3 out of 4 stars
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If you are looking for a story filled with mystery and a great plot, then this is the book for you. The Broadcast by Liam Fialkov was a pleasant surprise. Since the book was published a couple of months ago, and there were not too many reviews available, I didn't know what to expect from this story. However, I am so glad I decided to give it a try; I was hooked from the very beginning until the last page. This psychological thriller has 460 pages of conspiracy theories, time travel, spiritual journeys, interesting characters, and so much more. Although the book may be far from perfect, I can confidently say that The Broadcast is a story that I won't easily forget.
The world, or at least the United States, is feeling both excited and restless. TXB, a well-known television network, has promised a show that no one has ever seen before; they will go back in time and show leaked footage of a notorious murder case, which took place over 25 years ago, that not even the smartest detectives were able to solve. How is this even possible? There was not a single evidence left behind, no cameras around the area, and no witnesses; this must be fake, right? However, what was deemed as mere entertainment turned out to be a shocking revelation that left the public wanting to know more. So, TXB kept "going back in time" while showing obscure films of the past to their audience; they showed events that occurred as far as a thousand years ago. The Broadcast, a simple name given to such a mysterious show, gained worldwide popularity. Fans and haters were expectant to see what "The Broadcast" would bring in each episode. Everyone was eager to know the technology behind the show, and most importantly, meet the mastermind sending the films. Is it true that they can travel back in time, or is this just a show based on deception? You have to read the book to find out.
The book has several points of view. However, the story mainly focuses on the daily life and struggles of four characters: Jonathan and Sarah, a married couple facing personal demons; Michael, a young college graduate who wants to unravel the secrets of his past; and Stewart McPherson, a righteous journalist who believes "The Broadcast" to be a hoax. At first glance, these characters, except Stewart, have nothing to do with The Broadcast; they just happen to be frequent viewers of the show. Nevertheless, the reader can see how their lives slowly start to, somehow, revolve around the enigmatic TV show. I liked how Mr. Fialkov managed to connect these stories, or sub-plots, to the main plot without rushing things. Also, I liked how the characters were portrayed; these characters, even the secondary ones, had dreams, goals, and stories that made them unique and relatable. I could see that the author really cared about his characters and did not put them in the story just because. They had a purpose, and they looked and felt real.
Another strong point of the story is the grammar; it was almost flawless. I did see some errors here and there, but it did not deter my overall enjoyment of the book. In fact, I only saw the grammatical mistakes because I was specifically looking for them. Also, the writing style is really simple and easy to follow along. Fialkov didn't use fancy words or phrases, which made it easier for me to understand what he meant to say. Since the story is about time traveling, there were some theories in the book that tried to explain how said event was even possible; they weren't lengthy nor complicated, and even I, a person with very little knowledge of science, was able to understand them. Another thing that I liked was that the author provided some background information before "showing" an event from the past. I found that really helpful, and it felt as if I were receiving a fun history lesson.
The only downside of the book is that the ending felt a little rushed. I was really looking forward to seeing a certain reunion between two characters, and when it finally came, that was it. The end. I expected some tears, drama, even a conversation between the two. However, there was none of it. Another turn off was the lack of dialogue between the characters. The author chose to tell things instead of showing them; there were a lot of "he said this" and "she did that" sentences, and there wasn't too much action going on. Some people may like this form of writing, but in my case, I prefer to figure things out on my own rather than being told what happened.
Due to the rushed ending and the lack of dialogue, I can only give this book 3 out of 4 stars. Overall, the story is really great and so are the characters. Also, the book does not have graphic nor violent scenes, so this story is suitable for younger audiences. I would totally recommend this book to anyone who is interested in mystery, character development, and history. I look forward to read more stories from this author.
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The Broadcast
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