What do you think?
Rate this book
The Vanilla Cycle #2
Belief
What shall it profit a man to gain his soul…only to lose the whole world?
On his way to Earth to testify before the UN about the Angel-37 tragedy, Matthew Valdosky begins to have vivid lucid dreams. At first they’re a welcome diversion during this critical moment for the Valdosky Companies. But, night after night, as the dreams revisit the same themes, Matthew begins to wonder if his subconscious is trying to tell him something.
Should he follow through with his plan to resign as CEO? Was the disaster on the asteroid colony truly an accident? And what about the strange death of Teague Werres? Was it really a drug overdose? Matthew knows that just asking these questions might put him in danger, but he has to—because there are things Teague might have discovered that no one can ever know. Once on Earth, Matthew sneaks away to look for the one person—so to speak—who might have some Monkey, Teague’s robotic ring-tailed lemur, whereabouts unknown.
As Matthew unravels the truth about Teague’s final days, secrets from the past and revelations about the future begin to collide. And although that collision may destroy the foundations of modern society, Matthew might have to let it happen. Not only to prepare humanity for an even greater threat—but to redeem himself.
On his way to Earth to testify before the UN about the Angel-37 tragedy, Matthew Valdosky begins to have vivid lucid dreams. At first they’re a welcome diversion during this critical moment for the Valdosky Companies. But, night after night, as the dreams revisit the same themes, Matthew begins to wonder if his subconscious is trying to tell him something.
Should he follow through with his plan to resign as CEO? Was the disaster on the asteroid colony truly an accident? And what about the strange death of Teague Werres? Was it really a drug overdose? Matthew knows that just asking these questions might put him in danger, but he has to—because there are things Teague might have discovered that no one can ever know. Once on Earth, Matthew sneaks away to look for the one person—so to speak—who might have some Monkey, Teague’s robotic ring-tailed lemur, whereabouts unknown.
As Matthew unravels the truth about Teague’s final days, secrets from the past and revelations about the future begin to collide. And although that collision may destroy the foundations of modern society, Matthew might have to let it happen. Not only to prepare humanity for an even greater threat—but to redeem himself.
592 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2015
About the author
M.H. Van Keuren
5 books15 followersM.H. Van Keuren quit a perfectly good job to devote his life to writing science fiction. He lives in Billings, Montana, with his wife and two sons.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 15, 2015
Symmetry needed
M.H. Van Keuren has a talent for developing interesting characters. Riding with Rhubarb's Martin as he makes his sales calls brought back memories of the long rural business drives I once made. Watching Teague grow up in a future Bangkok made me feel as though I'd done so myself. Even Legitimacy's other protagonist, Rob garnered my interest despite his lack of self-discipline and self-indulgence.
Van Keuren's does not employ his talent for writing interesting characters in Legitimacy's sequel, Belief. Although his writing remains up to par, Van Keuren's characters do not. They are two dimensional and barely compelling.
Orson Scott Card, in his book on writing science fiction, states that there are four types of stories: milieu, idea, character and event. Although stories can have multiple elements, one of the four will predominate. Legitimacy begins as a character story but becomes more of an action story by its end. Its sequel, Belief, is entirely an action story. Teague barely makes an appearance — an appearance by inference only. Rob makes no appearance at all.
Van Keuren states on his blog that he intends a third volume in this series, I hope he restores symmetry to the whole by bringing back Teague and Rob, and by employing his talent for writing strong characters.
M.H. Van Keuren has a talent for developing interesting characters. Riding with Rhubarb's Martin as he makes his sales calls brought back memories of the long rural business drives I once made. Watching Teague grow up in a future Bangkok made me feel as though I'd done so myself. Even Legitimacy's other protagonist, Rob garnered my interest despite his lack of self-discipline and self-indulgence.
Van Keuren's does not employ his talent for writing interesting characters in Legitimacy's sequel, Belief. Although his writing remains up to par, Van Keuren's characters do not. They are two dimensional and barely compelling.
Orson Scott Card, in his book on writing science fiction, states that there are four types of stories: milieu, idea, character and event. Although stories can have multiple elements, one of the four will predominate. Legitimacy begins as a character story but becomes more of an action story by its end. Its sequel, Belief, is entirely an action story. Teague barely makes an appearance — an appearance by inference only. Rob makes no appearance at all.
Van Keuren states on his blog that he intends a third volume in this series, I hope he restores symmetry to the whole by bringing back Teague and Rob, and by employing his talent for writing strong characters.
May 3, 2016
I love Monkey. But he didn't show up till more than 1/2 way through the book. And since there were three separate story lines going on, he was active in only one. That's not the reason for knocking off a star. No, that's for the cliffhangerS. As in plural. I'd have read the next installment anyway. I ❤ Monkey.
As for the book and it's storyline? Wonderful, as always. A bit confusing in the beginning, keeping the three in order, but once the characters became clear cut and the connections to one another, everything made sense.
Small SPOILER ALERT!!!!!
.
.
.
.
.
.
This is my opinion, and not the Authors, from his words at the end of the book regarding "conspiracies". But I could not shake the similarities of the evil family, deBesançon, to that of the Bilderbergs. Although the Bilderberg's can hardly be a conspiracy now that they're openly flaunting themselves and their "secret meetings" via their website.
As for the book and it's storyline? Wonderful, as always. A bit confusing in the beginning, keeping the three in order, but once the characters became clear cut and the connections to one another, everything made sense.
Small SPOILER ALERT!!!!!
.
.
.
.
.
.
This is my opinion, and not the Authors, from his words at the end of the book regarding "conspiracies". But I could not shake the similarities of the evil family, deBesançon, to that of the Bilderbergs. Although the Bilderberg's can hardly be a conspiracy now that they're openly flaunting themselves and their "secret meetings" via their website.
July 21, 2015
Unexpected
Being the second of a series, you really need to have read the first book, legitimacy, to understand who some of the central characters are. Aside from that, both books are weird and refreshing. If you like sci fi, give this series a try.
Being the second of a series, you really need to have read the first book, legitimacy, to understand who some of the central characters are. Aside from that, both books are weird and refreshing. If you like sci fi, give this series a try.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews