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The Devil Whispered
The Darkness Is Closing In
Ex special-forces commander Jacobi Slate is drawn into a downward spiraling vortex of fear and doubt while investigating a brutal murder that's been committed by an old friend. As evidence mounts that someone else might be pulling strings from the shadows, Jacobi struggles to understand a developing connection to his own past, which is quickly catching up to him.
Near-future cyberpunk collides with gritty detective noir in this fast-paced thriller that shines a light on both the vast shortcomings and the noble heroics of the human condition. To unravel the mystery, Jacobi will pull on every thread while chasing leads from the squalor of the most dangerous streets to the high-tech towers of the wealthy elite on his quest to understand a truth he might not be ready to face.
Ex special-forces commander Jacobi Slate is drawn into a downward spiraling vortex of fear and doubt while investigating a brutal murder that's been committed by an old friend. As evidence mounts that someone else might be pulling strings from the shadows, Jacobi struggles to understand a developing connection to his own past, which is quickly catching up to him.
Near-future cyberpunk collides with gritty detective noir in this fast-paced thriller that shines a light on both the vast shortcomings and the noble heroics of the human condition. To unravel the mystery, Jacobi will pull on every thread while chasing leads from the squalor of the most dangerous streets to the high-tech towers of the wealthy elite on his quest to understand a truth he might not be ready to face.
415 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 27, 2021
28 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 9, 2021
In the near future United States, Retired Special Forces Commander Jacobi Slate is investigating a brutal murder committed by his former boss, Admiral Ben Oaksley, who has admittedly killed his beloved wife, Mary. As Slate’s investigation continues and more strange murders occur, he begins to suspect that this is tied to his past and that someone in the background is pulling the strings.
This is a thrilling cyberpunk detective noir story with well developed characters and an intriguing premise. It shows a future America even more enmeshed in technology and describes what could be the results of that. I liked the first-person detective noir approach as told through the eyes of a veteran of many wars. This is not your traditional detective noir, as there is a strong female main character, Risa, who definitely proved herself tougher than any of the others, even our protagonist. As indicative of the noir genre, the lines between right and wrong are blurred and the protagonist is well meaning but flawed. The cyberpunk element is crucial as we see technology becoming more and more enmeshed into human life. This is an action-packed novel with revelations that are eye-opening and thought provoking.
4.5 Stars, rounded up to 5.
I would recommend this to any fans of the the cyberpunk and detective noir genres.
This is a thrilling cyberpunk detective noir story with well developed characters and an intriguing premise. It shows a future America even more enmeshed in technology and describes what could be the results of that. I liked the first-person detective noir approach as told through the eyes of a veteran of many wars. This is not your traditional detective noir, as there is a strong female main character, Risa, who definitely proved herself tougher than any of the others, even our protagonist. As indicative of the noir genre, the lines between right and wrong are blurred and the protagonist is well meaning but flawed. The cyberpunk element is crucial as we see technology becoming more and more enmeshed into human life. This is an action-packed novel with revelations that are eye-opening and thought provoking.
4.5 Stars, rounded up to 5.
I would recommend this to any fans of the the cyberpunk and detective noir genres.
March 1, 2021
What a debut story! Starkweather writes like he's a seasoned author!
Wow! That was my initial thought after the first chapter. I am reminded of Deus:Ex video games that I played in my younger years and this plays off of that in a techy sort of way. The literary scenes are detailed and paint the picture in your mind while reading. Just when you think you have the story figured out, something else drops and changes your thinking. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and can't wait to see follow-up novels on the main character, Jacobi Slate. Shawn, thank you for sharing your debut novel!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wow! That was my initial thought after the first chapter. I am reminded of Deus:Ex video games that I played in my younger years and this plays off of that in a techy sort of way. The literary scenes are detailed and paint the picture in your mind while reading. Just when you think you have the story figured out, something else drops and changes your thinking. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and can't wait to see follow-up novels on the main character, Jacobi Slate. Shawn, thank you for sharing your debut novel!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 16, 2021
Unfortunately, this book falls into the trap of so many noir-inspired stories. Traditional Noir is a deeply sexist genre, and building on that genre without thinking deeply about those issues, leads to choices that perpetuate those stereotypes.
The tech in "The Devil Whispered" is cool and interesting; the idea of a retired military team being targeted by something mysterious that causes them to lose their minds and go on murderous killing sprees is a fairly engaging premise. However, I couldn't enjoy the story due primarily to the gender imbalances.
If you like gritty, old-fashioned noir, a ton of fight sequences, and some cool tech, this might be a good read for you.
The tech in "The Devil Whispered" is cool and interesting; the idea of a retired military team being targeted by something mysterious that causes them to lose their minds and go on murderous killing sprees is a fairly engaging premise. However, I couldn't enjoy the story due primarily to the gender imbalances.
If you like gritty, old-fashioned noir, a ton of fight sequences, and some cool tech, this might be a good read for you.
March 1, 2021
Ex-military, provider of the special services now, Jacobi is recalled by his old friend who is under prosecution of the crime he has no memory about. What starts as a noir detective story with simple premises, develops into a complex tangle of a spy thriller, the pure action, the mystery from the past and cyberpunk. The book is an excellent alternative to the space operas or teenager-oriented sci-fi novels.
The plot unveils in various lines at slow, but alluring pace, keeping your attention and resulting in explosive culmination.
The world-building is done by adding details to small episodes describing regular activities involving the main characters or everyday people. It makes the environment believable and helps you understand how it affected the book's characters.
Another peculiarity of the novel is that the author provides an interesting point on how humanity could evolve to a post-human state.
The rain theme, which embodies everything, adds a nice touch to the narration's noir style.
Surprisingly, a few details seem to be missing out despite the captivating plot. The subplots deserve to be revealed with more depth providing additional layers to the story. Also, a minor twist was not introduced very naturally and made me curious about whether it should be part of the story.
Overall, I recommend reading this debut novel with a glass of wine in several evening sittings. The book's beauty is not that it will catch you and will not release till the end, but rather that its non-reactive pace and the intriguing plot will keep you interested in exploring the characters and the world itself. The book can be the start of a new sci-fi universe of its style.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The plot unveils in various lines at slow, but alluring pace, keeping your attention and resulting in explosive culmination.
The world-building is done by adding details to small episodes describing regular activities involving the main characters or everyday people. It makes the environment believable and helps you understand how it affected the book's characters.
Another peculiarity of the novel is that the author provides an interesting point on how humanity could evolve to a post-human state.
The rain theme, which embodies everything, adds a nice touch to the narration's noir style.
Surprisingly, a few details seem to be missing out despite the captivating plot. The subplots deserve to be revealed with more depth providing additional layers to the story. Also, a minor twist was not introduced very naturally and made me curious about whether it should be part of the story.
Overall, I recommend reading this debut novel with a glass of wine in several evening sittings. The book's beauty is not that it will catch you and will not release till the end, but rather that its non-reactive pace and the intriguing plot will keep you interested in exploring the characters and the world itself. The book can be the start of a new sci-fi universe of its style.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 24, 2021
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Devil Whispered
Author: Shawn Starkweather
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Cyberpunk, Sci-Fi
Publication Date: February 1, 2021
Genre: Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 200ish? I can’t find the Amazon page
Synopsis: Ex special-forces commander Jacobi Slate is drawn into a downward spiraling vortex of fear and doubt while investigating a brutal murder that's been committed by an old friend. As evidence mounts that someone else might be pulling strings from the shadows, Jacobi struggles to understand a developing connection to his own past, which is quickly catching up to him.
Near-future cyberpunk collides with gritty detective noir in this fast-paced thriller that shines a light on both the vast shortcomings and the noble heroics of the human condition. To unravel the mystery, Jacobi will pull on every thread while chasing leads from the squalor of the most dangerous streets to the high-tech towers of the wealthy elite on his quest to understand a truth he might not be ready to face.
Review: I had to dnf this book. I really liked the premise of the book as it sounds really good, but I just couldn't get into it. I also felt like the writing was a bit weird, but maybe that is because I couldn't fully get into it.
Verdict: It’s good, but not for me.
Book: The Devil Whispered
Author: Shawn Starkweather
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Cyberpunk, Sci-Fi
Publication Date: February 1, 2021
Genre: Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 200ish? I can’t find the Amazon page
Synopsis: Ex special-forces commander Jacobi Slate is drawn into a downward spiraling vortex of fear and doubt while investigating a brutal murder that's been committed by an old friend. As evidence mounts that someone else might be pulling strings from the shadows, Jacobi struggles to understand a developing connection to his own past, which is quickly catching up to him.
Near-future cyberpunk collides with gritty detective noir in this fast-paced thriller that shines a light on both the vast shortcomings and the noble heroics of the human condition. To unravel the mystery, Jacobi will pull on every thread while chasing leads from the squalor of the most dangerous streets to the high-tech towers of the wealthy elite on his quest to understand a truth he might not be ready to face.
Review: I had to dnf this book. I really liked the premise of the book as it sounds really good, but I just couldn't get into it. I also felt like the writing was a bit weird, but maybe that is because I couldn't fully get into it.
Verdict: It’s good, but not for me.
March 1, 2021
I enjoyed the story right from the beginning. It shows how humans in the future could use technology to change the way we do things and modify personalities. The dangers of these technologies when they get to wrong hands.
This is a good and exciting science fiction story which will keep you locked to the book until the end.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a good and exciting science fiction story which will keep you locked to the book until the end.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 17, 2022
Block Buster Movie Worthy!
I listened to the audiobook version of the book narrated by Adam McLaughlin, who let me tell you is simply outstanding! He brought this book alive in a truly magnificent way and I could picture the world just as Shawn Starkweather had written it.
I give The Devil Whispered 5 stars in every single category! The writing, storyline, dialogue, characters, environments, uniqueness, technology portrayal, I could go on and on! I love everything thing about this book aside from the fact that it's finished. I'm pretty sure that there will be a sequel in the future (I'll be handing out unlimited slaps to the chops if not, so get to typing Mr Starkweather !) :P
This debut novel truly deserves every book award available, my mind was blown that this was a first book! I'm well impressed and I'm a hard woman to impress unless it has something to do with a delectable cheesecake, so feel honoured that you have exceeded my lofty expectations!
I listened to the audiobook version of the book narrated by Adam McLaughlin, who let me tell you is simply outstanding! He brought this book alive in a truly magnificent way and I could picture the world just as Shawn Starkweather had written it.
I give The Devil Whispered 5 stars in every single category! The writing, storyline, dialogue, characters, environments, uniqueness, technology portrayal, I could go on and on! I love everything thing about this book aside from the fact that it's finished. I'm pretty sure that there will be a sequel in the future (I'll be handing out unlimited slaps to the chops if not, so get to typing Mr Starkweather !) :P
This debut novel truly deserves every book award available, my mind was blown that this was a first book! I'm well impressed and I'm a hard woman to impress unless it has something to do with a delectable cheesecake, so feel honoured that you have exceeded my lofty expectations!
June 12, 2022
At first I thought this was going to be a solid three. But then the internal monolog of the MC tried a little too hard to go all Deep, poetic Samurai soul.... And it felt like to me he bought that soul at a cheap convenience store. Most of those lines felt awkward and inauthentic. And it just kept coming. Steadily pounding the book down to a 2 for me. But there was a reasonably decent story carrying around that annoyance. So still a 2. But then... The end came. And a choice was made that was so... stupid I dnfed at the end. And so 1 star for me.
June 25, 2021
Honestly as great as the plot and the characters were in this book, I had the hardest time getting immersed into it. For whatever reason, I still haven't figured it out over five hundred pages later, I Just couldn't keep my attention on this book. Whether that's a me problem or a book problem I'm not sure, but I do have these good things to say about it. If you're looking for an action packed cyberpunk mystery novel mixed with military personnel, robotic limbs and internal computers, and crazy body mods and just crazy tech in general, than this is definitely something you should look into checking out next.
Check out my full review here!
https://radioactivebookreviews.wordpr...
Check out my full review here!
https://radioactivebookreviews.wordpr...
April 29, 2021
Rarely, oh, so rarely, have I seen such a detailed and vibrant imagination at work.
The main characters are engaging, profoundly intricate, and deeply passionate about freedom, duty, honor, and, yes, even love.
It's an exciting read, and I was glad to involve my imagination fully in this amazing creation, but as compared to some other sci-fi I've read, it was not always "compelling". Other novels have sometimes been so outrageously captivating that I had to finish them in one sitting. However, in lieu of such breakneck pacing, I reveled in the rich description, frequent plot twists, and just "feel good" nature of the book.
The main characters are engaging, profoundly intricate, and deeply passionate about freedom, duty, honor, and, yes, even love.
It's an exciting read, and I was glad to involve my imagination fully in this amazing creation, but as compared to some other sci-fi I've read, it was not always "compelling". Other novels have sometimes been so outrageously captivating that I had to finish them in one sitting. However, in lieu of such breakneck pacing, I reveled in the rich description, frequent plot twists, and just "feel good" nature of the book.
April 4, 2021
This is the 1st book I've read written by Shawn Starkweather; I can’t wait to read more of his books.
Jacobi is an ex special-forces commander who is investigating a murder commited by an old friend but as he investigates he figures out that someone else is has set everything up but doesn’t know who or why.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
Jacobi is an ex special-forces commander who is investigating a murder commited by an old friend but as he investigates he figures out that someone else is has set everything up but doesn’t know who or why.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
April 30, 2021
Author Shawn Starkweather brings us a great plot shot full of action set a cyberpunk world!
The writing style was polished and had a very natural flow. Sci-Fi is not always my go-to genre but I do enjoy them every once in a while. This brings the Cyberpunk and mystery themes together and definitely kept me engaged throughout!
This is a great read, don't miss it, you will definitely love it!
The writing style was polished and had a very natural flow. Sci-Fi is not always my go-to genre but I do enjoy them every once in a while. This brings the Cyberpunk and mystery themes together and definitely kept me engaged throughout!
This is a great read, don't miss it, you will definitely love it!
May 4, 2021
This was such a fabulous read. It had great elements from multiple genres. It’s got a sci-fi tech feel, it’s cyberpunk, it has noir elements, there is mystery and detective undertones and so much more. It’s so involved, there is a TON to unravel while reading.
I enjoyed every moment of this. It’s a wild ride that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat.
I enjoyed every moment of this. It’s a wild ride that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat.
May 5, 2021
This book was entertaining enough to me that I sat down and read it all the way through in one sitting!
It shows a lot of imagination, and again, this author brings to life the settings with his vivid descriptiveness.
The mystery, the intrigue, the thrill. Wow. One of the quickest times I’ve read a book. Would highly recommend it.
It shows a lot of imagination, and again, this author brings to life the settings with his vivid descriptiveness.
The mystery, the intrigue, the thrill. Wow. One of the quickest times I’ve read a book. Would highly recommend it.
November 13, 2024
Captivating and well written.
For anyone whom detective and sci-fi mysteries intrigue them. A well written futuristic mystery combining the old fashioned noir detective story with the futuristic sci-fi cyberpunk storyline. Action, love, and mystery all in the same book. Well done.
For anyone whom detective and sci-fi mysteries intrigue them. A well written futuristic mystery combining the old fashioned noir detective story with the futuristic sci-fi cyberpunk storyline. Action, love, and mystery all in the same book. Well done.
July 5, 2022
A really good read. Good mix of sci-fi, tech, psy-op, action and elite soldiers. Enjoyed this alot.
July 12, 2022
Looking forward to more sci-fi from the author
January 1, 2026
TL;DR: Must Read. That's a rare two words for me to say.
What surprised me most is that this is Starkweather’s first novel. As soon as I finished it, I immediately searched on Goodreads for his other books. I was convinced that I had finally found an author I could rely on, freeing me from the drudgery of searching for the next good read. I fully expected to keep reading his work until I was completely bored of it. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that this is his first published novel.
Without giving away any spoilers, I can say that the story is extremely well thought out. It is easy to spin an engaging tale, but it is much harder to tie up all the loose ends and bring everything together in a satisfying way. Starkweather does an excellent job of connecting all the dots.
In terms of storytelling quality, I would compare this book to The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick.
What surprised me most is that this is Starkweather’s first novel. As soon as I finished it, I immediately searched on Goodreads for his other books. I was convinced that I had finally found an author I could rely on, freeing me from the drudgery of searching for the next good read. I fully expected to keep reading his work until I was completely bored of it. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that this is his first published novel.
Without giving away any spoilers, I can say that the story is extremely well thought out. It is easy to spin an engaging tale, but it is much harder to tie up all the loose ends and bring everything together in a satisfying way. Starkweather does an excellent job of connecting all the dots.
In terms of storytelling quality, I would compare this book to The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick.
November 15, 2021
I have to admit; I was getting bored throughout this book. Mind you, I am not familiar with Cyberpunk and Noir genres. The issues I have are most likely to do with the genre. As a reader, I am used to medium and fast pace novels. The chapters are mixed or short to medium length. This novel was slow, and this is because of the super long chapters. I might have liked it better if the author broke the chapters down a bit more to make it feel like I was accomplishing something. Again, the chapter issue could be because of the type of genre. Once I finished the novel, I ended up loving the story.
Jacobi Slate is the main character. As a retired special-forces commander, Slate picks up work as a bounty hunter. He can not settle down as some in his unit. He feels broken in ways he does not figure out until later in the novel. Pulled into an investigation regarding an old friend, Slate finds out how deep this actually goes. He pulls together a team from his old unit plus new friends to help him. Slate could be flushed a bit more, but as a reader, I could understand this character.
The rest of the character cast in this book was enjoyable. They felt well rounded for their time in the story. Each had a personality one could love and remember. They helped move the story forward and were pulled into the investigation Slate was working. Most of these characters have a past with Slate. This past helps them come together and understand what is happening and how they are involved. Other characters are from his bounty hunter job, and the few are how this investigation directs Slate. These characters come together and interact well.
Not being familiar with Cyberpunk, I knew little about the technical babble. I enjoyed learning and visualizing this world. The setting of this novel was easy to visualize. The location was earth bound set in Los Angeles. Visualizing the futuristic technologies was enjoyable, easy to follow and understand. What the author did was nice for the readers. He explained the futuristic technologies without bogging down the story.
I enjoyed this story. At the beginning, I was getting worried because I was getting bored about how slow it felt, but I stuck with it. I would recommend this story to those who like cyberpunk, noir, detective work, and near future stories.
*I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest opinion.
You can find this review on my website:
https://www.charliadamswriter.com
Jacobi Slate is the main character. As a retired special-forces commander, Slate picks up work as a bounty hunter. He can not settle down as some in his unit. He feels broken in ways he does not figure out until later in the novel. Pulled into an investigation regarding an old friend, Slate finds out how deep this actually goes. He pulls together a team from his old unit plus new friends to help him. Slate could be flushed a bit more, but as a reader, I could understand this character.
The rest of the character cast in this book was enjoyable. They felt well rounded for their time in the story. Each had a personality one could love and remember. They helped move the story forward and were pulled into the investigation Slate was working. Most of these characters have a past with Slate. This past helps them come together and understand what is happening and how they are involved. Other characters are from his bounty hunter job, and the few are how this investigation directs Slate. These characters come together and interact well.
Not being familiar with Cyberpunk, I knew little about the technical babble. I enjoyed learning and visualizing this world. The setting of this novel was easy to visualize. The location was earth bound set in Los Angeles. Visualizing the futuristic technologies was enjoyable, easy to follow and understand. What the author did was nice for the readers. He explained the futuristic technologies without bogging down the story.
I enjoyed this story. At the beginning, I was getting worried because I was getting bored about how slow it felt, but I stuck with it. I would recommend this story to those who like cyberpunk, noir, detective work, and near future stories.
*I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest opinion.
You can find this review on my website:
https://www.charliadamswriter.com
June 26, 2021
I read this book and really enjoyed the tech and scenery. I hope you continue to write more books because you can tell you enjoyed writing this.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews