommended.
June 19, 2017
Attention getting
I quite enjoyed this book with its twists and turns, honorable and dishonorable characters. I may even read the remainder of the series, even though sci-fi isn't my thing.
I quite enjoyed this book with its twists and turns, honorable and dishonorable characters. I may even read the remainder of the series, even though sci-fi isn't my thing.
June 26, 2017
Miller
Found a new author. Enjoyed it tremendously. It had a bit of everything in it. Was hard to put down. It was a nice to read a book that wasn't full of porn . kudos to this author.
Found a new author. Enjoyed it tremendously. It had a bit of everything in it. Was hard to put down. It was a nice to read a book that wasn't full of porn . kudos to this author.
October 11, 2017
The Secret War
The characters are strong and amazing. This is a "I can't put it down book", of suspense and love. David K Hulegaard is a gifted writer and storyteller. I am not saying anything else, read it and enjoy
The characters are strong and amazing. This is a "I can't put it down book", of suspense and love. David K Hulegaard is a gifted writer and storyteller. I am not saying anything else, read it and enjoy
Want to read
September 26, 2018I won this thru Goodreads and I'm glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's creative and kept my attention. Strange plot lines appeal to me; much more interesting than the usual hum-drum sort. I don't want to give anything away; you'll just have to read it for yourself.
June 4, 2017
Great twists and turns in this book. Loved it right to the very end and excited for the next.
June 26, 2017
Good story
I chose this rating because I enjoyed the story. I did not like how slow the first part of the story was
I chose this rating because I enjoyed the story. I did not like how slow the first part of the story was
March 4, 2017
Icarus is the first book in the Noble trilogy by David K. Hulegaard. It is a complete book in itself with just a hint of more story to come. It is a mystery, suspense, thriller with a sci-fi element. Small town detective is dragged into a missing persons case which strange happenings connect it to a much larger mystery.
Mr. Hulegaard takes you on an amazing journey with Private Detective Miller Brinkman as he investigates the case of a local teenager who is missing. Although he is warned away from the case he is more determined to find the teen. As events unfold he discovers that the missing teen is part of something much more sinister and far reaching.
As I journeyed with Miller I became so drawn into his story that I experienced his emotions which were extremely well conveyed.
Icarus so intrigued me that even though this part of the story was successfully concluded I look forward to getting the rest of the tale.
Mr. Hulegaard generously gifted me with a final draft of Icarus which I volunteered to review. I just wish I was able to do his tale justice.
Mr. Hulegaard takes you on an amazing journey with Private Detective Miller Brinkman as he investigates the case of a local teenager who is missing. Although he is warned away from the case he is more determined to find the teen. As events unfold he discovers that the missing teen is part of something much more sinister and far reaching.
As I journeyed with Miller I became so drawn into his story that I experienced his emotions which were extremely well conveyed.
Icarus so intrigued me that even though this part of the story was successfully concluded I look forward to getting the rest of the tale.
Mr. Hulegaard generously gifted me with a final draft of Icarus which I volunteered to review. I just wish I was able to do his tale justice.
March 14, 2017
Kept me in suspense in the hope that the girl will be found. Quite thrilling and gore. Sad ending with questions unanswered.
March 10, 2017
A very well written book, and the introduction of the sci-fi/ paranormal is just beautiful. The two aspects blend in so beautifully that it does not seem unrealistic or outlandish. The ending completes the book in one sense, and leaves you knowing that there is much more to come. i am looking forward to the other books in this series. David Hulegaard is an author to look out for.
March 9, 2017
Outstanding
I loved this book with the descriptions of places and the action and bravery you wrote . It could almost be believable places . I will read àĺl 3. Great book
I loved this book with the descriptions of places and the action and bravery you wrote . It could almost be believable places . I will read àĺl 3. Great book
January 30, 2018
Whatever ending I expected, Icarus did not follow. The storyline veered hard to the right in an interesting way that will surely suck readers right in.
After a young girl goes missing, her friend hires Miller Brinkman, P.I. to investigate. What he finds begins a crazy adventure that pushes the bounds of the genre.
Aside from Miller sounding like a neckbeard on occasion (“I tipped my Fedora…”) he was a very likeable character. For a mystery novel it progressed in a patient manner that aided the narrative and didn’t give too much away. The foreshadowing was pretty on point as the book managed to hold everything to the end.
The mystery itself was also a rather riveting one. Things certainly were what they seemed like at the beginning. That’s what mysteries are for, though, right? At the heart of it were good characters. They were different from each other, with their own voices and their own role to play in the narrative.
I liked the way the style transitioned to accommodate the supernatural themes. It definitely had an X-Files theme to it towards the end.
While the novel and singular mystery wrapped up nicely at the conclusion, it ended on such a cliffhanger. And it was a good one, done in just the right way with enough tension to still make the reader feel a little anxious. I genuinely enjoyed it. I would love to read the sequels.
After a young girl goes missing, her friend hires Miller Brinkman, P.I. to investigate. What he finds begins a crazy adventure that pushes the bounds of the genre.
Aside from Miller sounding like a neckbeard on occasion (“I tipped my Fedora…”) he was a very likeable character. For a mystery novel it progressed in a patient manner that aided the narrative and didn’t give too much away. The foreshadowing was pretty on point as the book managed to hold everything to the end.
The mystery itself was also a rather riveting one. Things certainly were what they seemed like at the beginning. That’s what mysteries are for, though, right? At the heart of it were good characters. They were different from each other, with their own voices and their own role to play in the narrative.
I liked the way the style transitioned to accommodate the supernatural themes. It definitely had an X-Files theme to it towards the end.
While the novel and singular mystery wrapped up nicely at the conclusion, it ended on such a cliffhanger. And it was a good one, done in just the right way with enough tension to still make the reader feel a little anxious. I genuinely enjoyed it. I would love to read the sequels.
February 1, 2017
I received this book free for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Miller Brinkman is a PI in the small town of Ashley Falls. One day he is hired by a young girl to find her missing friend. Her parents have not reported her missing and the police chief is not Miller's friend.
He starts looking for her and travels to Washington where he meets up with an old girlfriend.
People fall in and out of the narrative, which is first person. The story itself is interesting and Miller is an engaging storyteller, but the ending feels rushed and the entire premise of the book is explained in a few pages. This is the first book in a trilogy.
Actually, 3 1/2 stars for the likable hero.
Miller Brinkman is a PI in the small town of Ashley Falls. One day he is hired by a young girl to find her missing friend. Her parents have not reported her missing and the police chief is not Miller's friend.
He starts looking for her and travels to Washington where he meets up with an old girlfriend.
People fall in and out of the narrative, which is first person. The story itself is interesting and Miller is an engaging storyteller, but the ending feels rushed and the entire premise of the book is explained in a few pages. This is the first book in a trilogy.
Actually, 3 1/2 stars for the likable hero.
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