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The Pretender #1
Rebirth
There are Pretenders among us, geniuses with the ability to become anyone they want to be. In 1983 a corporation known as The Centre isolated a young Pretender named Jarod and exploited his genius for their research. Then, one day, their Pretender ran away…
Written by the creators of the cult-hit TV show The Pretender – Rebirth is a slick mystery thriller about a brilliant human chameleon named Jarod who after escaping from the notorious Centre, plunges headlong into his newfound freedom.
In Rebirth, Jarod employs multiple sophisticated pretends in his quest to save one missing boy and hundreds of other innocent lives hanging in the balance at the hands of multi-national corporate terrorists and mercenaries.
Rebirth is at once an enthralling tale of one man’s exploration of life around him, intricate suspenseful mystery and intense edge-of-your-seat thrill ride – that captures and reignites the cult hit TV series for both loyal fans of the show and new readers alike
Written by the creators of the cult-hit TV show The Pretender – Rebirth is a slick mystery thriller about a brilliant human chameleon named Jarod who after escaping from the notorious Centre, plunges headlong into his newfound freedom.
In Rebirth, Jarod employs multiple sophisticated pretends in his quest to save one missing boy and hundreds of other innocent lives hanging in the balance at the hands of multi-national corporate terrorists and mercenaries.
Rebirth is at once an enthralling tale of one man’s exploration of life around him, intricate suspenseful mystery and intense edge-of-your-seat thrill ride – that captures and reignites the cult hit TV series for both loyal fans of the show and new readers alike
260 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 2013
53 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
October 13, 2013
In short, this book sucked. There are spoilers for the book in the review, but they're things fans should know about before dropping any money or time on this waste of both.
My primary grievances are the following: the stripping away of all emotional depth of the characters (and everything else) and ham-handedly leaving only the exaggerated emotional complexity of the original show, the removal of one of the primary themes (twins and using them as an insight into the nature of family) and replacing it with a stereotypical and boring wife-and-child-died-oh-noes sub-plot, the removal of two of the primary characters (Raines and fan-favorite Broots) and then replacing them with one-dimensional and annoying characters (whose names are chosen only to make really terrible jokes repeatedly), the endless brand names mentioned every few paragraphs (I hope the royalties they must have been collecting to be that annoying were worth it.), the removal of the mystery of The Centre (people are just using SL-27 from the start, which was a mystery that was one of the best parts of the show), and the fact that they no longer seem to have Jarod force the confession from the baddie-of-the-week (while it's true that wouldn't stand up in court, it also provides emotional satisfaction for the audience [IMO]).
To add insult to injury, it ended on a cliffhanger.
This book is not my show in the same way that the last TV movie wasn't really my show. My show is smart, complex, and adept at approaching common themes from different angles, all while willingly showing the dark underbelly of humanity. My show made even the most horrible recurring characters understandable with complex background stories. This book is not my show, and I am done with it. The fact that the books are a reboot and we still, after 12 years, do not have any resolution to that last TV movie (that was horrible anyway, and can we just pretend that horrible change to the mythology never happened and made no sense with anything else that came before), really irks me, and it makes it really clear the creators do not truly care about the fans or the story. I find that more upsetting than anything else, because we have been loyal for many years.
Not anymore. I'm done. There can be as many more books and graphic novels as they want, but I'm not reading them.
My primary grievances are the following: the stripping away of all emotional depth of the characters (and everything else) and ham-handedly leaving only the exaggerated emotional complexity of the original show, the removal of one of the primary themes (twins and using them as an insight into the nature of family) and replacing it with a stereotypical and boring wife-and-child-died-oh-noes sub-plot, the removal of two of the primary characters (Raines and fan-favorite Broots) and then replacing them with one-dimensional and annoying characters (whose names are chosen only to make really terrible jokes repeatedly), the endless brand names mentioned every few paragraphs (I hope the royalties they must have been collecting to be that annoying were worth it.), the removal of the mystery of The Centre (people are just using SL-27 from the start, which was a mystery that was one of the best parts of the show), and the fact that they no longer seem to have Jarod force the confession from the baddie-of-the-week (while it's true that wouldn't stand up in court, it also provides emotional satisfaction for the audience [IMO]).
To add insult to injury, it ended on a cliffhanger.
This book is not my show in the same way that the last TV movie wasn't really my show. My show is smart, complex, and adept at approaching common themes from different angles, all while willingly showing the dark underbelly of humanity. My show made even the most horrible recurring characters understandable with complex background stories. This book is not my show, and I am done with it. The fact that the books are a reboot and we still, after 12 years, do not have any resolution to that last TV movie (that was horrible anyway, and can we just pretend that horrible change to the mythology never happened and made no sense with anything else that came before), really irks me, and it makes it really clear the creators do not truly care about the fans or the story. I find that more upsetting than anything else, because we have been loyal for many years.
Not anymore. I'm done. There can be as many more books and graphic novels as they want, but I'm not reading them.
October 9, 2013
Oh. I was really excited about this book. And then after I heard that Jarod's escape date had been changed twenty years, I had a bad feeling but I had faith. A friend loaned rebirth to me until I could order mine and now I'm not going to order this book at all. My friend was as disappointed as I am. This is difficult for me as a long time French fan. I wanted to at least rate the book two stars which means it was ok, but this book is not ok.
This isn't even canon.
This doesn't even seem like it's written by the original authors. It just makes me sick! For starters, it's not even a continuation, a pick up where the Isle of The Haunted left off and that, in all honesty, didn't seem like a continuation of The Pretender 2001 or of the series. Rebirth is a complete restart. Day one. NO Broots and there is no Pretender without Broots!
Again I warn you, Miss Parker tells Sydney "only you could have created a mess big enough to put me back in the field" which means a complete restart. Jarod has just escaped. They are covering the same ground again, starting the whole series over again in a different worse way and it's terrible.
Reading the book, I have trouble with this Miss Parker. She is so wrong. She is way off with stupid quips that make her seem childish and pathetic. In the series, most of her quips worked well but in Rebirth, it's embarrassing to read her comebacks. There is no chemistry, nothing that pulls the reader in. It's similar to the pilot but lacking so much.
And Miss Parker smokes Pall Malls. Pall Malls? There are much better brands of cigarettes, not these discount cancer sticks. I'd rather see her smoke ecigs, or Marlboro at least that's a classic American fag. Another thing. There are Boom!'s and Wham!'s and all sorts of childish cartoon terms that just make me want to throw the book. This is a novel. Not a comic book. I shudder at what the graphic novels will bring.
I won't be reading those. They won't even be written by the original creators or anyone familiar with the series. Just an amateur whose writing I don't like. All in all this book is a pretty amateurish alternate universe at best. Do yourself a favor and read the fanfic.
In closing, I couldn't finish this book. I only wanted an ending. I don't want to relearn new characters, new secrets and lies. I have Broots and Raines and all the original guest stars in my heart and mind and these new characters won't do. There was enough material already given to us that they could have written one book and finished this series. This about making money. It's a sad day for the series I once loved. Former pretender fan.
This isn't even canon.
This doesn't even seem like it's written by the original authors. It just makes me sick! For starters, it's not even a continuation, a pick up where the Isle of The Haunted left off and that, in all honesty, didn't seem like a continuation of The Pretender 2001 or of the series. Rebirth is a complete restart. Day one. NO Broots and there is no Pretender without Broots!
Again I warn you, Miss Parker tells Sydney "only you could have created a mess big enough to put me back in the field" which means a complete restart. Jarod has just escaped. They are covering the same ground again, starting the whole series over again in a different worse way and it's terrible.
Reading the book, I have trouble with this Miss Parker. She is so wrong. She is way off with stupid quips that make her seem childish and pathetic. In the series, most of her quips worked well but in Rebirth, it's embarrassing to read her comebacks. There is no chemistry, nothing that pulls the reader in. It's similar to the pilot but lacking so much.
And Miss Parker smokes Pall Malls. Pall Malls? There are much better brands of cigarettes, not these discount cancer sticks. I'd rather see her smoke ecigs, or Marlboro at least that's a classic American fag. Another thing. There are Boom!'s and Wham!'s and all sorts of childish cartoon terms that just make me want to throw the book. This is a novel. Not a comic book. I shudder at what the graphic novels will bring.
I won't be reading those. They won't even be written by the original creators or anyone familiar with the series. Just an amateur whose writing I don't like. All in all this book is a pretty amateurish alternate universe at best. Do yourself a favor and read the fanfic.
In closing, I couldn't finish this book. I only wanted an ending. I don't want to relearn new characters, new secrets and lies. I have Broots and Raines and all the original guest stars in my heart and mind and these new characters won't do. There was enough material already given to us that they could have written one book and finished this series. This about making money. It's a sad day for the series I once loved. Former pretender fan.
October 7, 2013
This highly anticipated return didn't live up to the hype. It didn't even come close. As a long time fan, I'm very disappointed. The addition of new characters is frustrating, the writing leaves much to be desired. I wanted an ending, not to be strung along in this cash cow of innumerable series where the writers milk it for all it's worth and use fans to promote a product that is no longer relevant. There are no words to describe how disappointed and ashamed I am. This was no page turner, just a money waster.
June 18, 2015
I've been a fan of the series since the premier of the pilot and was looking forward to a continuation of the series in any form. I think my hopes were too high, there was too much hype. I'm disappointed with this first book and will not be purchasing another pretender rebirth novel or future graphic novel. There were always issues with continuity and editing, and unrealistic characterisations on the show but I thought the book would be different, I thought the writing would be more mature, descriptive. I don't know what I was expecting. I know I'm gutted. I've read Pretender fan fic that puts this book to shame.October 23, 2013
I CAN'T BELIEVE I WAITED OVER 12 YEARS FOR THIS... This is a sad day for fans of The Pretender. The creators have tainted the memory with rebirth. I'm heart broken with disappointment. I read some of the other low rating reviews and didn't want to believe the book could be that bad. The book is worse than I feared. I don't just "not like it" as the one star suggests. I hate the book. I've been a fan of The Pretender since its pilot episode, I've watched waited and I and every single TP fan deserve so much better than this. I read somewhere that at least rebirth is fast paced and isn't an overblown epic like that of a best seller author whose name I won't use here. I differ. Rebirth isn't fast paced and is way overblown with hype. I wanted a continuation and ending. That best seller author is best seller for a reason...
If it's not broken, don't fix it, that's the saying and unfortunately, Reboot is broken. Try to show your support some fans would say and to them I say that I've shown my support for more than twelve years and believed the creators when they said they would give us a continuation in some format. This isn't a continuation. This is a badly written begin-again. I'm a fan of the old version of The Pretender, the series, the classy Miss Parker, the emotions. I am not a fan of this reboot, I won't buy another novel or graphic novel. I'll watch my old dvds and remember the good times.
If it's not broken, don't fix it, that's the saying and unfortunately, Reboot is broken. Try to show your support some fans would say and to them I say that I've shown my support for more than twelve years and believed the creators when they said they would give us a continuation in some format. This isn't a continuation. This is a badly written begin-again. I'm a fan of the old version of The Pretender, the series, the classy Miss Parker, the emotions. I am not a fan of this reboot, I won't buy another novel or graphic novel. I'll watch my old dvds and remember the good times.
February 26, 2014
I am so disappointed. The Rebirth storyline is not a continuation of the series as we were led to believe it would be for a decade but an underhanded marketing scheme $$$$ ching ching $$$$ to attract a generation of new fans and alienates us who have been here from day one. The show had issues, tropes, unbelievable leaps of logic, stringy cheese and so forth but the show also had some charm and at least it had a kinda interesting Sydney. I was saddened to see these characters written as cliches. Jarod, Miss Parker, all of the characters are one dimensional, dull flat card board cut outs. And as another reviewer pointed out, the writing is juvenile and amateurish. I have read more enthralling, more plausible and much much much better written fan fic and it cost me only time....and after a decade of waiting for a promised ending and as horrible as Rebirth is, it shouldn't cost us anything except time. They should pay us to read this crap. Also, some of the fans will be included in the book, a select few. The creators play favorites, and the fans who brown nose the most get the most attention and too many fans clamor for the attention. I'm ashamed to admit I was ever a fan of the show. The old fans, us life long die hard fans that have been following the saga from the pilot episode are missing nothing by keeping our money and re-watching the series. We already purchased The Pretender series once, on dvd and although I was suckered into buying the first Pretender reboot book (the series reboot only poorly written and painful to read), I will not be suckered again. This is the first and last Pretender anything I'll ever buy.
June 18, 2015
In short,
everything about this book sucks! The writing, the book cover design, all of it sucks!!!!
This is one of those sad moments in literature when television/film exceeds the book of same title in quality, characters, plot, action, everything. I'll start with the title. Rebirth 1.a new or second birth 2.a renewed existence, activity, or growth; renaissance or revival.
The creators promised a continuation, to give this series that is so dear to us a fitting and rewarding conclusion as seen here.. http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2008/03/2... ...
^ That's why many of us life long fans assumed we'd be receiving definition 2, renewed activity, and long overdue too!
What the creators gave us with rebirth is not a conclusion, it's the beginning of The Pretender all over again but in book format, horrible writing and grammar issues. The authors completely screwed over the loyal fan base, the most devoted fans of the series, they are writing the entire thing over again. This book is essentially the pilot episode of the series with an unprofessional book design that isn't cutting edge and is so two decades ago. I've already paid for the pilot one time when I bought the dvds!!!
Miss Parker and Jarod are both out of character. She's a whore, chewing men up and spitting them out, and Jarod is a murderer. He is responsible for the death of a sweeper who did nothing wrong, he kills the poor man and he doesn't even care. There are too many juvenile words and sentences that it seems this book was written by two horny preteen boys instead of grown men who should know better. They wrote that some one looks like a penis. A penis! How stupid!
Someone compared this book to Bourne...and that's bullshit. There is no comparison!!! The works of Ludlum, King, Clancey, and even Koontz are epic professional masterpieces that are in a class far apart and far above the waste of ink that is Rebirth. Ludlum and the others respected/respect their life long fans!!
I'm not buying another Pretender book or novel!!!
everything about this book sucks! The writing, the book cover design, all of it sucks!!!!
This is one of those sad moments in literature when television/film exceeds the book of same title in quality, characters, plot, action, everything. I'll start with the title. Rebirth 1.a new or second birth 2.a renewed existence, activity, or growth; renaissance or revival.
The creators promised a continuation, to give this series that is so dear to us a fitting and rewarding conclusion as seen here.. http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2008/03/2... ...
^ That's why many of us life long fans assumed we'd be receiving definition 2, renewed activity, and long overdue too!
What the creators gave us with rebirth is not a conclusion, it's the beginning of The Pretender all over again but in book format, horrible writing and grammar issues. The authors completely screwed over the loyal fan base, the most devoted fans of the series, they are writing the entire thing over again. This book is essentially the pilot episode of the series with an unprofessional book design that isn't cutting edge and is so two decades ago. I've already paid for the pilot one time when I bought the dvds!!!
Miss Parker and Jarod are both out of character. She's a whore, chewing men up and spitting them out, and Jarod is a murderer. He is responsible for the death of a sweeper who did nothing wrong, he kills the poor man and he doesn't even care. There are too many juvenile words and sentences that it seems this book was written by two horny preteen boys instead of grown men who should know better. They wrote that some one looks like a penis. A penis! How stupid!
Someone compared this book to Bourne...and that's bullshit. There is no comparison!!! The works of Ludlum, King, Clancey, and even Koontz are epic professional masterpieces that are in a class far apart and far above the waste of ink that is Rebirth. Ludlum and the others respected/respect their life long fans!!
I'm not buying another Pretender book or novel!!!
May 7, 2015
It isn't canon. It isn't good. It's the pulling of teats essentially...milking the fans for everything they can. We were supposed to be given an ending more than 10 years ago. Here we are still waiting. The biggest dupes ever. The men can't write. Seriously. I've read higher quality fanfic. The blurb is bs. This isn't sleek. It's nothing like Jason Bourne...my apologies to Bourne fans. Jarod does nothing profound and doesn't even run far. He could leave the country. He's stupid. Some delusional fan said the show/Centre was like La Femme Nikita/Section but better and that Nikita/Section copied TP/Centre. That's bullshit too. The tv series La Femme Nikita is based on La femme Nikita THE movie about "a shadowy government agency known as "the Centre" possibly part of the DGSE...oh! Snap! Known as "THE CENTRE" and that movie was made way back in 1991. Five years before The Pretender. If anyone copied anyone it was Steven Long Mitchell who did the copying. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikita_%...
and google. Look it up. The truth burns. The book sucks.
and google. Look it up. The truth burns. The book sucks.
June 18, 2015
This is not good. One, it wasn't the continuation I was led to believe (by the creators) that it would be. I have to say that I don't appreciate misleading tactics and all in the name of making money. I was fooled. It won't happen again. Aside from that, the deviation from the timeline is only a minor grievance. The writing is not up to par, fell well below Pretender standards! A life long fan, I was lost with this story line and my friends who are new to the Pretender thought it was a pain to read as they too were lost. I don't like that fans are being added as characters to the book, that some fans are considered "super fans" by the creators. We have all waited and were promised and I'm sickened by this rebirth. I'd rather see it left incomplete than to see it continue this way. And I'm appalled that the likes of Jenna Busch will be writing a graphic novel. Or maybe the creators feel sorry for her to pick from the bottom of the barrel. This is a merchandising endeavor and I reckon lunch boxes and such will be sold next. I don't care what they sell next and I'm sure some fans will be insane enough to purchase an autographed towelette. Ya for them. I am done. If not for Pretender fan fic I would have been done with this fandom ages ago! I don't care how many more books, graphic novels or comics or any other merchandise the creators care to string us fans along with, I WILL NOT buy anything else. 
July 21, 2016
This book was such a disappointment. I'm a huge fan of the original series, so when I heard that the creators were starting a book series, I was very excited. However, I didn't realize that they weren't picking up where the series left off - they were rebooting the idea. I thought I would still give it a try. Unfortunately, this book lacks all of the charm that the series had. It is not well-written. The characters turn into cliches. And why is Broots missing?! I almost find it hard to believe that this was written by the same people responsible for the original show.
Bottom line: if you're a fan of the original series, stick to watching old episodes.
Bottom line: if you're a fan of the original series, stick to watching old episodes.
March 4, 2014
Disappointed, really. I was looking forward to this, to getting the characters I loved back, but I just couldn't hear their voices. The editing was also off putting with missing words and bad sentence structure.
March 6, 2014
This is my first ever rating/review. I'm a life long fan of the Pretender (or was), even when the show shifted and the inner sense invaded Miss Parker's mind (all of sudden she hears voices and the phenomenon is completely forgotten by the very next movie AND btw voices in the head is a mental illness not the stuff that composes sci-fi.. Pretender never was sci-fi) even after the IOTH, through all of the inconsistencies and contradictions but Reboot killed it for me. The characters in the book are flat, are nothing at all like the ones I remember. The book is not engaging, is not interesting, is not even well written or edited. After a ten + year wait for the promised continuation, we were given a reboot, a do-ever, a different escape date for the Pretender, and not a continuation and were left with a cliff hanger. Obviously, attracting new fans and making money is more important than keeping a promise made to the die hard fans that carried the series. They owe us this! The fans are the reason that the series was successful to begin with. The characters in this book are not my characters, this story is not about my Pretender. It's disgraceful! I don't care what happens next, how many books are written or if Miss Parker drops dead. These people are done wasting my time and I am done wasting my money. The fact that the talentless Jenna Busch has been named as a future writer screams that the creators have no idea what they are doing. If scrolls, the holy grail and sci-fi are your thing, check out Dan Brown's books. As for me and mine (original pretender universe fans), we'll continue to read Pretender fanfiction.
Want to read
September 24, 2013I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS!
October 7, 2013
Like many, was incredibly excited to hear of the return of our beloved Pretender. Then was anxious about how it was to be achieved. There was much speculation about how to fill in the gap, where it would go, would it be the same Pretender that we all love? Admittedly, I approached this with some small trepidation and found that I was literally knocked out of my socks with how good it was.
The story was immediately engaging and all so familiar, and it spun out in my head as I was reading like an episode playing in my mind. The familiar faces and voices all there, and some new ones too, which I was surprised to find that I thoroughly enjoyed them!(which was most unexpected). Cleverly done to embrace old fans and welcome new, a little darker and edgier than the series now the limits of television production are no longer there. Despite initial misgivings, found myself dragged back into the Pretender Universe as easily as slipping in a DVD and just absolutely loved it!
Anxiously awaiting the next installment, even more greedy for more Pretender than ever before. Steven and Craig have done a wonderful job with this, re-igniting my love for the show and story more than ever before. It was like meeting up with old friends you haven't seen in ... well 12 years... and everything falls so naturally and you slip into that comfortable friendship immediately.
Loved the new bits of information and insight into the characters and their motivations and the plot line itself was fast paced and verrrrry interesting too. Cannot wait for the sequel.
Do yourself a favour and read this!
The story was immediately engaging and all so familiar, and it spun out in my head as I was reading like an episode playing in my mind. The familiar faces and voices all there, and some new ones too, which I was surprised to find that I thoroughly enjoyed them!(which was most unexpected). Cleverly done to embrace old fans and welcome new, a little darker and edgier than the series now the limits of television production are no longer there. Despite initial misgivings, found myself dragged back into the Pretender Universe as easily as slipping in a DVD and just absolutely loved it!
Anxiously awaiting the next installment, even more greedy for more Pretender than ever before. Steven and Craig have done a wonderful job with this, re-igniting my love for the show and story more than ever before. It was like meeting up with old friends you haven't seen in ... well 12 years... and everything falls so naturally and you slip into that comfortable friendship immediately.
Loved the new bits of information and insight into the characters and their motivations and the plot line itself was fast paced and verrrrry interesting too. Cannot wait for the sequel.
Do yourself a favour and read this!
October 8, 2013
As a life-long fan of the Pretender, I was ecstatic when I received the news that it was coming back- and in novel (and graphic novel!) form, no less! I ordered both the book and Kindle versions and settled in for a good read... and Rebirth surely did not disappoint! The book was everything I'd hoped for- and more. After 12 years without the series I loved, it was like coming home again to old friends.
I really appreciated the time jump from 1963 (in the show) to 1983 (in the book) because I could relate to the modernisation and uses of technology. In terms of the characters, there was a great balance with what we knew from their previous on-screen portrayals and new stories and background details that added whole new dimensions to Jarod, Miss Parker, and Sydney. The addition of a new group of colourful characters adds to the depth of the story and illustrates both the compassion in Jarod and the true creepiness of the Centre. The story is solid and, like everything in the Pretender universe, leaves us wanting much, much more! Rebirth is a great ride of action, adventure and intrigue that will delight fans both new and old!
I really appreciated the time jump from 1963 (in the show) to 1983 (in the book) because I could relate to the modernisation and uses of technology. In terms of the characters, there was a great balance with what we knew from their previous on-screen portrayals and new stories and background details that added whole new dimensions to Jarod, Miss Parker, and Sydney. The addition of a new group of colourful characters adds to the depth of the story and illustrates both the compassion in Jarod and the true creepiness of the Centre. The story is solid and, like everything in the Pretender universe, leaves us wanting much, much more! Rebirth is a great ride of action, adventure and intrigue that will delight fans both new and old!
March 4, 2014
I've read thousands of books, dozens of genres, and this is by far the worst book I've ever read. I know many fans are upset with those of us who give honest ratings and opinions, they are the same fans who rated this book a five before they even read it. Very telling. They are also the ones that want to be included in the book as characters, want to hitch a ride to fame and be "friends" with the creators. Whatever. I'd rather be honest. This is not my show, my Pretender, this is not the continuation that we were promised. The book is awful. The cover is ugly. The characters are dull, the writing and editing are both horrendous. If writers are going to refer to someone as a "penis" (as steve and craig did in the book) the writers should at least describe the penis. I find it difficult to believe that these are the same men who gave us the television series. The only solace is the book was loaned to me by another disappointed fan who now intends to line her pet bird's cage with the pages of Rebirth. I kinda feel sorry for the bird. I'll stick to reading fanfic.
February 22, 2014
Very disappointing. Wanted to see it start where the movies left off. Just a rehash of the series. Disappointing.
June 18, 2015
Unfortunate.
August 14, 2014
The Pretender is one of my favorite TV series of all time. I am sad to report that it does not seem that the book series will follow suit.
After being a dedicated fan of the show for almost half my life now, I practically heard a hallelujah chorus went the first announcements for the books were made. I was every manner of excited. Still bitter all these years later after the unfair cancelling- I thought this would be our chance as fans to finally get some closure, some answers!
Unfortunately, it was not to be so. Rebirth is aptly named. It is a reboot of the series we've all come to know and love, set right back at Jarod's escape from The Centre...but this time, he emerges into today's world. That in itself, while surprising to me- is not the reason for my low rating. It's true I wanted answers regarding everything that had been spinning around my head since Island Of The Haunted, but I told myself I could wait. This reboot would probably be a nice long series, eventually leading to where we left off. I picked up Rebirth excited to spend time with Jarod again...even if he was now more 'modern'.
Something was confirmed for me as read I this novel. I love The Pretender because of the rich relatable characters. And those characters, while there in name, did not seem to be there in person in the pages of Rebirth. Jarod was written the closest to his original incarnation, but Miss Parker...I could not recognize her. There was something almost pathetic in the way she was portrayed. And pathetic and Miss Parker just doesn't compute for me. Sydney was vaguely familiar in personality, but somehow- he read as dull? Sydney, the usually charming and mysterious Belgian. The worst offense though, as far as characters go, is with one who is not in the pages at all. Broots, our wonderful source of comic relief, is missing... replaced by a character that I find frankly revolting. Ranies was also replaced, but the jury is out whether this change is altogether a bad thing. Rebirth is more than reboot, it's a complete alternate universe.
I won't dwell on the plot misgivings, because- honestly- if the characters had been anything like what I have come to love, I would have happily followed along with any scenario. Let's just say there was a lot left to be desired. The same can be said of the content itself. There's a lot of vulgarity...which felt out of place in this kind of novel? What I went into hoping would read more like a missing episode...read more like a cheap action film. So disappointing!
I love The Pretender series, it owns a piece of my fangirl soul- it's just too bad that the book series did not earn the same affection.
After being a dedicated fan of the show for almost half my life now, I practically heard a hallelujah chorus went the first announcements for the books were made. I was every manner of excited. Still bitter all these years later after the unfair cancelling- I thought this would be our chance as fans to finally get some closure, some answers!
Unfortunately, it was not to be so. Rebirth is aptly named. It is a reboot of the series we've all come to know and love, set right back at Jarod's escape from The Centre...but this time, he emerges into today's world. That in itself, while surprising to me- is not the reason for my low rating. It's true I wanted answers regarding everything that had been spinning around my head since Island Of The Haunted, but I told myself I could wait. This reboot would probably be a nice long series, eventually leading to where we left off. I picked up Rebirth excited to spend time with Jarod again...even if he was now more 'modern'.
Something was confirmed for me as read I this novel. I love The Pretender because of the rich relatable characters. And those characters, while there in name, did not seem to be there in person in the pages of Rebirth. Jarod was written the closest to his original incarnation, but Miss Parker...I could not recognize her. There was something almost pathetic in the way she was portrayed. And pathetic and Miss Parker just doesn't compute for me. Sydney was vaguely familiar in personality, but somehow- he read as dull? Sydney, the usually charming and mysterious Belgian. The worst offense though, as far as characters go, is with one who is not in the pages at all. Broots, our wonderful source of comic relief, is missing... replaced by a character that I find frankly revolting. Ranies was also replaced, but the jury is out whether this change is altogether a bad thing. Rebirth is more than reboot, it's a complete alternate universe.
I won't dwell on the plot misgivings, because- honestly- if the characters had been anything like what I have come to love, I would have happily followed along with any scenario. Let's just say there was a lot left to be desired. The same can be said of the content itself. There's a lot of vulgarity...which felt out of place in this kind of novel? What I went into hoping would read more like a missing episode...read more like a cheap action film. So disappointing!
I love The Pretender series, it owns a piece of my fangirl soul- it's just too bad that the book series did not earn the same affection.
September 24, 2013
Cant wait for its release!!
November 6, 2013
After 12 years since we last saw these characters, The Pretender is reborn and brought to the present with a renewed strength and tenacity.
Follow Jarod's quest for the truth and for the secret to his very existence, as he discovers the world for the first time and tries to make amends for the wrongs in the world, but always one step ahead of the Centre, the corporation who isolated him since he was a child.
Miss Parker and Sydney are still hot on Jarod's trail. They want him alive - preferably.
I enjoyed every letter in this book and would recommend it to anyone who was already a fan of the show and would recommend it to newcomers as well. Thank you Steven Long Mitchell and Craig Van Sickle for believing and for keeping the Pretender alive.
If you're an old fan, be ready for new secrets you didn't even know existed, new simulations and new characters as well as exciting insights into the lives of the characters you love so much.
Once you start reading it, The Pretender as you know it, will never be the same again. This is the perfect setting for old fans of the TV show and also an excellent way to get into the Pretender world for the first time.
I can't wait for the 2nd installment.
Follow Jarod's quest for the truth and for the secret to his very existence, as he discovers the world for the first time and tries to make amends for the wrongs in the world, but always one step ahead of the Centre, the corporation who isolated him since he was a child.
Miss Parker and Sydney are still hot on Jarod's trail. They want him alive - preferably.
I enjoyed every letter in this book and would recommend it to anyone who was already a fan of the show and would recommend it to newcomers as well. Thank you Steven Long Mitchell and Craig Van Sickle for believing and for keeping the Pretender alive.
If you're an old fan, be ready for new secrets you didn't even know existed, new simulations and new characters as well as exciting insights into the lives of the characters you love so much.
Once you start reading it, The Pretender as you know it, will never be the same again. This is the perfect setting for old fans of the TV show and also an excellent way to get into the Pretender world for the first time.
I can't wait for the 2nd installment.
February 2, 2015
I was excited to read this, and continue Jarod's adventures from The Pretender. However, despite being written by the show's creators, this book does little better than a fan fiction story.
In general, the book is a rehash/reimagination of the first episode of the show. Unfortunately, in my opinion, a variety of the additions detract from the original concept of the show. For instance: an entire segment from the point of view of an anthropomorphic rat.
I was hoping Craig and Steven would tie off their unfinished shows and movies, but it seems that is never to be....
Will I still read book number 2? Probably. A Pretender fan is a Pretender fan. But I really would have hoped for more.
In general, the book is a rehash/reimagination of the first episode of the show. Unfortunately, in my opinion, a variety of the additions detract from the original concept of the show. For instance: an entire segment from the point of view of an anthropomorphic rat.
I was hoping Craig and Steven would tie off their unfinished shows and movies, but it seems that is never to be....
Will I still read book number 2? Probably. A Pretender fan is a Pretender fan. But I really would have hoped for more.
May 8, 2015
Well...this was kind of terrible...
April 17, 2014
I'll preface my review with this: I've been a Pretender fan since the original pilot aired on NBC, back in 1996. I am quite the super-fan: My very first website I made as a teen in school was a Pretender fan site. I bought the entire series on DVD the second it became available. Before that, I had video taped every episode off of syndicated re-runs on VHS. When I got married, the first show I insisted my wife watch was The Pretender. I don't think there are many bigger fans of The Pretender than me.
Some fans of the show have been disappointed by Rebirth; I was thrilled. Would I have preferred a return to television or a new movie? Absolutely. Would I have enjoyed a continuation of where the series left off? For sure. But it's not that simple.
Steven Long Mitchell and Craig W Van Sickle did what they had to do, both creatively and business-wise. Think about it - they had to reboot. There's no other choice. If they continued the book series from after Island of the Haunted they'd have to either set the story around 2002 (creatively boring) or not do the story at all. Miss Parker was teetering on the edge of turning on The Centre and joining Jarod's side by the end of the second TV movie that concluded the TV series. If they chose to set the books in 2013, there's no way that Jarod would still be pursued by Miss Parker. She would have defected long before that point. It wouldn't make sense. So that left the reboot.
Some people bitch about the reboot, I love it. I see the novel incarnation the same way I see JJ Abrams' Star Trek reboots. It's not an outright reset. Think of the TV series as the "Prime" universe, the true one and then think of the literary series as the "Alternate" universe, "Universe B" if you will. That frees you up to experience the changes and updates to Jarod's world that have been made, and still cognitively leaves the original series and its timeline in tact. And if you have any desire to see The Pretender come back to the TV - online or otherwise - you need to rally behind these books. That will prove there is an appetite for Pretender content. I'd also like to remind you that the rebooted Star Trek revived that loved but neglected series and introduced SWARMS of new fans that were not watching before hand. This rebooted Pretender universe is your friend.
Now that I've set expectations, here's the review of the book on its own merits. I loved it. It's essentially a retelling of the pilot episode. All the elements are here: Jarod is young, naive and brilliant as the light of day. Sydney is straddling the line between father and manipulator. Miss Parker is the sexy super-bitch we all know and love. Characters are named after fans. The bad guys are bad. It's a whole lot of fun. I loved that we not only got the whip-smart dialogue and plot we have come to expect from the series, but now we also get the insight into the characters' heads - their thoughts, emotions, conflicts and convictions. I particularly love knowing what Jarod is thinking and feeling as he pretends. That adds a whole new depth to his already awesome "superpower."
I did have a few issues, but they were minor. First and foremost, there is no takedown. While Jarod still defends the weak and abused, the abuser of the little guy is not properly dealt with. There is no turning of the tables upon him or his co-conspirators. I can only pray we get that from the next installment. Which leads me to my second biggest minor complaint: There is no resolution. I love The Pretender and Steve & Craig but... Jesus. They suck at story resolution. The plot is great, it moves quickly, it's thrilling... there's just no end to it. I get that part 2, Saving Luke, will be the next part of this storyline, which is apparently serialized. I was just hoping for a one-book resolution for each part. Apparently, the Powers That Be have other plans. Lastly, my only other complaint is that Sydney is not well fleshed out. Not much is done with his character and that disappointed me a bit. I loved Sydney and the interactions between he and Jarod. I'm hoping that we get more time from his point of view as this new series progresses.
All in all, I loved this book. I can't wait for #2, Saving Luke. This was a fabulous read and a ton of fun. Heartily recommended from this self-proclaimed Pretender super-fan!
Some fans of the show have been disappointed by Rebirth; I was thrilled. Would I have preferred a return to television or a new movie? Absolutely. Would I have enjoyed a continuation of where the series left off? For sure. But it's not that simple.
Steven Long Mitchell and Craig W Van Sickle did what they had to do, both creatively and business-wise. Think about it - they had to reboot. There's no other choice. If they continued the book series from after Island of the Haunted they'd have to either set the story around 2002 (creatively boring) or not do the story at all. Miss Parker was teetering on the edge of turning on The Centre and joining Jarod's side by the end of the second TV movie that concluded the TV series. If they chose to set the books in 2013, there's no way that Jarod would still be pursued by Miss Parker. She would have defected long before that point. It wouldn't make sense. So that left the reboot.
Some people bitch about the reboot, I love it. I see the novel incarnation the same way I see JJ Abrams' Star Trek reboots. It's not an outright reset. Think of the TV series as the "Prime" universe, the true one and then think of the literary series as the "Alternate" universe, "Universe B" if you will. That frees you up to experience the changes and updates to Jarod's world that have been made, and still cognitively leaves the original series and its timeline in tact. And if you have any desire to see The Pretender come back to the TV - online or otherwise - you need to rally behind these books. That will prove there is an appetite for Pretender content. I'd also like to remind you that the rebooted Star Trek revived that loved but neglected series and introduced SWARMS of new fans that were not watching before hand. This rebooted Pretender universe is your friend.
Now that I've set expectations, here's the review of the book on its own merits. I loved it. It's essentially a retelling of the pilot episode. All the elements are here: Jarod is young, naive and brilliant as the light of day. Sydney is straddling the line between father and manipulator. Miss Parker is the sexy super-bitch we all know and love. Characters are named after fans. The bad guys are bad. It's a whole lot of fun. I loved that we not only got the whip-smart dialogue and plot we have come to expect from the series, but now we also get the insight into the characters' heads - their thoughts, emotions, conflicts and convictions. I particularly love knowing what Jarod is thinking and feeling as he pretends. That adds a whole new depth to his already awesome "superpower."
I did have a few issues, but they were minor. First and foremost, there is no takedown. While Jarod still defends the weak and abused, the abuser of the little guy is not properly dealt with. There is no turning of the tables upon him or his co-conspirators. I can only pray we get that from the next installment. Which leads me to my second biggest minor complaint: There is no resolution. I love The Pretender and Steve & Craig but... Jesus. They suck at story resolution. The plot is great, it moves quickly, it's thrilling... there's just no end to it. I get that part 2, Saving Luke, will be the next part of this storyline, which is apparently serialized. I was just hoping for a one-book resolution for each part. Apparently, the Powers That Be have other plans. Lastly, my only other complaint is that Sydney is not well fleshed out. Not much is done with his character and that disappointed me a bit. I loved Sydney and the interactions between he and Jarod. I'm hoping that we get more time from his point of view as this new series progresses.
All in all, I loved this book. I can't wait for #2, Saving Luke. This was a fabulous read and a ton of fun. Heartily recommended from this self-proclaimed Pretender super-fan!
April 21, 2014
I am a huge fan of the television show, so I was hoping this would have been better, but I had a few issues.
The introduction and subsequent descriptions of Miss Parker actually made me uncomfortable reading them. She was described in a way that I'm assuming was supposed to be sexy, but it came off as almost perverted. I felt a little concerned for the safety of the actress Andrea Parker...
But my main issue was that this is an origin story of sorts. I'm not sure if I would call it a reboot, aside from updated technology and cultural references; however, it is not clearly stated that this is a retelling of Jarod's first adventure. I was about a third of the way through the book when I thought something was off. The title "Rebirth" I guess was a hint, but I didn't pick up on it, and, like I said, it wasn't made apparent until well into the novel. I probably would have been more into the book had I known. It ends in a cliffhanger, which is okay. I expect I'll like the second book more knowing their writing style and direction things are heading.
The introduction and subsequent descriptions of Miss Parker actually made me uncomfortable reading them. She was described in a way that I'm assuming was supposed to be sexy, but it came off as almost perverted. I felt a little concerned for the safety of the actress Andrea Parker...
But my main issue was that this is an origin story of sorts. I'm not sure if I would call it a reboot, aside from updated technology and cultural references; however, it is not clearly stated that this is a retelling of Jarod's first adventure. I was about a third of the way through the book when I thought something was off. The title "Rebirth" I guess was a hint, but I didn't pick up on it, and, like I said, it wasn't made apparent until well into the novel. I probably would have been more into the book had I known. It ends in a cliffhanger, which is okay. I expect I'll like the second book more knowing their writing style and direction things are heading.
October 16, 2013
As I thought, once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. It just feels good to get the characters I loved back. And to discover new characters. Rebirth is perfect for longtime fans, but it's also written for newcomers. So whether you previously knew the universe or not, the story captures you from the first page to the last. And even though not that hard to figure out how it'll end if you're attentive to details, it's ok. It just makes me look forward to the next book even more.
The Pretender Lives!
The Pretender Lives!
November 13, 2013
To be honest, I was hoping for more of a continuation of the series than a full-fledged reboot. I'm saddened to think that we're losing so many of the experiences and relationships that developed during the television series and already miss some of the main characters who seem to have been replaced, like Broots and Angelo. I hope that there is some way to tie what many of us who watched the Pretender loved about the TV show into future books/graphic novels.
October 17, 2013
I really enjoyed this reboot of "The Pretender" series.
I'm not one of those fanois to scream about "canon," so the deviations from timeline don't bother me. This is a Jarod storyline that really could've happened at any point during the television series, or before or after. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!
I'm not one of those fanois to scream about "canon," so the deviations from timeline don't bother me. This is a Jarod storyline that really could've happened at any point during the television series, or before or after. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!
January 9, 2014
This my first actual review, I just finished this book and it remained true to the show. I am a huge fan of the show I wan't sure when i ordered the book from them if it was going to keep me a fan or loose it, but I was very impressed it was more than advertised and I loved how they updated the story! I am super exited to order and read the the next book!
January 4, 2018
Everyone can imagine a fan's surprise when they learn the series they loved so dearly is returning. It was a hyped return only to learn the return would be a novel, not film. I was disappointed...many of us were, but it didn't lower my expectations. I've now read both novels in the series and have given up on the series as it's been four years since the second novel.
The primary grievance is the reboot itself. Instead of staying the course, they tried to fix something that wasn't broken when all we wanted was the continuance or ending we were promised. I don't like being lied to.
I wanted to be like the others, be enthusiastic and keep buying the hype, keep being a team player and give these novels 5 star ratings. I wanted to buy into the Pretender fanmily myth but I wanted potential buyers and hopeful fans alike to beware and that means being honest. I would have given the tv series a solid 4 back in the day... knocking off a star for dragging us along, for wasting time with the story, for the intro that reminds us that Jarod is a genius, for unnecessary repetition and IOTH...terribly edited... and The Pretender 2001... it was the beginning of the inner sense and a flaw in the story line that was never SciFi and then all of sudden was.
Both Rebirth and Saving Luke were awful. They were poorly written, constructed. The characters I've come to love were not themselves, were flat stick figures. They didn't emote, they didn't express. I don't "see" them, I don't empathize with them and can't identify with them.
The writing itself, in addition to many grammatical errors, is juvenile at best but also is chock full of filth and potty and middle school humor inappropriate for young readers who, if you look at the writing, seem to be the target audience because this doesn't appeal to any adult I know...and to think that this was once called a family show.
I was expecting to be riveted or at least interested. I was neither. I felt nothing. I still feel nothing about these books and have even lost love for the tv series itself now. I don't care if another novel is never published and I don't care if the promise to fans is never kept.
There are superior shows, superior books. The only thing that really burns is the betrayal. A promise was made to fans. We waited. We were patient. The authors and series creators got our hopes up and then dashed them. These novels are easily the worst books I've ever read.
The primary grievance is the reboot itself. Instead of staying the course, they tried to fix something that wasn't broken when all we wanted was the continuance or ending we were promised. I don't like being lied to.
I wanted to be like the others, be enthusiastic and keep buying the hype, keep being a team player and give these novels 5 star ratings. I wanted to buy into the Pretender fanmily myth but I wanted potential buyers and hopeful fans alike to beware and that means being honest. I would have given the tv series a solid 4 back in the day... knocking off a star for dragging us along, for wasting time with the story, for the intro that reminds us that Jarod is a genius, for unnecessary repetition and IOTH...terribly edited... and The Pretender 2001... it was the beginning of the inner sense and a flaw in the story line that was never SciFi and then all of sudden was.
Both Rebirth and Saving Luke were awful. They were poorly written, constructed. The characters I've come to love were not themselves, were flat stick figures. They didn't emote, they didn't express. I don't "see" them, I don't empathize with them and can't identify with them.
The writing itself, in addition to many grammatical errors, is juvenile at best but also is chock full of filth and potty and middle school humor inappropriate for young readers who, if you look at the writing, seem to be the target audience because this doesn't appeal to any adult I know...and to think that this was once called a family show.
I was expecting to be riveted or at least interested. I was neither. I felt nothing. I still feel nothing about these books and have even lost love for the tv series itself now. I don't care if another novel is never published and I don't care if the promise to fans is never kept.
There are superior shows, superior books. The only thing that really burns is the betrayal. A promise was made to fans. We waited. We were patient. The authors and series creators got our hopes up and then dashed them. These novels are easily the worst books I've ever read.
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