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Falling Star
Falling Star is about the discovery of mysterious objects buried deep in the ocean and what happens when they wake up and start sending signals to outer space. Mike, pulled back into a clandestine world to help decipher these signals, is attacked by gangs of ordinary Americans bent on killing him. On top of everything else, he learns that a revered friend has died. Will the death of Mike's friend mean that the secret of the objects will remain forever buried in the silt and muck of the ocean bottom? Set in the ocean, on land, and in the air,
Paul Caruba, charter member of the National Book Critics Circle says the
"It is rare when a novelist makes his debut with as powerful a novel as Philip Chen's Falling Star .... This novel stands out for the way you are introduced not just to the characters, but the physical reality in which they live, the sights and even the smells. Slowly and then with increasing intensity, the mysteries are unraveled, the enemies identified, as life and death often hangs in the balance ... Chen brings an authenticity to the novel that provides a heart-pounding reality that forces you to ask "What if?" What if Earth was under observation by those from another planet that is circling a dying sun? What if they intended to colonize it? What if the year for this was 2013? If you read just one novel in 2011, make it Falling Star."
Other reviewers have said the following about Falling
"In 'Falling Star' Philip Chen writes with such quiet authority and such a wealth of expert knowledge that I was lulled into the belief that I was reading a factual version of events rather than a work of fiction. The book quickly sets off with the discovery of objects suggestive of an alien presence on Earth and this aspect of the book is quietly progressed throughout, culminating in a conclusion which raises as many questions as it answers, giving the reader plenty to think about. At the same time I was carried through the book by the compulsively exciting tale of undercover agents and the infiltration of their organisation by a network of spies so carefully absorbed into American society as to be almost untraceable. The main character, Mike, was well drawn and likeable but complex and psychologically convincing. I also enjoyed the presence of strong female characters in the inimitable Mildred and the brilliant and beautiful Martha. Interesting premise, convincingly handled in an exciting and compelling novel."
"Mr. Chen's writing style is precise, almost military and chock full of information that makes the reader wonder if this story might not be fiction at all, but something very real and very disturbing."
"With the political/military intrigue of a Tom Clancy novel and the Sci-Fi feel of the 2001/2010/2061 Arthur C. Clarke novels coupled with the page turner, fast paced plot of a Dan Brown novel how could you go wrong."
"... an absolutely stunning read! I could not stop reading! I was intrigued from the first words, and just kept on reading."
"From the early pages, I knew this was a writer to be taken seriously. Mr. Chen has penned a dynamic, thought-provoking cross between contemporary thriller and science fiction tome. His characters are well developed, the multiple storylines complex, and the ending ..."
"I haven't enjoyed a book this much since Tom Clancy stopped putting out novels."
"Mysterious and provocative, an intelligently written page turner by someone who knows his subject. Once I began reading Falling Star, I had to read this well-detailed thriller right through to the end."
"Anyone interested in the future of America's defense and weaponry will find this novel gripping."
"I will never see the ocean in the same light again."
Cover image by Tomo Yun
Paul Caruba, charter member of the National Book Critics Circle says the
"It is rare when a novelist makes his debut with as powerful a novel as Philip Chen's Falling Star .... This novel stands out for the way you are introduced not just to the characters, but the physical reality in which they live, the sights and even the smells. Slowly and then with increasing intensity, the mysteries are unraveled, the enemies identified, as life and death often hangs in the balance ... Chen brings an authenticity to the novel that provides a heart-pounding reality that forces you to ask "What if?" What if Earth was under observation by those from another planet that is circling a dying sun? What if they intended to colonize it? What if the year for this was 2013? If you read just one novel in 2011, make it Falling Star."
Other reviewers have said the following about Falling
"In 'Falling Star' Philip Chen writes with such quiet authority and such a wealth of expert knowledge that I was lulled into the belief that I was reading a factual version of events rather than a work of fiction. The book quickly sets off with the discovery of objects suggestive of an alien presence on Earth and this aspect of the book is quietly progressed throughout, culminating in a conclusion which raises as many questions as it answers, giving the reader plenty to think about. At the same time I was carried through the book by the compulsively exciting tale of undercover agents and the infiltration of their organisation by a network of spies so carefully absorbed into American society as to be almost untraceable. The main character, Mike, was well drawn and likeable but complex and psychologically convincing. I also enjoyed the presence of strong female characters in the inimitable Mildred and the brilliant and beautiful Martha. Interesting premise, convincingly handled in an exciting and compelling novel."
"Mr. Chen's writing style is precise, almost military and chock full of information that makes the reader wonder if this story might not be fiction at all, but something very real and very disturbing."
"With the political/military intrigue of a Tom Clancy novel and the Sci-Fi feel of the 2001/2010/2061 Arthur C. Clarke novels coupled with the page turner, fast paced plot of a Dan Brown novel how could you go wrong."
"... an absolutely stunning read! I could not stop reading! I was intrigued from the first words, and just kept on reading."
"From the early pages, I knew this was a writer to be taken seriously. Mr. Chen has penned a dynamic, thought-provoking cross between contemporary thriller and science fiction tome. His characters are well developed, the multiple storylines complex, and the ending ..."
"I haven't enjoyed a book this much since Tom Clancy stopped putting out novels."
"Mysterious and provocative, an intelligently written page turner by someone who knows his subject. Once I began reading Falling Star, I had to read this well-detailed thriller right through to the end."
"Anyone interested in the future of America's defense and weaponry will find this novel gripping."
"I will never see the ocean in the same light again."
Cover image by Tomo Yun
354 pages, ebook
First published August 3, 2010
9 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Philip Chen
10 books20 followersPhilip Chen was born in China in 1944 and immigrated to the United States in 1949. Growing up in Washington, D.C., during the 1950s and 1960s, Philip learn both the pains and triumphs of American society at a crucial turning point in America's history. After receiving a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with Distinction from the University of Virginia and a Master of Science from Stanford University, he worked as an ocean research engineer in the development of deep submergence systems. Part of his work dealt with vehicles that could freely dive to 20,000 feet of water depth. He also participated as a hyperbaric chamber operator for manned dives inside a pressure chamber to 1,500 feet. He holds one U.S. Patent for an underwater mooring system.
After his stint as an ocean research engineer, Philip was an environmental and energy engineer, a trial attorney, a public securities attorney, an investment banker, a corporate executive, a private equity manager (in Africa), a strategic consultant, a cartoonist, an illustrator, a website manager, and author. He received his law degree from the University of Minnesota.
One of his mentors once told Philip that it wasn't that he couldn't hold down a job; he couldn't even hold down a career!
Philip's biography has been included in Who's Who in America and in Who's Who in the World for many years.
After his stint as an ocean research engineer, Philip was an environmental and energy engineer, a trial attorney, a public securities attorney, an investment banker, a corporate executive, a private equity manager (in Africa), a strategic consultant, a cartoonist, an illustrator, a website manager, and author. He received his law degree from the University of Minnesota.
