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The Printed
At the young age of 21, Jasper has been selected to be part of an elite group of government analysts tasked with protecting the country from terrorists. His job is to analyze the faces of potential security threats for any sign of anger or disloyalty towards the State. If he determines the suspect harbors ill intent, he gives the OK and they are Printed and sent to a rehabilitation facility. Jasper has been recognized as one of the best analysts in the field and has a bright future ahead of him. But one day, a strange man enters the interrogation room and shatters everything Jasper thought he knew. Jasper soon makes a decision that threatens to destroys all he has worked for and sends him on the run from the state. Has he made the worst mistake of his life, or has he just stumbled upon the one thing that will make him really free?
264 pages, Unknown Binding
Published June 30, 2021
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22 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 2, 2021
Most Christian books I read (except the classics, of course) are poorly written, and some are positively embarrassing. I expected no better from The Printed, but was determined to soldier on to the end--I paid good money for it! While it had some weaknesses--it could have used a good editor (it's "farce," not "farse"!) and the pacing felt rushed at times--it was a pleasant surprise. If fact, starting around the 50% point the book became quite good ... a page-turner, in fact, with several ingenious plot twists and some deeply insightful spiritual gems.
Cons:
-The dystopian elements are muddy and inconsistent at times (which is okay, actually, because they are not really the point; but a little more attention to detail would have made the book a more immersive experience)
-Pacing, pacing, pacing
-Rookie, amateurish errors; I got the feeling the author ran out of gas at some point and thought, "It's good enough and I'm tired!"
-Some scenes felt contrived and artificial, rendering an otherwise good book into little more than an elaborate vehicle to present the Gospel; this didactic MO tends to achieve the opposite of the desired effect, cheapening the Gospel and taking away from the power of the story. In other words, the preaching sections need to be reworked and made more subtle/organic because the way they were written is completely out of character with the rest of the book ... they introduce a radically different tone.
Pros:
-All of the characters are very well drawn with distinct, mostly believable personalities and motivations; this is quite an achievement!
-As stated above, many of the spiritual insights scattered throughout the book were not only unexpected, but profound!
-The Christian message does not cut corners, hewing to the Biblical line (for the most part)
-The denouement was satisfying
Overall, The Printed is a mixed bag, but I'm glad I read it. I encourage the author to keep up the good work, but take the extra time to make good stories great. It's better to look back on having written 5 masterpieces than 25 mediocrities.
Cons:
-The dystopian elements are muddy and inconsistent at times (which is okay, actually, because they are not really the point; but a little more attention to detail would have made the book a more immersive experience)
-Pacing, pacing, pacing
-Rookie, amateurish errors; I got the feeling the author ran out of gas at some point and thought, "It's good enough and I'm tired!"
-Some scenes felt contrived and artificial, rendering an otherwise good book into little more than an elaborate vehicle to present the Gospel; this didactic MO tends to achieve the opposite of the desired effect, cheapening the Gospel and taking away from the power of the story. In other words, the preaching sections need to be reworked and made more subtle/organic because the way they were written is completely out of character with the rest of the book ... they introduce a radically different tone.
Pros:
-All of the characters are very well drawn with distinct, mostly believable personalities and motivations; this is quite an achievement!
-As stated above, many of the spiritual insights scattered throughout the book were not only unexpected, but profound!
-The Christian message does not cut corners, hewing to the Biblical line (for the most part)
-The denouement was satisfying
Overall, The Printed is a mixed bag, but I'm glad I read it. I encourage the author to keep up the good work, but take the extra time to make good stories great. It's better to look back on having written 5 masterpieces than 25 mediocrities.
August 6, 2021
Author: Cameron Fitzgerald (Author Interview: https://stephaniesninthsuitcase.com/2...)
Publisher: The Noble Initiative
On-Sale Now
Synopsis: In this near-future dystopia, Christians are among the most-wanted enemies of The State. Facial analyst Jasper Wood, a government employee who identifies emotion via facial expression, embarks on a journey with Emmett, a newly-apprehended criminal whose expressions bely his sentence.
Promising first novel with room for improvement. I like what I see and am praying for the author.
I received a complimentary copy of the book through NetGalley and the publisher.
Overall Impression
This is Fitzgerald’s first novel and I’m enthusiastic about its themes. The novel explores identity in Christ, relationship with the Father, nobility, sexual purity, belief, forgiveness, and God’s plan.
In this season, the Lord is impressing on me the need for truth in the books that I read, and this book certainly packs a lot of truth!
With that said, there were a few passages where I felt the messages could have been conveyed with a bit more originality. Certain passages read more like an apologetics sermon, with language (big words/ “Christianese”) that I think would be more palatable in a nonfiction text.
Additionally, I feel the need to mention that there were a number of typos, which made the book feel a bit less polished than I would have preferred.
Highlights
As mentioned, there was a lot of really great content ☺️ and that made me really happy! I also think that the premise of the novel worked well with the content. Given the premise, the thematic content fit and did not feel “crammed in,” although there was a lot of it.
Some of my favorite things:
I really like that God is consistently referred to as the Father and that the Father relationship is the foundation of the character’s walk with Him.
I appreciated that God’s plan is foremost and prioritized.
Discussion of identity in Christ was beautiful and truthful!
My favorite parts were ones in which concepts were explained with fresh language, in everyday speech and with illustrations that make sense to the reader.
The dystopian element was a lot of fun. I liked learning about Jasper’s job and would have liked a better glimpse into Jasper’s world.
Content Critique
There were a few points I disagreed with including:
Description of Satan as the “enemy” of God
Reference to America once being a light to the world; this is a popular idea, but, given our nation’s oppressive roots, not one that I endorse
There’s one plot element, also, but I won’t mention it because I don’t want to spoil anything
Scripture Connection
There are a lot of possible connections…
“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4
Publisher: The Noble Initiative
On-Sale Now
Synopsis: In this near-future dystopia, Christians are among the most-wanted enemies of The State. Facial analyst Jasper Wood, a government employee who identifies emotion via facial expression, embarks on a journey with Emmett, a newly-apprehended criminal whose expressions bely his sentence.
Promising first novel with room for improvement. I like what I see and am praying for the author.
I received a complimentary copy of the book through NetGalley and the publisher.
Overall Impression
This is Fitzgerald’s first novel and I’m enthusiastic about its themes. The novel explores identity in Christ, relationship with the Father, nobility, sexual purity, belief, forgiveness, and God’s plan.
In this season, the Lord is impressing on me the need for truth in the books that I read, and this book certainly packs a lot of truth!
With that said, there were a few passages where I felt the messages could have been conveyed with a bit more originality. Certain passages read more like an apologetics sermon, with language (big words/ “Christianese”) that I think would be more palatable in a nonfiction text.
Additionally, I feel the need to mention that there were a number of typos, which made the book feel a bit less polished than I would have preferred.
Highlights
As mentioned, there was a lot of really great content ☺️ and that made me really happy! I also think that the premise of the novel worked well with the content. Given the premise, the thematic content fit and did not feel “crammed in,” although there was a lot of it.
Some of my favorite things:
I really like that God is consistently referred to as the Father and that the Father relationship is the foundation of the character’s walk with Him.
I appreciated that God’s plan is foremost and prioritized.
Discussion of identity in Christ was beautiful and truthful!
My favorite parts were ones in which concepts were explained with fresh language, in everyday speech and with illustrations that make sense to the reader.
The dystopian element was a lot of fun. I liked learning about Jasper’s job and would have liked a better glimpse into Jasper’s world.
Content Critique
There were a few points I disagreed with including:
Description of Satan as the “enemy” of God
Reference to America once being a light to the world; this is a popular idea, but, given our nation’s oppressive roots, not one that I endorse
There’s one plot element, also, but I won’t mention it because I don’t want to spoil anything
Scripture Connection
There are a lot of possible connections…
“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4
August 5, 2021
Thank you netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Wow, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I loved all the characters especially Emmett and Sophia. The synopsis really intrigued me as I could easily picture a future world where government arrests or outcasts people of faith. I was really excited to see how this story would play out.
I loved how all the characters stories fit together and enjoyed the relationships they had with one another. I do think however the book was very heavy on the religious aspects and I often found myself skimming over those parts. I've this book three stars just because the heavy religious sections were not my cup of tea.
Wow, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I loved all the characters especially Emmett and Sophia. The synopsis really intrigued me as I could easily picture a future world where government arrests or outcasts people of faith. I was really excited to see how this story would play out.
I loved how all the characters stories fit together and enjoyed the relationships they had with one another. I do think however the book was very heavy on the religious aspects and I often found myself skimming over those parts. I've this book three stars just because the heavy religious sections were not my cup of tea.
August 8, 2021
I have mixed feelings about this book. And that’s too bad, because I really tried to like it.
In fact, I loved the first chapter. I’m not exactly fan of the dystopian genre, but this one reminded me of George Orwell’s 1984 and The Twilight Zone’s The Obsolete Man, both of which I enjoyed.
However, with every chapter, my interest waned. Before long, the only reason why I kept reading was that I wanted to know how it ends. Sadly, I don’t think that’s a very good reason to continue a book.
I said this before in one of my updates and I’ll say it again: this is a book that doesn’t know what it wants to be.
I understand that the book wants to feature Christianity. As a Catholic myself, I have no issue with that. Actually, I find the idea of a dystopian society that’s trying to destroy the concept of religion very interesting. I would’ve loved it if this book stuck to that.
But nope. It couldn’t stick to just one main theme, no. It’s not just thriller, it also wants to be a slice-of-life, a rom-com, a drama… etc etc. it doesn’t know what it wants to be, and that’s so, so obvious.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
Some parts felt very unbelievable. Like, come on, why are you guys having so much fun? There are people who are supposedly trying to find and kill you, and yet you seem to be more interested in… I don’t know, establishing or rekindling romantic relationships? Proposing and getting married? Where’s the sense of danger and urgency people?
If I had to guess, this book is probably like 70% love and friendship and 30% actual action. They’re really more focused on those than the people trying to kill them.
Speaking of which, the main characters themselves always seem to be trying to kill each other every few chapters or so. And yet they go back to being best friends like right after. Um, are you guys okay?
The humor also felt forced a lot of times. Other times, it was downright cringe. It’s like all the characters want to be funny, but they’re just… not doing a good job at it. Especially you, Emmett.
And that’s another thing that irked me. There were times that the characters were written so similarly that I couldn’t even tell who was talking. At one point, I thought middle-aged Emmett was speaking, but it turned out to be teenage Lake. Why do they sometimes speak the exact same way?!
If they’re not being literally the exact same character, they’re basically just stereotypes. Of course we have Jasper, the weak but actually brave main guy. Lake, the supposedly delicate but actually strong main girl. Cale, the quiet little brother who hates everyone else but his beloved sis. Emmett, the protective and wise older brother. Sophia… I don’t know. She always seemed to be near-tears or teary-eyed.
The other characters are that believable either. The author really made an effort to give them all backstories though, so I appreciate that.
Chapter 19 was perhaps the most exciting chapter after a dozen mundane ones. But Chapter 20 came around and… wait, that’s it? They just get married and live in a sanctuary forever and ever? What happened to the initial plans? What was even their endgame? We just get like two paragraphs to explain the events that happened after and that’s it?
[END SPOILERS]
I’m giving this 2 stars because I can feel the effort and emotions put into writing it, but only because of that. It pains me to say this but a large part of the book felt like filler. There was no real payoff to it. And the whole “they want to kill us because we believe in God” narrative felt nothing but a background to a terribly cliche love story.
All in all, I’m very frustrated with this book and how it ended. I would probably give it a 1 if I wasn’t Catholic myself.
I do think Fitzgerald does a good job of painting a dystopian world though. I hope he stuck to that instead of trying to cram every genre into one book. Oh well, there’s always next time.
Thank you NetGalley for this copy.
In fact, I loved the first chapter. I’m not exactly fan of the dystopian genre, but this one reminded me of George Orwell’s 1984 and The Twilight Zone’s The Obsolete Man, both of which I enjoyed.
However, with every chapter, my interest waned. Before long, the only reason why I kept reading was that I wanted to know how it ends. Sadly, I don’t think that’s a very good reason to continue a book.
I said this before in one of my updates and I’ll say it again: this is a book that doesn’t know what it wants to be.
I understand that the book wants to feature Christianity. As a Catholic myself, I have no issue with that. Actually, I find the idea of a dystopian society that’s trying to destroy the concept of religion very interesting. I would’ve loved it if this book stuck to that.
But nope. It couldn’t stick to just one main theme, no. It’s not just thriller, it also wants to be a slice-of-life, a rom-com, a drama… etc etc. it doesn’t know what it wants to be, and that’s so, so obvious.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
Some parts felt very unbelievable. Like, come on, why are you guys having so much fun? There are people who are supposedly trying to find and kill you, and yet you seem to be more interested in… I don’t know, establishing or rekindling romantic relationships? Proposing and getting married? Where’s the sense of danger and urgency people?
If I had to guess, this book is probably like 70% love and friendship and 30% actual action. They’re really more focused on those than the people trying to kill them.
Speaking of which, the main characters themselves always seem to be trying to kill each other every few chapters or so. And yet they go back to being best friends like right after. Um, are you guys okay?
The humor also felt forced a lot of times. Other times, it was downright cringe. It’s like all the characters want to be funny, but they’re just… not doing a good job at it. Especially you, Emmett.
And that’s another thing that irked me. There were times that the characters were written so similarly that I couldn’t even tell who was talking. At one point, I thought middle-aged Emmett was speaking, but it turned out to be teenage Lake. Why do they sometimes speak the exact same way?!
If they’re not being literally the exact same character, they’re basically just stereotypes. Of course we have Jasper, the weak but actually brave main guy. Lake, the supposedly delicate but actually strong main girl. Cale, the quiet little brother who hates everyone else but his beloved sis. Emmett, the protective and wise older brother. Sophia… I don’t know. She always seemed to be near-tears or teary-eyed.
The other characters are that believable either. The author really made an effort to give them all backstories though, so I appreciate that.
Chapter 19 was perhaps the most exciting chapter after a dozen mundane ones. But Chapter 20 came around and… wait, that’s it? They just get married and live in a sanctuary forever and ever? What happened to the initial plans? What was even their endgame? We just get like two paragraphs to explain the events that happened after and that’s it?
[END SPOILERS]
I’m giving this 2 stars because I can feel the effort and emotions put into writing it, but only because of that. It pains me to say this but a large part of the book felt like filler. There was no real payoff to it. And the whole “they want to kill us because we believe in God” narrative felt nothing but a background to a terribly cliche love story.
All in all, I’m very frustrated with this book and how it ended. I would probably give it a 1 if I wasn’t Catholic myself.
I do think Fitzgerald does a good job of painting a dystopian world though. I hope he stuck to that instead of trying to cram every genre into one book. Oh well, there’s always next time.
Thank you NetGalley for this copy.
August 30, 2021
This book is a dystopian look at a post-democratic America where Christian beliefs have been deemed terroristic. Believers are interrogated and, if found guilty, “Printed”. Their fingerprints are painfully removed, and they are sent to rehabilitation centers.
The book follows the lives of Emmet, a believer who is “printed” and Jasper, partially responsible for determining the innocence or guilt of those undergoing interrogation. Emmett is “printed”, but Jasper is transformed as well as he spends time with Emmett. The first third of the book follow Emmett and Jasper as they attempt to escape the current regime; the middle third focuses on Jasper’s transformation as he better understand and accepts Emmett’s faith as his own; the final third focus on the efforts Emmett and Jasper spend on building a place of respite where believers do not need to fear the government’s repressive behavior toward Christians. The climax comes as the pair begin to rescue believers from the rehab centers to which they have been sent.
The author does a decent job of integrating elements of faith throughout the story - but to this reader it seemed a bit much. I never quite got gripped by the story - this reader felt this dystopian sci-fi was less than satisfying. I give the book 3-½ stars.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.
The book follows the lives of Emmet, a believer who is “printed” and Jasper, partially responsible for determining the innocence or guilt of those undergoing interrogation. Emmett is “printed”, but Jasper is transformed as well as he spends time with Emmett. The first third of the book follow Emmett and Jasper as they attempt to escape the current regime; the middle third focuses on Jasper’s transformation as he better understand and accepts Emmett’s faith as his own; the final third focus on the efforts Emmett and Jasper spend on building a place of respite where believers do not need to fear the government’s repressive behavior toward Christians. The climax comes as the pair begin to rescue believers from the rehab centers to which they have been sent.
The author does a decent job of integrating elements of faith throughout the story - but to this reader it seemed a bit much. I never quite got gripped by the story - this reader felt this dystopian sci-fi was less than satisfying. I give the book 3-½ stars.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.
October 14, 2021
“So, you believe in God, do you? Excellent! Officer, ‘Print’ this person and send them off to rehab. They need to be ‘cleansed’ them from their religious beliefs.”
That's how talented author Cameron Fitzgerald envisions a dystopian future period when the religious in the world will be persecuted. Of course, Christians are on top of the list but belonging to any religion is sufficient to be outlawed and persecuted, because religions are the eyesore of Govs: they don’t all agree, and by pulling people in different directions, they ultimately lead to breakdowns in world peace and unity! Is God real? Will he appear on the scene to save his people?
Read this fresh, surprisingly beautiful story to find out!
That's how talented author Cameron Fitzgerald envisions a dystopian future period when the religious in the world will be persecuted. Of course, Christians are on top of the list but belonging to any religion is sufficient to be outlawed and persecuted, because religions are the eyesore of Govs: they don’t all agree, and by pulling people in different directions, they ultimately lead to breakdowns in world peace and unity! Is God real? Will he appear on the scene to save his people?
Read this fresh, surprisingly beautiful story to find out!
August 12, 2021
The near future could bring indeed persecution as described in this novel. It's an engaging story with an end that leaves room for a sequel.
Sometimes it's becoming a little preachy out of context.
I had some problems with the age of the characters. Emmett recalls things of the past (1980's) but later we learn that he's younger than Louis who's in his 40's. When Emmett and Louise meet it seems as though it was decades ago that they were in love.
Sometimes it's becoming a little preachy out of context.
I had some problems with the age of the characters. Emmett recalls things of the past (1980's) but later we learn that he's younger than Louis who's in his 40's. When Emmett and Louise meet it seems as though it was decades ago that they were in love.
November 27, 2023
A scary look at the future when a person can be "re-educated" based on their supposed facial disposition to display a lack of loyalty to the society in charge. People are trained to read faces, they hold the power of a person's life literally in their hands. When these loyalists become aware that all is not as it seems, the story takes a wild turn and becomes a race for one man to expose the crimes.
January 17, 2024
An unexpected combination
I admit, this threw me. Sci-fi with a twist. (I won't spoil it for you!) I actually had insights I had to write down in my diary, and it put a Book back in my hands that I had not referenced in a while! THIS book has changed me, and I am grateful, surprised, and smiling that it has confirmed a Relationship for me that makes me very happy. Thank you, Mr. Fitzgerald. You are a Vehicle. (wink wink!)
I admit, this threw me. Sci-fi with a twist. (I won't spoil it for you!) I actually had insights I had to write down in my diary, and it put a Book back in my hands that I had not referenced in a while! THIS book has changed me, and I am grateful, surprised, and smiling that it has confirmed a Relationship for me that makes me very happy. Thank you, Mr. Fitzgerald. You are a Vehicle. (wink wink!)
July 30, 2021
This unfortunately didn't end up being my cup of tea. The writing style felt overly descriptive (more telling, less showing; I usually go for more showing and less telling), and I couldn't get into the story.
Always nice to have more voices in the Christian dystopian genre, though!
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Always nice to have more voices in the Christian dystopian genre, though!
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
January 8, 2024
Pretty good, but a little boring and in my opinion unrealistic. Not the tyrannical government or the Christian stuff which I loved it was not that they never even hit sum one to do the things they did. Breaking into a top secret Uber secure government prison should be tougher than it was
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews