Review of Pulse: Book One
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AnaIlie
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Review of Pulse: Book One
[Following is a volunteer review of "Pulse: Book One" by B.A. Bellec.]
Pulse: Book One by B.A. Bellec is a multi-genre novel, combining Sci-fi details with thrilling moments, full of action, and some splashes of horror. It presents a dystopian society, where the evil thrives and the good is pushed into a corner, starved, but not allowed to die, kept conscious just enough to witness the continuous downfall of the world.
God is nowhere to be seen and the Pulse Corporation, owned by the Sharpe family, seems to have taken His place. From the biggest satellite to the smallest grain of salt, everything that can or cannot be bought, Pulse craves and steals it all. To exist means to slave under Pulse, otherwise, you will cease to be. Legality, morality, and friendship are all dust blocking the path of the boulder Pulse represents. But there could still be hope, the Anti-Pulse Movement (APM) works day and night, opposing Pulse, trying to uncover their wrongdoings. And the perfect opportunity has arrived, the "Pulsefest". The stage is set, and the battle shall begin, but who will emerge victorious? Pulse and the Sharpes? APM? or...something else?
The first detail I noticed was the time the email was sent, whose digits added up to 9, which is a magic number, so I can say the start was magical and gave me a lot of expectations for what was next. I appreciated the short sentences of the email. They highlighted the inevitability of future events and the grave yet passive tone of the sender.
The author's way of telling the story may seem a bit crude in the first part, but the more you read, the better it gets. The way the story develops is like the making of an old watch - the more wheels you add, the closer you get to the desired product. The dialogue is just right, not too short, not too long, and not confusing at all. There are no hidden thoughts or intentions behind the character's words. Most of the characters have well enough developed background stories and features. Most of the scenes are well described and given the right amount of graphic details, making it easy for the reader to create the images of what is happening.
I love the fact that the author did not go overboard with the Sci-fi development of the characters. It is easy to give in to the temptation of creating an all-powerful hero or villain, but B.A. Bellec did not. At the end of the day, all of them are beings capable of making good deeds but also mistakes, of being courageous but also fearful.
If something could be improved, it is the lack of background about the world's situation. There were some details and short information about how it happened, but not enough. Hopefully, the author will add a detailed backstory in the sequels.
The book is sure to be enjoyable for Sci-fi, action, and horror fans. The action starts slow, like an old car, but the more heated it gets, the faster it goes. Not too fast, to lack detail, but fast enough to keep you on your toes for what's to come next; adding horror sprinkles, which are unforgiving. Poor vs. rich, man vs. woman, good vs. evil, all are equal, none are spared. Will the most wicked enemy prevail or will the world come together to fight for salvation?
The storyline is impressive, the editing seems to be professionally done. The author's style stands out and there are no errors in the book. All in all, Pulse: Book One maintains a high standard and it leaves you boiling with anticipation for the sequels. I rate this book 5 stars out of 5 stars.
******
Pulse: Book One
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Pulse: Book One by B.A. Bellec is a multi-genre novel, combining Sci-fi details with thrilling moments, full of action, and some splashes of horror. It presents a dystopian society, where the evil thrives and the good is pushed into a corner, starved, but not allowed to die, kept conscious just enough to witness the continuous downfall of the world.
God is nowhere to be seen and the Pulse Corporation, owned by the Sharpe family, seems to have taken His place. From the biggest satellite to the smallest grain of salt, everything that can or cannot be bought, Pulse craves and steals it all. To exist means to slave under Pulse, otherwise, you will cease to be. Legality, morality, and friendship are all dust blocking the path of the boulder Pulse represents. But there could still be hope, the Anti-Pulse Movement (APM) works day and night, opposing Pulse, trying to uncover their wrongdoings. And the perfect opportunity has arrived, the "Pulsefest". The stage is set, and the battle shall begin, but who will emerge victorious? Pulse and the Sharpes? APM? or...something else?
The first detail I noticed was the time the email was sent, whose digits added up to 9, which is a magic number, so I can say the start was magical and gave me a lot of expectations for what was next. I appreciated the short sentences of the email. They highlighted the inevitability of future events and the grave yet passive tone of the sender.
The author's way of telling the story may seem a bit crude in the first part, but the more you read, the better it gets. The way the story develops is like the making of an old watch - the more wheels you add, the closer you get to the desired product. The dialogue is just right, not too short, not too long, and not confusing at all. There are no hidden thoughts or intentions behind the character's words. Most of the characters have well enough developed background stories and features. Most of the scenes are well described and given the right amount of graphic details, making it easy for the reader to create the images of what is happening.
I love the fact that the author did not go overboard with the Sci-fi development of the characters. It is easy to give in to the temptation of creating an all-powerful hero or villain, but B.A. Bellec did not. At the end of the day, all of them are beings capable of making good deeds but also mistakes, of being courageous but also fearful.
If something could be improved, it is the lack of background about the world's situation. There were some details and short information about how it happened, but not enough. Hopefully, the author will add a detailed backstory in the sequels.
The book is sure to be enjoyable for Sci-fi, action, and horror fans. The action starts slow, like an old car, but the more heated it gets, the faster it goes. Not too fast, to lack detail, but fast enough to keep you on your toes for what's to come next; adding horror sprinkles, which are unforgiving. Poor vs. rich, man vs. woman, good vs. evil, all are equal, none are spared. Will the most wicked enemy prevail or will the world come together to fight for salvation?
The storyline is impressive, the editing seems to be professionally done. The author's style stands out and there are no errors in the book. All in all, Pulse: Book One maintains a high standard and it leaves you boiling with anticipation for the sequels. I rate this book 5 stars out of 5 stars.
******
Pulse: Book One
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Ana Ilie
Latest Review: Critical Habitat by Terrence King
