Believable or Not So Believable Moments

Use this forum to discuss the December 2019 Book of the month, "E-M-P Honeymoon", by Dorothy May Mercer
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Re: Believable or Not So Believable Moments

Post by Adedayo+23 »

Everydayadventure15 wrote: 10 Dec 2019, 10:57 My take on this book was that it’s more of a mockery of a real event that could happen, but probably won’t (think funny movie like McHale’s navy or Paul Blart Mall cop). The incompetent bad guys and everything working out for the good guys made for a light-hearted comedic thriller for me.
We'll just assume that was what the author was going for :wink2:
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Post by Katherine Smith »

The most unbelievable thing that I agree with was letting a police officer and his wife into a federal investigation. I do lie one users response of the story being like Paul Blart Mall Cope where the villains are incompetent and the good people get everything right without trying too hard. This type of comedy makes me laugh a little especially with how ridiculous some of the story lines got particularly with the geography thing.
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Post by LV2R »

I was wondering why Kelly, who thought she would stop in a shop and buy a few gifts, would enter a room that was clearly marked "Danger Keep Out - Employees Only." If I were shopping in a store, I would probably call out, but not go looking for an employee in off-limit areas. I do not know Kelly's background, but her curiosity and boldness made me think that she had a detective mindset.
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Post by Susmita Biswas »

I agree that how they handled terrorist treats were hard to believe. In reality anyone would horrify by this. But as long as this is inspiring, this is ok for me.
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Post by YoshaP »

I finished the book yesterday. Even if the purpose was to keep the book short, there were too many logical explanations sacrificed in my opinion to even take is as a fun read. Kelly is good with computers, the idea of 'breaking into' the terrorists computers as it was later put, and viewed as exceptional, was a matter of the greatest simplicity which completely rests on a stroke of luck. If they had found the phone earlier and then the events followed, then at least what she did comes off as sensible instead of risky. Just one example of a lot of instances that kind of left me baffled!
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Post by LyorBoone »

Reynaa wrote: 10 Dec 2019, 18:28
Everydayadventure15 wrote: 10 Dec 2019, 17:36
Reynaa wrote: 10 Dec 2019, 13:08 This is a good topic for this book.

One main thing that stood out to me as not being believable is the CIA and government in general allowing a regular cop and his wife have anything to do with the investigation.
Yes! I remember thinking at one point that this was a bit outside of his jurisdiction lol
Haha he definitely was! And his wife is allowed to be a part of the investigation because ???... all she brings is showing them initially and conveniently can get into the computer programs.
The being able to get into computer programs sounds like someone the CIA might recruit temporarily more than a cop. Field agents are pretty much cops already. But the wife conveniently being able to get into computer programs doesn’t give the top notch hacker vibe that the CIA could have need for...
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Post by Urbashi Basu »

I found the unconcerned attitude of Rhee su-jin after losing her phone very weak for plot development. The plot mostly is feel good type with minimal nor to reality at some points.
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Post by Monishka Sharma »

Everydayadventure15 wrote: 10 Dec 2019, 10:57 My take on this book was that it’s more of a mockery of a real event that could happen, but probably won’t (think funny movie like McHale’s navy or Paul Blart Mall cop). The incompetent bad guys and everything working out for the good guys made for a light-hearted comedic thriller for me.
Ys and if we read this book by thus perspective... Impractical choices of characters doesn't mean much cz we have a mind set about the book already.
But honestly there are some unrealistic things that characters did
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Post by djr6090 »

Everydayadventure15 wrote: 10 Dec 2019, 10:57 My take on this book was that it’s more of a mockery of a real event that could happen, but probably won’t (think funny movie like McHale’s navy or Paul Blart Mall cop). The incompetent bad guys and everything working out for the good guys made for a light-hearted comedic thriller for me.
Yep. It's the reader's fault if they take this kind of pulp-fiction to heart.
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Post by Snowflake »

DC Brown wrote: 11 Dec 2019, 08:59
Reynaa wrote: 10 Dec 2019, 13:09
Everydayadventure15 wrote: 10 Dec 2019, 10:57 My take on this book was that it’s more of a mockery of a real event that could happen, but probably won’t (think funny movie like McHale’s navy or Paul Blart Mall cop). The incompetent bad guys and everything working out for the good guys made for a light-hearted comedic thriller for me.
That's exactly how I viewed this book. It was taken as a light-hearted, feel-good type of story.
That's why I enjoyed this book so much. It was a great piece of brain candy and a real exercise in the suspension of disbelief. Strangely enough, I loved it.
These are very good thoughts to read before starting this book! A definite suspension of belief is required :-)
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Post by Chigozie Anuli Mbadugha »

Sounds like a satire to me. I think they created a fun perspective about serious issues and that can be obviously unbelievable. Good reading though despite not being very realistic in a few areas.
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Post by ohlendorfbe »

I think this book is too simplistically written to be believable. Everything goes well too easily for the protagonists. Sue Rhee-jin and her group are too inept, or they were trained really poorly when Steve meets her and sees right through her cover. I hadn't thought of it as a spoof before reading the above comments, but I think you could be onto something!!
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Post by ciecheesemeister »

Most of the story was pretty unbelievable. I likened it to watching a 1970s action movie. It was entertaining but to be taken with a grain of salt. There were real elements and I enjoyed reading the scientific explanations. A nuclear attack is possible, but it would likely be a "dirty bomb" rather than a warhead delivering the damage.
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Post by Connie Otwani »

DC Brown wrote: 11 Dec 2019, 09:01
ElizaBeth Adams wrote: 09 Dec 2019, 19:07 I found myself often wondering about whether or not the actions of the characters were realistic or not, specifically in regard to the way they handled the investigation and the terroristic threat. What do you think? What moments felt improbable? What moments were successfully crafted? Would real federal agents, etc., behave the way these characters did?
For me, this was an easy read and a test of my ability to suspend disbelief. I actually loved it.
I agree, for the major part, the book was highly unbelievable, though the author managed to ensure it wasn't choppy. This made it very enjoyable, if one didn't think too much. Terrorists who are clever enough to come up with the sophisticated weapon and strategically plan its execution, can't become so sloppy. Amongst other things, the team on the ground couldn't even think of tracking a 'lost' cell phone, or posting a 'look-out' sentry during their practice session.
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Post by Connie Otwani »

Ub_10 wrote: 12 Dec 2019, 11:21 I found the unconcerned attitude of Rhee su-jin after losing her phone very weak for plot development. The plot mostly is feel good type with minimal nor to reality at some points.
My thoughts precisely, and the way she didn't know how to get the crucial shipment - then voila, it was at her doorstep!
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