What do you think?
Rate this book
Paperclip
“I warmly endorse the continuing efforts of Dan Woll and Walter Rhein for their latest novel, “Paperclip.” Unsettled, stirring. drama-laden—“Paperclip” is written with gusto, good humor and a knowledge of the panoply that is America, as the authors take their three gifted characters from youth to adulthood. How can you resist a book that opens with a guesser who is always right? “Paperclip” begs for a read, a sequel, and a movie.”—Dave Wood, Former Books Editor, Minneapolis Star Tribune and Past Vice-President, National Book Critics Circle What if your whole life was an experiment? Prior to meeting Carlie, Mickey's biggest problem consisted of escaping the wrath of the ruler-wielding nuns of St. Asors. But when Carlie moved to town, Mickey found that the young girl's proximity began to enhance a dormant ability to catch fleeting glimpses of the future. Confused by the stirrings of young love, Mickey began to sense the presence of a shadowy villain, driven by hatred, on a relentless pursuit that would not end until both Mickey and Carlie were dead.
201 pages, Paperback
Published December 3, 2018
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 15, 2018
I could not put this book down. I read until the sun came up. Riveting and disturbing.
May 27, 2020
Digging through my ebooks for what to read next, I noticed this one I'd read a while back and hadn't added to my books here.
The story coming to mind, I'm not surprised I forgot it. It's a cat and mouse paranormal bit employing a setting around the real Operation Paperclip.
It was okay as lite reading before bedding down. I don't mean to disparage the book, as many might enjoy it. I'm a bit jaded, having read so many books since the 1940s that with varying details had homogenized storylines.
The story coming to mind, I'm not surprised I forgot it. It's a cat and mouse paranormal bit employing a setting around the real Operation Paperclip.
It was okay as lite reading before bedding down. I don't mean to disparage the book, as many might enjoy it. I'm a bit jaded, having read so many books since the 1940s that with varying details had homogenized storylines.
December 11, 2019
Paperclip (2018) by Dan Woll and Walter Rhein is a very well-written and unsettling drama/thriller with elements of sci-fi/paranormal.
The novel tells the story of three people Carlie, Mort and Mickey whose lives interwine by a dark and overpowering force which is visible to only the three of them. The book is very fast-paced and nothing in it is filler. The novel is actually based on the true-life Operation Paperclip which I hadn’t heard about prior to reading the book. The fact that it is based on true events makes it all the more chilling. My favourite character was Mickey because I found him the most likeable but Mort does make the book and without him in it, so much of the story would be lost. He isn’t the most likeable but he is definitely the most interesting and the most complex. I think his story is handled very well by the authors. He has had a difficult life. His mother was killed in very tragic circumstances and he is intent on a twisted justice of making everyone present and involved in her death pay which includes Carlie on the basis that her mother was there and involved at the time. His father was did tests on in jail which ended up with him drinking a pitcher of lemonade with LSD in it. And while I sympathized with him for sure in these things, I liked that he wasn’t excused from his cruel actions after. A very interesting thing I felt about Mort’s story too was how class played into it. It did feel like working-class people were even more targeted for these big scientists’ experiments and it made me think Mort’s life could have been a lot different if he was from another class. Being working-class myself, the idea of our lives being dispensable for scientific purposes didn’t surprise me but I think it was great that it was highlighted in the book. It is also a look at the bad side of science. Admittedly science has done a lot of good but there has been a lot of shady moments too in Science’s history and it was good to see that being highlighted too. Carlie is alright too and we get a lot of great backstory about her and her family.
Each of these characters is written very well. The plot is interesting and everything works. It is not an easy read but it is thought-provoking and challenges the reader to think which I love. Fantastic editing by Cas Peace as well.
A fantastic read which I very much recommend.
The novel tells the story of three people Carlie, Mort and Mickey whose lives interwine by a dark and overpowering force which is visible to only the three of them. The book is very fast-paced and nothing in it is filler. The novel is actually based on the true-life Operation Paperclip which I hadn’t heard about prior to reading the book. The fact that it is based on true events makes it all the more chilling. My favourite character was Mickey because I found him the most likeable but Mort does make the book and without him in it, so much of the story would be lost. He isn’t the most likeable but he is definitely the most interesting and the most complex. I think his story is handled very well by the authors. He has had a difficult life. His mother was killed in very tragic circumstances and he is intent on a twisted justice of making everyone present and involved in her death pay which includes Carlie on the basis that her mother was there and involved at the time. His father was did tests on in jail which ended up with him drinking a pitcher of lemonade with LSD in it. And while I sympathized with him for sure in these things, I liked that he wasn’t excused from his cruel actions after. A very interesting thing I felt about Mort’s story too was how class played into it. It did feel like working-class people were even more targeted for these big scientists’ experiments and it made me think Mort’s life could have been a lot different if he was from another class. Being working-class myself, the idea of our lives being dispensable for scientific purposes didn’t surprise me but I think it was great that it was highlighted in the book. It is also a look at the bad side of science. Admittedly science has done a lot of good but there has been a lot of shady moments too in Science’s history and it was good to see that being highlighted too. Carlie is alright too and we get a lot of great backstory about her and her family.
Each of these characters is written very well. The plot is interesting and everything works. It is not an easy read but it is thought-provoking and challenges the reader to think which I love. Fantastic editing by Cas Peace as well.
A fantastic read which I very much recommend.
June 3, 2019
Walter Rhein (author of The Reader of Acheron and The Literate Thief) two great dystopian novels in their own right, now provides Paperclip, co-authored with Don Woll. This, too, is a disturbing look at a dystopian future world. Two children, Carlie and Mickey, realize that they are not like other kids. No, they seem to be well aware of things, of events . . . things that no child — maybe no adult — should ever be aware of. It’s a nicely constructed story that hooked me right from the start. It’s a real political thriller, with elements of the paranormal and psychological mixed in to heighten the tension. This novel involves Nazis, and conspiracies at all levels of government, straight up the ladder to the highest levels of government power, and it’s quite chilling in the world Rhein and Woll have created. From what I understand, this novel is based on some real, horrific experiments conducted at one time in the name of medicine, science and insight into human nature and the human mind. The government is controlled by a “shadow government” that turned its back on other atrocities in its pursuit to build a new weapon of unbelievable power. It’s based on something called Operation Paperclip, which took place prior to World War I, in which certain scientists were also subjecting test “victims” — human guinea pigs — to doses of LSD. This is a scary, thoughtful, and well-paced novel with engaging characters whom we root for, and others who we’d like to see subjected to their own experiments. It’s a different sort of political and psychological thriller, and if you like a good dystopian novel, something original and unique from so many others, I highly recommend that you pick up a copy and give it a read. It will shock and disturb you, and perhaps leave you awake at night, thinking of the terrible consequences that could result from some such covert operations, and secret experiments that would make Doctors Frankenstein, Jekyll, Moreau, and the real-life Mengele cringe in horror.
January 5, 2019
I think it was only a month or so ago that I mentioned I liked to be surprised. You know, it’s like those occasions you sit down to watch a film or read a book and it ends up taking you unexpected places that please you no end?
Well, in “Paperclip” I experienced another one of those out-of-the-blue- moments that I thoroughly enjoyed. (Who would have thought?)
Carlie and Mickey are different from other children. They know things. Things they shouldn’t. A bit of a pain when they can’t exactly broadcast the fact without being thought of as weird or one sandwich short of a full picnic. Each tries to cope in their own way. Alas, people “like them” appear to act as a lodestone to others who are different. And that’s not always a good thing.
Based on a real life project, Paperclip is a clever paranormal psychological thriller, involving government conspiracies; national security at the highest level; Nazi scientists living under false identities; and killer stalkers with a penchant for being it the right place at the wrong time.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story is well constructed, engages you from the beginning, and adopts a pace that allows you to become involved in Carlie and Mickey’s lives as they try to make sense of why things keep happening to them.
Oh, and who’s the mysterious cowboy with a brute of a dog?
Make the effort to find out, you’ll be glad you did.
Well, in “Paperclip” I experienced another one of those out-of-the-blue- moments that I thoroughly enjoyed. (Who would have thought?)
Carlie and Mickey are different from other children. They know things. Things they shouldn’t. A bit of a pain when they can’t exactly broadcast the fact without being thought of as weird or one sandwich short of a full picnic. Each tries to cope in their own way. Alas, people “like them” appear to act as a lodestone to others who are different. And that’s not always a good thing.
Based on a real life project, Paperclip is a clever paranormal psychological thriller, involving government conspiracies; national security at the highest level; Nazi scientists living under false identities; and killer stalkers with a penchant for being it the right place at the wrong time.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story is well constructed, engages you from the beginning, and adopts a pace that allows you to become involved in Carlie and Mickey’s lives as they try to make sense of why things keep happening to them.
Oh, and who’s the mysterious cowboy with a brute of a dog?
Make the effort to find out, you’ll be glad you did.
May 5, 2020
A very original approach to writing. This book starts out as a really interesting look into two remarkable paranormal kids and how one of them seems to be able to defeat evil with only a thought. The coming of adulthood finds the two 'together' still.
In the midst of that growth from childhood to adulthood, you get something I had not really felt since the classic Something Wicked This Way Comes. If that movie had carried on from the main characters as 13 on until maybe 26, then it would be almost exactly like this book.
If you are a fan of a nasty evil presence who just exudes evil with every ounce of his being, then this book is made for you. There are a number of themes that could be representative of what the authors are aiming at. The question of whether life is environment or born in traits...
One can certainly read this book and come firmly down on the side that hard drugs are evil and will destroy life as we know it.
A well-written, dark tome that brings an aura of darkness almost from the beginning, and the reader isn't left with much satisfaction. Just an absorbing paranormal that can, at times, be a difficult read.
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by: Mr. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
In the midst of that growth from childhood to adulthood, you get something I had not really felt since the classic Something Wicked This Way Comes. If that movie had carried on from the main characters as 13 on until maybe 26, then it would be almost exactly like this book.
If you are a fan of a nasty evil presence who just exudes evil with every ounce of his being, then this book is made for you. There are a number of themes that could be representative of what the authors are aiming at. The question of whether life is environment or born in traits...
One can certainly read this book and come firmly down on the side that hard drugs are evil and will destroy life as we know it.
A well-written, dark tome that brings an aura of darkness almost from the beginning, and the reader isn't left with much satisfaction. Just an absorbing paranormal that can, at times, be a difficult read.
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by: Mr. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
March 28, 2019
Walter Rhein’s and Dan Woll’s PAPERCLIP is an engaging and unsettling story with realistic characters that demand you witness their tales all the way to the end. Rhein and Woll expertly weave together three seemingly disparate tales that come together to form a whole.
PAPERCLIP is the story of Mikey, Carlie, and Mort. All three are bound together by the ability to perceive the world outside of the “normal”. The fantastical/superpower elements of each of the three binds them together in ways they can’t see and wouldn’t imagine. Often cooperative pieces generally feel as if they were written by two, or more, authors. Rhein and Woll work together in a seamless way that doesn’t require the reader to adjust for differences in tone, pace, and plotting. They keep building the stakes for the characters, forcing readers to turn the next page and see how it all turns out.
Rhein and Woll have created a realistic, unsettling, but ultimately exciting world in PAPERCLIP that will keep the reader entertained throughout. Visualizing the future, young love, and a villain who just won’t quit round out a story that is well worth your time.
PAPERCLIP is the story of Mikey, Carlie, and Mort. All three are bound together by the ability to perceive the world outside of the “normal”. The fantastical/superpower elements of each of the three binds them together in ways they can’t see and wouldn’t imagine. Often cooperative pieces generally feel as if they were written by two, or more, authors. Rhein and Woll work together in a seamless way that doesn’t require the reader to adjust for differences in tone, pace, and plotting. They keep building the stakes for the characters, forcing readers to turn the next page and see how it all turns out.
Rhein and Woll have created a realistic, unsettling, but ultimately exciting world in PAPERCLIP that will keep the reader entertained throughout. Visualizing the future, young love, and a villain who just won’t quit round out a story that is well worth your time.
January 4, 2019
Dan Woll and Walter Rhein weave a literary Celtic knot in which the lives of the characters continually twist and turn about each other, yet remain forever connected. Paperclip was a fascinating look into some of the frightening experimentation conducted in the guise of science and medicine. A shadowy world in which the government overlooked former atrocities and dangerous ideologies in order for them to pursue a possible new weapon. This was an engaging story, and I truly loved the pacing and arrangement of the story, and the way in which what seemed to be serendipity was something much deeper. I highly recommend you read this book.
February 20, 2019
This was a great book and a quick read. Perfect for anyone interested in government conspiracy theories, the counterculture movement of the 1960s, and/or parapsychology. The chapters are short and the characters were well-written. I hope there will be a sequel!
March 30, 2019
Historical thriller
https://gabixlerreviews-bookreadershe...
https://gabixlerreviews-bookreadershe...
March 12, 2020
This isn't the sort of story I generally pick up, but I really enjoyed it. I like when snippets of history are used as the framework of a story, and appreciate the little cultural cues that are sprinkled in along the way. The imagery in the story is fantastic. The characters are well written, especially the Cowboy, and I especially appreciate when a villain is as three dimensional as this one was. Villains rarely consider themselves to be the villain. I also prefer my paranormal portrayals to be mysterious, rather than overt. This story does that well. The story never drags, but zips right along, with little clues dropped along the way. There is potential for a sequel in this story, and I hope we see one. I would definitely pick it up!
April 19, 2020
Paperclip is an intriguing story about a young girl with precognitive powers, the young man with which she has an unusual bond and the villain who stalks them both for years. Alternately sweet, funny and terrifying, it is never dull as it leads the characters from their youth at a catholic school through college and young adulthood.
I wasn't always sure where the book was headed but I knew I had to find out.
Well worth the read.
I wasn't always sure where the book was headed but I knew I had to find out.
Well worth the read.
April 4, 2020
What a fun book! Fast paced and well written. The characters are great and I love a good conspiracy theory. I aspire to write something this good.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews