What do you think?
Rate this book
Spore
John Harmon has tried everything to cure his severe insomnia--an endless stream of doctors, treatments, and multi-colored pills.
So when he's finally admitted into an experimental sleep study promising to cure his ailment and pay for his daughter's chemotherapy?
It's so convenient that John never suspects a thing.
But the Skyline Facility, nestled in the mountains and only accessible by helicopter, is anything but normal.
Strange antennae are mounted throughout the hallways and in the surrounding forest.
Intrusive thoughts begin invading John's mind. And the swirling blue liquid injected into their veins each night does not seem like part of any legitimate study.
As the true motive for the research facility is revealed, John's focus shifts from his crippling insomnia to his own horrific imprisonment. Can he and his fellow subjects escape the facility alive, or are they doomed like all the test subjects before them?
So when he's finally admitted into an experimental sleep study promising to cure his ailment and pay for his daughter's chemotherapy?
It's so convenient that John never suspects a thing.
But the Skyline Facility, nestled in the mountains and only accessible by helicopter, is anything but normal.
Strange antennae are mounted throughout the hallways and in the surrounding forest.
Intrusive thoughts begin invading John's mind. And the swirling blue liquid injected into their veins each night does not seem like part of any legitimate study.
As the true motive for the research facility is revealed, John's focus shifts from his crippling insomnia to his own horrific imprisonment. Can he and his fellow subjects escape the facility alive, or are they doomed like all the test subjects before them?
299 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 20, 2020
246 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
About the author
David Kristoph
28 books42 followersI live with my wonderful wife and two not-quite German Shepherds. I'm a fantastic reader, great videogamer, good chess player, average cyclist, and mediocre runner. I'm also a member of the Planetary Society, a patron of StarTalk Radio, and an amateur astronomer and general space enthusiast.
Feel free to contact me at David.Kristoph@gmail.com, as long as you're not a spam-robot trying to sell me penis pills.
Feel free to contact me at David.Kristoph@gmail.com, as long as you're not a spam-robot trying to sell me penis pills.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
August 13, 2020
WOW.
Do you ever read a book and get frustrated because your brain can't read as fast as you want to turn the pages? That's how I felt with Spore. This book was an incredible action-packed sci-fi thriller. It focuses on John Harmon, an army vet who's down on his luck and suffers from insomnia and night terrors. He's convinced everything will change for him when he gets accepted into a lucrative sleep study, but not everything is what it seems at the facility.
I liked John a lot as a character. I thought he had real depth and his motivations were clear and realistic. I also loved the commentary on ethics in scientific research and the action-packed second half of the book. The first half of the book made me incredibly anxious (in a good way) because I could tell something awful was going to happen soon but I had no idea what it was.
This book impressed me so much. I would love to see a movie adaptation of it one day.
**I voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving a free ARC from Hidden Gems Books. All the opinions stated in this review are honest and entirely my own.**
Do you ever read a book and get frustrated because your brain can't read as fast as you want to turn the pages? That's how I felt with Spore. This book was an incredible action-packed sci-fi thriller. It focuses on John Harmon, an army vet who's down on his luck and suffers from insomnia and night terrors. He's convinced everything will change for him when he gets accepted into a lucrative sleep study, but not everything is what it seems at the facility.
I liked John a lot as a character. I thought he had real depth and his motivations were clear and realistic. I also loved the commentary on ethics in scientific research and the action-packed second half of the book. The first half of the book made me incredibly anxious (in a good way) because I could tell something awful was going to happen soon but I had no idea what it was.
This book impressed me so much. I would love to see a movie adaptation of it one day.
**I voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving a free ARC from Hidden Gems Books. All the opinions stated in this review are honest and entirely my own.**
October 10, 2020
I've decided I'm never signing up for any medical trials of any kind.....
August 16, 2020
Preface: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review
This was a fun little read! There's not too much to say, it's just a solid little sci-fi-ish story. Our hero is a likable everyman with sympathetic problems, the pacing is very tight, the science sprinkled in is just in-depth enough to be believable, and the action delivers throughout. There was some silliness with the ultimate reveal of why our hero is so important and how much he's been manipulated this whole time, but other than that, it was pretty good. It reminded me of a Michael Crichton novel in some ways - solid premise, enough jargon or real-world tie-ins to be believable, varied but not too complex cast, action-packed high-stakes third act.
Ultimately, I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys novels in a similar vein - it delivers on everything it needs to be.
This was a fun little read! There's not too much to say, it's just a solid little sci-fi-ish story. Our hero is a likable everyman with sympathetic problems, the pacing is very tight, the science sprinkled in is just in-depth enough to be believable, and the action delivers throughout. There was some silliness with the ultimate reveal of why our hero is so important and how much he's been manipulated this whole time, but other than that, it was pretty good. It reminded me of a Michael Crichton novel in some ways - solid premise, enough jargon or real-world tie-ins to be believable, varied but not too complex cast, action-packed high-stakes third act.
Ultimately, I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys novels in a similar vein - it delivers on everything it needs to be.
September 16, 2020
A tale of medical experimentation gone wrong.
An evil, or perhaps misguided, billionaire and his team of dodgy scientists are illegally experimenting on human subjects who think they are undergoing a sleep study. They are not, and it's all totally unethical of course. The titular fungal spores (origin unexplained) are used to infect the subjects in a highly controlled and very remote location, and the fun and games soon begin. There is mayhem and destruction, shooting, running around in the woods and some possibly sentient spores. You'll need to suspend disbelief at that point.
The writing is good if a little unsophisticated. It was a bit too long and there are many changes of point of view. I did like the ending though and have to admit it would make a good film. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
An evil, or perhaps misguided, billionaire and his team of dodgy scientists are illegally experimenting on human subjects who think they are undergoing a sleep study. They are not, and it's all totally unethical of course. The titular fungal spores (origin unexplained) are used to infect the subjects in a highly controlled and very remote location, and the fun and games soon begin. There is mayhem and destruction, shooting, running around in the woods and some possibly sentient spores. You'll need to suspend disbelief at that point.
The writing is good if a little unsophisticated. It was a bit too long and there are many changes of point of view. I did like the ending though and have to admit it would make a good film. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
November 25, 2020
SPOILER ALERT
Genre: Thriller, sci-fi and horror elements
Content warning: Vivid depictions of mental health issues, violence, death, harm to an animal
Sometimes, I have difficulty deciding what to talk about in these reviews. My choice to favor lesser known authors (as determined by my own questionable criteria) means I find quite a few books that fall into the “decent but mostly unremarkable” category. This doesn’t indicate that the books are bad or poorly-written, or even that I didn’t enjoy them! It’s more that I don’t know if, three years from now, the novel in question will pop into my head along with the thought that I should revisit it. Nothing in particular stood out as excellent or awful while I was reading, and I have to spend some extra effort thinking about strengths and weaknesses. David Kristoph’s Spore is solidly in this category for me. Spore’s skeleton relies on tropes that are almost disgustingly common: the everyman against the big company that only cares about profit, the callous scientists not caring about anything apart their data except for the one scientist who still has a heart, the parent who will do anything for their child. I can’t fault an author for using these tropes, though, because they appeal to readers for a reason. So when a story’s bones are so basic, I try to remember to focus on how those bones are fleshed out, because that’s really where an author succeeds or fails.
In this case, that metaphorical flesh appears to be John Harmon. (The reason for my word choice will be clear later.) The book blurb on Amazon focuses on John, and he’s the character the reader starts the story with. John is a veteran with multiple sleep disorders stemming from his Army days. After losing his job, he joins a sleep study out of desperation both to improve his own condition and to get the $25,000 weekly compensation in order to pay for his daughter’s chemo. It seems a bit too good to be true, but it’s not like this guy has a lot of options.
One smart thing Kristoph does is to quickly establish what kind of person John Harmon is: genial to the point that even working doubles on no sleep doesn’t really diminish this quality; so devoted to his family that his thoughts stray to them often while he’s working; deeply ashamed of how his sleep issues cause physical and emotional harm to his family. I feel like it’s uncommon to focus this heavily on characterization right out of the gate (though perhaps that’s just the case with what I choose to read). However, here, that rapidity is necessary 1) to provide motivation for John’s choice to ignore the sketchiness surrounding the sleep study and his inclusion in it, and 2) to establish a baseline against which the reader can measure how John’s personality changes during the study. And the reader does see changes – particularly increases in anger and aggression. I think the reader is supposed to be unsure whether these shifts are a result of John’s frustration at being isolated from his family or of the study treatment, but…come on. We watch Mr. Nice Guy’s suffering and instability increase until he’s finally knocked unconscious for strangling another participant in this shady-as-fuck study almost to death. Of course it’s the treatment.
Not long before the strangulation incident, the reader learns that John isn’t the only game in town when the point of view suddenly switches to that of Susan, the study’s psychologist. It’s not exactly uncommon for novels to have multiple POV characters, I know, and Spore ultimately has more than just John and Susan, but this particular transition felt incongruous. Halfway through the book, with no warning or indication that this story involves more than just John’s experience, another character is suddenly the vehicle for the narrative. I’ve been trying to figure out why I’m as bothered by this as I am because I know other readers won’t feel the same. I think it has a lot to do with the timing of the first change to Susan. It comes at a time when the reader needs more knowledge and perspective regarding this supposed sleep study and John is getting increasingly unstable, meaning that the reader isn’t likely to learn the info as John finds it. Switching to Susan’s POV ends up initially feeling a little bit like a cop-out, a way for the author to include information on the project’s history without having to manufacture a method for the main character discover it. Even a page or two for Susan’s thoughts earlier in the book (like when the characters arrive at the testing facility, perhaps?) would give the impression that her viewpoint was always intended to be critical at some juncture – which later segments show is the case – and not just a dodge.
Lastly, I know I harp on this a lot, but I’m once again mentioning having beta readers/editors. (I’ve had some mild spoilers so far – that’s changing now, so final warning.) I’ve talked in other reviews about how critical betas can be. My argument here is more about getting the right beta readers for your particular story. The “treatment” Kristoph created for this fictional study is essentially a bioluminescent fungal spore that responds to light and acts on the brain. It’s honestly a pretty cool idea. Unsurprisingly, the spore as it exists in nature is not quite sufficient for what the Big Shady Company wants it to do, so they’ve done some genetic modifications, mostly relating to the frequencies the spores react to. And this is where having appropriate readers comes in: the field of genetics is still very young, and we don’t entirely understand what small changes in one part of the genome will do to the rest of the genome. It’s an appealing subject for writers for that reason. However, genetics still isn’t an “anything goes” area. Kristoph has this fungus from a warm climate escape the lab into winter in the Virginia mountains at the end of the book, probably to leave an opening for a sequel. My day job actually happens to put me around a bunch of genetics PhDs and genetic counselors on a daily basis, so I asked a couple of them how plausible it might be for tinkering with genes connected to electromagnetic responsiveness to inadvertently cause such drastic alterations in environmental tolerance. The answer I got was that it’s seriously unlikely. Like, “we made sure this kid has the genes for blue eyes, and she ended up accidentally having naturally purple hair too” levels of unlikely. Most readers from the general population aren’t going to have any significant knowledge of genetics, but some might. And when authors rely on word-of-mouth and reviews to increase readership, it seems silly to me to risk alienating even a few readers if it’s easily avoidable. If your plot involves details from a highly-specialized field, do yourself a favor and find someone from that field to read your story or at least chat about it, okay? Your piece will be stronger for it.
So there you have it. Spore is a satisfactory thriller despite relying on some overused tropes, and it’s worth at least one read. Solid debut. Kristoph, as a writer, is fairly strong on characterization, but would almost certainly benefit from working on his timing for introducing additional POVs.
More reviews at: readthiswritethat468412160.wordpress.com
Genre: Thriller, sci-fi and horror elements
Content warning: Vivid depictions of mental health issues, violence, death, harm to an animal
Sometimes, I have difficulty deciding what to talk about in these reviews. My choice to favor lesser known authors (as determined by my own questionable criteria) means I find quite a few books that fall into the “decent but mostly unremarkable” category. This doesn’t indicate that the books are bad or poorly-written, or even that I didn’t enjoy them! It’s more that I don’t know if, three years from now, the novel in question will pop into my head along with the thought that I should revisit it. Nothing in particular stood out as excellent or awful while I was reading, and I have to spend some extra effort thinking about strengths and weaknesses. David Kristoph’s Spore is solidly in this category for me. Spore’s skeleton relies on tropes that are almost disgustingly common: the everyman against the big company that only cares about profit, the callous scientists not caring about anything apart their data except for the one scientist who still has a heart, the parent who will do anything for their child. I can’t fault an author for using these tropes, though, because they appeal to readers for a reason. So when a story’s bones are so basic, I try to remember to focus on how those bones are fleshed out, because that’s really where an author succeeds or fails.
In this case, that metaphorical flesh appears to be John Harmon. (The reason for my word choice will be clear later.) The book blurb on Amazon focuses on John, and he’s the character the reader starts the story with. John is a veteran with multiple sleep disorders stemming from his Army days. After losing his job, he joins a sleep study out of desperation both to improve his own condition and to get the $25,000 weekly compensation in order to pay for his daughter’s chemo. It seems a bit too good to be true, but it’s not like this guy has a lot of options.
One smart thing Kristoph does is to quickly establish what kind of person John Harmon is: genial to the point that even working doubles on no sleep doesn’t really diminish this quality; so devoted to his family that his thoughts stray to them often while he’s working; deeply ashamed of how his sleep issues cause physical and emotional harm to his family. I feel like it’s uncommon to focus this heavily on characterization right out of the gate (though perhaps that’s just the case with what I choose to read). However, here, that rapidity is necessary 1) to provide motivation for John’s choice to ignore the sketchiness surrounding the sleep study and his inclusion in it, and 2) to establish a baseline against which the reader can measure how John’s personality changes during the study. And the reader does see changes – particularly increases in anger and aggression. I think the reader is supposed to be unsure whether these shifts are a result of John’s frustration at being isolated from his family or of the study treatment, but…come on. We watch Mr. Nice Guy’s suffering and instability increase until he’s finally knocked unconscious for strangling another participant in this shady-as-fuck study almost to death. Of course it’s the treatment.
Not long before the strangulation incident, the reader learns that John isn’t the only game in town when the point of view suddenly switches to that of Susan, the study’s psychologist. It’s not exactly uncommon for novels to have multiple POV characters, I know, and Spore ultimately has more than just John and Susan, but this particular transition felt incongruous. Halfway through the book, with no warning or indication that this story involves more than just John’s experience, another character is suddenly the vehicle for the narrative. I’ve been trying to figure out why I’m as bothered by this as I am because I know other readers won’t feel the same. I think it has a lot to do with the timing of the first change to Susan. It comes at a time when the reader needs more knowledge and perspective regarding this supposed sleep study and John is getting increasingly unstable, meaning that the reader isn’t likely to learn the info as John finds it. Switching to Susan’s POV ends up initially feeling a little bit like a cop-out, a way for the author to include information on the project’s history without having to manufacture a method for the main character discover it. Even a page or two for Susan’s thoughts earlier in the book (like when the characters arrive at the testing facility, perhaps?) would give the impression that her viewpoint was always intended to be critical at some juncture – which later segments show is the case – and not just a dodge.
Lastly, I know I harp on this a lot, but I’m once again mentioning having beta readers/editors. (I’ve had some mild spoilers so far – that’s changing now, so final warning.) I’ve talked in other reviews about how critical betas can be. My argument here is more about getting the right beta readers for your particular story. The “treatment” Kristoph created for this fictional study is essentially a bioluminescent fungal spore that responds to light and acts on the brain. It’s honestly a pretty cool idea. Unsurprisingly, the spore as it exists in nature is not quite sufficient for what the Big Shady Company wants it to do, so they’ve done some genetic modifications, mostly relating to the frequencies the spores react to. And this is where having appropriate readers comes in: the field of genetics is still very young, and we don’t entirely understand what small changes in one part of the genome will do to the rest of the genome. It’s an appealing subject for writers for that reason. However, genetics still isn’t an “anything goes” area. Kristoph has this fungus from a warm climate escape the lab into winter in the Virginia mountains at the end of the book, probably to leave an opening for a sequel. My day job actually happens to put me around a bunch of genetics PhDs and genetic counselors on a daily basis, so I asked a couple of them how plausible it might be for tinkering with genes connected to electromagnetic responsiveness to inadvertently cause such drastic alterations in environmental tolerance. The answer I got was that it’s seriously unlikely. Like, “we made sure this kid has the genes for blue eyes, and she ended up accidentally having naturally purple hair too” levels of unlikely. Most readers from the general population aren’t going to have any significant knowledge of genetics, but some might. And when authors rely on word-of-mouth and reviews to increase readership, it seems silly to me to risk alienating even a few readers if it’s easily avoidable. If your plot involves details from a highly-specialized field, do yourself a favor and find someone from that field to read your story or at least chat about it, okay? Your piece will be stronger for it.
So there you have it. Spore is a satisfactory thriller despite relying on some overused tropes, and it’s worth at least one read. Solid debut. Kristoph, as a writer, is fairly strong on characterization, but would almost certainly benefit from working on his timing for introducing additional POVs.
More reviews at: readthiswritethat468412160.wordpress.com
January 3, 2021
Started as an interesting, fast read with a main character, John, who you get to know quickly.
You become frustrated as things turn against him and he is powerless to stop them.
Then the facility, where things get interesting before it turns into just another evil government plan for mind control to create a killing force of soldiers. And as always there is one dissident who saves the day.. except...
I wanted evil spores not evil people.
You become frustrated as things turn against him and he is powerless to stop them.
Then the facility, where things get interesting before it turns into just another evil government plan for mind control to create a killing force of soldiers. And as always there is one dissident who saves the day.. except...
I wanted evil spores not evil people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2023
Solid Sci-Fi thriller. Entertaining if a bit slow placed. I will probably check out more by this author.
November 7, 2020
Interesting story premise, but unfolded way too slow
The fundamental premise of this story -- scientists developing "Neuro spores" which enable mind control -- is good and interesting, but the author conceals the premise for so long that you find yourself just "bearing along" with the story for a long, long time without knowing where this is going. I think the book would have been far more enjoyable if you had a glimpse of the "evil plot" occurring behind the scenes as the "faux medical research story went on...and on...and on. Scenes in the book which just seemed artificial and contrived would have made sense if you knew the "behind the scenes" objectives of the mad scientists.
Instead, you just had to persevere until "all was revealed to you"... three-quarters of the way through the book.
The fundamental premise of this story -- scientists developing "Neuro spores" which enable mind control -- is good and interesting, but the author conceals the premise for so long that you find yourself just "bearing along" with the story for a long, long time without knowing where this is going. I think the book would have been far more enjoyable if you had a glimpse of the "evil plot" occurring behind the scenes as the "faux medical research story went on...and on...and on. Scenes in the book which just seemed artificial and contrived would have made sense if you knew the "behind the scenes" objectives of the mad scientists.
Instead, you just had to persevere until "all was revealed to you"... three-quarters of the way through the book.
December 16, 2020
Sporadically good.
An interesting idea but not so much its execution as I had a difficult time relating with the characters as perhaps other people would. I do not relate to people who supposedly suffer PTSD, I find it to be a disorder for the privileged or people whom have lived a very shelter upbringing and who willingly put themselves into a situation where such disorders stem from why would anyone do that to him or herself that is beyond me, for people in third world countries where death, abuse, and persecution are part of their lives there is no time to lose sleep over today's tragedy because tomorrow is just another day to try to survive and I say that as one of such people, I'm a survivor and I don't dwell on it. I can only appreciate the science, the conceptual idea that spores can be manipulated and modified for the advancement of mankind and that is just to rescue some of what I took out of the story.
An interesting idea but not so much its execution as I had a difficult time relating with the characters as perhaps other people would. I do not relate to people who supposedly suffer PTSD, I find it to be a disorder for the privileged or people whom have lived a very shelter upbringing and who willingly put themselves into a situation where such disorders stem from why would anyone do that to him or herself that is beyond me, for people in third world countries where death, abuse, and persecution are part of their lives there is no time to lose sleep over today's tragedy because tomorrow is just another day to try to survive and I say that as one of such people, I'm a survivor and I don't dwell on it. I can only appreciate the science, the conceptual idea that spores can be manipulated and modified for the advancement of mankind and that is just to rescue some of what I took out of the story.
January 9, 2021
I was drawn to this book by its title - it intrigued me. I was not disappointed. Indeed, it was related to the use of spores in a medical treatment used on hapless patients, presumably to treat their sleep-related disorders, but in fact for more nefarious reasons.
I found the character development well done. I quickly found the main character relatable and I could appreciate his motivation for subjecting himself to be a test subject. The protagonist is big-pharma represented by its billionaire CEO and a scientist, both of whom are obsessed to succeed, regardless of the impact on the test subjects. Of course, there is a champion who finds herself regretting her involvement and attempts to help the protagonist. Even the minor characters were well developed (including John's mother-in-law were well developed and underwent a change through the book).
There is a bit of story set up at the start, but it was relatively quick and the tension builds right from the beginning. The tension finally releases in the climax of the book with plenty of action leaving you wondering until the very end what the outcome would be. The book has a satisfying ending - no cliff hangers or hooks for another book.
There is a very subtle hook left at the end that could be leveraged should the author decide to write a sequel, but not enough of a hook to make you feel the story is unfinished.
From a writing perspective, it was well done, but I did find myself wanting to skim past some paragraphs since they felt like they were getting in the way for me to get to the climax. This was a good, entertaining read. Nothing profound but entertaining and would make a good plotline for a movie.
I found the character development well done. I quickly found the main character relatable and I could appreciate his motivation for subjecting himself to be a test subject. The protagonist is big-pharma represented by its billionaire CEO and a scientist, both of whom are obsessed to succeed, regardless of the impact on the test subjects. Of course, there is a champion who finds herself regretting her involvement and attempts to help the protagonist. Even the minor characters were well developed (including John's mother-in-law were well developed and underwent a change through the book).
There is a bit of story set up at the start, but it was relatively quick and the tension builds right from the beginning. The tension finally releases in the climax of the book with plenty of action leaving you wondering until the very end what the outcome would be. The book has a satisfying ending - no cliff hangers or hooks for another book.
There is a very subtle hook left at the end that could be leveraged should the author decide to write a sequel, but not enough of a hook to make you feel the story is unfinished.
From a writing perspective, it was well done, but I did find myself wanting to skim past some paragraphs since they felt like they were getting in the way for me to get to the climax. This was a good, entertaining read. Nothing profound but entertaining and would make a good plotline for a movie.
October 15, 2021
This was a quick "fluff" read. I wasn't expecting great literature, just a fun plot line and decent characters. Despite low expectations, this book struggled (though it was a quick read, so there's a success). John, the protagonist, is a little too much of an Everyman with standard Everyman problems. He seems to have quite a few of those every-day problems and it makes him ripe (overripe?) for the plot. But the author goes too far in giving him additional backstory late in the book that not only is John a down-on-his-luck Everyman, but he also has his problems as a result of unethical government testing on him during his days in the army using IV nano-robots. Full stop. Editors and beta-readers should have convinced the author to drop that nonsense.
There are other editing details that needed revision, one character is a redhead and then blonde later on. The facility was a Confederate prison until 1964 (okay, that's just a typo, but still). There are quarter-sized holes in the tank from the 5.56mm bullets. There are other detail errors as well.
The exposition is much too long, taking up at least 50% of the book. Too much of the story doesn't align with the sinister prologue. The third-person omniscient narrator stops following only John at a certain point because the story escapes the limited POV that dominates most of the book. By the time we get to the climactic crisis the book has devolved from cool science-fiction premise to semi-mind/body control by an evil corporation with an evil nothing-but-profits CEO and nothing-but-data mad scientists. This results in a predictable (mostly) moralizing body count.
There are other editing details that needed revision, one character is a redhead and then blonde later on. The facility was a Confederate prison until 1964 (okay, that's just a typo, but still). There are quarter-sized holes in the tank from the 5.56mm bullets. There are other detail errors as well.
The exposition is much too long, taking up at least 50% of the book. Too much of the story doesn't align with the sinister prologue. The third-person omniscient narrator stops following only John at a certain point because the story escapes the limited POV that dominates most of the book. By the time we get to the climactic crisis the book has devolved from cool science-fiction premise to semi-mind/body control by an evil corporation with an evil nothing-but-profits CEO and nothing-but-data mad scientists. This results in a predictable (mostly) moralizing body count.
December 12, 2021
Spore wasn't quite what I was expecting. I went into the novel thinking it was going to be like The Fungus and instead it was more like Michael Cricton's Prey but much more science light (and yet confusing?).
Basically, there's some kind of blue spores (maybe found in a rainforest lake, maybe designed by a scientist, mushroom, nanobot, I don't know) but of course they ate being used for no good. Or to help people sleep better...both?
I liked the characters in the book. They kept me engaged. I liked the devotion to family.
The big corporate baddies were no surprise and the idea behind their scheme was interestIng. The dynamics of the spores themselves was confusing, but did provide a high level of tension as well as a body count.
Overall, quick, simple read. It's like a low budget sci-fi movie, entertaining, but no real substance.
Basically, there's some kind of blue spores (maybe found in a rainforest lake, maybe designed by a scientist, mushroom, nanobot, I don't know) but of course they ate being used for no good. Or to help people sleep better...both?
I liked the characters in the book. They kept me engaged. I liked the devotion to family.
The big corporate baddies were no surprise and the idea behind their scheme was interestIng. The dynamics of the spores themselves was confusing, but did provide a high level of tension as well as a body count.
Overall, quick, simple read. It's like a low budget sci-fi movie, entertaining, but no real substance.
April 1, 2022
Spore is an excellent sci-fi novel that draws you in immediately within the first few pages and then transitions into a slow-burn thriller.
It finishes with fast-paced action and heroic feats from the most unassuming characters.
You get the skin-crawling scientific-advancement-at-the-expense-of-human-life type tropes with a few twists you may not expect.
The relatable characters are all going through some very real issues and looking for answers, which keeps you rooting for ultimate resolution but also completely aware that not everyone can win. Not everyone will make it through with their lives.
The science in this sci-fi is also totally accessible, easy to keep up with and understand but still intriguing and believable.
Highly recommend this page turner! It is a must-read.
It finishes with fast-paced action and heroic feats from the most unassuming characters.
You get the skin-crawling scientific-advancement-at-the-expense-of-human-life type tropes with a few twists you may not expect.
The relatable characters are all going through some very real issues and looking for answers, which keeps you rooting for ultimate resolution but also completely aware that not everyone can win. Not everyone will make it through with their lives.
The science in this sci-fi is also totally accessible, easy to keep up with and understand but still intriguing and believable.
Highly recommend this page turner! It is a must-read.
August 13, 2020
Ordinary people caught up in a scientific experiment. They're told it's to help people who have major problems sleeping. They are installed in a remote, isolated facility where blue, glowing globules are injected into their bodies. Instead of being tense and fraught with danger, it is repetitious to the point of making us numb. Also, having a major character introduced halfway through the book has been considered bad writing since the time of the ancient Greek playwrights. If you plan on reading this book be prepared to skim through whole chunks of it.
February 17, 2021
Spore
A really well thought out book, great storyline and easy characters to get to know. This is my first ever review so that should say something about it!
It's not often I read a book where I want to steal every spare moment to grab my kindle just to know what's happening and this isn't even in my preferred genre! Really well done David your now one of my favourite authors (I'm extremely picky most books don't get through the first chapter) and i can't wait to see more of your talent xx
A really well thought out book, great storyline and easy characters to get to know. This is my first ever review so that should say something about it!
It's not often I read a book where I want to steal every spare moment to grab my kindle just to know what's happening and this isn't even in my preferred genre! Really well done David your now one of my favourite authors (I'm extremely picky most books don't get through the first chapter) and i can't wait to see more of your talent xx
October 13, 2020
Thrilling!!!
A fantastic storyline about some scientists and their secret project involving a man called Randy who worked for the company and his brother in law John.
John suffers from.night terrors amongst other things and could do with some help.......
It was a dramatic,,hanging off the edge of your seat kind of story that is good enough to be a movie as far as I'm concerned!!
Highly recommend to all!!
A fantastic storyline about some scientists and their secret project involving a man called Randy who worked for the company and his brother in law John.
John suffers from.night terrors amongst other things and could do with some help.......
It was a dramatic,,hanging off the edge of your seat kind of story that is good enough to be a movie as far as I'm concerned!!
Highly recommend to all!!
June 29, 2021
A really good read, fast paced, interesting character and workplace build up. I loved the science, the explanations of the spore, what it is, how it works etc
Editing was excellent.
It was so well written that I could see everything playing out in images, like I was watching a movie, which I loved.
A great Sci fi/horror thriller. I'm not great writing reviews but I try. I'd recommend this book :0)
Editing was excellent.
It was so well written that I could see everything playing out in images, like I was watching a movie, which I loved.
A great Sci fi/horror thriller. I'm not great writing reviews but I try. I'd recommend this book :0)
July 29, 2020
This is my first time reading this author and I really liked this book. It’s one of those stories that you start reading and then before you know it you have been sitting there for an hour or two. It’s a story that easily grabbed my attention and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of the story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 2, 2020
Classic MC Tale
Spoilers! Don’t read more
Classic mind-control tale of a project meant to do one thing, but, of course, accomplished another. It was still well-written, with good characters and motivations. Worth it if you’re a fan of shadowy operations and and illicit research novels.
Spoilers! Don’t read more
Classic mind-control tale of a project meant to do one thing, but, of course, accomplished another. It was still well-written, with good characters and motivations. Worth it if you’re a fan of shadowy operations and and illicit research novels.
September 16, 2020
Alarmingly scary
I'm not going to nit pick this story to pieces (like some do). I am not going to give it a synopsis type of review(like others do) I am just going to go say I truly wonder could this type of scenario be happening somewhere in this world! (More than just maybe.) That would (could) be a scary, frightening thought!
I'm not going to nit pick this story to pieces (like some do). I am not going to give it a synopsis type of review(like others do) I am just going to go say I truly wonder could this type of scenario be happening somewhere in this world! (More than just maybe.) That would (could) be a scary, frightening thought!
November 13, 2020
I bought this on the title alone thinking it was going to be an easy apocalyptic tale. What I got a tightly written, Michael Crichton type story about big business trying to make a buck out of a mind control experiment, under the guise of a sleep disorder clinic. Believable and sharp, I really enjoyed it.
January 25, 2021
The Science of Spores
This book was not what I expected. Though very scientific it was easier to grasp the different concepts of the science it coveted. I didn't realize the many varieties of sleep problems and how little understanding of them by the medical and science fields understand. This book held my interest and kept me reading to the very end.
This book was not what I expected. Though very scientific it was easier to grasp the different concepts of the science it coveted. I didn't realize the many varieties of sleep problems and how little understanding of them by the medical and science fields understand. This book held my interest and kept me reading to the very end.
February 10, 2021
A tale of a medical research study which you do not want to take part in...
A very good read which flowed really nicely. Pace was fine for it however I will say that Chapter 21 started to lean very heavily towards the science, and i ended up having to skip half the chapter as it just was way over my head.
Recommended.
A very good read which flowed really nicely. Pace was fine for it however I will say that Chapter 21 started to lean very heavily towards the science, and i ended up having to skip half the chapter as it just was way over my head.
Recommended.
August 5, 2020
High intensity sci-fi thriller!
Wow what a fantastic story! I literally could not put it down took me about 2 days to read. It's a fast paced very intense thriller that has you hooked from page 1! love this book! definitely recommend to anybody who likes sci-fi thrillers!
Wow what a fantastic story! I literally could not put it down took me about 2 days to read. It's a fast paced very intense thriller that has you hooked from page 1! love this book! definitely recommend to anybody who likes sci-fi thrillers!
August 29, 2020
Great story!
The story line was terrific! With enough action to hold you reading late into the evening! The ending held me close to the story, I just couldn't put it down! Great read!
The story line was terrific! With enough action to hold you reading late into the evening! The ending held me close to the story, I just couldn't put it down! Great read!
August 30, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It mixes illicit experiments, humans, and horror all in one. There weren't any spots in the narrative that I thought made the story lag. Absolutely enjoyed. If you like this kind of novel, I think you will enjoy this.
September 17, 2020
Enjoyed this book worried about John and Jenny as if other were real..Good interesting story
Will recommend to my friends and family. Now, will look for this author's other books. I have it 4 stars
Will recommend to my friends and family. Now, will look for this author's other books. I have it 4 stars
September 19, 2020
Good idea, good story!
This grabbed my interest and held on. I read it in two days. I was skeptical about a couple of unlikely events, but they were cleared up nicely as the story progressed.
This grabbed my interest and held on. I read it in two days. I was skeptical about a couple of unlikely events, but they were cleared up nicely as the story progressed.
September 26, 2020
Good (spoilers, maybe?)
This story was good, but it was a little depressing at the end. I didn’t like the psychologist woman, and Randy was a weasel, selling out his brother like that... That made me angry.
This story was good, but it was a little depressing at the end. I didn’t like the psychologist woman, and Randy was a weasel, selling out his brother like that... That made me angry.
September 27, 2020
I enjoyed the book, although not as much as some reviewers. It’s kinda depressing-perhaps the author was just too good at creating a gloomy atmosphere lol. I like the writing style-brisk and he moves the story along at a decent pace. I’d recommend it to readers interested in a tech/bio/thriller.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews