Dark Eden (edition 2011)

I liked this book! ohhhh the twists. One after another it just came at you. The idea of the plot is interesting by itself. A bunch of teens at an institution trying to deal with their own fears. Some of their fears were horrifying and made you want to cringe when you read through them. I liked how the book was divided up into their own fears (with the appropriate pictures to accompany it).

The plot was good, the twists were appropriately placed and the overall mood of the story was dark and suitable. The characters were all right, I can’t really say they were likable. It was more like they were just there for your reading pleasure. I liked the explanation and the back story as to why this institution was created. I wasn’t expecting that AT ALL. It’s creative, and different and puts an interesting spin on this story. The ending leaves you wondering what’s going to happen but it keeps you curious and wanting more.

The second book is out already and I’m going to grab it. The ending of Dark Eden was good enough to get me curious as to what was going to happen next. YA readers would enjoy this one. Especially fans who want a thriller. ( )

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick and Dirty: This thriller will leave you wondering what will happen to the characters next as they face their fears, and possibly your own.

Opening Sentence: Why are you hiding in this room all alone?

The Review:

What’s initially interesting about this book is that it is also interactive. There is an app, or you can get the same experience at this website, that will provide sound, images, text, and video related to the book. Some people may not enjoy the multimedia version, but I did check it out after I read the book.

Our narrator, Will Besting, is sent to a weekend retreat by his doctor with six other teenagers as a last resort to help confront and control their individual phobias. He has prior knowledge of the other patients since he secretly copied their sessions off of Dr. Steven’s computer. Upon arriving at the camp, Will leaves the group and fends for himself. He finds a small, unused room in the basement filled with old computer monitors. With no other options except for returning to the group, he camps out in the room for the weekend. Soon he finds out that the monitors are connected to hidden cameras in the house where the other teens are.

Will seems like an average teen boy who doesn’t feel like he fits in anywhere. He is a loner, and the only person he feels close to is his brother, Keith. While watching the monitors that turn on and off by themselves, Will gets to know the other teenagers. Their host, Rainsford, says that he has a way that will cure them all of their phobias. Will watches on as one by one each person is led into a room created especially for them as they relive their worst fears. Through the technology that Rainsford uses, Will is able to actually watch what each person sees in their head. Though he may not like the others, he feels closer to them as he experiences their fears. I liked how Patrick Carman used a range of characters, all with distinct phobias, to show how fear does not discriminate.

The other teens are Alex, Ben, and Connor, who are male, and Avery, Kate, and Marisa, who are female. Of course, Will does not feel comfortable with any of them, except Marisa, who is quiet and nice. For the first time in a while, Will has felt somewhat close to someone when he is with Marisa. He sneaks out of the room late at night to talk with her about what is going on. Both of them are reserved about taking part in Rainsford’s cure as the other teens seem to have odd side effects afterwards. Another teen named Davis comes by the fort, and assures them that he was cured a while back by Rainsford, which adds more suspense as to what is really going on.

As the book continues, we start to wonder what is with Rainsford’s “cures” and why no effort has been made to find out where Will is. They are in the middle of nowhere, and one of their patients are missing. We do get answers at the very end that made me interested to know what will happen next. Also, there is a definite shocker ending! Since it was just barely introduced, I expect Carman to go into more depth with the character of Rainford in the next installment.

This is not meant to be a super scary or psychologically chilling novel. It explores fear and mystery, and how that can affect a person, especially a teenager. The twister ending does require discussion, but that will have to wait for the next book!

Notable Scene:

I walked to the back of the basement, along the edge of the shelves that held the cans of food, and found one more door. This door was not like the others, which were all made of heavy timber and had iron hinges. The door I stood in front of was made of metal, like a freezer, and on the front a word stenciled with red paint.

BOMB SHELTER

I don’t fear enclosed spaces; in fact, I like them quite a bit more than wide-open cafeterias or ball fields. But the words had a ring of finality. It was a place people went if the word was coming to an end.

There was a pin on a chain holding a freezer handle in place. The pin emitted a sharp sound of metal as I removed it and let it hang from the chain like a body swinging from a noose. The handle was cold in my hand, but it pulled easily enough, and the door to bomb shelter was open.

A curb ran along the bottom edge, and I stepped over it, peering into a strange and secret place. Before I knew it I was inside, discovering a knob that clicked once and then turned, bringing up the light.

I had come to the farthest corner of where I could go; and, turning around, I pulled the door in close behind me, just shy of locking myself in.

The Dark Eden Series:

1. Dark Eden

2. Eve of Destruction

FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me a copy of Dark Eden. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ( )

Well written but bizarre book. More juvenile than young adult. I always like it when I come across books for the younger crowd that I can say "would interest boy readers" as there seem to be way more for young girls. Would definitely recommended and would like to see a series out of it. Lots of potential could even see this as a movie. ( )

Why read: Requested from Amazon Vine

What impressed me: I found the teens themselves to be interesting, especially how their fears effected them and how they related to each other. Nothing else really impressed me. The writing was good, as was the story as a whole, but nothing really leaped out as being so good it needs to be praised.

What disappointed me: The pacing was off. The build up was slow, too slow, which made the tension fizzle. I thought the treatments were more interesting than horrific, which was unfortunate being that the book kind of hinged on you believing these treatments were evil in some way. The ending was reminiscent of certain Stephen King novels, which is to say that what could have been a good sciencey horror book turned paranormal at the last minute. I love King, but I absolutely hate when he makes that move and the author here fairs no better.

Recommended: Not especially. It was okay. Nothing made this book stand out as something anyone would need to run out and get immediately. ( )

Will and six other teens have fears that are not being solved in regular therapy. They are sent to Fort Eden where they are going to face their fears head on. Will does not want to go. When the rest of the group is walking through the forest to the bunker, Will sneaks off and hides in the cooks basement in an old bomb shelter. While there, Will finds monitors that help him watch what is happening to the other people during their cures.

The other six people have a chapter dedicated to their treatments. Will hacked into his doctors system and downloaded their files so he knows about their fears. We learn about them when they go through treatment. When the others come out of treatment, they are completely cured but they tend to have different ailments. Something funny is going on and Will is determined to find out what.

I liked this book. It kept you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what each person’s fears were and where they came from. I felt for each of them and what they went through. I was blown away by the ending and will admit that I was not impressed with it. I did give a feel of paranormal in an otherwise thriller story. I felt it was weak after everything else that happened throughout the book.

Having said that, I do feel that it was a god book. I am going to look for Patrick Carman’s other stories.

I received this book for the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. ( )