Psychics, government conspiracies, and dangerous criminals swirl like a summer storm around 17yo parkour enthusiast Samantha Black. When a series of crushing headaches lands Sam in the hospital, she wakes to an imaginary voice in her head: Alexander, an adorable ten-year-old who claims to be a telepath. The doctors think Sam’s brain was damaged after a stroke, but they’re wrong. Alexander isn’t … Alexander isn’t imaginary. He’s a sentient virus, and the government knows about him. After all, they created him.
more
I had never read an urban fantasy novel and fantasy is on my thanks-but-no-thanks list. But the premise of Gnosis intrigued me. There’s mystery and thriller elements. I really enjoyed this book. Here are a few reasons why:
1. Samantha Black is one heck of a heroine.
She’s determined, strong, and hot-headed. She’s a parkour enthusiast, which is something like military obstacle training minus the military. (Think jumping from rooftop to rooftop, climbing up or down brick walls, all without equipment. It’s one reason the state declared her self-destructive and stuck her in foster care.) Once Alexander shows up, she’s extremely protective of the little guy. Sure, he lives in her head but he’s still vulnerable.
I wrote in my notes that she reminds me a bit of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, but I think I prefer Sam!
2. Alexander is one awesome little virus.
Alexander sounds like an eager little kid, sometimes a bit younger than the ten-year-old boys I’ve met recently. But he’s very innocent and naive–after all, he was “born” not long before–and he has to rely on Sam’s memories to form his knowledge of the world.
This leads to some interesting and funny moments, such as when he pops up wearing neon pink Daisy Dukes, a knotted t-shirt, and headphones, and spouts teen speak from the last decade. He’s taken his fashion sense from Sam in her preteen years. Um, no. (Don’t worry. Sam sets him straight on that point.)
He’s capable of loving others and shows great loyalty to those he loves. He’s a full-fledged character.
3. The writing voice is terrific.
After reading the opening pages of Gnosis, I knew I had to read it. Why?The writing voice grabbed me and didn’t let go.It’s a great blend of intensity and humor. Fresh. Energetic. Hall nails the voice of an older teen girl without seeming to try too hard or too obviously.
4. The premise is well-executed.
This is a complicated premise. Alexander not only hops from head to head, but he also “watches” Sam’s memories and her world from inside a (fantasy) treehouse in her head. Sam can simultaneously watch the inside of the treehouse and the external world she lives in. At points, Melvin, their ally (who does not have a virus and is not telepathic), also appears in the treehouse, and Alexander pops into his head and hunts around in his memories, too. At times, all three are speaking to one another. When Gabi and Victor come into the story, things become even more complicated. (Two viruses, three humans, multiple mind-readers.)
But it’s never confusing. I never had to wonder who was speaking or who could or couldn’t hear their words. In the fantasy world Hall created, the rules of communication may be different than in our real world, but they are still consistent. The environment and its “laws” are also never so complex that I struggled to understand what was going on. (This has been an issue for me in other fantasy novels.)
I suspect Hall’s background as a game designer helps with the vivid nature of his fantasy world. Overall, this is a terrific, energetic, awesome book to read. I heartily recommend Gnosis for anyone who enjoys urban fantasy or thrillers.
Note: I received a review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Gnosis could be a TV series. To me, the draw is the characters that stay with you long after you read about them. Not to mention, the compelling science fiction elements that are unpacked in reveal upon reveal. You won’t know what is going on at first but probably won’t care as you’ll be too busy enjoying Sam’s journey as she figures out her next move while constantly dodging her pursuers.
Picture a spunky teen with an arsenal of parkour gymnastic moves, who is vulnerable but not weak, her courage and belief in herself relentless against the hard knocks she’s endured. That’s Sam. And you’ll get to know her intimately as she chats to you in first-person narrative taking you with her on her journey.
This book is full of non-stop action with the plot continuously twisting and turning keeping you on the edge of your seat. You will be surprised at key points. This is not a predictable story by any means. At the same time, the building relationships between characters are palpable and real and when you finally see certain things coming together, it clicks, surprises and all.
Sam’s love for her dad and determination to solve his murder moves me as does her growing relationship with Alexander, the 10-year old boy who is not your average kid by any means. What would a sentient virus learning about the world for the first time while living in Sam’s head look like? Adorable, naive and enchanting might not be your first thought. But that’s Alexander. A so-called imaginary-turned-true and formidable friend.
Melvin, a retired Israeli soldier, takes Sam under his wing. He is the father figure she doesn’t have and the kinda gruff guy with so much heart, you take to him immediately. Gabi, a prickly and damaged homeless teen who becomes a member of Sam’s motley crew, is perhaps one of the most compelling characters, her mental struggles and fierce love for her friends even as she hurts them, is so well-written. Gabi is someone you won’t forget anytime soon. She is almost Sam’s dark twin. You know when she’s in a scene as her pain dominates the room.
Perhaps one of my favorite unique elements of this series is how the non-corporeal characters – the ‘viruses’ that live in characters’ heads – are written. They are distinctive with their own personalities and seamlessly woven into the characters’ thoughts as the viruses and characters converse telepathically. If that alone doesn’t make you want to pick up this book . . . I don’t know what will.
As to the author’s writing style, you can really picture the characters and scenes vividly, forgetting the words on the page as the movie runs in your mind. He makes writing look easy. If forgetting you are reading and getting lost in the story is a mark of good writing, Rick Hall’s got that going on in spades.
This writer is someone to watch. I look forward to seeing where he takes this book series.
The best part of this book is how easy it is to read. The characters become like friends and you lose yourself in the story. I cried twice and laughed a lot. Alexander is an innocent that makes you smile. Sam is tough, resilient and sassy with a typical teenager attitude. Melvin is the father figure that all girls need with his own sad past to overcome. And overcome he does. A true hero. Department 45 is ruthless,relentless and powerful. Gabi is homeless,sad and unstable with an all consuming need to be left alone. Victor is a slimy,sneaky self-centered poison with his own agenda. This book is well written and hard to put down. Looking forward to the next!
I liked this book. A lot. It’s a story about Samantha Black, a 17 year old who is obsessed with finding out who killed her father. As a heroine, Sam is a snarky parkour enthusiast, and that turned out to be a fun choice for the author to make. Rather than having a skinny blonde girl unrealistically beating up street gang members, or blasting her way through a dangerous neighborhood with a semi-automatic handgun, the author makes Sam more realistic. She survives through her skill with acrobatic tricks and urban freestyle running, making it impossible for the big burly thugs to catch her. Can’t hurt what you can’t catch. Run Sam, run.
There are some fun, action-packed parkour chases in the book.
Regarding the story, Gnosis has a weirdly complicated plot. I say ‘weird’ because although there’s a LOT going on, somehow it’s magically easy to follow. I managed to blaze through it all in one day, a pretty unusual feat for me, but you’ll have to excuse me if I curse author for not making any convenient stopping points. I needed a whole pot of coffee this morning.
The characters are all fun and all unique, especially Alexander, Sam’s imaginary 10 year old friend. I know that as readers we’re supposed to like the protagonist the most, but as cool as Sam is, Alexander’s adorableness steals the spotlight. He’s like an incessantly curious, hyper enthusiastic, walking teddy bear.
But a funny thing happened after I put the book down and starting to write a review. It struck me: there was NO ROMANCE. NONE. It freaked me out a little. I normally buy urban fantasy BECAUSE of the romance, and I normally get bored if it doesn’t happen. But in this case, I got so wrapped up in the fun storyline that I totally forgot to be disappointed by the lack of a love interest.
It makes me think maybe I should broaden my search criteria for books in the future.
This story is so well crafted! I love it! Samantha is so resourceful; I love the parkour action and Alexander is quite adorable.
Rick has wowed me with his writing! His plotting is magnificent, the scene-setting is excellent. The dialogue is real and funny at times. I don’t think he wasted a single word. Everything moves the story forward, as the mysteries are peeled back one at a time. First person POV does it for me every time, no head-hopping here! Some of the characters are so damaged, but they have wonderful moments also.
Gnosis gets a score of 4.9 stars! The score would have been higher except for a handful of spelling errors. The good news is the errors are corrected so your reading pleasure will be improved.
fantastic read! impossible to put down! should be a movie!! loved it!
I can usually predict how a book will end. I couldn’t with this one. It was a page turner from start to finish. It’s definitely my top pick.
Got the book as a present for my 16 year old niece, she loved it!
What a wild ride! Urban fantasy goes parkour crazy.
From page one, I’m endeared to rebellious, self-possessed teenager Samantha Black. Her first-person narrative and stellar parkour moves whirl you across the city as she searches for her father’s murderer. For a YA novel, the story is set up with all the right ammo — a lovable, but flawed heroine and a mystery to solve. But it quickly morphs into so much more.
When Sam’s (the shortening of her name says it all!) worsening headaches land her in the hospital, her life flips upside down. Following a trail of lies and deceit, she uncovers a government conspiracy that has not only kept tabs on her for years but labeled her dangerous to the country. Why? Because they infected her with a virus that’s taken on a life and will of its own.
Enter Alexander, a charming manifestation of Sam’s mind. As she comes to accept and love this sentient virus, we watch Alexander grow from a naïve little boy into a quick-witted, honest youngster who has some hilarious mishaps along the way! The interaction between Alexander and other characters’ viruses is a flair of inspiration by Hall and adds another dimension to the plot. Ingenious!
My favorite character was Melvin, the grouchy, retired Israeli soldier. I’d want him on my side any day! As much as I loved Sam, the story wouldn’t be realistic for her to accomplish what she did on her own, well, with only Alexander’s help. Melvin and the other supporting cast round out the story and strengthen the credibility of the plot as Sam is pursued by the secret, ruthless government agency.
Let’s talk voice. First-time author or not, Hall’s writing grips. With smooth sentence flow, vivid descriptions and witty dialogue, Gnosis was a pleasure to read. Evoking emotions comes easy to this author, and whether it was fear, anger, determination or love and pride, I experienced it all along with the characters.
Overall, a fantastic first novel. Good plot, solid writing, unforgettable characters and invigorating action to blend it all together.