Dark Origins (Level 26, #1)

Jan 16, 2011

Michael Hypnotoad rated it

This book came in the mail--I received it as part of Dorchester Publishing's book club, because they have stopped sending out their own books (they have moved to a "download" only model, reflecting the current economic squeeze). So far, what do I think---it reminds me of a scene in "Spinal Tap" ("This one goes to 11").

page-turning yes, but also gimmicky, gratuitous, cartoonish and only "adequately" written. Much of it is highly implausible,...more

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Nov 25, 2011

Lynn rated it

Shelves: thriller

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. **spoiler alert** Not really.
Not for me, please go away.

Didn't like the book. Didn't like the whole experience, and if I could, I would give this book less than 1 star.

I bought this book because I was very curious about the cross-media-experience they promised me:
Buy a book in which "cyber-bridges" are contained; you get certain URLs at certain places in the book, you go online and look what's behind the links. Love that cross-media-idea!
So I bou...more

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Jun 26, 2011

Katisha rated it

Steve Dark is a retired criminologist. The case that broke him and sent him running away with his sanity in tatters is back to haunt him. Sqweegel wants to play some more, and only his old adversary knows the rules well enough to be a worthy adversary. Can Steve Dark do this again though? Can his new life--his life with Sibby Dark and their as-yet unborn baby--take the strain of him climbing back inside an horrific serial killer's warped brain? You'll have to read the book to find out.

...moreSteve Dark is a retired criminologist. The case that broke him and sent him running away with his sanity in tatters is back to haunt him. Sqweegel wants to play some more, and only his old adversary knows the rules well enough to be a worthy adversary. Can Steve Dark do this again though? Can his new life--his life with Sibby Dark and their as-yet unborn baby--take the strain of him climbing back inside an horrific serial killer's warped brain? You'll have to read the book to find out.

I wasn't sure about this 'diginovel' when I first started reading it. Could I trust that the website with the 'bridges' would be there when I logged on? Would the videos add to the book, or detract? In the end, the experience of reading my (and the world's?) first 'diginovel' was an enjoyable one. Admittedly, being a fast reader, I kept my computer up whilst reading, so that I didn't have to keep logging on. I just entered the codes for the bridges as I came to them, every half hour or so, and it was still a bit irksome til I got used to the idea. The videos were pretty good, so that eased the pain. Did the videos enhance the book? Well the performance given by Daniel Browning Smith definitely made Sqweegel a very disturbing bad guy for me. Not sure about the rest of the casting though. The version of Steve Dark that I had in my head was a lot more dishy, and more complex, than his celluloid portrayal. That's the joy of books, the characters and the settings are exactly as you imagine them to be.

Anthony E. Zuiker has presented us with a 'novelty' novel by interspersing his text with online video pieces. The videos reminded me of (the even darker) 'Girl Number Nine' short, featuring Gareth David-Lloyd. The book, which could be read without bothering to watch the videos--though I recommend that you do view them--is a quite good, dark crime novel. The hero is pleasantly flawed, the psycho is suitably barking yet clever, the heroine is brave. I will definitely be looking to read the next in the series and can recommend that others try out the 'diginovel' experience for themselves. I do hope, though, that if the idea catches on the use other authors may put the format to has equally good acting and production values as well as using the 'bridges' appropriately.

Best bit of the book? What Riggins learns but doesn't tell Dark.(less)

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May 14, 2011

Chip rated it

I guess Zuicker (and his ghost-pal Swierczynski) figure anyone who saw Michael Mann's "Manhunter" is too old to use a computer and wouldn't realize this book is just a rehash of that plot (with a twist of "Seven" thrown in at the end), down to the beach, the "we can't solve this without you" will he or won't he moment, the threat to the hero's wife and child, the antagonist with superhuman strength... the heroes of both stories even sport a beard, for God's sake... ...more

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May 11, 2011

SHANA - Sizzling Reads rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: paperback, thriller, used, 1firstseries

I bought this book half off as a Read & Return discount promotion. But after reading it I would have gladly paid full price for it.
Without revealing much, there’s something deeply disturbing about Sqweegal, and his full body condom suit, that still hasn’t left me. It makes me want to look over my shoulder as we speak, and check all of the places we think no one will hide in. Because that’s how Sqweegal operates. He has no reason for what he does sometimes, which I think bothers some people...more

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May 09, 2011

Elizabeth Nesbit-comer rated it

There are so many errors in this book that it's almost unreadable. The timeline makes no sense. Some things are refernced as 20 years ago, but the current year makes it impossible, shoddy editing at best. Also, I don't think anyone can put together two shatter glass doors by himself in just a few hours.
I thought that a digi book by the creator of one of my favorite shows would be amazing, but all i got from this was boring and predictable. The videos were cheesy and I stopped...more

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Jan 20, 2011

Chris Moysey rated it

Shelves: favourites

There are 25 levels of classification given to murderers by law enforcement according to the extent of their evil, or so they thought. Enter Sqweegel, whose killings are so sick and twisted that he has been given a new level of classification - Level 26.

Deemed a national security risk, the U.S. Defence Secretary gives Tom Riggens of the Special Circs division at Quantico an ultimatum – catch Sqweegel or be executed. Riggens knows he needs to recruit Steve Dark, the only person who has ...more

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Nov 09, 2010

Fatuma rated it

Shelves: mystery-suspense-thriller

Review ex-posted on my blog:

Before I even start, let me just get it out there:

LEVEL 26 IS A MUST READ!!! DON'T HESITATE OR CONTEMPLATE, JUST GO GET IT!!!!!!

Alright, reading this book is like nothing else that you're ever read. It is an experience. You don't simply read this novel, you live it! You fear for the victims, an you're scared crapless by the killer. Every 20 pages or so of the novel, provides with a code that you put in at level26.com. This unlocks a vide...more

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Sep 08, 2009

Bridget rated it

Currently there are 25 levels to categorize serial killers. One is someone who just stumbles into killing. Twenty-Five would describe the sadistic psychopaths who find pleasure in suffering. Now imagine that one person has become even more evil than the serial killers you've heard about in the past? Imagine someone who has absolutely no compassion, no feeling, not even a soul. A person lacking all these characteristics is out there and because he doesn't seem to show any of the "normal"...moreCurrently there are 25 levels to categorize serial killers. One is someone who just stumbles into killing. Twenty-Five would describe the sadistic psychopaths who find pleasure in suffering. Now imagine that one person has become even more evil than the serial killers you've heard about in the past? Imagine someone who has absolutely no compassion, no feeling, not even a soul. A person lacking all these characteristics is out there and because he doesn't seem to show any of the "normal" traits of a killer it impossible to catch him. This psycho has a name. It's Sqweegel.

The one person who has the ability to catch this criminal is Steve Dark. In a state of mourning, thanks to the psycho, Dark is through with law enforcement and wants no part of the chase. But when the lives of his friends at the department are threatened, Dark decides to step in again. Will he be able to stop this madman before several other murders take place? Or will the world live in fear of Sqweegel until the day they die?

To sum up this book in one word, is impossible. But for some reason, I'm the type of person that loves the impossible and do everything I can to try and make it possible. So as you've probably guessed, I've been doing some hardcore thinking (I know what your thinking, and yes it caused a massive headache, LOL) so as I pondered and looked through the dictionary (no I didn't really look in the dictionary but shhh, it's our secret) and the word that jumped out at me was: WOAH! Yes, all caps and an exclamation point.

This is really difficult to review. Not only is there a book to read but at about every twenty pages, you can log onto www.level26.com and enter a password & watch a clip that will tie in with that section of the book. If you're a CSI fan, this book is probably shouting at you through your monitor, right now, saying "BUY ME, READ ME, LOVE ME". The author Anthony E. Zucker is the award-winning creator, producer, and writer of CSI, CSI: Miami, and CSI: NY.

So, to be completely honest, this book scared the crap out of me!
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Mar 24, 2011

Danielle rated it

Introducing the first DIGI-NOVEL! I love the concept of this…about every 20 pages or so you’re given a code to use at level26.com — once there you will access a video that goes along with the story.

But like I said, love the concept—the reality of it is a little lacking. The video quality is high on the scale of soft-core porn—cheesy acting, cheesy lines, etc… As well, I usually read at work on break and before I go to sleep—not able to get to a computer when a code comes up. At first, ...more

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Mar 09, 2010

Christine rated it

Shelves: 2010-reads

Level 25 refers to the FBI’s classification of the most heinous of criminals. In this book we encounter a serial killer who needs a new classification:

His targets – anyone
His methods – unlimited
His alias – Sqweegel
His classification – Level 26

From the creator of the CSI television series comes this book advertised as a “digi-novel”. At certain points throughout the book, usually at interesting or suspenseful plot points, the reader is directed to ...more

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Oct 23, 2009

Shelly rated it

Recommends it for: Fans of CSI, people who enjoy a decent romp through serial killer's heads

Shelves: borrowed-from-the-library, finished-in-2009

Sqweegel. The only man assigned a Level 26 classification on the 'evil' scale for murderers. His targets seem to have no rhyme or reason, nor does he have a specific MO. The only man to even come close to capturing him is Steve Dark and he is no longer working for the Special Circumstances team... until it is made clear that they want him back at any cost.

This book is touted as the first ever digi-novel and is an interesting experiment to say the least. Every 20 or so pages you a...more

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Sep 30, 2009

Carmaletta Hilton rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I started out with high hopes for this book, but the further I got into it, the worse it became. It's in the category of great idea, poorly executed. There's so much wrong with this book I don't even know where to begin. First of all, the idea of a Level 26 killer. It's interesting, but in the end, he's no different than one of Dr. Michael Stone's Level 22 killers. The only thing that makes him "special" is that they couldn't catch him for 30 years. Well, look how long it took to ...moreI started out with high hopes for this book, but the further I got into it, the worse it became. It's in the category of great idea, poorly executed. There's so much wrong with this book I don't even know where to begin. First of all, the idea of a Level 26 killer. It's interesting, but in the end, he's no different than one of Dr. Michael Stone's Level 22 killers. The only thing that makes him "special" is that they couldn't catch him for 30 years. Well, look how long it took to catch BTK and he's only a 22. Also, his motives weren't even anything new, just the same old religious nutcase ramblings of most other fictional serial killers. Squeegle was creepy as hell, I'll give you that, but I couldn't even call him terrifying because sometimes, he was just plain comical, especially when the videos are added in.

The continuity errors are the biggest problem in the book. If you go to the book's website, you'll see that Zuiker has started a contest for finding the most errors. I thought this was kind of funny at first, but really... There shouldn't BE that many errors, especially that many huge errors. I was pulled out of the story so often by the errors that it was hard to really just go with it. The biggest mistake he made was trying to give timelines. None of his timelines match up. He tells us in the beginning about one of Squeegle's "earliest" kills... In 1990. This is the mother in the car wash. Except, it's 2009 in the story. A couple pages before 1990, he tells us Squeegle has been killing for over twenty years. 1990 to today is less than twenty. Then, later, we're told his earliest is 1979, which makes it 30 years. Also, he tells us that Dark spent a year after his family's murder on a rampage, trying to find Squeegle. It's made clear that it was either a full year or a better part of a year. So how is it that Dark has been with Sibby for a year and a half, when he met her AFTER the year he spent in various places? Continuity is a HUGE problem here, and I expect better. There is no way a book like that, priced so high, should make it onto the shelves with as many problems as there were.

On top of all that, some things just don't make sense. Most of Wycoff's actions don't make sense, neither does his ability to do these things. Much like Squeegle at times, Wycoff was mostly just cartoonish, reminding me of some mustache twirling villain in a cartoon. I just could not like this book. The further I went in, the more I wished it was over. I stopped watching the videos about halfway through. They were mostly unnecessary, and sometimes they even made the continuity issues worse. I give Zuiker credit for the concept. He tried something new. It just didn't work, at least for me. I will be staying away from future digi-novels, and unless the editors working with him learn how to do their jobs, I'll not be reading anything else Zuiker puts out. I just can't have respect for an author that doesn't have enough respect for me as a reader to give me quality work. Next time, he should be more focused on the actual writing and not just on his super cool new idea.(less)

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Feb 10, 2010

Laurie rated it

Shelves: anthony-zuiker

Level 26 was a breathtaking psychological thriller. Steve Dark is a former member of Special Circumstances, a section of the FBI that the public will never hear about. Special Circs investigates the worst of the worst in serial killers and often its agents are short-time members due to burnout, insanity or death. Steve Dark left because of all three. As the best agent, he was assigned the most difficult cases and his last case was to hunt down and eliminate a Level 26 killer named Sqweegel. ...moreLevel 26 was a breathtaking psychological thriller. Steve Dark is a former member of Special Circumstances, a section of the FBI that the public will never hear about. Special Circs investigates the worst of the worst in serial killers and often its agents are short-time members due to burnout, insanity or death. Steve Dark left because of all three. As the best agent, he was assigned the most difficult cases and his last case was to hunt down and eliminate a Level 26 killer named Sqweegel. Unfortunately, the predator became the prey and after a close encounter between the two where Dark almost killed Sqweegel, the killer took revenge by gruesomely murdering Dark's entire foster family. This led to Dark's departure until he is forced to return by the highest members of government and Sqweegel himself. Their cat-and-mouse game of death and destruction pushes Dark to the furthest reaches of his mind and soul leaving a wake of destruction that can be compared to nothing seen before.
This story was filled with dynamic characters, eerie settings and a lightning paced plot that kept me gasping for more. Coupled with the unique internet clips which are accessed using codes found throughout the book, Level 26 was an unstoppable thrill ride. Steve Dark is an ideal protagonist. He is damaged and moody and fills the shoes of a traumatized agent brilliantly. His intensity sets the tone for the book and his interactions with the secondary characters are riveting. Tom Riggins and Constance Brielle are stellar in their understated way of sympathizing with Steve and understanding his past and present transgressions. Steve Dark is a man on the edge of sanity and his counterpart Sqweegel is a perverse version of insanity. Sqweegel is the most evil of all killers ever to be found on the planet. His killing is indiscriminate and his methods are brutal and often disgusting. The trail of violence left in his wake is astounding and oftentimes I found myself stunned by the level of creepiness the author was capable of putting into words. Pitting these two men against each other is fantastic. Their cat-and-mouse chase is terrifying and the constant shifts in the plot left me off balance far into the book. A real question of who will win the battle is laid forth and the battle itself is astounding. Throw in a satisfying yet tantalizing ending and the promise of a second book in the series and Level 26 is easily one of the best books I have encoutered in a while. A solid 5 star rating if I have ever read one. I would highly recommend this book to fans of the thriller genre however I will throw a warning in there for those who dislike gore. This book is disturbing in its content at times and is not for the faint of heart! (less)

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Jan 25, 2010

Steve Mount rated it

· review of another edition

Zuicker and his co-writer introduce a very compelling concept, linking the book with video clips on a web site, accessible in sequence as you read. A few of the "cyber links" were a little lame - a text message and an email - but most of them were good video clips filling in gaps between the chapters. A few of the videos, BTW, are NSFW.

The book was a little rushed. The villain, Sqweegel, was a bit too superhuman, able to fly from one coast to the other in record time. The b...more

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Oct 04, 2009

Laren rated it

Shelves: procedural-crime-fiction

This book uses a new concept designed by the primary author, who is the creator of the TV show "CSI". The idea is that the book can stand alone as the first in a planned series of books, or the reader can choose to further immerse into the story via a website where you can see short films that purportedly bridge some small gaps between chapters in the story.

Honestly, I wasn't that interested in the multimedia experience, but I was interested in what the creator of one of m...moreThis book uses a new concept designed by the primary author, who is the creator of the TV show "CSI". The idea is that the book can stand alone as the first in a planned series of books, or the reader can choose to further immerse into the story via a website where you can see short films that purportedly bridge some small gaps between chapters in the story.

Honestly, I wasn't that interested in the multimedia experience, but I was interested in what the creator of one of my favorite TV shows would write. The story is about the hunt for a serial killer so heinous that the FBI created a new level just to rank him properly (Currently there are 25 levels, with 25 considered to be the worst, but this one is given level 26, hence the title of the book). They call him "Sqweegel", and only one man, Steve Dark, has come close to catching him. But Dark left the job when his personal price became too high. Now the FBI wants to lure him back to the job so he can get rid of this killer for good.

In my opinion, the book's biggest problem is that Sqweegel is not markedly worse than any other killer you may have happened across if you read a lot of crime books, true or fictional. It defies credulity in many parts, but it's not a non-fiction book either, so if you just go with it, you might be fine.

However, I'm on the fence about if I would read the next in the series when in comes out. This is because I made the mistake of going to the website to get the full multimedia experience. First, it forced me to sign up for an account, which I am never a fan of when I intend to be a passive viewer and not a participant, even if it is free. But that aside, the videos ruined the whole thing for me. It was badly overacted from the very first video. Sqweegel was more clownish than scary due to the film's insistence on using the actor's bizarre movement skills even when completely unneccessary, and such skills weren't in the book at all. For some films, the book promises aren't delivered on. For example, it says the reader will see security footage, but the clearly edited filming from multiple angles negated any belief that it was just simple security camera footage. Finally, many of the films didn't add anything to the storyline at all. For example, do we really need to see a video of a text message on a phone? The multimedia part seems to be geared towards readers who lack imagination.

If the full experience gets people to read when they don't normally read, then I don't suppose it's all bad, but I would recommend that others stick to the book and don't deviate like I did! Once you see the first video, you can't take it back, and it will likely color the rest of your reading experience if you haven't already finished the book.(less)

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May 11, 2011

Emilie rated it

I love all the CSI series so when I discovered Anthony E. Zuiker had written a book I was intrigued.
Unfortunately, I loved the episode of CSI with Sqweegel so I was expecting a lot from it and ended up disappointed.

While the novel isn't that bad, there were too many inconsistencies, some things were simply illogical and while you can disregard those in a TV series, it's impossible in a book when you have time to ponder.
Moreover, in my opinion, the author failed in creating a ...more

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Nov 29, 2009

Laura rated it

Didn't love this. It was not particularly well written: the characters were shallow and there was no effort made to give back story or an explanation for how the villain became the man he was. It was full of stock characters and charicatures. What there was was an effort to disgust and offend the sensibilities of any decent person by listing horrible crime after horrible crime then describing the horrors of the killer's secret chamber at the end. It was the written equivalent of a slasher fil...more

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Oct 07, 2009

Tabitha Beck rated it

Shelves: fiction-reading

The first ever "digi book".
Interactive via the web.
The book can stand alone. But supposedly the video clips online add so much to the experience.
I read something about the site sending emails, possibly even phone calls.
I never got to that point.

The book itself is mediocre. I was highly disappointed at the end. The last few chapters were too predictable. Way too predictable. Maybe I watch too much CSI or something to not be jaded...

Th...more

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Aug 12, 2011

Joey rated it

I picked this up, looking for something different but keeping it in the serial killer / thriller genre. The idea of a Level 26 Serial Killer, one who has gone beyond the demented limits of those who killed before him, is what really caught me (also, Zuiker writing CSI helped) as I browsed Borders and Books looking for a good read.

Anthony Zuiker has you chasing a LEVEL 26 serial killer, who has surpassed the twisted and sick minds of anyone that has killed before him. The thrillin...more

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Jul 23, 2011

John Parker rated it

· review of another edition

Okay, so actually, this book wasn't as terrifying as I was afraid it would be.

I should have known better than to be afraid. But, I think I may have mentioned before, I'm very very impressionable, so things effect me. Like, once I listened to Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska" driving around in the car for about a month, and I think I was close to being a serial killer.

Anyway, I stuck with this, and it was pretty good. (I was listening to the audio book version, by the...more

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Dec 22, 2009

James rated it

Shelves: 2009

The creator of CSI writes a thriller so he can get away with things he can't do on TV. The idea is that there are 25 levels of serial killer, but now a Level 26 emerges. The crimes are pretty horrific and memorable, but the story is a cliche - the traumatized cop who's starting to rebuild his life comes out of retirement to find the one who got away. The writing is kind of clunky and repetitive, too.

It also claims to be the first "Digi-Novel." You can register at the b...more

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Jul 17, 2011

Allison rated it

Complaint 1: When writing horror, don't show, don't tell. Let the audience hang themselves with their own imaginations.

Complaint 2: Until I can get these video embedded into my digital book, stop trying to make my dead trees interactive. It doesn't work.

For a thriller it wasn't bad. The criminal was visceral and cruel enough to keep me interested. And, well, that's about it. The rest of the cast seemed flat; they had the potential to be more but they never got there. The kill...more

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Jan 09, 2011

William Thomas rated it

Shelves: absurd-garbage, crime, dreck

I don't ask for any kind of literary high-mindedness when I read throw-away modern crime novels. This book, however, has some of the worst prose I have ever read, but the scene where the killer flenses the hair in his anus was a treat.

Duane Swierczynski writes amazing comic books. He does. You should go out and pick up his runs on Immortal Iron Fist and Werewolf by Night: In the Blood. What you should absolutely avoid is this "interactive" novel that he co-wrote with the cr...moreI don't ask for any kind of literary high-mindedness when I read throw-away modern crime novels. This book, however, has some of the worst prose I have ever read, but the scene where the killer flenses the hair in his anus was a treat.

Duane Swierczynski writes amazing comic books. He does. You should go out and pick up his runs on Immortal Iron Fist and Werewolf by Night: In the Blood. What you should absolutely avoid is this "interactive" novel that he co-wrote with the creator of, ugh, the television show CSI.

I feel like the scripts and teleplays from episodes of CSI, the worst crime drama/recreation ever to air on television, would make for more literary read than this book. The hack writing of the show would be easier to follow and only half as convoluted.

The premise drew me in enough to make me pick the book up instead of straight out selling it on amazon.com when it came in the mail from a book club I belong to. A Level 26 killer, a new kind of killer that surpasses all other killers ever known to man. This is a new breed of killer because the scale stops at 25. Problem with this premise? No killer ranked currently surpasses level 22 currently and the killer in the book is no exception.

There is nothing that this killer does that outranks Gacy or Gary Ridgway. I'm not saying that this isn't brutal, but it doesn't match the premise. The killer only eludes the police for nearly 30 years, which, as most people know, Ridgway almost did as well.... so.... yeah...

What makes this killer different? Absolutely nothing. It couldn't be sold on it's own merit so it had to come up with a selling point and I admittedly fell for it. But about 30 pages in I began to realize that the book wasn't what it had claimed. So instead of getting something new, we get a rehashing of Thomas Harris' Red Dragon, and that is really all this book is.

What I would have preferred was a very single-minded killer and an in-depth analysis of the killer and motives. Instead, he kills anyone he wants. This is supposed to make him more dangerous. What it makes him is unbelievable and cartoonish. You want a good serial killer book, or at least a decent one? Read Red Dragon. Better yet, watch serial killer movies like Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and Maniac. Or read one of the many non-fiction books on actual serial killers because they are actually worth the time and energy and all the more shocking for being REAL.

Take this book and flense someone's anus with it.

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Apr 12, 2011

Oglaigh na hEireann rated it

ok what happens when you cross way to many forms of media,...you read the end of your novel in the obituary. For one,...stick to tv and the mindless drones that buy the concepts your trying to hock. Character development is part of a story line,...perhaps we could have started there,...and not some fictitious ghost of a serial killer. Why in gods name this ex halted bundy wants to follow a cop around is beyond me,...oh wait the cop is the best of the best. YAWN,...try going to dunkin doughnuts f...more

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Dec 09, 2009

Amanda rated it

Shelves: disturbing, horror, mystery

If you’re looking for a great work of literature with phenomenal writing, this isn’t the book to read. But the concept of a digi-novel is interesting and the experience is okay if you like books and crime drama TV.

The premise is pretty basic. Sqweegel is classified as a Level 26 killer. He’s a twisted serial killer who has been uncatchable for years. Now he’s targeted the wife of former agent Steve Dark, who is basically forced out of retirement to try to find Sqweegel.

...more

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Feb 09, 2012

Benjamin rated it

Having read other reviews of this novel, I was surprised to find that people either hate it or love it. I understand both sides, and in this review will try to shed light on this.

1: The "Digi-Novel" is an incredibly stupid concept in my opinion. If I want to watch a movie, I will watch a movie; and if I want to read a book, I do not want to be strong-armed into jumping on the book's website every half an hour to see a shoddy 3-4 minute video clip. And what if you happen to...more

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Dec 23, 2010

Michael rated it

· review of another edition

I like a good serial killer book and I saw reviews of this that people raved about and gave it a try. It is written by one of the writers for the TV CSI franchise.
Shortly after starting I realized that the only way I could enjoy this book was to suspend all belief into the plausability of the plot and characters. Apparantly this is one in a series of books involving a maniacal serial killer named Sqweegle who is being pursued by a special crime fighting group working out of the Dept. of De...more

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Mar 24, 2010

Cynthia rated it

This could have been a cool concept, a novel with an online component. This one just didn't nail it. It seemed like the online segments served to make it easier for the author to avoud describing some difficult scenes and, since everything that happened online is later described in the book anyway, needing a computer to further the plot became cumbersome enough that I gave it up fairly early on. I didn't really dig the plot itself, but it's possible this genre (about a super evil serial kille...more

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Jun 25, 2011

Jennifer rated it

Shelves: series

A really original multi-media experience from the creator of CSI. You register at the Level 26 website:

http://level26.com

As you read the book, you'll periodically be given access codes to unlock video "bridges" on the website. You read notes, hear phone calls, watch the characters act out the scenes. Some of these are really good, others not so much. You don't have to watch the videos to enjoy the book, or you can go back and watch them later.

As new bo...more

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6507760-dark-origins?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266734164m/6507760.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6507760-dark-origins?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Dark Origins by Anthony E. Zuiker[/url]

Dark Origins (Level 26 #1)

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Dark Origins (Level 26 #1)

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