Review: Fascinating concept
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 22, 2014
Many people scoff at the idea of Extra Sensory Perception (ESP), while others are willing to admit there is no sure way to know if it exists. When two writers, Linda and Mark, discover they are both evincing strange mental abilities following a violent electrical storm, they at first doubt themselves. As the phenomena increase, each developing different capabilities at differing rates, they realize this is truly happening to them. Mark contacts Carl, a scientist friend, knowing his penchant for careful research will help them determine fact from supposition. Linda brings in her friend Sara, and Sara's husband, Sid. The pair are highly trained military personnel, not given to "the vapors". If they can convince such a down-to-earth-trio, then Mark and Linda feel they can trust their own perceptions, and perhaps gain some insight into what they are becoming. They swear their friends to secrecy before revealing the steadily increasing new powers they display.Unfortunately, Sid, while thoroughly convinced of what he's witnessing, also sees Mark and Linda as possible weapons--either defensive or offensive. Against their wishes, he reports them to a superior officer who takes the "weapon" theory one step farther. He fears the pair might be enemy plants and determines they must be either captured or destroyed. Under the guise of a training exercise, Sid returns with a group of heavily armed soldiers. When it becomes clear he has no intention of capturing any of the four left in Linda's house, but means to kill them, Linda, Mark, Carl and Sara must fight for their lives against overwhelming odds--even if it means revealing their scary new talents to an unkind, suspicious world.This is a well-conceived plot which switches view-points with each chapter, a clever design similar to the one used in R.A. Heinlein's The Number of The Beast, in that we get to know each character more intimately, understand her or him and what drives them all. If it weren't for a few misused words, I'd give this book five stars, but since I reserve those for what I consider perfect, I'd prefer to offer four and a half. Sadly, most review sites don't permit half-points. Well done, Mr. Renol!..