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Dark Heart: Images of a City
"I don't care if you think I'm just some lunatic with crazy ideas of a perfect world. I don't care if you think that what I am going to do is just a way for me to get attention. The simple fact is, that's what I want! I want everyone to know that crime will not be tolerated in this city... MY CITY!"Part thriller, part social commentary, Dark Images of a City follows a nameless vigilante's quest to cure the city of its sins. Endless newspaper images drive him to the streets, where he unleashes his own brand of justice on crime, resulting in his metamorphosis from citizen to villain.
111 pages, Paperback
First published September 6, 2007
8 people want to read
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August 23, 2023
Please excuse the fact that I have not introduced myself. I cannot, because of the work I will be undertaking now that I have completed my study. I do not want to put you or your family in danger.
A nameless figure in the modern city has decided that he can no longer sit idly by while crime is allowed to go unpunished. The bashings, rapes, road rage, theft, drug dealing and organized crime has been allowed to flourish while people hide in their homes and refuse to do anything about it.
This is the view of Travis Berketa's central character in Dark Heart: Images of a City. It's the dark tale of a man who has been pushed too far by fate and the rage inside him has been stoked to the point where it is about to come spewing out. He has transformed himself from your average citizen into a predator, a vigilante who has decided that he is going to fight back against the images that appear in the newspapers every day.
The book reads as a kind of diary kept by the vigilante who claims that he wants to keep a record so that people may understand why he has taken the action that he has chosen. He emphasises that he is not crazy, although it is pretty clear that he is psychologically traumatised.
The man turns into a one-man crime wave as he sets about "making the city safe for us". His victims are molesters, drug dealers, crime king-pins and hitmen...and he doesn't go easy on them. His expectations are that he will be hailed a hero for his brave efforts against low-life scum, but his expectations are unrealistic - after all, as far as the police are concerned he's just another violent offender.
I can't believe the police would do something like this; they're probably upset because I'm getting things done, while they're sitting in their offices eating their jam-filled doughnuts. They would rather take in an innocent person who is trying to make their job easier than go after the real criminals. That's their mistake!
This rant comes after he bashes a drug dealer into unconsciousness and has been caught by the police at the scene. It's a refrain that he will repeat often as he piously continues to preach to us that what he is doing is for our own good. As the images of more and more crime in the newspapers are relayed to us the vigilante becomes increasingly agitated and, as he gradually becomes one of those very images that set him off, his agitation grows into something much more.
You can feel his control slipping away and understand that things are not going to end well.
The reader has a choice while reading Dark Heart. You can side with the vigilante and applaud the action he takes in fighting back against the criminals loose on our streets. For some, I'm sure, have had similar brief fantasies of getting their own taste of revenge. Or you can condemn him for taking matters into his own hands, adding to the growing crime wave running across the city.
A high quality example of modern urban noir by an Australian author and it could be set in the city streets of Australia, although it could also be set anywhere else in the world too.
A nameless figure in the modern city has decided that he can no longer sit idly by while crime is allowed to go unpunished. The bashings, rapes, road rage, theft, drug dealing and organized crime has been allowed to flourish while people hide in their homes and refuse to do anything about it.
This is the view of Travis Berketa's central character in Dark Heart: Images of a City. It's the dark tale of a man who has been pushed too far by fate and the rage inside him has been stoked to the point where it is about to come spewing out. He has transformed himself from your average citizen into a predator, a vigilante who has decided that he is going to fight back against the images that appear in the newspapers every day.
The book reads as a kind of diary kept by the vigilante who claims that he wants to keep a record so that people may understand why he has taken the action that he has chosen. He emphasises that he is not crazy, although it is pretty clear that he is psychologically traumatised.
The man turns into a one-man crime wave as he sets about "making the city safe for us". His victims are molesters, drug dealers, crime king-pins and hitmen...and he doesn't go easy on them. His expectations are that he will be hailed a hero for his brave efforts against low-life scum, but his expectations are unrealistic - after all, as far as the police are concerned he's just another violent offender.
I can't believe the police would do something like this; they're probably upset because I'm getting things done, while they're sitting in their offices eating their jam-filled doughnuts. They would rather take in an innocent person who is trying to make their job easier than go after the real criminals. That's their mistake!
This rant comes after he bashes a drug dealer into unconsciousness and has been caught by the police at the scene. It's a refrain that he will repeat often as he piously continues to preach to us that what he is doing is for our own good. As the images of more and more crime in the newspapers are relayed to us the vigilante becomes increasingly agitated and, as he gradually becomes one of those very images that set him off, his agitation grows into something much more.
You can feel his control slipping away and understand that things are not going to end well.
The reader has a choice while reading Dark Heart. You can side with the vigilante and applaud the action he takes in fighting back against the criminals loose on our streets. For some, I'm sure, have had similar brief fantasies of getting their own taste of revenge. Or you can condemn him for taking matters into his own hands, adding to the growing crime wave running across the city.
A high quality example of modern urban noir by an Australian author and it could be set in the city streets of Australia, although it could also be set anywhere else in the world too.
February 11, 2013
Dark Heart ..Images of a City by Travis Berketa.
This book, along with Angels in the City, and Beasts in the City, were kindly sent to me by the Author through Goodreads first reads... The least I can do in return is give an honest review...
How do the words of the song go? 'We don't need another hero..' but in point of fact..WE DO...
This story provides us with one...Flawed he may be, slightly twisted and with a heart growing colder and harder with every tragedy he encounters in 'His city' he is nonetheless a hero. A one man vigilante who, having lost every person he cared about to the evil that lurks within the tar and cement jungle, he has almost reached breaking point, and I feel, teeters on the edge of sanity.
He must rid the city of those who prey on the unwary, the innocent, the frail... He allows us into his life, trying to make us understand just what his mission is...We walk with him as he unleashes vengeful justice on the rapists, child molesters, drug dealers...al those who hang to the shadows and live their lives with darkness in their hearts.
We are shocked by his metamorphhosis from 'lone boy' to 'lone wolf'. We are half respectful, half afraid of of what he is doing in the name of 'saving' us. He asks us to stand up for justice, to join him in his quest to rid our society of the scum that has oozed and settled in the darkness on the edges of our lives. Do we take up his cause to help those in distress, or do we lock ourselves tightly in our homes, ignoring the cries for help, believing this offers us safety?
Travis Berketa has played devil's advocate in writing this novel...No it's not a large book, but it speaks volumes.. Each page is fast paced and deadly accurate, with little gems of wisdom splattered through the novel, making it a story that not only captures our imagination gives us all a wake up call.
I would recommend this book to anyone with an adventurous spirit, and a sense of fair play. Especially to young adults, but also to older readers, such as myself, as most of us were adventurous and brave once, ourselves
Well done Travis Berketa for this foray into the dark and seamy side of all our cities and for giving us a glimmer of hope that there still could be those, who are no longer satisfied just to turn a blind eye to the tragic images of a city.
I enjoyed the story, it made me think of all the injustices inflicted upon the innocents. .. To think of the sad fact that many of our fellow human beings really are willing to simply walk away and not become involved, when perhaps even the slightest sign of involvement is all it would have taken to save a life. No I won't be carrying an iron bar about with me, and becoming a one Granny vigilante, but I will be sure to keep my eyes open and remain watchful..
This book, along with Angels in the City, and Beasts in the City, were kindly sent to me by the Author through Goodreads first reads... The least I can do in return is give an honest review...
How do the words of the song go? 'We don't need another hero..' but in point of fact..WE DO...
This story provides us with one...Flawed he may be, slightly twisted and with a heart growing colder and harder with every tragedy he encounters in 'His city' he is nonetheless a hero. A one man vigilante who, having lost every person he cared about to the evil that lurks within the tar and cement jungle, he has almost reached breaking point, and I feel, teeters on the edge of sanity.
He must rid the city of those who prey on the unwary, the innocent, the frail... He allows us into his life, trying to make us understand just what his mission is...We walk with him as he unleashes vengeful justice on the rapists, child molesters, drug dealers...al those who hang to the shadows and live their lives with darkness in their hearts.
We are shocked by his metamorphhosis from 'lone boy' to 'lone wolf'. We are half respectful, half afraid of of what he is doing in the name of 'saving' us. He asks us to stand up for justice, to join him in his quest to rid our society of the scum that has oozed and settled in the darkness on the edges of our lives. Do we take up his cause to help those in distress, or do we lock ourselves tightly in our homes, ignoring the cries for help, believing this offers us safety?
Travis Berketa has played devil's advocate in writing this novel...No it's not a large book, but it speaks volumes.. Each page is fast paced and deadly accurate, with little gems of wisdom splattered through the novel, making it a story that not only captures our imagination gives us all a wake up call.
I would recommend this book to anyone with an adventurous spirit, and a sense of fair play. Especially to young adults, but also to older readers, such as myself, as most of us were adventurous and brave once, ourselves
Well done Travis Berketa for this foray into the dark and seamy side of all our cities and for giving us a glimmer of hope that there still could be those, who are no longer satisfied just to turn a blind eye to the tragic images of a city.
I enjoyed the story, it made me think of all the injustices inflicted upon the innocents. .. To think of the sad fact that many of our fellow human beings really are willing to simply walk away and not become involved, when perhaps even the slightest sign of involvement is all it would have taken to save a life. No I won't be carrying an iron bar about with me, and becoming a one Granny vigilante, but I will be sure to keep my eyes open and remain watchful..
June 23, 2012
This was a great book. I like how it talked to the reader and made you think - 'this could be my city'. It's very relevant to today's society. Can't wait to read the second one.
April 11, 2013
Dark Heart: Images of a City provoked images of the comic genre. Character's like Marvel's Punisher and (to some extent) Moon Knight, along with Rorschach from DC's Watchmen, seem to be the models for the main protagonist, the nameless vigilante; however the vigilante is probably a little more over the top.
This novella is a quick read (just under an hour's worth), but its fast pace and thought provoking issues send a strong message to the read: "...crime will not be tolerated in this city... MY CITY!". The vigilante is created through a series of horrific events from his past, which totally wipes out his family and those closest to him; however instead of playing the victim card (much like The Punisher) he wages a one man war on the criminals of the city. From drug pushers, rapists, brutal thugs to underworld criminals, this book covers them all in a thick layer of blood and gore, which the vigilante rationalises in a way that has the reader almost siding with him.
Written in the second person, it helps the reader become more involved in the story and allows us to almost sympathise with the vigilante as he spirals into insanity. A well written book with many issues that we see in our own newspapers, no matter which country we live in.
JUST BE AWARE THAT THIS BOOK HAS VERY EXPLICIT SCENES, SO IT REALLY ISN'T FOR CHILDREN!
This novella is a quick read (just under an hour's worth), but its fast pace and thought provoking issues send a strong message to the read: "...crime will not be tolerated in this city... MY CITY!". The vigilante is created through a series of horrific events from his past, which totally wipes out his family and those closest to him; however instead of playing the victim card (much like The Punisher) he wages a one man war on the criminals of the city. From drug pushers, rapists, brutal thugs to underworld criminals, this book covers them all in a thick layer of blood and gore, which the vigilante rationalises in a way that has the reader almost siding with him.
Written in the second person, it helps the reader become more involved in the story and allows us to almost sympathise with the vigilante as he spirals into insanity. A well written book with many issues that we see in our own newspapers, no matter which country we live in.
JUST BE AWARE THAT THIS BOOK HAS VERY EXPLICIT SCENES, SO IT REALLY ISN'T FOR CHILDREN!
September 4, 2012
Won in Goodreads First Reads. Thankyou!
It literally took me an hour to read this it was so short. I think that keeping this short was what saved the book. If this had gone any longer then it could've felt dragged out and repetitive but this was just long enough to get the point across. And, oh, it sure did have a point. Although insightful, the whole book came off as very anvilicious to me. That is--it had an idea/strong theme to get across and instead of subtly doing it, dropped it on your head (like an anvil...get it?...it's from TV Tropes). It does say in the blurb that it is meant to be part social commentary but most of the book was commentating with the plot barely sliding in-between. However, like I said, this was a short book so slapping the message in the reader's face was less intolerable, more just painfully obvious.
The writing leant towards showing and not telling, however it was set out like a diary so this was forgiveable. It was very matter of fact and the tone of the narrator was extremely aggressive (especially since the fourth wall was broken and he directly addressed the reader). The pace was very fast and some of the events seemed a bit far fetched e.g. A major crime happening right next door to a vigilante, all the unrelated tradegies happening to the narrator (but then, this could've been done on purpose to enforce the idea that crime is everywhere, You could look at it either way) but I enjoyed this short read. The style was reminiscent of Rorscharch's diary in Watchmen, the themes almost exactly the same, so anyone who enjoyed that will likely enjoy this.
There were lots of improvements that could've been made but overall this was a quick, thought provoking read that really got to the point and ran with it. The plot might've been pretty generic but the overall message and themes came through very strongly which I believe is what the author intended.
Plot rating: 5/10
Character rating: 4/10
Style of writing: 4/10
First 1/3: 7/10
Second 1/3: 6/10
Third 1/3: 5/10
MC rating: 7/10
Scenery rating: 5/10
Concept rating: 6/10
Emotional rating: 7.5/10
Overall score: 56.5/100
It literally took me an hour to read this it was so short. I think that keeping this short was what saved the book. If this had gone any longer then it could've felt dragged out and repetitive but this was just long enough to get the point across. And, oh, it sure did have a point. Although insightful, the whole book came off as very anvilicious to me. That is--it had an idea/strong theme to get across and instead of subtly doing it, dropped it on your head (like an anvil...get it?...it's from TV Tropes). It does say in the blurb that it is meant to be part social commentary but most of the book was commentating with the plot barely sliding in-between. However, like I said, this was a short book so slapping the message in the reader's face was less intolerable, more just painfully obvious.
The writing leant towards showing and not telling, however it was set out like a diary so this was forgiveable. It was very matter of fact and the tone of the narrator was extremely aggressive (especially since the fourth wall was broken and he directly addressed the reader). The pace was very fast and some of the events seemed a bit far fetched e.g. A major crime happening right next door to a vigilante, all the unrelated tradegies happening to the narrator (but then, this could've been done on purpose to enforce the idea that crime is everywhere, You could look at it either way) but I enjoyed this short read. The style was reminiscent of Rorscharch's diary in Watchmen, the themes almost exactly the same, so anyone who enjoyed that will likely enjoy this.
There were lots of improvements that could've been made but overall this was a quick, thought provoking read that really got to the point and ran with it. The plot might've been pretty generic but the overall message and themes came through very strongly which I believe is what the author intended.
Plot rating: 5/10
Character rating: 4/10
Style of writing: 4/10
First 1/3: 7/10
Second 1/3: 6/10
Third 1/3: 5/10
MC rating: 7/10
Scenery rating: 5/10
Concept rating: 6/10
Emotional rating: 7.5/10
Overall score: 56.5/100
September 11, 2012
This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon. Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me.
An unnamed vigilante roams the city, trying to reverse the damage done to a city by people who say 'so what?' His decent into madness is inevitable - and in a way, this novella reminds me of Batman!
This is a novella - it took me around an hour to read it. It was fast paced, although there were a couple of sections where I felt the language was awkward. The present tense really drew me into the character.
I liked the way the narrator felt the need to explain himself, but still things went downhill. The journal form that this is written in is ideal for showing the mental deterioration. This is a stream of consciousness book that others might enjoy more than me.
I find it hard to comment on such short books as this one. This novella highlights the shortcomings of the police force, but also reveals what can go wrong when taking the law into your own hands. I can at least say it was thought provoking, although I don't see myself wielding an iron bar like that any time soon.
Oh the irony. The protagonist just doesn't seem to notice that sometimes people do care - and he ends up damaging them as well! His mentions of God are equally ironic - something that fits in with my own viewpoint.
The RRP for this novella is $24.95, which to me is way too much for such a slim book. If it was on Amazon for $0.99 I would be far more likely to recommend it to you. For that much, I can recommend a whole other set of books that would no doubt further the same ideas.
There is explicit violence and rape in this book, so I would recommend it only for adults.
I received this book as part of the Goodreads: First Reads program, but this did not influence my review in any way. All opinions are my own.
An unnamed vigilante roams the city, trying to reverse the damage done to a city by people who say 'so what?' His decent into madness is inevitable - and in a way, this novella reminds me of Batman!
This is a novella - it took me around an hour to read it. It was fast paced, although there were a couple of sections where I felt the language was awkward. The present tense really drew me into the character.
I liked the way the narrator felt the need to explain himself, but still things went downhill. The journal form that this is written in is ideal for showing the mental deterioration. This is a stream of consciousness book that others might enjoy more than me.
I find it hard to comment on such short books as this one. This novella highlights the shortcomings of the police force, but also reveals what can go wrong when taking the law into your own hands. I can at least say it was thought provoking, although I don't see myself wielding an iron bar like that any time soon.
Oh the irony. The protagonist just doesn't seem to notice that sometimes people do care - and he ends up damaging them as well! His mentions of God are equally ironic - something that fits in with my own viewpoint.
The RRP for this novella is $24.95, which to me is way too much for such a slim book. If it was on Amazon for $0.99 I would be far more likely to recommend it to you. For that much, I can recommend a whole other set of books that would no doubt further the same ideas.
There is explicit violence and rape in this book, so I would recommend it only for adults.
I received this book as part of the Goodreads: First Reads program, but this did not influence my review in any way. All opinions are my own.
February 17, 2018
As I wrote this book, I won't review it - because it might sound a bit too biased; but I will write down the reasons why I wrote it.
Dark Heart: Images of a City came about after my fiancée had been held up at gunpoint while she was working, which left her suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. For those that do not know a lot about PTSD, it not only affects those that have it, but those closest to people who suffer from it are also worn down by paranoia, distrust and episodes of anger and sadness, pretty much leaving us helpless. (I can only write what I felt, because I can only imagine what was going through my fiancée's mind at the time).
I wondered what would make someone do such a thing - it wasn't hard to figure out, the answer was simple MONEY. Whether it was money for drugs or money for some other rubbish, only the attacker knows, but as I read through the newspapers and watched the news throughout the weeks that followed, I noticed one constant thing - crime seemed to be a headline each day and nobody seemed to be doing much to curb it. What finally got me writing was when I had read several articles about attacks that happened in front of groups of people and it appeared that nobody felt the need to stand up for the victims.
I began thinking - WHAT IF SOMEONE DID DECIDE ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH AND TOOK MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS?
And so, Dark Heart: Images of a City was born, with a Vigilante who wants his city to become a paradise; though he has a long, long way to go to make it one, and a lot of people to convince that his way is the best way.
Hope you enjoy it!
Dark Heart: Images of a City came about after my fiancée had been held up at gunpoint while she was working, which left her suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. For those that do not know a lot about PTSD, it not only affects those that have it, but those closest to people who suffer from it are also worn down by paranoia, distrust and episodes of anger and sadness, pretty much leaving us helpless. (I can only write what I felt, because I can only imagine what was going through my fiancée's mind at the time).
I wondered what would make someone do such a thing - it wasn't hard to figure out, the answer was simple MONEY. Whether it was money for drugs or money for some other rubbish, only the attacker knows, but as I read through the newspapers and watched the news throughout the weeks that followed, I noticed one constant thing - crime seemed to be a headline each day and nobody seemed to be doing much to curb it. What finally got me writing was when I had read several articles about attacks that happened in front of groups of people and it appeared that nobody felt the need to stand up for the victims.
I began thinking - WHAT IF SOMEONE DID DECIDE ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH AND TOOK MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS?
And so, Dark Heart: Images of a City was born, with a Vigilante who wants his city to become a paradise; though he has a long, long way to go to make it one, and a lot of people to convince that his way is the best way.
Hope you enjoy it!
April 8, 2012
Dark Heart: Images of a City is quite a different book from most that I've read. It is written in the second person, which draws you in. The vigilante is a strong character, in that he has a set mission and goes about his business without fear of reprisals. The social commentary aspect really has you thinking about the state of the world at the moment and I could agree with a lot of the things that the vigilante put forward.
The story is pretty violent, however I guess the way the character is written, it makes sense. I love the way the author meshes the images from the newspapers into the story - this way we see just where the vigilante is coming from. You can almost sympathise with him because you know where he's coming from.
I recommend that you all at least have a read of it!
The story is pretty violent, however I guess the way the character is written, it makes sense. I love the way the author meshes the images from the newspapers into the story - this way we see just where the vigilante is coming from. You can almost sympathise with him because you know where he's coming from.
I recommend that you all at least have a read of it!
February 27, 2013
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads.This is the first book in the Dark Heart seried which sees a nameless vigilante ridding the streets of criminals.
I really enjoyed the book,more than I thought I would. It is filled with violence which may not appeal to everyone but gives a more honest visualisation of what is happening.
It is a very thought provoking book and really makes you take a step backwards and think about your own life and the society that we are living in today.
I really recommend this book to other readers and am looking forward to reading 'Angels in the City',the next book in the Dark Heart series.
I really enjoyed the book,more than I thought I would. It is filled with violence which may not appeal to everyone but gives a more honest visualisation of what is happening.
It is a very thought provoking book and really makes you take a step backwards and think about your own life and the society that we are living in today.
I really recommend this book to other readers and am looking forward to reading 'Angels in the City',the next book in the Dark Heart series.
September 9, 2012
3.5
Good read. It had me nodding to many issues society has that the 'nameless vigilante' pointed out. The book is part thriller and part social commentary; but I felt as though it was mainly pointing out the obvious of the flaws in humanity more than following the plot as it would have been more interesting. I was glad it wasn't a long story because it was fast paced as it was and ended at the right moments. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable and I wouldn't mind reading the next book to the Dark Heart series.
Good read. It had me nodding to many issues society has that the 'nameless vigilante' pointed out. The book is part thriller and part social commentary; but I felt as though it was mainly pointing out the obvious of the flaws in humanity more than following the plot as it would have been more interesting. I was glad it wasn't a long story because it was fast paced as it was and ended at the right moments. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable and I wouldn't mind reading the next book to the Dark Heart series.
November 28, 2012
Not my genre, hero/saviour complex in main character, could not finish fast enough, skimmed ending, want to avoid sequel. Quite morbid.
September 17, 2012
This fast paced story brings to light the shadowy side of humanity, to which many prefer to turn a blind eye. Thought provoking and straight to the point it was a great quick read.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews