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carimayhew's review against another edition
5.0
What a whirlwind of a book! So many characters and sub plots, and so much going on.... (don't worry there are never spoilers in my reviews)
It's set in 2040, where a huge corporations has basically taken over the lives of just about everyone on the planet, and there's a big scheme to take them down during their biggest ever event. And while that is a story in and of itself, there's a whole lot more going on...
It's an excellent piece of escapism, with strange creatures and people who can walk through walls. But while I found the plot unrealistic (thankfully!) the characters themselves were very believable and relatable.
The action scenes were visceral, and they really draw you in. And some of these action scenes are like something out of the Matrix, which convinced me that this book would do well as a movie series.
And speaking of series, this is the first in a line of books. I don't always go on to read the second book in a series, but on this occasion, I 100% am!
It's set in 2040, where a huge corporations has basically taken over the lives of just about everyone on the planet, and there's a big scheme to take them down during their biggest ever event. And while that is a story in and of itself, there's a whole lot more going on...
It's an excellent piece of escapism, with strange creatures and people who can walk through walls. But while I found the plot unrealistic (thankfully!) the characters themselves were very believable and relatable.
The action scenes were visceral, and they really draw you in. And some of these action scenes are like something out of the Matrix, which convinced me that this book would do well as a movie series.
And speaking of series, this is the first in a line of books. I don't always go on to read the second book in a series, but on this occasion, I 100% am!
ty1er's review against another edition
1.0
It’s like reading a poorly written fanfic by some kid, and the dialogue reads like what a child imagines conversations between his parents sound like.
Also, I’m pretty sure the author scrolled through Facebook or some shit and shoved every hot topic he came accross into the story (and down the readers’ throats.) It’s really bad. I really don’t understand how it’s so highly rated.
Also, I’m pretty sure the author scrolled through Facebook or some shit and shoved every hot topic he came accross into the story (and down the readers’ throats.) It’s really bad. I really don’t understand how it’s so highly rated.
lananana21's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 Stars!
I got this book recommended from Booktasters. Pulse is fast-paced horror/sci-fi and it has nearly 400 pages, but I didn’t get the feeling that it’s a large book. The book is divided into 5 parts and it’s has my favorite genres: Horror, Sci-fi and dystopian thriller!
The year is 2040 and the world is ruled by the company Pulse. What I liked was the world building and how the characters and their motivations were diverse. There were characters like Natalie and Amber who where against Pulse and characters like Mark who was the son Alan Sharpe, the owner of Pulse. A mysterious outbreak happens which causes people to transform into monsters. Later, during the music event which Pulse had planned - PulseFest - comes a creature neither Pulse nor Anti-P has foreseen.
The author has a distinctive writing style. It was written very well and it kept me edge! The dialogue was written like a screenplay but everything else was described normal.
I would recommend this book if you are is looking for a horror/sci-fi book that keeps you on edge and has a interesting storyline.
plottwistswithjessi's review against another edition
3.0
What I liked:
- The overarching plot: This was dynamic and constantly changing. It kept me on my toes and came together in a way I could not have imagined.
- The Characters: The characters were all very different and interesting. The story came from MANY different perspectives with characters of different age groups and demographics. I also really enjoyed how each character's story line came together in the end.
- The genre: This was a really unique combination of the horror and sci-fi genre. It reminded me of more than one already existing story, in a really positive way; stories I truly enjoy and revere.
What could have been better:
- In my opinion, there were too many characters. Each chapter was told through a new perspective and I constantly found myself asking "who was this again?"
- The writing style including A LOT of explanation that felt very forced. Very little was explained in this story in a way that was organic. In the beginning, before I was engaged in the plot, I almost DNF'd this. I'm glad I didn't though, it's worth it to push through.
- This story has a lot of 2020 references that I don't think are going to hold up over time. COVID-19 and president Trump are mentioned quite a few times.
- The overarching plot: This was dynamic and constantly changing. It kept me on my toes and came together in a way I could not have imagined.
- The Characters: The characters were all very different and interesting. The story came from MANY different perspectives with characters of different age groups and demographics. I also really enjoyed how each character's story line came together in the end.
- The genre: This was a really unique combination of the horror and sci-fi genre. It reminded me of more than one already existing story, in a really positive way; stories I truly enjoy and revere.
What could have been better:
- In my opinion, there were too many characters. Each chapter was told through a new perspective and I constantly found myself asking "who was this again?"
- The writing style including A LOT of explanation that felt very forced. Very little was explained in this story in a way that was organic. In the beginning, before I was engaged in the plot, I almost DNF'd this. I'm glad I didn't though, it's worth it to push through.
- This story has a lot of 2020 references that I don't think are going to hold up over time. COVID-19 and president Trump are mentioned quite a few times.
richellemelynda's review against another edition
5.0
B.A. Bellec’s second novel, Pulse, has a number of descriptors; sci fi, horror, thriller, dystopian, mystery, just to name a few. This really does have a bit of everything in it. Pulse follows a number of perspectives to weave a story that keeps readers intrigued and turning the pages. Pulse takes place in 2040, 19 years from today, the story follows a number of persons that all are involved in the company and the events that take place during the music festival, PulseFest. The company Pulse has taken over everything. As a giant all encompassing company, it has reaches in what people do, eat, drink, wear and all their technology. B.A. Bellec writes a convincing warning of the potential outcomes of a tech giant monopoly in our near future. The novel goes through a number of events that happen when a mysterious outbreak is causes people to become violent mutants. No one knows how the outbreak began or why, but each have connected it to Pulse somehow.
Pulse is fast-paced and although it has 400 pages, you don’t get the feeling that it’s a large book. The novel is divided into 4 sections. The world building is exceptional. You get the feel for how our world evolved into this new world easily. I also loved how the characters were diverse, from every walk of life, so you really get a feel for what life is like from every tier of society. Not just the upper class, or lower-class. There is also a lot of aspects woven into the story. These political, environmental, social and economical aspect that would conceivably be present in the future that B.A. Bellec creates.
B.A. Bellec has a unique way of writing. It feels like a mix between a screenplay and a novel. The events of the novel are described in a normal fiction novel way, however dialogue in the book is written like a screenplay. This threw me off initially by the end of the novel, I loved the way it helped me keep track of who is who and all the connections these people have with each other while also connecting past and present. If anyone is looking for a dystopian read that has a serious page-turning plot line, I would recommend this novel. I am not usually a fan of horror books, but I ate this book up! This is a MUST READ if only just to see the path that our present world has a very likely chance of going down. I cannot wait for the second one to find out what happens next and more about Pulse, the creature and the characters that survived the events of PulseFest.
ARC provided by B.A. Bellec.
Pulse is fast-paced and although it has 400 pages, you don’t get the feeling that it’s a large book. The novel is divided into 4 sections. The world building is exceptional. You get the feel for how our world evolved into this new world easily. I also loved how the characters were diverse, from every walk of life, so you really get a feel for what life is like from every tier of society. Not just the upper class, or lower-class. There is also a lot of aspects woven into the story. These political, environmental, social and economical aspect that would conceivably be present in the future that B.A. Bellec creates.
B.A. Bellec has a unique way of writing. It feels like a mix between a screenplay and a novel. The events of the novel are described in a normal fiction novel way, however dialogue in the book is written like a screenplay. This threw me off initially by the end of the novel, I loved the way it helped me keep track of who is who and all the connections these people have with each other while also connecting past and present. If anyone is looking for a dystopian read that has a serious page-turning plot line, I would recommend this novel. I am not usually a fan of horror books, but I ate this book up! This is a MUST READ if only just to see the path that our present world has a very likely chance of going down. I cannot wait for the second one to find out what happens next and more about Pulse, the creature and the characters that survived the events of PulseFest.
ARC provided by B.A. Bellec.