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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Not bad...
The Naturaist has several things to recommend it, an unusual, interesting protagonist not the least among them. The plot has some unusual premises and devices that set the book apart from others in the genre, and in a good way. I give it three stars for a few reasons. First, I felt that it started to drag about 3/4 of the way through before building up to a decently fast-paced denouement. Second, as a biologist myself, I found some of the science a little dodgy - sometimes, even with a scientist-protagonist and a lot of science at the heart of the story, the less said the better for those of us who are trying to suspend our disbelief. Finally, although the story is set in what I am willing to bet is some drop-dead gorgeous country, I didn't get a very good sense of place, or at least not as much of one as I would have liked. All in all, I mostly enjoyed the read, but am glad I got this as a Kindle Prime freebie.
The Naturaist has several things to recommend it, an unusual, interesting protagonist not the least among them. The plot has some unusual premises and devices that set the book apart from others in the genre, and in a good way. I give it three stars for a few reasons. First, I felt that it started to drag about 3/4 of the way through before building up to a decently fast-paced denouement. Second, as a biologist myself, I found some of the science a little dodgy - sometimes, even with a scientist-protagonist and a lot of science at the heart of the story, the less said the better for those of us who are trying to suspend our disbelief. Finally, although the story is set in what I am willing to bet is some drop-dead gorgeous country, I didn't get a very good sense of place, or at least not as much of one as I would have liked. All in all, I mostly enjoyed the read, but am glad I got this as a Kindle Prime freebie.
Different and interesting. I liked that Mayne was realistic about both Theo's strengths and weaknesses and exactly how weird his involvement really was.
Really well written. I could not put it down. I was given a free preview as a prime member and it did not disappoint. The story slowly builds and I loved all the logic and CSI like investigation components throughout. The character himself is well written and believable. I will definitely look into other books by Mayne and hope he continues novels with Professor Theo.
This book was a roller coaster for me. At some points, I couldn’t put it down. At other points, it was like reading an 8th grade science book. I would have rated it slightly higher - but the ending was a total disappointment in my opinion. I won’t explain why, so as to avoid any spoilers, but I felt it had so much potential but somewhere along the way it just got totally unbelievable and stupid.
This was an engaging book and had me hooked as I went about my post-holiday chores. Props to the reader/performer who brought the audiobook to life.
Brilliant, fast-paced thriller that read like literature in parts. Great book.
dark
tense
fast-paced
What a wild ride! In this mystery-suspense-thriller, the story opens with Professor Theo Cray, a computational biologist, being questioned about a possible murder of a former student. He is released when police determine that a bear or mountain lion was involved. Or was it?
Professor Theo Cray is a remarkable character. He’s a brilliant scientist, and his strengths lie in numbers, systems, patterns, data-modeling, and methodical analysis. He is socially awkward when dealing with people. I found it clever and riveting, the very definition of a page-turner. I can’t vouch for the accuracy of the police procedures, medicine, or forensics, but I have a feeling some of it was over the top. I chose to suspend disbelief and found myself thoroughly entertained.
I don’t often read series, but I just may have to pick up the sequel to see what Professor Cray gets up to next. Content includes profanity, violence, and gruesome descriptions of mutilated bodies. Recommended to readers that enjoy mystery-thrillers with a side of science.
Professor Theo Cray is a remarkable character. He’s a brilliant scientist, and his strengths lie in numbers, systems, patterns, data-modeling, and methodical analysis. He is socially awkward when dealing with people. I found it clever and riveting, the very definition of a page-turner. I can’t vouch for the accuracy of the police procedures, medicine, or forensics, but I have a feeling some of it was over the top. I chose to suspend disbelief and found myself thoroughly entertained.
I don’t often read series, but I just may have to pick up the sequel to see what Professor Cray gets up to next. Content includes profanity, violence, and gruesome descriptions of mutilated bodies. Recommended to readers that enjoy mystery-thrillers with a side of science.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
mysterious
fast-paced
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Plot