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The Shimmer
When police officer Dan Page’s wife disappears, her trail leads to Rostov, a remote Texas town where unexplained phenomena attract hundreds of spectators each night. Not merely curious, these onlookers are compelled to reach this tiny community and gaze at the mysterious Rostov lights. But more than the faithful are drawn there. A gunman begins shooting at the lights, screaming “Go back to hell where you came from!” then turns his rifle on the innocent bystanders. As more and more people are drawn to the scene of the massacre, the stage is set for even greater bloodshed. To save his wife, Page must solve the mystery of the Rostov Lights. In the process, he uncovers a deadly government secret dating back to First World War. The lights are more dangerous than anyone ever imagined, but even more deadly are those who try to exploit forces beyond their control. David Morrell takes readers on a brilliant, terrifying journey. The Shimmer is suspenseful, yet thought-provoking; Morrell, the master, at his very best.
423 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
65 people are currently reading
655 people want to read
About the author
David Morrell
219 books1,677 followersDavid Morrell is a Canadian novelist from Kitchener, Ontario, who has been living in the United States for a number of years. He is best known for his debut 1972 novel First Blood, which would later become a successful film franchise starring Sylvester Stallone. More recently, he has been writing the Captain America comic books limited-series The Chosen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
January 24, 2022
This book is about a natural phenomena that occurs in a small town in Texas. A group of different colored lights appear and not everyone can see them. There is no explanation for these lights or the affects on people.
I was really interested in this book through the first act. The author does a terrific job setting up the mystery of the mysterious lights. I was interested in the explanation of them and why it was affecting people. I liked the idea of people believing in something even though they do not truly understand it. The first act had a terrific action scene too. Throw in the requisite government conspiracy and you have a recipe for a fantastic novel. Unfortunately it never materialized. The materialized concept can be said about the ideas behind this book. The mystery aspect doesn't have a resolution. We have to accept the government conspiracy as it is a side story. The affects on people are shown but never explained. When the book ended I actually asked myself "That is how we are going to end this"? The only positive thing I enjoyed after the opening act was the flashbacks where we get to see different eras and their interactions with this phenomena.
I understand what the author was shooting for and I understand why he left the ending ambiguous. For me the ending fell flat and it felt incomplete. The opening act was terrific and saved this book from a one star rating. I usually enjoy the thrillers this author writes but this one was a miss.
I was really interested in this book through the first act. The author does a terrific job setting up the mystery of the mysterious lights. I was interested in the explanation of them and why it was affecting people. I liked the idea of people believing in something even though they do not truly understand it. The first act had a terrific action scene too. Throw in the requisite government conspiracy and you have a recipe for a fantastic novel. Unfortunately it never materialized. The materialized concept can be said about the ideas behind this book. The mystery aspect doesn't have a resolution. We have to accept the government conspiracy as it is a side story. The affects on people are shown but never explained. When the book ended I actually asked myself "That is how we are going to end this"? The only positive thing I enjoyed after the opening act was the flashbacks where we get to see different eras and their interactions with this phenomena.
I understand what the author was shooting for and I understand why he left the ending ambiguous. For me the ending fell flat and it felt incomplete. The opening act was terrific and saved this book from a one star rating. I usually enjoy the thrillers this author writes but this one was a miss.
June 23, 2023
Well, what can I say. Take a Miracle sight like Lourdes or one like it, combine it with Close Encounters of the Third Kind, mix in a little PC cr*p and you've got the book. Personally I can't believe this is the same writer who gave us First Blood, The Brotherhood of the Rose, Fraternity of the Stone and others. At times I found this book silly and even annoying.
And as a rule I like Morrell.
The opening scenes of the novel were, I thought rather promising and I was getting interested, then it just sort of slid into the dumpster. I found some of the conversations well written, even to the point that I'd been involved in "them" so the writing itself wasn't the problem, at least not always. It was just the plotting of the story and the characters.
Some of the flaws in this are, for example the scene of spiritual rapture being experienced by Dan's wife Tori (along with the rest of the chosen) while she's seeing the lights and Dan isn't. This is followed by a crazed religious fundamentalist with an AK-47 (apparently in some people's minds that's standard issue for fundamentalists) who shoots up the "wondrous gathering to see the lights". Stop and think, when was the last time a radical Christian of any type "shot up" anywhere in the US? Years ago some idiot shot an abortion doctor and another bombed a clinic and since then I've read a thousand scenes like this. Even if some religious type thought the "lights" were from Hell the picture of one showing up at a gathering with an AK-47 is almost ludicrous.
Shall I go on about other problems, cliched material , the stereotypes, and so on. I don't plan to give any spoilers but for me this was not what I expected.
Sorry Mr.Morrell, I like a lot of your books....and I know, "who am I to criticize?" Still I didn't care for it (at all).
I'm also sure there will be great disagreement on this, maybe you'll like it, so decide for yourself.
And as a rule I like Morrell.
The opening scenes of the novel were, I thought rather promising and I was getting interested, then it just sort of slid into the dumpster. I found some of the conversations well written, even to the point that I'd been involved in "them" so the writing itself wasn't the problem, at least not always. It was just the plotting of the story and the characters.
Some of the flaws in this are, for example the scene of spiritual rapture being experienced by Dan's wife Tori (along with the rest of the chosen) while she's seeing the lights and Dan isn't. This is followed by a crazed religious fundamentalist with an AK-47 (apparently in some people's minds that's standard issue for fundamentalists) who shoots up the "wondrous gathering to see the lights". Stop and think, when was the last time a radical Christian of any type "shot up" anywhere in the US? Years ago some idiot shot an abortion doctor and another bombed a clinic and since then I've read a thousand scenes like this. Even if some religious type thought the "lights" were from Hell the picture of one showing up at a gathering with an AK-47 is almost ludicrous.
Shall I go on about other problems, cliched material , the stereotypes, and so on. I don't plan to give any spoilers but for me this was not what I expected.
Sorry Mr.Morrell, I like a lot of your books....and I know, "who am I to criticize?" Still I didn't care for it (at all).
I'm also sure there will be great disagreement on this, maybe you'll like it, so decide for yourself.
March 26, 2015
Fans of the unexplained (i.e. the Bermuda Triangle) would probably like this book. It's based on the mysterious Marfa Lights phenomenon. Interesting and quick-reading, the plot does lag a little in the middle. However, the pace really picks up in the exciting last third of the book. A bit weird, but alot of fun.
December 2, 2012
Take a mysterious natural phenomenon like the Marfa Lights, a famous movie classic like "Giant," toss in a sinister military weapons project, mix well with a heart-wrenching love story, and what do you get? David Morrell's "The Shimmer," a fast-paced, page-turning sci-fi thriller.
"Shimmer" takes place in Rostov, Texas, Morrell's fictional stand-in for Marfa, Texas, where strange lights can sometimes be seen dancing in the darkness across the rough lands near the Mexican border. The book's hero, a Santa Fe police officer Dan Paige, chases his wife to Rostov to find out why she suddenly left him. There the couple become ensnared in the mystery of the lights and their differing effects on people.
Morrell recreates the history of the strange lights, even tossing in a fictional account of the making of "Giant," which was filmed outside of Marfa. During the movie's making, doomed actor James Dean is said to have been repeatedly drawn to the lights.
The author weaves an action-packed story around the possible disintegration of Paige's marriage. As thrilling as the action is, I think Morrell's best writing in the book is when he describes Paige's heartache over his marriage.
This is definitely a book to pick up.
"Shimmer" takes place in Rostov, Texas, Morrell's fictional stand-in for Marfa, Texas, where strange lights can sometimes be seen dancing in the darkness across the rough lands near the Mexican border. The book's hero, a Santa Fe police officer Dan Paige, chases his wife to Rostov to find out why she suddenly left him. There the couple become ensnared in the mystery of the lights and their differing effects on people.
Morrell recreates the history of the strange lights, even tossing in a fictional account of the making of "Giant," which was filmed outside of Marfa. During the movie's making, doomed actor James Dean is said to have been repeatedly drawn to the lights.
The author weaves an action-packed story around the possible disintegration of Paige's marriage. As thrilling as the action is, I think Morrell's best writing in the book is when he describes Paige's heartache over his marriage.
This is definitely a book to pick up.
April 15, 2010
The Shimmer is the first book I've read by David Morrell an author my fiance has long recommended and read himself for several years. Having read this book I can see why.
The Shimmer is an interesting tale about a strange phenomenon in the west Texas dessert and how it comes to affect one couple, a military man, a journalist and the town where it generates. The central story revolves the couple but we also get a quite a look into the other aspects of the story as it goes along. Based on a real phenomenon Morrell read about the story takes on quite a few interesting turns and entertains just as much as some of my very favorite Stephen King and Dean Koontz novels. The characters are intriguing and the opening beguilingly plotted at a pace that enchants rather than thrusting you into the plot at a whim. I enjoyed his tone and the clear appreciation the author has for his characters whether they are acting in the interests of good or ill. I think I'll be looking into some of his other novels down the road and really appreciated where this book took me from beginning to end.
The Shimmer is an interesting tale about a strange phenomenon in the west Texas dessert and how it comes to affect one couple, a military man, a journalist and the town where it generates. The central story revolves the couple but we also get a quite a look into the other aspects of the story as it goes along. Based on a real phenomenon Morrell read about the story takes on quite a few interesting turns and entertains just as much as some of my very favorite Stephen King and Dean Koontz novels. The characters are intriguing and the opening beguilingly plotted at a pace that enchants rather than thrusting you into the plot at a whim. I enjoyed his tone and the clear appreciation the author has for his characters whether they are acting in the interests of good or ill. I think I'll be looking into some of his other novels down the road and really appreciated where this book took me from beginning to end.
October 14, 2021
I have been a big fan of Morrell's work for years but somehow missed this one. It's loosely based on Marfa,Texas where there have been reports of mysterious lights and also where much of James Dean's Goliath was filmed.
I would give it a 3.5 star. Just didn't grab me like other of his books
I would give it a 3.5 star. Just didn't grab me like other of his books
July 18, 2019
Other reviewers have mentioned this is not the author's best work, but I found the writing engaging and the story intriguing. But I'll admit this is the first Morrell book I've read, so I can't compare it to others. It gets five stars from me because the writing was spot on and I loved the fact it was difficult, if not impossible, to separate fact from fiction - it was so well woven together. I love the fact the author has seen the lights and was inspired to create a fiction story using them.
February 11, 2021
По-слабичко от обичайното ниво на Морел, което познавам. Може би темата не ми беше толкова интересна. Обемът, струва ми се, също е с една идея раздут. Средно 3, макар и повече към 2.5, а ако говорим по десетобалната, която е далеч по-прецизна, нещо като 4/10.
April 4, 2025
Very interesting book. Goes to show we do not always know what our military is up to. Keeps you in suspense. Writer claims there is some reality to this book in the afterward.
March 8, 2010
The Shimmer (Vanguard Press, ISBN 9781593155377, Hardcover, 352pp) is an engrossing and suspense packed thriller from the pen of Rambo creator, David Morrell. Set in and around the fictional Rostov, Texas, The Shimmer’s about mysterious lights in the sky near the small town. Are they so much more than they appear to be or just some geological anomaly as some think? An out of town policeman’s search to discover their source unveils centuries old sightings, hidden government projects and that his marriage is suddenly in turmoil.
There’s action from the story’s outset. Dan Page, our Santa Fe cop, witnesses from the air the fatal end to a disastrous car chase he’s involved in. After the debriefing, he quits for the day. Upon arrival home, he finds his wife Tori has disappeared. Page finds her eventually outside the small town of Rostov, sitting almost catatonic at an observation deck in the middle of nowhere. Tori tells Page she’s watching for the mysterious Rostov Lights she remembers from childhood. Page, understandably upset and confused about what’s going on with his wife and her reasons for her sudden departure, is even more so when he sees the impact these lights have upon her.
Crowds come from miles around hoping to catch a glimpse of the unexplained phenomena. What’s unusual about these stunningly beautiful lights is that not everyone sees them, even when standing shoulder to shoulder. Those who do experience different reactions to the sighting. Some may feel a euphoria, while others can feel a rage. What is it about these lights that creates such a wide spectrum of emotion and this overriding compulsion to always be close to their mystical luminosity? No one has ever come close to solving their existence. But when a deranged man fires a rifle into the lights and the crowd gathered at the viewing platform one night, Page becomes more deeply embroiled in finding out.
I enjoyed The Shimmer very much and this fast-paced mystery’s intricacies. Thanks to the presence of comprehensively developed characters, the lights shine in more ways than one for the reader and from many perspectives. There’s Brent Loft, a small station TV reporter who sees the slaughter not as a tragedy but as his ticket to the big networks; the secretive and callous Colonel Raleigh who protects his long forgotten research base and its workings at any cost; and the Rostov townsfolk with tales of the lights that span decades.
No matter which one of Morrell’s characters you are reading about at any given moment, the light’s power over its uninformed witnesses grows and matures in your mind just as they do. Some smaller character roles are played in The Shimmer but none are insignificant, each weaving another thread in the mysterious lights’ history and their wide reaching effects. This attention to detail, a hallmark of David Morrell’s writing, adds a three-dimensional vividness and depth to the lights that slimmer descriptions could never have achieved.
David Morrell has hit the New York Times bestseller list more times than I’ve had hot dinners and his success is well deserved. Incredible as it sounds, Morrell’s first novel, First Blood, was published way back in 1972. Many of my generation will remember this as the thriller that introduced us to John Rambo, the movie of which starred Sylvester Stallone. Morrell’s skills as a master craftsman of mystery and thrillers certainly haven’t diminished over time. With excellent characterization, an unusual plot line and a believable setting that’s based loosely on real life happenings in a real small Texas town, Morrell has created in The Shimmer a thriller that’s intense, thought provoking and exciting all at once.
I don’t want to give too much away. Suffice to say that The Shimmer makes you wonder upon completion of this book how those lights would have affected you and that thought doesn’t fade easily from your mind.
With eighteen million copies of his books in print and in twenty six languages, David Morrell reigns supreme as a thriller writer extraordinaire. The Shimmer is a cracking good read and Morrell is quite simply a phenomenally good writer. I guarantee you that The Shimmer’s suspense laden pages will grab you by the throat and not let go until the very end. You won’t be disappointed in this glittering prize of a thriller. Don’t miss it!
Visit David Morrell’s website here.
There’s action from the story’s outset. Dan Page, our Santa Fe cop, witnesses from the air the fatal end to a disastrous car chase he’s involved in. After the debriefing, he quits for the day. Upon arrival home, he finds his wife Tori has disappeared. Page finds her eventually outside the small town of Rostov, sitting almost catatonic at an observation deck in the middle of nowhere. Tori tells Page she’s watching for the mysterious Rostov Lights she remembers from childhood. Page, understandably upset and confused about what’s going on with his wife and her reasons for her sudden departure, is even more so when he sees the impact these lights have upon her.
Crowds come from miles around hoping to catch a glimpse of the unexplained phenomena. What’s unusual about these stunningly beautiful lights is that not everyone sees them, even when standing shoulder to shoulder. Those who do experience different reactions to the sighting. Some may feel a euphoria, while others can feel a rage. What is it about these lights that creates such a wide spectrum of emotion and this overriding compulsion to always be close to their mystical luminosity? No one has ever come close to solving their existence. But when a deranged man fires a rifle into the lights and the crowd gathered at the viewing platform one night, Page becomes more deeply embroiled in finding out.
I enjoyed The Shimmer very much and this fast-paced mystery’s intricacies. Thanks to the presence of comprehensively developed characters, the lights shine in more ways than one for the reader and from many perspectives. There’s Brent Loft, a small station TV reporter who sees the slaughter not as a tragedy but as his ticket to the big networks; the secretive and callous Colonel Raleigh who protects his long forgotten research base and its workings at any cost; and the Rostov townsfolk with tales of the lights that span decades.
No matter which one of Morrell’s characters you are reading about at any given moment, the light’s power over its uninformed witnesses grows and matures in your mind just as they do. Some smaller character roles are played in The Shimmer but none are insignificant, each weaving another thread in the mysterious lights’ history and their wide reaching effects. This attention to detail, a hallmark of David Morrell’s writing, adds a three-dimensional vividness and depth to the lights that slimmer descriptions could never have achieved.
David Morrell has hit the New York Times bestseller list more times than I’ve had hot dinners and his success is well deserved. Incredible as it sounds, Morrell’s first novel, First Blood, was published way back in 1972. Many of my generation will remember this as the thriller that introduced us to John Rambo, the movie of which starred Sylvester Stallone. Morrell’s skills as a master craftsman of mystery and thrillers certainly haven’t diminished over time. With excellent characterization, an unusual plot line and a believable setting that’s based loosely on real life happenings in a real small Texas town, Morrell has created in The Shimmer a thriller that’s intense, thought provoking and exciting all at once.
I don’t want to give too much away. Suffice to say that The Shimmer makes you wonder upon completion of this book how those lights would have affected you and that thought doesn’t fade easily from your mind.
With eighteen million copies of his books in print and in twenty six languages, David Morrell reigns supreme as a thriller writer extraordinaire. The Shimmer is a cracking good read and Morrell is quite simply a phenomenally good writer. I guarantee you that The Shimmer’s suspense laden pages will grab you by the throat and not let go until the very end. You won’t be disappointed in this glittering prize of a thriller. Don’t miss it!
Visit David Morrell’s website here.
January 21, 2012
Though this is probably a three and a half star read overall, I'm rounding up rather than down because the strengths outweigh the weaknesses. David Morrell is an author who has produced winner after winner, building most of his career off military thrillers and spy fiction (First Blood, The Brotherhood of the Rose, The Fifth Profession, etc). In the first decade of the 2000s, he has included more elements of horror in his books. This actually reads like a '90s Dean Koontz book. The town in the book is Rostov, Texas and it is the source of a mysterious phenomenon of night-time lights and the strange effect they have on a town. The real life town and phenomenon this is based on is Marfa, Texas. It's almost amusing to go see Wikipedia's entry on the town and compare it to every detail in the book on Rostov. Rostov (named after character in War and Peace). Marfa (named after character in the Brothers Karamazov). Once featured a famous film called Birthright (Giant) starring died-too-young actor James Deacon (James Dean). Both are near the Mexican Border in extreme West Texas.
Like typical Morrell books, the terror feels real and the scenes of violence are realistic and visceral. Where this book differs from his other books (besides the aura of the supernatural) is in its meandering narrative. Instead of a limited third-person narrative focusing on one plot thread, it's wide ranging, employing many uses of historical flashbacks. Instead of the no-nonsense thriller (even if exquisitely plotted) style he normally does, Morrell attempts to be more literary here. While the mystery of the lights and the strange not-so-abandoned military air field keeps the plot intriguing, the author focuses on the ambitions of a journalist and his attempt to get the story, including his own self discoveries and growing closeness with his female camera operator. It explores the troubled marriage of the protagonist as they spend a strange week in the town. It's about the town itself and the history of the lights. It's more the kind of novel you might expect if Philip Roth or Don Delillo tried for a genre novel (without nearly the flowery prose).
I usually appreciate such finer points of a novel, the refinements, and do here as well to an extent. However, I also missed the straight-forward Morrell. The ending is a bit much on the melodramatic. None of these detractions are major. This is still a very enjoyable thriller.
Like typical Morrell books, the terror feels real and the scenes of violence are realistic and visceral. Where this book differs from his other books (besides the aura of the supernatural) is in its meandering narrative. Instead of a limited third-person narrative focusing on one plot thread, it's wide ranging, employing many uses of historical flashbacks. Instead of the no-nonsense thriller (even if exquisitely plotted) style he normally does, Morrell attempts to be more literary here. While the mystery of the lights and the strange not-so-abandoned military air field keeps the plot intriguing, the author focuses on the ambitions of a journalist and his attempt to get the story, including his own self discoveries and growing closeness with his female camera operator. It explores the troubled marriage of the protagonist as they spend a strange week in the town. It's about the town itself and the history of the lights. It's more the kind of novel you might expect if Philip Roth or Don Delillo tried for a genre novel (without nearly the flowery prose).
I usually appreciate such finer points of a novel, the refinements, and do here as well to an extent. However, I also missed the straight-forward Morrell. The ending is a bit much on the melodramatic. None of these detractions are major. This is still a very enjoyable thriller.
November 7, 2009
My first David Morrell book was Brotherhood of the Rose, which was also my first time liking movie so much that I wanted to read the book. David is a very talented writer, and you can tell that he does his research and really knows what he's talking about! For instance, one of the main characters in this book is a pilot. David learned how to fly planes and is now a pilot as well.
The Shimmer introduces us to policeman Dan Page right in the middle of an unusual car chase. Dan had the day off and was flying his small plane, when he gets pulled into a car chase which does not end well. Dan's day does not get any better when he returns home to find his wife Tori gone, leaving a short note that she's gone to visit her mother. Even more surprising is the news that Tori was going to drive, but never made it. Tori is eventually located by the local police chief in a small Texas town called Rostov. Dan flies down immediately, and things go from strange to downright weird.
Rostov seems like a nice enough small town....aside from the spooky abandoned military base, a huge observatory and, oh yeah, the appearance of mysterious lights that not everyone can see. Some people have positive reactions to the lights, but some become angry and one angry observer opens fire on the crowd, killing several bystanders. Despite the massacre, Tori does not want to leave the Lights, so Dan decides to investigate in order to save his marriage and solve the mystery.
This was not what I'd call the usual Morrell thriller, as there's a touch of science fiction because of the Rostov Lights. Are they a natural phenomenon, a government experiment, ghosts, or possibly alien visitors?
I think Morrell did a great job incorporating the mystery of the Lights, the possible government involvement, the various townfolk, and the relationship between Dan and Tori. Enjoyed this story much more than his last few books, and am now intrigued about the real-life lights in Marfa that inspired this story.
Gave this book a 4 out of 5 rating as I think the writing was very good, it had a well thought-out plot, and the characters were both believable and interesting. I couldn't wait to read what came next, and recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a good thriller with a touch of the paranormal!
The Shimmer introduces us to policeman Dan Page right in the middle of an unusual car chase. Dan had the day off and was flying his small plane, when he gets pulled into a car chase which does not end well. Dan's day does not get any better when he returns home to find his wife Tori gone, leaving a short note that she's gone to visit her mother. Even more surprising is the news that Tori was going to drive, but never made it. Tori is eventually located by the local police chief in a small Texas town called Rostov. Dan flies down immediately, and things go from strange to downright weird.
Rostov seems like a nice enough small town....aside from the spooky abandoned military base, a huge observatory and, oh yeah, the appearance of mysterious lights that not everyone can see. Some people have positive reactions to the lights, but some become angry and one angry observer opens fire on the crowd, killing several bystanders. Despite the massacre, Tori does not want to leave the Lights, so Dan decides to investigate in order to save his marriage and solve the mystery.
This was not what I'd call the usual Morrell thriller, as there's a touch of science fiction because of the Rostov Lights. Are they a natural phenomenon, a government experiment, ghosts, or possibly alien visitors?
I think Morrell did a great job incorporating the mystery of the Lights, the possible government involvement, the various townfolk, and the relationship between Dan and Tori. Enjoyed this story much more than his last few books, and am now intrigued about the real-life lights in Marfa that inspired this story.
Gave this book a 4 out of 5 rating as I think the writing was very good, it had a well thought-out plot, and the characters were both believable and interesting. I couldn't wait to read what came next, and recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a good thriller with a touch of the paranormal!
July 18, 2012
A cop goes searching for his missing wife and finds she's become entranced by these mysterious lights near a small town in southern Texas. Some people see the lights and are drawn to them like an addict to his fix. Most simply don't see them and feel they are being tricked. Natural explanations are offered but nothing is definitive. It’s a mystery.
The novel centres around the mystery of these lights--past encounters and present. I was caught up in understanding what caused them. As a skeptic I want a natural explanation. I won't spoil the mystery.
There are four major points of view. 1. Daniel Page, our protagonist, is a cop trying to reconnect with his wife and in the process is caught up in the events surrounding the lights. 2. A guard protecting a government observatory (think SETI research). 3. A US Army colonel leading a military intelligence unit with links to the NSA. 4. A TV reporter who dreams of making it to CNN, the big time.
There are some thrills in this novel based on people trying to kill others with weapons and some trying to flee being killed, but the novel focuses on the explaining the mystery of these lights. There is no rush to a big climax at the end.
I found Daniel Page an odd name for a male lead who isn’t afraid to take action. I kept thinking Paige, a female name.
I also found it odd that this lead need not be in the story. His only connection is his missing wife and her fascination with sitting out at this remote site watching for the lights to appear. He isn’t needed because he doesn’t play a role in solving the mystery.
Given this premise, a much better thriller could have been written.
Many of the backstory or flashback chapters dragged on with little in the way of suspense or action. They do serve a purpose, but could have been shorter. In fact, much of the story could have been trimmed or other plot points added.
Overall I was disappointed. Not terrible, but certainly not great.
The novel centres around the mystery of these lights--past encounters and present. I was caught up in understanding what caused them. As a skeptic I want a natural explanation. I won't spoil the mystery.
There are four major points of view. 1. Daniel Page, our protagonist, is a cop trying to reconnect with his wife and in the process is caught up in the events surrounding the lights. 2. A guard protecting a government observatory (think SETI research). 3. A US Army colonel leading a military intelligence unit with links to the NSA. 4. A TV reporter who dreams of making it to CNN, the big time.
There are some thrills in this novel based on people trying to kill others with weapons and some trying to flee being killed, but the novel focuses on the explaining the mystery of these lights. There is no rush to a big climax at the end.
I found Daniel Page an odd name for a male lead who isn’t afraid to take action. I kept thinking Paige, a female name.
I also found it odd that this lead need not be in the story. His only connection is his missing wife and her fascination with sitting out at this remote site watching for the lights to appear. He isn’t needed because he doesn’t play a role in solving the mystery.
Given this premise, a much better thriller could have been written.
Many of the backstory or flashback chapters dragged on with little in the way of suspense or action. They do serve a purpose, but could have been shorter. In fact, much of the story could have been trimmed or other plot points added.
Overall I was disappointed. Not terrible, but certainly not great.
November 14, 2015
From the first chapter of The Shimmer by David Morrell, I was hooked. Even with working every day for eight hours, I was able to polish the book off in a little over two days. I became engrossed in the story and just couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next.
What I enjoyed about the story was the flow. It was perfect. The book quickly built in intensity and then maintained a sense of tension which made it hard for me to want to put it down, so I didn't. I had to know what the lights were. I just had to know!
This book reminds me of an X-Files story. What are these mysterious lights? Why can some people see them and others not? Why do some people get angry, even murderous? Why are others quietly mesmerized? This is the type of story I absolutely love with things like unexplainable lights, government conspiracy, and a lot of action.
The characters in the story are well-developed, as is the plot. In the Afterward, you learn that the concept for this story is actually based on real lights that are seen outside a Texas town and at a few other location around the globe.
I read First Blood by David Morrell over 20 years ago and it impressed me back then. I still have a copy of the book and now know that I have to read it again because this author rocks.
The Shimmer is the ultimate thrill ride from the first chapter to the last. I cannot say enough good things about this book, so I will just say it is the most exciting novel I have read in a long time, and I read a ton of books. I now know one thing, I will keep my eyes peeled for more thrillers by David Morrell. This one is HOT!
I rated this book a 10 out of 10.
What I enjoyed about the story was the flow. It was perfect. The book quickly built in intensity and then maintained a sense of tension which made it hard for me to want to put it down, so I didn't. I had to know what the lights were. I just had to know!
This book reminds me of an X-Files story. What are these mysterious lights? Why can some people see them and others not? Why do some people get angry, even murderous? Why are others quietly mesmerized? This is the type of story I absolutely love with things like unexplainable lights, government conspiracy, and a lot of action.
The characters in the story are well-developed, as is the plot. In the Afterward, you learn that the concept for this story is actually based on real lights that are seen outside a Texas town and at a few other location around the globe.
I read First Blood by David Morrell over 20 years ago and it impressed me back then. I still have a copy of the book and now know that I have to read it again because this author rocks.
The Shimmer is the ultimate thrill ride from the first chapter to the last. I cannot say enough good things about this book, so I will just say it is the most exciting novel I have read in a long time, and I read a ton of books. I now know one thing, I will keep my eyes peeled for more thrillers by David Morrell. This one is HOT!
I rated this book a 10 out of 10.
September 22, 2015
This was an engrossing mystery/thriller. Morrell is a master of weaving several stories together around one event/object--in this case, "the shimmer," which is actually mysterious lights in West Texas. Are they supernatural? Physical phenomenon? Psychological? Government experiments? Nobody really knows for sure but the lights attract a lot of people and they've been appearing for more than 100 years. As officer Page's wife, Tori, becomes drawn to them, Page is forced to investigate the lights in a hope to save his wife and his marriage. He works with local law enforcement to try and solve the mystery of the lights as the whole town is threatened by the forces at work. While I liked both Page and Tori, as well as some of the townspeople they met, what really drew me and kept me turning pages for this book was the mystery of the lights. They seem to have a different effect on different people. And Morrell shares (through flashbacks) the stories from 1880 and the 20th century and even ties those events to what is happening today. I appreciate that because the lights are based on a real-world occurrence, Morrell doesn't give the reader a simple, pat explanation for them but offers several possibilities and leaves it open to interpretation (or preference) as to what is really happening. And yet he manages to give a satisfactory ending to the Page's story, which is really what the book is supposed to be about.
July 21, 2022
A good, not great read, especially in comparison to some of Morrell's other works like First Blood, Scavenger, and Creepers. The plot is rooted somewhat in the real world as it revolves around a set of mysterious lights appearing nightly outside of Rostov, TX. (the real lights are located in Marfa, TX)
Morrell draws a connection between the lights and the possibility of a government coverup due to a devastating weapon created at the end of WWII.
Morrell provides the minimum in character development as he spends most of his pages talking about the lights and their effect on people. There are a number of stretches of suspended disbelief that readers must deal with in order to continue to buy into the plot.
Morrell draws a connection between the lights and the possibility of a government coverup due to a devastating weapon created at the end of WWII.
Morrell provides the minimum in character development as he spends most of his pages talking about the lights and their effect on people. There are a number of stretches of suspended disbelief that readers must deal with in order to continue to buy into the plot.
August 12, 2020
titular sentence:
p88: Their chaos of orange, blue, and white contrasted starkly with the shimmering colors Page had thought he'd seen earlier.
typo:
p51: Each time Raleigh tested himself in the shooting house, Lockhart reconfigured the partitions, arranging the layout in a new and unprdictable design.
p88: Page turned from the plaque and saw a silhoette of a man in a cowboy hat.
This is Morrell's version of a feel-good book.
p88: Their chaos of orange, blue, and white contrasted starkly with the shimmering colors Page had thought he'd seen earlier.
typo:
p51: Each time Raleigh tested himself in the shooting house, Lockhart reconfigured the partitions, arranging the layout in a new and unprdictable design.
p88: Page turned from the plaque and saw a silhoette of a man in a cowboy hat.
This is Morrell's version of a feel-good book.
November 1, 2015
David Morrell continues his run as a dependably engaging story teller. The mystic feel of this book reminded me of Morrell's earlier memoir FIREFLIES. It kept me reading every free moment for three days until I finished it. Nice escapist summer reading with the interesting tidbits of research that the author always seems to throw in. Truly a good read.
February 17, 2017
Highly unsatisfying. There was no closure, no explanation and it really could have used some. Parts of the story were decent and I kept reading because I wanted answers, unfortunately there were none. The most interesting part of this book was the extra content at the end in which the author explained how he came up with the idea for this book. Oh well.
July 28, 2018
Not bad, but not riveting either...had some moments but overall was a fairly pedestrian story without the payoff I was hoping for in the end. The characters were developed enough for me to care about them, but just meh overall.
August 10, 2018
The only juice this thing has is a (somewhat) enticing plotline, with a decent array of subplots to augment it. But the characters are paper thin, and there's really nothing distinctive about the writing.
July 23, 2014
Novel was a quick and enjoyable read.
February 15, 2017
Planning on seeing the Marfa lights in East Texas. on the bucket list.
August 20, 2023
Another top notch book from David Morrell. People call him the "father of the modern action novel," and that's true, but he uses those tools to make great horror books sometimes, and I feel comfortable calling this a horror book. A police officer who flies planes on the side follows his missing wife, finding her in a little town near the Mexican border known for odd lights that float in the night sky. But not everyone sees the lights. She does, but Dan Page doesn't, at least not at first. When he finally does see them, a mass shooter shows up, killing a bunch of tourists, claiming that the lights are evil. And it only gets crazier from there.
I bought the book when it first came out because I'd read a short story related to the book about a smaller part of this book that's about James Deacon, an actor in a movie that was shot out there that feels a lot like James Dean working on Giant. (Morrell confirms this in his afterword.) I'm glad I now know the rest of the story.
Morrell doesn't often do flashbacks, and usually I'm not a fan of those. This book has a lot of good flashbacks, and they all contribute missing parts of the mystery. Even though it's not fully explained (and I wouldn't want it to be), these scenes contribute greatly to the book.
But make no mistake. As weird and crazy as this book gets, it is primarily an action novel, and it's a great action story. I'd love to see it on the big screen someday. His work is very adaptable. I'm still looking forward to the film version of Creepers.
PS: If Morrell wasn't thinking of Sam Elliott when he wrote Costigan, I'll eat every page of this book. And I couldn't help but think of Brent being played by Reid Scott.
I bought the book when it first came out because I'd read a short story related to the book about a smaller part of this book that's about James Deacon, an actor in a movie that was shot out there that feels a lot like James Dean working on Giant. (Morrell confirms this in his afterword.) I'm glad I now know the rest of the story.
Morrell doesn't often do flashbacks, and usually I'm not a fan of those. This book has a lot of good flashbacks, and they all contribute missing parts of the mystery. Even though it's not fully explained (and I wouldn't want it to be), these scenes contribute greatly to the book.
But make no mistake. As weird and crazy as this book gets, it is primarily an action novel, and it's a great action story. I'd love to see it on the big screen someday. His work is very adaptable. I'm still looking forward to the film version of Creepers.
PS: If Morrell wasn't thinking of Sam Elliott when he wrote Costigan, I'll eat every page of this book. And I couldn't help but think of Brent being played by Reid Scott.
September 10, 2017
The Shimmer • by David Morrell
PLOT:
"When a high-speed chase goes terribly wrong, Santa Fe police officer Dan Page watches in horror as a car and gas tanker explode into flames. Torn with guilt that he may be responsible, Page returns home to discover that his wife, Tori, has disappeared.
Frantic, Page follows her trail to Rostov, a remote town in Texas famous for a massive astronomical observatory, a long-abandoned military base, and unexplained nighttime phenomena that draw onlookers from every corner of the globe. Many of these gawkers—Tori among them—are compelled to visit this tiny community to witness the mysterious Rostov Lights.
Without warning, a gunman begins firing on the lights, screaming “Go back to hell where you came from,” then turns his rifle on the bystanders..." At a distant government facility there's also mayhem; the killing of guards and scientists.
A fictional story dealing with the weird Shimmer Lights of Rostov, Texas. Some of the observers like Tori see the lights, others do not. Tori has also gone a bit nuts in her obsession with the lights. She's sick of being a cop's wife. She also has cancer from which she's mysteriously healed. In the end Dan and Tori move to Rostov, being close to the lights and hopefully happily ever after.
It's an OK story, not great, and absurdly chooses to label Christians as gun-toting terrorists. That terrorist role is actually the unique purview of leftist liberal wackos.
PLOT:
"When a high-speed chase goes terribly wrong, Santa Fe police officer Dan Page watches in horror as a car and gas tanker explode into flames. Torn with guilt that he may be responsible, Page returns home to discover that his wife, Tori, has disappeared.
Frantic, Page follows her trail to Rostov, a remote town in Texas famous for a massive astronomical observatory, a long-abandoned military base, and unexplained nighttime phenomena that draw onlookers from every corner of the globe. Many of these gawkers—Tori among them—are compelled to visit this tiny community to witness the mysterious Rostov Lights.
Without warning, a gunman begins firing on the lights, screaming “Go back to hell where you came from,” then turns his rifle on the bystanders..." At a distant government facility there's also mayhem; the killing of guards and scientists.
A fictional story dealing with the weird Shimmer Lights of Rostov, Texas. Some of the observers like Tori see the lights, others do not. Tori has also gone a bit nuts in her obsession with the lights. She's sick of being a cop's wife. She also has cancer from which she's mysteriously healed. In the end Dan and Tori move to Rostov, being close to the lights and hopefully happily ever after.
It's an OK story, not great, and absurdly chooses to label Christians as gun-toting terrorists. That terrorist role is actually the unique purview of leftist liberal wackos.
June 20, 2020
From a prose standpoint, this was a puzzler. "The Brotherhood of the Rose" is one of the best thrillers I've ever read, and "The Fraternity of Stone," while not as compelling, still bears the mark of a superior genre stylist. But "The Shimmer" represents a long drop from these heights. It's filled with telling instead of showing; the writing is simplistic and below-average, even by thriller standards.
What kept me reading was the mystery Morrell fashioned around the lights themselves. The setting is unique, and he squeezes an admirable amount of narrative from such a spare premise. Unfortunately, the clever payoff I was hoping for never materialized. The plot played out with by-the-numbers straightforwardness.
Bottom line: if you can turn off most of your brain and don't mind juvenile (though still violence-filled) prose, there's much to enjoy here. "The Shimmer" certainly won't keep me from exploring Morrell in the future, but it also didn't spur me to rush out and snatch another of his offerings from the proverbial shelf.
What kept me reading was the mystery Morrell fashioned around the lights themselves. The setting is unique, and he squeezes an admirable amount of narrative from such a spare premise. Unfortunately, the clever payoff I was hoping for never materialized. The plot played out with by-the-numbers straightforwardness.
Bottom line: if you can turn off most of your brain and don't mind juvenile (though still violence-filled) prose, there's much to enjoy here. "The Shimmer" certainly won't keep me from exploring Morrell in the future, but it also didn't spur me to rush out and snatch another of his offerings from the proverbial shelf.
November 26, 2022
Another fast paced page turner from David Morrell, this one deals with a police officer looking for his wife, he finds out that she has gone to the small town of Rostov Texas and becomes embroiled in a mystery surrounding the phenomena known as the Rostov lights.
Other reviewers have stated that the ending of the book explains nothing, but this is based off of the real life unexplained phenomenon, the Marfa lights. Marfa is a small town in Texas where lights can be seen hovering over the ground and these are the basis of the novel. The lights have plenty of theories about their origin but nothing concrete and this also applies to the novel.
As usual David Morrell weaves a lot of realism into the book, there is an observatory and an old army airbase near Marfa and even uses some of the historical facts but with names changed etc, even movie star James Dean is mentioned in the book under the name James Deacon.
I loved this book and read it very quickly.
Other reviewers have stated that the ending of the book explains nothing, but this is based off of the real life unexplained phenomenon, the Marfa lights. Marfa is a small town in Texas where lights can be seen hovering over the ground and these are the basis of the novel. The lights have plenty of theories about their origin but nothing concrete and this also applies to the novel.
As usual David Morrell weaves a lot of realism into the book, there is an observatory and an old army airbase near Marfa and even uses some of the historical facts but with names changed etc, even movie star James Dean is mentioned in the book under the name James Deacon.
I loved this book and read it very quickly.
May 12, 2020
In a fifty year career as a novelist, David Morrell has never hesitated to introduce uncanny and fantastic elements in his fiction. I think particularly of the cave sequence in First Blood, but the novels Testament, The Totem, The Fraternity of the Stone, The Covenant and the Flame, Long Lost, Creepers, and Scavengers (of the novels I have read) all contain such moments folded into their broader thriller plots.
The Shimmer is Morrell's first (and to-date only) science fiction novel. Its thriller elements - parallel third-person action and broad historical context - offer the reader a rich, lean narrative of real emotional resonance.
Full: http://jayrothermel.blogspot.com/2020...
The Shimmer is Morrell's first (and to-date only) science fiction novel. Its thriller elements - parallel third-person action and broad historical context - offer the reader a rich, lean narrative of real emotional resonance.
Full: http://jayrothermel.blogspot.com/2020...
July 4, 2018
Prior to The Shimmer, I had read Morrell's Brotherhood of the Rose and Fraternity of the Stone which I both really liked. Keen to read another Morrell book, The Shimmer didn't live up to the Brotherhood / Fraternity. Not even close. I felt the writting itself was not up the earlier book's standard, even the dialogue portions had no substance. Regardless, after a slow start, the book picked up momentum for an overall fun read. That's how I caracterize this one - simply a fun book. Don't expect too much out of this one. Just sit back and enjoy it. The story itself is quite interesting and based on real events - look up Marfa Lights.
September 8, 2024
I was going to give this 3 stars but chose 4 after reading the "Afterword."
I'm not going to give any spoilers but it mainly because of the writer's process. How he got the story. One thing i found stunning is that there are a lot of fact in this fiction.
I'm really hoping you can figure out what's fiction while reading this. Please be able to figure that out.
The 3 stars was going to be because it seemed like a bad SyFy Channel movie. But for some reason, you can't look away. Like a bad car wreck.
But yes, a few pages of an afterward and my impression of the book elevated.
I'm not going to give any spoilers but it mainly because of the writer's process. How he got the story. One thing i found stunning is that there are a lot of fact in this fiction.
I'm really hoping you can figure out what's fiction while reading this. Please be able to figure that out.
The 3 stars was going to be because it seemed like a bad SyFy Channel movie. But for some reason, you can't look away. Like a bad car wreck.
But yes, a few pages of an afterward and my impression of the book elevated.
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