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How to Survive the Afterlife #1
The Limpet Syndrome
What happens to us when we die? What if the religious and scientific beliefs are wrong. Perhaps there's some truth in both view points...or none at all.
Imagine there was a politician whose only ambition was to corrupt and manipulate the very people who elected him, without them even knowing it. This was Byron T Casey’s ambition. It helped that he was the Prime Minister and had just acquired Emorfed, a substance that had the ability to alter a person’s soul.
Sandy Logan was the only person capable of stopping him. But there was one problem. Sandy was dead. It complicated matters that his death had been aided by the mysterious Limpet Syndrome, which meant he wasn't dead dead. Very few people understood why Sandy’s soul had lingered on Earth, least of all Sandy.
This presented a far more serious problem. A soul wandering aimlessly around the globe threatened the stability of the Universe itself. Sandy’s soul had to be recovered and the powers that be had decided there was only one man for the job, the recently deceased John Hewson. Obviously he’s not dead dead you understand.
John would have to travel to Hell and back if he was going to work out the secrets of the Limpet Syndrome, locate Sandy’s soul and bring down a government. In his pursuit to discover the truth of his own death, John is about to find out that death isn't the end; it's just the beginning of the end.
Imagine there was a politician whose only ambition was to corrupt and manipulate the very people who elected him, without them even knowing it. This was Byron T Casey’s ambition. It helped that he was the Prime Minister and had just acquired Emorfed, a substance that had the ability to alter a person’s soul.
Sandy Logan was the only person capable of stopping him. But there was one problem. Sandy was dead. It complicated matters that his death had been aided by the mysterious Limpet Syndrome, which meant he wasn't dead dead. Very few people understood why Sandy’s soul had lingered on Earth, least of all Sandy.
This presented a far more serious problem. A soul wandering aimlessly around the globe threatened the stability of the Universe itself. Sandy’s soul had to be recovered and the powers that be had decided there was only one man for the job, the recently deceased John Hewson. Obviously he’s not dead dead you understand.
John would have to travel to Hell and back if he was going to work out the secrets of the Limpet Syndrome, locate Sandy’s soul and bring down a government. In his pursuit to discover the truth of his own death, John is about to find out that death isn't the end; it's just the beginning of the end.
394 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2017
170 people are currently reading
787 people want to read
About the author
Tony Moyle
16 books107 followersTony Moyle was born in the small town of Shepton Mallet in 1976. He's spent the last four decades attempting to find a third reason for the town to be famous behind Babycham and a Frank Bruno heavy weight boxing fight. Although he studied Chemistry at Exeter University he was terrible at it and instead fell into a role within the business community. After twenty years of deliberation and prevarication he published his first novel, 'The Limpet Syndrome.' His second novel, and sequel, 'Soul Catchers' is out in November 2017. He lives in the small town of Ashington at the base of the South Downs national park with this wife, Laure, and two children. He regrets that he still currently has a day job.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
August 5, 2017
This full review can be viewed on my blog along with others at: shesgoingbookcrazy.com
Check out my interview with this author by clicking here!
I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
Heading into this book, I really didn't know what to expect. From the synopsis provided, all I could ascertain was that it would be a wild ride. And guess what? It did NOT disappoint.
This plot hit the ground running, when we are introduced to the main character John Hewsen, who finds out that he's dead. After being involved in a fatal accident, he finds himself in a state of limbo---but it's not what he expects. His fate looking grim, he is given a second chance to make up for his past mistakes and enter the kingdom of heaven. John is enlisted by (the devil) to possess a living human's body to complete a task before his final judgement. This is when he first learns of the Limpet Syndrome, which is a human condition that holds a person's soul on earth, instead of allowing it to pass on. John is being sent to retrieve Sandy Logan's spirit, a victim of the Limpet Syndrome.
John's task is anything but simple; Sandy Logan is the key to stopping a power hungry Prime Minister, threatening to force mankind into submission by altering their souls with the aid of Emorfed.
Not only does John need to possess a living human's body, he needs to locate Sandy's reincarnated soul. With time of the essence, John must travel back to earth, in order to stop the threat upon everyone's soul.
---------------------------------------
If you like unique, mind-bending books, this is your next read. I highly recommend giving this book a chance! Not only is it well written, the concept is entirely unique. The way that the author combined so many different perspectives of life, death, and the afterlife was impressive. Not only that, he achieved to do so in a way that wasn't offensive. Are there some controversial viewpoints represented here? Sure. But let's be honest, a fiction novel is entitled to discuss these things with artistic interpretation because that is what fiction is all about.
When I think dystopian, soul-"stealing" doesn't come to mind. But I'm glad for that because that means that this book navigates uncharted waters in this genre. I thoroughly appreciate how much emphasis was put on the importance of the human soul. Not only is it the essence of who we are, it is the essence of right and wrong, good and evil, and caring or complacency.
The author emphasizes just how important it is that each human is unique, and truly themselves. For without that, what would become of the world other than an emotional wasteland.
Despite not having a certain affinity to one particular character, I enjoyed following the different perspectives and experiences. However, deviating to these characters would slow down the plot's progression slightly. The fact that our protagonist is written more as an antagonist opens the doors for all sorts of havoc, and I really enjoyed this technique.
Overall, this story was enjoyable, entertaining, and enduring. I would highly recommend this read to those who like a little bit of reality and importance in their fictitious reads.
Vulgarity: Moderate.
Sexual content: Moderate.
Violence: Some. Although it doesn't really fall into the category of violence, this book does discuss demon possession, drug abuse, and animal mistreatment and wouldn't be suitable for younger readers. This is an adult novel.
4.5 stars.
A big thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book!
Check out my interview with this author by clicking here!
I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
limpet/noun noun: limpet; plural noun: limpets 1: a marine mollusc which has a shallow conical shell and a broad muscular foot, found clinging tightly to rocks. used in comparisons to refer to people and things that cling tightly
Heading into this book, I really didn't know what to expect. From the synopsis provided, all I could ascertain was that it would be a wild ride. And guess what? It did NOT disappoint.
This plot hit the ground running, when we are introduced to the main character John Hewsen, who finds out that he's dead. After being involved in a fatal accident, he finds himself in a state of limbo---but it's not what he expects. His fate looking grim, he is given a second chance to make up for his past mistakes and enter the kingdom of heaven. John is enlisted by (the devil) to possess a living human's body to complete a task before his final judgement. This is when he first learns of the Limpet Syndrome, which is a human condition that holds a person's soul on earth, instead of allowing it to pass on. John is being sent to retrieve Sandy Logan's spirit, a victim of the Limpet Syndrome.
John's task is anything but simple; Sandy Logan is the key to stopping a power hungry Prime Minister, threatening to force mankind into submission by altering their souls with the aid of Emorfed.
The government has created a drug called Emorfed, which has a number of affects when taken. Primarily, it permanently removes all human addiction. But in doing so has the side-effect of quashing the human spirit. It redirects our desires, cravings, instincts and behaviours to a utopian model designed by the government itself. It's been designed to suppress mankind to act as model citizens. You've heard of genetic engineering, well welcome to a world of spiritual engineering.
Not only does John need to possess a living human's body, he needs to locate Sandy's reincarnated soul. With time of the essence, John must travel back to earth, in order to stop the threat upon everyone's soul.
---------------------------------------
If you like unique, mind-bending books, this is your next read. I highly recommend giving this book a chance! Not only is it well written, the concept is entirely unique. The way that the author combined so many different perspectives of life, death, and the afterlife was impressive. Not only that, he achieved to do so in a way that wasn't offensive. Are there some controversial viewpoints represented here? Sure. But let's be honest, a fiction novel is entitled to discuss these things with artistic interpretation because that is what fiction is all about.
When I think dystopian, soul-"stealing" doesn't come to mind. But I'm glad for that because that means that this book navigates uncharted waters in this genre. I thoroughly appreciate how much emphasis was put on the importance of the human soul. Not only is it the essence of who we are, it is the essence of right and wrong, good and evil, and caring or complacency.
It appeared to John that with Emorfed, every single soul would turn out to be neutral. No-one would be doing anything wrong, but likewise no-one would have the inclination to help one another. They'd be like robots.
The author emphasizes just how important it is that each human is unique, and truly themselves. For without that, what would become of the world other than an emotional wasteland.
Despite not having a certain affinity to one particular character, I enjoyed following the different perspectives and experiences. However, deviating to these characters would slow down the plot's progression slightly. The fact that our protagonist is written more as an antagonist opens the doors for all sorts of havoc, and I really enjoyed this technique.
Overall, this story was enjoyable, entertaining, and enduring. I would highly recommend this read to those who like a little bit of reality and importance in their fictitious reads.
Vulgarity: Moderate.
Sexual content: Moderate.
Violence: Some. Although it doesn't really fall into the category of violence, this book does discuss demon possession, drug abuse, and animal mistreatment and wouldn't be suitable for younger readers. This is an adult novel.
4.5 stars.
A big thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book!
July 24, 2017
As another reviewer commented, I have had so many ads lately promising that if I loved Pratchett or Douglas Adams, I'd love ____. Mostly the attached books are a disappointment. I'm glad to say that this one is NOT. Tony Moyle manages to capture the witty spirit of the writing without attempting a clone.
The Limpet Syndrome starts with an original premise... a soul is not good enough for heaven or bad enough for hell, so it must prove its worth by returning to Earth to capture another soul (or two) that haven't shown up where they belong. The soul in question, John, is Everyman... not notably brilliant or brave, but facing an impossible situation as best he can. The characters and events are plausible within their own internal (and implausible) rules. And the descriptions had me smiling where I wasn't actually laughing out loud.
Without being overly wordy, Moyle doesn't rush through the narrative, but takes the time needed to describe what is going on. Early on and throughout, I found myself reading it for the joy of reading it, and not just to find out what happened and be able to say I finished (which, unfortunately, has been the case with many of the new authors who want to give me their books for free or for cheap). There is an opening left for a sequel... and I am very much looking forward to it!
The Limpet Syndrome starts with an original premise... a soul is not good enough for heaven or bad enough for hell, so it must prove its worth by returning to Earth to capture another soul (or two) that haven't shown up where they belong. The soul in question, John, is Everyman... not notably brilliant or brave, but facing an impossible situation as best he can. The characters and events are plausible within their own internal (and implausible) rules. And the descriptions had me smiling where I wasn't actually laughing out loud.
Without being overly wordy, Moyle doesn't rush through the narrative, but takes the time needed to describe what is going on. Early on and throughout, I found myself reading it for the joy of reading it, and not just to find out what happened and be able to say I finished (which, unfortunately, has been the case with many of the new authors who want to give me their books for free or for cheap). There is an opening left for a sequel... and I am very much looking forward to it!
April 6, 2022
This is my second Tony Moyle book (Idiot's Club being the first) and I have to say I rather liked it. Great story (if a little convoluted at times) with great character development and twisting plot line.
There are three in this series and now looking forward to the remaining two.
Light and comical, great to feed escapism…
There are three in this series and now looking forward to the remaining two.
Light and comical, great to feed escapism…
August 7, 2017
This was an interesting take on the life-after-death mission quest adventure. The hero is somewhat surprised to find out that he's no longer among the living, winds up in limbo and must successfully accomplish his mission to avoid an unpleasant afterlife.
I didn't realize it was a multi-book story, so now I've got to do some downloading to get the rest. It could stand on it's own, but I do want to know what's next.
I didn't realize it was a multi-book story, so now I've got to do some downloading to get the rest. It could stand on it's own, but I do want to know what's next.
January 5, 2018
**I wrote the below without realizing I had a beta copy of the book. The finished edition has apparently cleaned up the typos. I have increased my rating to what I think I would have given it if I had only disagreed with the comedic choices**
I have wanted to like this book, especially since it has been compared to Terry Pratchett’s work. But in the end I couldn’t even bring myself to finish it because I found the humor, as well as the grammatical and punctuation errors, so grating.
The humor in The Limpet Syndrome falls into two categories: the first is a reliance on the othering humor of stereotypes. We are expected, or appear to be expected, to laugh at animal rights activists and people with OCD not because of anything overtly humorous they’ve done but just because they are who they are. This is lazy and at its worst offensive.
The other category is hyperbolic and quixotic description. Pratchett’s work uses this to charming effect and it is a worth while writing technique to try and perfect. There is an attempt here that falls short largely due to the unevenness of the rest of the narration. Usually it served to bring me out of the story and remind me that I was supposed to be amused when I wasn’t. However with more practice and editing I think the author might get good at this particular writing style. I wish that potential were enough to keep me engaged.
I have wanted to like this book, especially since it has been compared to Terry Pratchett’s work. But in the end I couldn’t even bring myself to finish it because I found the humor, as well as the grammatical and punctuation errors, so grating.
The humor in The Limpet Syndrome falls into two categories: the first is a reliance on the othering humor of stereotypes. We are expected, or appear to be expected, to laugh at animal rights activists and people with OCD not because of anything overtly humorous they’ve done but just because they are who they are. This is lazy and at its worst offensive.
The other category is hyperbolic and quixotic description. Pratchett’s work uses this to charming effect and it is a worth while writing technique to try and perfect. There is an attempt here that falls short largely due to the unevenness of the rest of the narration. Usually it served to bring me out of the story and remind me that I was supposed to be amused when I wasn’t. However with more practice and editing I think the author might get good at this particular writing style. I wish that potential were enough to keep me engaged.
January 16, 2019
Won from a Goodreads giveaway
Normally when I read something regarding Heaven and Hell, or whatever happens in the afterlife, it tends to be pretty straight forward and the main character is from or going to Heaven(or whatever name is used for the good place). In other words, it sticks more with the positive ideas of the afterlife.
Moyle doesn't stick with that idea of the afterlife though and gives us something more messed up, but thoroughly enjoyable to read about. There were a few parts that dragged a little, and a few instances where the descriptions of what was happening lost me, but none of that was enough to ever make me want to stop reading.
My only warning is it ends in a cliffhanger, so if you really enjoy it you might not be able to resist jumping into the rest of the series right away. Just keep that in mind before you start reading, then find yourself debating whether you should put off the rest of your TBR pile yet again to finish this particular series...like I am.
Normally when I read something regarding Heaven and Hell, or whatever happens in the afterlife, it tends to be pretty straight forward and the main character is from or going to Heaven(or whatever name is used for the good place). In other words, it sticks more with the positive ideas of the afterlife.
Moyle doesn't stick with that idea of the afterlife though and gives us something more messed up, but thoroughly enjoyable to read about. There were a few parts that dragged a little, and a few instances where the descriptions of what was happening lost me, but none of that was enough to ever make me want to stop reading.
My only warning is it ends in a cliffhanger, so if you really enjoy it you might not be able to resist jumping into the rest of the series right away. Just keep that in mind before you start reading, then find yourself debating whether you should put off the rest of your TBR pile yet again to finish this particular series...like I am.
March 24, 2018
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and was so fascinated by the lore that this author created and this side of the afterlife I’ve never seen! None of us truly know what awaits us after death. This book includes snapshots from different religions, while making its own claim on the explanation, and it’s too wild to miss!! I love what The Limpet Syndrome (the actual happenstance, not the book itself) is and how it works and how it drives this book home. I think I’ll be on the lookout for any larger-than-usual animals with human characteristics for the rest of my life! The description says this book is #1, so I’m intrigued to read where this saga goes from here!
November 25, 2017
I had no idea of the author or the book, it was one of those Amazon recommendations, actually book 2 of the series. I decided to read book one to see if it would be a good read. The first two pages already got me into the story and then I had to cocentrate on the development of the „plot“. It was worth it and I haven’t had such a good laugh in a Book for some time. It was witty with good comical situations. Even hell can have its surprises. Just be careful with your soul, it might arrive in the wrong body
April 25, 2018
Very interesting and unique
This book was really interesting and unique. I really enjoyed following the story. I loved the author's unique take on limbo, the afterlife, and seeing good vs. evil and heaven vs. hell. This book makes you think about what makes a person good and worthy of going to heaven. Parts were humorous, parts were dark, and overall I really enjoyed it.
I received this book for free from a Goodreads giveaway.
This book was really interesting and unique. I really enjoyed following the story. I loved the author's unique take on limbo, the afterlife, and seeing good vs. evil and heaven vs. hell. This book makes you think about what makes a person good and worthy of going to heaven. Parts were humorous, parts were dark, and overall I really enjoyed it.
I received this book for free from a Goodreads giveaway.
January 20, 2018
A funny and intriguing read, that frequently had me giggling away to myself.
March 22, 2018
An interesting read. Two story lines that intersect. One being a government plot to pacify the electorate for a better country. The other being a lost soul caught in limbo after he dies who takes on a mission to help determine the true resting place for his soul.
April 20, 2018
I kept thinking of Emorfed as Ice Nine from Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle. I enjoyed this book of contemporary fantasy. It delves into the after life and challenges views of Heaven and Hell, while facing a problem in the "Real" world. I enjoyed the book and would like to read the next one in the series, but it will have to wait since I have so many books on my shelf at home!
November 19, 2017
Oh my gosh. I had so much fun reading this book!
When I first read the book synopsis, I thought it would be a bit out of my wheelhouse. But I was very happily proved wrong! I mean, just from this passage, I should have known that this author's humor was going to be a hit with me:
"If you love books about reincarnation, corruption, the human condition, OCD and talking pigeons then this is the book for you. OK, you've never read a book like that before... here's your chance!"
Seriously, give this book a chance! :)
When I first read the book synopsis, I thought it would be a bit out of my wheelhouse. But I was very happily proved wrong! I mean, just from this passage, I should have known that this author's humor was going to be a hit with me:
"If you love books about reincarnation, corruption, the human condition, OCD and talking pigeons then this is the book for you. OK, you've never read a book like that before... here's your chance!"
Seriously, give this book a chance! :)
July 15, 2017
I came across an ad for this book making a comparison with Terry Pratchett's style. While no one can ever match the late Sir Terry's humour and wit, Tony Moyle did get me to laugh out loud at times. Full marks for creative use of talking pigeons! I enjoyed The Limpet Syndrome in its own right and am looking forward to finding what happens to John in the next book. Excellent first novel.
November 16, 2017
This book was free somehow thanks to some promotion.
I got a strong sense of Terry Pratchett is the writing style - though this story is set in the modern world - mostly London. As such it had some odd and irreverent bits along with the storyline.
Essentially you have the story of souls - those parts of us that make “us”. Module makes this out to be the source of emotion and feeling. And he’s come up with a fun way to describe the afterlife as concerning these souls.
I got a strong sense of Terry Pratchett is the writing style - though this story is set in the modern world - mostly London. As such it had some odd and irreverent bits along with the storyline.
Essentially you have the story of souls - those parts of us that make “us”. Module makes this out to be the source of emotion and feeling. And he’s come up with a fun way to describe the afterlife as concerning these souls.
October 2, 2017
I loved this book. It's not like anything I've ever read before. Such a different take on life, death, survival, and second chances.
Read
September 17, 2018Funny and we'll written
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were believable and there were many parts that made me laugh out loud. So good I've just bought book 2!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were believable and there were many parts that made me laugh out loud. So good I've just bought book 2!
September 20, 2017
I enjoyed this a lot more than I though I would. Will be buying the others in the series. need to see where this goes next.
July 15, 2017
Oh my gosh. I had so much fun reading this book!
When I first read the book synopsis, I thought it would be a bit out of my wheelhouse. But I was very happily proved wrong! I mean, just from this passage, I should have known that this author's humor was going to be a hit with me:
"If you love books about reincarnation, corruption, the human condition, OCD and talking pigeons then this is the book for you. OK, you've never read a book like that before... here's your chance!"
Seriously, give this book a chance! :)
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
My thoughts: There will be some slight spoilers! Proceed with caution.
Oh my goodness I don't even know how to start with this one! I just loved it so much! I mentioned the humor above, so lets start there!
So like I said, the humor was right up my alley. I found myself laughing so much! I also marked a bunch of passages to go back to later in order to add to the bottom of this review. So if you'd like to read some of those, check out the "My favorite passages" section below. However, while there was plenty of humor and wit, there was also a layer of seriousness and many darker topics that were woven throughout the story.
I thought that the authors writing style was so wonderful. Sometimes the beginnings of a chapter would seem a bit off, almost like it was a weird rambling, but then suddenly it would flow perfectly back into the storyline. Let me tell you, I LOVE when authors can pull this off! The only other person I have seen do this successfully is Daniel Handler (or Lemony Snicket). A great example of this is Chapter 18, where the passage begins discussing luck seemingly on a tangent before it seamlessly moves back into Ian's storyline.
The storyline was organized in a very awesome way that kept me guessing about what would happen next. I was still guessing up to the very last page! I loved that we cycled through different perspectives of each character. And the characters themselves were well developed! I loved that we got to learn more about each of them as the story progressed both through their own perspectives and the perspectives of other characters.
I loved the transitions between chapters. One of my favorites was when John and Nash were planing to take a private jet back home in one chapter. Then in the next chapter, which was titled "Flight 44," two pigeons learned how to fly.
I also really enjoyed the amount of detail that this author added to the storyline. Some of this I was a bit slow to pick up on, but some I got right away! Here is one example... As a reader we knew that the substance that had the ability to alter a person's soul was called Emorfed. In one chapter we learn that the two pigeons have named their siblings Emma and Fred. Then, there was this:
"Em or Fred," muttered Sandy slowly, several times over and over again.
"Those two, remember I call them EM and FRED," replied Ian, even more slowly as if talking to an idiot.
"I've got this word Em-or-fed circling around me. It's something important but I can't work it out. Does it mean anything to you, Ian?"
I didn't make the Em and Fred/Emorfed connection until right then when it was all laid out for me! Phew!
Sometimes I struggle with sic-fi because I get a bit lost in the explanation. But the sci-fi elements here were very well written. Everything was explained in a way that made sense to an everyday reader like me. Nothing seemed to go over my head, and nothing seemed too far fetched.
Finally, I have to mention the cover. It's so clever. When I first saw it, I was immediately drawn to it. But only once you have read the book, will each element of the cover make sense. Genius!
My favorite passages:
If this man wasn’t away with the fairies he was most certainly waiting patiently in the departure lounge clutching his boarding pass.
The first noticeable thing about him was that he was smoking. Not the conventional human way. The smoke was coming out of his skin, a composition of solid and molten rock that burnt with the intensity of the sun. The man’s smile showed off his chiselled, pumice rock teeth and as a result a small crack opened across his stone face releasing a small line of lava. Even though he was made entirely of rock most of the normal human characteristics were present.
There was never even a close compromise between people with sacred views, the two subjects having divided generations of scholars and beer drinkers alike.
When he reached ‘Conference Room C’ the door was ajar and a man sat typing violently into a laptop computer. Frustrated with the instrument, he tapped the keys in an over-dramatic fashion as if they might respond better to force.
As much as he was finding it hard to accept his surroundings, he couldn’t but be annoyed that he was being mocked by a pile of mud.
“Emotion is not what makes us weak, Brimstone. It’s what makes us human. The ability to care, even if people often do not.”
It was a beautiful May morning in Buckinghamshire. The warm sunlight shone down upon the wooded valley bathing it in a shower of golden glitter that played hide and seek with bush and thicket. The spring plumage that covered twig and branch was a kaleidoscope of pastel shades. Flowers of red, yellow, white and blue quivered in the brisk wind and danced in time to a secret melody.
Sandy stopped in his tracks overcome by the strength of her perfume, a sickly aroma so potent that it must have been hosed on to her using a water canon.
A widely accepted opinion on modern day Earth is that you make your own luck. Yet the word luck is still used frequently when something unplanned or improbable happens. Often combined with a friendly expletive, the word might be used when a golfer hits a ball straight into the hole from a hundred yards. That would be seen to be lucky, yet paradoxically if that same shot had landed an inch from the hole it might be greeted with consolation and cries of, ‘bad luck.’
It was about ten o’clock in the evening but the bright full moon tricked the night’s sky into believing it was much earlier.
Dressed like he’d just left an expensive gentlemen’s club, a gold pocket watch and chain swung from his double breasted suit jacket that peeked out from his long coat, as his gleaming shoes were in competition with the moon itself.
A gaze of such utter confusion it resembled someone struggling with an unfathomable mathematics calculation or the age old riddle of why women needed so many shoes?
“One man’s view of right is alien to someone with opposing opinions."
Real power is facing up to your problems when you want to hide from them. Real power is picking yourself up from a fall and redoubling your efforts. Real power is the strength to choose what is right.
My final thoughts:
The author told me that, "The Limpet Syndrome doesn’t really have a natural ‘wheel house’ but sits in everyone’s ‘odd space’ that most of us have!" And I 100% agree. I would very highly recommend this book to those that don't mind reads that are a bit strange!
I will warn readers that this was a bit of a slow read, but I do not say that with any negativity at all! It was just a denser book than I usually read, so it took me more time to read. And I absolutely loved every second of it! Five stars!
When I first read the book synopsis, I thought it would be a bit out of my wheelhouse. But I was very happily proved wrong! I mean, just from this passage, I should have known that this author's humor was going to be a hit with me:
"If you love books about reincarnation, corruption, the human condition, OCD and talking pigeons then this is the book for you. OK, you've never read a book like that before... here's your chance!"
Seriously, give this book a chance! :)
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
My thoughts: There will be some slight spoilers! Proceed with caution.
Oh my goodness I don't even know how to start with this one! I just loved it so much! I mentioned the humor above, so lets start there!
So like I said, the humor was right up my alley. I found myself laughing so much! I also marked a bunch of passages to go back to later in order to add to the bottom of this review. So if you'd like to read some of those, check out the "My favorite passages" section below. However, while there was plenty of humor and wit, there was also a layer of seriousness and many darker topics that were woven throughout the story.
I thought that the authors writing style was so wonderful. Sometimes the beginnings of a chapter would seem a bit off, almost like it was a weird rambling, but then suddenly it would flow perfectly back into the storyline. Let me tell you, I LOVE when authors can pull this off! The only other person I have seen do this successfully is Daniel Handler (or Lemony Snicket). A great example of this is Chapter 18, where the passage begins discussing luck seemingly on a tangent before it seamlessly moves back into Ian's storyline.
The storyline was organized in a very awesome way that kept me guessing about what would happen next. I was still guessing up to the very last page! I loved that we cycled through different perspectives of each character. And the characters themselves were well developed! I loved that we got to learn more about each of them as the story progressed both through their own perspectives and the perspectives of other characters.
I loved the transitions between chapters. One of my favorites was when John and Nash were planing to take a private jet back home in one chapter. Then in the next chapter, which was titled "Flight 44," two pigeons learned how to fly.
I also really enjoyed the amount of detail that this author added to the storyline. Some of this I was a bit slow to pick up on, but some I got right away! Here is one example... As a reader we knew that the substance that had the ability to alter a person's soul was called Emorfed. In one chapter we learn that the two pigeons have named their siblings Emma and Fred. Then, there was this:
"Em or Fred," muttered Sandy slowly, several times over and over again.
"Those two, remember I call them EM and FRED," replied Ian, even more slowly as if talking to an idiot.
"I've got this word Em-or-fed circling around me. It's something important but I can't work it out. Does it mean anything to you, Ian?"
I didn't make the Em and Fred/Emorfed connection until right then when it was all laid out for me! Phew!
Sometimes I struggle with sic-fi because I get a bit lost in the explanation. But the sci-fi elements here were very well written. Everything was explained in a way that made sense to an everyday reader like me. Nothing seemed to go over my head, and nothing seemed too far fetched.
Finally, I have to mention the cover. It's so clever. When I first saw it, I was immediately drawn to it. But only once you have read the book, will each element of the cover make sense. Genius!
My favorite passages:
If this man wasn’t away with the fairies he was most certainly waiting patiently in the departure lounge clutching his boarding pass.
The first noticeable thing about him was that he was smoking. Not the conventional human way. The smoke was coming out of his skin, a composition of solid and molten rock that burnt with the intensity of the sun. The man’s smile showed off his chiselled, pumice rock teeth and as a result a small crack opened across his stone face releasing a small line of lava. Even though he was made entirely of rock most of the normal human characteristics were present.
There was never even a close compromise between people with sacred views, the two subjects having divided generations of scholars and beer drinkers alike.
When he reached ‘Conference Room C’ the door was ajar and a man sat typing violently into a laptop computer. Frustrated with the instrument, he tapped the keys in an over-dramatic fashion as if they might respond better to force.
As much as he was finding it hard to accept his surroundings, he couldn’t but be annoyed that he was being mocked by a pile of mud.
“Emotion is not what makes us weak, Brimstone. It’s what makes us human. The ability to care, even if people often do not.”
It was a beautiful May morning in Buckinghamshire. The warm sunlight shone down upon the wooded valley bathing it in a shower of golden glitter that played hide and seek with bush and thicket. The spring plumage that covered twig and branch was a kaleidoscope of pastel shades. Flowers of red, yellow, white and blue quivered in the brisk wind and danced in time to a secret melody.
Sandy stopped in his tracks overcome by the strength of her perfume, a sickly aroma so potent that it must have been hosed on to her using a water canon.
A widely accepted opinion on modern day Earth is that you make your own luck. Yet the word luck is still used frequently when something unplanned or improbable happens. Often combined with a friendly expletive, the word might be used when a golfer hits a ball straight into the hole from a hundred yards. That would be seen to be lucky, yet paradoxically if that same shot had landed an inch from the hole it might be greeted with consolation and cries of, ‘bad luck.’
It was about ten o’clock in the evening but the bright full moon tricked the night’s sky into believing it was much earlier.
Dressed like he’d just left an expensive gentlemen’s club, a gold pocket watch and chain swung from his double breasted suit jacket that peeked out from his long coat, as his gleaming shoes were in competition with the moon itself.
A gaze of such utter confusion it resembled someone struggling with an unfathomable mathematics calculation or the age old riddle of why women needed so many shoes?
“One man’s view of right is alien to someone with opposing opinions."
Real power is facing up to your problems when you want to hide from them. Real power is picking yourself up from a fall and redoubling your efforts. Real power is the strength to choose what is right.
My final thoughts:
The author told me that, "The Limpet Syndrome doesn’t really have a natural ‘wheel house’ but sits in everyone’s ‘odd space’ that most of us have!" And I 100% agree. I would very highly recommend this book to those that don't mind reads that are a bit strange!
I will warn readers that this was a bit of a slow read, but I do not say that with any negativity at all! It was just a denser book than I usually read, so it took me more time to read. And I absolutely loved every second of it! Five stars!
January 19, 2021
Very imaginative and laugh out loud funny.
June 12, 2018
I give this book 3.5/5 pigeons.
So, this book, it's not necessarily about suicide but it's about death. Limpet syndrome means that the soul stays firmly stuck to the Earth, irrespective of how much force is applied by an external source. If you remember the movie Casper, Casper became a ghost because he had an unfinished business and that's what Limpet syndrome is. Limpet is actually a mollusk. So, when a soul is almost impossible to remove from Earth and be returned back to the afterlife. It's like a limpet stuck to a rock after the tide has gone far out to the sea. That was how it was explained in the book.
Now that we have that out of the way and you understand now what Limpet syndrome is, let's look at the story. The main character in the story is John Hewson. The story started with John's death and his trip to the underworld. He was given a special mission and was asked to go back to the land of the living and find two souls who are not supposed to be still on Earth. He was given instructions on how to spot these two and why it's apparent and important that he should retrieve these two souls with Limpet syndrome. The balance of the land of the living and the dead is precariously in danger if these two were left free to roam Earth after the summer solstice. These two souls that he has to bring back are Sandy Logan, the Mininster of Home Land Security for the UK and his assistant Ian Noble.
I suspected that John's death was somehow weird or there was something that was suspicious. I think his death was not an accident. I think something unknown had a hand in his death. It might be something supernatural or someone wanted him dead. At the end of the story, it was somehow revealed that John was actually chosen for the special mission and so his being dead had to be a part of it. But I wasn't satisfied. I feel like there was some unexplored portion about this death and circumstances leading to it that were still unclear to me. So, that's one of the questions that's still plaguing me about the story.
The two limpet souls that John had to capture were very bad people when they were alive and a part of them becoming limpet is because an accident happened on their last outing which was just karma taking over and reversed the situation and they ended up having a taste of their medicine. Yes, it served them right. But on the later part of the story, as these two realized what happened to them and what's their current situation, they somehow turned around and actually used the remaining minutes of their borrowed life to do the right thing which I really liked. And it also revealed that there are two other persons in the story that are madder than these two. It's good that the story ended with these two being instrumental in saving London or the whole of UK from eventual doom.
This is an entertaining read especially when it comes Sandy and Ian. Ian is probably the dumbest and the most simple person in the whole universe. He's antics are just hilarious to the point of irritating. I personally wanted to knock his head off. He was just too stupid. I feel for Sandy being always at the end of his patience when it comes to Ian. John, on the other hand is also a funny character at times. His monologues are in a way funny too.
I give this book 3.5/5 pigeons. This is a good story about reincarnation and how people are so consumed by ambition and power that they would do anything to keep it. Even to the point of controlling people's minds just to keep them subdued and obedient. I think the intentions of the people in power here are darker than the levels and creatures described in John's tour in hell. Their selfishness just know no bonds and the sense of loyalty and dedication to the job was greatly misplaced. I think it's still selfishness, right? The great urge to do one's assignment and reach a goal, even if somehow you know that what your pursuing is definitely wrong. I just hate that Agent 15 ignored his conscience because of his false sense of loyalty and duty. He just went on even if he knows that he's a pawn to an evil plan. I wished he could have turned around and had a change of heart.
There are some other important qualities about the solstice you may not know. When the sun is in its highest position in the northern hemisphere it literally stops. Its name comes from the Latin 'sol' and 'sistere'. Sistere means stand still and sol means sun. Yes, but it actually refers to the soul. The soul stands still. In medieval times, people would light huge bonfires to ward off evil spirits. Although stuff of pagan propaganda, it wasn't so far from the truth.
- Tony Moyle, The Limpet Syndrome -
Thank you again, Tony Moyle for the copy.
So, this book, it's not necessarily about suicide but it's about death. Limpet syndrome means that the soul stays firmly stuck to the Earth, irrespective of how much force is applied by an external source. If you remember the movie Casper, Casper became a ghost because he had an unfinished business and that's what Limpet syndrome is. Limpet is actually a mollusk. So, when a soul is almost impossible to remove from Earth and be returned back to the afterlife. It's like a limpet stuck to a rock after the tide has gone far out to the sea. That was how it was explained in the book.
Now that we have that out of the way and you understand now what Limpet syndrome is, let's look at the story. The main character in the story is John Hewson. The story started with John's death and his trip to the underworld. He was given a special mission and was asked to go back to the land of the living and find two souls who are not supposed to be still on Earth. He was given instructions on how to spot these two and why it's apparent and important that he should retrieve these two souls with Limpet syndrome. The balance of the land of the living and the dead is precariously in danger if these two were left free to roam Earth after the summer solstice. These two souls that he has to bring back are Sandy Logan, the Mininster of Home Land Security for the UK and his assistant Ian Noble.
I suspected that John's death was somehow weird or there was something that was suspicious. I think his death was not an accident. I think something unknown had a hand in his death. It might be something supernatural or someone wanted him dead. At the end of the story, it was somehow revealed that John was actually chosen for the special mission and so his being dead had to be a part of it. But I wasn't satisfied. I feel like there was some unexplored portion about this death and circumstances leading to it that were still unclear to me. So, that's one of the questions that's still plaguing me about the story.
The two limpet souls that John had to capture were very bad people when they were alive and a part of them becoming limpet is because an accident happened on their last outing which was just karma taking over and reversed the situation and they ended up having a taste of their medicine. Yes, it served them right. But on the later part of the story, as these two realized what happened to them and what's their current situation, they somehow turned around and actually used the remaining minutes of their borrowed life to do the right thing which I really liked. And it also revealed that there are two other persons in the story that are madder than these two. It's good that the story ended with these two being instrumental in saving London or the whole of UK from eventual doom.
This is an entertaining read especially when it comes Sandy and Ian. Ian is probably the dumbest and the most simple person in the whole universe. He's antics are just hilarious to the point of irritating. I personally wanted to knock his head off. He was just too stupid. I feel for Sandy being always at the end of his patience when it comes to Ian. John, on the other hand is also a funny character at times. His monologues are in a way funny too.
I give this book 3.5/5 pigeons. This is a good story about reincarnation and how people are so consumed by ambition and power that they would do anything to keep it. Even to the point of controlling people's minds just to keep them subdued and obedient. I think the intentions of the people in power here are darker than the levels and creatures described in John's tour in hell. Their selfishness just know no bonds and the sense of loyalty and dedication to the job was greatly misplaced. I think it's still selfishness, right? The great urge to do one's assignment and reach a goal, even if somehow you know that what your pursuing is definitely wrong. I just hate that Agent 15 ignored his conscience because of his false sense of loyalty and duty. He just went on even if he knows that he's a pawn to an evil plan. I wished he could have turned around and had a change of heart.
There are some other important qualities about the solstice you may not know. When the sun is in its highest position in the northern hemisphere it literally stops. Its name comes from the Latin 'sol' and 'sistere'. Sistere means stand still and sol means sun. Yes, but it actually refers to the soul. The soul stands still. In medieval times, people would light huge bonfires to ward off evil spirits. Although stuff of pagan propaganda, it wasn't so far from the truth.
- Tony Moyle, The Limpet Syndrome -
Thank you again, Tony Moyle for the copy.
January 10, 2018
Full disclaimer - I received a copy of this book as a giveway on here, so I figured I should read it.
Then I remembered why I've only read 2-3 paper books in the last year, so I ended up buying it on Amazon anyways. This review then covers the eBook, not the physical paper copy.
First, the bad - a few editorial mishaps crept into the ebook in the form of footnotes. And I'm pretty sure the old guy was gentle as opposed to a gentile ;)
Now the good. Too many 'funny' books try to get there by inserting jokes or just being silly. This managed to make me smile more than a few times and my wife tell me to 'shuddup and stop laughing in the middle of the night' once. Maybe that's the difference between funny and witty, I dunno - I'm just a reader, not a writer.
Funny is all well and good, but honestly, I can always just go and read a joke book if that's all I want. Good humor books have to have a solid story to support the laughs, especially if you want to get readers back. This managed that - a good cast of characters and one too many unanswered questions for my tastes (How DARE you leave me hanging like that! ;)) but it lays a good foundation for whatever comes next.
While the book's setting is distinctly unreal, it didn't feel like a fantasy novel. Yes, I know it was, I'm not stupid, but it captured the evil of politicians in general in a concerningly real way, and with the exception of the dead fella, was quite believable.
Then I remembered why I've only read 2-3 paper books in the last year, so I ended up buying it on Amazon anyways. This review then covers the eBook, not the physical paper copy.
First, the bad - a few editorial mishaps crept into the ebook in the form of footnotes. And I'm pretty sure the old guy was gentle as opposed to a gentile ;)
Now the good. Too many 'funny' books try to get there by inserting jokes or just being silly. This managed to make me smile more than a few times and my wife tell me to 'shuddup and stop laughing in the middle of the night' once. Maybe that's the difference between funny and witty, I dunno - I'm just a reader, not a writer.
Funny is all well and good, but honestly, I can always just go and read a joke book if that's all I want. Good humor books have to have a solid story to support the laughs, especially if you want to get readers back. This managed that - a good cast of characters and one too many unanswered questions for my tastes (How DARE you leave me hanging like that! ;)) but it lays a good foundation for whatever comes next.
While the book's setting is distinctly unreal, it didn't feel like a fantasy novel. Yes, I know it was, I'm not stupid, but it captured the evil of politicians in general in a concerningly real way, and with the exception of the dead fella, was quite believable.
November 9, 2017
Mr. Moyle was kind enough to send me his book (free of charge) with the provision that I give a review. Here goes:
I am familiar with the term "limpet mine", so my first thought was that this book is about warfare.. in a way it is, the warfare between good and evil and dare I say humanity.
My reading style is, read a book as fast as possible, get through the beginning, middle and end and then read it at leisure.
The Limpet Syndrome however is so jam packed with twists and plots and "oh wows", that I had to take my time reading.
I cant quite pinpoint the genre, fantasy, sci-fi. The story line was brilliantly thought of. One can see that a lot of research went into the writing of this book.
For a first time author Mr. Moyle has done an excellent job. I am looking forward to read the next book, which I will purchase..
I do hope that Mr. Moyle's depiction of hell is not fact, cause it is plenty scary...... I really recommend this book for an awesome read..
I am familiar with the term "limpet mine", so my first thought was that this book is about warfare.. in a way it is, the warfare between good and evil and dare I say humanity.
My reading style is, read a book as fast as possible, get through the beginning, middle and end and then read it at leisure.
The Limpet Syndrome however is so jam packed with twists and plots and "oh wows", that I had to take my time reading.
I cant quite pinpoint the genre, fantasy, sci-fi. The story line was brilliantly thought of. One can see that a lot of research went into the writing of this book.
For a first time author Mr. Moyle has done an excellent job. I am looking forward to read the next book, which I will purchase..
I do hope that Mr. Moyle's depiction of hell is not fact, cause it is plenty scary...... I really recommend this book for an awesome read..
May 13, 2018
Picked up this book on something of a whim as it was touted as being a mix of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, and I have been reading some hard and harrowing books recently. It is one of those rare books that made me laugh out loud when on my own and so served the purpose for which it was intended, even though there are some truly sad and truly scary moments in there. It was reminiscent of the previously mentioned Adams and Pratchett though not quite up the dizzying hieghts of those two at their best, it also reminded me gently of The Screwtape Letters. The major gripe was the presence of a number of proofing comments which irritated the hell out of me and let loose the notoriously short temper.
Read
June 29, 2019Sure, you could compare this book to Adams or Pratchett, but I'm going out on a limb to say it reminds me more of a combo between Tom Robbins and Mikhail Bulgakov (which is high praise if you're unfamiliar with the brilliant dark satire of Bulgakov). Unexpectedly deep, funny, and *dark* towards the end. It was delightful; I loved the prose itself, and the genuine inventiveness. It's getting hard to find a plot line that doesn't feel familiar ten times over. Nothing new under the sun, and all. I laughed out loud & squirmed inside. Good show. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more of Mr. Moyle's work!
September 3, 2019
First I read another book by this author, The End of the World is Nigh. I thoroughly enjoyed that book and decided to give this one a shot. While this book, to me, is nothing like the other I still really enjoyed reading it.
I am the type of reader who, when I'm really enjoying a book and I get to the climactic scenes, I get excited and read it so fast that I have to stop and go back and re-read those sections because I lost track of what happened. This, surprisingly, happened to me with this book.
I am a huge fan of Terry Pratchett. I'm not saying that because I think the style or genre is the same. I'm also not saying that his writing is on the same, a higher or a lower level than Pratchett's. I'm just saying that I am a Pratchett fan who also really enjoys Tony Moyle's books.
I am currently reading the second book in this series and I'm enjoying it so far.
I am the type of reader who, when I'm really enjoying a book and I get to the climactic scenes, I get excited and read it so fast that I have to stop and go back and re-read those sections because I lost track of what happened. This, surprisingly, happened to me with this book.
I am a huge fan of Terry Pratchett. I'm not saying that because I think the style or genre is the same. I'm also not saying that his writing is on the same, a higher or a lower level than Pratchett's. I'm just saying that I am a Pratchett fan who also really enjoys Tony Moyle's books.
I am currently reading the second book in this series and I'm enjoying it so far.
April 18, 2018
Well...OK, mostly. First to acknowledge: I received this in a Goodreads giveaway, which I appreciate.
Imaginative, sometimes hilarious, other times plodding, all in all a mixed bag for me. I love visiting sci fi alt worlds with their own clearly defined rules, and some of Moyle's rules for the not-quite-dead are brilliant. As plot lines started to resolve, however, I was looking forward to the big finish eagerly, then impatiently, then just longingly for it to be over. This one didn't completely hold together for me, but I would give this style and this author another try.
Imaginative, sometimes hilarious, other times plodding, all in all a mixed bag for me. I love visiting sci fi alt worlds with their own clearly defined rules, and some of Moyle's rules for the not-quite-dead are brilliant. As plot lines started to resolve, however, I was looking forward to the big finish eagerly, then impatiently, then just longingly for it to be over. This one didn't completely hold together for me, but I would give this style and this author another try.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2018
I was given the book by the author and asked to critique it. What I said to him was this: I read it in one day because I couldn't put it down. It was laugh out loud funny in places and a fascinating take on the age old theological debate. I highly recommend the book and am now reading the next one which is good so far.
July 31, 2018
Interesting concept
This was a quirky book with a very interesting storyline. John is a neutral soul given a task to go back to earth and kill two pigeons. Should be easy but John gets tangled in a bigger conspiracy and has to save the day.
I enjoyed it and found it novel although very similar to a cartoon I 've seen (think of pinky and the brain) the writing was fluid but I was expecting humour, mystery and mayhem and I found it fell a bit short.
This was a quirky book with a very interesting storyline. John is a neutral soul given a task to go back to earth and kill two pigeons. Should be easy but John gets tangled in a bigger conspiracy and has to save the day.
I enjoyed it and found it novel although very similar to a cartoon I 've seen (think of pinky and the brain) the writing was fluid but I was expecting humour, mystery and mayhem and I found it fell a bit short.
August 16, 2018
Amusing and Interesting
I saw an ad comparing this to Gaiman and Pratchett. I think the similarities end in its country of origin. It was funny and the characters were engaging. I definitely recommend it, but whomever is writing the ad copy needs to be sacked. It was a disappointment only because of the impossible expectations. I would've read this based on its Abstract without the overblown sales pitch.
I saw an ad comparing this to Gaiman and Pratchett. I think the similarities end in its country of origin. It was funny and the characters were engaging. I definitely recommend it, but whomever is writing the ad copy needs to be sacked. It was a disappointment only because of the impossible expectations. I would've read this based on its Abstract without the overblown sales pitch.
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