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deprivance's review against another edition
3.0
Because this novel is a graphically disturbing thriller, it is not suitable for everyone, but those who can handle it will be rewarded with a suspenseful, thought-provoking story. The dialogue is rather crude but it seems to fit the characters and their situation, since they are forced to survive on a deserted island with scarce resources while suffering from heroin withdrawal. The characters grow in depth as the story progresses, giving the reader insight into the minds of drug addicts in a way that can make one reconsider his or her stigmatization against junkies. [b:Bait|17838341|Bait|J. Kent Messum|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1366642694s/17838341.jpg|24757240] had me on edge throughout the entire novel and I finished most of it in one sitting. I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads but this has not influenced my review in any way.
christajls's review against another edition
2.0
This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic
You want to convince someone to never do heroine? Give them this book.
It’ll be effective for two reasons. The first is when you find out how crappy the character’s lives were before they were abducted and brought to the island. The things they did for drugs or the living conditions they were in were cringe worthy. No. They were beyond cringe worthy. But that wasn’t even the worst part. The worst part was the withdrawal. Messum’s descriptions were just so vivid and frightening. They made me physically squirm more then once.
The story itself fell a little flat for me. It was a little predictable and the characters were exactly what you expected them to be. Static archetypes, not a lot of development. It’s a very quick story so there isn’t a lot of time for that anyway but I did miss it. Especially since I had a hard time rooting for any of them to survive.
Messum is clearly a talented writer. This may not be the best novel but I would definitely be interested to see what he writes next.
You want to convince someone to never do heroine? Give them this book.
It’ll be effective for two reasons. The first is when you find out how crappy the character’s lives were before they were abducted and brought to the island. The things they did for drugs or the living conditions they were in were cringe worthy. No. They were beyond cringe worthy. But that wasn’t even the worst part. The worst part was the withdrawal. Messum’s descriptions were just so vivid and frightening. They made me physically squirm more then once.
The story itself fell a little flat for me. It was a little predictable and the characters were exactly what you expected them to be. Static archetypes, not a lot of development. It’s a very quick story so there isn’t a lot of time for that anyway but I did miss it. Especially since I had a hard time rooting for any of them to survive.
Messum is clearly a talented writer. This may not be the best novel but I would definitely be interested to see what he writes next.
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
Six heroin addicts wake up on an island in the Florida keys with no idea who they wound up there. The only thing standing between them and a top quality heroin fix on the next island is an expanse of shark-infested water...
When J. Kent Messum hit me up to review an ARC of this, I hesitated at first. Until I read about the sharks and the heroin, that is! Who doesn't like grim death sports? Welcome to the Heroin Games! May the odds be ever in your favor...
Jokes aside, this was pretty bad ass. While the characters weren't super-detailed, who the hell expects them to be? They're chum for a bunch of sharks!
The structure of the story added a lot to the experience, using shifting viewpoints and different points in time to tell the stories of the unwilling contestants before they wound up being shark bait for some sick bastards' amusement.
I felt like I was sitting right alongside the spectators on the boat, wondering who would be devoured next. I was wrong about who the last person standing would be, a nice surprise.
There's some serious gore in Bait. I let out a few audible groans during this, disturbing my dog. The suspense of the shark attacks was masterfully done. The ending was good and, as I said, a nice surprise.
Bait is a chum-spattered good time, a lot of fun in a time when we could all use some. Four out of five stars.
When J. Kent Messum hit me up to review an ARC of this, I hesitated at first. Until I read about the sharks and the heroin, that is! Who doesn't like grim death sports? Welcome to the Heroin Games! May the odds be ever in your favor...
Jokes aside, this was pretty bad ass. While the characters weren't super-detailed, who the hell expects them to be? They're chum for a bunch of sharks!
The structure of the story added a lot to the experience, using shifting viewpoints and different points in time to tell the stories of the unwilling contestants before they wound up being shark bait for some sick bastards' amusement.
I felt like I was sitting right alongside the spectators on the boat, wondering who would be devoured next. I was wrong about who the last person standing would be, a nice surprise.
There's some serious gore in Bait. I let out a few audible groans during this, disturbing my dog. The suspense of the shark attacks was masterfully done. The ending was good and, as I said, a nice surprise.
Bait is a chum-spattered good time, a lot of fun in a time when we could all use some. Four out of five stars.
mxsallybend's review against another edition
4.0
It's not often that I can look at a book blurb and wholeheartedly agree, but Bait: A Novel is, in fact, a case of "Jaws meets Lord of the Flies meets Drugstore Cowboy!" About the only thing I might add to that is, "in the style of early Richard Bachman."
What J. Kent Messum has crafted here is a dark, disturbing tale of disposable people. On the one side you have a group of drug-addicted strangers, damaged outcasts who survive by feeding on the underside of society. On the other side you have a group of [small spoiler here] ex-military types, damaged outcasts who survive despite being fed to the underside of society.
Pretty simple, black versus white, good versus evil, right? Not so fast.
Beneath the cruelty of its Survivor type challenge, shark-infested waters, and crippling withdrawal pains, this is a story of human beings at war as much with themselves as one another. Messum gives each of the six castaways a back story, unveiled slowly as the narrative alternates between events on the island, and events in the city over the days immediately preceding their banishment. He wisely holds back from painting them as victims, or tugging too hard at the heartstrings, but does humanize a group of human beings who could otherwise have been simple horror story fodder.
The mystery of how they got there and why is part of the novel's allure, so I won't say anything further to spoil that, but it does set up some interesting philosophical questions regarding the war on drugs. It's not really a story where you can take sides, since neither is a safe nor comfortable place to be, but it does make you think about the emotional reactions it evokes. You could simply read it as a cold, callous, cruel bit of torture-porn, but that would be doing the novel - and the author - a disservice. There's a lot more to it, if only you stop and think about the motivations and justifications involved.
As for the ending, there are more than a few surprises in the final pages, but they really serve to put a final satisfying bite upon the reader.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
What J. Kent Messum has crafted here is a dark, disturbing tale of disposable people. On the one side you have a group of drug-addicted strangers, damaged outcasts who survive by feeding on the underside of society. On the other side you have a group of [small spoiler here] ex-military types, damaged outcasts who survive despite being fed to the underside of society.
Pretty simple, black versus white, good versus evil, right? Not so fast.
Beneath the cruelty of its Survivor type challenge, shark-infested waters, and crippling withdrawal pains, this is a story of human beings at war as much with themselves as one another. Messum gives each of the six castaways a back story, unveiled slowly as the narrative alternates between events on the island, and events in the city over the days immediately preceding their banishment. He wisely holds back from painting them as victims, or tugging too hard at the heartstrings, but does humanize a group of human beings who could otherwise have been simple horror story fodder.
The mystery of how they got there and why is part of the novel's allure, so I won't say anything further to spoil that, but it does set up some interesting philosophical questions regarding the war on drugs. It's not really a story where you can take sides, since neither is a safe nor comfortable place to be, but it does make you think about the emotional reactions it evokes. You could simply read it as a cold, callous, cruel bit of torture-porn, but that would be doing the novel - and the author - a disservice. There's a lot more to it, if only you stop and think about the motivations and justifications involved.
As for the ending, there are more than a few surprises in the final pages, but they really serve to put a final satisfying bite upon the reader.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
vikingwolf's review against another edition
4.0
Nash, Ginger, Felix, Kenny, Tal and Maria are all drug addicts. They have all been snatched off the streets where they live and wake up on an island beach, being watched by people on a nearby boat. A note tells them that they are now taking part in a game. On the next island there is a box containing food, water and a fix. All they have to do is swim over...through shark infested water...
I liked the idea of the game with unwilling participants being forced to take part and evil men watching from the boat and betting on who dies first. My one reservation was that I do not enjoy books with drug addict MCs, no matter what the genre. I was somewhat concerned that I would hate the six of them so much that I'd want them all to be eaten and it would spoil any enjoyment of the plot. I was surprised to find that I did like the plot and was won over by a couple of the characters by the time the deaths began. That was a pleasant surprise! And really the people had to be addicts, to force them at some point to give in against their better judgement and make the swim. The only other plot reason for doing it would've been if your family were hostages I guess.
The book begins with a short piece on each character remembering strange events leading up to their abductions. Nate flees what he thinks are law enforcement watching him in a shop and a bar, Ginger is approached by a man in a bar who makes her nervous, Felix was beaten up outside his flat, Kenny hears a phone call about someone being sold, Tal and Maria remember being abducted, and a few other things which all seem to be linked to their last fix. The small flashbacks are mixed in with the confusion in the present of where they are and what is happening to them and the finding of the box. We also get a look into the motivation of the men who have kidnapped them and why they are doing this game.
The characters don't like or trust each other on their first meeting which is not surprising. If you woke up on an island with a group of strangers and suffering from withdrawal, you would be suspicious of everyone and their motives. Felix is losing his temper and threatening anyone who might be having racist thoughts, Ginger is bitching at everyone until taking the scared Kenny under her wing, Nate tries playing peacemaker, Maria doesn't want to talk to anyone and Tal is already close to losing control. Their first interactions are certainly tense but they quickly realise that they are all in the same situation, addicted and scared and they have to come up with a plan. As one character makes the swim and is eaten, the others decide they have to make the swim while they still have the strength.
The swim was really well written. You know the sharks are out there and you know that there is a high probability that not all of them are going to safely reach the next island. The group reluctantly agree that if they leave it any longer, they will be too weak and shaky to get there. It is decided that they must all stay together as one group to give them the best possible chance of surviving. The first steps that they take into the water together are certainly nervous moments and events take a surprising turn as they move out into open water. One person decides to change their mind halfway which confuses the plan for everyone and leads to a plot twist that I loved.
Distrust hits the survivors and a faction is formed which really changes the way that the book moves forward. By this point I was rooting for a couple of the people and I wanted one to die a very violent and bloody death! The book by this stage was moving along at pace and I was really enjoying the way things were unfolding. I could actually imagine this as being a pretty decent film if the casting was right. If you like your sharks but enjoy a bit of character based drama in with it, then you might well like this one.
I liked the idea of the game with unwilling participants being forced to take part and evil men watching from the boat and betting on who dies first. My one reservation was that I do not enjoy books with drug addict MCs, no matter what the genre. I was somewhat concerned that I would hate the six of them so much that I'd want them all to be eaten and it would spoil any enjoyment of the plot. I was surprised to find that I did like the plot and was won over by a couple of the characters by the time the deaths began. That was a pleasant surprise! And really the people had to be addicts, to force them at some point to give in against their better judgement and make the swim. The only other plot reason for doing it would've been if your family were hostages I guess.
The book begins with a short piece on each character remembering strange events leading up to their abductions. Nate flees what he thinks are law enforcement watching him in a shop and a bar, Ginger is approached by a man in a bar who makes her nervous, Felix was beaten up outside his flat, Kenny hears a phone call about someone being sold, Tal and Maria remember being abducted, and a few other things which all seem to be linked to their last fix. The small flashbacks are mixed in with the confusion in the present of where they are and what is happening to them and the finding of the box. We also get a look into the motivation of the men who have kidnapped them and why they are doing this game.
The characters don't like or trust each other on their first meeting which is not surprising. If you woke up on an island with a group of strangers and suffering from withdrawal, you would be suspicious of everyone and their motives. Felix is losing his temper and threatening anyone who might be having racist thoughts, Ginger is bitching at everyone until taking the scared Kenny under her wing, Nate tries playing peacemaker, Maria doesn't want to talk to anyone and Tal is already close to losing control. Their first interactions are certainly tense but they quickly realise that they are all in the same situation, addicted and scared and they have to come up with a plan. As one character makes the swim and is eaten, the others decide they have to make the swim while they still have the strength.
The swim was really well written. You know the sharks are out there and you know that there is a high probability that not all of them are going to safely reach the next island. The group reluctantly agree that if they leave it any longer, they will be too weak and shaky to get there. It is decided that they must all stay together as one group to give them the best possible chance of surviving. The first steps that they take into the water together are certainly nervous moments and events take a surprising turn as they move out into open water. One person decides to change their mind halfway which confuses the plan for everyone and leads to a plot twist that I loved.
Distrust hits the survivors and a faction is formed which really changes the way that the book moves forward. By this point I was rooting for a couple of the people and I wanted one to die a very violent and bloody death! The book by this stage was moving along at pace and I was really enjoying the way things were unfolding. I could actually imagine this as being a pretty decent film if the casting was right. If you like your sharks but enjoy a bit of character based drama in with it, then you might well like this one.
bookswithlukas's review against another edition
3.0
Junkies Vs. Sharks. ROUND ONE.
When I first saw the plot line to this novel, my instant reaction was that this was going to be the book version of a cheesy, so bad it's good sy fy channel monster movie, and I was EXCITED. For some reason, nothing brings me more joy than terrible movies like that. Seriously, Sharknado may have been the highlight of my movie watching year.
Obviously though, everyone does not feel this way. So if the idea of reading about a group of junkies swimming through shark infested waters in the Florida Keys does not appeal to you, don't get this.
I will admit the book isn't the greatest thing ever written, and in a weird way I kind of wanted them to take the plot line further, and go really out there with it. Instead, we basically get a group of 6 semi-annoying junkies for fish food, who tell us of their lowest moments in LOST style flashbacks. Predictable? Sort of. Entertaining? Sort of. I loved the bits on the islands with the sharks, but the whole back story for each of them was almost predictable and generic to a tee.
The villain in this is also extremely generic and cheesy. It was like they took him right out of one of those cheesy Sy Fy movies, in fact this whole thing is destined for a Sy Fy remake, and I for one, will probably watch it.
When I first saw the plot line to this novel, my instant reaction was that this was going to be the book version of a cheesy, so bad it's good sy fy channel monster movie, and I was EXCITED. For some reason, nothing brings me more joy than terrible movies like that. Seriously, Sharknado may have been the highlight of my movie watching year.
Obviously though, everyone does not feel this way. So if the idea of reading about a group of junkies swimming through shark infested waters in the Florida Keys does not appeal to you, don't get this.
I will admit the book isn't the greatest thing ever written, and in a weird way I kind of wanted them to take the plot line further, and go really out there with it. Instead, we basically get a group of 6 semi-annoying junkies for fish food, who tell us of their lowest moments in LOST style flashbacks. Predictable? Sort of. Entertaining? Sort of. I loved the bits on the islands with the sharks, but the whole back story for each of them was almost predictable and generic to a tee.
The villain in this is also extremely generic and cheesy. It was like they took him right out of one of those cheesy Sy Fy movies, in fact this whole thing is destined for a Sy Fy remake, and I for one, will probably watch it.
diannenah's review against another edition
3.0
Felt like I’ve watch a movie abit like this story. Overall, good. Quite realistic.
briz_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It’s a five star read for me but not a book I’d necessarily recommend.