A riveting crime novel with a speculative edge about the ways our perceptions of reality can be manipulated.
Seven years ago, everyone in the world went blind in a matter of months. Technology helped people adjust to the new normal, creating a device that approximates vision, downloading visual data directly to people’s brains. But what happens when someone finds a way to hack it and change what people see?
Homicide detective Mark Owens has been on the force since before The Blinding. When a scientist is murdered, and the only witness insists the killer was blacked out of her vision, Owens doesn’t believe her—until a similar murder happens in front of him. With suspects ranging from tech billionaires to anti-modernity cultists—and with the bodies piling up—Owens must conduct an investigation in which he can’t even trust his own eyes.
Thomas Mullen, the acclaimed author of Darktown and The Last Town on Earth, delivers an unputdownable crime novel about one man's search for truth in a world of surveillance and disinformation that’s all too recognizable.
The Sexy Nerd's Review. . .
This story reminded me of a few stories that left me with chills. Vox comes to mind along with Bird Box and a little sprinkle of Lord of the Flies. But the story this most reminds me of is one we’re still living with and that's Coronavirus. When I think about the isolation and all that people had to endure and is still combatting, Blindspots hits the spot!
Having stated the above, I do have to say I’m a bit on the fence with this story. Mark Owens is a homicide detective navigating through the blinding years of earth. Once the blinding took place, there were several tech companies who designed eyewear for humans to see and plenty of competition to go around. When the blinding first happened, the only sighted humans were law enforcement. I wasn’t quite sure just how much damage a blind person could do, hence the fact they do not have sight, but much like we were in the dark about how to deal with Covid, the characters in this story went through the same thing.
Everyone was trying to deal with this situation. Lots of finger pointing as to what caused everyone to go blind. At the end of the day, did that really matter? No, because the result was still the same. Of course, there were those that wanted to have sight again and those who were dead set against it and decided they wanted an inner sight because it was more wholesome than when humans were able to have direct sight. One such tech company designed what they called ‘vidders’ to outfit new human eyesight.
There were several scientists working diligently to meet the demand of humans. And of course, with anything good science tries to create there is always someone or something that changes the game. As two scientists were done working for the night decide to head home, one of them thought their vidder was playing tricks on them. They could sense someone was there, but the problem was it just appeared as a black blob in from of them. This blob began to attack the scientist leaving in its wake a dead body surrounded in crimson red.
When the surviving scientist tries to explain to Mark and the police squad that there are people who can go undetected even with the best technology, they didn’t believe her. Quite naturally, it appeared as though she was their person of interest. They chuckled and figured the scientist had truly gone mad. Oh, she was mad, but not of the variety in which they made her the brunt of their jokes. As the reader continues Mark’s journey, it will soon become apparent that there are shady characters and even more devious plots set about to play.
So, you’re wondering why am I on the fence? The storyline was amazing! I absolutely loved the plot of this story, but what grated on my nerves entirely is the story reads like a script. If I didn’t know any better, it was as if I were reading for a part in an action movie. Obviously, this is the way the author chose to relay his story, but that didn’t really work for me. The other issue I had is the overly done detail. There was so much detail and backstory that I kept forgetting what the original story was about. I had to constantly go back and re-read sections because I couldn’t focus on the matter at hand.
Did I find this story to be riveting and mind blowing? No! Do not get me wrong. The story was good, but there was so much detail and actions that took place that I felt could have been edited. From the way the story was narrated as if Mark was telling it to you or that of the author, again, it felt like reading a script. Exit stage left, or character enters here. Umm, no, sorry I’m not a fan of the style of writing, but the story was terrifying just thinking that in a lab somewhere, some idiot holds this type of power over humanity and can cause it to change at will. (Shudder!!!)
The Sexy Nerd gives Blindspots three x-ray vision machines to assist with focus. Overall, this was an incredible story of what happens when scientists and government collide. All I could think about when I read this story was what we’ve been dealing with for the last three years of Covid and still dealing with. I tell you, stories like these may be fictional, but. . .are they really?
Blindspots goes on sale Tues., April 4, 2023 at your favorite book retailers or wherever books are sold. Please get yourself a copy!
Until next time, Nerds, you know what to do!
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