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The Oscillator
In a silent and broken world, where kindness, compassion and the earth’s ozone layer is all but gone, Theo’s affliction is just one more challenge he has to deal with.
He’d very much like to make a name for himself, or even just make it home in one piece, but his trembling hands don’t exactly say ‘Super Power’.
That is until he’s gifted a little gray box that changes everything.
Now he can stand up for himself, take care of his enemies, and get the girl.
However, revenge isn’t always that sweet...
He’d very much like to make a name for himself, or even just make it home in one piece, but his trembling hands don’t exactly say ‘Super Power’.
That is until he’s gifted a little gray box that changes everything.
Now he can stand up for himself, take care of his enemies, and get the girl.
However, revenge isn’t always that sweet...
148 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 28, 2017
22 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
J.K. Neve
6 books47 followers***Sign up for JK Neve's mailing list***
I came late to this writing thing, but my imagination has always played out scenes of suspense, fantasy and yes, romance.
I remember how, as a young boy, I ran free through the wild landscape around our house in Cape Town, South Africa. I imagined I was Tarzan, without the Great Apes, and still having to meet my Jane. I preferred being alone, so no-one would trespass on the world in my head.
Guess it was only a matter of time before I wrote down some of my madness.
I now live on the blustery south coast of England, writing with the unreliable permission of my three children.
I came late to this writing thing, but my imagination has always played out scenes of suspense, fantasy and yes, romance.
I remember how, as a young boy, I ran free through the wild landscape around our house in Cape Town, South Africa. I imagined I was Tarzan, without the Great Apes, and still having to meet my Jane. I preferred being alone, so no-one would trespass on the world in my head.
Guess it was only a matter of time before I wrote down some of my madness.
I now live on the blustery south coast of England, writing with the unreliable permission of my three children.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 23, 2018
A bit unclear around the edges. Nevertheless, pretty good.
Q:
“The crime they committed was… music.” (c)
Q:
“I’ve not told anyone this before, but I thought the schematic on the screen yesterday was… kinda sexy. Not in an ‘elegant solution’ kind of way, rather just that it—to me—represents a form of art. I look at these things on the table and I actually feel like… crying, they’re just so beautiful. Ordered. Inanimate, but alive with possibility.” ...
The girl he’d imagined her to be was very far from this clever, electronic-loving vixen. (c)
Q:
“Yes miss, I only stuck this wire into that hole, is that wrong?” ...
“Yes Ed, you just shocked yourself. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes miss, just a bit… shocked.” (c)
Q:
He couldn’t explain it, but he felt energized, alive. Its origins almost didn’t matter. His head was consumed with where it fit—into a circuit—but also into his life. (c)
Q:
If ever Theo and his kind needed reminding of just where they stood in this fucked-up hierarchy, Mel was a great example of an unattainable reward. (c)
Q:
Good old Adam, always looking out for the underdogs. (c)
Q:
Stacey always looked forward to basketball practice. Fuck whatever physical or educational benefits the powers-that-be thought it provided. To her, it was a chance to flex her muscles, and let off some steam yes, but in the way a prize-fighter let off steam in a sparring match; blow by blow, punch by punch. She knew her place in this world. She understood where she fit, but unlike some, she had aspirations for more. One didn’t survive this wreck of a planet by being nice to all and sundry. There was a reason losers were losers, no need to pretend otherwise. It was just the way things were. Here, in the last period of the school day, on the indoor court with its echoing walls and safe, open space, was a chance to emphasize the status of individuals; remind a few who were in charge, and quite frankly, kick some ass. (c)
Q:
Never mind they were preparing for battle with the elements, or that this process kept them alive as a species. Even survival could become boring. (c)
Q:
The brave get hurt a lot worse. (c)
Q:
She stepped forward and started her daily ritual, methodically popping the pills, swallowing and grimacing with each swallow. She’d found out that not all people were equally good at swallowing tablets, something to do with their gag reflex. Who knew? The worst thing about taking this many tablets was not the actual pills, but having to take in so much water when she wasn’t really thirsty, and she would never do them dry. (c)
Q:
She didn’t know how long she had, but she was determined to make the most of it. ...
She would turn this life into a party, even if it killed her. (c)
Q:
This was his life. Safe in here. Unsafe out there. Certain of himself when alone. Unsure of everything when with others. ... Namely, that he didn’t have the faintest fuck of a clue what this life was about. (с)
Q:
That night, sleeping with the Oscillator two inches underneath his right temple, he dreamed of standing over a tall device, twisting unknown buttons and creating strange sounds while lightning forked from the sky. (c)
Q:
Was it a better time? Some days he allowed himself to think so. Other days, he realized the futility of missing anything at all. (c)
Q:
Despite all that happened to him, Theo arrived home feeling strangely upbeat. By all accounts he should have been suffering from his usual anxiety. ... All in all, Theo should not have been on a high as he rushed up the stairs to his room. But things had changed since the oscillator had arrived. He felt… different. Stronger, more confident. He remembered the power that surged through him when his hands touched Kevin; it had felt intoxicating. Definitely a sensation he wanted to experience again. (c)
Q:
She listened intently and laughed at the moments he found the most earth-shatteringly humiliating, tears of laughter rolling down her cheeks as he told a story he thought had defined him as an outcast. Instead, he found that in its telling, the story, and the incident, lost its power. Her laughter stripped it of its weight, her humor changed its meaning. (c)
Q:
It’s not as if Theo had suddenly found himself. He was just a different kind of lost. A dreamy, non-painful loss of self. Somewhere in this conversation, Theo realized, they had crossed a line; jumped a barrier to what was previously acceptable as they stared into each other's eyes, smiles flashing as last twinges of a happy moment. (c)
Q:
“The crime they committed was… music.” (c)
Q:
“I’ve not told anyone this before, but I thought the schematic on the screen yesterday was… kinda sexy. Not in an ‘elegant solution’ kind of way, rather just that it—to me—represents a form of art. I look at these things on the table and I actually feel like… crying, they’re just so beautiful. Ordered. Inanimate, but alive with possibility.” ...
The girl he’d imagined her to be was very far from this clever, electronic-loving vixen. (c)
Q:
“Yes miss, I only stuck this wire into that hole, is that wrong?” ...
“Yes Ed, you just shocked yourself. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes miss, just a bit… shocked.” (c)
Q:
He couldn’t explain it, but he felt energized, alive. Its origins almost didn’t matter. His head was consumed with where it fit—into a circuit—but also into his life. (c)
Q:
If ever Theo and his kind needed reminding of just where they stood in this fucked-up hierarchy, Mel was a great example of an unattainable reward. (c)
Q:
Good old Adam, always looking out for the underdogs. (c)
Q:
Stacey always looked forward to basketball practice. Fuck whatever physical or educational benefits the powers-that-be thought it provided. To her, it was a chance to flex her muscles, and let off some steam yes, but in the way a prize-fighter let off steam in a sparring match; blow by blow, punch by punch. She knew her place in this world. She understood where she fit, but unlike some, she had aspirations for more. One didn’t survive this wreck of a planet by being nice to all and sundry. There was a reason losers were losers, no need to pretend otherwise. It was just the way things were. Here, in the last period of the school day, on the indoor court with its echoing walls and safe, open space, was a chance to emphasize the status of individuals; remind a few who were in charge, and quite frankly, kick some ass. (c)
Q:
Never mind they were preparing for battle with the elements, or that this process kept them alive as a species. Even survival could become boring. (c)
Q:
The brave get hurt a lot worse. (c)
Q:
She stepped forward and started her daily ritual, methodically popping the pills, swallowing and grimacing with each swallow. She’d found out that not all people were equally good at swallowing tablets, something to do with their gag reflex. Who knew? The worst thing about taking this many tablets was not the actual pills, but having to take in so much water when she wasn’t really thirsty, and she would never do them dry. (c)
Q:
She didn’t know how long she had, but she was determined to make the most of it. ...
She would turn this life into a party, even if it killed her. (c)
Q:
This was his life. Safe in here. Unsafe out there. Certain of himself when alone. Unsure of everything when with others. ... Namely, that he didn’t have the faintest fuck of a clue what this life was about. (с)
Q:
That night, sleeping with the Oscillator two inches underneath his right temple, he dreamed of standing over a tall device, twisting unknown buttons and creating strange sounds while lightning forked from the sky. (c)
Q:
Was it a better time? Some days he allowed himself to think so. Other days, he realized the futility of missing anything at all. (c)
Q:
Despite all that happened to him, Theo arrived home feeling strangely upbeat. By all accounts he should have been suffering from his usual anxiety. ... All in all, Theo should not have been on a high as he rushed up the stairs to his room. But things had changed since the oscillator had arrived. He felt… different. Stronger, more confident. He remembered the power that surged through him when his hands touched Kevin; it had felt intoxicating. Definitely a sensation he wanted to experience again. (c)
Q:
She listened intently and laughed at the moments he found the most earth-shatteringly humiliating, tears of laughter rolling down her cheeks as he told a story he thought had defined him as an outcast. Instead, he found that in its telling, the story, and the incident, lost its power. Her laughter stripped it of its weight, her humor changed its meaning. (c)
Q:
It’s not as if Theo had suddenly found himself. He was just a different kind of lost. A dreamy, non-painful loss of self. Somewhere in this conversation, Theo realized, they had crossed a line; jumped a barrier to what was previously acceptable as they stared into each other's eyes, smiles flashing as last twinges of a happy moment. (c)
January 21, 2018
This prequel to a series is a quick and enjoyable read. Set in the future where the ozone layer is so depleted, people have to put on protective clothing before going outside, I was quickly immersed in the world the author constructed. Another notable aspect of this world is the lack of music. Music does not exist. Theo is the protagonist, an awkward teen with the world upon his shoulders. He suffers from a stutter and is ridiculed at school and beaten up every day on the way home by Kevin. Kevin is going out with Mel, who Theo adores. Mel's best friend is the evil Stacy, a girl with rather violent tendencies. On Theo's side is his friend Ed, who he views as being a bit on the slow side, and the enigmatic Adam, a popular boy who is not afraid to stand up to the bullies. Another notable character is Lisa, a girl bullied for her afro hair, she just seems to smile her way through everything, because perhaps she knows a lot more than the rest of them do? One day Theo accidentally comes across a strange grey box which he later discovers is an oscillator. Not only is this a great addition to his science presentation, it also gives him superpowers which help protect him against the vicious Kevin. It seems like things are finally going right for Theo, a character I totally fell for, by the way. When he is paired up with Mel for the presentation, he plans to wow her with the powers of the oscillator but things obviously do not go to plan. This is a short book with a huge amount packed into it, which makes me tremendously excited for the rest of the series! I already love these characters. The author did a great job of giving just enough of each of them to make you want more. It seems like they all have more to them then meets the eye, particularly Lisa and Adam. I can't wait to find out if this is the case. A typically angst-filled teenage drama with fantasy superpowers and a frightening future world thrown in, this is a fantastic start to a series I thoroughly recommend it.
September 1, 2019
( Format : Audiobook )
"No different from your average high school party."
Set in an uncomfortable future where the birds and the trees have gone, as has music, meat eating is banned, power is rationed so that there is an evening electricity curfew, and just going outside can cause such dangerous skin burns that protective clothing has always to be worn, this is the story of one boy's coming of age as a super hero. A nerd with a stammer, Theo would love to be popular, like beautiful Mel or the others in the cool crowd. Instead, he is laughed at and bullied, though not by quite everyone. Then one day after school he finds a small but strange package in his school bag: an oscillator wrapped in red paper, the word BEETROOT written inside. The has to find out what it is and just what he can do with it.
This story of teen angst, of fears and failures, hopes and ambitions is very poignant, clearly recalling the exaggerated power of teenage emotion. Well read by Todd Waites, his narration further enhances the depiction of the scenes and interplay between the protagonists. Although the characteristics are not deeply portrayed in this book, they are quite sufficient for the telling of the story and made all the more so by Mr.Waites' performance.
A timely story of a possible future coupled with the universal troubles of teenage transition, this is an excellent book for older children as well as enjoyable for young adults and others. Recommended.
"No different from your average high school party."
Set in an uncomfortable future where the birds and the trees have gone, as has music, meat eating is banned, power is rationed so that there is an evening electricity curfew, and just going outside can cause such dangerous skin burns that protective clothing has always to be worn, this is the story of one boy's coming of age as a super hero. A nerd with a stammer, Theo would love to be popular, like beautiful Mel or the others in the cool crowd. Instead, he is laughed at and bullied, though not by quite everyone. Then one day after school he finds a small but strange package in his school bag: an oscillator wrapped in red paper, the word BEETROOT written inside. The has to find out what it is and just what he can do with it.
This story of teen angst, of fears and failures, hopes and ambitions is very poignant, clearly recalling the exaggerated power of teenage emotion. Well read by Todd Waites, his narration further enhances the depiction of the scenes and interplay between the protagonists. Although the characteristics are not deeply portrayed in this book, they are quite sufficient for the telling of the story and made all the more so by Mr.Waites' performance.
A timely story of a possible future coupled with the universal troubles of teenage transition, this is an excellent book for older children as well as enjoyable for young adults and others. Recommended.
January 19, 2018
The Oscillator is a fantasy/superhero prequel by debut author, J.K. Neve. The story has an interesting premise; set in the near future, it describes a world in which global warming has had a catastrophic effect on plants and wildlife, and stepping outside requires extra layers of protective clothing. Energy is used sparingly, so there are electricity curfews at night. And music no longer exists, and is therefore an unknown factor to the teens living in this world.
The protagonist, Theo, is a geeky teenager, who regularly gets bullied at school. He discovers that he has an unusual power. The story’s strength is in its characterisation, and its ability to engage the reader by creating conflict. The tension increases as the narrative progresses and it builds to a climax, with a couple of decent revelations along the way. Although a complete story in itself, there are plenty of unanswered questions and scope for future books.
This is an easy read, and could definitely attract a YA audience. The language could be tighter in places, but this is an author to keep an eye on. I’m looking forward to reading more books in this series.
The protagonist, Theo, is a geeky teenager, who regularly gets bullied at school. He discovers that he has an unusual power. The story’s strength is in its characterisation, and its ability to engage the reader by creating conflict. The tension increases as the narrative progresses and it builds to a climax, with a couple of decent revelations along the way. Although a complete story in itself, there are plenty of unanswered questions and scope for future books.
This is an easy read, and could definitely attract a YA audience. The language could be tighter in places, but this is an author to keep an eye on. I’m looking forward to reading more books in this series.
January 19, 2018
Theo is an average kid in an extreme world filled with harsh environmental issues and a group of bullies who will not leave him alone. The only ray of sunshine that does not burn his skin just his heart strings is Mel. Despite being part of the cool crowd Theo finds out that she is more down to earth than he previously thought. Torn between who he was and who he becoming he finds himself in an endless loop just like the mysterious oscillator he found in his backpack until it explodes in an electrifying experience. This is one of the best science fiction, fantasy books I have read in a while it is well worth the read and highly enjoyable. The characters are believable, the story is fast paced and full of emotion. I would recommend this book to everyone. I just wish that there was a bit less foul langue not that it was bad I just cannot share this fantastic book with my children and that is a shame because I believe they would enjoy it as much as I did.
March 12, 2018
A quick read with an unusual premise that kept me reading. The language was a little simplistic and felt like it was written for a much younger audience, although I do enjoy reading YA and generally don’t really notice this. Thus, the use of profanities amidst the simplistic structure jarred somewhat. I didn’t really get to know any of the characters, even the protagonist was very one-sided, so I didn’t much care about any of them either. As a set up to a series, I hope the characters flesh out a bit but it hasn’t left me wanting more.
April 18, 2018
This book is really a teen superhero coming of age story. The author shows quite of bit of imagination and at times tell the story well. (He needs to work more on dialog on believable dialog.) Unfortunately, the science is poor and not well understood by the author. The interaction of the teenagers is both simple and they act like grade school children most of the time.
I give this story 1-star for young adult and older and 3-stars for teens ... hence my averaged 2-star rating.
I will not be reading further in the series.
I give this story 1-star for young adult and older and 3-stars for teens ... hence my averaged 2-star rating.
I will not be reading further in the series.
June 3, 2019
My first highly enjoyable read/listen from author JK Neve. Since I own both the Kindle & Audible editions narrator Todd Waite’s talented narration adds to the book’s enjoyment as I followed along while being read to. I was given an Audible copy of this book & am voluntarily reviewing it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
January 15, 2018
A great YA Book with just a touch of fantasy. The story moves along nicely with many setbacks. I found I could not stop reading until I was done. I received this book free and this honest review is voluntary.
January 19, 2018
Wow, what a book!!! Totally brilliant storyline. So any twists and turns that i could have never guessed the ending. I absolutely loved reading this and would recommend it to all. Can't wait to see what becomes of this storyline. Perfect storytelling!!
September 21, 2019
So, this is a dystopian young adult, origin's story kind of book, and to be honest, if I had known that beforehand, I wouldn't have picked it.
BUT!
It was really good. Entertaining, a classic underdog protagonist who suddenly has the means to get his revenge, a cast of bullies and a perfect girl who wasn't so perfect... I really enjoyed it.
And the narration was really good, too.
BUT!
It was really good. Entertaining, a classic underdog protagonist who suddenly has the means to get his revenge, a cast of bullies and a perfect girl who wasn't so perfect... I really enjoyed it.
And the narration was really good, too.
January 19, 2018
I have read this book as an ARC reader. This is my freely given review.
This is a story set in a time where Earth is a place of extreme conditions. There is no Ozone layer, seconds can leave sever burns on a person that isn't wearing protective clothing.
However, the main idea that runs through this book is very timely. It goes on today, with tragic results.
Theo is a highschool student who is constantly being bullied. Laughed at because of his stuttering, at the fact that he is concidered a nerd, and also because he is an easily beaten up.
Theo finds an oscillator in his backpack, with no idea of who put it there. The oscillator has a strange affect on him, it burns in his hands and it seems to have awakened an ability in him to become very powerful with an electric charge building up within him.
Can he control this new power? Does he want to?
Although this a slow moving book, the story and the way it is written keeps you turning the page to see what is next.
Ruth Newton
This is a story set in a time where Earth is a place of extreme conditions. There is no Ozone layer, seconds can leave sever burns on a person that isn't wearing protective clothing.
However, the main idea that runs through this book is very timely. It goes on today, with tragic results.
Theo is a highschool student who is constantly being bullied. Laughed at because of his stuttering, at the fact that he is concidered a nerd, and also because he is an easily beaten up.
Theo finds an oscillator in his backpack, with no idea of who put it there. The oscillator has a strange affect on him, it burns in his hands and it seems to have awakened an ability in him to become very powerful with an electric charge building up within him.
Can he control this new power? Does he want to?
Although this a slow moving book, the story and the way it is written keeps you turning the page to see what is next.
Ruth Newton
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews