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jonmhansen's review
4.0
Well, that was a great big bucket of weird. Started off as a paranoid thriller and ended up deep into some WTF territory. Without getting into specifics, the ending did not entirely click for me. But it's an enjoyable ride nonetheless.
annarella's review
5.0
This is the sort of book that you know you could like and you end up loving it.
Gripping, fast paced, full of surprises and with an intersting cast of characters and a fascinating world building.
Conspiracies, new technologies, action and everything which is necessary to make a book stand out and become one of those book you mark as "VERY VERY GOOD".
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Gripping, fast paced, full of surprises and with an intersting cast of characters and a fascinating world building.
Conspiracies, new technologies, action and everything which is necessary to make a book stand out and become one of those book you mark as "VERY VERY GOOD".
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
neilsb's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
procrastinatingpages's review
3.0
There were parts of this book that I really did enjoy, and the actual concept of this book was really intriguing. I've never really heard anything about the second shooter phenomenon, but it’s left me very interested and I plan to look into this more.
Anyway, while there were parts that I was intrigued by, the majority of this book left me very confused. I did appreciate the character interactions, and some of the conversations that were brought up left me a lot to think about.
I didn’t love it, and I didn’t hate it. I did find that I really struggled to understand the reasons behind the main character's actions, and I didn’t connect with him or his aspirations.
(Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review).
Anyway, while there were parts that I was intrigued by, the majority of this book left me very confused. I did appreciate the character interactions, and some of the conversations that were brought up left me a lot to think about.
I didn’t love it, and I didn’t hate it. I did find that I really struggled to understand the reasons behind the main character's actions, and I didn’t connect with him or his aspirations.
(Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review).
aghowes's review
Very online conspiracy thriller that's wry in places I appreciated, but overall a bit dull. Ending's good, though.
inquisitrix's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
The Second Shooter is a fast-paced and darkly funny novel that carries readers along like a storm surge, twisting and turning around ever-changing plot points and perspectives. It's a great send-up of America's contemporary culture of conspiracy theorists and the media figures who engage with and encourage them for the sake of the show, as well as a biting critique of everyone who benefits from public tragedies. I found it both entertaining and eerily believable.
The main drawback of this novel, for me, was that I had some difficulty finding the main character engaging. Everything that happened to and around him, and everyone he encountered, was much, much more engaging, which saved the book and ultimately resulted in a satisfying reading experience. I think it might have been a five-star read had there been just a bit more to Mike Karras, though perhaps his essential lack of, well, pretty much everything was important to the plot. At any rate, though his characterization was a flaw for me, I still enjoyed the book quite a bit.
I'd recommend The Second Shooter to anyone looking for a slightly paranormal thriller that's short enough for a fast reader to blaze through in an afternoon. Fans of the X-Files, Neal Stephenson, and William Gibson alike should find plenty of thematic satisfaction here, but Mamatas's take on familiar themes of omnipresent surveillance and vast conspiracy is individual enough to offer most readers something new to think about.
I received a free e-ARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my review.
The main drawback of this novel, for me, was that I had some difficulty finding the main character engaging. Everything that happened to and around him, and everyone he encountered, was much, much more engaging, which saved the book and ultimately resulted in a satisfying reading experience. I think it might have been a five-star read had there been just a bit more to Mike Karras, though perhaps his essential lack of, well, pretty much everything was important to the plot. At any rate, though his characterization was a flaw for me, I still enjoyed the book quite a bit.
I'd recommend The Second Shooter to anyone looking for a slightly paranormal thriller that's short enough for a fast reader to blaze through in an afternoon. Fans of the X-Files, Neal Stephenson, and William Gibson alike should find plenty of thematic satisfaction here, but Mamatas's take on familiar themes of omnipresent surveillance and vast conspiracy is individual enough to offer most readers something new to think about.
I received a free e-ARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my review.
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