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livyalusk's review against another edition
3.0
It was hard to rate this book, but I settled on 3 stars as I enjoyed it but it was too messy for me to recommend it to anyone.
What was scary about this book wasn't the murders or the mystery, but the constant idea of characters having had everything taken from them, losing all control, not being believed or trusted and not even being able to trust themselves. It was interesting how they dealt with those situations of varying scales, but overall I think their sanity was tested much more than their personality and I just didn't like that. I think mystery plotlines can test characters and allow us to see their personalities in the way it affects them, but there was pretty much nothing here. The protagonist has a discernable personality which is rare for your average Detective McDetectiveFace character, but he's too messy. Koryta likes to put an angry white guy in a bad situation and make you root for his good qualities to prevail as he struggles, but I didn't really care what happened to this one.
I think the main message of this book was not to try too hard to control everything, because the more you struggle the more you lose, and if you want power too badly you'll end up with none. This tied in with themes of regret and insecurity. If I can rely on one thing in a Koryta novel, it's his constant reminders of the themes that happen even in the smallest of situations... probably an English teacher's dream.
The book also wrapped up in a very strange way. Not just because of all the mysterious information they discovered, but because of the way it was given to them very much out of the blue. Nearing the end, I was panicking thinking there were plots that wouldn't be resolved, and then they just were.
In general, this book is a decent read for people who like the genre, but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. Something that got to me was to do with the genre, and that is that he just falls into conventions that are just a bit off. None particularly disrespectful, but lots of little tiny moments that just bother me while reading. He's created something new for himself, but the inspiration from older crime writers and Stephen King (my arch-nemesis that he looks up to...) is quite present.
Now there was one detail that REALLY should've stayed in Michael's head and then he should've been lobotomised. The main character's mother used to pretend to be a Native American in order to scam people. This is already a silly idea, but it gets worse. The character rightfully hates it and thinks she's disrespectfully appropriating their culture ... but then he goes on to say that he grew to love the 'chant music' and thinks it's so powerful that he uses it to hype himself up. This man goes to the gym and listens to Native American chant music. WHAT? Jail.
What was scary about this book wasn't the murders or the mystery, but the constant idea of characters having had everything taken from them, losing all control, not being believed or trusted and not even being able to trust themselves. It was interesting how they dealt with those situations of varying scales, but overall I think their sanity was tested much more than their personality and I just didn't like that. I think mystery plotlines can test characters and allow us to see their personalities in the way it affects them, but there was pretty much nothing here. The protagonist has a discernable personality which is rare for your average Detective McDetectiveFace character, but he's too messy. Koryta likes to put an angry white guy in a bad situation and make you root for his good qualities to prevail as he struggles, but I didn't really care what happened to this one.
I think the main message of this book was not to try too hard to control everything, because the more you struggle the more you lose, and if you want power too badly you'll end up with none. This tied in with themes of regret and insecurity. If I can rely on one thing in a Koryta novel, it's his constant reminders of the themes that happen even in the smallest of situations... probably an English teacher's dream.
The book also wrapped up in a very strange way. Not just because of all the mysterious information they discovered, but because of the way it was given to them very much out of the blue. Nearing the end, I was panicking thinking there were plots that wouldn't be resolved, and then they just were.
In general, this book is a decent read for people who like the genre, but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. Something that got to me was to do with the genre, and that is that he just falls into conventions that are just a bit off. None particularly disrespectful, but lots of little tiny moments that just bother me while reading. He's created something new for himself, but the inspiration from older crime writers and Stephen King (my arch-nemesis that he looks up to...) is quite present.
Now there was one detail that REALLY should've stayed in Michael's head and then he should've been lobotomised. The main character's mother used to pretend to be a Native American in order to scam people. This is already a silly idea, but it gets worse. The character rightfully hates it and thinks she's disrespectfully appropriating their culture ... but then he goes on to say that he grew to love the 'chant music' and thinks it's so powerful that he uses it to hype himself up. This man goes to the gym and listens to Native American chant music. WHAT? Jail.
inkyfingerspgs's review against another edition
4.0
I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
I have been in a bit of a reading slump for quite some time, so I was relieved to find that I liked this book from the very beginning. I typically enjoy thrillers, but I enjoyed this one more than most.
Here are the things I liked most about the book:
1. The plot was complex enough to keep me interested and unable to guess at the ending.
2. The characters (the main ones at least) had a depth of development that I don't usually see in the typical thriller.
3. The setting becomes the star of the show. Descriptions of Trapdoor left me feeling claustrophobic in my own living room.
I had not read any of Michael Koryta's work before this book, but I intend to do so after reading this!
I have been in a bit of a reading slump for quite some time, so I was relieved to find that I liked this book from the very beginning. I typically enjoy thrillers, but I enjoyed this one more than most.
Here are the things I liked most about the book:
1. The plot was complex enough to keep me interested and unable to guess at the ending.
2. The characters (the main ones at least) had a depth of development that I don't usually see in the typical thriller.
3. The setting becomes the star of the show. Descriptions of Trapdoor left me feeling claustrophobic in my own living room.
I had not read any of Michael Koryta's work before this book, but I intend to do so after reading this!
sallwardt122's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
sydneyloughner's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars, honestly was kind of surprised by the ending but I think it was a bit rushed and could have been expanded on more. Overall was a good read.
cymshady's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars rounded up!
This was a solid novel: twist and turns, action-packed adventure, and quite relatable characters. I found myself feeling empathy for pretty much damn near everyone by the end - Markus, Julianne, Ridley, Evan, the police chief..... due to the back story that Koryta created for them all, I could understand why they behaved the ways they did. I really like learning more about the characters as the book progressed - often times things were revealed that totally contradicted what I had thought based on first impressions of a character.
I do not like confined spaces so the scenes taking place in Trapdoor made me quite uncomfortable at times but thankfully there were only minimal scenes underground.
I personally think it could've used some romance or spice but alas, not that kind of book.
This was a solid novel: twist and turns, action-packed adventure, and quite relatable characters. I found myself feeling empathy for pretty much damn near everyone by the end - Markus, Julianne, Ridley, Evan, the police chief..... due to the back story that Koryta created for them all, I could understand why they behaved the ways they did. I really like learning more about the characters as the book progressed - often times things were revealed that totally contradicted what I had thought based on first impressions of a character.
I do not like confined spaces so the scenes taking place in Trapdoor made me quite uncomfortable at times but thankfully there were only minimal scenes underground.
I personally think it could've used some romance or spice but alas, not that kind of book.
mmc6661's review against another edition
4.0
Let me just say that if your claustrophobic then this is going to be a tough read ! Koryta's under the ground cave scenes were so descriptive that I could barely breath while reading them. I felt like I was stuck in a dark cave right along with Marcus the main character of the story.
Mark Novak is mourning the death of his wife when his company sends him to investigate the death of a young girl who died on the same day as his wife. Her death happened in newly discovered caverns and the man responsible for finding her was also accused of killing her although it could never be proved. Shortly after Mark arrives in this Midwest town he encounters hostility from everyone he meets to the point that he is looking guilty. More and more questions arise as Mark fights to just stay alive in his quest for the truth.
A tense and suspenseful page turner.
Mark Novak is mourning the death of his wife when his company sends him to investigate the death of a young girl who died on the same day as his wife. Her death happened in newly discovered caverns and the man responsible for finding her was also accused of killing her although it could never be proved. Shortly after Mark arrives in this Midwest town he encounters hostility from everyone he meets to the point that he is looking guilty. More and more questions arise as Mark fights to just stay alive in his quest for the truth.
A tense and suspenseful page turner.
emckeon1002's review against another edition
2.0
I struggled with this one, then got angry, then told myself to shut it and walk away several times. Reading to the end didn't provide any reward. Why wouldn't I love a book with anthropomorphizes a cave, features a protagonist who is like the movie heroine who refuses to take the advice "don't go into the basement," and features a story where hypnotism is a driving force. Kortya frustrated when an early dialogue reported by a third-person, omniscient narrator proves to be totally unreliable, and when the third to last chapter is filled with explication in the form of a confession. Cheat!!! Last words is right. Last words I'll be reading by Michael Koryta.
cortasty's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
dantastic's review against another edition
3.0
Haunted by his wife's death and his last words to her, Mark Novak heads north from Florida to Indiana, to meet a eccentric recluse who either retrieved a girl's body or was the one who murdered her. Can Novak solve the mystery of Ridley Barnes with his sanity intact?
[b:The Prophet|13498709|The Prophet|Michael Koryta|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1348957221s/13498709.jpg|19044014] was one of the best books I read in 2015 so I was eager to give Michael Koryta another shot. I found this one on the cheap.
First off, I have to say this is a hard one to pin down. Michael Koryta's writing chops are intact and his characters are well-drawn. However, the plot is a kind of a mess.
The setup seemed fishy. Ridley Barnes wants Mark Novak to help him figure out if he killed Sarah Martin or not. Barnes was never wound quite right to begin with and threw a sprocket or two in the darkness searching for Sarah. Furthermore, when you throw in a hypnotist and a bunch of unlikely events, eyes were rolling and I kept eyeing up the Big Nowhere in the on deck circle.
However, the book wasn't a complete shit sandwich. As I said, Koryta's writing is still pretty spectacular. He does a great job with the characters, like actors in a project they know is crap but still give it their all. Also, I've never had a problem with claustrophobia but this book made me feel claustrophobic as hell at times. Spelunking is a big part of the story and Koryta does a phenomenal job with it. I felt like I was in the dark and cold with the rest of the characters.
Last Words is a well-written thriller with wonky plot. Michael Koryta's writing overcomes some of the faults but ultimately isn't enough to make chicken salad out of chicken feathers. Like I said, it's a hard one to rate. I'm giving it a three because of Koryta's writing ability. It would probably be a two with anyone else at the helm.
[b:The Prophet|13498709|The Prophet|Michael Koryta|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1348957221s/13498709.jpg|19044014] was one of the best books I read in 2015 so I was eager to give Michael Koryta another shot. I found this one on the cheap.
First off, I have to say this is a hard one to pin down. Michael Koryta's writing chops are intact and his characters are well-drawn. However, the plot is a kind of a mess.
The setup seemed fishy. Ridley Barnes wants Mark Novak to help him figure out if he killed Sarah Martin or not. Barnes was never wound quite right to begin with and threw a sprocket or two in the darkness searching for Sarah. Furthermore, when you throw in a hypnotist and a bunch of unlikely events, eyes were rolling and I kept eyeing up the Big Nowhere in the on deck circle.
However, the book wasn't a complete shit sandwich. As I said, Koryta's writing is still pretty spectacular. He does a great job with the characters, like actors in a project they know is crap but still give it their all. Also, I've never had a problem with claustrophobia but this book made me feel claustrophobic as hell at times. Spelunking is a big part of the story and Koryta does a phenomenal job with it. I felt like I was in the dark and cold with the rest of the characters.
Last Words is a well-written thriller with wonky plot. Michael Koryta's writing overcomes some of the faults but ultimately isn't enough to make chicken salad out of chicken feathers. Like I said, it's a hard one to rate. I'm giving it a three because of Koryta's writing ability. It would probably be a two with anyone else at the helm.