One of his mentors once told Philip that it wasn't that he couldn't hold down a job; he couldn't even hold down a career!
Philip's biography has been included in Who's Who in America and in Who's Who in the World for many years.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 28, 2010
Storyline: Philip Chen has Star in his pocket with his novel Falling Star. I thoroughly and pleasantly surprised by the storyline after I began reading because I had assumed (wrongly) from the name that this was another 'Deep Impact' style disaster novel. Not at all!
Falling Star is a techno-thriller of the awesome kind. Mr. Chen's knowledge of things nautical and things espionage and things so secret that they don't even know about themselves is quite remarkable. In fact, by the time I finished the book, I was completely convinced that Mr. Chen is actually Mike Liu and that the book is not a fictional novel at all, but something that actually happened. It is very realistic and completely believable in my humble opinion. Of course, I love a good conspiracy theory and Mr. Chen's novel did nothing to dispel my suspicions that more goes on in the so-called 'dark ops' than any of us have ever dreamed.
While I was caught up in the initial mystery and wondering what in the world a Native American might have to do with mysterious dark objects found at the bottom of the sea around the world, Mr. Chen pulled me into the hi-tech world of deep-sea exploration and navigational problems and vehicles and then flung me into the realization that the cold war continues in spite of appearances. I was busy concocted all sorts of scenarios concerning the disturbing presence of the obviously extra-terrestrial objects in the ocean when suddenly, the truth of the matter was revealed to be nothing like I imagined. Falling Star leaves the reader with many unsettling thoughts about our future as a global entity, wondering what the future might have in store for us.
Grammar/Spelling: There were a few typos and formatting problems, but nothing that detracted greatly from the story. The formatting problem seemed to be confined to the paragraph indents which were not consistent.
Character Development: The character Johnny Thapala was the most enigmatic at first, but by the end of the book, his significance became significant.
The 'bad guys' were truly bad in most cases, trained killers just waiting for the signal to go into full throttle. Through Mr. Chen's descriptions of their thoughts and deeds, I felt no sympathy for them.
The ladies were very surprising and I had to smile when they proved the old adage that 'looks can be deceiving'. I didn't like their names, however, as they seemed a bit old fashioned in my opinion, but that has little to do with the story. Probably just a generational thing on my part.
Mike Liu, the main character, had enough back-story and depth to lend credence to his existence. He was powerful, but not all-knowing and indestructible and he was just a little bit unwilling. I thought his attitude was quite acceptable as a man who had already put in his time and was only doing what he had to do out of a sense of responsibility and duty. He was intelligent, but not nerdy, nor was he the typical 'James Bond' sort of guy.
There were a number of secondary and tertiary characters that left me feeling confused at times and I had to go back and try to figure out who they were and where they came from. In such an all-encompassing story, a great many people were necessary to make it work.
Writing Style: Mr. Chen's writing style is quite professional in nature. He gives vivid descriptions of shootouts, interrogations and murder that make me look at strangers even more warily on the bus. There is great deal of technical information between the covers that should keep all the techno-thriller fans happy and I learned a great deal about the rigors of undersea operations.
The only real complaint I have is that the dialog seems a bit stilted in some places and too much technical data is included that I don't believe would be included in a normal conversation between friends or co-workers although the information was very useful to the reader.
Last, but not least, being a girl, I would have liked a bit more romance in there somewhere, but again, it would not have been only ornamental and not necessary for the plot development.
Continuity: Mr. Chen interspersed the novel with dates and times so that there was very little doubt as to timeline in the story and I saw no problems with trucks starting out as white and turning green during a gun battle.
Overall Rating: Overall, I give the book a 4+. Well written, well planned and painstakingly edited. Full of details and technical information that made my head spin. A little work on a more comfortable dialog and (maybe just a little romance?) it would have made my fiver list.
Violence, adult language, adult situations.
Falling Star is a techno-thriller of the awesome kind. Mr. Chen's knowledge of things nautical and things espionage and things so secret that they don't even know about themselves is quite remarkable. In fact, by the time I finished the book, I was completely convinced that Mr. Chen is actually Mike Liu and that the book is not a fictional novel at all, but something that actually happened. It is very realistic and completely believable in my humble opinion. Of course, I love a good conspiracy theory and Mr. Chen's novel did nothing to dispel my suspicions that more goes on in the so-called 'dark ops' than any of us have ever dreamed.
While I was caught up in the initial mystery and wondering what in the world a Native American might have to do with mysterious dark objects found at the bottom of the sea around the world, Mr. Chen pulled me into the hi-tech world of deep-sea exploration and navigational problems and vehicles and then flung me into the realization that the cold war continues in spite of appearances. I was busy concocted all sorts of scenarios concerning the disturbing presence of the obviously extra-terrestrial objects in the ocean when suddenly, the truth of the matter was revealed to be nothing like I imagined. Falling Star leaves the reader with many unsettling thoughts about our future as a global entity, wondering what the future might have in store for us.
Grammar/Spelling: There were a few typos and formatting problems, but nothing that detracted greatly from the story. The formatting problem seemed to be confined to the paragraph indents which were not consistent.
Character Development: The character Johnny Thapala was the most enigmatic at first, but by the end of the book, his significance became significant.
The 'bad guys' were truly bad in most cases, trained killers just waiting for the signal to go into full throttle. Through Mr. Chen's descriptions of their thoughts and deeds, I felt no sympathy for them.
The ladies were very surprising and I had to smile when they proved the old adage that 'looks can be deceiving'. I didn't like their names, however, as they seemed a bit old fashioned in my opinion, but that has little to do with the story. Probably just a generational thing on my part.
Mike Liu, the main character, had enough back-story and depth to lend credence to his existence. He was powerful, but not all-knowing and indestructible and he was just a little bit unwilling. I thought his attitude was quite acceptable as a man who had already put in his time and was only doing what he had to do out of a sense of responsibility and duty. He was intelligent, but not nerdy, nor was he the typical 'James Bond' sort of guy.
There were a number of secondary and tertiary characters that left me feeling confused at times and I had to go back and try to figure out who they were and where they came from. In such an all-encompassing story, a great many people were necessary to make it work.
Writing Style: Mr. Chen's writing style is quite professional in nature. He gives vivid descriptions of shootouts, interrogations and murder that make me look at strangers even more warily on the bus. There is great deal of technical information between the covers that should keep all the techno-thriller fans happy and I learned a great deal about the rigors of undersea operations.
The only real complaint I have is that the dialog seems a bit stilted in some places and too much technical data is included that I don't believe would be included in a normal conversation between friends or co-workers although the information was very useful to the reader.
Last, but not least, being a girl, I would have liked a bit more romance in there somewhere, but again, it would not have been only ornamental and not necessary for the plot development.
Continuity: Mr. Chen interspersed the novel with dates and times so that there was very little doubt as to timeline in the story and I saw no problems with trucks starting out as white and turning green during a gun battle.
Overall Rating: Overall, I give the book a 4+. Well written, well planned and painstakingly edited. Full of details and technical information that made my head spin. A little work on a more comfortable dialog and (maybe just a little romance?) it would have made my fiver list.
Violence, adult language, adult situations.
January 31, 2011
It all began with an anomalous magnetic signal. From there, the situation expanded quickly, drawing in multiple acronym-plagued departments, too many officers to count, and a great amount of confusion, thus eliciting a combination of paranoia and justified concern on the part of the United States government. Chen's story is well thought-out, the many layers of conspiracy a clever merging of the political and the fantastical.
Chen appears to draw upon many of his own experiences in this work, as evidenced by the technical minutiae provided for every underwater vessel, as well as the similarity in background between his education and ethnicity and those of his protagonist, Aloysius "Mike" Liu. In spite of this connection, however, Chen evenly distributes his focus between several key players and avoids focusing solely on the experiences of one. This enriches the storyline by encompassing multiple arenas in which important action is occurring.
Unfortunately, there were in fact too many characters introduced over the course of the book. Many of them had intricate backgrounds, which detracted from the story by giving the reader too many things to take in at once. Most of the characters we are told about only appear for one or two scenes, after which they vanish, save for a brief reference later that was nice as a tie-in but not wholly necessary to make the novel work. This book might have benefited from having the spotlight focused on the central characters, with dimmer lighting for what is essentially the background.
Perhaps what contributed to the confusion was my distraction by several writing ticks. The author has the tendency to repeat himself, such as restating the subject in every sentence within the same paragraph. This proved to be grating, though thankfully, there were whole sections of text in which this habit did not make an appearance. In their place was the frequent misuse (or lack of use) of commas, semicolons, colons, and long dashes. Between the punctuation problems, the redundancies, and the repeated use of "Suburban's" as the plural form of "Suburban" (the vehicle) I nearly put this book down at less than a third of the way through. The slowness of the beginning did not help.
Thankfully, I plowed on, and while the writing remained as it ever was, the plot did improve considerably. Though I maintain that the first thirty percent or so of the work could have easily been summarized elsewhere, the rest of it moves in an action-packed method that eventually drew me into piecing together the puzzle alongside CSAC. I did have to pause many times due to the plethora of unnecessary details, such as the exact type of guns that each of a dozen gunmen were holding. At times, I felt as if I were reading either a movie script or a technical manual or, on occasion, a character's résumé. Even so, this may appeal to readers with a greater interest in weaponry than I possess.
Falling Star has a lot of potential — the storyline is interesting and original, and it is set up quite nicely for a sequel. The manuscript could stand a few more revisions, however, both for errors and to reduce the amount of extraneous data.
Chen appears to draw upon many of his own experiences in this work, as evidenced by the technical minutiae provided for every underwater vessel, as well as the similarity in background between his education and ethnicity and those of his protagonist, Aloysius "Mike" Liu. In spite of this connection, however, Chen evenly distributes his focus between several key players and avoids focusing solely on the experiences of one. This enriches the storyline by encompassing multiple arenas in which important action is occurring.
Unfortunately, there were in fact too many characters introduced over the course of the book. Many of them had intricate backgrounds, which detracted from the story by giving the reader too many things to take in at once. Most of the characters we are told about only appear for one or two scenes, after which they vanish, save for a brief reference later that was nice as a tie-in but not wholly necessary to make the novel work. This book might have benefited from having the spotlight focused on the central characters, with dimmer lighting for what is essentially the background.
Perhaps what contributed to the confusion was my distraction by several writing ticks. The author has the tendency to repeat himself, such as restating the subject in every sentence within the same paragraph. This proved to be grating, though thankfully, there were whole sections of text in which this habit did not make an appearance. In their place was the frequent misuse (or lack of use) of commas, semicolons, colons, and long dashes. Between the punctuation problems, the redundancies, and the repeated use of "Suburban's" as the plural form of "Suburban" (the vehicle) I nearly put this book down at less than a third of the way through. The slowness of the beginning did not help.
Thankfully, I plowed on, and while the writing remained as it ever was, the plot did improve considerably. Though I maintain that the first thirty percent or so of the work could have easily been summarized elsewhere, the rest of it moves in an action-packed method that eventually drew me into piecing together the puzzle alongside CSAC. I did have to pause many times due to the plethora of unnecessary details, such as the exact type of guns that each of a dozen gunmen were holding. At times, I felt as if I were reading either a movie script or a technical manual or, on occasion, a character's résumé. Even so, this may appeal to readers with a greater interest in weaponry than I possess.
Falling Star has a lot of potential — the storyline is interesting and original, and it is set up quite nicely for a sequel. The manuscript could stand a few more revisions, however, both for errors and to reduce the amount of extraneous data.
December 30, 2011
I seriously must admit, this book was more than I had anticipated. I am seriously not a teckky, as can be attested to by my children and those around me. The flow of this story is a precise time line of events, depicting a very frightening and intriguing thought, and is brought to you by the journal style approach of its author Philip Chen.
We begin in 1967, when a Navy pilot ‘feels’ and reports a strange occurrence over the Atlantic Ocean. Immediately our thoughts go to ‘The Bermuda Triangle’ and what we have read in every science fiction thriller. So I can tell you now….c.o.n.t.i.n.u.e…We move with painstaking precision through so many different agencies of the US Government, through the mire of agencies both known and covert, with the two main characters, Robert McHugh and Aloysius (Mike) Liu.
Lt. Commander McHugh, and newly graduated Ensign Mike Liu’s lives collide, and they travel through this mystery becoming life long friends. McHugh is old Navy with a take no nonsense attitude. Liu on the other hand was born of Chinese decent and brought up in a time where to not be a white man in the military was not cool. He lost the love of his life, and has never recovered from it or even learned the true reason for this fracture in his life. The service became everything to him.
Our author mixes some fact and mostly fiction with side characters that come and are very likeable (like a grandmotherly spy) making a marked impression, and some for the effect to move the story to its strange conclusion. The good guys were good, and the bad guys were bad, and sometimes badder... The water scenes of submersibles diving to the oceans floor were truly indescribable. The infighting in government agencies was expected … I loved the story and my eyes rolled at TMI (too much information) when it came to thrusters and pistons, but I felt I had to follow this author’s story as I followed him dropping crumb by crumb to its conclusion.
We traveled the globe with Mike and some of the ‘final group’ and were rewarded with vivid pictures of the American western deserts with sunrises and sunsets described in beautiful color palates.
Reading about the author after reading the book made me see Philip Chen absorbed in what he knows, and not ashamed to tell us. Raised in Washington in the 60’s he was certainly knowledgeable of the bigotry against Asians and the mindset of the Washington in those years.
My last thought is that I have hope that though this is the end of this part of the story, there is more to tell, and I truly wish that Mr. Chen deliver that to the reader. Mike Liu has more to do in his life, and I hope we get to read these challenges.
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Review Chair and Senior Reviewer for the Paranormal Romance Guild
We begin in 1967, when a Navy pilot ‘feels’ and reports a strange occurrence over the Atlantic Ocean. Immediately our thoughts go to ‘The Bermuda Triangle’ and what we have read in every science fiction thriller. So I can tell you now….c.o.n.t.i.n.u.e…We move with painstaking precision through so many different agencies of the US Government, through the mire of agencies both known and covert, with the two main characters, Robert McHugh and Aloysius (Mike) Liu.
Lt. Commander McHugh, and newly graduated Ensign Mike Liu’s lives collide, and they travel through this mystery becoming life long friends. McHugh is old Navy with a take no nonsense attitude. Liu on the other hand was born of Chinese decent and brought up in a time where to not be a white man in the military was not cool. He lost the love of his life, and has never recovered from it or even learned the true reason for this fracture in his life. The service became everything to him.
Our author mixes some fact and mostly fiction with side characters that come and are very likeable (like a grandmotherly spy) making a marked impression, and some for the effect to move the story to its strange conclusion. The good guys were good, and the bad guys were bad, and sometimes badder... The water scenes of submersibles diving to the oceans floor were truly indescribable. The infighting in government agencies was expected … I loved the story and my eyes rolled at TMI (too much information) when it came to thrusters and pistons, but I felt I had to follow this author’s story as I followed him dropping crumb by crumb to its conclusion.
We traveled the globe with Mike and some of the ‘final group’ and were rewarded with vivid pictures of the American western deserts with sunrises and sunsets described in beautiful color palates.
Reading about the author after reading the book made me see Philip Chen absorbed in what he knows, and not ashamed to tell us. Raised in Washington in the 60’s he was certainly knowledgeable of the bigotry against Asians and the mindset of the Washington in those years.
My last thought is that I have hope that though this is the end of this part of the story, there is more to tell, and I truly wish that Mr. Chen deliver that to the reader. Mike Liu has more to do in his life, and I hope we get to read these challenges.
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Review Chair and Senior Reviewer for the Paranormal Romance Guild
January 28, 2011
I won a copy of this eBook from a Kindle blog and dove right in as soon as I downloaded it. The story starts out good, and picks up from there. By the time I was halfway through, it was hard to put down. I just wanted to keep turning the pages. It's a thriller, with a bit of a sci-fi bent. The story skillfully combines cold-war military espionage, underwater navel research, and UFOs. Several mysterious, probably extra-terrestrial, objects are discovered at the bottom of the ocean. The US government establishes a program to monitor these objects. After several decades of observation, the objects begin to generate activity. Throughout the book, we watch the main character, Mike, and his involvement with the objects, from their discovery to the (almost) present day. Along the way, Mike and other government agents have to deal with unknown cold-war era threats.
I really enjoyed how well this was written, both in terms of plot and character development. On the surface, several of the characters appear somewhat stereotypical, but I think their portrayal was appropriate and reasonable. Several times, the author touches on the subject of racism. He refrains from being preachy, however, and each treatment of racism is essential to either move the plot or develop a character. I was really impressed by that touch. I don't know much about underwater exploration, but it's obvious that the author does. His description of the underwater scenes were technical and vivid enough, without being burdensome, to clearly portray the action that takes place. He puts me right in the submersible with the characters. It was lots of fun to read.
The story told is a great stand-alone tale. It wraps itself up neatly, but also leaves a few small loose ends, which provide an obvious opportunity for a sequel, or even a series. I hope the author releases a sequel. When he does, I'll be first in line to get a copy.
I really enjoyed how well this was written, both in terms of plot and character development. On the surface, several of the characters appear somewhat stereotypical, but I think their portrayal was appropriate and reasonable. Several times, the author touches on the subject of racism. He refrains from being preachy, however, and each treatment of racism is essential to either move the plot or develop a character. I was really impressed by that touch. I don't know much about underwater exploration, but it's obvious that the author does. His description of the underwater scenes were technical and vivid enough, without being burdensome, to clearly portray the action that takes place. He puts me right in the submersible with the characters. It was lots of fun to read.
The story told is a great stand-alone tale. It wraps itself up neatly, but also leaves a few small loose ends, which provide an obvious opportunity for a sequel, or even a series. I hope the author releases a sequel. When he does, I'll be first in line to get a copy.
October 15, 2010
Philip Chen has had an extremely interesting career and it shows in his work. His detailed descriptions of highly technical equipment and clandestine government operations is very impressive. The thought of what mysteries might lurk beneath the vast expanses of our planet's seas and oceans is in itself a thrilling yet sobering thought. Philip's use of our innate fear of the unknown and irrepressible curiosity about the unexplained catches the reader's attention in the beginning of the novel and our curiosity builds as he feeds us titillating tidbits throughout the book.
Underlying the bigger mystery in the sea, another mystery unfolds on land as his characters are set upon by unknown forces willing to stop at nothing to stop the top secret agency known as C-SAC from learning about a powerful new weapon based on sound technology. The action is fast-paced and illustrated by colorful descriptions of blood and gore as the C-SAC couriers are eliminated one by one while its top members search frantically for the leak in their chain of command information dike. Their findings are as chilling as the mysterious objects at the bottom of the sea and Philip's expert rendition lends a completely believable air to the situation that perhaps leaves its readers with slightly different views of the little old lady sitting next to us on the plane or the grease monkey changing our spark plugs.
Falling Star ends just as mysteriously at it begins and puts the reader in the mood for a possible sequel.
Mr. Chen's writing style is precise, almost military and chock full of information that makes the reader wonder if this story might not be fiction at all, but something very real and very disturbing.
I noticed very few grammatical/spelling errors in the book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good techno-thriller with sci-fi overtures.
Underlying the bigger mystery in the sea, another mystery unfolds on land as his characters are set upon by unknown forces willing to stop at nothing to stop the top secret agency known as C-SAC from learning about a powerful new weapon based on sound technology. The action is fast-paced and illustrated by colorful descriptions of blood and gore as the C-SAC couriers are eliminated one by one while its top members search frantically for the leak in their chain of command information dike. Their findings are as chilling as the mysterious objects at the bottom of the sea and Philip's expert rendition lends a completely believable air to the situation that perhaps leaves its readers with slightly different views of the little old lady sitting next to us on the plane or the grease monkey changing our spark plugs.
Falling Star ends just as mysteriously at it begins and puts the reader in the mood for a possible sequel.
Mr. Chen's writing style is precise, almost military and chock full of information that makes the reader wonder if this story might not be fiction at all, but something very real and very disturbing.
I noticed very few grammatical/spelling errors in the book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good techno-thriller with sci-fi overtures.
December 27, 2010
Philip Chen has written an interesting story weaving threads of alien travelers, a Navajo medicine man, a secret US government agency CSAC, KGB spies and mysterious objects located at the bottom of the ocean. It is an ambitious novel and Mr. Chen clearly commands your attention with this techno-thriller. His wealth of knowledge of the military, weaponry, computer systems and ocean submersibles is impressive.
The characters, especially Mike Liu, are well written. The author lets you into Mike’s innermost thoughts especially the racial taunts he suffered growing up being Chinese in a white America. Mike has a short fuse and the reader can clearly understand why. Conspiracy theories abound in this novel. Is the cold war really over? What happened to all those spies when the KGB was dissolved? Does the US have secret agencies that only a few in the government know about? Is it true that Earth has been visited by aliens? Have they left sign posts for their eventual return? As you can see, there is a lot going on in this book.
There is quite a lot of technical data in the book that supports the story, but I found myself skipping over many of these descriptions. Also if you are at all faint at heart, the detailed descriptions of assassinations may be too much for some. I have a minor criticism. The author does a decent job of wrapping up the mysteries in the book, but clearly he left many open threads for a sequel. I was a little disappointed with this, but it means that I’ll have to read the next book to find out what happens next to Mike Liu and the rest of the cast.
The characters, especially Mike Liu, are well written. The author lets you into Mike’s innermost thoughts especially the racial taunts he suffered growing up being Chinese in a white America. Mike has a short fuse and the reader can clearly understand why. Conspiracy theories abound in this novel. Is the cold war really over? What happened to all those spies when the KGB was dissolved? Does the US have secret agencies that only a few in the government know about? Is it true that Earth has been visited by aliens? Have they left sign posts for their eventual return? As you can see, there is a lot going on in this book.
There is quite a lot of technical data in the book that supports the story, but I found myself skipping over many of these descriptions. Also if you are at all faint at heart, the detailed descriptions of assassinations may be too much for some. I have a minor criticism. The author does a decent job of wrapping up the mysteries in the book, but clearly he left many open threads for a sequel. I was a little disappointed with this, but it means that I’ll have to read the next book to find out what happens next to Mike Liu and the rest of the cast.
September 8, 2010
Great read that left me wanting more (rumor alert: sequel in the making!?) With the political/military intrigue of a Tom Clancy novel and the Sci-Fi feel of the 2001/2010/2061 Arthur C. Clarke novels coupled with the page turner, fast paced plot of a Dan Brown novel how could you go wrong. Chen's knowledge runs deep and shines in the book. His characters are very cool and well written.
I only have one issue with this book - nobody, especially our armed forces, will say things like Benthic Ranger or Hatteras Abyssal Plain more than once before they create an acronym ("BR1 to BR2, do you copy?") or a cool nickname ("The Hat"?). But maybe Chen does this on purpose, making CSAC all the more mysterious! ;^)
Looking forward to the next adventure of Mike Liu and the CSAC team.
I only have one issue with this book - nobody, especially our armed forces, will say things like Benthic Ranger or Hatteras Abyssal Plain more than once before they create an acronym ("BR1 to BR2, do you copy?") or a cool nickname ("The Hat"?). But maybe Chen does this on purpose, making CSAC all the more mysterious! ;^)
Looking forward to the next adventure of Mike Liu and the CSAC team.
January 20, 2011
This is a great fun read. The spy/science fiction story cracks along at a fast pace making it a really enjoyable adventure.
I know Phil so seeing parallels to places he has lived makes it even more exciting.
I know Phil so seeing parallels to places he has lived makes it even more exciting.
December 27, 2023
I admit two facts: I’ve known Phil since Junior High School, and I am not particularly fond of science fiction. Nevertheless, I was curious. The story was intriguing, but just far too many technical details for my taste. I also found it anachronistic but also amusing to see references to early computer evolution.
June 7, 2011
A Good Book Alert Review (http://goodbookalert.blogspot.com/)
Falling Star
Author: Philip Chen
Genre: Thriller with Sci-fi elements
Rating: 3 Stars
Falling Star is an intriguing, but somewhat flawed, thriller.
Summary:
As a young Ensign in the Navy, Mike Liu was involved in one of the most ultra-secret projects of the Cold War: the investigation of mysterious, silent objects of unknown origin hidden in the depths of the ocean. Decades later, Mike is drawn back into the dangerous, secretive world he had left behind by both an unexpected change in the objects and deadly, inexplicable ambushes.
Review:
Falling Star kicks off with a Cold War recon mission detecting something far more unsettling than Soviet subs: objects of unknown origin buried deep in the ocean. It's an interesting premise and the Cold War setting only makes it more so. In a world balanced by the terror of nuclear holocaust, strange technology that no one can explain isn't just a matter of scientific curiosity but a matter of the security of nations and the very safety of the world.
The overall threads of the plot of Falling Star was the novel's greatest strength. While certain elements aren't outstanding in terms of originality, the combination of the science fiction and thriller threads helped create something that felt fresh. In addition, certain aspects of the thriller plot are eerily prescient given that the novel was originally penned in the early 90s. This provides a particular resonance to the plot.
The two main plot elements, as defined by the thriller and science-fiction elements, could have perhaps been better integrated. There was one major final plot element that came off as a rushed attempt to tie up some important plot ends. Although the resolution does providing an intriguing hook for a sequel, the method the author used to attend to those elements stretched credulity.
Mystery was infused throughout Falling Star. The author, in general, did a pretty good job of maintaining many different plot threads to draw the reader forward. In addition, the author's fine use of a range of scene types makes the chapter-to-chapter flow more intriguing than a more uniform focus. There are enough firefights to probably satisfy action fans but enough more thoughtful investigation scenes to readers looking for something a bit less white-knuckle.
Despite these positive elements, the novel is, unfortunately weighed down by several weaker elements. One of the more notable is the author's complete lack of restraint when it comes to descriptive detail and exposition. The level of description in many scenes is overwhelming at times and somewhat damages the tension the author worked so hard to maintain. There are several scenes where the author's detail is so extreme it hijacks the scene focus. The author also had a tendency to repeat certain rather specific details. The end result is they rather stand out and, again, distract from the main scene.
In many other cases, there is so much technical detail that certain chapters come off more like a dry technical white paper than a novel scene. While I'm certain there are some readers out there who enjoy that level of detail, for me it often did not work.
Character development was another area that needed work. Some of this is a result of the novel's use of a variety of different viewpoint characters. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this technique, and it can aid in providing a greater overall viewpoint of the plot, in Falling Star there are so many characters introduced that the emotional connections to ostensibly major characters, such as the primary protagonist Mike, are diluted. There were several key scenes where it was obvious that the reader was supposed to really feel some intense emotion, but they came off as a bit flat because of this diluted character development.
In some cases, I failed to see why some characters even received the focus they did as they appeared for only brief periods. Again, a potentially strong technique in some circumstances, but the author's lack of restraint in regards to detail and exposition also got the better of him during character introductions. With a few exceptions, the authors unsuccessfully attempts to bypass more natural, integrated character development by introducing almost every character with a lengthy expository biographical sketch. Given that some of the characters appear for only a handful of scenes, the utility of these biographical sketches, when weighed against their damage to the general pacing and tension of the novel, is questionable.
Although the execution wasn't always as strong as it could be, Falling Star had an intriguing plot full of mysteries and was an interesting mix of science fiction and thriller elements.
Falling Star
Author: Philip Chen
Genre: Thriller with Sci-fi elements
Rating: 3 Stars
Falling Star is an intriguing, but somewhat flawed, thriller.
Summary:
As a young Ensign in the Navy, Mike Liu was involved in one of the most ultra-secret projects of the Cold War: the investigation of mysterious, silent objects of unknown origin hidden in the depths of the ocean. Decades later, Mike is drawn back into the dangerous, secretive world he had left behind by both an unexpected change in the objects and deadly, inexplicable ambushes.
Review:
Falling Star kicks off with a Cold War recon mission detecting something far more unsettling than Soviet subs: objects of unknown origin buried deep in the ocean. It's an interesting premise and the Cold War setting only makes it more so. In a world balanced by the terror of nuclear holocaust, strange technology that no one can explain isn't just a matter of scientific curiosity but a matter of the security of nations and the very safety of the world.
The overall threads of the plot of Falling Star was the novel's greatest strength. While certain elements aren't outstanding in terms of originality, the combination of the science fiction and thriller threads helped create something that felt fresh. In addition, certain aspects of the thriller plot are eerily prescient given that the novel was originally penned in the early 90s. This provides a particular resonance to the plot.
The two main plot elements, as defined by the thriller and science-fiction elements, could have perhaps been better integrated. There was one major final plot element that came off as a rushed attempt to tie up some important plot ends. Although the resolution does providing an intriguing hook for a sequel, the method the author used to attend to those elements stretched credulity.
Mystery was infused throughout Falling Star. The author, in general, did a pretty good job of maintaining many different plot threads to draw the reader forward. In addition, the author's fine use of a range of scene types makes the chapter-to-chapter flow more intriguing than a more uniform focus. There are enough firefights to probably satisfy action fans but enough more thoughtful investigation scenes to readers looking for something a bit less white-knuckle.
Despite these positive elements, the novel is, unfortunately weighed down by several weaker elements. One of the more notable is the author's complete lack of restraint when it comes to descriptive detail and exposition. The level of description in many scenes is overwhelming at times and somewhat damages the tension the author worked so hard to maintain. There are several scenes where the author's detail is so extreme it hijacks the scene focus. The author also had a tendency to repeat certain rather specific details. The end result is they rather stand out and, again, distract from the main scene.
In many other cases, there is so much technical detail that certain chapters come off more like a dry technical white paper than a novel scene. While I'm certain there are some readers out there who enjoy that level of detail, for me it often did not work.
Character development was another area that needed work. Some of this is a result of the novel's use of a variety of different viewpoint characters. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this technique, and it can aid in providing a greater overall viewpoint of the plot, in Falling Star there are so many characters introduced that the emotional connections to ostensibly major characters, such as the primary protagonist Mike, are diluted. There were several key scenes where it was obvious that the reader was supposed to really feel some intense emotion, but they came off as a bit flat because of this diluted character development.
In some cases, I failed to see why some characters even received the focus they did as they appeared for only brief periods. Again, a potentially strong technique in some circumstances, but the author's lack of restraint in regards to detail and exposition also got the better of him during character introductions. With a few exceptions, the authors unsuccessfully attempts to bypass more natural, integrated character development by introducing almost every character with a lengthy expository biographical sketch. Given that some of the characters appear for only a handful of scenes, the utility of these biographical sketches, when weighed against their damage to the general pacing and tension of the novel, is questionable.
Although the execution wasn't always as strong as it could be, Falling Star had an intriguing plot full of mysteries and was an interesting mix of science fiction and thriller elements.
December 27, 2011
In March of 1967, on a routine fact finding flight over the Atlantic Ocean, Navy pilot Thomas “Buck” Morrow and his crew discover a mysterious magnetic anomaly which will set in motion over 25 years of government intrigue, lies and deaths.
Falling Star follows Lt. Commander Robert McHugh and Ensign Aloysius (Mike) Liu as they investigate the anomaly, join a secret government organization to monitor it, and move on with their lives, culminating in 1993 with a surprising discovery. Mixing fact, fiction and speculation, Falling Star is an interesting blend of science fiction and mystery/thriller.
Our lead character, Mike Liu, starts out as a young, somewhat naïve NROTC graduate in mechanical engineering, and grows into a cool as a cucumber undercover agent who can hold his own against the best. We get a glimpse of how difficult it was for Japanese Americans during the 60s and Mike shows us how he managed to overcome and grow from the difficulties. I found him to be a bit of a mystery man, I was never sure what to really make of him.
On the other side of the spectrum, Robert McHugh is your usual tough as nails Navy man. He is a rough talking, no nonsense type of guy. I would have liked to see more of him. Together he and Mike make a strange team and turn into lifelong friends.
There are a number of other interesting characters introduced along the way; we meet a grandmotherly spy, a loyal FBI agent, an unlikely mole and a truly bad, bad guy. If I were honest, I would say at times I enjoyed the secondary characters much more than I did Mike and Robert.
Along with its varied cast of characters, Falling Star also takes us to many mysterious and mystical locations, some of which were near and dear to my heart. As a scuba diver, I was fascinated by the underwater exploration. We are taken along on the first exploratory dives of small subs and get to experience the deep dark depths of the sea. We are taken to the lands of the beautiful state of New Mexico, and journey with the mystical world of the medicine man. We dig into the cyber world and the intrigue of our nation’s spy system.
When I read the synopsis for Falling Star, I had high hopes for the book. I wasn’t disappointed, but after reading some of the long passages full of technical details, could at times be found with a glazed look in my eyes. It took me awhile to get into the story, but once I did I enjoyed it.
There is a good mystery, actually more than one mystery, to figure out, which kept me engaged, and in the end left me wondering what I really knew. There is a good amount of violence with some slightly explicit details, but it is a suspense/thriller so the reader shouldn’t be turned off by this.
I did have a moment or two of déjà vou along the way, thinking I’ve seen this story line somewhere else. This book should appeal to the lover of the suspense/science fiction genre, think The Abyss meets Contact.
Reviewed as a Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild
Falling Star follows Lt. Commander Robert McHugh and Ensign Aloysius (Mike) Liu as they investigate the anomaly, join a secret government organization to monitor it, and move on with their lives, culminating in 1993 with a surprising discovery. Mixing fact, fiction and speculation, Falling Star is an interesting blend of science fiction and mystery/thriller.
Our lead character, Mike Liu, starts out as a young, somewhat naïve NROTC graduate in mechanical engineering, and grows into a cool as a cucumber undercover agent who can hold his own against the best. We get a glimpse of how difficult it was for Japanese Americans during the 60s and Mike shows us how he managed to overcome and grow from the difficulties. I found him to be a bit of a mystery man, I was never sure what to really make of him.
On the other side of the spectrum, Robert McHugh is your usual tough as nails Navy man. He is a rough talking, no nonsense type of guy. I would have liked to see more of him. Together he and Mike make a strange team and turn into lifelong friends.
There are a number of other interesting characters introduced along the way; we meet a grandmotherly spy, a loyal FBI agent, an unlikely mole and a truly bad, bad guy. If I were honest, I would say at times I enjoyed the secondary characters much more than I did Mike and Robert.
Along with its varied cast of characters, Falling Star also takes us to many mysterious and mystical locations, some of which were near and dear to my heart. As a scuba diver, I was fascinated by the underwater exploration. We are taken along on the first exploratory dives of small subs and get to experience the deep dark depths of the sea. We are taken to the lands of the beautiful state of New Mexico, and journey with the mystical world of the medicine man. We dig into the cyber world and the intrigue of our nation’s spy system.
When I read the synopsis for Falling Star, I had high hopes for the book. I wasn’t disappointed, but after reading some of the long passages full of technical details, could at times be found with a glazed look in my eyes. It took me awhile to get into the story, but once I did I enjoyed it.
There is a good mystery, actually more than one mystery, to figure out, which kept me engaged, and in the end left me wondering what I really knew. There is a good amount of violence with some slightly explicit details, but it is a suspense/thriller so the reader shouldn’t be turned off by this.
I did have a moment or two of déjà vou along the way, thinking I’ve seen this story line somewhere else. This book should appeal to the lover of the suspense/science fiction genre, think The Abyss meets Contact.
Reviewed as a Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild
March 24, 2016
"The hologram rose out of the plate and the President saw what Johnny Thapaha [Navajo medicine man] had seen over the forty-some years he had welcomed the morning sunrise with plate in hand."
I really enjoyed this science fiction adventure. Unlike most of the dystopian "science" fiction books I receive for review, Chen's book is heavy on "science" and plausibility. Actual events meld into fictive events (not just invented but inventive to make a specific point) so deftly that this reviewer found herself on the verge of believing the unbelievable.
The story spans the years from 1967 to 1993, following the career of Lieutenant Mike Liu, the secrets of Navajo Shaman Johnny Thapaha, assorted KGB thugs and, if that were not enough, the fate of the "fourth alien" from "the Socorro and Roswell incidents."
The reader will certainly get his/her "money's worth" from this novel.
At the heart of the book, and the mystery, are the four "mysterious objects" deep in the silt under the oceans around the perimeter of the United States.
"The curtain of state secrets fell quickly on the mysterious object in the Hatteras Abyssal Plain. "
There are Defense Intelligence Agents on the case; there are "CSAC" agents competing for attention, and their agency is so secretive that even meaning of the acronym is classified. By the way, there is a woman agent too, Mildred Swensen; and a woman assassin, Julie Davenport who interact with myriad other interesting characters clothed in the kind of detailed development usually found in a literary novel.
(For those readers who dabble in numerology, the number four (4) appears fifty-nine times, so watch for it.)
"Because of this and, perhaps because this alien took four days and four nights to expire, Johnny Thapaha believed him to be an emissary from the Great Spirit. Johnny Thapaha called him 'the traveler.' "
You will have to buy the book to find out what happened before the alien died!
But the best part of Falling Star is the chance to learn about magnetometers, submersibles, sonar technology, oscilloscopes, Heckler Koch MP-5 submachine guns, and other integral equipment - lots of technical information - from an author who is also an engineer, trial lawyer and investment banker. If the reader pays attention, he/she will also absorb some geopolitical realities, the vicissitudes inherent in the war between Congress and science and the meaning of Starlength 1300.2!
Buy this book before the mysterious sonic booms shake your reading room.
I really enjoyed this science fiction adventure. Unlike most of the dystopian "science" fiction books I receive for review, Chen's book is heavy on "science" and plausibility. Actual events meld into fictive events (not just invented but inventive to make a specific point) so deftly that this reviewer found herself on the verge of believing the unbelievable.
The story spans the years from 1967 to 1993, following the career of Lieutenant Mike Liu, the secrets of Navajo Shaman Johnny Thapaha, assorted KGB thugs and, if that were not enough, the fate of the "fourth alien" from "the Socorro and Roswell incidents."
The reader will certainly get his/her "money's worth" from this novel.
At the heart of the book, and the mystery, are the four "mysterious objects" deep in the silt under the oceans around the perimeter of the United States.
"The curtain of state secrets fell quickly on the mysterious object in the Hatteras Abyssal Plain. "
There are Defense Intelligence Agents on the case; there are "CSAC" agents competing for attention, and their agency is so secretive that even meaning of the acronym is classified. By the way, there is a woman agent too, Mildred Swensen; and a woman assassin, Julie Davenport who interact with myriad other interesting characters clothed in the kind of detailed development usually found in a literary novel.
(For those readers who dabble in numerology, the number four (4) appears fifty-nine times, so watch for it.)
"Because of this and, perhaps because this alien took four days and four nights to expire, Johnny Thapaha believed him to be an emissary from the Great Spirit. Johnny Thapaha called him 'the traveler.' "
You will have to buy the book to find out what happened before the alien died!
But the best part of Falling Star is the chance to learn about magnetometers, submersibles, sonar technology, oscilloscopes, Heckler Koch MP-5 submachine guns, and other integral equipment - lots of technical information - from an author who is also an engineer, trial lawyer and investment banker. If the reader pays attention, he/she will also absorb some geopolitical realities, the vicissitudes inherent in the war between Congress and science and the meaning of Starlength 1300.2!
Buy this book before the mysterious sonic booms shake your reading room.
March 28, 2011
In "Falling Star," Philip Chen spins a great yarn in this thriller combining science and cold war political intrigue. The plot is complex spanning many years and a wide range of settings. While the cast of characters is large, the major characters are all well drawn and likeable, with unique personalities and characteristics that makes keeping them straight easy. Aloysius “Mike” Liu, one of the few characters featured throughout most of the book has a life story surprising like Chen’s.
With a complex plot that touches on many technical areas, Chen appears to have done his research. The science, politics, geography and other technical subjects appear realistic. Although fiction, nothing about his story is something you’ll say, “That couldn’t have possibly happened.”
This attention to detail is both a strength and the source of my only two complaints. The first is a propensity to repeat a detail that matters, but isn’t critical. An example is, “Mike and Ellen went into the surprisingly small Situation Room of CSAC. Television monitors lined one wall of the remarkably small room.” That the room is small is a detail that matters. It adds color, helping the reader imagine what the author pictures. It isn’t a detail that requires repeating.
The other idiosyncrasy that sometimes got in the way of the story is painting a picture with too much specific detail. Take this description of an investment banker’s office. “Beside the large mahogany desk and leather chair, the office had a comfortable leather sofa and armchair, mahogany coffee table, dark Chippendale side chairs, and expensive oriental lamps.” Rather than inventory the office furnishings this could have been accomplished with something like, “The office was expensively furnished in dark wood and leather by Chippendale.”
Despite the occasional bump from these writing tics, I found "Falling Star" an enjoyable read. The story line is both original and at credible enough to make you think it might have really happened.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog.**
With a complex plot that touches on many technical areas, Chen appears to have done his research. The science, politics, geography and other technical subjects appear realistic. Although fiction, nothing about his story is something you’ll say, “That couldn’t have possibly happened.”
This attention to detail is both a strength and the source of my only two complaints. The first is a propensity to repeat a detail that matters, but isn’t critical. An example is, “Mike and Ellen went into the surprisingly small Situation Room of CSAC. Television monitors lined one wall of the remarkably small room.” That the room is small is a detail that matters. It adds color, helping the reader imagine what the author pictures. It isn’t a detail that requires repeating.
The other idiosyncrasy that sometimes got in the way of the story is painting a picture with too much specific detail. Take this description of an investment banker’s office. “Beside the large mahogany desk and leather chair, the office had a comfortable leather sofa and armchair, mahogany coffee table, dark Chippendale side chairs, and expensive oriental lamps.” Rather than inventory the office furnishings this could have been accomplished with something like, “The office was expensively furnished in dark wood and leather by Chippendale.”
Despite the occasional bump from these writing tics, I found "Falling Star" an enjoyable read. The story line is both original and at credible enough to make you think it might have really happened.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog.**
June 2, 2011
The premise of this novel is one that elicits images of a blockbuster film. Intrigue, politics, extraterrestrial life, and suspense are all part of this thriller. The author's own experience mirrors those of Mike Liu's character to some extent, and this is apparent in the details scattered throughout the book. This information is both an asset and a detractor for the book. The wealth of information creates a feeling of documentary rather than novel. With so many characters and so much background information about each, the development of each character wasn't as strong as I would have liked. I really like being immersed in a book, and I especially like when I can imagine myself talking to (or being) at least one of the characters. With this documentary-type feel, I felt more like I was watching an event being uncovered, but I wasn't taking part myself.
The actual plot is very interesting and has a lot of potential. It's reminiscent of a Tom Clancy creation, and the Soviet connection really cements that idea. It's apparent that the author thought about how the two main aspects of the storyline would come together, and the Soviet connection, in particular, was quite clever and well-crafted as an idea. The story drags a bit in places, and lacks fluidity in plot events. At some places in the story, it got somewhat exciting, but then cooled to a dead halt when the scene changed.
I think this story would benefit from some tightening of the storyline, including leaving out part of the explanation-heavy beginning, and tying the main concepts closer together. I think there is so much potential to this story, I would have loved to see it focused in a bit more. I felt there were several threads that were left unfinished, and that gave me a somewhat dissatisfied feeling at the end.
Overall, a good read for those who love techno-thrillers and appreciate copious amounts of detail. There is certainly much information to be learned in this story.
(Full review @ gracekrispy.com- MotherLode blog)
The actual plot is very interesting and has a lot of potential. It's reminiscent of a Tom Clancy creation, and the Soviet connection really cements that idea. It's apparent that the author thought about how the two main aspects of the storyline would come together, and the Soviet connection, in particular, was quite clever and well-crafted as an idea. The story drags a bit in places, and lacks fluidity in plot events. At some places in the story, it got somewhat exciting, but then cooled to a dead halt when the scene changed.
I think this story would benefit from some tightening of the storyline, including leaving out part of the explanation-heavy beginning, and tying the main concepts closer together. I think there is so much potential to this story, I would have loved to see it focused in a bit more. I felt there were several threads that were left unfinished, and that gave me a somewhat dissatisfied feeling at the end.
Overall, a good read for those who love techno-thrillers and appreciate copious amounts of detail. There is certainly much information to be learned in this story.
(Full review @ gracekrispy.com- MotherLode blog)
March 10, 2011
This isn't the kind of genre I'd normally read, so I didn't really know what to expect. What I found was a suspenseful sci-fi thriller that packs in UFOs, espionage, twists and turns galore, history, and anticpation as to what mysterious things really are lurking at the bottom of the ocean, and who wants to cover it up.
It was well-written, and although some readers have said the description is too detailed, as a reader who wasn't aware of some of the technical details involved in this story, it actually helped me grasp the concept better.
If you're looking for a novel that is mysterious and thought-provoking, then look no further than Falling Star.
It was well-written, and although some readers have said the description is too detailed, as a reader who wasn't aware of some of the technical details involved in this story, it actually helped me grasp the concept better.
If you're looking for a novel that is mysterious and thought-provoking, then look no further than Falling Star.
May 10, 2011
I got this as part of the member review program. I am torn on this one. It had lots of action and a good plot, but I got distracted by too many (IMO) unimportant details and it seemed like the book finished with no resolution. I may just not have been in the right frame of mind for this type of book, so will have to give it another read at a later date.
July 22, 2011
Fun, fast-paced sci-fi thriller from first-time author Phil Chen, a retired banker, my brother’s father-in-law, all-round top bloke. Weird alien objects are found deep in the ocean. Smart-as-a-whip former Navy man Mike Liu is called in to investigate. People start dropping dead around him like flies. Hold on to your hats, everyone, we’re in for a ride. Nice one, Mr Chen. When’s the sequel?
December 2, 2011
I was expecting science fiction: alien objects at the bottom of the sea, a 1940s crash of an alien vessel. Instead, this turned out to be a standard espionage-based plot with some science thrown in . . . (see more)
September 8, 2012
I was completely and fully wrapped up in awe with this one. The plot of this book will grab you by your very own fears. The only complaint I have is the characters came in to quick. Otherwise this is one of the best I have read yet.
August 17, 2011
A well written technothriller/science fiction novel with lots going on. However I was a bit disappointed with the ending - it felt unfinished - but then maybe there's a sequel to come.
April 7, 2011
A solid technothriller that felt a lot like classic Tom Clancy, with an edge of science fiction.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews