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ESPionage
The Faith Machine
A fantastic niche, psychic espionage. Think Legion season one meets The Men Who Stare at Goats, or the X-Men in the X-Files. A must read for anyone who loves a good laugh, a great read, and implausible but completely engaging characters.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 6, 2020
6 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 17, 2020
I have really enjoyed reading this, a refreshing change for me in terms of reading. A really good spy/thriller novel that was surprising and interesting to read. A full review will be up on my blog....soon
May 31, 2020
"I've known men who wanted to be gods on earth, and a god who wanted to be a man. One would think someone, somewhere would be happy with their station in life."
The Faith Machine is author Tone Milazzo's provocative delve into the realm of Psychic Science Fiction Thrillers, a noir-esque tale that focuses on the arrogance of mankind, and the dangers of playing at God. Incorporating the concepts of troubling technology and manufactured faith, this is a brisk narrative that sweeps readers on a journey across the globe to unearth a deadly weapon with the fate of all hanging in the balance. Various factions, whose intentions continue to remain cloudy, battle to reign supreme in this breakneck race to the finish line, and there's never a moment of rest – once one secret is uncovered, another begins to emerge from the depths rearing its ugly head. Filled with twists and turns, this is a consuming expedition that's unafraid to shed light on the darkest corners of the human psyche, presenting a story of those that are willing to do anything in the name of the greater good.
"The seven of us are some of the most powerful individuals on the planet. We're demigods among men."
This story revolves around a relatively large, diverse cast of characters that each have their own distinct voice. Readers follow the misadventures of rogue government agents bestowed with psychic powers, who also happen to suffer from severe mental disorders. Dr. Park, a doctor of psychiatry, leads a team consisting of those with skills, called cards, that include enhanced reflexes, the ability to learn expertise telepathically, the ability to induce paralysis through speech, electokinesis, probability distortion, and precognition, on a hunt to save humanity from those who would use belief as a weapon. While the characters can come across as very stereotypical, it was a treat to learn all their interesting quirks and disastrous dynamics as the story unfurled. Despite the fact they always seemed to be in a state of disagreement, the seven work exceedingly well together to bring this story to life.
Milazzo crafts his tale with simple prose, making this a smooth, straightforward read that is easy to devour. Bite-sized chapters, each featuring a different POV or set of POVs, tell the story in as linear a way as possible – I found the author's choice of infrequently portraying the same occurrence through the eyes of multiple characters to give readers insight from all angles a wise decision. The fat smartly trimmed, every page in the book matters, each incident playing a pivotal role in the outcome of the tightly weaved plot. The book doesn't suffer from exhaustive details, allowing the reader to deduce on their own until the larger picture comes into focus. And when it does, it does so with a gargantuan, unexpected bang.
The Faith Machine was a refreshing read that strays far from the norm of my usual literary diet, and I'm so glad I was given the chance to give this thriller a go. A quick, entertaining, action-packed read that refuses to hold anything back as it violently drags its readers along with a group of unlikely spy-type heroes, who inevitably leave a trail of destruction in their wake. The contained story itself ties up nicely, but leaves plenty of room for more in the future, and I'm excited to see what happens next in the world of ESPionage. If you're looking for something a little different infused with intrigue and tension, then this may be the one for you, and I recommend you give it a try.
My Rating: 3.5, but let's round up!
Note: A huge thank you to the author for providing a complementary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CW: This may not be for the squeamish or easily offended – violence, racism, torture, sexual assault, gore, death.
June 4, 2020
The Faith Machine by Tone Milazzo is a weird and wild combination of action and psychic “superheroes” fighting for the fate of the world.
We are in a world where The Avengers and other superhero juggernaut stories have become as familiar to readers and viewers as peanut butter and jelly. The stories have infiltrated our everyday vernacular and changed the superhero trope. A being with powers can no longer be a nuanced and profound thing. You have to wear spandex and a cape, possibly have a catchphrase of 12. Bad guys are always wrong to the core, and the good guys kiss babies and help older people across the street. Although this is entertaining in a grand “Boom,” “Pow!,” “Ka-Pow” sort of way, it doesn’t leave much for actual feelings. I don’t see superman ever dealing with apathy, depression, mania, or desperation.
All of this leads me to my newest read, The Faith Machine by Tone Milazzo. The Faith Machine is a new breed of Superheroesque story that is part noir, part thriller, part action and, part science fiction. Unlike many of the trope-filled superhero stories mentioned above that are a part of mainstream culture, The Faith Machine steps outside the box a bit. It reminds me more of a gonzo Watchman then anything having to do with superman. People with powers have double the problems. They are human, and with that comes all of the quirky human characteristics that swirl round in their monkey brains, including mental illness. God or something caused these people to be gifted, but all gifts have a price. It can be life-destroying or life-affirming. But in the end, these characters have a realness that most superhero stories do not have.
The Faith Machine has a huge cast of quirky characters. Occasionally, it was difficult to tell what was going on. But author Tone Mizolli kept his chapters brief, didn’t use much exposition, and allows the actions, descriptions of thoughts help differentiate the characters. The story, in a nutshell, is difficult to describe accurately. “Welcome to the dangerous, clandestine world of ESPionage. Welcome to The Strip, where operatives on the fringe command teams of ‘Cards’: Agents cursed with subtle, specialized, and sometimes sloppy psychic powers. Dr. Ken Park, Korean-American psychologist, and spy dares to lead six of these Cards. Together, they tackle esoteric threats the Department of Homeland Security cannot.” This description makes it sound like a psychic A-Team. It isn’t, it is a much cooler story than that. “Park takes his team to Africa to retrieve the Faith Machine. Built by the Soviets to turn prayers into suffering, the psychotronic device fell into the hands of a demented warlord. Tragically, the mission fails, and the madman slaughters hundreds of innocents while the machine burns.
They return to the States in disgrace, and into an ambush by the mysterious and brutal Casemen. Cut off from command and each other; the scattered agents rush to their safe house in the west. While spy agencies from around the world want retribution for the catastrophe in Africa. Park’s team outplays enemies left and right, while uncovering the true threat. There’s another Faith Machine, one destined to bring hell on earth.” The team takes on a mission that was a bit too much. They come back to the states only to be attacked by a group called Casemen. It is time to run. They are running most of the novel, and that can be tiring for some readers. But I rather enjoyed the non-stop action. As for what happens next, I am not going to ruin anything. But know there is destruction, and the nature of God and faith.
Or something, it is a bit wild.
It is a great read. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the action. It isn’t a book I would usually have picked up, but I am delighted that I did.
We are in a world where The Avengers and other superhero juggernaut stories have become as familiar to readers and viewers as peanut butter and jelly. The stories have infiltrated our everyday vernacular and changed the superhero trope. A being with powers can no longer be a nuanced and profound thing. You have to wear spandex and a cape, possibly have a catchphrase of 12. Bad guys are always wrong to the core, and the good guys kiss babies and help older people across the street. Although this is entertaining in a grand “Boom,” “Pow!,” “Ka-Pow” sort of way, it doesn’t leave much for actual feelings. I don’t see superman ever dealing with apathy, depression, mania, or desperation.
All of this leads me to my newest read, The Faith Machine by Tone Milazzo. The Faith Machine is a new breed of Superheroesque story that is part noir, part thriller, part action and, part science fiction. Unlike many of the trope-filled superhero stories mentioned above that are a part of mainstream culture, The Faith Machine steps outside the box a bit. It reminds me more of a gonzo Watchman then anything having to do with superman. People with powers have double the problems. They are human, and with that comes all of the quirky human characteristics that swirl round in their monkey brains, including mental illness. God or something caused these people to be gifted, but all gifts have a price. It can be life-destroying or life-affirming. But in the end, these characters have a realness that most superhero stories do not have.
The Faith Machine has a huge cast of quirky characters. Occasionally, it was difficult to tell what was going on. But author Tone Mizolli kept his chapters brief, didn’t use much exposition, and allows the actions, descriptions of thoughts help differentiate the characters. The story, in a nutshell, is difficult to describe accurately. “Welcome to the dangerous, clandestine world of ESPionage. Welcome to The Strip, where operatives on the fringe command teams of ‘Cards’: Agents cursed with subtle, specialized, and sometimes sloppy psychic powers. Dr. Ken Park, Korean-American psychologist, and spy dares to lead six of these Cards. Together, they tackle esoteric threats the Department of Homeland Security cannot.” This description makes it sound like a psychic A-Team. It isn’t, it is a much cooler story than that. “Park takes his team to Africa to retrieve the Faith Machine. Built by the Soviets to turn prayers into suffering, the psychotronic device fell into the hands of a demented warlord. Tragically, the mission fails, and the madman slaughters hundreds of innocents while the machine burns.
They return to the States in disgrace, and into an ambush by the mysterious and brutal Casemen. Cut off from command and each other; the scattered agents rush to their safe house in the west. While spy agencies from around the world want retribution for the catastrophe in Africa. Park’s team outplays enemies left and right, while uncovering the true threat. There’s another Faith Machine, one destined to bring hell on earth.” The team takes on a mission that was a bit too much. They come back to the states only to be attacked by a group called Casemen. It is time to run. They are running most of the novel, and that can be tiring for some readers. But I rather enjoyed the non-stop action. As for what happens next, I am not going to ruin anything. But know there is destruction, and the nature of God and faith.
Or something, it is a bit wild.
It is a great read. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the action. It isn’t a book I would usually have picked up, but I am delighted that I did.
June 5, 2020
This review was originally posted over at my blog, The Grimoire Reliquary, as part of the Storytellers on Tour blog tour.
The Faith Machine is one of the strangest, most bizarre books I’ve read in recent memory, and no less fun for it. With spies, psychic abilities, tons of action and betrayal, Milazzo’s novel channels Cold War thrillers mixed with almost Marvel-scale superpowers in a juggling act that was consistently entertaining throughout!
Where shall I begin? This novel follows a three-act structure, the first taking place in Africa, the second in America, and the third in North Korea; each one takes about a hundred-and-something pages of this 392-page novel, and each has enough going on to make for its own tiny novella, if the author had so chosen.
There are plenty of laughs to be had in The Faith Machine, based on all kinds of hilarious situations and exchanges between characters, as well as plenty of pop references. The novel is hilarious enough to make you forget all about the fact that this is an “ESPionage” story, unafraid to pull its punches, willing to go in some dark, disturbing places. Some of the imagery is downright shocking, and the trials some of the character
And the characters are a likable lot, all eight of the ensemble. There’s Dr. Park, the leader of the team, a Korean-American psychologist tasked wtih the enormous responsibility of keeping seven Cards (psychic spies), unstable one and all, together, as they . I won’t go over each and every one of the Cards, but I thought they made for wonderful characters. They’re bursting with personality from the very first time you come across them on the page:
A dusky young woman in an AC/DC belly shirt came running down the drive, swinging an ax after a man in a dirty T-shirt and boxers. “Jacob! I told you I didn’t wanna be on the internet!” Her unkempt brown hair bounced with her wild gait as she closed in.
Gabby stopped trying to kill Jacob whe she sawPark and Ainia. “Oh, hi, Park! What are you doin’ here?” She let the ax hit the ground.
Few things better than ax-wielding ladies in AC/DC shirts, I always say. I appreciate how divergant the cast is — these are folks from all walks of life, and the author does an admirable job of giving them unique, nuanced voices. For the most part — occasionally, a line read across as unpolished or as the author’s unbridled commentary, but that was a very, very rare occurance indeed! Further, I would’ve liked some more time spent with the leader of the ensemble, Dr. Park, whose last stretch of development I can’t help but feel didn’t conclude so much as stop in place.
The twists and turns are a delight — so many red herrings, very well executed. I did sense the last big twist coming, but a few of the smaller ones along the way blindsided me, which is something I am all for!
I admired the prose — it nails that pulpy feel of Cold War-era spy thrillers. The style is clear, exact, always directing the reader into any given scene with precision.
I will say, I’m glad I did not read the entire blurb on Goodreads before I picked this one up, because it spoils the first third of the novel. Bit of a strange choice, that.
My score for The Faith Machine is 4/5 stars! It had some elements I wasn’t sold on, but make no mistake, this is a solid sci-fi thriller, one well-worth your time.
The Faith Machine is one of the strangest, most bizarre books I’ve read in recent memory, and no less fun for it. With spies, psychic abilities, tons of action and betrayal, Milazzo’s novel channels Cold War thrillers mixed with almost Marvel-scale superpowers in a juggling act that was consistently entertaining throughout!
Where shall I begin? This novel follows a three-act structure, the first taking place in Africa, the second in America, and the third in North Korea; each one takes about a hundred-and-something pages of this 392-page novel, and each has enough going on to make for its own tiny novella, if the author had so chosen.
There are plenty of laughs to be had in The Faith Machine, based on all kinds of hilarious situations and exchanges between characters, as well as plenty of pop references. The novel is hilarious enough to make you forget all about the fact that this is an “ESPionage” story, unafraid to pull its punches, willing to go in some dark, disturbing places. Some of the imagery is downright shocking, and the trials some of the character
And the characters are a likable lot, all eight of the ensemble. There’s Dr. Park, the leader of the team, a Korean-American psychologist tasked wtih the enormous responsibility of keeping seven Cards (psychic spies), unstable one and all, together, as they . I won’t go over each and every one of the Cards, but I thought they made for wonderful characters. They’re bursting with personality from the very first time you come across them on the page:
A dusky young woman in an AC/DC belly shirt came running down the drive, swinging an ax after a man in a dirty T-shirt and boxers. “Jacob! I told you I didn’t wanna be on the internet!” Her unkempt brown hair bounced with her wild gait as she closed in.
Gabby stopped trying to kill Jacob whe she sawPark and Ainia. “Oh, hi, Park! What are you doin’ here?” She let the ax hit the ground.
Few things better than ax-wielding ladies in AC/DC shirts, I always say. I appreciate how divergant the cast is — these are folks from all walks of life, and the author does an admirable job of giving them unique, nuanced voices. For the most part — occasionally, a line read across as unpolished or as the author’s unbridled commentary, but that was a very, very rare occurance indeed! Further, I would’ve liked some more time spent with the leader of the ensemble, Dr. Park, whose last stretch of development I can’t help but feel didn’t conclude so much as stop in place.
The twists and turns are a delight — so many red herrings, very well executed. I did sense the last big twist coming, but a few of the smaller ones along the way blindsided me, which is something I am all for!
I admired the prose — it nails that pulpy feel of Cold War-era spy thrillers. The style is clear, exact, always directing the reader into any given scene with precision.
I will say, I’m glad I did not read the entire blurb on Goodreads before I picked this one up, because it spoils the first third of the novel. Bit of a strange choice, that.
My score for The Faith Machine is 4/5 stars! It had some elements I wasn’t sold on, but make no mistake, this is a solid sci-fi thriller, one well-worth your time.
Read
February 3, 2020There’s a certain misconception with writing that authors should run screaming from the formulaic, from the tropes and tricks that have been long-since exhausted in the realms of popular fiction. And it isn’t like the conceit is totally unjustified. There are plenty of stories that feel like they are just going through the motions, sticking a few vaguely original pins into an idea that has already been done a million times over. Despite that, I think it’s important to remember that it is still possible to write a great book, even if it’s done so in the framework of something that other authors have already tackled.
Which brings me to The Faith Machine, by Tone Milazzo. On the surface, this might seem like a book one could instinctively turn away from. A team of psychically and paranormally powered individuals are pulled together and tasked with the recovery of a certain piece of technology. Right off the bat, you get an “Avengers assemble” kind of expectation, something which has likely been unfortunately heightened due to the Disney explosion into the box office. Still, because I think it’s essential to keep an open mind, I was willing to give this one a try.
I’m glad I did. And you should do the same.
See the full review at :
https://gingernutsofhorror.com/fictio...
Which brings me to The Faith Machine, by Tone Milazzo. On the surface, this might seem like a book one could instinctively turn away from. A team of psychically and paranormally powered individuals are pulled together and tasked with the recovery of a certain piece of technology. Right off the bat, you get an “Avengers assemble” kind of expectation, something which has likely been unfortunately heightened due to the Disney explosion into the box office. Still, because I think it’s essential to keep an open mind, I was willing to give this one a try.
I’m glad I did. And you should do the same.
See the full review at :
https://gingernutsofhorror.com/fictio...
June 4, 2020
This will be more of a feel and free-form review.The blurb does a great job of giving you the story, but it was the characters differing personalities along with the strange events that occur along the way, that i hope to praise.
I really had fun with The Faith Machine, and almost missed this opportunity to read it. My life has been extremely hectic and busy lately. Finding time to read is a lot like finding my daughter���s barbie shoe she lost “somewhere” in the house, but ends up being found under a pile of stuff in the car.
However, I took the time to read the blurb in Justine’s last call for this tour and could not resist. From the great cover, showcasing a brain in a case, along with a variety of religous and spiritual symbols. To the blurb about the story itself with sloppy psychics, spies and the mix of genres was calling to me. Im glad I bit, too.
This story probably has more action in the first quarter of the book than you normally get from a Jackie Chan movie. I’m not a big action sequence or action film kind of guy but the way these characters and the unique abilities come into conflict with the bad guys is a blast. Sometimes, it’s punctuated by humor that could only come from someone with a truly unique sense for what’s funny.
I love weird and out of the way ideas, and Tone fills this book with them. There’s no genre it will easily fall into and the unexpected happens constantly. In fact, there’s almost a Carl Hiassenesqe genious in the writing that resulted in a fun book that kept my interest all the way through.
I loved that the chapters were short, as my attention span has been reduced to the level of my hyperactive 8 month old bloodhound. But it was the characters with the special abilities, or “Cards” that steal the show. We get to view a short, top secret document that details each person on the team, and what their Card is. Dr. Park, as their boss, comes to them, one by one, until his team of unusual spies are briefed, and ready to undertake a mission to recover a machine leftover from the cold war that allows Faith to become a weapon.
The skills these people have would seem to be more suited to performing at a circus, or making big bucks running a YouTube channel. But the writer weaves the skills to the situation and it all comes together with perfection.
To give one example is the girl who chews on a page of her Bible and suddenly becomes Thor, well, Thor without the muscles, the hammer, the godlike presence….what is left, you ask? The electricity of course, that she wields with mastery. Also the one who makes people around her stuck in place by the power of language, is used so fantastically in the story and was so funny at times.
After they survive a mission together in Liberia, they all go their separate ways back in the states. As each of them is caught off guard by men, with cases, Casemen, who are now hunting them, and seem to be wielding unique powers of their own. The rest of the story needs to be read, but I really enjoyed The Faith Machine, and look forward to the next book!
4 out of 5 Stars
I really had fun with The Faith Machine, and almost missed this opportunity to read it. My life has been extremely hectic and busy lately. Finding time to read is a lot like finding my daughter���s barbie shoe she lost “somewhere” in the house, but ends up being found under a pile of stuff in the car.
However, I took the time to read the blurb in Justine’s last call for this tour and could not resist. From the great cover, showcasing a brain in a case, along with a variety of religous and spiritual symbols. To the blurb about the story itself with sloppy psychics, spies and the mix of genres was calling to me. Im glad I bit, too.
This story probably has more action in the first quarter of the book than you normally get from a Jackie Chan movie. I’m not a big action sequence or action film kind of guy but the way these characters and the unique abilities come into conflict with the bad guys is a blast. Sometimes, it’s punctuated by humor that could only come from someone with a truly unique sense for what’s funny.
I love weird and out of the way ideas, and Tone fills this book with them. There’s no genre it will easily fall into and the unexpected happens constantly. In fact, there’s almost a Carl Hiassenesqe genious in the writing that resulted in a fun book that kept my interest all the way through.
I loved that the chapters were short, as my attention span has been reduced to the level of my hyperactive 8 month old bloodhound. But it was the characters with the special abilities, or “Cards” that steal the show. We get to view a short, top secret document that details each person on the team, and what their Card is. Dr. Park, as their boss, comes to them, one by one, until his team of unusual spies are briefed, and ready to undertake a mission to recover a machine leftover from the cold war that allows Faith to become a weapon.
The skills these people have would seem to be more suited to performing at a circus, or making big bucks running a YouTube channel. But the writer weaves the skills to the situation and it all comes together with perfection.
To give one example is the girl who chews on a page of her Bible and suddenly becomes Thor, well, Thor without the muscles, the hammer, the godlike presence….what is left, you ask? The electricity of course, that she wields with mastery. Also the one who makes people around her stuck in place by the power of language, is used so fantastically in the story and was so funny at times.
After they survive a mission together in Liberia, they all go their separate ways back in the states. As each of them is caught off guard by men, with cases, Casemen, who are now hunting them, and seem to be wielding unique powers of their own. The rest of the story needs to be read, but I really enjoyed The Faith Machine, and look forward to the next book!
4 out of 5 Stars
July 11, 2020
Has all the trappings of a 60s spy movie -- evil mad scientists! a villain bent on world destruction! -- wrapped in a noir sensibility and set in the 21st century.
Engine of the story roars to life from the first chapter, and never lets up. Like an RPG session with the best gamers you know captured in novel form.
And the ending is absolutely :chefskiss: perfect.
Engine of the story roars to life from the first chapter, and never lets up. Like an RPG session with the best gamers you know captured in novel form.
And the ending is absolutely :chefskiss: perfect.
Read
May 1, 2020I'll use this space to talk about where this book came from.
It started with Jon Ronson's book about Cold War psychic warfare programs, The Men Who Stare at Goats. (Fantastic book, by the way.) It made me think, "What if these programs were still going on?"
That idea simmered in the back of my head while I caught a TV series about people with extraordinary abilities. Particularly, the story of Derek Amato (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_A...) who hit his head while diving into a pool, and recovered with an intense musical talent through acquired savant syndrome. This is the inspiration for Ainia, the Latina with superior reflexes, and the whole concept of linking psychic powers and mental disorders.
During this time, I also caught the VICE documentaries on North Korea and Liberian warlords. Particularly, the story of General Buck Naked (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General...) inspired the General.
The influences go on; Fleming, le Carré, Powers, Kindt, Maberry, etc and a lot of superhero tropes. Since Marvel has taken superheroes mainstream in such a big way, The Faith Machine is a small part of its deconstruction.
I'm currently working on the sequel, The Bliss Gun, which focuses on Agent 97:4. I also have the ESPionage Role-Playing Game in play test for the Fate Core system.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed (or will enjoy) The Faith Machine!
It started with Jon Ronson's book about Cold War psychic warfare programs, The Men Who Stare at Goats. (Fantastic book, by the way.) It made me think, "What if these programs were still going on?"
That idea simmered in the back of my head while I caught a TV series about people with extraordinary abilities. Particularly, the story of Derek Amato (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_A...) who hit his head while diving into a pool, and recovered with an intense musical talent through acquired savant syndrome. This is the inspiration for Ainia, the Latina with superior reflexes, and the whole concept of linking psychic powers and mental disorders.
During this time, I also caught the VICE documentaries on North Korea and Liberian warlords. Particularly, the story of General Buck Naked (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General...) inspired the General.
The influences go on; Fleming, le Carré, Powers, Kindt, Maberry, etc and a lot of superhero tropes. Since Marvel has taken superheroes mainstream in such a big way, The Faith Machine is a small part of its deconstruction.
I'm currently working on the sequel, The Bliss Gun, which focuses on Agent 97:4. I also have the ESPionage Role-Playing Game in play test for the Fate Core system.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed (or will enjoy) The Faith Machine!
July 20, 2020
I've been watching episodes of the TV show "Doom Patrol" where a "rag tag" team (and that's being generous) tries to do superhero things but they're all incompetents. This author starts from a similar place with a group of people with different psychic powers, seemingly incompetent, who come together in a way to defeat the a series of opponents. This book is far more satisfying that the TV show (and has no profanity which is pleasant).
Like the Joe Ledger series of novels (by Jonathan Maberry) where a secret niche organization called the Department of Military Sciences (DMS) manages Joe and his fellow agents, this group is part of Project Dead Blind (PDB, an acronym that is never, ever used in the novel), a similar (but much smaller) secret niche organization indirectly managed by James Ensign who we finally meet near the end of the book.
The team is directly led by Dr. Ken Park who doesn't have a psychic specialty himself (a "card"); he does like to knock three times on things (doors, cars, etc.); I don't believe it's a reference to the Tony Orlando and Dawn song. The team itself is described as a deck of cards, spades in this case, where the higher the number on the "card", the more powerful their specialty. One "member" of the team seems to be an autonomous player and the team are never quite sure whether he's with them or against them.
The author does a great job introducing the team which is a rather large ensemble. Each member has their own voice and quirks.
The author also provides a number of opponents for the Project Dead Blind. Some are visible and obvious and others less so.
I've interacted with the author on Instagram (I know Tone personally through the local Writers Coffeehouse) and he mentioned "Hope you're ready for some Gnosticism." Just be clear that Gnosticism is a Christian heresy and far from orthodox. From Wikipedia: "In a religious context, gnosis is mystical or esoteric knowledge based on direct participation with the divine. In most Gnostic systems, the sufficient cause of salvation is this "knowledge of" ("acquaintance with") the divine."
There is a character who calls himself "God" who appears to various members of the Project Dead Blind team (especially Exposition Joe who can get near future visions of the "Script" ("Scriptures")). I'm guessing that contact/interaction with this "demi-God" is what qualifies this novel to be Gnostic even though no one acquires any sense of salvation from that contact.
No one on the team seems convinced that this character really is God, especially when "God" acquires the mostly absolute power to enforce their will on the world; the moral character of "God" is about as far from the Christian God (as described in the Bible) as you can get.
That aside, this was a *very enjoyable* novel. The author has done a great job of adding details at many levels throughout the novel. The story is compelling and you're rooting for the characters to make it over their next hurdle. The ending was satisfying as well.
#KeepWriting, Tone!
Like the Joe Ledger series of novels (by Jonathan Maberry) where a secret niche organization called the Department of Military Sciences (DMS) manages Joe and his fellow agents, this group is part of Project Dead Blind (PDB, an acronym that is never, ever used in the novel), a similar (but much smaller) secret niche organization indirectly managed by James Ensign who we finally meet near the end of the book.
The team is directly led by Dr. Ken Park who doesn't have a psychic specialty himself (a "card"); he does like to knock three times on things (doors, cars, etc.); I don't believe it's a reference to the Tony Orlando and Dawn song. The team itself is described as a deck of cards, spades in this case, where the higher the number on the "card", the more powerful their specialty. One "member" of the team seems to be an autonomous player and the team are never quite sure whether he's with them or against them.
The author does a great job introducing the team which is a rather large ensemble. Each member has their own voice and quirks.
The author also provides a number of opponents for the Project Dead Blind. Some are visible and obvious and others less so.
I've interacted with the author on Instagram (I know Tone personally through the local Writers Coffeehouse) and he mentioned "Hope you're ready for some Gnosticism." Just be clear that Gnosticism is a Christian heresy and far from orthodox. From Wikipedia: "In a religious context, gnosis is mystical or esoteric knowledge based on direct participation with the divine. In most Gnostic systems, the sufficient cause of salvation is this "knowledge of" ("acquaintance with") the divine."
There is a character who calls himself "God" who appears to various members of the Project Dead Blind team (especially Exposition Joe who can get near future visions of the "Script" ("Scriptures")). I'm guessing that contact/interaction with this "demi-God" is what qualifies this novel to be Gnostic even though no one acquires any sense of salvation from that contact.
No one on the team seems convinced that this character really is God, especially when "God" acquires the mostly absolute power to enforce their will on the world; the moral character of "God" is about as far from the Christian God (as described in the Bible) as you can get.
That aside, this was a *very enjoyable* novel. The author has done a great job of adding details at many levels throughout the novel. The story is compelling and you're rooting for the characters to make it over their next hurdle. The ending was satisfying as well.
#KeepWriting, Tone!
August 1, 2020
You can read my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, here.
Many thanks to the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
This was pitched to me as perfect for fans of The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind by Jackson Ford, and I’d say that’s a pretty good summation of this book. I’ve just given in to the fact that I’m trash for all these sarcastic antiheroes with powers they don’t want and didn’t ask for, just trying to do their best from day to day.
The Faith Machine plays with religion and the idea of powers, with a whole host of antiheroes, some fast-paced action, and plenty of sarcasm and humor.
I’ll admit that I was a little confused about the ending, and it was perhaps a little bit out there for me, but the build-up was fun, and the very last few pages were *chef’s kiss*.
My Thoughts:
- From the moment this book starts, it’s nonstop action, told in short chapters that keep the plot moving along. The short chapters really give the illusion of making quick progress and moving right along, which works well with all the explodey action and fight scenes and such. It also skips between all the main characters’ points of view, so there’s a bunch of storylines unfolding all at once, which keeps any of them from becoming stale or slow. I thought that was done really well.
- The characters in this all are cards, meaning they have some sort of psychic power, but power sometimes comes with unexpected consequences. These characters weren’t born with their powers. They earned their powers. I loved the way this complicated their powers, because it wasn’t as simple as, oh, I can fly, and I can move things with my mind. Of course not. I really enjoyed the uniqueness of their abilities, too, which made for some particularly fun situations. Especially Isaac and Exposition Joe. They were easily two of my favorites, and the way their powers worked were surprising and interesting, always keeping me on my toes for what they would do next.
- All these characters are a riot, and I quickly fell in love with them. Antiheroes, the lot of them, which obviously makes them my type of people. These are people you root for despite their personality or situation, not necessarily because of it, and that felt so realistic to me. Reluctant heroes at their finest. There aren’t really grand character arcs here, but you definitely get to see the characters grow, not only on their own but also together. It’s hard working on a team when you hate pretty much everyone else on the team. Or so I’ve been told. They’d never had a reason to really come together and be actual coworkers before, so I was really into this dynamic, where the tensions are high and they’re not always getting along even though they really need to.
- The book touches on a lot of deep, dark issues, but still manages to offset it with enough humor to where it’s not a depressing read. It’s a really careful balance, and I think Milazzo does it well. There are moments where it’s okay to tackle things with humor, like the fact that Park is constantly confused as being Chinese or called “Chinaman,” despite being Korean. There are other deeper moments during the mission, though, that are given the serious consideration they deserve.
Sticking Points:
- The story is told from a whole slew of different points of view, some which aren’t fully expanded or explained until near the end, which sometimes made it hard to follow. While I did love the switching between the cards and thought that was done really well, there were also the collective and Casemen and a few other characters mixed in, and their presence wasn’t explained upfront. Eventually, yes, everything came together, more or less, but I was confused for quite a bit in the meantime trying to keep all the characters straight and remember how they all fit in.
- The ending got a little bizarre around the climax, and I think it was a bit out there and hard to follow for me. This is very much a me thing. I love science fiction, but I’m not a huge fan of absurdity. I’m not sure why. I’ve tried, and it always ends up losing me. I know there will be sci-fi fans that love this aspect of it, and I thought it was a really unique plot point and take on religion, but the climax kind of just lost me for a bit. I was back up to speed for the denouement and loved the way the book ended, though.
Many thanks to the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
This was pitched to me as perfect for fans of The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind by Jackson Ford, and I’d say that’s a pretty good summation of this book. I’ve just given in to the fact that I’m trash for all these sarcastic antiheroes with powers they don’t want and didn’t ask for, just trying to do their best from day to day.
The Faith Machine plays with religion and the idea of powers, with a whole host of antiheroes, some fast-paced action, and plenty of sarcasm and humor.
I’ll admit that I was a little confused about the ending, and it was perhaps a little bit out there for me, but the build-up was fun, and the very last few pages were *chef’s kiss*.
My Thoughts:
- From the moment this book starts, it’s nonstop action, told in short chapters that keep the plot moving along. The short chapters really give the illusion of making quick progress and moving right along, which works well with all the explodey action and fight scenes and such. It also skips between all the main characters’ points of view, so there’s a bunch of storylines unfolding all at once, which keeps any of them from becoming stale or slow. I thought that was done really well.
- The characters in this all are cards, meaning they have some sort of psychic power, but power sometimes comes with unexpected consequences. These characters weren’t born with their powers. They earned their powers. I loved the way this complicated their powers, because it wasn’t as simple as, oh, I can fly, and I can move things with my mind. Of course not. I really enjoyed the uniqueness of their abilities, too, which made for some particularly fun situations. Especially Isaac and Exposition Joe. They were easily two of my favorites, and the way their powers worked were surprising and interesting, always keeping me on my toes for what they would do next.
- All these characters are a riot, and I quickly fell in love with them. Antiheroes, the lot of them, which obviously makes them my type of people. These are people you root for despite their personality or situation, not necessarily because of it, and that felt so realistic to me. Reluctant heroes at their finest. There aren’t really grand character arcs here, but you definitely get to see the characters grow, not only on their own but also together. It’s hard working on a team when you hate pretty much everyone else on the team. Or so I’ve been told. They’d never had a reason to really come together and be actual coworkers before, so I was really into this dynamic, where the tensions are high and they’re not always getting along even though they really need to.
- The book touches on a lot of deep, dark issues, but still manages to offset it with enough humor to where it’s not a depressing read. It’s a really careful balance, and I think Milazzo does it well. There are moments where it’s okay to tackle things with humor, like the fact that Park is constantly confused as being Chinese or called “Chinaman,” despite being Korean. There are other deeper moments during the mission, though, that are given the serious consideration they deserve.
Sticking Points:
- The story is told from a whole slew of different points of view, some which aren’t fully expanded or explained until near the end, which sometimes made it hard to follow. While I did love the switching between the cards and thought that was done really well, there were also the collective and Casemen and a few other characters mixed in, and their presence wasn’t explained upfront. Eventually, yes, everything came together, more or less, but I was confused for quite a bit in the meantime trying to keep all the characters straight and remember how they all fit in.
- The ending got a little bizarre around the climax, and I think it was a bit out there and hard to follow for me. This is very much a me thing. I love science fiction, but I’m not a huge fan of absurdity. I’m not sure why. I’ve tried, and it always ends up losing me. I know there will be sci-fi fans that love this aspect of it, and I thought it was a really unique plot point and take on religion, but the climax kind of just lost me for a bit. I was back up to speed for the denouement and loved the way the book ended, though.
June 3, 2020
I choose to read The Faith Machine because I’m a fan of weird fiction and the mixing of genres, and this seemed to be exactly that. It’s a psychic espionage thriller described as something along the lines of “if the X-men were spies” which just sounds like a great time. And for the most part, it delivered on this premise.
In the beginning of this book, we meet the different members of Project Dead Blind, a spy agency. As they show up in the story, we find out about their backgrounds and unique abilities, or cards, through one-page profiles written by the leader of Project Dead Blind, James Ensign. I found this to be a good way for readers to become familiar with the characters without the need for a lot of backstory. Even so, I did find myself having a hard time keeping track of everyone at first just because it was a large cast of characters (7, I believe) that was introduced pretty much all at once.
One of my favorite parts of this book is the cards that the characters possess because they were quirky and fun to see in action. They ranged from being a supposed Amazon warrior to distorting probability to borrowing other people’s skills and were always tied to the character’s personality and often a mental illness, whether that be bipolar disorder, PTSD, addiction, or schizophrenia — almost no one in this book is neurotypical. I’ve been debating with myself whether the representation of all of these mental illnesses was handled well, and honestly I’m not sure. Someone with more knowledge than I have probably needs to weigh in on that.
These cards aren’t so much superpowers as they are something each character has learned to live with, though some have more benefits than others. (In other words, more akin to X-men than Avengers.) Each member of Project Dead Blind is unique and memorable, at times almost exaggeratedly so. Many of them aren’t exactly likeable, and they don’t get along well. A large part of this book feels somewhat like watching a series of impending car wrecks, but in a good way.
Just like the characters, the plot is rather odd, but for me this is where it didn’t work quite as well. In the end, I’m not sure if I would be able to write a cohesive summary of the plot because I don’t feel like I have a good grasp of everything that happened. The non-stop action upheld by very short chapters was entertaining but also a little overwhelming for me at some points.
The gist of the plot is that there are Faith Machines, a sort of religious artifact that, depending on who you ask, have to be either obtained or destroyed. There are a number of groups and governments going after these machines, each with a separate agenda and each a danger to the mission and well-being of Project Dead Blind.
One of the members of the Project is a mystery, even to James Ensign. He has precognition of the future which allows him to frequently pop up out of nowhere to save the day. His motivations differ from everyone else’s because he believes that it’s his job to follow the future that is already decided upon. His character and the implications of his card was one of my favorite aspects of this novel. I was impressed by how well Milazzo was able to retain tension in the story even with a character who supposedly knew everything that was going to happen.
Towards the end of the book is where things seem to go a bit off the rails in a way that I found rather confusing and unsatisfying. This is partially because so much happened in such a short span of time and partially because things got even weirder than they had been so far. As I mentioned, I don’t mind things being weird, but in this case I had a hard time identifying a purpose behind the weirdness, which to me makes it somewhat less gratifying.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and being along for the ride even if it seemed a bit chaotic at times. If you’re someone who enjoys an out-of-the-box narrative, then I recommend you give this entertaining espionage thriller a try.
Many thanks to the author and Storytellers on Tour for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my blog for more review!
In the beginning of this book, we meet the different members of Project Dead Blind, a spy agency. As they show up in the story, we find out about their backgrounds and unique abilities, or cards, through one-page profiles written by the leader of Project Dead Blind, James Ensign. I found this to be a good way for readers to become familiar with the characters without the need for a lot of backstory. Even so, I did find myself having a hard time keeping track of everyone at first just because it was a large cast of characters (7, I believe) that was introduced pretty much all at once.
One of my favorite parts of this book is the cards that the characters possess because they were quirky and fun to see in action. They ranged from being a supposed Amazon warrior to distorting probability to borrowing other people’s skills and were always tied to the character’s personality and often a mental illness, whether that be bipolar disorder, PTSD, addiction, or schizophrenia — almost no one in this book is neurotypical. I’ve been debating with myself whether the representation of all of these mental illnesses was handled well, and honestly I’m not sure. Someone with more knowledge than I have probably needs to weigh in on that.
These cards aren’t so much superpowers as they are something each character has learned to live with, though some have more benefits than others. (In other words, more akin to X-men than Avengers.) Each member of Project Dead Blind is unique and memorable, at times almost exaggeratedly so. Many of them aren’t exactly likeable, and they don’t get along well. A large part of this book feels somewhat like watching a series of impending car wrecks, but in a good way.
Just like the characters, the plot is rather odd, but for me this is where it didn’t work quite as well. In the end, I’m not sure if I would be able to write a cohesive summary of the plot because I don’t feel like I have a good grasp of everything that happened. The non-stop action upheld by very short chapters was entertaining but also a little overwhelming for me at some points.
The gist of the plot is that there are Faith Machines, a sort of religious artifact that, depending on who you ask, have to be either obtained or destroyed. There are a number of groups and governments going after these machines, each with a separate agenda and each a danger to the mission and well-being of Project Dead Blind.
One of the members of the Project is a mystery, even to James Ensign. He has precognition of the future which allows him to frequently pop up out of nowhere to save the day. His motivations differ from everyone else’s because he believes that it’s his job to follow the future that is already decided upon. His character and the implications of his card was one of my favorite aspects of this novel. I was impressed by how well Milazzo was able to retain tension in the story even with a character who supposedly knew everything that was going to happen.
Towards the end of the book is where things seem to go a bit off the rails in a way that I found rather confusing and unsatisfying. This is partially because so much happened in such a short span of time and partially because things got even weirder than they had been so far. As I mentioned, I don’t mind things being weird, but in this case I had a hard time identifying a purpose behind the weirdness, which to me makes it somewhat less gratifying.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and being along for the ride even if it seemed a bit chaotic at times. If you’re someone who enjoys an out-of-the-box narrative, then I recommend you give this entertaining espionage thriller a try.
Many thanks to the author and Storytellers on Tour for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my blog for more review!
December 24, 2020
The premise was intriguing, the characters and settings nicely differentiated (and in some cases unexpected)... but ultimately the nonstop action made it hard to really drop into this story. Which is a shame, because Milazzo's a really good author -- I purchased this book based on his short story "The Ginger Jar," which I adored. "The Faith Machine," though, never lingers in one spot for long, so I never felt like I had a good grasp of the characters (and therefore whether they felt relatable) or the gravity of the situation. Still, Milazzo explores some really interesting questions around morality, ethics, and religion; the conclusion satisfies; and readers who enjoy a breakneck pace will undoubtedly enjoy this book!
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