Review by dragonet07 -- Superhighway by Alex Fayman
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Review by dragonet07 -- Superhighway by Alex Fayman
[Following is a volunteer review of "Superhighway" by Alex Fayman.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Superhighway is the thrilling first novel in Alex Fayman’s Superhighway Trilogy. A classic piece of science fiction with modern twists, Superhighway is the perfect novel for any science fiction/fantasy fan, especially those readers who also enjoy movies like Back to the Future. While I recognized elements common to science fiction novels, I think that Fayman’s book utilizes one of the most unique concepts I’ve seen in the genre in a while.
Alex Fine is an orphan on the verge of adulthood. He’s never really belonged anywhere; even at the orphanage he’s too intelligent to really fit in. One failed adoption after another has left him without any hope of having a true family, and the closest he’s ever had to a parent is Ms. Jenkins, the no-nonsense but loving head of the orphanage. Thanks to encouragement from Ms. Jenkins and his thirst for knowledge, Alex is set to attend Stanford by the time he turns eighteen. Then, one day, the orphanage gains a computer lab, and Alex’s entire world changes.
While trying to plug a network cable back in, Alex discovers that he has the extraordinary ability to travel through the Internet. He doesn’t just surf the web figuratively or mentally; his body physically enters the cable, turns into a packet of information, and comes out the other end entirely intact. Upon discovering this ability, Alex makes the fateful decision to take full advantage of it, slipping into a world of money, philanthropy, pot, violence, sex, and romance. All the while, the same questions plague Alex and the reader: How did he get these powers? Why him? Most importantly, what should he do with them?
In 248 pages, the story follows a plot of suspense, espionage, tragedy, love, and intrigue. For every question that Fayman answers, two more swoop in to take its place. While this book isn’t quite as action-packed as other science fiction novels and movies (Star Wars comes to mind), it certainly has its fill of heart-racing mystery that leaves readers on the edges of their seats. Best of all, Fayman takes readers on the same emotional roller coaster as Alex, which left me reluctant to leave the former orphan and his worldwide web of thrills.
My favorite part of this book has to be its characters. Some border on stereotypes—Ms. Jenkins and Alex’s first one-night stand come to mind—but they all feel like new takes on these character types. Alex is especially well-rounded. He’s an intellectual with a bright future ahead of him who usually follows the rules, yet he also acts reckless and impulsive once he learns of his powers. I could tell when Alex had made a stupid mistake even before he realized it. These bonehead moves made me want to smack him, but he also seems much more human for that reason. The one thing that I could not believe about him was that he would get a lot of attention from girls in high school but does not have any real interest in women and sex until he begins his globe-hopping adventures. He may have been focused on academics, but there are beautiful women in Los Angeles and it’s hard to believe that he wouldn’t have had much interest in the girls swooning over him.
My favorite characters are Ms. Jenkins and Eva. They are both very strong women with very strong, uncompromising morals. They are compassionate and generous without taking any bull from anyone, even the handsome and charming Alex. From the moment each of them became a constant presence in the story, I knew that their relationships with Alex were genuine and heart-warming and that Alex would have to be a moron to mess that up.
I also love the novel’s concept. Ever since I first heard the term “surfing the web,” it was hard to not imagine someone literally traveling through the Internet. Fayman, thankfully, takes that image and rolls with it. I grew a little frustrated the longer I had to wait for answers about the nature of Alex’s abilities, but the wait increased the suspense and Alex’s adventures helped to distract me from my questions without ignoring them entirely.
The only real complaint I have with this book is that, halfway through, I felt as though I were reading two different books. While maintaining the same sense of adventure and intrigue, the story shifts gears from what Alex could do with these powers to where these powers came from and how the secret could affect his life. Such a change would normally bother me. Somehow, though, Fayman manages the shift relatively seamlessly. I could tell there was a change but I don’t think that the book could be split into two and remain as good. The two parts act like pieces of a puzzle; while they look different from each other, each half needs the other to complete the picture.
Overall, I think this book is wonderful and I can’t wait to start the second book in the trilogy. Fayman’s work is, for the most part, professionally edited. I spotted some minor errors, such as “after the Vincent’s visit” when it should be “after Vincent’s visit” (Fayman 95). Still, the errors weren’t distracting and I don’t think that they detract from the story. All things considered, I give Superhighway 4 out of 4 stars. Even though it’s long, the writing is simple and straightforward, making for a quicker read than expected. This ease of reading may make the novel less appealing to those looking for an intellectual read, but I think that its in-depth development of the concept will appeal to anyone’s intellectual curiosity. Science fiction fans will thoroughly enjoy the story, although I think young adults will get the most out of it. This novel isn’t just the story of someone moving through the Internet; it’s also Alex Fine’s coming-of-age story, one which any young adult will connect with immediately.
I should warn readers that this novel contains depictions of sex, violence, and pot use. While none of these are overly detailed, I can see some readers taking offense to it and I don’t think that readers younger than teen-aged should read the book. However, if you have no problems with such topics, I highly recommend Superhighway.
******
Superhighway
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4 out of 4 stars
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Superhighway is the thrilling first novel in Alex Fayman’s Superhighway Trilogy. A classic piece of science fiction with modern twists, Superhighway is the perfect novel for any science fiction/fantasy fan, especially those readers who also enjoy movies like Back to the Future. While I recognized elements common to science fiction novels, I think that Fayman’s book utilizes one of the most unique concepts I’ve seen in the genre in a while.
Alex Fine is an orphan on the verge of adulthood. He’s never really belonged anywhere; even at the orphanage he’s too intelligent to really fit in. One failed adoption after another has left him without any hope of having a true family, and the closest he’s ever had to a parent is Ms. Jenkins, the no-nonsense but loving head of the orphanage. Thanks to encouragement from Ms. Jenkins and his thirst for knowledge, Alex is set to attend Stanford by the time he turns eighteen. Then, one day, the orphanage gains a computer lab, and Alex’s entire world changes.
While trying to plug a network cable back in, Alex discovers that he has the extraordinary ability to travel through the Internet. He doesn’t just surf the web figuratively or mentally; his body physically enters the cable, turns into a packet of information, and comes out the other end entirely intact. Upon discovering this ability, Alex makes the fateful decision to take full advantage of it, slipping into a world of money, philanthropy, pot, violence, sex, and romance. All the while, the same questions plague Alex and the reader: How did he get these powers? Why him? Most importantly, what should he do with them?
In 248 pages, the story follows a plot of suspense, espionage, tragedy, love, and intrigue. For every question that Fayman answers, two more swoop in to take its place. While this book isn’t quite as action-packed as other science fiction novels and movies (Star Wars comes to mind), it certainly has its fill of heart-racing mystery that leaves readers on the edges of their seats. Best of all, Fayman takes readers on the same emotional roller coaster as Alex, which left me reluctant to leave the former orphan and his worldwide web of thrills.
My favorite part of this book has to be its characters. Some border on stereotypes—Ms. Jenkins and Alex’s first one-night stand come to mind—but they all feel like new takes on these character types. Alex is especially well-rounded. He’s an intellectual with a bright future ahead of him who usually follows the rules, yet he also acts reckless and impulsive once he learns of his powers. I could tell when Alex had made a stupid mistake even before he realized it. These bonehead moves made me want to smack him, but he also seems much more human for that reason. The one thing that I could not believe about him was that he would get a lot of attention from girls in high school but does not have any real interest in women and sex until he begins his globe-hopping adventures. He may have been focused on academics, but there are beautiful women in Los Angeles and it’s hard to believe that he wouldn’t have had much interest in the girls swooning over him.
My favorite characters are Ms. Jenkins and Eva. They are both very strong women with very strong, uncompromising morals. They are compassionate and generous without taking any bull from anyone, even the handsome and charming Alex. From the moment each of them became a constant presence in the story, I knew that their relationships with Alex were genuine and heart-warming and that Alex would have to be a moron to mess that up.
I also love the novel’s concept. Ever since I first heard the term “surfing the web,” it was hard to not imagine someone literally traveling through the Internet. Fayman, thankfully, takes that image and rolls with it. I grew a little frustrated the longer I had to wait for answers about the nature of Alex’s abilities, but the wait increased the suspense and Alex’s adventures helped to distract me from my questions without ignoring them entirely.
The only real complaint I have with this book is that, halfway through, I felt as though I were reading two different books. While maintaining the same sense of adventure and intrigue, the story shifts gears from what Alex could do with these powers to where these powers came from and how the secret could affect his life. Such a change would normally bother me. Somehow, though, Fayman manages the shift relatively seamlessly. I could tell there was a change but I don’t think that the book could be split into two and remain as good. The two parts act like pieces of a puzzle; while they look different from each other, each half needs the other to complete the picture.
Overall, I think this book is wonderful and I can’t wait to start the second book in the trilogy. Fayman’s work is, for the most part, professionally edited. I spotted some minor errors, such as “after the Vincent’s visit” when it should be “after Vincent’s visit” (Fayman 95). Still, the errors weren’t distracting and I don’t think that they detract from the story. All things considered, I give Superhighway 4 out of 4 stars. Even though it’s long, the writing is simple and straightforward, making for a quicker read than expected. This ease of reading may make the novel less appealing to those looking for an intellectual read, but I think that its in-depth development of the concept will appeal to anyone’s intellectual curiosity. Science fiction fans will thoroughly enjoy the story, although I think young adults will get the most out of it. This novel isn’t just the story of someone moving through the Internet; it’s also Alex Fine’s coming-of-age story, one which any young adult will connect with immediately.
I should warn readers that this novel contains depictions of sex, violence, and pot use. While none of these are overly detailed, I can see some readers taking offense to it and I don’t think that readers younger than teen-aged should read the book. However, if you have no problems with such topics, I highly recommend Superhighway.
******
Superhighway
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like dragonet07's review? Post a comment saying so!
The more that you read,
The more things you will know.
The more that you learn,
The more places you'll go.
~Dr. Seuss
The more things you will know.
The more that you learn,
The more places you'll go.
~Dr. Seuss
