laterry75's review against another edition
3.0
Suspension of disbelief is a tricky contract situation between author and reader. Irwin's "The Broken Ones" sets up a new standard of reality in the prologue -- on one remarkable Wednesday, the poles shifted and suddenly everyone was able to constantly see one ghost from their past. Other people couldn't see your ghosts, and you can't see theirs. Tragedy, mayhem, and economic collapse.
All this is fine.
From here, it becomes a nice, neo-noir murder mystery involving some of your standard tropes -- helpless young female victims, deep levels of conspiracy, police corruption, and dogged, relentless, incorruptible detective attempting to right wrongs in a world (IN A WORLD!) that seems perpetually grimy. The characters are interesting and plot moves along a good clip. However, the author then asks for another element of suspension of disbelief in bringing in an occult angle into the murders.
Unfortunately, the first request (poles/ghosts) is handled awkwardly -- there's no exploration of how/why this happened. The characters in the book all seem to be managing the transition with a sense of weary resignation. Therefore, when the second request (evil cult bringing things in from another dimension) is made, it feels a little like the author is just piling on to keep things interesting.
I can't NOT recommend this book, because the last 120 pages were spellbinding. I kept going because I demanded answers. I got some, but not nearly enough in my opinion. I would probably only recommend it in the same way the book wound up in my hands -- I would say, "I'm not sure how I feel about this book, but I trust your judgment. Whaddyathink?"
All this is fine.
From here, it becomes a nice, neo-noir murder mystery involving some of your standard tropes -- helpless young female victims, deep levels of conspiracy, police corruption, and dogged, relentless, incorruptible detective attempting to right wrongs in a world (IN A WORLD!) that seems perpetually grimy. The characters are interesting and plot moves along a good clip. However, the author then asks for another element of suspension of disbelief in bringing in an occult angle into the murders.
Unfortunately, the first request (poles/ghosts) is handled awkwardly -- there's no exploration of how/why this happened. The characters in the book all seem to be managing the transition with a sense of weary resignation. Therefore, when the second request (evil cult bringing things in from another dimension) is made, it feels a little like the author is just piling on to keep things interesting.
I can't NOT recommend this book, because the last 120 pages were spellbinding. I kept going because I demanded answers. I got some, but not nearly enough in my opinion. I would probably only recommend it in the same way the book wound up in my hands -- I would say, "I'm not sure how I feel about this book, but I trust your judgment. Whaddyathink?"
tamara_o's review against another edition
3.0
Wow, what a whirlwind ride this was!! Its crime/detective, no wait, it's paranormal. Wait, sci-fi? Dystopian? It's everything, and it's a really exciting ride. There's lots going on, and many minor characters to keep track of, but its worth it for all the twists and turns and "whoa, where is this going" moments.
3.5 stars from me!
3.5 stars from me!
bonnie_ov's review against another edition
1.0
I really wanted to like this book... I thought the author did a great job developing the setting and the creepy supernatural factor. The dude's job was interesting enough. The problem was character development. Halfway through the book and I really didn't care about any of the characters and wasn't too interested in the murder mystery either. I felt like the author introduced new characters constantly without any context. Usually in mystery books you get an idea of the detective's thinking as to who they are going to talk to and why. That was completely missing from this book.
tanyarobinson's review against another edition
I started this book last night, but it was too gritty and profane for me. I just don't feel like reading the whole thing.
romchan's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.25
beckylej's review against another edition
5.0
Oscar Mariani is a Barely. His division, the Nine-Ten -- nicknamed "the Barelies" -- was created in the aftermath of Gray Wednesday. On that day, without explanation, everyone became haunted by a ghost only they could see. The stress of the occurrence led to an increase in crimes that could only be blamed on the mental anguish of having your own personal ghost. Any case thought to be linked to the ghosts falls under Nine-Ten purview. Three years later, the excuse is wearing thin and Mariani's division is on its last leg. But when Mariani's brought in on a case involving a mutilated corpse marked with occult-like symbols, he's adamant that it not be turned over to homicide. After all, the markings alone make it his responsibility. And when the body is accidentally sent to be destroyed before the investigation has gotten off the ground, Mariani becomes dead set on solving it no matter what.
As with THE DEAD PATH, Irwin again proved that he is a master storyteller! THE BROKEN ONES is, at heart, a detective story but the blending of mystery and paranormal is excellent. Not only that, but this future world plagued by ghosts, a failing economy, and a struggling government felt completely real and wholly believable.
The plotting alone is spot on. I was left guessing until the end, carried along in Mariani's investigation every step of the way and unable to unravel the mystery myself. And while it's not necessary to be left guessing in a mystery, it's always fun when an author is able to keep things hidden from the reader until they're revealed to the character.
THE BROKEN ONES is a must read for horror fans, mystery fans, and readers looking for an excellent dark thriller. This book and it's predecessor are so great, I wish I could read them both again for the very first time!
As with THE DEAD PATH, Irwin again proved that he is a master storyteller! THE BROKEN ONES is, at heart, a detective story but the blending of mystery and paranormal is excellent. Not only that, but this future world plagued by ghosts, a failing economy, and a struggling government felt completely real and wholly believable.
The plotting alone is spot on. I was left guessing until the end, carried along in Mariani's investigation every step of the way and unable to unravel the mystery myself. And while it's not necessary to be left guessing in a mystery, it's always fun when an author is able to keep things hidden from the reader until they're revealed to the character.
THE BROKEN ONES is a must read for horror fans, mystery fans, and readers looking for an excellent dark thriller. This book and it's predecessor are so great, I wish I could read them both again for the very first time!
bagel_cm's review against another edition
4.0
Thrilling noir mystery, do-gooder detective against the odds, dark, stormy atmosphere, conspiracy with a twist. A little devil worship, a little bit post-apocalypse / dystopian future. Ghosts, occult, sacrifice, betrayal.
Cons: a lot of threads/characters to keep track of, personal ghost thing not fully explored and that felt a little deus ex machina towards the last 1/4 of the story, but not a total deal breaker. Maybe I'm nitpicking, still a solid 4 star story.
jeanetterenee's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
This one's tough to classify. It mostly feels like a detective novel, but then there's the matter of that pesky cataclysmic event. Three years ago the world turned upside down -- literally. The earth's poles switched places and destruction reigned. Planes and satellites fell out of the sky, cars went smashing about, and the worldwide economy fell in the toilet.
And oh, by the way, everyone now has a private ghost that never leaves them alone. Cocktail party chatter regularly includes the question, "Who is yours?" -- meaning who is your ghost. Some are dead relatives, some are complete strangers, and their constant presence is driving people to madness.
Aussie detective Oscar Mariani is assigned to a unit investigating crimes committed by people whose personal ghosts may have driven them insane. Someone is mutilating and killing young girls in ritualistic fashion. Are they trying to call forth or appease supernatural beings?
Along with the murder mystery, there are semi-dystopian elements here, and just a whiff of horror. I was concerned that it might be too gruesome or violent for me, but it's not any worse than other novels of its kind. There are some grisly bits, but nothing felt calculated to gross people out.
This is a complex novel, and Irwin juggles his plot eggs admirably most of the time. The character of Oscar Mariani is richly developed. His rogue cop status and the past that haunts him give the story more depth than I'd expected.
I did find it hard to keep track of the large cast of minor characters, and found myself flipping back through the pages each time they were mentioned to remember how they fit in. There are also a few holes that interrupted a seamless flow and left me scratching my head. For example, one character is handcuffed with his hands behind his back. Then suddenly he's shooting a gun, with no mention of how he got out of the handcuffs. But these are just quibbles that kept me from rating the book a little higher.
Recommended for fans of detective novels with a touch of the supernatural and a mild dystopian flavor.
Review copy provided by the publisher.
This one's tough to classify. It mostly feels like a detective novel, but then there's the matter of that pesky cataclysmic event. Three years ago the world turned upside down -- literally. The earth's poles switched places and destruction reigned. Planes and satellites fell out of the sky, cars went smashing about, and the worldwide economy fell in the toilet.
And oh, by the way, everyone now has a private ghost that never leaves them alone. Cocktail party chatter regularly includes the question, "Who is yours?" -- meaning who is your ghost. Some are dead relatives, some are complete strangers, and their constant presence is driving people to madness.
Aussie detective Oscar Mariani is assigned to a unit investigating crimes committed by people whose personal ghosts may have driven them insane. Someone is mutilating and killing young girls in ritualistic fashion. Are they trying to call forth or appease supernatural beings?
Along with the murder mystery, there are semi-dystopian elements here, and just a whiff of horror. I was concerned that it might be too gruesome or violent for me, but it's not any worse than other novels of its kind. There are some grisly bits, but nothing felt calculated to gross people out.
This is a complex novel, and Irwin juggles his plot eggs admirably most of the time. The character of Oscar Mariani is richly developed. His rogue cop status and the past that haunts him give the story more depth than I'd expected.
I did find it hard to keep track of the large cast of minor characters, and found myself flipping back through the pages each time they were mentioned to remember how they fit in. There are also a few holes that interrupted a seamless flow and left me scratching my head. For example, one character is handcuffed with his hands behind his back. Then suddenly he's shooting a gun, with no mention of how he got out of the handcuffs. But these are just quibbles that kept me from rating the book a little higher.
Recommended for fans of detective novels with a touch of the supernatural and a mild dystopian flavor.
Review copy provided by the publisher.
hollandsays's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting, engaging thriller set in a dystopian society.
aquamarine's review
5.0
I loved this. I don't like horror as a main course but love it as a spice to a story and what I loved about this book was the imaginative quality, the slightly speculative fiction feel with elements of horror, combined with beautiful writing. Really enjoyable.
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