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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Holy Wow!
I got this book either at a discount or as a read first kindle book. It isn't in my usual SciFi/Fantasy wheel house but this was engaging and thrilling. Highly recommend it!
I got this book either at a discount or as a read first kindle book. It isn't in my usual SciFi/Fantasy wheel house but this was engaging and thrilling. Highly recommend it!
Book- " The Naturalist"
Author- " Andrew Mayne"
Synopsis -" Professor Theo Cray is trained to see patterns where others see chaos. So when mutilated bodies found deep in the Montana woods leave the cops searching blindly for clues, Theo sees something they missed. Something unnatural. Something only he can stop.
As a computational biologist, Theo is more familiar with digital code and microbes than the dark arts of forensic sleuthing. But a field trip to Montana suddenly lands him in the middle of an investigation into the bloody killing of one of his former students. As more details, and odies, come to light, the local cops determine that the killer is either grizzly gone rogue.... or Theo himself. Racing to stay one step ahead of the police, Theo must use his scientific acumen to uncover the killer. Will he be able to become as cunning as the predator he hunts- liefore he becomes its prey? "
The book is written in a first prespective. We see the world in Theo's prespective who seeks patterns in the world . The book is a good mixture of science and thriller , while some of the stuff seems plasuible , some is fiction. I liked the book and it was quite a exciting read (more than what thought).
Still the end felt a bit cliche . Well , there are 3 more books in this series. So looking forward to read them too .
Author- " Andrew Mayne"
Synopsis -" Professor Theo Cray is trained to see patterns where others see chaos. So when mutilated bodies found deep in the Montana woods leave the cops searching blindly for clues, Theo sees something they missed. Something unnatural. Something only he can stop.
As a computational biologist, Theo is more familiar with digital code and microbes than the dark arts of forensic sleuthing. But a field trip to Montana suddenly lands him in the middle of an investigation into the bloody killing of one of his former students. As more details, and odies, come to light, the local cops determine that the killer is either grizzly gone rogue.... or Theo himself. Racing to stay one step ahead of the police, Theo must use his scientific acumen to uncover the killer. Will he be able to become as cunning as the predator he hunts- liefore he becomes its prey? "
The book is written in a first prespective. We see the world in Theo's prespective who seeks patterns in the world . The book is a good mixture of science and thriller , while some of the stuff seems plasuible , some is fiction. I liked the book and it was quite a exciting read (more than what thought).
Still the end felt a bit cliche . Well , there are 3 more books in this series. So looking forward to read them too .
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Serial Killer Bear
"Fifteen minutes later I’m driving away with a stolen corpse." --- This story is an amazing blend of the perfectly absurd with scientifically rigorous analyses.
A computational biologist applying himself to criminal detection... The Naturalist is a story with many of my favourite elements. Theo is our rogue detective, he falls into this role by absent-mindedly following his curiosity and slowly building a repertoire of skills that uniquely fit the case which captures his attention.
There's a lot to love about this set up. We have an analytical thinker who struggles with some (not all) social norms and tries not to let his dispassionate approach come across as callousness. We have a highly trained professional stepping out of his field only to walk like an amateur through the legalities of his efforts. It's a deliciously fresh book for the scientifically inclined reader.
I have some bones with the book, one is that the things he gets away with initially are hard to buy as believable, another is that the notion of a physical sense that alerts a person when they are being watched is a nice and familiar idea but it doesn't fit the picture for our mathematically minded analyst. Probably the only other thing I didn't buy into was Gus becoming a sort of compassionate mentor.
But my bones are fairly insignificant and didn't minimise my enjoyment. The pacing in this might be slow for some readers, Theo kind of bumbles along piecing things together, but it worked really well for me. I think this concept would translate very well to the screen too. It's an excellent story with genuine intensity that builds as the story unfolds.
This is definitely my cup o' tea and I'm keen to consume the next books in this series.
A computational biologist applying himself to criminal detection... The Naturalist is a story with many of my favourite elements. Theo is our rogue detective, he falls into this role by absent-mindedly following his curiosity and slowly building a repertoire of skills that uniquely fit the case which captures his attention.
There's a lot to love about this set up. We have an analytical thinker who struggles with some (not all) social norms and tries not to let his dispassionate approach come across as callousness. We have a highly trained professional stepping out of his field only to walk like an amateur through the legalities of his efforts. It's a deliciously fresh book for the scientifically inclined reader.
I have some bones with the book, one is that the things he gets away with initially are hard to buy as believable, another is that the notion of a physical sense that alerts a person when they are being watched is a nice and familiar idea but it doesn't fit the picture for our mathematically minded analyst. Probably the only other thing I didn't buy into was Gus becoming a sort of compassionate mentor.
But my bones are fairly insignificant and didn't minimise my enjoyment. The pacing in this might be slow for some readers, Theo kind of bumbles along piecing things together, but it worked really well for me. I think this concept would translate very well to the screen too. It's an excellent story with genuine intensity that builds as the story unfolds.
This is definitely my cup o' tea and I'm keen to consume the next books in this series.
Entertaining, but the independent investigation by main character is highly illegal, unlikely, and absurd. MC's body benefits from plot armor or surely the cumulative physical toll would matter!
Also, no mention that many missing/murdered people are Indigenous women and girls, especially in Montana.
Also, no mention that many missing/murdered people are Indigenous women and girls, especially in Montana.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
On paper, this book has a lot going for it for me: it’s a murder mystery/thriller in which the “detective” is a computational biologist who also does fieldwork, using his biology-nerd skills to solve a murder (and then some) that is not as it first appears. So far, so good, but almost immediately our hero, Theo Cray (get it?) starts giving off serious unreliable narrator vibes. Except he’s not, and we readers are expected to suspend disbelief higher and higher until the novel’s almost farcical conclusion. Two stars, only because I did make it all the way to the end.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I read this book after reading a different series from the same author. I loved the way the author told the story. The chapters were short which kept me reading, long after I was meant to be in bed. The character development at the BEGINNING of the story was on point. I HAD to keep reading to learn more about the characters and the world around them.
With that being said... I feel like the end of this book was abrupt. It all played out the way that I, as the reader, wanted it to play out.. But it all felt rushed. The story is 92% build up (based on my kindle reader percentage read tracker) and 8% "conclusion".. I kept checking the "number of pages left" section of the reader wondering how the entire story was going to finish with just 1% left of the book. I could read a whole other book with a continuation of this story, which I thought was going to be the case, but was disappointed to learn the whole story wrapped up in a matter of under 30 pages.
I will continue this series to see if the next book gets better, because I love the authors writing style.
With that being said... I feel like the end of this book was abrupt. It all played out the way that I, as the reader, wanted it to play out.. But it all felt rushed. The story is 92% build up (based on my kindle reader percentage read tracker) and 8% "conclusion".. I kept checking the "number of pages left" section of the reader wondering how the entire story was going to finish with just 1% left of the book. I could read a whole other book with a continuation of this story, which I thought was going to be the case, but was disappointed to learn the whole story wrapped up in a matter of under 30 pages.
I will continue this series to see if the next book gets better, because I love the authors writing style.