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Flashback
A visit to the cemetery, a brush against a strange headstone, and Max's life is changed. He experiences flashbacks of a life that isn't his, from a time before he was born. Some of the memories are pleasant, some are . . . disturbing.
Max also sees a boy that no-one else can. He reveals to Max twenty-year-old secrets, secrets that someone will go to deadly lengths to keep concealed. To right a tragic wrong, Max must leap into his new friend's past, not knowing how his actions will affect his own reality.
Max also sees a boy that no-one else can. He reveals to Max twenty-year-old secrets, secrets that someone will go to deadly lengths to keep concealed. To right a tragic wrong, Max must leap into his new friend's past, not knowing how his actions will affect his own reality.
- GenresSchool
140 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2015
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Simon Rose
184 books63 followersI am the author of The Alchemist's Portrait, The Sorcerer's Letterbox, The Clone Conspiracy, The Emerald Curse, The Heretic's Tomb, The Doomsday Mask, The Time Camera, The Sphere of Septimus, Flashback, Future Imperfect, the Flashback series, the Shadowzone series, The Stone of the Seer series, and An Untimely Death. I'm also the author of eight guides for writers, including The Time Traveler's Guide, The Children's Writer's Guide, The Working Writer's Guide, and The Social Media Writer's Guide, more than a hundred non-fiction books, and many articles on a wide range of topics. I offer a number of services for writers, including editing, coaching, mentoring, consulting, and writing workshops, as well as copywriting services for the business community. I also offer a wide variety of presentations, workshops and author in residence programs for schools and libraries, am an instructor for adults with the University of Calgary and offer a variety of online workshops for both children and adults.
www.simon-rose.com
www.simon-rose.com
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 28, 2015
An imaginary friend, a mystery, and time travel? How could I resist?
"Flashback" was a suspenseful science fiction story for teens. Max lives with his dad and has a fair amount of autonomy. He develops a headache while visiting the cemetery one day and the story is off and running. He has visions, or are they hallucinations?, that he tries to unravel and before long he's looking into the death and disappearance of a fourteen year old boy, David, from about twenty years ago. Soon Max is hooking up with different people, trying to unravel both the mystery of David's death and Max's visions, which could get pretty grim.
The book is marketed for middle grade and young adults/teens. It was dark and grim at times, with lots of violence, for middle grade readers so you might want to skim it or read it with them, depending on your child. I think most teens would be fine with it, again depending on the child.
The story itself has several convenient coincidences that move the story along but were hard to swallow and some of the science and experiments were a little out there (trying not to give away any spoilers). Other than that, I enjoyed the story. It was fast paced, much more of a mystery than the blurb hints at it, and Max is a bright, resourceful boy who is trying to do the right thing, even at great cost to himself. One thing that didn't make much sense was Max's dad's worry for his mental health. There are several mentions about his father's concern but it didn't seem relevant to the story; it struck an odd note as nothing Max said or did indicated any possible issues of any mental or emotional instability. His mother had depression which apparently was the source of his father's concern. It just seemed odd and irrelevant. Anyway, that struck me as odd since it's mentioned several times but nothing's done with it. I was curious how Rose would handle the time travel aspect and the potential paradoxes. They may not make much sense scientifically but they worked for me, they were believable in the context of the story.
"Flashback" kept me entertained and I enjoyed it.The had humor, wit, mystery, a little drama, some science fiction elements, and some paranormal elements. For the most part, it all meshes well and Rose kept me reading; I had to know what happened.
"Flashback" was a suspenseful science fiction story for teens. Max lives with his dad and has a fair amount of autonomy. He develops a headache while visiting the cemetery one day and the story is off and running. He has visions, or are they hallucinations?, that he tries to unravel and before long he's looking into the death and disappearance of a fourteen year old boy, David, from about twenty years ago. Soon Max is hooking up with different people, trying to unravel both the mystery of David's death and Max's visions, which could get pretty grim.
The book is marketed for middle grade and young adults/teens. It was dark and grim at times, with lots of violence, for middle grade readers so you might want to skim it or read it with them, depending on your child. I think most teens would be fine with it, again depending on the child.
The story itself has several convenient coincidences that move the story along but were hard to swallow and some of the science and experiments were a little out there (trying not to give away any spoilers). Other than that, I enjoyed the story. It was fast paced, much more of a mystery than the blurb hints at it, and Max is a bright, resourceful boy who is trying to do the right thing, even at great cost to himself. One thing that didn't make much sense was Max's dad's worry for his mental health. There are several mentions about his father's concern but it didn't seem relevant to the story; it struck an odd note as nothing Max said or did indicated any possible issues of any mental or emotional instability. His mother had depression which apparently was the source of his father's concern. It just seemed odd and irrelevant. Anyway, that struck me as odd since it's mentioned several times but nothing's done with it. I was curious how Rose would handle the time travel aspect and the potential paradoxes. They may not make much sense scientifically but they worked for me, they were believable in the context of the story.
"Flashback" kept me entertained and I enjoyed it.The had humor, wit, mystery, a little drama, some science fiction elements, and some paranormal elements. For the most part, it all meshes well and Rose kept me reading; I had to know what happened.
October 17, 2015
My ten-to-fourteen year old self would probably have devoured this book three times in a row, probably under the covers with a flashlight. Unlike other authors I'd read at the time, Rose doesn't patronize his younger audience; rather, he allows his protagonist to follow a lead to its next logical step. Rose also leaves some complex words in the story and instead of substituting easier words or explanations, he trusts his readers to go find a dictionary. He also doesn't flinch from action or certain potentially gory details. My younger self would probably have been creeped out (in a good way) for weeks after reading this book.
My older self has some hang-ups with a couple of plot points, but nothing I would have noticed when I was younger.
I would recommend this book to any young reader who wants to escape from romantic YA mush and get into something a little more gritty.
My older self has some hang-ups with a couple of plot points, but nothing I would have noticed when I was younger.
I would recommend this book to any young reader who wants to escape from romantic YA mush and get into something a little more gritty.
September 24, 2018
‘Max clearly remembered everything, both in the present and the past.’
Canadian author Simon Rose is an instructor for adults with the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University and offers a variety of in-person and online workshops for both children and adults. Not only doe he offer teaching and coaching for writers but he also is a successful author – especially for children’s and YA books. FLASHBACK is book one in this Flashback series – a trilogy (so far) of time travel science fiction novels meant to stimulate the imagination of youngsters to explore not only literature but scientific possibilities that may just become realities in their lifetime.
With the aid of very fine cover art by Wiktoria Goc, Simon enters his beguiling new world with a shrewd sense of suspense: ‘“Are the restraints tight enough?” “Yes, of course they are. I told you, I know what I’m doing.” “Now keep still, David, this won’t hurt a bit.” The twisted smile on the doctor’s face told a far different story. Max struggled against the bonds securing him to the operating table as the old man’s hand moved closer. Max clearly saw the hypodermic, the needle now only inches from his eye. The younger man with the long blonde hair and pale blue eyes grinned, as Max emitted a scream that he was certain no one would ever hear. “You okay, Max?” Jeff asked. “You don’t look so good.” Max felt dizzy and disoriented, having to rest his hand on the taller headstone to steady himself. Max and Jeff had gone to grab some pizza that afternoon. It was the start of summer vacation and Jeff had to stop and buy some flowers then meet his grandmother at Queen’s Park Cemetery. Jeff’s grandfather had passed away about six weeks earlier and his grandmother still liked to go to pay her respects and freshen the flowers beside the grave. The boys had just been chatting to Mrs. McNally and Max had stepped away to give the two family members a few moments of privacy. He was standing by a tall elaborate headstone mounted on a marble pedestal, belonging to someone called Jonathan Dexter. There was a smaller headstone beside the pedestal. Before Max could read the name, his hand brushed the edge of the smaller gravestone. Disconnected, random images had suddenly flashed across his mind, culminating in the terrifying scene with the needle. “I don’t feel so good either,” admitted Max, running his fingers through his light brown hair and rubbing the back of his neck. “Did you hit your head or something?” Jeff asked. “I don’t think so,” replied Max, “but now I have this splitting headache.” “Are you sure you’re okay, Max?” asked Mrs. McNally, with an expression of concern. “Yeah, I think so,” said Max, forcing a smile, although his head was truly pounding, and it must have shown in his face.‘
And so we enter the world of Max, well described in the book’s synopsis – ‘A visit to the cemetery, a brush against a strange headstone, and Max’s life is changed. He experiences flashbacks of a life that isn’t his, from a time before he was born. Some of the memories are pleasant, some are . . . disturbing. Max also sees a boy that no-one else can. He reveals to Max twenty-year-old secrets, secrets that someone will go to deadly lengths to keep concealed. To right a tragic wrong, Max must leap into his new friend’s past, not knowing how his actions will affect his own reality.’
A fine start for a story that is to be a series. Simon has the genre down pat!
Canadian author Simon Rose is an instructor for adults with the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University and offers a variety of in-person and online workshops for both children and adults. Not only doe he offer teaching and coaching for writers but he also is a successful author – especially for children’s and YA books. FLASHBACK is book one in this Flashback series – a trilogy (so far) of time travel science fiction novels meant to stimulate the imagination of youngsters to explore not only literature but scientific possibilities that may just become realities in their lifetime.
With the aid of very fine cover art by Wiktoria Goc, Simon enters his beguiling new world with a shrewd sense of suspense: ‘“Are the restraints tight enough?” “Yes, of course they are. I told you, I know what I’m doing.” “Now keep still, David, this won’t hurt a bit.” The twisted smile on the doctor’s face told a far different story. Max struggled against the bonds securing him to the operating table as the old man’s hand moved closer. Max clearly saw the hypodermic, the needle now only inches from his eye. The younger man with the long blonde hair and pale blue eyes grinned, as Max emitted a scream that he was certain no one would ever hear. “You okay, Max?” Jeff asked. “You don’t look so good.” Max felt dizzy and disoriented, having to rest his hand on the taller headstone to steady himself. Max and Jeff had gone to grab some pizza that afternoon. It was the start of summer vacation and Jeff had to stop and buy some flowers then meet his grandmother at Queen’s Park Cemetery. Jeff’s grandfather had passed away about six weeks earlier and his grandmother still liked to go to pay her respects and freshen the flowers beside the grave. The boys had just been chatting to Mrs. McNally and Max had stepped away to give the two family members a few moments of privacy. He was standing by a tall elaborate headstone mounted on a marble pedestal, belonging to someone called Jonathan Dexter. There was a smaller headstone beside the pedestal. Before Max could read the name, his hand brushed the edge of the smaller gravestone. Disconnected, random images had suddenly flashed across his mind, culminating in the terrifying scene with the needle. “I don’t feel so good either,” admitted Max, running his fingers through his light brown hair and rubbing the back of his neck. “Did you hit your head or something?” Jeff asked. “I don’t think so,” replied Max, “but now I have this splitting headache.” “Are you sure you’re okay, Max?” asked Mrs. McNally, with an expression of concern. “Yeah, I think so,” said Max, forcing a smile, although his head was truly pounding, and it must have shown in his face.‘
And so we enter the world of Max, well described in the book’s synopsis – ‘A visit to the cemetery, a brush against a strange headstone, and Max’s life is changed. He experiences flashbacks of a life that isn’t his, from a time before he was born. Some of the memories are pleasant, some are . . . disturbing. Max also sees a boy that no-one else can. He reveals to Max twenty-year-old secrets, secrets that someone will go to deadly lengths to keep concealed. To right a tragic wrong, Max must leap into his new friend’s past, not knowing how his actions will affect his own reality.’
A fine start for a story that is to be a series. Simon has the genre down pat!
January 11, 2020
2.5 stars.
I found this book both intriguing and dull at the same time. I could tell that it was meant to be a page-turner but yet I didn't feel like I had to keep going, it was easy to put down. Some parts were interesting whereas others were non-sensical. Lots of things were just brushed aside with a sort of shrug from the characters. "Why did this happen" shrug, "How could it happen this way" shrug. Which feels very disappointing.
That being said, I think my 12-year-old self would be very happy to read this book, and considering that is really the intended audience it is a decent book for what it is. I would recommend this to any kid who likes to read goosebumps but is looking for something a little more advanced and less formulaic.
I found this book both intriguing and dull at the same time. I could tell that it was meant to be a page-turner but yet I didn't feel like I had to keep going, it was easy to put down. Some parts were interesting whereas others were non-sensical. Lots of things were just brushed aside with a sort of shrug from the characters. "Why did this happen" shrug, "How could it happen this way" shrug. Which feels very disappointing.
That being said, I think my 12-year-old self would be very happy to read this book, and considering that is really the intended audience it is a decent book for what it is. I would recommend this to any kid who likes to read goosebumps but is looking for something a little more advanced and less formulaic.
May 27, 2019
This was rough. I purchased from the author at a con in Calgary, partly because I loved the cover art.
Reading all the amazing reviews, I'm not sure if I was reading the same book. The plotline had merit, but it was so disjointed and haphazardly laid-together. There was too much put into too little space, without a ton of explanation, and honestly, without a lot of reality behind any of it. I love a good time travel book. I love a good psychic book. I love a good young adult fiction book. This was none of those.
I don't one-star often, but I'm hesitant to go as far as two on this one. Really rough read.
Reading all the amazing reviews, I'm not sure if I was reading the same book. The plotline had merit, but it was so disjointed and haphazardly laid-together. There was too much put into too little space, without a ton of explanation, and honestly, without a lot of reality behind any of it. I love a good time travel book. I love a good psychic book. I love a good young adult fiction book. This was none of those.
I don't one-star often, but I'm hesitant to go as far as two on this one. Really rough read.
October 24, 2016
I don't remember when I read it, but as soon as I purchased the book, I ended up finishing it in one day. I was very engaged by the story and I love stories that feature mad scientist-esque figures, mystery, suspense, and evading an unseen foe. This book has all of that and pieces everything together quite well. I did get a little confused towards the end but that's probably me reading too much into it. This story features ghosts and the supernatural after all. I think younger readers will really enjoy this, and maybe even get a little freaked out, but that's the fun part of a good mystery!
August 19, 2016
Review by my 10-year old daughter. I am so happy she has found Simon Rose's books. She loves them all.
This book is about a guy who goes into another guy’s memories to save the world. He is scared, but he feels he has to. Flashback was a great book. Max and Deanna were very well developed, they made me feel like I knew them. I read this book five times, I liked it so much.
This book is about a guy who goes into another guy’s memories to save the world. He is scared, but he feels he has to. Flashback was a great book. Max and Deanna were very well developed, they made me feel like I knew them. I read this book five times, I liked it so much.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews