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The Site
The Site provides a gaze into shadowy government entities and their relationships with enterprises with an otherworldly reach. When London schoolteacher Cicely Denfeld begins experiencing vivid and disturbing dreams, she has no idea that they could be foreshadowing a secret reality that has long been hidden from the public eye. In haunting dreams, Cicely lives out the experiences of strangers Charles Ryder and Vivian Venables, involved in recovering a secret document taken from an American government contractor. While Cicely, with the help of a psychiatrist, seeks to understand the bizarre dreams that plague her, Charles and Vivian follow a trail of hidden knowledge that could impact the entire world. Valrand's gripping plot introduces new twists to a classical science fiction alien contact story. The plot takes the reader from a cozy flat, a school, a psychiatrist's office and posh clubs in London to dangerous encounters in a Caribbean island and a spymaster's office in Miami. A visit to a university library and a meeting at an establishment in Los Angeles called The Red Chalice leads to a virtually unreachable location in the Tehachapi Mountains and a most daunting, dazzling and far-reaching journey.
423 pages, Paperback
First published November 25, 2013
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8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 11, 2024
A Masterful Combination of Mystery, the Supernatural, and a Quest for Truth
Carlos Valrand has created a blend of suspense, speculation, and a profound exploration of how the unknown can disrupt our understanding of reality. "The Site" is a gripping novel, melding together the mysterious dreams of a London schoolteacher with the clandestine activities of two Americans on a journey to uncover hidden truths. The perplexing dream world of Cicely Denfeld blurs the lines between dream and reality. Her disturbing dreams are more than her imagination — they are a window into a concealed reality that ties her fate with that of Charles Ryder and Vivian Venables. Valrand unfolds the story brilliantly, revealing truths that are intertwined with a secretive government document and the lives of unknown individuals across America. As Cicely seeks help from a psychiatrist to decipher her visions, Charles and Vivian are on a parallel journey that has the potential to alter global perceptions. This thrilling chase for concealed knowledge has the potential to disrupt the world's very fabric. The book's dual narrative ramps up the anticipation, leading to a satisfying convergence. "The Site" is a thought-provoking tale that will appeal to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with a touch of the extraterrestrial. For aficionados of sci-fi mysteries, "The Site" is a standout recommendation.
Carlos Valrand has created a blend of suspense, speculation, and a profound exploration of how the unknown can disrupt our understanding of reality. "The Site" is a gripping novel, melding together the mysterious dreams of a London schoolteacher with the clandestine activities of two Americans on a journey to uncover hidden truths. The perplexing dream world of Cicely Denfeld blurs the lines between dream and reality. Her disturbing dreams are more than her imagination — they are a window into a concealed reality that ties her fate with that of Charles Ryder and Vivian Venables. Valrand unfolds the story brilliantly, revealing truths that are intertwined with a secretive government document and the lives of unknown individuals across America. As Cicely seeks help from a psychiatrist to decipher her visions, Charles and Vivian are on a parallel journey that has the potential to alter global perceptions. This thrilling chase for concealed knowledge has the potential to disrupt the world's very fabric. The book's dual narrative ramps up the anticipation, leading to a satisfying convergence. "The Site" is a thought-provoking tale that will appeal to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with a touch of the extraterrestrial. For aficionados of sci-fi mysteries, "The Site" is a standout recommendation.
September 12, 2024
What would you do if every time you closed your eyes to dream, you found yourself in vivid, progressively perilous situations involving espionage, but the person representing you in the dream not only has another name but also is a different sex? Such is the case with Cicely Denfield, a mild London schoolteacher by day who in her dreams becomes a player in a world of intrigue experienced by Charles Ryder and his accomplice Vivian Venables, strangers to her.
To get answers and to attempt to stop the dreams from occurring, Cicely visits a psychotherapist, but the dreams get more and more strange, leading her/Ryder to Cuba to confront an operative possessing secret information and then to California’s high desert. There, the story turns from psychological thriller to sci-fi thriller, when it’s revealed that who and what are discovered there could have a devastating impact on societies around the world.
Overall, "The Site" is long (more than 430 pages) but deftly written and fast-paced. Former aerospace engineer Valrand does a good job weaving the stories of Cicely’s reality with those of her otherworldly dream state. If you like science fiction and thrillers, with a touch of mystery thrown in, you’ll enjoy "The Site."
To get answers and to attempt to stop the dreams from occurring, Cicely visits a psychotherapist, but the dreams get more and more strange, leading her/Ryder to Cuba to confront an operative possessing secret information and then to California’s high desert. There, the story turns from psychological thriller to sci-fi thriller, when it’s revealed that who and what are discovered there could have a devastating impact on societies around the world.
Overall, "The Site" is long (more than 430 pages) but deftly written and fast-paced. Former aerospace engineer Valrand does a good job weaving the stories of Cicely’s reality with those of her otherworldly dream state. If you like science fiction and thrillers, with a touch of mystery thrown in, you’ll enjoy "The Site."
September 5, 2024
"The Site" by Carlos Valrand blends reality and dreams. This novel had me hooked from the first page! Valrand creates a story that challenges how we see the world, making us question what is real, and what is just a dream.
The story begins with Cicely Denfeld, who starts having vivid and unsettling dreams. These aren't your regular dreams; they are filled with the lives and experiences of people she has never met. These connections set the stage for the book. The plot thickens with each chapter, and the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat.
What I loved most about "The Site" is how it made me think about the power of dreams and the secrets they might hold. Valrand's storytelling is so vivid that I could almost feel Cicely's confusion and fear. It reminded me of times when I’ve had strange dreams that felt incredibly real, leaving me to wonder what they meant.
This book is perfect for anyone who loves a good mystery with a twist of science fiction. It’s like taking a rollercoaster ride through a dreamscape where nothing is as it seems. Valrand has a talent for creating relatable characters and a gripping plot that makes "The Site" a must-read.
The story begins with Cicely Denfeld, who starts having vivid and unsettling dreams. These aren't your regular dreams; they are filled with the lives and experiences of people she has never met. These connections set the stage for the book. The plot thickens with each chapter, and the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat.
What I loved most about "The Site" is how it made me think about the power of dreams and the secrets they might hold. Valrand's storytelling is so vivid that I could almost feel Cicely's confusion and fear. It reminded me of times when I’ve had strange dreams that felt incredibly real, leaving me to wonder what they meant.
This book is perfect for anyone who loves a good mystery with a twist of science fiction. It’s like taking a rollercoaster ride through a dreamscape where nothing is as it seems. Valrand has a talent for creating relatable characters and a gripping plot that makes "The Site" a must-read.
December 26, 2021
Interesting read
The Site by Carlos Varland is a mysterious science fiction novel.
In the novel, Cicely Denfeld is a school teacher that has disturbing dreams. Those dreams are odd because she sees events happening to two unknown people to her- Charles and his partner Vivien. The team embarks on an adventure to recover a special document, taken from a firm working for the US government. In an attempt to find what is happening to her, Cicely visits a psychiatrist, but would that be enough?
What I find impressive about the book was the character development - Cicely grew from her insecurities to become stronger and confident.
To me, the story is original and intriguing because of all the unexpected twists, space travel, and cutting-edge technologies.
However, because of some sexual scenes, I would recommend the book to mature audiences.
The Site by Carlos Varland is a mysterious science fiction novel.
In the novel, Cicely Denfeld is a school teacher that has disturbing dreams. Those dreams are odd because she sees events happening to two unknown people to her- Charles and his partner Vivien. The team embarks on an adventure to recover a special document, taken from a firm working for the US government. In an attempt to find what is happening to her, Cicely visits a psychiatrist, but would that be enough?
What I find impressive about the book was the character development - Cicely grew from her insecurities to become stronger and confident.
To me, the story is original and intriguing because of all the unexpected twists, space travel, and cutting-edge technologies.
However, because of some sexual scenes, I would recommend the book to mature audiences.
September 4, 2024
Carlos Valrand’s novel is gripping! His writing style is very digestible, offering straightforward, fluid narration and very clear dialogue. Right off the bat, protagonist Cicely Denfeld tries to understand her bizarre dreams and struggles to explain them to others who just don’t get them. In my opinion, this is a highly relatable frustration that we have all experienced, so it resonated with me as a reader.
I found my heart rate climbing as Cicely starts to uncover secrets and piece things together. And when it was necessary, I was grateful to be able to pause for a minute and flip ahead to the glossary in the back of the book for some additional context and grounding.
With dystopian vibes, this story piqued my interest right away. If you’ve enjoyed movies like the Truman Show, or books like Kallocain and 1984, this one is likely to be right up your alley.
I found my heart rate climbing as Cicely starts to uncover secrets and piece things together. And when it was necessary, I was grateful to be able to pause for a minute and flip ahead to the glossary in the back of the book for some additional context and grounding.
With dystopian vibes, this story piqued my interest right away. If you’ve enjoyed movies like the Truman Show, or books like Kallocain and 1984, this one is likely to be right up your alley.
September 7, 2024
Carlos Valrand provides a complex and confounding narrative that is somehow also gripping and mysterious.
Since watching Inception a few years back, I have not encountered a better story involving dreams. Most dream-related books get too tied up in the complexity of the idea rather than making sure the story can hold up under its own weight. Valrand does not make this mistake. The fluctuation between dream switches and plot building is well-balanced – allowing readers to enjoy the mind-twisting narrative structure while also not getting too lost. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a solid narrative that challenges them and ties their brains in knots.
Since watching Inception a few years back, I have not encountered a better story involving dreams. Most dream-related books get too tied up in the complexity of the idea rather than making sure the story can hold up under its own weight. Valrand does not make this mistake. The fluctuation between dream switches and plot building is well-balanced – allowing readers to enjoy the mind-twisting narrative structure while also not getting too lost. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a solid narrative that challenges them and ties their brains in knots.
May 13, 2022
This book, The SIte, hooked me from the start. I liked the idea with the dreams, it was captivating. I liked the characters, they felt real and I cared for them. I love science fiction but unfortunately I've read a lot of books in that genre and now it is hard for me to like a new book. This book, however, was great. 5star rating and a recommendation from me!
December 23, 2021
This book is amazing down to the last page. The Site is a science-fiction novel with an intriguing storyline that is totally absorbing. Also, the characters are well developed and well described. I'd recommend it!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews