Review of Pulse: Book One
Posted: 05 Jun 2022, 11:55
[Following is a volunteer review of "Pulse: Book One" by B.A. Bellec.]
Pulse-Book One by Bryan B.A. Bellec is a sci-fi horror novel centred around a world in the near future, specifically 2041, where most of the world is run by a tech company called Pulse. Pulse is a greed-fueled company that does not care about the impact its actions has on the environment or the many lives it ruins along the way. Behind its seemingly friendly exterior is a closet threatening to burst with skeletons. The story revolves around different characters whose lives are all connected to Pulse somehow and whose lives will inevitably be changed because of their relation to it. The story begins as a slow burn for the first hundred pages or so but then picks up instantly and the horror show really begins rolling when secrets come to light and the truth of Pulse really comes to the surface, revealing more information to the reader but also leaving them with more questions. The book however has its own shortcomings and fails in the long end to be tightly knit as cliches fall through its plot.
The positive aspects of the book that make it actually entertaining cannot be ignored. There is in-depth exploration of characters and we get to see their backstories and know more about them. The concept is solid. The author paints a world where a technology company has close to taken over the world pretty vividly and it hits close to home about where our world is headed. It does not seem far-fetched but actually something that can, and maybe will, happen. The editing has been done well and there are no grammatical errors to be found which makes for a smooth read. The addition of time for every scene also helps the reader understand just the order of the events that take place in different places and the story timeline fits in easily as a puzzle.
The negative aspects, bring what could be an otherwise really good book down a few notches. Though the characters are fleshed out we get little in terms of character arc and they somehow don't change or grow throughout the story. The flashbacks are also way too long, especially for some of the side characters, which is not good considering the main character(s) should be easily identifiable. The plot took a kind of a downward lull after the first hook and I almost stopped reading because of it. Some of the flashbacks should have been shorter and should have been introduced later in the story to add a little mystery to the characters and to also help prevent that lull in pacing. The writing was also too descriptive at times and felt very condescending if not repetitive. Some things that would be obvious to the reader were still included in the novel. Other things are included in the novel but never eventually add anything to the overall plot, like Sarah's argument with her sister. It would be cut out completely and the story would still play out the same way. It is these seemingly little things that ruin the overall story and drag it down from the glory that it is.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars . The book has a great concept and a great array of characters. But it poorly executes exposition on who they are and fails to deliver on any character arcs. Therefore we understand why our characters are the way they are but there is very little to root for. The plot structure also fails to live up to the story it is provided with by having great lulls within the story.
This book is for lovers of sci-fi, horror and dystopian-themed novels. It delivers a clear picture of the world it is set in and has much potential. If you love to be entertained and to see things through a different lens then this book is for you.
******
Pulse: Book One
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Pulse-Book One by Bryan B.A. Bellec is a sci-fi horror novel centred around a world in the near future, specifically 2041, where most of the world is run by a tech company called Pulse. Pulse is a greed-fueled company that does not care about the impact its actions has on the environment or the many lives it ruins along the way. Behind its seemingly friendly exterior is a closet threatening to burst with skeletons. The story revolves around different characters whose lives are all connected to Pulse somehow and whose lives will inevitably be changed because of their relation to it. The story begins as a slow burn for the first hundred pages or so but then picks up instantly and the horror show really begins rolling when secrets come to light and the truth of Pulse really comes to the surface, revealing more information to the reader but also leaving them with more questions. The book however has its own shortcomings and fails in the long end to be tightly knit as cliches fall through its plot.
The positive aspects of the book that make it actually entertaining cannot be ignored. There is in-depth exploration of characters and we get to see their backstories and know more about them. The concept is solid. The author paints a world where a technology company has close to taken over the world pretty vividly and it hits close to home about where our world is headed. It does not seem far-fetched but actually something that can, and maybe will, happen. The editing has been done well and there are no grammatical errors to be found which makes for a smooth read. The addition of time for every scene also helps the reader understand just the order of the events that take place in different places and the story timeline fits in easily as a puzzle.
The negative aspects, bring what could be an otherwise really good book down a few notches. Though the characters are fleshed out we get little in terms of character arc and they somehow don't change or grow throughout the story. The flashbacks are also way too long, especially for some of the side characters, which is not good considering the main character(s) should be easily identifiable. The plot took a kind of a downward lull after the first hook and I almost stopped reading because of it. Some of the flashbacks should have been shorter and should have been introduced later in the story to add a little mystery to the characters and to also help prevent that lull in pacing. The writing was also too descriptive at times and felt very condescending if not repetitive. Some things that would be obvious to the reader were still included in the novel. Other things are included in the novel but never eventually add anything to the overall plot, like Sarah's argument with her sister. It would be cut out completely and the story would still play out the same way. It is these seemingly little things that ruin the overall story and drag it down from the glory that it is.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars . The book has a great concept and a great array of characters. But it poorly executes exposition on who they are and fails to deliver on any character arcs. Therefore we understand why our characters are the way they are but there is very little to root for. The plot structure also fails to live up to the story it is provided with by having great lulls within the story.
This book is for lovers of sci-fi, horror and dystopian-themed novels. It delivers a clear picture of the world it is set in and has much potential. If you love to be entertained and to see things through a different lens then this book is for you.
******
Pulse: Book One
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon