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Tuning In
Jon Gunnarson never meant to transform humanity. He just wanted a normal life. A life where he doesn’t absorb other people’s emotions, lose himself and have to live like a hermit.
So he jumps at the chance to help develop a scam telepathy app because it will get him to Bhutan, where he hopes an old friend will teach him how to disconnect.
Sure, he has to work with Ella, a neuroscientist he’s falling in love with, and Venn, a fraudulent Marketer who’s wanted by the FBI. But Jon’s had a lifetime of practice at pulling away and he figures he can handle it while he learns how to manage his condition.
The problem is, working with others is the least of his worries. Because Jon and Ella unwittingly trigger the onset of mass telepathy. And, as if that isn't enough, they must run for their lives when they discover a way that Venn can avoid arrest.
But how will they escape someone who can read their minds?
Tuning In is a well plotted story that’s both mind-bendingly strange and intimately human—a continuously surprising science-fiction/ psychological thriller about our relationship with our thoughts, with each other and even reality itself.
So he jumps at the chance to help develop a scam telepathy app because it will get him to Bhutan, where he hopes an old friend will teach him how to disconnect.
Sure, he has to work with Ella, a neuroscientist he’s falling in love with, and Venn, a fraudulent Marketer who’s wanted by the FBI. But Jon’s had a lifetime of practice at pulling away and he figures he can handle it while he learns how to manage his condition.
The problem is, working with others is the least of his worries. Because Jon and Ella unwittingly trigger the onset of mass telepathy. And, as if that isn't enough, they must run for their lives when they discover a way that Venn can avoid arrest.
But how will they escape someone who can read their minds?
Tuning In is a well plotted story that’s both mind-bendingly strange and intimately human—a continuously surprising science-fiction/ psychological thriller about our relationship with our thoughts, with each other and even reality itself.
- GenresFiction
261 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2018
21 people are currently reading
729 people want to read
About the author
Richard Roberts
3 books17 followersRICHARD ROBERTS’ education in psychology and 25-year career in Marketing focused on understanding how people think.
He brought this experience to bear in the Tuning In series published by Highcrest Books.
An award-winning author and longtime yogi and meditator, he lives with his son and daughter in Marin County, California.
He brought this experience to bear in the Tuning In series published by Highcrest Books.
An award-winning author and longtime yogi and meditator, he lives with his son and daughter in Marin County, California.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 5, 2020
3 Stars
Review:
I thought this book was going to be about the world getting mass telepathy, everything turning to chaos, and what comes after that as two characters try to fix it. It wasn’t. This is partly my fault for only skimming the blurb, but it’s also partly the blurb’s fault because it does kind of make the book sound like this, just also with a romance and thriller element of the main characters on the run.
Instead, the mass telepathy didn’t happen until after halfway, you didn’t even realize it was happening or see the effects because the characters were isolated in Bhutan the whole time, the whole thing was pretty calm and slow-paced, the thriller element was only a small part, and the book was really just about a lonely empath/telepath and a scientist and how their lives were changed when they found each other.
It wasn’t a bad book though for what it was. It took a very scientific and realistic approach to telepathy, and the story and characters felt believable given the premise. I really felt for Jon at times and how lonely he was because of his abilities.
This wasn’t really a book for me because I admittedly got bored with the slow pace and disappointed we didn’t get to see any of the consequences of the mass telepathy, but it was somewhat interesting, and I think others will enjoy it as long as they know what they’re getting.
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes realistic sci-fi stories, telepathy, slow-paced books, and a bit of romance.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
I thought this book was going to be about the world getting mass telepathy, everything turning to chaos, and what comes after that as two characters try to fix it. It wasn’t. This is partly my fault for only skimming the blurb, but it’s also partly the blurb’s fault because it does kind of make the book sound like this, just also with a romance and thriller element of the main characters on the run.
Instead, the mass telepathy didn’t happen until after halfway, you didn’t even realize it was happening or see the effects because the characters were isolated in Bhutan the whole time, the whole thing was pretty calm and slow-paced, the thriller element was only a small part, and the book was really just about a lonely empath/telepath and a scientist and how their lives were changed when they found each other.
It wasn’t a bad book though for what it was. It took a very scientific and realistic approach to telepathy, and the story and characters felt believable given the premise. I really felt for Jon at times and how lonely he was because of his abilities.
This wasn’t really a book for me because I admittedly got bored with the slow pace and disappointed we didn’t get to see any of the consequences of the mass telepathy, but it was somewhat interesting, and I think others will enjoy it as long as they know what they’re getting.
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes realistic sci-fi stories, telepathy, slow-paced books, and a bit of romance.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
October 31, 2018
Jon Gunnarson has a rare talent for empathy, a talent that seems to be more of a curse than a blessing. And things are going to get a whole lot more difficult when he develops full-blown telepathy – which a ruthless entrepreneur wants to use for his own purposes.
Tuning In is a gripping thriller, with a meticulously-researched setting in mountainous Bhutan and shows a deep background in oriental religion. The characters are believable, and the tension increases nicely as the plot moves along and the danger becomes ever more real.
Telepathy change everything, from national security and terrorism to crime and the world financial system. Police can find wanted criminals anywhere just by ‘tuning in’ – and authoritarian states can identify dissenters instantly. If you thought personal data security was bad on the internet, imagine what it’s like when they can browse inside your brain…thought-provoking stuff.
Tuning In is a gripping thriller, with a meticulously-researched setting in mountainous Bhutan and shows a deep background in oriental religion. The characters are believable, and the tension increases nicely as the plot moves along and the danger becomes ever more real.
Telepathy change everything, from national security and terrorism to crime and the world financial system. Police can find wanted criminals anywhere just by ‘tuning in’ – and authoritarian states can identify dissenters instantly. If you thought personal data security was bad on the internet, imagine what it’s like when they can browse inside your brain…thought-provoking stuff.
August 11, 2018
This book was wonderful and I burned through it. Almost reminiscent of Michael Crichton in that the scientific research is so well executed you lose yourself in how something like telepathy could MAYBE be possible. The writing is descriptive and action-focused, and the characters are dynamic and a little weird (in the best way).
I devoured this book in a day and felt like I watched a movie. Loved it, and can’t wait to read more from this author!
I devoured this book in a day and felt like I watched a movie. Loved it, and can’t wait to read more from this author!
August 29, 2018
Interesting story and unusual characters around telepathy
The ideas and story behind the book is very interesting. It’s a lot of neuro science behind the ideas and all around the book.
The characters are unusual, one is a telepath, who is quite remote and hermit like, leading all the new research line and making telepathy available for other people. All the tuning in I can accept to people you saw/met or talk to, but I feel a huge gap or unexplained details about how strangers can tune into each other from continents apart instantly.
In the story line the last chase and Jon’s decision to go up to the monastery and the need to climb in seemed off to me. It didn’t fit into the storyline, more like a desperate effort to close the story with that cave involved. But not waved in properly. Also a map of the resort and monastery would help, as I felt confused about distances, I felt like some things were close once than took long to reach the next time.
The ideas and story behind the book is very interesting. It’s a lot of neuro science behind the ideas and all around the book.
The characters are unusual, one is a telepath, who is quite remote and hermit like, leading all the new research line and making telepathy available for other people. All the tuning in I can accept to people you saw/met or talk to, but I feel a huge gap or unexplained details about how strangers can tune into each other from continents apart instantly.
In the story line the last chase and Jon’s decision to go up to the monastery and the need to climb in seemed off to me. It didn’t fit into the storyline, more like a desperate effort to close the story with that cave involved. But not waved in properly. Also a map of the resort and monastery would help, as I felt confused about distances, I felt like some things were close once than took long to reach the next time.
November 14, 2018
Great book!
I like the storyline, and the author is an excellent writer. Telepathy is always a fun subject to explore, a worthy read!
I like the storyline, and the author is an excellent writer. Telepathy is always a fun subject to explore, a worthy read!
March 15, 2019
I read this book for Book Club.
I was glad to read something that I wouldn't usually pick.
Maybe 2 1/2 stars
I was glad to read something that I wouldn't usually pick.
Maybe 2 1/2 stars
July 27, 2018
A really cool, trippy set of ideas are wrapped around this fun, action-packed story! Tuning In is the kind of sci fi I'm gravitating more towards: believable, naturalistic settings for paranormal situations. I'm liking that better than the tired old gun battles and chases. Looking forward to the next one!
August 25, 2019
Mostly Enjoyable Quick Read
I mostly enjoyed this short novel. A quick fun read with simple almost believable concepts. The author seems determined to tell us about a few things either he finds important or interesting. Aikido, Bhutan, Tiger's Nest Monastery, sex, brain entrainment apps, binaural beats, empaths, and Buddhism dominate the pages. I only gave it three stars because the writing seems like a new hobby for the author and the characters appear incredibly juvenile or out of touch with their reality. The pace jumps from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph. It doesn't slow down enough and really flesh out what's happened. The characters rarely stop and think and their are no breaks. They have sex, then immediately go eat, then fight, then make tracks, etc. A little creative filler, backstory, or flashbacks and character development would be nice. And make it longer. Tell the same story but more detail. Interesting detail too please.
I mostly enjoyed this short novel. A quick fun read with simple almost believable concepts. The author seems determined to tell us about a few things either he finds important or interesting. Aikido, Bhutan, Tiger's Nest Monastery, sex, brain entrainment apps, binaural beats, empaths, and Buddhism dominate the pages. I only gave it three stars because the writing seems like a new hobby for the author and the characters appear incredibly juvenile or out of touch with their reality. The pace jumps from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph. It doesn't slow down enough and really flesh out what's happened. The characters rarely stop and think and their are no breaks. They have sex, then immediately go eat, then fight, then make tracks, etc. A little creative filler, backstory, or flashbacks and character development would be nice. And make it longer. Tell the same story but more detail. Interesting detail too please.
October 8, 2018
The author may have had a story to tell, but unfortunately he doesn't have the skill or talent to write a coherent, interesting story. The writing style was maddeningly "middle school". The sentence structure was awkward and off-putting, with way too many commas making the narrative disjointed. At one time, the point of view shifted abruptly from one paragraph to the next for no reason other than the author's inadequate style.
I gave this a good go but found I was avoiding reading the book because the writing was so obviously forced and stilted, and I was subconsciously watching for bumbles--like I was an instructor marking up his paper. Regardless of what could have been an interesting tale, I cannot recommend this author's work.
I gave this a good go but found I was avoiding reading the book because the writing was so obviously forced and stilted, and I was subconsciously watching for bumbles--like I was an instructor marking up his paper. Regardless of what could have been an interesting tale, I cannot recommend this author's work.
March 27, 2019
It was an interesting concept for a book, but I don't think it delivered. I think my biggest problem was that I did not care about any of the characters, which in turn made me not care what happened to them. I'm glad I read it for book club since I would not have picked this one on my own. I'm sure there will be good discussion about what the world would be like if we could read each other's minds.
October 7, 2018
I've always been fascinated by the power of the mind & was drawn to concept of this novel. It's a well-paced tale that keeps you reading. I didn't care much for the romance & found the antagonists to be too over-the-top, but overall it was enjoyable. I received a Kindle edition from a Goodreads giveaway.
October 25, 2018
The concept of the book was so appealing! I was sorely disappointed. The language of the author spoke to the reader as though they knew Graduate-Level Psychology. The summary of the plot was misleading, claiming that the story was about Telepathy becoming a worldwide phenomenon, but that happened on the last few pages. Save your time and money, run away from this book!
August 8, 2018
a very different book, not my usual. Very interesting book with a good ending.
October 9, 2018
Interesting concept but parts just dragged on
January 2, 2022
2,5 stars
May 18, 2018
Reviewed by Kim Anisi for Readers' Favorite
The brain is a very complex part of the human body, and in Tuning In by Richard H Roberts, the brain of Jon Gunnarson plays a very important role. Jon is an empath with a twist; in his therapy sessions, he not only feels what his clients are feeling, but he can take on their emotions and make them feel better, e.g. by taking on all their anger or sadness. When a client makes him take on something quite different, Jon decides he needs to find a way to disconnect from his special talent. He knows that his friend Neema in Bhutan would be able to help him, but visa restrictions for that country and his lack of funds mean that he can't afford to just go there. As luck would have it, he finds an ad in which a company asks for psychics willing to travel to Bhutan to work on a telepathy app. He gets the job, travels to Bhutan and meets the team. A special connection ignites between him and Ella; a connection that will lead to the development of an app that can really let people read other people's minds. Venn, the man behind the app project, is in a rush to put it on the market, to make as much money as possible before the FBI, which wants him for another issue, gets to him. And then he learns that Jon also has a way to plant thoughts into other people's heads. He wants that secret, and he will not stop until he gets his way.
Tuning In by Richard H Roberts is a book that draws you in very quickly. The characters all make sense, apart from Lex, whom I found very weird and not at all like Lara Croft (whom she tries to emulate), but I guess that's the point. I found it interesting to see how little respect people had for others' privacy once they learned how to tune into others' minds. Jon eventually even ended up having to see his own thoughts being shared by a Twitter account that had been created just to let the whole world know what went through his head! In a way, the book is about how precious privacy and your own mind truly are. It does make you think. After all, on one hand, we have all sometimes wished we could read other people's minds. But would we in turn want to give up our own privacy and have our minds invaded by total strangers?
Richard H Roberts managed to find the perfect balance for his book when it comes to the pacing of the plot; it's neither too slow nor too fast. So you don't get overwhelmed by too many things happening at once, but you also don't end up being bored by endless descriptions or endless events that go on and on and on. The author knows when to leave things up to the reader's imagination, and when to add a few more details. For me, it was a very enjoyable, thought-provoking read with a sprinkle of action, a little helping of romance, and a good chunk of suspense. The book has an ending that does not leave you hanging, but also promises that there is more to come.
The brain is a very complex part of the human body, and in Tuning In by Richard H Roberts, the brain of Jon Gunnarson plays a very important role. Jon is an empath with a twist; in his therapy sessions, he not only feels what his clients are feeling, but he can take on their emotions and make them feel better, e.g. by taking on all their anger or sadness. When a client makes him take on something quite different, Jon decides he needs to find a way to disconnect from his special talent. He knows that his friend Neema in Bhutan would be able to help him, but visa restrictions for that country and his lack of funds mean that he can't afford to just go there. As luck would have it, he finds an ad in which a company asks for psychics willing to travel to Bhutan to work on a telepathy app. He gets the job, travels to Bhutan and meets the team. A special connection ignites between him and Ella; a connection that will lead to the development of an app that can really let people read other people's minds. Venn, the man behind the app project, is in a rush to put it on the market, to make as much money as possible before the FBI, which wants him for another issue, gets to him. And then he learns that Jon also has a way to plant thoughts into other people's heads. He wants that secret, and he will not stop until he gets his way.
Tuning In by Richard H Roberts is a book that draws you in very quickly. The characters all make sense, apart from Lex, whom I found very weird and not at all like Lara Croft (whom she tries to emulate), but I guess that's the point. I found it interesting to see how little respect people had for others' privacy once they learned how to tune into others' minds. Jon eventually even ended up having to see his own thoughts being shared by a Twitter account that had been created just to let the whole world know what went through his head! In a way, the book is about how precious privacy and your own mind truly are. It does make you think. After all, on one hand, we have all sometimes wished we could read other people's minds. But would we in turn want to give up our own privacy and have our minds invaded by total strangers?
Richard H Roberts managed to find the perfect balance for his book when it comes to the pacing of the plot; it's neither too slow nor too fast. So you don't get overwhelmed by too many things happening at once, but you also don't end up being bored by endless descriptions or endless events that go on and on and on. The author knows when to leave things up to the reader's imagination, and when to add a few more details. For me, it was a very enjoyable, thought-provoking read with a sprinkle of action, a little helping of romance, and a good chunk of suspense. The book has an ending that does not leave you hanging, but also promises that there is more to come.
February 14, 2023
Science fiction isn't usually my jam, but I enjoyed this quick read. It had a fair share of action, a bit of suspense, and some thought provoking concepts. Some parts were a bit odd, but overall it was fairly fun to read and kept a good flow going.
Thanks to Goodreads/Kindle and the author/publisher for providing me with a digital copy through the Goodreads Giveaway program.
Thanks to Goodreads/Kindle and the author/publisher for providing me with a digital copy through the Goodreads Giveaway program.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews