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Screens
“You’ve found this, Chumley. Good for you. Now take my advice and put it back down. This manuscript isn’t meant for you. You don’t have the stomach.”
Sometime in 2016, dark web posts began appearing about a document known only as “the Manuscript.” Originally created with a manual typewriter and impossible to digitise, the Manuscript can only be read by those who can procure one of its precious few copies. It is said that the Manuscript contains horrific knowledge, and those who have read it have immediately disconnected from the internet, vanished off the digital grid, never to return.
In short order, all online posts regarding the Manuscript were gone without a trace. Everyone with any knowledge or connection to them has disappeared or been gruesomely murdered.
Something horrible is happening. Something unspeakable is coming.
And yet you can't seem to stop from staring at that television, that computer, that mobile phone. THEY have you, and for all your justifications and bravado, you never can turn away.
Why are you still looking?
THEY are watching you...
Sometime in 2016, dark web posts began appearing about a document known only as “the Manuscript.” Originally created with a manual typewriter and impossible to digitise, the Manuscript can only be read by those who can procure one of its precious few copies. It is said that the Manuscript contains horrific knowledge, and those who have read it have immediately disconnected from the internet, vanished off the digital grid, never to return.
In short order, all online posts regarding the Manuscript were gone without a trace. Everyone with any knowledge or connection to them has disappeared or been gruesomely murdered.
Something horrible is happening. Something unspeakable is coming.
And yet you can't seem to stop from staring at that television, that computer, that mobile phone. THEY have you, and for all your justifications and bravado, you never can turn away.
Why are you still looking?
THEY are watching you...
- GenresHorror
339 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 26, 2021
7 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Laine
12 books9 followersChristopher Laine is a writer, software architect, and founder of several business and tech ventures.
He studied literature and writing at San Francisco State University. His interests include world mythology and religions, philosophy, science, cooking, and martial arts.
Originally from San Francisco, he is a world traveller who eventually settled in New Zealand with his partner Mary and two children.
"There's a lot to know about ourselves which art and literature, mythology and psychology have yet to teach us. I write from this perspective, that we are not at the end of our story as a species, but clearly just at its beginning."
He studied literature and writing at San Francisco State University. His interests include world mythology and religions, philosophy, science, cooking, and martial arts.
Originally from San Francisco, he is a world traveller who eventually settled in New Zealand with his partner Mary and two children.
"There's a lot to know about ourselves which art and literature, mythology and psychology have yet to teach us. I write from this perspective, that we are not at the end of our story as a species, but clearly just at its beginning."
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 17, 2021
Everybody is sure they can handle everything at the beginning. The beginning is chump change. It’s the end that really matters. That’s where the rubber meets the road.
From the title and the cover of this book, I assumed this book to be a gothic tale but as I read along I realised it was more of a Science Fiction book. The idea of the book is based upon our consumption and addiction of Screens such as mobile phones, televisions, laptops, tabs etc. This is about those beings that are from another space dimension who enter our own world through edges and feed of the humanity and turn them into a Ghoul. The story starts with a horror plot that makes us believe that a manuscript read by the reader’s will lead them to death but in reality there is a-lot more to the story.
Those who understand Science better will be able to understand this story in a more better manner because there have been terms used for conventional Time and it’s theory. The book has a good pace in the start and it keeps you hooked but in the end it feels like the story is just being stretched over one and the same thing. The writing style of the Author was gripping though I wish he used less cuss words. After reading this book, it totally made me question myself about those weird demons that were lurking towards humans from the screens, what is they were real ?
From the title and the cover of this book, I assumed this book to be a gothic tale but as I read along I realised it was more of a Science Fiction book. The idea of the book is based upon our consumption and addiction of Screens such as mobile phones, televisions, laptops, tabs etc. This is about those beings that are from another space dimension who enter our own world through edges and feed of the humanity and turn them into a Ghoul. The story starts with a horror plot that makes us believe that a manuscript read by the reader’s will lead them to death but in reality there is a-lot more to the story.
Those who understand Science better will be able to understand this story in a more better manner because there have been terms used for conventional Time and it’s theory. The book has a good pace in the start and it keeps you hooked but in the end it feels like the story is just being stretched over one and the same thing. The writing style of the Author was gripping though I wish he used less cuss words. After reading this book, it totally made me question myself about those weird demons that were lurking towards humans from the screens, what is they were real ?
June 26, 2021
A book that will keep you hooked throughout the 300 pages!
If I ask how many hours do you spend on screen, you wouldn't be having one accurate answer, right? Because most of us spend half of our time looking at our screen. The book is an interesting tale about how we are addicted to mobile phones, laptops, tabs, and screens.
.
The story starts with a Heart thundering horror story which later becomes even more interesting when some beings from another planet come to earth and try to feed them to convert them into a Ghoul.
.
There is a whole lot in this book and I can't call it a book honestly, it's Iike a new world where there the author has brought and address problems in a unique way along with solutions.
.
I would recommend this book to everyone especially to those who are into science fiction. Those who understand science well will understand this book as well better.
If I ask how many hours do you spend on screen, you wouldn't be having one accurate answer, right? Because most of us spend half of our time looking at our screen. The book is an interesting tale about how we are addicted to mobile phones, laptops, tabs, and screens.
.
The story starts with a Heart thundering horror story which later becomes even more interesting when some beings from another planet come to earth and try to feed them to convert them into a Ghoul.
.
There is a whole lot in this book and I can't call it a book honestly, it's Iike a new world where there the author has brought and address problems in a unique way along with solutions.
.
I would recommend this book to everyone especially to those who are into science fiction. Those who understand science well will understand this book as well better.
January 19, 2021
Also reviewed on www.curiosityboughtthebook.com
Reading just the summary of the book, I wasn’t prepared for what was about to unfold on my Kindle. Screens is so much more than just a story about a mysterious manuscript. In fact, Christopher Laine has built an entire world within 300+ pages, that not only includes our reality, but others as well.
Without giving away the plot, I will try to rehash some of the parts of this book. We got some time traveling, cosmic horror, the terrors of drug addiction, and conspiracy theories all in one. There certainly is a lot going on here. But it all works perfectly together, even if it did get a bit confusing at times. I did find the book to be hard to follow at times, but it all worked out in the end and I understood what was happening. Overall, a good novel that I would definitely recommend.
Thanks to Netgalley and Garden Path for the arc.
Reading just the summary of the book, I wasn’t prepared for what was about to unfold on my Kindle. Screens is so much more than just a story about a mysterious manuscript. In fact, Christopher Laine has built an entire world within 300+ pages, that not only includes our reality, but others as well.
Without giving away the plot, I will try to rehash some of the parts of this book. We got some time traveling, cosmic horror, the terrors of drug addiction, and conspiracy theories all in one. There certainly is a lot going on here. But it all works perfectly together, even if it did get a bit confusing at times. I did find the book to be hard to follow at times, but it all worked out in the end and I understood what was happening. Overall, a good novel that I would definitely recommend.
Thanks to Netgalley and Garden Path for the arc.
June 2, 2021
Just to get this out of the way, I was contacted by the author, Christopher Laine, to review this book. He was very nice and gave me a copy of his book and then said write what you want about it, but it would be nice to have a review! So here goes!
Screens is the fourth book in Christopher Laine's The Seven Coins Drowning series, and are intrinsically linked by the theme of the seven deadly sins. There are several stories in the series, but it is not essential to have read the others to enjoy Screens, and I have to say that it did not spoil my enjoyment of the book.
Screens is one of those books where there is so much going on, you don’t know where to start. It took me to places that I didn’t expect, to different realities, dimensions and times. Honestly, I did not know what to expect at all when I started reading this book.
The book tells the story of James, our 404: narrator not found. He is a nobody. A bicycle courier in San Francisco. A casualty of his own ego. A recovering substance user. He is many things, but mainly, he is the teller of our story.
In all honesty, as a narrator, I found him to annoying, gruff and he grated on my nerves at times. He has a propensity to call you, the reader, Chumley. He is incredibly egotistical, and at times I wanted to punch him! However, what he is not, is uninteresting. Yes, at times he preaches at you, and you throw your hands up in exasperation at him, but ultimately you want to hear his story and how it plays out.
The story of Screens itself, revolves around Frank Belknapp Long’s ‘The Hounds of Tindalos’. For those of you who aren’t aware of F. Belknap Long, he was a contributor to the Cthulhu Mythos and his mate was H. P. Lovecraft. So from that, you know that this book is going to be in the vein of cosmic horror/weird fiction.
When I say that the story revolves around The Hounds of Tindalos (THOT), I mean Christopher Laine basically uses it as a coat stand to hang the coat of his story on. We watch as James the nobody becomes more and more involved with the events of the death surrounding Halpin Chambers (one of the main characters in THOT) and the secrets that he has uncovered.
I have to say that initially, I found this book a little difficult to get into, not because of the structure of the book, but the fact that as a narrator, James makes it particularly hard. It does take a while for the story to hit its full speed.There is a large investigative aspect to the first part of the book. However, when it did hit its critical speed, Christopher Laine opens the throttle and the book just hurtles along at a phenomenal pace.
Like I said earlier, when it comes to the plot there are a number of things going on. Initially, Christopher Laine cleverly taps into the worldwide paranoia of increased screen time and the effects that it is having on our brains, both biologically and socially and how this impacts on society as a whole, such as increasing the negative ideologies of hatred and making them more commonplace. This is the springboard for the main antagonists of the story to attack the human race.
I found that when I was reading this aspect of the book, it reminded me of the film They Live, in that there is an alien invasion happening under our noses, but yet we, the human race, are not aware of it. And when James dons his proverbial glasses, he cannot unsee the threat that is invisible to everyone else. However, the plot goes into a completely different direction to what you would expect, and it is at this stage the book goes (just to nick a phrase from the book) batshit crazy. However, this is not in a bad way, but in a way that elevates the story that one notch further.
In terms of characters in the book, they are seen through our narrators eyes, and in all honesty, he is quite disingenuous to most of them and you see them through his warped eyes, which makes it difficult to connect with them, except for the one at the end (which I cannot tell you anything about as it would totally ruin the last part of the book. However, on the whole, I felt that the different characters of the book are introduced to move the narrative along rather than as tangible characters that you can latch onto and identify with.
The main character of the book is James. He is the one constant of the story, and you know how I feel about him.
Structurally, Screens is an interesting book. It uses a kind of mixed media approach to tell the story and how it plays out. Sometimes there will be police reports of incidents, or there may be something resembling a confidential dossier of events, or a newspaper report of an incident that has an impact on the story as a whole, whilst having a structured narrative in between these differing forms of media. People may find this a little choppy initially, but you get used to it, and as the story progresses, these other pieces become quite important.
I have to say that by the last third of the book, I was wondering how Christopher Laine would tie up numerous loose ends that he had introduced, but he manages to fit the whole thing together well. Giving the end of the story a satisfying conclusion.
Once I got into Screens, I found it to be a story that grabbed me, dragging me into the horrifying and space warping tale and never letting me go till I had reached the ultimate dimension called the end.
Screens is the fourth book in Christopher Laine's The Seven Coins Drowning series, and are intrinsically linked by the theme of the seven deadly sins. There are several stories in the series, but it is not essential to have read the others to enjoy Screens, and I have to say that it did not spoil my enjoyment of the book.
Screens is one of those books where there is so much going on, you don’t know where to start. It took me to places that I didn’t expect, to different realities, dimensions and times. Honestly, I did not know what to expect at all when I started reading this book.
The book tells the story of James, our 404: narrator not found. He is a nobody. A bicycle courier in San Francisco. A casualty of his own ego. A recovering substance user. He is many things, but mainly, he is the teller of our story.
In all honesty, as a narrator, I found him to annoying, gruff and he grated on my nerves at times. He has a propensity to call you, the reader, Chumley. He is incredibly egotistical, and at times I wanted to punch him! However, what he is not, is uninteresting. Yes, at times he preaches at you, and you throw your hands up in exasperation at him, but ultimately you want to hear his story and how it plays out.
The story of Screens itself, revolves around Frank Belknapp Long’s ‘The Hounds of Tindalos’. For those of you who aren’t aware of F. Belknap Long, he was a contributor to the Cthulhu Mythos and his mate was H. P. Lovecraft. So from that, you know that this book is going to be in the vein of cosmic horror/weird fiction.
When I say that the story revolves around The Hounds of Tindalos (THOT), I mean Christopher Laine basically uses it as a coat stand to hang the coat of his story on. We watch as James the nobody becomes more and more involved with the events of the death surrounding Halpin Chambers (one of the main characters in THOT) and the secrets that he has uncovered.
I have to say that initially, I found this book a little difficult to get into, not because of the structure of the book, but the fact that as a narrator, James makes it particularly hard. It does take a while for the story to hit its full speed.There is a large investigative aspect to the first part of the book. However, when it did hit its critical speed, Christopher Laine opens the throttle and the book just hurtles along at a phenomenal pace.
Like I said earlier, when it comes to the plot there are a number of things going on. Initially, Christopher Laine cleverly taps into the worldwide paranoia of increased screen time and the effects that it is having on our brains, both biologically and socially and how this impacts on society as a whole, such as increasing the negative ideologies of hatred and making them more commonplace. This is the springboard for the main antagonists of the story to attack the human race.
I found that when I was reading this aspect of the book, it reminded me of the film They Live, in that there is an alien invasion happening under our noses, but yet we, the human race, are not aware of it. And when James dons his proverbial glasses, he cannot unsee the threat that is invisible to everyone else. However, the plot goes into a completely different direction to what you would expect, and it is at this stage the book goes (just to nick a phrase from the book) batshit crazy. However, this is not in a bad way, but in a way that elevates the story that one notch further.
In terms of characters in the book, they are seen through our narrators eyes, and in all honesty, he is quite disingenuous to most of them and you see them through his warped eyes, which makes it difficult to connect with them, except for the one at the end (which I cannot tell you anything about as it would totally ruin the last part of the book. However, on the whole, I felt that the different characters of the book are introduced to move the narrative along rather than as tangible characters that you can latch onto and identify with.
The main character of the book is James. He is the one constant of the story, and you know how I feel about him.
Structurally, Screens is an interesting book. It uses a kind of mixed media approach to tell the story and how it plays out. Sometimes there will be police reports of incidents, or there may be something resembling a confidential dossier of events, or a newspaper report of an incident that has an impact on the story as a whole, whilst having a structured narrative in between these differing forms of media. People may find this a little choppy initially, but you get used to it, and as the story progresses, these other pieces become quite important.
I have to say that by the last third of the book, I was wondering how Christopher Laine would tie up numerous loose ends that he had introduced, but he manages to fit the whole thing together well. Giving the end of the story a satisfying conclusion.
Once I got into Screens, I found it to be a story that grabbed me, dragging me into the horrifying and space warping tale and never letting me go till I had reached the ultimate dimension called the end.
June 3, 2021
Something horrible is happening. Something unspeakable is coming.
And yet you can't seem to stop from staring at that television, that computer, that mobile phone. THEY have you, and for all your justifications and bravado, you never can turn away.
Why are you still looking?
THEY are watching you... Well , these were the lines that got me get this book, without even reading the ratings or reviews. For people like me, I never imagines in my wildest dream, that I could get to hear or read about such kind of story. This is actually how I personally came to God: the sudden realization of reliving the same moment again and again, and that repetition somehow driving a forward momentum, but of being terminated. The author has ensured that all characters in the story are well developed with strong characters without out shining some of the main characters. Characters like (The Hounds Of The Tindalos And Wuye Yuanding, The Midnight Gardener along with the protagonist James. The book, highlights the effects of addiction, and how we all have addiction deep inside us, whether we like to admit it or not; from things on the more extreme side, like drugs and alcohol to something a little softer but objectively just as dangerous, like staring at your phone screen for endless hours without realizing it. Not to sound dramatic, but this book really has allowed me to take two steps back every time I find myself mindlessly re-clicking the same social media apps out of boredom, and for a book to have that much influence on my everyday life is pretty incredible. This book outlines one of the most sensitive topics of today which is very important for generations to come. So grab a copy today and enjoy this superbly well articulated horrifying fiction which relates to our daily lives of the 21st Century. Christopher Lain is surely an author to look forward to .. Atleast for me ...
And yet you can't seem to stop from staring at that television, that computer, that mobile phone. THEY have you, and for all your justifications and bravado, you never can turn away.
Why are you still looking?
THEY are watching you... Well , these were the lines that got me get this book, without even reading the ratings or reviews. For people like me, I never imagines in my wildest dream, that I could get to hear or read about such kind of story. This is actually how I personally came to God: the sudden realization of reliving the same moment again and again, and that repetition somehow driving a forward momentum, but of being terminated. The author has ensured that all characters in the story are well developed with strong characters without out shining some of the main characters. Characters like (The Hounds Of The Tindalos And Wuye Yuanding, The Midnight Gardener along with the protagonist James. The book, highlights the effects of addiction, and how we all have addiction deep inside us, whether we like to admit it or not; from things on the more extreme side, like drugs and alcohol to something a little softer but objectively just as dangerous, like staring at your phone screen for endless hours without realizing it. Not to sound dramatic, but this book really has allowed me to take two steps back every time I find myself mindlessly re-clicking the same social media apps out of boredom, and for a book to have that much influence on my everyday life is pretty incredible. This book outlines one of the most sensitive topics of today which is very important for generations to come. So grab a copy today and enjoy this superbly well articulated horrifying fiction which relates to our daily lives of the 21st Century. Christopher Lain is surely an author to look forward to .. Atleast for me ...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2021
BOOK REVIEW:- SCREENS
AUTHOR:- CHRISTOPHER LAINE
GENRE:- SCIENTIFIC FICTION (HORROR)
FORMAT:- KINDLE
MY RATINGS:- 9.8/10
💀Screens is one of those books that i can read again and again. Literally i just finished reading it and i am planning to read it again, if you choose to pick this one you will go crazy. The book will take you to a journey and you will feel everything that the book mention.
💀Christopher has created a masterpiece, i am already a fan of his writing. He is so good with his work, that you will want to read all of his books if you read this one. So the book is a horror story , and the book will surely terrify you. If you want to read i book that you will remember for long then this can he the percent pick for you.
💀Usually i don't feel so excited about reading horror stories, but this book is something different, it has something special which makes it worth your time.
The book has made me familiar with the word fear. The book is seriously a must read for those who find horror books Interesting and exciting because at present i don't think that any book is as good as this one.
💀James is the main character in the book but there are many other characters also, who make the whole plot a lot more enjoyable. The characterisation is just perfect, from james to all the other characters the author has flawlessly described everything properly. You will feel attached to all the characters.
💀Also not to forget the book cover, from the moment i saw the book cover i got excited, i just wanted to get my hands on this one. It clearly indicates the signs of being a horror story. The title has a great relevance in relation to the storyline, you will find out it once you read the book.
💀I don't want to give you any spoilers, as i really want you guys to read and enjoy the story. So for all the readers out there who love to read horror stories, this is the book you must pick.
Thankyou
Happy reading
AUTHOR:- CHRISTOPHER LAINE
GENRE:- SCIENTIFIC FICTION (HORROR)
FORMAT:- KINDLE
MY RATINGS:- 9.8/10
💀Screens is one of those books that i can read again and again. Literally i just finished reading it and i am planning to read it again, if you choose to pick this one you will go crazy. The book will take you to a journey and you will feel everything that the book mention.
💀Christopher has created a masterpiece, i am already a fan of his writing. He is so good with his work, that you will want to read all of his books if you read this one. So the book is a horror story , and the book will surely terrify you. If you want to read i book that you will remember for long then this can he the percent pick for you.
💀Usually i don't feel so excited about reading horror stories, but this book is something different, it has something special which makes it worth your time.
The book has made me familiar with the word fear. The book is seriously a must read for those who find horror books Interesting and exciting because at present i don't think that any book is as good as this one.
💀James is the main character in the book but there are many other characters also, who make the whole plot a lot more enjoyable. The characterisation is just perfect, from james to all the other characters the author has flawlessly described everything properly. You will feel attached to all the characters.
💀Also not to forget the book cover, from the moment i saw the book cover i got excited, i just wanted to get my hands on this one. It clearly indicates the signs of being a horror story. The title has a great relevance in relation to the storyline, you will find out it once you read the book.
💀I don't want to give you any spoilers, as i really want you guys to read and enjoy the story. So for all the readers out there who love to read horror stories, this is the book you must pick.
Thankyou
Happy reading
April 13, 2021
A manuscript appeared that details a presence feeding off humanity through screens, intent on destroying the earth. Anyone reading this manuscript has disappeared, been murdered, or disconnected for all digital communication. There is no information online about this manuscript or any of the survivors. The survivors themselves call each other the Network, and spread information about the manuscript, hoping to stop its growing horror.
This book is written as a collection of letters, warnings, and other ephemera collected. We start with the nature of the Network, and that all attempts to digitize the Manuscript have led to the person being killed. All we're told at the outset is that the very world is at stake, and we alternate between the ephemera and the concept of the Manuscript, as told by James, the narrator. The gimmick reminds me of "House of Leaves" by Mark Danielewski, a book you shouldn't read at night because it's mind-bending and horrifying on a psyche level. There are also echoes of cosmic horror as we go on, with extraplanar creatures trying to break through, using hapless humans and corrupting them to do so.
As the book progresses and James searches for information about the original author of the Manuscript, he's drawn deeper into the occult and fear of Euclidean geometry. He's drawn the notice of THEM, is part of a paradox and is part of something much bigger than himself. While he's often confused by what's happening as the story continues, the reader will begin to see parallels in the text and understand the nature of the paradox better than he does. There is so much underlying creepiness and a sense of danger more than outright bloody gore, so don't be afraid of that. Instead, be afraid of the cosmic horror aspect, the creepy things coming through the angles of the world to consume us all.
This book is written as a collection of letters, warnings, and other ephemera collected. We start with the nature of the Network, and that all attempts to digitize the Manuscript have led to the person being killed. All we're told at the outset is that the very world is at stake, and we alternate between the ephemera and the concept of the Manuscript, as told by James, the narrator. The gimmick reminds me of "House of Leaves" by Mark Danielewski, a book you shouldn't read at night because it's mind-bending and horrifying on a psyche level. There are also echoes of cosmic horror as we go on, with extraplanar creatures trying to break through, using hapless humans and corrupting them to do so.
As the book progresses and James searches for information about the original author of the Manuscript, he's drawn deeper into the occult and fear of Euclidean geometry. He's drawn the notice of THEM, is part of a paradox and is part of something much bigger than himself. While he's often confused by what's happening as the story continues, the reader will begin to see parallels in the text and understand the nature of the paradox better than he does. There is so much underlying creepiness and a sense of danger more than outright bloody gore, so don't be afraid of that. Instead, be afraid of the cosmic horror aspect, the creepy things coming through the angles of the world to consume us all.
January 12, 2024
I'm sorry to say that i am very disappointed with this book, i liked the premise .
It promeses a lot at the beginning,and even so far as the middle of the book lenght ,as the narrator says ,"this is it , now is really gonna get ugly ,terrible , i warn you..."
I have to admit that i dint read the three firts books of the seven coins series and so i may have not had all the information needed to realy appreciate this , maybe the book just was over my head , maybe it wasn't just for my taste , but by time i entered the "final " hundred pages i just wanted to please be over.
Some guy who was bullied in school becames and addict on alchool and drugs. After a very strange corrent of events ,he comes to know that he have some kind of super power (that no one else has),he can somehow ride the time line and visit some or all -i dont know - periods of time
He meets some characters who kind of help him , but its all very abstract , all the characters come and go and we know close to nothing about them and why or how they exist.
All this is wrap up in this strenuous extra long ,repetitive and in my mind constant descriptions of the state of mind and allucinations of the main character as he passes through all the drunkenness and high states. At some point it was like the autor was just throwing words in there,what a torment.
We start the book with this ,its gonna be uggly , its gonna be bad. In the middle of the book its , we are almost there ,are you readdy??in the end ...,just a very boring story of some guy with some strange allies(?) trying to fight some creatures from another reality.
This book has three hundred and something pages , shouldn't have more than hundred and fifty, it would be enought.
Not for my taste ,won't recommend.
It promeses a lot at the beginning,and even so far as the middle of the book lenght ,as the narrator says ,"this is it , now is really gonna get ugly ,terrible , i warn you..."
I have to admit that i dint read the three firts books of the seven coins series and so i may have not had all the information needed to realy appreciate this , maybe the book just was over my head , maybe it wasn't just for my taste , but by time i entered the "final " hundred pages i just wanted to please be over.
Some guy who was bullied in school becames and addict on alchool and drugs. After a very strange corrent of events ,he comes to know that he have some kind of super power (that no one else has),he can somehow ride the time line and visit some or all -i dont know - periods of time
He meets some characters who kind of help him , but its all very abstract , all the characters come and go and we know close to nothing about them and why or how they exist.
All this is wrap up in this strenuous extra long ,repetitive and in my mind constant descriptions of the state of mind and allucinations of the main character as he passes through all the drunkenness and high states. At some point it was like the autor was just throwing words in there,what a torment.
We start the book with this ,its gonna be uggly , its gonna be bad. In the middle of the book its , we are almost there ,are you readdy??in the end ...,just a very boring story of some guy with some strange allies(?) trying to fight some creatures from another reality.
This book has three hundred and something pages , shouldn't have more than hundred and fifty, it would be enought.
Not for my taste ,won't recommend.
January 20, 2021
You know what? It was disturbing reading this on a screen.
The beginning of this book will get you hooked right away. What is the manuscript? Who are they? You will want to know more, and you'll wish you didn't. It will be exactly as the narrator warns you.
The social critique is intense and for me that was the best part. You will need to pause this reading from time to time just to be able to think about what you've just read. The premise presents us a topic we face nowadays, it highlights the reality and the problem of the addiction to the virtual life and how much the people dive into social media, forgetting the real world, getting completely addicted.
As I said, it is intense. Even though this is a work of fiction centred in this sci-fi horror idea, which its execution is fantastic, I think what can make an impact in the reader is indeed the ideas you get from it. You'll definitely start thinking about how much time you spend watching television, scrolling down on you smartphone, playing games, etc.
As for the plot itself, I think it was so well developed and in the end we have an intricate connection with everyone the protagonist crosses path with. In the end, it all makes sense, even what you believed at some point made none.
I really liked it, it was so well conceived and brings attention to what I believe might be a bigger problem in our society.
The beginning of this book will get you hooked right away. What is the manuscript? Who are they? You will want to know more, and you'll wish you didn't. It will be exactly as the narrator warns you.
The social critique is intense and for me that was the best part. You will need to pause this reading from time to time just to be able to think about what you've just read. The premise presents us a topic we face nowadays, it highlights the reality and the problem of the addiction to the virtual life and how much the people dive into social media, forgetting the real world, getting completely addicted.
As I said, it is intense. Even though this is a work of fiction centred in this sci-fi horror idea, which its execution is fantastic, I think what can make an impact in the reader is indeed the ideas you get from it. You'll definitely start thinking about how much time you spend watching television, scrolling down on you smartphone, playing games, etc.
As for the plot itself, I think it was so well developed and in the end we have an intricate connection with everyone the protagonist crosses path with. In the end, it all makes sense, even what you believed at some point made none.
I really liked it, it was so well conceived and brings attention to what I believe might be a bigger problem in our society.
June 26, 2021
💥#bookreview 200👇
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💥Book tour with @read_with_nazmo
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Book - Screens
Author - Christopher Lane @domingoladron
Genre - Horror, Sci-fi
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💥This book is the fourth book if the series. The first three being Uncle Willingston (Book1), The Black Chili (Book 2), The Trove (Book 3) & Screens (Book 4). I have not read the first three books though readers can relate and understand the story from the fourth book as well.
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💥The book talks about some manuscript and people disappearing after reading them. That's what made the book less of a science-fiction and more of spooky. The book also shares the concept of time travel and keeps the readers absolutely on the edge. I would suggest people to read the complete series for better understanding.
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💥Starting with the cover, it slightly appeared to be cold and okayish. The colour composition could have been better either to make it look a little spooky or thriller. The title went well with the book. The narration was somewhat magical. Definitely appreciateling. The language used was reader-friendly and lucid. The thriller and fantasy made the readers on their toes till the end. It definitely draw eyes and catches attention. It was absolutely an amazing and different read. I would definitely recommend people to read this.
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💥For me, it was a 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 read.
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💥Book tour with @read_with_nazmo
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Book - Screens
Author - Christopher Lane @domingoladron
Genre - Horror, Sci-fi
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💥This book is the fourth book if the series. The first three being Uncle Willingston (Book1), The Black Chili (Book 2), The Trove (Book 3) & Screens (Book 4). I have not read the first three books though readers can relate and understand the story from the fourth book as well.
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💥The book talks about some manuscript and people disappearing after reading them. That's what made the book less of a science-fiction and more of spooky. The book also shares the concept of time travel and keeps the readers absolutely on the edge. I would suggest people to read the complete series for better understanding.
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💥Starting with the cover, it slightly appeared to be cold and okayish. The colour composition could have been better either to make it look a little spooky or thriller. The title went well with the book. The narration was somewhat magical. Definitely appreciateling. The language used was reader-friendly and lucid. The thriller and fantasy made the readers on their toes till the end. It definitely draw eyes and catches attention. It was absolutely an amazing and different read. I would definitely recommend people to read this.
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💥For me, it was a 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 read.
June 25, 2021
Title - Screens : Seven Coins
Drowning
Author - Christopher Laine
Genre - science/horror
Pages - 337
Format - e-book
Screen is the fourth book in the series seven coins Drownings by Christopher Laine. In this series there are so many stories but you can read this book stand alone.
The cover of the book is eye catchy and aptly designed. The title of the book is relevant to the content. The plot of the story is interesting, engaging and relatable. The concept is based on utilization and addiction of screens like televisions, mobiles phones, tablets, laptops etc.
The story begins with a horror plot that a manuscript read by the reader's will lead them to death or they'll disappear. The book talks about the dangers of excessive screen time comsumption.
Read the book to know more about the story.
The author has written this book as a collection of letters, warnings, and other informations. Characters are well developed and described by the author. One can really feel connected to Jame's (protagonist) and other characters.
Language used is simple and lucid. Writing style is flowing. The flow of the book is well paced but at the end it seems unnecessarily stretched.
Overall, an amazing read.
I recommend this book to those who loves to read horror fictions.
Drowning
Author - Christopher Laine
Genre - science/horror
Pages - 337
Format - e-book
Screen is the fourth book in the series seven coins Drownings by Christopher Laine. In this series there are so many stories but you can read this book stand alone.
The cover of the book is eye catchy and aptly designed. The title of the book is relevant to the content. The plot of the story is interesting, engaging and relatable. The concept is based on utilization and addiction of screens like televisions, mobiles phones, tablets, laptops etc.
The story begins with a horror plot that a manuscript read by the reader's will lead them to death or they'll disappear. The book talks about the dangers of excessive screen time comsumption.
Read the book to know more about the story.
The author has written this book as a collection of letters, warnings, and other informations. Characters are well developed and described by the author. One can really feel connected to Jame's (protagonist) and other characters.
Language used is simple and lucid. Writing style is flowing. The flow of the book is well paced but at the end it seems unnecessarily stretched.
Overall, an amazing read.
I recommend this book to those who loves to read horror fictions.
July 29, 2021
The protagonists are all set to give the readers a mind numbing experience throughout.
This book makes you feel excited and nervous at the same time with its intriguing mysterious approach to the human instincts. The rollercoaster ride begins in the reader's mind from the very beginning as the horror stories begin. The approach to the situations is the creation of drama and thrill with kindness and compassion.
Speaking of the plot, it was equipped with a very promising and well-staged premise. This is one of those books where the storyline itself is so concrete and imaginative, that the rest of the branches of the story all somehow adjust and fit in. The characters themselves uphold the air of mystery and secrecy that is the icing on the cake.
The author has undoubtedly proceeded with the creative imagination with some of the Easter eggs hidden only for those who wish to know the life of the protagonists completely. The simple yet affluent writing styled of the author would pamper the readers with an unaltered engagement.
The book is a very light and relevant read especially in context of fear and terror. The book is recommended for those who have a high end interest in an intriguing thriller and a definite page turner!
This book makes you feel excited and nervous at the same time with its intriguing mysterious approach to the human instincts. The rollercoaster ride begins in the reader's mind from the very beginning as the horror stories begin. The approach to the situations is the creation of drama and thrill with kindness and compassion.
Speaking of the plot, it was equipped with a very promising and well-staged premise. This is one of those books where the storyline itself is so concrete and imaginative, that the rest of the branches of the story all somehow adjust and fit in. The characters themselves uphold the air of mystery and secrecy that is the icing on the cake.
The author has undoubtedly proceeded with the creative imagination with some of the Easter eggs hidden only for those who wish to know the life of the protagonists completely. The simple yet affluent writing styled of the author would pamper the readers with an unaltered engagement.
The book is a very light and relevant read especially in context of fear and terror. The book is recommended for those who have a high end interest in an intriguing thriller and a definite page turner!
June 25, 2021
“You’ve found this, Chumley. Good for you. Now take my advice and put it back down. This manuscript isn’t meant for you. You don’t have the stomach.”
When I first came across this title I thought it was about how today's generation is addicted to gadgets, phones television, etc. But this book has so much more to offer. It is kind of a horror story with a blend of science fiction.
The story starts with a horror plot that makes us believe that a manuscript read by the readers will lead them to death but in reality, there is a lot more to the story. Something horrible is happening. Something unspeakable is coming.
And yet you can't seem to stop from staring at that television, that computer, that mobile phone. THEY have you, and for all your justifications and bravado, you never can turn away.
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The book is a fast-paced super intriguing one. It will keep the readers hooked till the very end. The language used is very engaging and descriptive. The story made me think about so many things and for me, that's a win. The characters are nicely portrayed and the story is also unique. For me overall, it was a great read.
When I first came across this title I thought it was about how today's generation is addicted to gadgets, phones television, etc. But this book has so much more to offer. It is kind of a horror story with a blend of science fiction.
The story starts with a horror plot that makes us believe that a manuscript read by the readers will lead them to death but in reality, there is a lot more to the story. Something horrible is happening. Something unspeakable is coming.
And yet you can't seem to stop from staring at that television, that computer, that mobile phone. THEY have you, and for all your justifications and bravado, you never can turn away.
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The book is a fast-paced super intriguing one. It will keep the readers hooked till the very end. The language used is very engaging and descriptive. The story made me think about so many things and for me, that's a win. The characters are nicely portrayed and the story is also unique. For me overall, it was a great read.
June 26, 2021
How do you spend your day? I am sure most of you wouldn't be having an accurate answer, you know why? Because this generation is so obsessed with phones that we don't have time to analyze our life.
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This book revolves around our this bad habit and addresses how we are addicted to laptop, tabs, mobile phone, and screen. Not only this but, addiction to drugs and other bad things. The author has followed a very different yet Interesting approach to take us a bit closer to how we are shaping our future.
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Started as a horror story, this book takes very ups and downs and converts into a whole new world where beings from other planets have come to convert humans into Ghouls. Through the perfect setting of science fiction, the author has made this book a mix of emotions and lets us experience horror, reality, and science all at the same time.
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I would recommend this book to everyone. It's an amazing book that will keep your interest till the end and make you turn the pages. It becomes even more interesting for science lovers as they will understand some terms better than general People.
July 3, 2021
The book "Screens" is the fourth part of the series Seven Coins Drawing, three books were 1. Uncle Willingston, 2. The Black Chilli, & 3. The Trove. Unfortunately, I have not read the first three but we can easily understand from the fourth part and carry on.
Screens by Christopher Laine is a Horror Sci-Fi novel with lots of twists with a gripping plot. In some places, you will definitely be mesmerized by the writing. The color contrast and the design of the cover are so cool and catchy.
Blurb:
Individuals nowadays spent most of their time in front of screens what will happen in the future, maybe it causes Apocalypse doom. At the beginning of the story, there are some manuscripts whoever read them will disappear or die. Now a question arises "why?" The answer is dug in both horror and Sci-fictional answer.
The writing style of the writer is simple but somehow different coz he presents those manuscripts in a spooky way that the reader can also fear reading them. And when you read this book you feel the main protagonist James is not the only protagonist there were several others too.
You all will definitely love this book it is a different approach to sci-fi.
Screens by Christopher Laine is a Horror Sci-Fi novel with lots of twists with a gripping plot. In some places, you will definitely be mesmerized by the writing. The color contrast and the design of the cover are so cool and catchy.
Blurb:
Individuals nowadays spent most of their time in front of screens what will happen in the future, maybe it causes Apocalypse doom. At the beginning of the story, there are some manuscripts whoever read them will disappear or die. Now a question arises "why?" The answer is dug in both horror and Sci-fictional answer.
The writing style of the writer is simple but somehow different coz he presents those manuscripts in a spooky way that the reader can also fear reading them. And when you read this book you feel the main protagonist James is not the only protagonist there were several others too.
You all will definitely love this book it is a different approach to sci-fi.
June 26, 2021
Screens is so much more than just a story about a mysterious manuscript.
The story begins with a horror plot that a manuscript read by the reader's will lead them to death or they'll disappear. The book talks about the dangers of excessive screen time comsumption.
The beginning of this book will get you hooked right away. What is the manuscript? Who are they?
James is the main character in the book but there are many other characters also, who make the whole plot a lot more enjoyable. The characterisation is just perfect, from james to all the other characters. You will feel close to all the characters.
It's a really cool melding of horror and science fiction. There is a deep tone of apocalyptic doom, and don't tell me that you haven't thought about the long term affects of constant screen time that we haven't even begun to identify.
The title of the book is relevant to the content. The plot of the story is interesting, engaging and relatable.Something horrible is happening. Something unspeakable is coming.
Overall, a good novel that I would definitely recommend.
The story begins with a horror plot that a manuscript read by the reader's will lead them to death or they'll disappear. The book talks about the dangers of excessive screen time comsumption.
The beginning of this book will get you hooked right away. What is the manuscript? Who are they?
James is the main character in the book but there are many other characters also, who make the whole plot a lot more enjoyable. The characterisation is just perfect, from james to all the other characters. You will feel close to all the characters.
It's a really cool melding of horror and science fiction. There is a deep tone of apocalyptic doom, and don't tell me that you haven't thought about the long term affects of constant screen time that we haven't even begun to identify.
The title of the book is relevant to the content. The plot of the story is interesting, engaging and relatable.Something horrible is happening. Something unspeakable is coming.
Overall, a good novel that I would definitely recommend.
July 3, 2021
Have you ever noticed how much time you spend a day on a screen? If your answer indicates that knowingly and unknowingly you have also become a screen addict, then this best book is for you.
We spend a lot of our time on screens whether it's work, study, or entertainment, and the book plot is based on the same concept.
At the beginning of the story, creatures from another planet come to Earth and begin their conspiracy to convert Earth's creatures into Ghoul. The story gets even more interesting as it goes on. It was really interesting to know how the author brought a serious fact to us all. And also the solution to problems is very good.
The author has beautifully penned down the story avoiding chaos for the readers. It has an engrossing storyline that intrigues the readers to stick to the last. The title of the book is felicitous justifying the story. The storytelling is solid and functional. You just enjoy reading it out of curiosity and the juiciness.
I don't want to send out spoilers since this is a new book and I would let people buy their copy and judge.
We spend a lot of our time on screens whether it's work, study, or entertainment, and the book plot is based on the same concept.
At the beginning of the story, creatures from another planet come to Earth and begin their conspiracy to convert Earth's creatures into Ghoul. The story gets even more interesting as it goes on. It was really interesting to know how the author brought a serious fact to us all. And also the solution to problems is very good.
The author has beautifully penned down the story avoiding chaos for the readers. It has an engrossing storyline that intrigues the readers to stick to the last. The title of the book is felicitous justifying the story. The storytelling is solid and functional. You just enjoy reading it out of curiosity and the juiciness.
I don't want to send out spoilers since this is a new book and I would let people buy their copy and judge.
November 27, 2022
This is great cosmic horror. A very generous story which reminds me a lot about the Moorhead and Benson's movie "Synchronic" (actually this is what "Synchronic" should have been to be a better movie).
You can tell the author wanted you to believe in his tale. The whole narrative is quite weird and cosmic with many "wtf?" moments but at the same time Laine takes the time to develop a narrative, to develop characters and this makes the whole story grounded and relatable. Laine cares about telling us a story, with a beginning, a middle and a resolution, which is becoming quite rare in weird fiction and especially in "cosmic horror" where the commonplace is to never explain anything. Here we have explanations, and you can tell that the author worked hard to make them believable and to make the answers just as terrifying as the questions. Sure the "cosmic trip" of the main character gets a bit repetitive and tiresome towards the end of the book but it never spoils the overall fun of the book. A recommended read!
You can tell the author wanted you to believe in his tale. The whole narrative is quite weird and cosmic with many "wtf?" moments but at the same time Laine takes the time to develop a narrative, to develop characters and this makes the whole story grounded and relatable. Laine cares about telling us a story, with a beginning, a middle and a resolution, which is becoming quite rare in weird fiction and especially in "cosmic horror" where the commonplace is to never explain anything. Here we have explanations, and you can tell that the author worked hard to make them believable and to make the answers just as terrifying as the questions. Sure the "cosmic trip" of the main character gets a bit repetitive and tiresome towards the end of the book but it never spoils the overall fun of the book. A recommended read!
February 10, 2021
I tend to avoid horror tales in this column because either their logic doesn’t make sense, or they give me nightmares. Christoher Laine kept me absorbed in his tale of monsters out of time who love out Screens (paper from Gardenpath books) It seems there are copies of a hand-typed manuscript that people, who own it, are being murdered over. There’s also a rare Chinese drug that lets people see the real universe. Our hero, an ex-junkie bike messenger gets fascinated by the tragic death of Halpin Chambers, and follows the clues down the rabbit hole. Fascinating.
March 25, 2022
First half was 5 stars but lost me towards the end and I wasn't able to completely follow and understand all that was happening. I do recommend this book though, it's mysterious and captured your full attention from the first page.
November 16, 2024
A story like none other. Probably the most creative work of fiction I’ve ever read. The way the author uses addiction to tell his bizarre story was truly a wildly enjoyable ride. I sincerely recommend this to every last person (to be, was, is) alive.
October 18, 2021
Not quite on par with Revival or The Croning in contemporary cosmic horror greatness, but close. Read on e-book for maximum irony.
February 10, 2022
The best horror novel I have read in a long time!
February 16, 2022
super interesting concept, mediocre writing.. but such a cool and different book!!
May 15, 2022
Great concept ruined by fluff writing. Painfully full of adjectives that were not only unnecessary but seemed somewhat self-indulgent.
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