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The Gemini Experiment
Tom Nolan has just learned he is going to die. The young father is terminally ill and coming to grips with his fate. One day a friend from Tom's past comes forward to recruit him for a privately funded, covert experiment. The goal of the experiment is to achieve immortality through the transfer of a living human's mind and memory to a highly realistic human android replica. In the early stages of the testing, he is told not to discuss it with anyone, including his wife and daughter. Tom's physical appearance is immaculately duplicated as a technically sophisticated robot. To initially test this prototype, the scientists transfer the mind and memory of another man's brain. Since the digitization of the consciousness is an invasive process that kills the original source, the scientists first test the procedure on a more "expendable" subject - a convict without any family who is dying in prison and volunteers for a "cancer treatment." If this initial test is successful, they intend to wipe the replica's memory clean and permanently replace it with Tom's mind and memory. While the test is successful, this alternate version of Tom escapes - killing a scientist and embarking on the ultimate form of identity theft. Impersonating Tom, the evil twin infiltrates his home, endangers his family and commits violent crimes in Tom's persona, forcing the real Tom to go on the run. When Russian spies discover the technological breakthrough to turn man into machine, they seek to steal the secrets for their own nefarious purposes. The stakes are raised and reach the highest levels of government. The President of the United States starts acting peculiar and Tom suspects he has become the victim of a devious swap by the Russians that could change the course of the world. It's up to Tom to save the day...before the ticking clock of his own mortality runs out. FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
- GenresScience FictionThriller
240 pages, Hardcover
First published May 30, 2019
23 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Brian Pinkerton
21 books78 followersBrian Pinkerton is the author of Abducted, Vengeance, Rough Cut, Killer’s Diary, How I Started the Apocalypse, Bender, Anatomy of Evil and The Gemini Experiment. Select titles have also been released as audio books, ebooks and in foreign languages.
Brian’s short stories have appeared in anthologies including Chicago Blues, PULP! and Zombie Zoology. His screenplays have finished in the top 100 of Project Greenlight and top two percent of the Nicholl Fellowship of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His academic background includes the Iowa Writers Workshop and Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. His web site, brianpinkerton.com, includes his cartoon series The Ruts.
Brian’s short stories have appeared in anthologies including Chicago Blues, PULP! and Zombie Zoology. His screenplays have finished in the top 100 of Project Greenlight and top two percent of the Nicholl Fellowship of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His academic background includes the Iowa Writers Workshop and Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. His web site, brianpinkerton.com, includes his cartoon series The Ruts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 5, 2019
Terminally ill Tom Nolan is offered a second chance, and so much more, when he is approached by a privately funded company to become the first human to have his mind downloaded into a perfect android replica.
Sworn to secrecy, unable to even tell his family, he agrees.
But when the first test subject, a convicted felon suffering from cancer and with nothing left to lose goes rogue in Tom's replica, escaping to take his place.....and killing anyone who stands in his way.
Now a fugitive, Tom learns that there are others hunting his replica, as Russian agents race to obtain the rogue for their own purposes.......and behind it all, an even darker agenda lurks.
A breakneck science fiction thriller that hits all the marks you'd expect from across the genre, and nails every one.
Pinkerton delivers in spades, with taut writing, a compassionate protagonist, a fiendishly twisting plot, and enough dirty dealing for several novels.
Highly recommended.
This was an eARC from Netgalley and Flame Tree Press.
Sworn to secrecy, unable to even tell his family, he agrees.
But when the first test subject, a convicted felon suffering from cancer and with nothing left to lose goes rogue in Tom's replica, escaping to take his place.....and killing anyone who stands in his way.
Now a fugitive, Tom learns that there are others hunting his replica, as Russian agents race to obtain the rogue for their own purposes.......and behind it all, an even darker agenda lurks.
A breakneck science fiction thriller that hits all the marks you'd expect from across the genre, and nails every one.
Pinkerton delivers in spades, with taut writing, a compassionate protagonist, a fiendishly twisting plot, and enough dirty dealing for several novels.
Highly recommended.
This was an eARC from Netgalley and Flame Tree Press.
May 30, 2019
*Thank you for the publishers for a free copy in exchange for an honest review*
Actual Rating: 3
Wow. I've got lots of mixed feelings about this book. The Gemini Experiment is such a great title for this book; it is about a man, Tom Nolan, who knows that his life is coming to an end. When someone reaches out to him about a possible way to live on, he jumps at the chance. And so, Tom's appearance is copied onto an advanced robot, and the scientists plan to transfer his consciousness into the machine—except it escapes before then. Suddenly Tom finds himself at the top of the Most Wanted list, and the international crisis has only just begun.
I think the strongest part of this book was undoubtedly the plot. I was honestly expecting something a little cliche at times, but the plot was a lot more complex and twisted, and the ending was definitely not the way I thought the story would go. Although I commend the creativity and excitement, I felt like the pacing could have been a little more even, as it felt like a lot of action was crammed into the last part of the book.
The characters were interesting. I have to admit that I was most invested in Tom and his family. Other than that, I felt like I wasn't such a huge fan of the "third-person omniscient" style, as it seemed to make the book a little less anticipatory when everything was already revealed to us. I also thought that the way the chapters jumped from focusing on one character to another was a little confusing, and because there were a lot of side characters, I found myself losing track sometimes and not really knowing who was who.
Other than that, the writing was quite engaging, and the book really started off in a promising manner. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes science fiction, especially a "technology is going to take over the world" plot!
Actual Rating: 3
Wow. I've got lots of mixed feelings about this book. The Gemini Experiment is such a great title for this book; it is about a man, Tom Nolan, who knows that his life is coming to an end. When someone reaches out to him about a possible way to live on, he jumps at the chance. And so, Tom's appearance is copied onto an advanced robot, and the scientists plan to transfer his consciousness into the machine—except it escapes before then. Suddenly Tom finds himself at the top of the Most Wanted list, and the international crisis has only just begun.
I think the strongest part of this book was undoubtedly the plot. I was honestly expecting something a little cliche at times, but the plot was a lot more complex and twisted, and the ending was definitely not the way I thought the story would go. Although I commend the creativity and excitement, I felt like the pacing could have been a little more even, as it felt like a lot of action was crammed into the last part of the book.
The characters were interesting. I have to admit that I was most invested in Tom and his family. Other than that, I felt like I wasn't such a huge fan of the "third-person omniscient" style, as it seemed to make the book a little less anticipatory when everything was already revealed to us. I also thought that the way the chapters jumped from focusing on one character to another was a little confusing, and because there were a lot of side characters, I found myself losing track sometimes and not really knowing who was who.
Other than that, the writing was quite engaging, and the book really started off in a promising manner. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes science fiction, especially a "technology is going to take over the world" plot!
February 26, 2019
This book is a Flame Tree Press ARC I wasn't sure would interest me. But, as soon as I started, I was instantly hooked. I couldn't put it down!
Tom Nolan is ill. His body has given up on him, and will continue to get worse. So when one of his old friends asks if he'd like to take part in a super secret experiment that will help his brain survive and receive a top-notch new body, of course he signs up.
His new body is awesome, a perfect replica. He can't wait to slip into his new skin, and finally be able to share his secret with his family. But during the final test, his replica escapes and leaves a trail of violence in his wake.
As dire as this is, an unexpected hidden threat comes out of nowhere...
Wow.
I have to be honest, I didn't think I would like this book. And ended up absolutely loving it!
OMG. I didn't want to put this down. It's gripping, exciting and takes so many twists and turns I was on the edge of my seat. Seriously, my heart was pounding so fast because just when I thought the danger was over, a new--and worse--threat arises.
Let's talk about Tom Nolan. He's such a likeable and strong character. A guy who doesn't let a disease destroy everything without a fight. I was totally on his side, was cheering him on all the way through because after all the crap he goes through, all I wanted was for him to be okay.
But he's not the only interesting character. Even the villains were intriguing. And the multiple POVs were handled perfectly, kept the urgency and pace moving.
There are some scenes that totally blew me away, but I can't mention a single thing about them because they would be spoilerish. And trust me, the best way to go into this book is by knowing minimal info about the plot.
The Gemini Experiment is a fast-paced and very exciting Sci-Fi thriller with an awesome twist of pseudo-technology thrown into the very exciting mix. The stakes start out pretty high, but with every new page, the danger kept rising. It's imaginative, techie, explosive and touches on some pretty heavy issues about humanity, robotics and the endless quest for immortality.
Not to mention the ending was brutal, and bonkers. In the best way possible. 😊
I absolutely LOVED this. I can't say it enough. The level of intensity and suspense in this book was totally captivating. It's the kind of unexpected story that surprised me with its brilliance.
Tom Nolan is ill. His body has given up on him, and will continue to get worse. So when one of his old friends asks if he'd like to take part in a super secret experiment that will help his brain survive and receive a top-notch new body, of course he signs up.
His new body is awesome, a perfect replica. He can't wait to slip into his new skin, and finally be able to share his secret with his family. But during the final test, his replica escapes and leaves a trail of violence in his wake.
As dire as this is, an unexpected hidden threat comes out of nowhere...
Wow.
I have to be honest, I didn't think I would like this book. And ended up absolutely loving it!
OMG. I didn't want to put this down. It's gripping, exciting and takes so many twists and turns I was on the edge of my seat. Seriously, my heart was pounding so fast because just when I thought the danger was over, a new--and worse--threat arises.
Let's talk about Tom Nolan. He's such a likeable and strong character. A guy who doesn't let a disease destroy everything without a fight. I was totally on his side, was cheering him on all the way through because after all the crap he goes through, all I wanted was for him to be okay.
But he's not the only interesting character. Even the villains were intriguing. And the multiple POVs were handled perfectly, kept the urgency and pace moving.
There are some scenes that totally blew me away, but I can't mention a single thing about them because they would be spoilerish. And trust me, the best way to go into this book is by knowing minimal info about the plot.
The Gemini Experiment is a fast-paced and very exciting Sci-Fi thriller with an awesome twist of pseudo-technology thrown into the very exciting mix. The stakes start out pretty high, but with every new page, the danger kept rising. It's imaginative, techie, explosive and touches on some pretty heavy issues about humanity, robotics and the endless quest for immortality.
Not to mention the ending was brutal, and bonkers. In the best way possible. 😊
I absolutely LOVED this. I can't say it enough. The level of intensity and suspense in this book was totally captivating. It's the kind of unexpected story that surprised me with its brilliance.
May 6, 2019
Wow, where to start with The Gemini Experiment. I just couldn’t predict what would happen next while I was reading it!
Tom Nolan is your average guy with a good heart and happy family life, until he’s struck down with Lowrey’s disease which is a bit like motor neurons disease. He looking at a death sentence until his old friend offers him a chance at eternal life in the form of secret project funded by a mysterious billionaire.
He has his reservations but agrees, his likeness is used to create a prototype. Before they can put him into his new body they test it out with another person, a convicted felon who is dying of cancer.
The felon escapes inside the robot and commits crimes which are pinned on Tom. His hopes of being cured go down the drain but more sinister things are in play which could change the fate of humanity.
I started reading it, I thought to myself this would make such a good movie! There’s so much action, plenty of twists and good dollop of life or death situations. It’s not overly technical, so if like me you like sci-fi but don’t have the greatest knowledge of anything scientific I would definitely recommend it.
With regards to the robots, I also felt everything was explained well and I didn’t have any real questions.
I know this is science fiction but there were times where I thought to myself this actually might happen in the future! As the book went along though, I did think it got a little more out there and unrealistic but of course that’s just my opinion.
The Gemini Experiment is pure action packed sci-fi entertainment from beginning to end.
Tom Nolan is your average guy with a good heart and happy family life, until he’s struck down with Lowrey’s disease which is a bit like motor neurons disease. He looking at a death sentence until his old friend offers him a chance at eternal life in the form of secret project funded by a mysterious billionaire.
He has his reservations but agrees, his likeness is used to create a prototype. Before they can put him into his new body they test it out with another person, a convicted felon who is dying of cancer.
The felon escapes inside the robot and commits crimes which are pinned on Tom. His hopes of being cured go down the drain but more sinister things are in play which could change the fate of humanity.
I started reading it, I thought to myself this would make such a good movie! There’s so much action, plenty of twists and good dollop of life or death situations. It’s not overly technical, so if like me you like sci-fi but don’t have the greatest knowledge of anything scientific I would definitely recommend it.
With regards to the robots, I also felt everything was explained well and I didn’t have any real questions.
I know this is science fiction but there were times where I thought to myself this actually might happen in the future! As the book went along though, I did think it got a little more out there and unrealistic but of course that’s just my opinion.
The Gemini Experiment is pure action packed sci-fi entertainment from beginning to end.
March 18, 2019
Tom is terminally ill with not long to live. Luckily he has a friend with a strange offer which could, if successful, prolong his life by transferring his mind into a synthetic body. Sworn to secrecy even from those he loves, Tom readily takes up the offer. But, as with all new technology, there has to be tests and so first, another man's brain needs to be transferred; someone expendable. Like a prisoner. And yes, you can see what's coming next - and it's no spoiler as it's in the blurb. Add Russian spies into the mix of a prisoner in another man's "body" and what follows is a high octane, action packed chase which even includes the President of the US into the mix. Will good triumph over evil and, if so, what will happen to the new technology?
I'm still relatively new to the science fiction genre but this book hit the ground running for me and I was in its thrall all the way through, powerless to put it down until the very last page. It delivered twist after twist as it raced to the end. Yes, I did see a couple of things coming - I read to many thrillers to be truly shocked these days - but these were all delivered punch after punch in rapid bursts that I hardly got chance to breath let along sit back and try and second guess too much along the way.
Characterisation was excellent. No mean feat considering what happens in the book. I did think a couple of times that certain characters were a little off but then... well... you'll see! It helped that I took to Tom from the off, always good when you are really behind a MC in an action packed book.
Pacing was perfect and, unlike some books I have read recently, the writing felt fluid throughout and didn't feel rushed when the pace picked up.
The science was on the whole believable and, for me anyway, easy to get to grips with. Being still a newbie to the genre I do need something a little less mind blowing but not too simple or far-fetching. Here the author managed to get the balance perfectly.
I loved that the ending completed the book perfectly but still left the door open for picking up at least a couple of things in future books. Not cliffhangers I hasten to add, just things that could possibly be taken further should the author choose. I'd definitely be up for that!
This is another new author to me and another one I now have firmly on my watch list. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
I'm still relatively new to the science fiction genre but this book hit the ground running for me and I was in its thrall all the way through, powerless to put it down until the very last page. It delivered twist after twist as it raced to the end. Yes, I did see a couple of things coming - I read to many thrillers to be truly shocked these days - but these were all delivered punch after punch in rapid bursts that I hardly got chance to breath let along sit back and try and second guess too much along the way.
Characterisation was excellent. No mean feat considering what happens in the book. I did think a couple of times that certain characters were a little off but then... well... you'll see! It helped that I took to Tom from the off, always good when you are really behind a MC in an action packed book.
Pacing was perfect and, unlike some books I have read recently, the writing felt fluid throughout and didn't feel rushed when the pace picked up.
The science was on the whole believable and, for me anyway, easy to get to grips with. Being still a newbie to the genre I do need something a little less mind blowing but not too simple or far-fetching. Here the author managed to get the balance perfectly.
I loved that the ending completed the book perfectly but still left the door open for picking up at least a couple of things in future books. Not cliffhangers I hasten to add, just things that could possibly be taken further should the author choose. I'd definitely be up for that!
This is another new author to me and another one I now have firmly on my watch list. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
March 1, 2019
Immortality or a Cure for a terminal illness ... who wouldn't jump at a chance for the "brass ring"
Enter Tom Nolan who finds his body failing him... muscle cramps, stiffness, and now incoordination even while attempting simple tasks. ... like holding a fork or spoon. He's been recently diagnosed with a progressive neurodegenerative disorder known as Lowrey's disease, similar to ALS. Tom and his wife Emily have researched the disease and are left with a feeling of terror and hopelessness.
A long time friend from high school, Steve Morris contacts Tom to discuss a proposition? As a scientist, Steve has been working on a highly classified and secret project ... the Gemini Experiment.
Pinkerton then catapults the reader into an amazing, whirlwind adventure of nonstop action, intrigue with a dollop of espionage involving the those nasty Russians ... who else would want to steal our advanced technology!
Our scientists have easily been able to replicate the human body ... but now it is time to test their ability to successfully digitize the human brain and transfer it to the replicant ( read "robot"). Thus creating a full integration of human thought and mechanical movement. Tom will be the next experiment ... after all, what does he have to loose. Other pressing needs exist ... Gus Hartel, the President of the US, is slowly dying from advanced leukemia ... the project has intentions of digitizing his brain into a replicant indistinguishable from his previous physical form. The possibilities and ethical dilemmas are boundless.
Thanks to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for providing an electronic ARC of this page-turner in exchange for an honest review.
Enter Tom Nolan who finds his body failing him... muscle cramps, stiffness, and now incoordination even while attempting simple tasks. ... like holding a fork or spoon. He's been recently diagnosed with a progressive neurodegenerative disorder known as Lowrey's disease, similar to ALS. Tom and his wife Emily have researched the disease and are left with a feeling of terror and hopelessness.
A long time friend from high school, Steve Morris contacts Tom to discuss a proposition? As a scientist, Steve has been working on a highly classified and secret project ... the Gemini Experiment.
Pinkerton then catapults the reader into an amazing, whirlwind adventure of nonstop action, intrigue with a dollop of espionage involving the those nasty Russians ... who else would want to steal our advanced technology!
Our scientists have easily been able to replicate the human body ... but now it is time to test their ability to successfully digitize the human brain and transfer it to the replicant ( read "robot"). Thus creating a full integration of human thought and mechanical movement. Tom will be the next experiment ... after all, what does he have to loose. Other pressing needs exist ... Gus Hartel, the President of the US, is slowly dying from advanced leukemia ... the project has intentions of digitizing his brain into a replicant indistinguishable from his previous physical form. The possibilities and ethical dilemmas are boundless.
Thanks to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for providing an electronic ARC of this page-turner in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2019
I received an ARC of this book in return for my honest opinion.
******WARNING, HERE THERE BE SPOILERS********
There certainly wasn't a lot of down-time in this book. The book starts right in the middle of the experiment, so you catch up on backstory as the main plot is revealed, and it's done really well. I don't feel like I'm actively reading backstory, but that the details put out there fit naturally into the flow of the book. The characters were eventually well flushed out, although that "eventually" allows for a little sleight of hand that feeds into the first major plot twist. I'm not mad at that, though. There had to be SOME way to engineer that,
You'll note that I said FIRST plot twist. There are several. I feel like the first one was unnecessary--from the theft of Louis in FL and up until Louis is finally gone was pretty unnecessary, and almost like something out of a different book. Like, the 11-foot tall thing? Come on. That's a joke, right? An 11-foot tall robot, marching through Moscow? The whole Russia scenario seemed really more like cartoons than a part of this book.
The Alex-wearing-Tom twist, though, was great. And the plot that extends from that making it back to the US was a GREAT plot twist. And the end was awesome and led me to consider points I hadn't thought of in the reading of the rest of the book--like the split of Tom's consciousness into two people--that was cool!
All in all, this was a fast, engaging read, and I'm eager to read more from this author. Definitely pick this one up!
******WARNING, HERE THERE BE SPOILERS********
There certainly wasn't a lot of down-time in this book. The book starts right in the middle of the experiment, so you catch up on backstory as the main plot is revealed, and it's done really well. I don't feel like I'm actively reading backstory, but that the details put out there fit naturally into the flow of the book. The characters were eventually well flushed out, although that "eventually" allows for a little sleight of hand that feeds into the first major plot twist. I'm not mad at that, though. There had to be SOME way to engineer that,
You'll note that I said FIRST plot twist. There are several. I feel like the first one was unnecessary--from the theft of Louis in FL and up until Louis is finally gone was pretty unnecessary, and almost like something out of a different book. Like, the 11-foot tall thing? Come on. That's a joke, right? An 11-foot tall robot, marching through Moscow? The whole Russia scenario seemed really more like cartoons than a part of this book.
The Alex-wearing-Tom twist, though, was great. And the plot that extends from that making it back to the US was a GREAT plot twist. And the end was awesome and led me to consider points I hadn't thought of in the reading of the rest of the book--like the split of Tom's consciousness into two people--that was cool!
All in all, this was a fast, engaging read, and I'm eager to read more from this author. Definitely pick this one up!
May 13, 2019
Tom Nolan stared into his own eyes. The did not blink.”
Tom had been recently diagnosed with Lowry’s disease, a motor neurone disease and he is aware of the effects this will have on his body….
He is then offered a chance…..to transfer his consciousness into a synthetic clone, which if successful would make him immortal…..given the alternative, he agrees and his body is mapped, the next stage will be brain mapping.
But first the tech needs to be tested, so they offer the same chance to Louis, a lifer in prison with terminal stomach cancer……he jumps at the chance.
The tech works, but it’s not all plain sailing and the replica escapes, violent and unpredictable, and so it’s a race against time to recover it……before the Russians do. Who will be the winner…..is there even a good or evil here?
This feels like a ‘we can do it, but should we do it’ scenario…..yes we’d all like to be free of disease or disability but at what cost to humanity itself….very thought provoking…..
Some great characters and while it’s clearly science fiction it really had an air of possibility about it…scary (reminded me a little of Neill Blomkamp’s movie Chappie) Nicely paced with the action building to a clever end…a credit to Brian Pinkerton excellent, creative writing….loved it…
Thank you to The Author, the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to A free copy of the book in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
Tom had been recently diagnosed with Lowry’s disease, a motor neurone disease and he is aware of the effects this will have on his body….
He is then offered a chance…..to transfer his consciousness into a synthetic clone, which if successful would make him immortal…..given the alternative, he agrees and his body is mapped, the next stage will be brain mapping.
But first the tech needs to be tested, so they offer the same chance to Louis, a lifer in prison with terminal stomach cancer……he jumps at the chance.
The tech works, but it’s not all plain sailing and the replica escapes, violent and unpredictable, and so it’s a race against time to recover it……before the Russians do. Who will be the winner…..is there even a good or evil here?
This feels like a ‘we can do it, but should we do it’ scenario…..yes we’d all like to be free of disease or disability but at what cost to humanity itself….very thought provoking…..
Some great characters and while it’s clearly science fiction it really had an air of possibility about it…scary (reminded me a little of Neill Blomkamp’s movie Chappie) Nicely paced with the action building to a clever end…a credit to Brian Pinkerton excellent, creative writing….loved it…
Thank you to The Author, the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to A free copy of the book in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
February 10, 2020
The Gemini Experiment (2019) 232 pages by Brian Pinkerton
Tom Nolan has a degenerative disease and has just a couple good years left. His friend offers him a chance to be a test subject. They are first going to test putting a convict's consciousness into a robot body, if that works Tom would be next. Unfortunately Louis escapes with Tom's new shell, goes on a crime spree (attributed to the real Tom), and vanishes. The Russians are working on the same technology and have a mole in the Gemini project. It's the mole who locates and kidnaps the Tom Nolan shell. Now there is international intrigue.
I got four books, including this one, direct from Flame Tree press when they ran a fourth of July sale last year. It was an amazingly fast read. The text didn't seem especially large, but the pages flew by. For a brand new technology there was a surprisingly complete lack of bugs. Fine, though he could have said that Louis was the third or fourth trial. The robots were almost too invincible. It's the future. When Alex took the digitized brain pattern to Russia it was compatible with their robot shell. Hmm. One of the things the Russians stated was they didn't have the technology to digitize brains, but they were able to put Alex into the Tom Nolan shell. If Alex had stolen this tech, why bother with Louis? Put in some volunteer who believes in your cause. The action was fast paced and we cared for Tom and his family. Several clever scenes, how Tom made an escape late in the book stood out for me. Enjoyable, 4 of 5 stars.
Tom Nolan has a degenerative disease and has just a couple good years left. His friend offers him a chance to be a test subject. They are first going to test putting a convict's consciousness into a robot body, if that works Tom would be next. Unfortunately Louis escapes with Tom's new shell, goes on a crime spree (attributed to the real Tom), and vanishes. The Russians are working on the same technology and have a mole in the Gemini project. It's the mole who locates and kidnaps the Tom Nolan shell. Now there is international intrigue.
I got four books, including this one, direct from Flame Tree press when they ran a fourth of July sale last year. It was an amazingly fast read. The text didn't seem especially large, but the pages flew by. For a brand new technology there was a surprisingly complete lack of bugs. Fine, though he could have said that Louis was the third or fourth trial. The robots were almost too invincible. It's the future. When Alex took the digitized brain pattern to Russia it was compatible with their robot shell. Hmm. One of the things the Russians stated was they didn't have the technology to digitize brains, but they were able to put Alex into the Tom Nolan shell. If Alex had stolen this tech, why bother with Louis? Put in some volunteer who believes in your cause. The action was fast paced and we cared for Tom and his family. Several clever scenes, how Tom made an escape late in the book stood out for me. Enjoyable, 4 of 5 stars.
February 10, 2019
I really enjoyed Rough Cut so I was very happy to get an ARC for this book from NetGalley to read more of Pinkertons work.
Based on the synopsis I was expecting a straightforward scifi novel that explored cloning human consciousness, but being true to his style the book takes unexpected turns and blossoms into much more than that.
The plot is very fast paced and I really liked the development of the main characters. Lots of twists and turns with a satisfying ending that resolves things....but still leaves lots of open doors for what might happen next.
If this is what I can expect from a Pinkerton book I am definitely moving all his other works up on my TBR list. Great entertaining and thoughtful reads!
Based on the synopsis I was expecting a straightforward scifi novel that explored cloning human consciousness, but being true to his style the book takes unexpected turns and blossoms into much more than that.
The plot is very fast paced and I really liked the development of the main characters. Lots of twists and turns with a satisfying ending that resolves things....but still leaves lots of open doors for what might happen next.
If this is what I can expect from a Pinkerton book I am definitely moving all his other works up on my TBR list. Great entertaining and thoughtful reads!
September 11, 2019
Pretty good. It is fast paced, I'll give it that. This book would translate well over to a television series. Interesting but nothing breath-taking or shocking.
May 5, 2019
Tom Nolan is dying. He has a wife and a young daughter, and every reason to live. So when confronted with a chance to be cured of what is killing him, he signs right up. In a futuristic twist, Tom would have his memory implanted into an exact replica of himself. A robotic replica. One that would allow him to essentially live free of all of his ailments.
But, with everything in life, it's not that simple. What Tom thinks will be a simple procedure turns into a cat and mouse game that bounces all over the world, involving multiple Global Leaders fighting over the technology.
Great pacing in this novel. I was always looking forward to each new chapter. There certainly was never a dull moment. From Chicago to Florida to Russia. From saving his own life to preventing the Russians from kidnapping his body to saving the President of the United States of America, this novel has it all!
But, with everything in life, it's not that simple. What Tom thinks will be a simple procedure turns into a cat and mouse game that bounces all over the world, involving multiple Global Leaders fighting over the technology.
Great pacing in this novel. I was always looking forward to each new chapter. There certainly was never a dull moment. From Chicago to Florida to Russia. From saving his own life to preventing the Russians from kidnapping his body to saving the President of the United States of America, this novel has it all!
December 2, 2024
3.5/5
This reminded me of two Black Mirror episodes - Be Right Back (with the synthetic recreation of a human being) and Black Museum (with the transfer of the human mind into an inanimate object).
Summary - Tom Nolan is dying. Luckily for him though, there is a top-secret experimental technology that he can try where scientists will scan and download his brain into a perfect Tom Nolan robotic replica. But things don't really go according to plan when they test the technology out on an "expendable" convict (I mean, what could possibly go wrong?)
Review - I think this book could turn into a great sci-fi action movie. It could also be a decent Black Mirror movie if the characters had a bit more depth and emotion and if the book tackled more philosophical and moral questions
I thought the ending was a bit far-fetched but it also kind of made sense I guess...
tl;dr - Overall, it was a very enjoyable, unpredictable, fast-paced and quick read.
eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*** #27 of my 2019 Popsugar Reading Challenge - A book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in the title ***
This reminded me of two Black Mirror episodes - Be Right Back (with the synthetic recreation of a human being) and Black Museum (with the transfer of the human mind into an inanimate object).
Summary - Tom Nolan is dying. Luckily for him though, there is a top-secret experimental technology that he can try where scientists will scan and download his brain into a perfect Tom Nolan robotic replica. But things don't really go according to plan when they test the technology out on an "expendable" convict (I mean, what could possibly go wrong?)
Review - I think this book could turn into a great sci-fi action movie. It could also be a decent Black Mirror movie if the characters had a bit more depth and emotion and if the book tackled more philosophical and moral questions
I thought the ending was a bit far-fetched but it also kind of made sense I guess...
tl;dr - Overall, it was a very enjoyable, unpredictable, fast-paced and quick read.
eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*** #27 of my 2019 Popsugar Reading Challenge - A book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in the title ***
May 19, 2021
This is not a genre I usually read, but I took it on vacation and started reading and couldn’t stop. Twists and turns, great writing, very engaging, almost too close to current environment for comfort.
July 1, 2019
Hello and welcome you all to my stop on the Gemini Experiment blog tour. Arranged by the wonderful Random things tours (Anne)
I’m going to start this off by saying what a read this book is. From start to finish it had me on tender hooks. It had me constantly second guessing but I could never figure this book out. That should be enough for a review right? well that’s me done goodnight haha. I’m only joking I will get on with the review of this amazing book. (i’m a big sci-fi nut)
This book is a Flame tree press ARC just reading the blurb I knew id like this book. Lets talk about one of the main characters. Mr Nolan who has a chronic disease which is killing him slowly. Hes been offered a second chance at life with his family and kids. Tom has been offered a kind of replacement body that is exactly a perfect copy of his own body. Except its robotic with Toms memory’s installed into it.
They have managed to digitized the human brain that they could put it on a hard drive and install it into his new body. Tom would be perfect again. Know life threatening disease and spend the rest of his life with his family.
Obviously something has to happen or it would be boring if it was just plain sailing. So before they put Toms brain into his new body they need to test it. So they find a prisoner who has a life sentence for horrific crimes and cancer which is killing him in a painful way (shame right?) he agrees to this and now becomes the first person to have his brain digitized and put in Toms body as a beta testing. Only thing is this is a bad man with bad intentions. He manages to escape and go on a spree degrading Toms name and making him one of the most wanted men in America.
So poor Tom is left the the lurch and a mad man is murdering and robbing on his trail of destruction. Now this where it gets interesting. The Russians have been hiding in the background and want this technology for themselves so they can build armies. Also a president of the United states plays a cameo role in this book.
If you’re into your science fiction reads then you wont be disappointed. Even if this isn’t your typical genre give it ago anyway. I will guarantee you will really enjoy this book.
Brian Pinkerton has done really well in writing this book. From the highs to the lows to keeping you on your toes. You wont be able to put this book down. I will look forward to reading more books by Brian Pinkerton hopefully on a future blog tour. There is some information at the bottom please give it a read and thank you if you’ve made it this far.
I’m going to start this off by saying what a read this book is. From start to finish it had me on tender hooks. It had me constantly second guessing but I could never figure this book out. That should be enough for a review right? well that’s me done goodnight haha. I’m only joking I will get on with the review of this amazing book. (i’m a big sci-fi nut)
This book is a Flame tree press ARC just reading the blurb I knew id like this book. Lets talk about one of the main characters. Mr Nolan who has a chronic disease which is killing him slowly. Hes been offered a second chance at life with his family and kids. Tom has been offered a kind of replacement body that is exactly a perfect copy of his own body. Except its robotic with Toms memory’s installed into it.
They have managed to digitized the human brain that they could put it on a hard drive and install it into his new body. Tom would be perfect again. Know life threatening disease and spend the rest of his life with his family.
Obviously something has to happen or it would be boring if it was just plain sailing. So before they put Toms brain into his new body they need to test it. So they find a prisoner who has a life sentence for horrific crimes and cancer which is killing him in a painful way (shame right?) he agrees to this and now becomes the first person to have his brain digitized and put in Toms body as a beta testing. Only thing is this is a bad man with bad intentions. He manages to escape and go on a spree degrading Toms name and making him one of the most wanted men in America.
So poor Tom is left the the lurch and a mad man is murdering and robbing on his trail of destruction. Now this where it gets interesting. The Russians have been hiding in the background and want this technology for themselves so they can build armies. Also a president of the United states plays a cameo role in this book.
If you’re into your science fiction reads then you wont be disappointed. Even if this isn’t your typical genre give it ago anyway. I will guarantee you will really enjoy this book.
Brian Pinkerton has done really well in writing this book. From the highs to the lows to keeping you on your toes. You wont be able to put this book down. I will look forward to reading more books by Brian Pinkerton hopefully on a future blog tour. There is some information at the bottom please give it a read and thank you if you’ve made it this far.
May 15, 2019
This is my first Flametree science fiction book review, and if they are all like 'The Gemini Experiment', then it absolutely will not be my last!
It starts off at a fast pace which carries you through the trials of Tom Nolan's life, to the gasp inducing last page, like the very best rollercoaster, leaving you feel lightheaded and wobbly footed yet ready to experience it all over again.
In a very human based story, Tom is a man who is dying. He is recruited for a top secret experiment which will replicate his body, and then he will be transferred into it. But it all goes horribly wrong when Tom's twin goes on the run, bringing after him the Russian mob as well as the scientists keen to get the missing twin back before the science which created him can be used for evil.
But who in this story truly wears a white hat ,and who can actually say that their actions are altruistic?
Tom needs this body in order to live,so he is invested in getting this experiment back, but where does consciousness and personality lie,and to whom does his twin belong? And when it comes to it, can he kill to protect his life? The technology would be priceless in the wrong hands which is why the action goes from the man in the street up to government level involvement.
This is a near future set thriller of sci-fi fiction which I could totally get behind, it is fast, twisty and really ,really good! It reminded me of 'The Running Man' in absolutely the best way and I would thoroughly recommend this face paced read to anyone curious about sci-fi who is looking to expand their horizons.
Flametree publish the best in horror, fantasy and sci-fi and having read a lot of the horror, I am 100% up for branching out into the other fields.
It starts off at a fast pace which carries you through the trials of Tom Nolan's life, to the gasp inducing last page, like the very best rollercoaster, leaving you feel lightheaded and wobbly footed yet ready to experience it all over again.
In a very human based story, Tom is a man who is dying. He is recruited for a top secret experiment which will replicate his body, and then he will be transferred into it. But it all goes horribly wrong when Tom's twin goes on the run, bringing after him the Russian mob as well as the scientists keen to get the missing twin back before the science which created him can be used for evil.
But who in this story truly wears a white hat ,and who can actually say that their actions are altruistic?
Tom needs this body in order to live,so he is invested in getting this experiment back, but where does consciousness and personality lie,and to whom does his twin belong? And when it comes to it, can he kill to protect his life? The technology would be priceless in the wrong hands which is why the action goes from the man in the street up to government level involvement.
This is a near future set thriller of sci-fi fiction which I could totally get behind, it is fast, twisty and really ,really good! It reminded me of 'The Running Man' in absolutely the best way and I would thoroughly recommend this face paced read to anyone curious about sci-fi who is looking to expand their horizons.
Flametree publish the best in horror, fantasy and sci-fi and having read a lot of the horror, I am 100% up for branching out into the other fields.
May 13, 2019
Tom Nolan stared into his own eyes. The did not blink.”
Tom had been recently diagnosed with Lowry’s disease, a motor neurone disease and he is aware of the effects this will have on his body….
He is then offered a chance…..to transfer his consciousness into a synthetic clone, which if successful would make him immortal…..given the alternative, he agrees and his body is mapped, the next stage will be brain mapping.
But first the tech needs to be tested, so they offer the same chance to Louis, a lifer in prison with terminal stomach cancer……he jumps at the chance.
The tech works, but it’s not all plain sailing and the replica escapes, violent and unpredictable, and so it’s a race against time to recover it……before the Russians do. Who will be the winner…..is there even a good or evil here?
This feels like a ‘we can do it, but should we do it’ scenario…..yes we’d all like to be free of disease or disability but at what cost to humanity itself….very thought provoking…..
Some great characters and while it’s clearly science fiction it really had an air of possibility about it…scary (reminded me a little of Neill Blomkamp’s movie Chappie) Nicely paced with the action building to a clever end…a credit to Brian Pinkerton excellent, creative writing….loved it…
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
Tom had been recently diagnosed with Lowry’s disease, a motor neurone disease and he is aware of the effects this will have on his body….
He is then offered a chance…..to transfer his consciousness into a synthetic clone, which if successful would make him immortal…..given the alternative, he agrees and his body is mapped, the next stage will be brain mapping.
But first the tech needs to be tested, so they offer the same chance to Louis, a lifer in prison with terminal stomach cancer……he jumps at the chance.
The tech works, but it’s not all plain sailing and the replica escapes, violent and unpredictable, and so it’s a race against time to recover it……before the Russians do. Who will be the winner…..is there even a good or evil here?
This feels like a ‘we can do it, but should we do it’ scenario…..yes we’d all like to be free of disease or disability but at what cost to humanity itself….very thought provoking…..
Some great characters and while it’s clearly science fiction it really had an air of possibility about it…scary (reminded me a little of Neill Blomkamp’s movie Chappie) Nicely paced with the action building to a clever end…a credit to Brian Pinkerton excellent, creative writing….loved it…
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
March 22, 2019
I'm reviewing this for Gingernuts of Horror, so my full review will be up there. But, I thought this was a fun frightening sci-fi story about body swapping and the troubles of meddling in science. I do think it runs into the issue of most body swapping stories in which the people doing the experiment should be smart enough to put in some sort of failsafe so they can trust the person they are talking to.
Despite that little hangup, I think it is a smart action packed story that is a blast to read. Pinkerton expertly handles action scenes and keeping the plot moving to never let you get bored. His characters are three dimensional and you'll find yourself invested in what happens to all of them, even those that are not that great.
Definitely worth checking out if you like sci-fi, intrigue, and lots of body swapping.
Despite that little hangup, I think it is a smart action packed story that is a blast to read. Pinkerton expertly handles action scenes and keeping the plot moving to never let you get bored. His characters are three dimensional and you'll find yourself invested in what happens to all of them, even those that are not that great.
Definitely worth checking out if you like sci-fi, intrigue, and lots of body swapping.
February 13, 2025
I'm glad I found Brian, this was more enjoyable for me than the first of his I finished last night.
There's often a 'don't be stupid' chapter in books with a Prometheus, and it was chapter 15 here. I think part of that is why it wasn't quite 5 star; sometimes the writing felt like it was trying to be high stakes but not quite making it. It lacked gravitas. That's fine, but funnily enough it brought to mind the idea of an airport novel, which I remember finding scandalous when applied to The Bourne Identity, which to my young mind was far more complex than that label seemed to indicate.
This was great, though, for what it was. I enjoyed every page, and even if I saw the twists and turns coming, they landed with great satisfaction.
There's often a 'don't be stupid' chapter in books with a Prometheus, and it was chapter 15 here. I think part of that is why it wasn't quite 5 star; sometimes the writing felt like it was trying to be high stakes but not quite making it. It lacked gravitas. That's fine, but funnily enough it brought to mind the idea of an airport novel, which I remember finding scandalous when applied to The Bourne Identity, which to my young mind was far more complex than that label seemed to indicate.
This was great, though, for what it was. I enjoyed every page, and even if I saw the twists and turns coming, they landed with great satisfaction.
September 21, 2020
Oh a (holds chin in a thinking pose) whilst I think whether I liked this or not.... Answer is yes it was an enjoyable read, somewhat predictable (Robot humans, AI, ill president etc you get the drift).
This one is Not going to win awards. I did Not make me scream "I MUST READ THE NEXT ONE, DAMN YOU SATAN AND ALL YOUR MINONS".
However, I did manage to find myself turning the pages to keep reading and enjoyed the ups and downs.
I would read another Pinkerton novel in the distance future however there maybe some time until I do as I have a lot more books in my TBR that a shouting to be read and ones which I am sure will hold my interest much more at a level that I expect.
This one is Not going to win awards. I did Not make me scream "I MUST READ THE NEXT ONE, DAMN YOU SATAN AND ALL YOUR MINONS".
However, I did manage to find myself turning the pages to keep reading and enjoyed the ups and downs.
I would read another Pinkerton novel in the distance future however there maybe some time until I do as I have a lot more books in my TBR that a shouting to be read and ones which I am sure will hold my interest much more at a level that I expect.
May 12, 2019
The near-future thriller takes you on a twisting, turning ride the way only Brian Pinkerton can. Non-stop suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat and you really feel for the main character. In a few years, all the science fiction elements in this story may likely become science facts. You’ll love this page-turning adventure.
August 22, 2020
This was so good. Literally SO GOOD. While this may be somewhat of a concept I’ve seen in movies before it has never been as well executed as it was in this story. And the twists! Every time I thought I knew what was going on another twist or turn would come flying at me and I’d have to get my bearings again. It was great and the definition of a page turner.
January 30, 2021
First - I love the premise of this story. Like having an evil twin running around, only, your twin is a robot. The characters and world are well-developed, and it's easy to get lost in the pages of this book. I wouldn't say this is an edge-of=your-seat thriller, but I didn't want to put it down once I started. A great sci-fi read that really makes you wonder...what if?
July 27, 2019
I received and ARC in exchange for an honest review. I got to be honest this book was a bit rougher for me starting out, but I’m glad I stuck with it.
Part science fiction part crime thriller. This book was a fun and enjoyable read.
Part science fiction part crime thriller. This book was a fun and enjoyable read.
August 4, 2025
Awesome book, no words begin to describe the feeling of euphoria after you read this. Super cool book by a super cool writer. Do yourself a very big cherry flavor and buy this or go to a library and check it out, go ahead I’ll wait. 11.9 Stars out of 10.
October 3, 2019
Is it legal to review my own book?
August 15, 2023
Incredible book, could not put it down. He knows how to hook you and reel you in. Man I man I need more of his work and so will you. 10 Stars
November 15, 2024
A really good page turning Science Fiction thriller! Couldn’t put this one down. Definitely recommend anyone to read it. Looking forward to reading more of Brian Pinkerton’s books.
December 18, 2024
There was sooooo much dialogue, it created an imbalance between plot and exposition, so I took away a star. Other than that, there were good plot twists in the last 10% of the novel
February 26, 2025
Very good!
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