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alannahmariereads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
lorithomas29's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
forestangel's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
thegirlwhoneedbooks2023's review
dark
mysterious
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
tenpercentevil's review against another edition
1.0
Alpha male fantasy fiction. I like thrillers to have a firmer grounding in reality.
thebooktrail88's review
3.0
Book your literary journey at the Literary Travel Agency : The Booktrail
Oh dear goodness - I met the author at Harrogate - what a lovely man! Now I've read his book I'm a little scared of him.I have only just come out from behind the sofa after reading this one.
There's a lot of depravity here - a man on the run for his life being chased all over London and a chase which takes the investigation all the way across the pond to New York. Think The Fugitive meets The Scarlet Pimpernel - you never know where the killer is or where the protagonist Wallace is going to run to next but wipe that brow of yours as it's an adrenalin fuelled story.
I mean imagine finding yourself with a noose around your neck? Jeepers - and this is only the start. I was going to say Adam Hamdy is the type of writer who ropes you into the action but that is a little TOO true here. Just remember to breathe. I read this sitting on my sofa and now realise how macabre the little rope pulley on the blinds looks - a miniature pendulum if you will. That's how this novel messes with your mind. Hamdy-itis I'm calling it.
Oh dear goodness - I met the author at Harrogate - what a lovely man! Now I've read his book I'm a little scared of him.I have only just come out from behind the sofa after reading this one.
There's a lot of depravity here - a man on the run for his life being chased all over London and a chase which takes the investigation all the way across the pond to New York. Think The Fugitive meets The Scarlet Pimpernel - you never know where the killer is or where the protagonist Wallace is going to run to next but wipe that brow of yours as it's an adrenalin fuelled story.
I mean imagine finding yourself with a noose around your neck? Jeepers - and this is only the start. I was going to say Adam Hamdy is the type of writer who ropes you into the action but that is a little TOO true here. Just remember to breathe. I read this sitting on my sofa and now realise how macabre the little rope pulley on the blinds looks - a miniature pendulum if you will. That's how this novel messes with your mind. Hamdy-itis I'm calling it.
winterscomin's review
2.0
To be honest, this felt like one of the most drawn-out, least thrilling thrillers that I've ever read. Not that I've read all that many, but I still felt greatly let down by that plot twist. I feel like it was not worth reading 500 pages to get to an ending like that.
Biggest. Troll. Ending. Ever.
Okay, so it might be some peoples cup of tea, it just really wasn't mine.
Biggest. Troll. Ending. Ever.
Okay, so it might be some peoples cup of tea, it just really wasn't mine.
eleellis's review against another edition
2.0
Well, others might enjoy this novel, but it wasn't quite to my own personal liking.
It does not give anything away to describe the novel is about a haunted, photo-journalist that wakes up only to find he is being murdered by means of a fabricated suicide. His protagonist is a dressed in black, body armor/goggle-eyed mask wearing villain, seemingly as unstoppable as a Terminator assassin from the movies.
The rest of the plot deals with the main character trying to stay one step ahead of the killer, while trying to get others to believe someone actually tried to kill him by faking his suicide.
The book felt too wordy and when it comes to books of action, my own preference is to read books where ordeals thrust upon characters are believably possible (this is one reason why James Bond movies are not my first choice - I like to have characters put through realistic and believable hurdles, rather than the impossible).
Others may enjoy this book and should not take this review as a reason to avoid this novel. Others might find it very enjoyable. It just wasn't for me.....
It does not give anything away to describe the novel is about a haunted, photo-journalist that wakes up only to find he is being murdered by means of a fabricated suicide. His protagonist is a dressed in black, body armor/goggle-eyed mask wearing villain, seemingly as unstoppable as a Terminator assassin from the movies.
The rest of the plot deals with the main character trying to stay one step ahead of the killer, while trying to get others to believe someone actually tried to kill him by faking his suicide.
The book felt too wordy and when it comes to books of action, my own preference is to read books where ordeals thrust upon characters are believably possible (this is one reason why James Bond movies are not my first choice - I like to have characters put through realistic and believable hurdles, rather than the impossible).
Others may enjoy this book and should not take this review as a reason to avoid this novel. Others might find it very enjoyable. It just wasn't for me.....
thosedarkpages's review against another edition
5.0
A fantastic + intense read. The action was unrelenting! Very much looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy
itsallaboutthebooksuk's review against another edition
4.0
I'd seen Pendulum mentioned after its release quite a few times on social media, so I was really intrigued to see what it was about. When I looked it up the first thing that struck me was the cover, it gave me the shivers so I knew I definitely wanted to read it.
Could you imagine waking up to realise that you have a noose around your neck, that the man standing in front of you with a mask and body armour has the other end and intends to hang you, no? This is how Adam Hamdy introduces us to John Wallace, the main character in the book. John doesn't know why he has a noose around his neck or why someone is trying to kill him, hell he doesn't even know who that someone is.
John ends up running for his life, after finding clues in the US he leaves England and travels to where he thinks he can find some answers. What really happens is an intense game of cat and mouse and a story that has you biting your nails. The characters are well developed and I didn't actually realise when I started reading that this is book one of a trilogy so I was very pleased to know we'll hopefully be getting more from them soon.
Hamdy opens the book with an intense scene and keeps the intensity going right through to the end. This is a fast paced book with lots to keep you thinking about. I really was desperate to get to the end and find out the who and why and I just couldn't guess, which I love trying to do while reading a book. I ended up downloading Pendulum on audible so I could continue listening during the day when it wasn't possible to physically read the book. I've never actually read and listened to the same book, it's usually one or the other for me so this was quite a novelty. The narrator Luke Thompson did a very good job and it was easy to listen to. The emotion and fear came over very well in his voice and when I went back to read the book I had his voice in my head.
This really was an intense thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed and I'm looking forward to the next book in the trilogy.
Could you imagine waking up to realise that you have a noose around your neck, that the man standing in front of you with a mask and body armour has the other end and intends to hang you, no? This is how Adam Hamdy introduces us to John Wallace, the main character in the book. John doesn't know why he has a noose around his neck or why someone is trying to kill him, hell he doesn't even know who that someone is.
John ends up running for his life, after finding clues in the US he leaves England and travels to where he thinks he can find some answers. What really happens is an intense game of cat and mouse and a story that has you biting your nails. The characters are well developed and I didn't actually realise when I started reading that this is book one of a trilogy so I was very pleased to know we'll hopefully be getting more from them soon.
Hamdy opens the book with an intense scene and keeps the intensity going right through to the end. This is a fast paced book with lots to keep you thinking about. I really was desperate to get to the end and find out the who and why and I just couldn't guess, which I love trying to do while reading a book. I ended up downloading Pendulum on audible so I could continue listening during the day when it wasn't possible to physically read the book. I've never actually read and listened to the same book, it's usually one or the other for me so this was quite a novelty. The narrator Luke Thompson did a very good job and it was easy to listen to. The emotion and fear came over very well in his voice and when I went back to read the book I had his voice in my head.
This really was an intense thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed and I'm looking forward to the next book in the trilogy.