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Call a Spade
CALL A SPADE is a tale of the silver buried beneath tarnish, of unlikely heroism, and of courage and resolve in the face of overwhelming odds.
Jasper never wanted to be a hero; Jasper just wants to be normal. But just as Jasper had no part in choosing how he would be born, he also becomes the unintentional recipient of an amazing and very dangerous gift - a gift that only Jasper himself can decide how to use.
It is 2019, and Charles Wolfe has been president for two years. In that time, the bombastic leader of the “Free World” has completely rearranged American politics. He has also shipped off dissenters and undesirables to officially nonexistent isolation camps that have been hastily constructed by his personal army, the CPS – i.e., the “Civil Protection Service” – in the barren deserts of the southwest. In spite of this, life for the average American has changed little - but things aren’t getting any rosier for the small fries.
The Brown family of Assiginack, Michigan has plenty of their own small fry problems to deal with. Tom has been out of work for months, and his wife Linda is barely managing to keep the family afloat. Jasper, their son, has Apert’s Syndrome, a congenital condition that results in deformed limbs, a misshapen skull, and numerous other health issues. While Jasper’s mental faculties have remained relatively unscathed by his condition, he is all too aware of how different he is from “normal” children.
On an otherwise mundane night, as Jasper and his school friend Albert are playing Power Rangers, Jasper’s family receives a call notifying them that Jasper has been accepted into a medical trial for a new form of genetic therapy developed by the brilliant Dr. Jean Thierry-Delvoix. The French doctor’s experimental treatment has shown incredible promise – up to and including the seemingly miraculous resolution of physical deformities in lab animals. Jasper’s parents jump at the opportunity – and so does Jasper, who is eager to participate in spite of his butterflies.
What Jasper and his parents could never have expected is that Thierry-Delvoix's treatment will completely fail to produce the same results in humans that it has in the lab. However, its effect during the trial is even more potent and shocking: the development of psychic and metaphysical abilities that will cause a paradigm shift before the eyes of the very man who wants to harness the newfound powers for himself - Charles Wolfe.
And unbeknownst to both Wolfe and his unlikely enemies, an even more dire threat is brewing - one that arises from the ranks of the children themselves.
Jasper never wanted to be a hero; Jasper just wants to be normal. But just as Jasper had no part in choosing how he would be born, he also becomes the unintentional recipient of an amazing and very dangerous gift - a gift that only Jasper himself can decide how to use.
It is 2019, and Charles Wolfe has been president for two years. In that time, the bombastic leader of the “Free World” has completely rearranged American politics. He has also shipped off dissenters and undesirables to officially nonexistent isolation camps that have been hastily constructed by his personal army, the CPS – i.e., the “Civil Protection Service” – in the barren deserts of the southwest. In spite of this, life for the average American has changed little - but things aren’t getting any rosier for the small fries.
The Brown family of Assiginack, Michigan has plenty of their own small fry problems to deal with. Tom has been out of work for months, and his wife Linda is barely managing to keep the family afloat. Jasper, their son, has Apert’s Syndrome, a congenital condition that results in deformed limbs, a misshapen skull, and numerous other health issues. While Jasper’s mental faculties have remained relatively unscathed by his condition, he is all too aware of how different he is from “normal” children.
On an otherwise mundane night, as Jasper and his school friend Albert are playing Power Rangers, Jasper’s family receives a call notifying them that Jasper has been accepted into a medical trial for a new form of genetic therapy developed by the brilliant Dr. Jean Thierry-Delvoix. The French doctor’s experimental treatment has shown incredible promise – up to and including the seemingly miraculous resolution of physical deformities in lab animals. Jasper’s parents jump at the opportunity – and so does Jasper, who is eager to participate in spite of his butterflies.
What Jasper and his parents could never have expected is that Thierry-Delvoix's treatment will completely fail to produce the same results in humans that it has in the lab. However, its effect during the trial is even more potent and shocking: the development of psychic and metaphysical abilities that will cause a paradigm shift before the eyes of the very man who wants to harness the newfound powers for himself - Charles Wolfe.
And unbeknownst to both Wolfe and his unlikely enemies, an even more dire threat is brewing - one that arises from the ranks of the children themselves.
- GenresDystopia
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2017
7 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 14, 2017
Call A Spade by D.M. Griffin is a very engaging science-fiction thriller that'll capture your interest from the beginning till the very end.
Although shocking, the idea of the plot is not only strong but very probable which makes this book a compelling read. There's a mix of everything - good action, low-key drama and quality humour, in this book. What else could you expect from a sci-fi thriller?!
The protagonist is an 8-year-old child who suffers from Apert’s Syndrome. Despite his aesthetic deformities, he is a great kid with a praiseworthy sense of humour for a child that age. He is extremely likeable and I was able to feel a connection with him right from the start. Other than the lead character, I loved the secondary characters of Ethan and Ashlyn as well, they both were very sweet and I enjoyed reading about them.
The book did start with a rather lengthy exposition, but when the lead character was revealed it was all worth it. The ending was great as well. And I'm sure as hell going to keep an eye out for other books by the author.
I'd recommend this book to all sci-fi lovers and even to all those readers who don't mind reading action, adventure and thriller fiction.
You can also read this review at The Reading Bud
Although shocking, the idea of the plot is not only strong but very probable which makes this book a compelling read. There's a mix of everything - good action, low-key drama and quality humour, in this book. What else could you expect from a sci-fi thriller?!
The protagonist is an 8-year-old child who suffers from Apert’s Syndrome. Despite his aesthetic deformities, he is a great kid with a praiseworthy sense of humour for a child that age. He is extremely likeable and I was able to feel a connection with him right from the start. Other than the lead character, I loved the secondary characters of Ethan and Ashlyn as well, they both were very sweet and I enjoyed reading about them.
The book did start with a rather lengthy exposition, but when the lead character was revealed it was all worth it. The ending was great as well. And I'm sure as hell going to keep an eye out for other books by the author.
I'd recommend this book to all sci-fi lovers and even to all those readers who don't mind reading action, adventure and thriller fiction.
You can also read this review at The Reading Bud
July 16, 2017
Kids undergo experimental treatment which delivers unexpected results.
This book opens with a slightly off-putting wall of text, which is mostly description of the protagonist, Jasper. Jasper is a loser in life’s genetic lottery. At eight years old, he’s smart, but his genetic condition has deformed his face and hands and will presumably limit his life. Though the opening is rather long-winded and rambly, it’s worth persevering because we soon find out Jasper, along with a lot of other kids with a variety of genetic problems, is enrolled in a medical trial (the ethics seem a little dubious, but hey). The experimental procedure might cure him… or as it turns out, it might do nothing for his medical condition while turning him into a telekinetic genius.
A crowd of pre-teens suddenly acquiring unprecedented mental powers and super-normal IQs… obviously, the evil government get involved, and the kids have to work together to master their new abilities and save the day.
The result is a fast-paced, rather good super-powered action plot with engaging characters.
Generally well written and well edited, very readable throughout.
This book opens with a slightly off-putting wall of text, which is mostly description of the protagonist, Jasper. Jasper is a loser in life’s genetic lottery. At eight years old, he’s smart, but his genetic condition has deformed his face and hands and will presumably limit his life. Though the opening is rather long-winded and rambly, it’s worth persevering because we soon find out Jasper, along with a lot of other kids with a variety of genetic problems, is enrolled in a medical trial (the ethics seem a little dubious, but hey). The experimental procedure might cure him… or as it turns out, it might do nothing for his medical condition while turning him into a telekinetic genius.
A crowd of pre-teens suddenly acquiring unprecedented mental powers and super-normal IQs… obviously, the evil government get involved, and the kids have to work together to master their new abilities and save the day.
The result is a fast-paced, rather good super-powered action plot with engaging characters.
Generally well written and well edited, very readable throughout.
November 14, 2017
Call A Spade by D.M. Griffin is a very engaging science-fiction thriller that'll capture your interest from the beginning till the very end.
Although shocking, the idea of the plot is not only strong but very probable which makes this book a compelling read. There's a mix of everything - good action, low-key drama and quality humour, in this book. What else could you expect from a sci-fi thriller?!...
You can read the full review here: The Reading Bud
Although shocking, the idea of the plot is not only strong but very probable which makes this book a compelling read. There's a mix of everything - good action, low-key drama and quality humour, in this book. What else could you expect from a sci-fi thriller?!...
You can read the full review here: The Reading Bud
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews