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Interstate!
Joshua Easton and Christian Buckman are two best friends going into their senior year of college who embark upon a road trip to help Joshua's cousin, Tina, move from a college dorm to an off-campus locale. Having been friends since the second grade, they know each other’s secrets.For Christian, it is an illness he has tried to hide, specifically from Joshua's cousin who he ditched on prom night. This is Christian's first face off with her since that fateful night four years ago. For Joshua, it is a domestic abuse situation between his parents that may call for him to take desperate measures.After Christian and Tina finally patch up their relationship, the two young men hit the road back home for a five-hour ride down the Interstate late at night where eight young Black men have recently disappeared.Will they make it back home or will they join the missing?
152 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 10, 2021
15 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 23, 2022
I’ve read good books by this author before. He has a smooth narrative voice with believable characters. Tina’s revenge for the prom was great. The ending action was very satisfying.
I would have rated it a 5 except for two things:
1) the poor formatting made the story difficult to read, with paragraphs mashed together, random line breaks, weird hyphenations, and no indentation. Readers have been complaining about this for five months, and not fixing it is unprofessional.
2) continuity is key in a thriller
+ The blocking is all wrong in chapter 1. The father went from asleep to holding a conversation with Chris without leaving the bedroom. Then in a time hop, Christian leaves the room to find his father elsewhere.
+ saw the reads should be tread marks?
+ Chapter 21: when you change POV characters, you need to identify the new one.
+ in chapter 22, he turns around to correct his mistake twice
+ you meant speedometer read 20, not odometer, which tells you how far you’ve traveled
+ you meant cavalry (people riding to the rescue) not calvary, the place they murdered Jesus.
I would have rated it a 5 except for two things:
1) the poor formatting made the story difficult to read, with paragraphs mashed together, random line breaks, weird hyphenations, and no indentation. Readers have been complaining about this for five months, and not fixing it is unprofessional.
2) continuity is key in a thriller
+ The blocking is all wrong in chapter 1. The father went from asleep to holding a conversation with Chris without leaving the bedroom. Then in a time hop, Christian leaves the room to find his father elsewhere.
+ saw the reads should be tread marks?
+ Chapter 21: when you change POV characters, you need to identify the new one.
+ in chapter 22, he turns around to correct his mistake twice
+ you meant speedometer read 20, not odometer, which tells you how far you’ve traveled
+ you meant cavalry (people riding to the rescue) not calvary, the place they murdered Jesus.
June 11, 2022
A great, thoughtful story
I absolutely loved this book about two young black men who happened to travel by highway at night. A side character, detective Rice, perfectly complemented the story as she represented the law and morality of modern multicultural America.
The pace of the story was pleasantly fast and easy, and I made this book within 4 hours. Highly recommend it!
I absolutely loved this book about two young black men who happened to travel by highway at night. A side character, detective Rice, perfectly complemented the story as she represented the law and morality of modern multicultural America.
The pace of the story was pleasantly fast and easy, and I made this book within 4 hours. Highly recommend it!
September 21, 2020
Great book
This was a great book. I really enjoyed reading it. I'm happy that Josh and Chris figured out the troopers killed all of those black men. Definitely worth the read.
This was a great book. I really enjoyed reading it. I'm happy that Josh and Chris figured out the troopers killed all of those black men. Definitely worth the read.
September 25, 2020
If you're not a fan of road trips this might be why!
Josh and Chris set out to help someone with moving and end up in a "tight" spot.
I loved the opening of the book. It set the pace for the rest of the story and gave you a hint at what was to come. The story moved well with a solidly structured plot. It remained true in its genre of thriller fiction. Within this thriller, Mason looped in the topics of diabetes, domestic violence, racial injustice, and lost love.
I think this is Mason's genre and I would love to see more from him in it.
Josh and Chris set out to help someone with moving and end up in a "tight" spot.
I loved the opening of the book. It set the pace for the rest of the story and gave you a hint at what was to come. The story moved well with a solidly structured plot. It remained true in its genre of thriller fiction. Within this thriller, Mason looped in the topics of diabetes, domestic violence, racial injustice, and lost love.
I think this is Mason's genre and I would love to see more from him in it.
March 1, 2021
Glad to have read this offering by Marvin Mason. Sort of surprised by the topic and change of direction for the same author of the Claim Me series and the Desire Me series. I liked the whole road trip element to the story. There are some good points to the story of Interstate with Christian and Joshua. The weird part of the story is the inability of Christian to drive a manual transmission and miraculously learning how to drive a manual transmission by the story's end.
I like the relation of the two main characters. I would have enjoyed more Christian and Joshua and less of the other minor characters. There was a really missed opportunity to build that relation in the car rides.
Where was the discussion before Christian falls asleep? I'm just saying.
The action is comical. The whole thing is about having each other's back and when things get hot they don't.
Reading Interstate you have to suspend your disbelief.
There are some jumps in logic.
Still enjoyed reading the novel. It is a fast read.
Remember the relation with Joshua and his cousin drives the story. The secondary story needs a little more underpinnings.
The strength in this short piece is the underlying mystery, which is Marvin Mason's forte. I wish there was more buildup to that.
Not sure if I like a white savior showing up and saving Black men.
I like the relation of the two main characters. I would have enjoyed more Christian and Joshua and less of the other minor characters. There was a really missed opportunity to build that relation in the car rides.
Where was the discussion before Christian falls asleep? I'm just saying.
The action is comical. The whole thing is about having each other's back and when things get hot they don't.
Reading Interstate you have to suspend your disbelief.
There are some jumps in logic.
Still enjoyed reading the novel. It is a fast read.
Remember the relation with Joshua and his cousin drives the story. The secondary story needs a little more underpinnings.
The strength in this short piece is the underlying mystery, which is Marvin Mason's forte. I wish there was more buildup to that.
Not sure if I like a white savior showing up and saving Black men.
October 8, 2020
Christian and Joshua were bestfriends who took a road trip to help move Joshua's cousin. Tina, Joshua's cousin and Christian had a chance to talk about what happened four years prior and realized they still had feelings for each other. When leaving for the ride back home Tina made them process to call her frequently.
Detective Rice was investigating mysterious deaths of black men along a rural interstate.
While on the way back home, Joshua was pulled over by the police, but what happened next, he wasn't expecting. Waking up on the side of the road Joshua was missing and Christian did everything he could to find him. Finally getting in touch with Joshua, it was a way for Joshua to escape the danger he was in.
This story was good, the mystery behind what was happening to the black men was bought to light. The book started off with a what happened to Aaron, but in the end we find out why. Marvin is becoming a great who done it writer, I cant see what is next!!!!!
Detective Rice was investigating mysterious deaths of black men along a rural interstate.
While on the way back home, Joshua was pulled over by the police, but what happened next, he wasn't expecting. Waking up on the side of the road Joshua was missing and Christian did everything he could to find him. Finally getting in touch with Joshua, it was a way for Joshua to escape the danger he was in.
This story was good, the mystery behind what was happening to the black men was bought to light. The book started off with a what happened to Aaron, but in the end we find out why. Marvin is becoming a great who done it writer, I cant see what is next!!!!!
April 16, 2022
So good!
This was a very good read by Author Marvin Mason. I am finding myself loving his work. Each book I read of his is so different from what I typically read. this particular book was a sort of mystery/suspense with the added dramatic element of real issues people face. It was a fabulous very well written page turner. I fell in love with Chris and Josh for two very different reasons. Although they both have their own demons they make sure to help with each other’s problems as well. The term never leave a man behind and always have each other back is not only tested here but damn near shattered. This was really a good read.
This was a very good read by Author Marvin Mason. I am finding myself loving his work. Each book I read of his is so different from what I typically read. this particular book was a sort of mystery/suspense with the added dramatic element of real issues people face. It was a fabulous very well written page turner. I fell in love with Chris and Josh for two very different reasons. Although they both have their own demons they make sure to help with each other’s problems as well. The term never leave a man behind and always have each other back is not only tested here but damn near shattered. This was really a good read.
July 12, 2022
Fun read.
Although some of the language was clunky from the get-go he describes running up the street as slang for I’m gonna be gone for a minute… I think we all say running up the street, means I’ll be back other than that it was fast paced. Dealt with some real issues, but sometimes I feel like he tried too hard to come up with something “clever” to say. I think some of the detailed description may not have always been needed. Overall a good read and I look forward to reading more by Marvin.
Although some of the language was clunky from the get-go he describes running up the street as slang for I’m gonna be gone for a minute… I think we all say running up the street, means I’ll be back other than that it was fast paced. Dealt with some real issues, but sometimes I feel like he tried too hard to come up with something “clever” to say. I think some of the detailed description may not have always been needed. Overall a good read and I look forward to reading more by Marvin.
April 25, 2024
Good read
"Interstate" by Marvin Mason is a captivating story about best friends Joshua and Christian who go on a road trip that tests their friendship and survival skills. As they deal with personal issues and face old mistakes, Mason combines suspense and deep emotion to create a powerful story about bravery and making things right.
The book vividly shows their battles with society and personal challenges, making the read not only engaging but also meaningful.
"Interstate" by Marvin Mason is a captivating story about best friends Joshua and Christian who go on a road trip that tests their friendship and survival skills. As they deal with personal issues and face old mistakes, Mason combines suspense and deep emotion to create a powerful story about bravery and making things right.
The book vividly shows their battles with society and personal challenges, making the read not only engaging but also meaningful.
October 3, 2020
This had me on the edge of my seat!! It was a mix of fear and being pissed off
I didn't know what to expect but I enjoyed this thriller. Crazy part is that something like this could be happening as we speak. Maybe it's the conspiracy theorist in me. This story will have you hanging onto everything wondering what will happen next!!
I didn't know what to expect but I enjoyed this thriller. Crazy part is that something like this could be happening as we speak. Maybe it's the conspiracy theorist in me. This story will have you hanging onto everything wondering what will happen next!!
April 13, 2022
Road Trip Thriller
Interstate starts a little slow, but picks up speed and gets more action-packed about halfway through. It’s a fast read with interesting, engaging characters and a solid ending. The writing is a little rough in places, but the ideas are there and the plot is entertaining.
Interstate starts a little slow, but picks up speed and gets more action-packed about halfway through. It’s a fast read with interesting, engaging characters and a solid ending. The writing is a little rough in places, but the ideas are there and the plot is entertaining.
April 24, 2024
Good Read
"Interstate" by Marvin Mason takes readers on a riveting journey with best friends Joshua and Christian. As they navigate personal struggles and confront past mistakes, their road trip becomes a test of friendship and survival. Mason masterfully blends suspense and emotion, delivering a gripping tale of courage and redemption.
"Interstate" by Marvin Mason takes readers on a riveting journey with best friends Joshua and Christian. As they navigate personal struggles and confront past mistakes, their road trip becomes a test of friendship and survival. Mason masterfully blends suspense and emotion, delivering a gripping tale of courage and redemption.
July 6, 2022
Great read
This was a very good page Turner that I finished in about two hours. I am not familiar with this author and this is the first book of his that I've read. I will be reading more
This was a very good page Turner that I finished in about two hours. I am not familiar with this author and this is the first book of his that I've read. I will be reading more
May 6, 2024
A real page turner
Edgy, extremely well paced, with real characters and a heart pounding finale. Very well written and a sad commentary on radian in America.
Edgy, extremely well paced, with real characters and a heart pounding finale. Very well written and a sad commentary on radian in America.
December 28, 2022
Interstate was a quick read and it was refreshing to find it in Third Person Past-Tense. I certainly appreciate the effort of putting together such a package.
Though it could certainly stand an edit, the story was solid and it moved well. The book started off a little slow, but the two main characters were being introduced and developed. It made for a fairly appealing narrative. The characters were three dimensional and accessible, conveying their age, their gender, and their community quite clearly, making them all that much more endearing to read.
All this while something sinister is building in the shadows.
Christian and Joshua are two young men trying to find their way to finding their way. Each one has an anchor holding them back, dragging them down. For Christian, it is the girl who got away, the one whom he had real feelings for but he left, without explanation, at the prom. For Joshua, it's an unsavory setting in which his mother lives, his father being the malefactor behind her misery and her son's dismay. Again, a very solid beginning. The supporting cast was also interesting and real. With the exception of a couple reactions they were masterfully applied.
I got lost in several places trying to keep up with the action. In major need of an edit/format review, I am stickler for changing paragraphs when you change speakers. Part of it felt as if the author knew what was happening but wasn't necessarily communicating that to the audience... and part of it was because it didn't smack of the realism in which the story was set. I was also thrown by the use of 'accomplice or ally'. It called into question the POV as one is a war-time term and the other is law-enforcement term. Though it felt as if the characters were fighting a war, they wanted an accomplice over an ally.
Lastly, the ending was a bit on the predictable side, which in and of itself isn't bad when it's properly justified. It felt a bit rushed and paint-by-numbers in its approach.
Plot - 3
Characters - 4.5
Point of View - 3.5
Writing - 2.5
3.375 = 3
Though it could certainly stand an edit, the story was solid and it moved well. The book started off a little slow, but the two main characters were being introduced and developed. It made for a fairly appealing narrative. The characters were three dimensional and accessible, conveying their age, their gender, and their community quite clearly, making them all that much more endearing to read.
All this while something sinister is building in the shadows.
Christian and Joshua are two young men trying to find their way to finding their way. Each one has an anchor holding them back, dragging them down. For Christian, it is the girl who got away, the one whom he had real feelings for but he left, without explanation, at the prom. For Joshua, it's an unsavory setting in which his mother lives, his father being the malefactor behind her misery and her son's dismay. Again, a very solid beginning. The supporting cast was also interesting and real. With the exception of a couple reactions they were masterfully applied.
I got lost in several places trying to keep up with the action. In major need of an edit/format review, I am stickler for changing paragraphs when you change speakers. Part of it felt as if the author knew what was happening but wasn't necessarily communicating that to the audience... and part of it was because it didn't smack of the realism in which the story was set. I was also thrown by the use of 'accomplice or ally'. It called into question the POV as one is a war-time term and the other is law-enforcement term. Though it felt as if the characters were fighting a war, they wanted an accomplice over an ally.
Lastly, the ending was a bit on the predictable side, which in and of itself isn't bad when it's properly justified. It felt a bit rushed and paint-by-numbers in its approach.
Plot - 3
Characters - 4.5
Point of View - 3.5
Writing - 2.5
3.375 = 3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews