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Chromatophobia
His orders: defend a team of civilians from an enemy he cannot see.
Sgt. Miles Reardon has the sharpest vision of anyone alive, although it comes at a price: he sees only shades of gray. He grew up being taunted, embarrassed, and blamed for mistakes where color was a factor. He buried his feelings in order to survive, and eventually found the perfect job as sniper. Life became tolerable with killing as an outlet.
That changes when a man in Antarctica becomes infected by a colored rash that shifts in unusual patterns. It spreads by absorbing color from its environment, leaving its surroundings as gray as a black-and-white photograph. As the rash grows, it bestows extraordinary abilities on the devout man, convincing him that God chose him for a very special purpose.
The US government moves the man to a colorless isolation vault in a secure biohazard facility and assembles a diverse team of researchers to study the phenomenon. Is the rash a weapon? A source of hallucinations? An alien invasion? A new species?
Miles, presumably immune to any effects of color, is ordered to protect the researchers and the infected man. It’s his worst fear made manifest: facing an unseen enemy that forces him to depend on eyes other than his own. Like the blind men who examined the elephant, those other eyes see only part of the truth. And this truth will not set anyone free.
Sgt. Miles Reardon has the sharpest vision of anyone alive, although it comes at a price: he sees only shades of gray. He grew up being taunted, embarrassed, and blamed for mistakes where color was a factor. He buried his feelings in order to survive, and eventually found the perfect job as sniper. Life became tolerable with killing as an outlet.
That changes when a man in Antarctica becomes infected by a colored rash that shifts in unusual patterns. It spreads by absorbing color from its environment, leaving its surroundings as gray as a black-and-white photograph. As the rash grows, it bestows extraordinary abilities on the devout man, convincing him that God chose him for a very special purpose.
The US government moves the man to a colorless isolation vault in a secure biohazard facility and assembles a diverse team of researchers to study the phenomenon. Is the rash a weapon? A source of hallucinations? An alien invasion? A new species?
Miles, presumably immune to any effects of color, is ordered to protect the researchers and the infected man. It’s his worst fear made manifest: facing an unseen enemy that forces him to depend on eyes other than his own. Like the blind men who examined the elephant, those other eyes see only part of the truth. And this truth will not set anyone free.
339 pages, Paperback
Published July 23, 2019
5 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
W.D. County
17 books8 followersI enjoy writing speculative fiction, often with a slight metaphysical flavor. I have a keen appreciation for technology, drawing on experience as a nuclear reactor operator aboard the ballistic missile submarine USS Sam Houston (SSBN 609), a quality assurance manager at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, and a custom application developer for the federal government and major companies. My publication credits include The Scent of Distant Worlds, Sammi and Oasis at the Bottom of the Sea, as well as short stories in the e-zine Spinetingler and various anthologies. I finished tenth in the horror genre for the 79th annual Writer’s Digest short story competition. My nonfiction includes articles in Lotus Advisor and Contact magazines. I have a Master of Fine Arts degree in writing from Lindenwood University and reside in Lees Summit, Missouri with my lovely wife and my beautiful Miata hardtop convertible.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 8, 2022
This book has fucking issues. That just cannot be avoided, there are too many flaws with the writing in this book. That said, I fucking loved it. If you can get through the absolute slog of an opening section, and forgive some underdeveloped payoffs at the end, this book can be unbelievably fun. The "villain" is incredibly unique and a lot of fun to watch develop throughout the story. Reardon eventually becomes a likeable narrator, but holy fuck is he awful at first. A bit of a mixed bag overall, but definitely more positive than negative. 3.5/5
August 26, 2019
The story starts with Marine sniper, Miles Reardon, being assigned to duty at a top-secret facility to provide security for a rather bizarre investigation. This is deep underground and the deeper you go, the more dangerous the problem. This level is below Ebola, Marburg, etc. Every science fiction story is entitled to one bizarre proposition, and in this case we have Barry who is coated with something they call "The Taint". This conveys supernatural properties and feeds on colour. It simply takes the colour out of anything, leaving behind grey, and while doing so, covers more and more of Barry. The more he is covered, the stronger the effects. (Exactly how Barry got to this facility is unexplained – a day of bright sunlight outside and he would be completely covered.) A rather bizarre and dysfunctional group of weird specialists is brought to try to understand this phenomenon.
The specialists are primarily egotists, and in some ways the story highlights some of what is wrong with modern society, and especially modern science. They are all so specialised they have no interest in anything outside their own specialty and Barry, or the Taint, feeds on this, giving them increasingly more powerful additions to their specialty as long as they feed it colour. Each specialist has only one objective: to get what they can for themselves. As you might imagine, this leads to . . . Well, it leads to the well-written and well-developed story. A warning: the author did his best to annoy me with some of the more bizarre aspects of quantum theory that were presented in a way that really, have salt nearby. Nevertheless, a well-done story.
The specialists are primarily egotists, and in some ways the story highlights some of what is wrong with modern society, and especially modern science. They are all so specialised they have no interest in anything outside their own specialty and Barry, or the Taint, feeds on this, giving them increasingly more powerful additions to their specialty as long as they feed it colour. Each specialist has only one objective: to get what they can for themselves. As you might imagine, this leads to . . . Well, it leads to the well-written and well-developed story. A warning: the author did his best to annoy me with some of the more bizarre aspects of quantum theory that were presented in a way that really, have salt nearby. Nevertheless, a well-done story.
August 21, 2019
The main guy in this book is Sgt Miles Reardon, a US Marine Corps sniper. He is the best in the marines and is sent on the most dangerous and high stakes missions as a result. His current assignment is no easy one either: he must step out of his preferred role as a sniper and step into the role of a bodyguard for a secret team of scientist studying an abnormal phenomenon that may or may not be a weapon.
High stakes are at stake in this intriguing and interesting thriller novel. Secret Government agencies, conspiracy theories, a lone man on a mission to figure out just what he was involuntarily involved in. All portions of this book that make up a great read. The synopsis was interesting and sufficiently mysterious to lure me in and I’m glad I got the book. Well written and edited, it is well worth your time.
High stakes are at stake in this intriguing and interesting thriller novel. Secret Government agencies, conspiracy theories, a lone man on a mission to figure out just what he was involuntarily involved in. All portions of this book that make up a great read. The synopsis was interesting and sufficiently mysterious to lure me in and I’m glad I got the book. Well written and edited, it is well worth your time.
August 22, 2019
military action thriller
This was a good read and the story was an original idea that developed properly into a story that captured my attention and kept my interest throughout the journey. The main character is a military sniper with no vision of color. His unique skills make him a great lead in the book. When a strange anomaly is discovered in a man where he absorbs color and changes accordingly, our sniper hero is forced to rely on others to help him see. The action is fast and the plot will keep you guessing. Very enjoyable story that I recommend to everyone who loves action adventure with a twist.
This was a good read and the story was an original idea that developed properly into a story that captured my attention and kept my interest throughout the journey. The main character is a military sniper with no vision of color. His unique skills make him a great lead in the book. When a strange anomaly is discovered in a man where he absorbs color and changes accordingly, our sniper hero is forced to rely on others to help him see. The action is fast and the plot will keep you guessing. Very enjoyable story that I recommend to everyone who loves action adventure with a twist.
September 15, 2019
Smart, Deep, Characters and Plot
Chromatophobia by W. D. County is hard sci-fi with just enough space opera to keep the characters human. It's a mystery, scientific thriller, and love story (Sergeant Miles Reardon & the hottie Zita Ferrari). This book is not light reading but full of light and humor. Dave County shows us once more why he is a master of the genre. Highly recommended.
Chromatophobia by W. D. County is hard sci-fi with just enough space opera to keep the characters human. It's a mystery, scientific thriller, and love story (Sergeant Miles Reardon & the hottie Zita Ferrari). This book is not light reading but full of light and humor. Dave County shows us once more why he is a master of the genre. Highly recommended.
August 7, 2021
A team of scientists and a photojournalist, out on an expedition in Antarctica, accidentally stumble upon a tesseract. The tesseract appears to have the ability to leach colour off its surroundings and turn them grey. All the three scientists vanish into thin air under unexplained circumstances while the photojournalist, Barry Fletcher, is left with a rash resembling the colours on the tesseract.
Barry is soon transported to an underground military facility where he is locked away in a vault. The US government invites a team of experts from various fields to study and research Barry’s condition. As the story progresses, the team adopts various methods to test Barry and the rash which they have now, termed as ‘taint’. Each test reveals that the ‘taint’ has multiple abilities which individually fascinate and appeal to the respective expert. Sgt Miles Reardon of the US Marine Corps is assigned to provide security to the team and facility. Miles is color blind, making him insusceptible to the hypnotizing qualities of the taint.
Firstly, I would like to declare that I absolutely love the attractive cover design! It is well thought out to compliment the story and aid readers to easily imagine Barry’s condition. The greyed-out face in the lens is explained via a Nikon D90, about halfway in the story.
I would like to offer a simple tip for those planning to read this book. Please note down the pet names Miles gives each character versus the true names of these characters. Do this, even if you are not prone to taking notes while reading. This simple act will come in handy as the story alternates between Miles point of view and a third person’s narrative. You will have an easier time understanding which character is in play.
I enjoyed reading Miles’ p.o.vs and his attraction to Zita, which helped to lighten the mood and some of the technical conversations between other characters. He initially comes off as a soldier who is a stickler for rules. His paranoia of the risks and his personal insecurities made him relatable. Towards the climax, we discover the tragedy that shaped his paranoia and suddenly we see his character with a different set of eyes.
I liked how the author, W.D. County revealed some of the characters’ human frailties through their respective dream sequences. Each character’s motivations and actions appear reasonable at first, as seen from their perspective. But soon the lines are blurred on who is the hero and who is the villain.
I confess I was a little surprised by the ending. I knew that at some point Miles will be forced to use the built-in safeguards at the facility, especially when some of the other characters blatantly disobey the rules. Just did not expect him to use it towards the end when everything seems to have settled down. This brings me to the only negative that I have for this book. I personally felt the book should have ended with the SCIF interrogation in Chapter 54 so readers are left with the impact of Miles’ actions. Personally, I felt Chapter 55 was unnecessary.
I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to those who enjoy science fiction, thrillers, and a little bit of romance. There are some sex scenes, so it is suitable for adult readers only.
Barry is soon transported to an underground military facility where he is locked away in a vault. The US government invites a team of experts from various fields to study and research Barry’s condition. As the story progresses, the team adopts various methods to test Barry and the rash which they have now, termed as ‘taint’. Each test reveals that the ‘taint’ has multiple abilities which individually fascinate and appeal to the respective expert. Sgt Miles Reardon of the US Marine Corps is assigned to provide security to the team and facility. Miles is color blind, making him insusceptible to the hypnotizing qualities of the taint.
Firstly, I would like to declare that I absolutely love the attractive cover design! It is well thought out to compliment the story and aid readers to easily imagine Barry’s condition. The greyed-out face in the lens is explained via a Nikon D90, about halfway in the story.
I would like to offer a simple tip for those planning to read this book. Please note down the pet names Miles gives each character versus the true names of these characters. Do this, even if you are not prone to taking notes while reading. This simple act will come in handy as the story alternates between Miles point of view and a third person’s narrative. You will have an easier time understanding which character is in play.
I enjoyed reading Miles’ p.o.vs and his attraction to Zita, which helped to lighten the mood and some of the technical conversations between other characters. He initially comes off as a soldier who is a stickler for rules. His paranoia of the risks and his personal insecurities made him relatable. Towards the climax, we discover the tragedy that shaped his paranoia and suddenly we see his character with a different set of eyes.
I liked how the author, W.D. County revealed some of the characters’ human frailties through their respective dream sequences. Each character’s motivations and actions appear reasonable at first, as seen from their perspective. But soon the lines are blurred on who is the hero and who is the villain.
I confess I was a little surprised by the ending. I knew that at some point Miles will be forced to use the built-in safeguards at the facility, especially when some of the other characters blatantly disobey the rules. Just did not expect him to use it towards the end when everything seems to have settled down. This brings me to the only negative that I have for this book. I personally felt the book should have ended with the SCIF interrogation in Chapter 54 so readers are left with the impact of Miles’ actions. Personally, I felt Chapter 55 was unnecessary.
I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to those who enjoy science fiction, thrillers, and a little bit of romance. There are some sex scenes, so it is suitable for adult readers only.
August 13, 2020
Paradoxically, the colorful cover of the book caught my attention at first glance, and paradoxes kept appearing while approaching “Chromatophobia” by W. D. County.
This sci-fi novel tells the story of sergeant Miles Reardon, color blind since birth, who ends up being a Marine sniper. What was a weakness during his childhood and adolescence became an advantage in his job as shooter. And due to his shades-of-gray vision, he was assigned to the duty of providing security for a top secret investigation: a color eating rash got by an Antarctica man, which grows up when absorbing color from its environment.
The author did a great job coming up with this unique story and thrilling plot twists. Although characters are certainly different in their own ways, readers can get a great look at the egos in a variety of personality types: those of scientists and researchers whose aim is to get what they can for themselves; Barry, the infected devoted man who thinks that God chose him for a reason; and of course the main character, Miles, facing an unseen enemy.
I strongly recommend this engaging and fascinating book to all science fiction lovers.
This sci-fi novel tells the story of sergeant Miles Reardon, color blind since birth, who ends up being a Marine sniper. What was a weakness during his childhood and adolescence became an advantage in his job as shooter. And due to his shades-of-gray vision, he was assigned to the duty of providing security for a top secret investigation: a color eating rash got by an Antarctica man, which grows up when absorbing color from its environment.
The author did a great job coming up with this unique story and thrilling plot twists. Although characters are certainly different in their own ways, readers can get a great look at the egos in a variety of personality types: those of scientists and researchers whose aim is to get what they can for themselves; Barry, the infected devoted man who thinks that God chose him for a reason; and of course the main character, Miles, facing an unseen enemy.
I strongly recommend this engaging and fascinating book to all science fiction lovers.
August 15, 2020
What an amazing read! The first thing that caught my attention about this book was the cover, I knew the colours present in it meant something.
W.D County writes about science fiction, horror, and fantasy and he has mastered his skill very well and has proven that in this narrative.
Part science fiction, part suspense, the plot is out of the ordinary and extremely original. A tale about a color eating rash is something I have never seen before.
County keeps it simple, he creates suspense and is able to sustain it until the last chapter. He resorts to the first person to create a great atmosphere and to make readers feel close to the characters.
Curiosity would be aroused by the fact that the main protagonist of this story, Sgt. Miles Reardon, sees only shades of gray. The setting is presented through suggestive details and through thoughts and actions.
I would gladly recommend you all, no matter what age, to read this story. Give it a try!
W.D County writes about science fiction, horror, and fantasy and he has mastered his skill very well and has proven that in this narrative.
Part science fiction, part suspense, the plot is out of the ordinary and extremely original. A tale about a color eating rash is something I have never seen before.
County keeps it simple, he creates suspense and is able to sustain it until the last chapter. He resorts to the first person to create a great atmosphere and to make readers feel close to the characters.
Curiosity would be aroused by the fact that the main protagonist of this story, Sgt. Miles Reardon, sees only shades of gray. The setting is presented through suggestive details and through thoughts and actions.
I would gladly recommend you all, no matter what age, to read this story. Give it a try!
September 27, 2020
Author W.D. County tells the story of Sergeant Miles Reardon. Reardon is currently in charge of keeping local civilians safe from intruders and is known for his impressive vision. However, while his vision is sharp, he can only see things in shades of gray, something which he has always felt self-conscious about.
One day, another man suddenly develops a rash that affects his eyes the same way Reardon’s do. The government puts the man into isolation for safety measures and asks Reardon to assist them with this puzzling case. It’s up to Reardon to help solve the problem, but he soon discovers a shocking revelation.
If you enjoy science fiction, this is a novel you might want to check out. It’s well-written and packed with interesting characters. County also includes plenty of suspenseful scenes that will shock you. At 328 pages, it’s a bit long, but that shouldn’t deter you from enjoying this unique story.
One day, another man suddenly develops a rash that affects his eyes the same way Reardon’s do. The government puts the man into isolation for safety measures and asks Reardon to assist them with this puzzling case. It’s up to Reardon to help solve the problem, but he soon discovers a shocking revelation.
If you enjoy science fiction, this is a novel you might want to check out. It’s well-written and packed with interesting characters. County also includes plenty of suspenseful scenes that will shock you. At 328 pages, it’s a bit long, but that shouldn’t deter you from enjoying this unique story.
August 12, 2020
Chromatophobia is a sci-fi, thriller book written by E.D. County. To be honest what caught my attention immediately after reading the book description was the phrase “…Life became tolerable with killing as an outlet…” made me want to know more about this character and what his story was about.
The author gives us some suspense but overall I think he opens up from the beginning about what is going on. But that doesn’t mean we know how things will be resolved, not at all. It has many unexpected situations. Also, I want to mention that the context rounds about military, bureaucracy issues; operation stuffs that give the storyline a really good support.
I really enjoyed this book; the author did a fantastic job creating an original storyline, making it even more interesting to know what all was about.
The author gives us some suspense but overall I think he opens up from the beginning about what is going on. But that doesn’t mean we know how things will be resolved, not at all. It has many unexpected situations. Also, I want to mention that the context rounds about military, bureaucracy issues; operation stuffs that give the storyline a really good support.
I really enjoyed this book; the author did a fantastic job creating an original storyline, making it even more interesting to know what all was about.
August 15, 2020
“Cromatophobia” is a science fiction novel written by W.D County. What first attracted my attention was the cover which is very appealling and then the topic. It is unusual to find a book with such an original plot and that surprises and keeps you hooked until the last page.
This gripping book tells the story of Sergeant Miles Reardon who has dealt with a very particular condition his entire life, an inability to see colors, only shades of grey. He has settled, in his adulthood, into a job as a shooter for the Marine. Due to his condition, he is sent to a secret facility in Antartica to protect the scientists and a man infected with a strange rash which seems to absorb color from the surroundings.
This well-written novel has the perfect blend of science, detailed descriptions and realistic characters. All this makes for a thrilling and riveting fast-paced read. I highly recommend it
This gripping book tells the story of Sergeant Miles Reardon who has dealt with a very particular condition his entire life, an inability to see colors, only shades of grey. He has settled, in his adulthood, into a job as a shooter for the Marine. Due to his condition, he is sent to a secret facility in Antartica to protect the scientists and a man infected with a strange rash which seems to absorb color from the surroundings.
This well-written novel has the perfect blend of science, detailed descriptions and realistic characters. All this makes for a thrilling and riveting fast-paced read. I highly recommend it
August 7, 2021
Sgt Miles Reardon is charged with protecting an underground military facility which holds a prisoner. The prisoner has been infected with a virus which absorbs all the colours of its surrounding. The virus appears as a colourful tattoo-like rash on the prisoner’s skin. Problem is, Miles is colour blind. How does he protect against an enemy he can’t see?
This book had unique array of researchers who specialised in diverse field. We have a physicist, psychologist, a magician and a puzzle solving savant.
Each character have shades of white and grey in them (no pun intended) which influence their actions. Miles’ character has a surprising depth to it in the end.
This book had unique array of researchers who specialised in diverse field. We have a physicist, psychologist, a magician and a puzzle solving savant.
Each character have shades of white and grey in them (no pun intended) which influence their actions. Miles’ character has a surprising depth to it in the end.
September 1, 2021
This was an interesting book, with every one trying to figure out what the “virus” was on the victim. I lost interest after the conclusion of the book. If you want to read about a government cover up and Area 51 type story, this will definitely appeal to you. You can also see a brief review and impression that I had at the First Ten Program of Onlinebookclub.org.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews