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The One Percenters

3.58 of 5 stars 3.58 · rating details · 24 ratings · 14 reviews

Natural selection has become unnatural. Having dealt with the vicious murder of his wife, Edward Caine takes his rightful place as a One-Percenter, eliminating those not fit for the human race. He must fight his instinct to use his role for revenge; he is after those who live on only because of money and medicine.

The weak-gened are not fit to breed, and it's the job of Ed...more

ebook, 185 pages

Published September 1st 2009 by Damnation Books (first published 2009)

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Feb 29, 2012 Kimmy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was intrigued by the idea behind this book. It turned out to be a quick read, but I just couldn't get into it the way I wanted to. I found it very difficult to connect with Edward, possibly because of the first-person narrative. Edward has some views on the world that I don't particularly agree with, such as his constant use of the words 'slut' and 'bitch' when talking about women.

While there are other characters in the book, they come and go pretty quickly, and so the only character the reade...more

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Oct 07, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, dark, ipad-reads, arc-or-review-copy, read-in-2011, thieves-assassins

The One Percenters is an incredibly quick read, but despite that many readers may find it challenging to get through due to the fact that it is an interesting and detailed journey through the mind of a seriously disturbed individual. Podgursky wrote a book that really toys with the reader’s mind. His writing is the strongest point of this work. It’s conversational in tone but incredibly memorable due to its raw and atmospheric qualities. The protagonist is very well done, but can be hard to rela...more

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Apr 27, 2011 Maria rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am so conflicted with this book because on the one hand, I loved loved loved the concept of this book. But on the other hand, the ending frustrated me so much. Let me explain...

The book revolves around a man named Edward Caine who is insanely in love with his wife - I mean, completely adores and cherishes her. And then, the unthinkable happens - she is raped and murdered by a serial killer. That is when Edward's life spins out of control and he comes to this conclusion: 98% of the human popula...more

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Apr 04, 2010 Lark Neville rated it 2 of 5 stars

Offering a very distinctive narrative voice The One Percenters by John W. Podgursky captures interest with its first line. Edward Pritchard Cain is a unique and compelling lead character, but unfortunately there are elements within the novel that take away from it being a complete success.
Readers are asked to understand and sympathize with a killer from the start. Cain feels he is charged with a mission to restore the balance in a world where technology has interfered in the evolutionary process...more Offering a very distinctive narrative voice The One Percenters by John W. Podgursky captures interest with its first line. Edward Pritchard Cain is a unique and compelling lead character, but unfortunately there are elements within the novel that take away from it being a complete success.
Readers are asked to understand and sympathize with a killer from the start. Cain feels he is charged with a mission to restore the balance in a world where technology has interfered in the evolutionary process.
Mother Nature has tired of mankind messing with natural selection and has designated a select few to act in her stead. Cain sees himself as part of the One Percent of the population tasked with eliminating those who are alive due to money and technology. He considers it his place to take those people out before they pass on their bad genes. It’s a compelling premise.
Cain does not buy into the assumption that humans are basically good. He has a heartbreaking view of the world in which the more “you love and feel, the more you realize how hateful the world is.”
It felt like the novel would have benefited from a third person point of view instead of using the first person point of view. The overall structure of the novel is a bit confusing. We are led to believe he is writing his story to a doctor to explain his actions. But there are times where he speaks to directly to a “you” as if he is in the room with someone or addressing the reader – it is unclear which.
Unfortunately when the narrator addresses the “you” it is usually in an insulting manner. Cain is asserting his superiority, and it comes across as off-putting instead of drawing the reader in.
I wanted to sympathize with Cain, but was unable to. He claims to be evolved, doing Mother Nature’s bidding, but his actions and choice of targets don’t provoke empathy. He kidnaps a young woman named Samantha James to tell her his story. He has her tied up to tree, whimpering in fear, and but supposedly he just wants her to listen to him. Also, Cain’s killings don’t leave the reader feeling like he is creating a better world. These aren’t evildoers he is removing.
The author unfortunately lets his character fall into categorizing women as angels, freaks, or sluts. This really disconnected me from the piece and again felt insulting.
There is a moment where Cain runs into a female One Percenter. She acts as his mentor for a brief time. The character of Darien was very intriguing, but not on the page for long. Again in this encounter, Cain comes across as superficial and not appealing. He makes a comment about how it was nice to sit with a woman who didn’t intimidate him with her looks. At another point, he really estranges his female readership by commenting there are “too many angry bitches out there.”
There were many excellent elements in the book, so it was troubling it didn’t quite connect for me. There are some truly magical lines and fabulous writing within The One Percenters. Podgursky writes some of the best, most unique imagery I have read. He is especially skilled in conveying a sense of intimacy in relationships through his imagery.
The themes he tackles in the book are provocative. The narrator is supposed to act with regard to the betterment of mankind. We are taken through his desire for vengeance on those who treated him badly and brought out the other side to alignment with a higher purpose.
For me, the experience of this novel was captured in a magical and heartbreaking scene between Cain and a girl named Thelma. She is totally isolated and seems beyond caring about fitting in with others. She says she is “learning what I can from the shadows, and I’ll use it in the next world. I’ll rock that world."
I hope that Podgursky takes after Thelma and learns what he can from this effort. He has the skills, eloquence, and vision to rock the next book.
(less)

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Oct 09, 2011 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars

An interesting but very violent book is The One Percenters. Edward Caine has decided to rid our world of the nothings, the users and the people whom he thinks have wronged him. Whether they did or not doesn’t matter. He had been lost since the murder/rape of his wife and, while he mourned her, he was doing his best to glorify her at the same time. Jill had been his life and now that she was gone he was basically a shell.
Then it hits him – a lot of people aren’t fit to be alive. And so it becomes...more

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Feb 13, 2011 Gef rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books

Reading John Podgursky's novel, there were moments when I was reminded a little of Patrick McCabe's Butcher Boy, mainly because of the first-hand account from the mind of a killer, and then moments when I was reminded of that movie Identity, because the protagonist Ed Caine's journey through mourning, death, and discovery plays subtle and not-so-subtle jabs at his reality.

Ed Caine describes himself as a One-Percenter in his first person account of life in the wake of his wife's murder. A One-Per...more Reading John Podgursky's novel, there were moments when I was reminded a little of Patrick McCabe's Butcher Boy, mainly because of the first-hand account from the mind of a killer, and then moments when I was reminded of that movie Identity, because the protagonist Ed Caine's journey through mourning, death, and discovery plays subtle and not-so-subtle jabs at his reality.

Ed Caine describes himself as a One-Percenter in his first person account of life in the wake of his wife's murder. A One-Percenter is a kind of enforcer for human nature and fate. Selected by almost divine rite it would seem, as Caine has a cataclysmic epiphany one day that sends his life on an irrevocable course of killing. He's not killing indiscriminately though, as he and those like him target the mutations of humanity--the one percent on the other end of the spectrum, while the rest of us live mundane lives as the remaining ninety-eight percent.

Ed is one strange sonofagun. And as you read his words, you can't be sure if what he is saying is truth, outright lie, or a psychotic delusion. A review I read for this book prior to reading it compared him to Bill Paxton's character in Frailty--a distraught and driven man who kills in the name of God after his wife dies. It's an apt comparison, but this book carries a high creep factor during the episodes of violence and their aftermath. Ed is lost, and the choices he makes don't even make sense to him at times.

One thing I found lacking with the book though was a sympathetic factor to Ed. At no point in the novel did I like him or really ever root for him, and when I am reading a book I usually need to like the character whose head I'm floating in the whole time. He is a provocative character at times, however, and I didn't give up on the book.

There is a moment towards the end where the direction the story seems to be heading swings wildly, and Ed winds up in a situation that is a bit anticlimactic given what he has been through. The last few pages do make up for that at least.

It's a pretty good trek in the mind of a disturbed man, but I have a feeling the book may challenge readers to stick with it despite it being a quick read. I suggest readers who do give it a chance to keep with it through to the end. You might be glad you did.(less)

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Oct 28, 2011 Sally rated it 3 of 5 stars

I’ll come right out and say it - The One Percenters is a very strange, very awkward read, the kind of story that’s hard to peg as belonging to any one genre. This is a story that’s written in a casual, conversational tone, but filtered through one very disturbed mind. You come into it expecting one kind of read, but find yourself trapped in something very different.

That’s not to say it’s a bad read, just a different one.

The concept here is definitely intriguing. The story revolves around a man...more I’ll come right out and say it - The One Percenters is a very strange, very awkward read, the kind of story that’s hard to peg as belonging to any one genre. This is a story that’s written in a casual, conversational tone, but filtered through one very disturbed mind. You come into it expecting one kind of read, but find yourself trapped in something very different.

That’s not to say it’s a bad read, just a different one.

The concept here is definitely intriguing. The story revolves around a man who loves his wife deeply (perhaps desperately), only to have her torn from his life by a serial rapist/murderer. Although it’s clear he’s not the most normal (or stable) of individuals to begin with, the tragedy drives him to the ‘revelation’ that 99% of world is just taking up space. If it stopped there, we’d just have a sad story – instead, he takes that revelation to the next il(logical) step. He decides that it’s the job of the remaining 1% (of whom he is, of course, a part) to reduce the waste, to weed out the useless, and to take those who don’t contribute out of the equation.

Yes, boys and girls, this is a story about a killer . . . narrated by a killer . . . and yet sold to us as the work of an evolutionary hero. In many ways, it’s a harsh read, one based on the idea that humans are not necessarily good. It’s the story of a wounded individual driven to see the worst in everyone. On a purely statistical level, you can’t argue with his logic but, on a purely emotional level, you have to argue (vehemently) with his conclusions.

Interesting, if not easily enjoyable, this is a story filled with physical, emotional, and intellectual violence. It starts with the abduction of an innocent young woman who the ‘hero’ ties to a tree, forcing her to listen to his tale. It’s a very strange opening, especially because we immediately understand that there’s no malice behind his actions.

As for the ending, I’ve been thinking of it for a few days, and I’m still not sure what I think. It’s either an apologetic cop-out, or a bold twist . . . either a punch in the face that invalidates the entire read, or a slap in the face that validates it. Call me perverse, but I like that ambiguity, especially since this is a story defined by the ambiguity between the reader and the protagonist.(less)

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Apr 02, 2011 Holly rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Horror fans

Shelves: read-and-reviewed-from-author-or-pu

In this book we meet Edward Caine, a man who has lost his everything-- his wife, Jill.

This basically send him into a downward spiral, a low in his life. When he hits the bottom though, he doesn't lose all hope, he takes his rightful place in the world. As a One Percenter. One of the few people that rids the world of the weak-gened, one of the few who will balance out the world. His first act, killing his friend and lover. I found this strange, and shocking though I don't know why. I liked the bo...more In this book we meet Edward Caine, a man who has lost his everything-- his wife, Jill.

This basically send him into a downward spiral, a low in his life. When he hits the bottom though, he doesn't lose all hope, he takes his rightful place in the world. As a One Percenter. One of the few people that rids the world of the weak-gened, one of the few who will balance out the world. His first act, killing his friend and lover. I found this strange, and shocking though I don't know why. I liked the book none the less, especially as I read more.

The book progresses very nicely and the author really brings Edward to life, so much that if I didn't know better I would say this is based on something true. The ending really took me by surprise, as I think it will most people, and really brings the book to a nice close that would have been other wise to abrupt if it would have just ended when he got caught.

Some of the authors lines are almost like poetry, and to me the writing kind of reminded me of Edgar Allan Poe. Who I have always been a big fan of. Through that I feel I can really connect to the writing.

One of the reasons I gave it three stars despite liking it so much, was the very odd POV. It took some getting used to as I don't think I have ever read a book that I felt like they were talking to me or at me and took me into someone else head.

That's what it felt like to me. That, Edward is saying the words that pop into his head, in that order. He will be talking about something, then, he will pick up on something else but it's not really random because in a weird way it did have to do with the part before.

After getting used to this the book does take off pretty well, though confusing at times I think the author may have meant it to be that way. Also I have to say I love the cover its almost ethereal (to me) and mysterious, and in a weird way I find it beautiful.

I would definitely recommend to horror fans, yes, you Stephen King fans, Edgar Allan Poe fans, ect. This is something you will not want to miss.

*I received an Ebook copy of this book for free to review from the author. (less)

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Jan 08, 2010 Jennifer Turner rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jennifer by: Bobby at BookWenches

The main character in The One Percenters, Edward Caine, is a tortured man to say the least. The brutal murder of his wife, Jill, sends him spiraling into a dark place, mentally and physically, that most people never find inside themselves. But when Ed finally hits rock bottom, he doesn't suffer a defining moment that causes him to throw in the towel on life. Oh no, when Edward Caine hits the bottom - he decides to take his rightful place as a scourge of humanity...a one-percenter. He, and the fe...more

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Sep 24, 2011 Karen & Gerard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: death, horror, thriller, thought-provoking

This psychological thriller contains some rough language that I didn't appreciate reading; however, that aside, the story itself is really good! Edward Caine creates his own little world and tells a fantastic tale that kept me reading for sure. The ending was a shocker to me! This is a good read if you can get past the bad language. This is the author's first book and I was surprised at how good it is!
(Gerard's review)

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Apr 23, 2011 Tara rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 16+

Recommended to Tara by: the author

I really glad this author contacted me because it made me realize how much I miss reading thriller books. This book is really different from the ones I am used to reading but I like it. It keeps you in suspense is the main character a killer or is he making this whole thing up? The only thing I did not really like was there was a lot of swearing. Also that some parts kind of dragged on and on. But other than that I really liked this book and totally did not expected the ending. I would recommend...more

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Feb 02, 2013 St. John rated it 3 of 5 stars

A quick read, The One Percenters is a surprisingly well-written gem from a small publisher but might leave casual readers scratching their heads.

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Jul 26, 2011 Courtney Conant rated it 2 of 5 stars

I found myself very conflicted when reading this novel. The concept really intrigued me and kept me moving forward but I found my mind wandering off to other things instead of staying focused on the book. I don't blame this wholly on the book, but the formatting was so bad that I found it rather distracting. Of course, the formatting was only an issue with the ebook version, not necessarily the print copy...

Read the full review at Courtney's Reads & Reviews

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Apr 27, 2011 Kayla rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: action, couldn-t-finish, ebooks, never-read-again, read-in-2011

I could not get into this book. Though the idea of it seemed promising, it just wasn't enough to hold my interest. Random events seemed pieced together for no reason whatsoever, and I gave up trying to understand character decisions. I probably won't be attempting to read this again.

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Apr 09, 2013 Iroulito91 marked it as to-read

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Oct 21, 2012 Sahara *Wants to be thrown against wall and ravage Dawn marked it as to-read

Aug 23, 2012 Captivated By rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jun 14, 2012 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, ebook

Feb 24, 2012 Vivek Rajan marked it as to-read

Dec 24, 2011 R.J. Gonzales marked it as to-read

Dec 15, 2011 Meredith Martin rated it 3 of 5 stars

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Oct 21, 2011 Tim marked it as to-read

Oct 10, 2011 Jessebell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oct 17, 2011 Hélène marked it as not-for-me

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Jun 08, 2011 Ana Mardoll rated it 2 of 5 stars

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