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breezy610's review
4.0
very good. much better than the first one. I missed Will, the anitque dealer from the first novel, but i guess they never worked out their relationship. i dunno why but i am getting a feeling that other relationship is working through. i hope i am right. i can't wait to read on in the series.
kathydavie's review
5.0
Second in the Greywalker urban fantasy series set in Seattle and revolving around a private investigator who can walk between worlds.
Whoa...the frauds aren't all that surprising especially with what's revealed about his past but the direction that Tuckman's experiment takes and its results are very unexpected.
I like what Richardson is doing with the series as a whole and this particular installment was pretty tense. My only objection is that Richardson hasn't worked her continuing characters in this one as much as she worked the story and its particular characters. It was fascinating how she worked their interaction and the changing dynamics even though I also feel that she neglected to stretch the tensions between them as much as she could have as well as their own personal issues. I wouldn't mind seeing a short story on Patricia Railsbeck's kids and I rather liked Wayne.
Harper is hired by Professor Tuckman to find the saboteur in his experiment to study "how rational individuals become irrational in groups and how that is reinforced by the group itself". The irony is that Tuckman himself has two saboteurs in the group and he thinks there's another one working on his or her own. And he is lyin' his ass off to Harper.
As Harper looks into the experiment and interviews its participants, she learns how the parameters of the experiment are twisting them, changing interpersonal relationships, creating emotional havoc and she discovers the underlying frauds perpetrated by Tuckman.
Harper Blaine is a private investigator with a special ability to "see" the supernatural after a brush with death (see Greywalker). She's getting better at understanding how to use this new gift but is still leery of it. Chaos is her manic ferret. Will is the man Harper would love to have in her life and he's not sure it's a life he can handle; Michael is his brother.
Mara Danziger is a witch who helps Harper with the more physical aspects of the Grey while her husband Ben better understands its metaphysics. Both teach at the University of Washington. Their very young son Brian is currently going through a rhino phase. Albert is their resident ghost.
Quinton is an independent DIY who has become friends with Harper. If you can imagine it, Quinton can create it. Detective Rey Solis is investigating the first murder of one of Tuckman's group. Phoebe Mason is the owner of Old Possum's Books 'n' Beans, a used bookstore and self-appointed surrogate mother to Harper. Happily, Phoebe's family sees themselves as Harper's family as well.
Cameron Shadley is the vampire Harper helped in Greywalker. Carlos is both vampire and necromancer besides being Cameron's mentor in his new unlife and the proprietor of Adult Fantasies. Harper finds him very scary; so far, there is a detente between Carlos and Edward. Edward is the head vampire in Seattle.
Gartner Tuckman is a professor at Pacific Northwest University. Denise Francisco is his very angry secretary who helped install the system for the meeting and control rooms while the insecure and angry Terry Dornier monitors the controls. Celia Falwell is the "ghost" in Tuckman's experiment. Mark Lupoldi is one of Tuckman's special assistants in the experiment. The experiment's participants include Dale and Cara Stahlqvist, both A-types in business with an open marriage; Ken George; Wayne Hopke is the retired major with a drinking problem; Ana Choi and Ian Markine joined out of boredom; and, Patricia Railsback is an unhappy housewife whose kids can see the Grey.
The cover has a very cocky Harper posed next to a Chinese dragon on a street in Chinatown in Seattle---you can just see the Space Needle in the distance---all of it covered in a very hazy yellow.
The title is all about the Poltergeist as it becomes more and more alive.
My Take
Whoa...the frauds aren't all that surprising especially with what's revealed about his past but the direction that Tuckman's experiment takes and its results are very unexpected.
I like what Richardson is doing with the series as a whole and this particular installment was pretty tense. My only objection is that Richardson hasn't worked her continuing characters in this one as much as she worked the story and its particular characters. It was fascinating how she worked their interaction and the changing dynamics even though I also feel that she neglected to stretch the tensions between them as much as she could have as well as their own personal issues. I wouldn't mind seeing a short story on Patricia Railsbeck's kids and I rather liked Wayne.
The Story
Harper is hired by Professor Tuckman to find the saboteur in his experiment to study "how rational individuals become irrational in groups and how that is reinforced by the group itself". The irony is that Tuckman himself has two saboteurs in the group and he thinks there's another one working on his or her own. And he is lyin' his ass off to Harper.
As Harper looks into the experiment and interviews its participants, she learns how the parameters of the experiment are twisting them, changing interpersonal relationships, creating emotional havoc and she discovers the underlying frauds perpetrated by Tuckman.
The Characters
Harper Blaine is a private investigator with a special ability to "see" the supernatural after a brush with death (see Greywalker). She's getting better at understanding how to use this new gift but is still leery of it. Chaos is her manic ferret. Will is the man Harper would love to have in her life and he's not sure it's a life he can handle; Michael is his brother.
Mara Danziger is a witch who helps Harper with the more physical aspects of the Grey while her husband Ben better understands its metaphysics. Both teach at the University of Washington. Their very young son Brian is currently going through a rhino phase. Albert is their resident ghost.
Quinton is an independent DIY who has become friends with Harper. If you can imagine it, Quinton can create it. Detective Rey Solis is investigating the first murder of one of Tuckman's group. Phoebe Mason is the owner of Old Possum's Books 'n' Beans, a used bookstore and self-appointed surrogate mother to Harper. Happily, Phoebe's family sees themselves as Harper's family as well.
Cameron Shadley is the vampire Harper helped in Greywalker. Carlos is both vampire and necromancer besides being Cameron's mentor in his new unlife and the proprietor of Adult Fantasies. Harper finds him very scary; so far, there is a detente between Carlos and Edward. Edward is the head vampire in Seattle.
Gartner Tuckman is a professor at Pacific Northwest University. Denise Francisco is his very angry secretary who helped install the system for the meeting and control rooms while the insecure and angry Terry Dornier monitors the controls. Celia Falwell is the "ghost" in Tuckman's experiment. Mark Lupoldi is one of Tuckman's special assistants in the experiment. The experiment's participants include Dale and Cara Stahlqvist, both A-types in business with an open marriage; Ken George; Wayne Hopke is the retired major with a drinking problem; Ana Choi and Ian Markine joined out of boredom; and, Patricia Railsback is an unhappy housewife whose kids can see the Grey.
The Cover
The cover has a very cocky Harper posed next to a Chinese dragon on a street in Chinatown in Seattle---you can just see the Space Needle in the distance---all of it covered in a very hazy yellow.
The title is all about the Poltergeist as it becomes more and more alive.
laureenreads's review
1.0
This book had many of the same issues in it that the first book had. An overabundance of explanations for every little thing as well as the language not really seeming to fit with the writing let alone the character of Harper. But the it goes beyond just that for issues this time around.
New characters showing up and supposedly being best buds with Harper for example. Why didn't we know about them before this if they are so close?
Harper doesn't seem to like women in general and there are many offensive throwaway remarks that are made throughout the book that have a distinct misogynistic feeling to them. Then there is the child hating ways of Harper. As a mother I can understand that kids are frustrating and I would never judge someone for not wanting kids however I can't get behind the way Harper talks about Brian at all. It's disrespectful and crude.
The story itself was interesting and for the most part managed to keep my attention. There were some parts that didn't seem essential, such as the ghost and the brooch but they weren't too distracting either. Characters other than Harper don't feel like much more than background objects that are mere puppets brought out when needed and then put away. None of them have developed beyond the two-dimensional faces we met in the first book and none of them have flaws to make them interesting at all.
This is likely the last book in the series that I will bother to read and I only got this book because I had hoped that the over explanation problem would have been resolved by now.
New characters showing up and supposedly being best buds with Harper for example. Why didn't we know about them before this if they are so close?
Harper doesn't seem to like women in general and there are many offensive throwaway remarks that are made throughout the book that have a distinct misogynistic feeling to them. Then there is the child hating ways of Harper. As a mother I can understand that kids are frustrating and I would never judge someone for not wanting kids however I can't get behind the way Harper talks about Brian at all. It's disrespectful and crude.
The story itself was interesting and for the most part managed to keep my attention. There were some parts that didn't seem essential, such as the ghost and the brooch but they weren't too distracting either. Characters other than Harper don't feel like much more than background objects that are mere puppets brought out when needed and then put away. None of them have developed beyond the two-dimensional faces we met in the first book and none of them have flaws to make them interesting at all.
This is likely the last book in the series that I will bother to read and I only got this book because I had hoped that the over explanation problem would have been resolved by now.
nicholeigh's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
cathybruce208's review
4.0
This book is about Harper, a PI in Seattle. After a near death experience, she can slip in and out of the "Grey" which is the parallel world that ghosts and other supernatural beasties live in.
The story is about a science experiment gone wrong. A psychology professor has set up a controlled experiment, where a group of people work together to create a ghost. They succeed in ways that prompt the professor to hire Harper to investigate whether someone is sabotaging the project.
The plot was interesting and the supporting characters were well-drawn and engaging. Harper herself was a bit underdrawn. I felt as if I didn't really come to know her. That may be because this was the second book in a series. Maybe the character exposition was more thorough in the first book. One note: the city of Seattle and its history was very nicely woven into this plot. I used to live in the Northwest. I'm pretty sure I've been to the bookstore where the final scene plays out.
I may try to find the first book in the series to see how this began.
The story is about a science experiment gone wrong. A psychology professor has set up a controlled experiment, where a group of people work together to create a ghost. They succeed in ways that prompt the professor to hire Harper to investigate whether someone is sabotaging the project.
The plot was interesting and the supporting characters were well-drawn and engaging. Harper herself was a bit underdrawn. I felt as if I didn't really come to know her. That may be because this was the second book in a series. Maybe the character exposition was more thorough in the first book. One note: the city of Seattle and its history was very nicely woven into this plot. I used to live in the Northwest. I'm pretty sure I've been to the bookstore where the final scene plays out.
I may try to find the first book in the series to see how this began.
luciearan's review against another edition
4.0
Povedený příběh z prostředí univerzitní výzkumné skupinky studující tajemno. Zdá se, že autorčin styl psaní se s přibývajícími díly vyvíjí a zlepšuje. Lehce detektivní zápletka mě bavila a myšlenka vytvoření vlastního poltergeista, byla zajímavá. To vše už jen dokreslil svět šera, který se s tím vším prolínal a skýtal nové možnosti. Příjemná změna, jen škoda, že další díly už přeložené nebyly, pokud by byla měla možnost, docela ráda bych si je přečetla.
cheesygiraffe's review
4.0
It's amazing that a group of people created a ghost by using their imagination to fuel it and make it be. I enjoyed this because it has great characters and a great plot. But I did have to skip over some technical mumbo jumbo. It hurt my head trying to wrap around what they meant and it wasn't too pertinent.
arkwen452's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I didn't enjoy the first book, but I did enjoy this one more specially since Harper's description, or rather the authors description of the gray, and how she worked through the gray, and how she saw things in the gray were much clearer and direct to follow. I like the way that she methodically broke down each piece and element, and all the people involved in her case. It seems that Harper has a strong head on her shoulders and has, strong morals that readers will appreciate and stand by throughout the book.
I had to say that things started to get a little dubious for me when it came to how the author depicted Anna's character in the book who is Chinese American, and how she described Kent's character who is Indian, and there was an instance when Harper was out amongst a Halloween crowd and used racial slurs to depict children out in costumes of three different ethnicities. I'm not gonna put them here in my review but if you know, then you know, I don't know if I want to continue with the series I thought that I might , but I'm I'll see more of the same in the other books so I'm still unsure.
I had to say that things started to get a little dubious for me when it came to how the author depicted Anna's character in the book who is Chinese American, and how she described Kent's character who is Indian, and there was an instance when Harper was out amongst a Halloween crowd and used racial slurs to depict children out in costumes of three different ethnicities. I'm not gonna put them here in my review but if you know, then you know, I don't know if I want to continue with the series I thought that I might , but I'm I'll see more of the same in the other books so I'm still unsure.
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder, Violence, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, and Animal cruelty
tessisreading2's review against another edition
3.0
Entertaining, but a few too many infodumps on the mechanics of fraudulent mediums/seances through the ages, and the investigation plods along for a significant amount of time as Harper gets to know each and every one of a mostly unpleasant group of people. Harper doesn’t like any of them and I don’t either, so the fact that we’re spending so much time learning about them or hanging out with them is not fun.
Issues: Racism is discussed but generally handled not-well, in that discomfiting white liberal way. (A black guy is super touchy because he assumes Harper is racist! Joke’s on him when she tells him she’s not, though - boy does he look foolish then! It’s gross and I assure you it was gross when this book was published in 2007. An Asian-American character has controlling racist parents and works so hard that she only sleeps five hours a day. There’s also a line about being “fed enough food to fatten up most of Ethiopia.”) A woman’s history of serious depression is described as a “skeleton[] in [her] closet” and discussed in the same breath as someone else’s childhood history of killing small animals.
This series is very much urban fantasy rather than urban fantasy hovering on the paranormal romance line, which I'm enjoying; Harper has more in common with Harry Dresden than she does with Anita Blake. Vampires are creepy, not sexy, and Harper has a background relationship with a Normal Guy who is entirely boring (as is their relationship). That said, the focus on the mystery plot and the noir-ness of the universe means that for "fun" we're dependent on Harper's gang of friends... and they're pretty boring, because the otherworldly stuff we come across - vampires, ghosts - is menacing and mysterious.
Issues: Racism is discussed but generally handled not-well, in that discomfiting white liberal way. (A black guy is super touchy because he assumes Harper is racist! Joke’s on him when she tells him she’s not, though - boy does he look foolish then! It’s gross and I assure you it was gross when this book was published in 2007. An Asian-American character has controlling racist parents and works so hard that she only sleeps five hours a day. There’s also a line about being “fed enough food to fatten up most of Ethiopia.”) A woman’s history of serious depression is described as a “skeleton[] in [her] closet” and discussed in the same breath as someone else’s childhood history of killing small animals.
This series is very much urban fantasy rather than urban fantasy hovering on the paranormal romance line, which I'm enjoying; Harper has more in common with Harry Dresden than she does with Anita Blake. Vampires are creepy, not sexy, and Harper has a background relationship with a Normal Guy who is entirely boring (as is their relationship). That said, the focus on the mystery plot and the noir-ness of the universe means that for "fun" we're dependent on Harper's gang of friends... and they're pretty boring, because the otherworldly stuff we come across - vampires, ghosts - is menacing and mysterious.