Review: Interesting take on the afterlife, needed more
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 05 6, 2014
The Terminals has an unusual story line with the Army using/killing terminal patients so the patients can track bad guys in the afterlife and hopefully coerce details about plots that haven't actually taken place yet so they can be stopped. Christine, our heroine (a Lt. Colonel in the Army), made a bad choice getting 11 of her troops killed (apparently there are two other events which went bad, but they weren't described) so she kills herself out of guilt, well almost. It's made clear it was no pansy a$$ed attempt so we know her state of mind. The General comes and talks her into joining the team. I don't want to write more about the plot (though children are taken), because it's what develops that is intriguing, it's better the readers discover it on their own.I can't rate it higher because I thought it needed to be fleshed out more. There are actually two entwined stories Christine's and one of the terminal's. I found his to be confusing and the transfer of knowledge from him to Christine unexplained. One minute he's fighting the bad dead guy, then it cuts to Christine in a chopper trying to save people. We're introduced to other characters who are stock characters because Christine can't be the only one looking for the missing kids. How Christine handles some betrayal left me cold too. I would have thought she'd have responded more and try to be more proactive. Why Christine decided to give something to the family of one of her troops isn't clear either. It pops out of no where. The change in the husband's demeanor too facile.Another reviewer mentions that this may be a series. I guess I'm curious about what happens with the program and the main characters from this point, but it's not something I'm anxious to read, so 3 stars.I received two copies for my honest review: one from the author and one from Netgalley which I forgot I'd requested. So, I was obviously interested in the premise.