Helpful Score: 1
Peter David is one of my favorite authors and he creates a fascinating character with Chuck Simon in this series, one of David's earliest writings.
Chuck is a high school teacher. He's also a master in Aikido and a pacifist. One day his family is killed and he discovers he has telekinetic abilities. Very strong telekinetic abilities. He goes to a government training facility to learn more about his powers and discovers he's being trained as an assassin. Chuck escapes the facility with a giant dog named Rasputin with whom he shares a telepathic link, and goes on the lam from the government.
Wonderful premise. This is a short, to the point story. I can't wait to read more in the series. Very clever and has the same serial feel as The Green Mile (but a much lighter read). Highly recommended.
Chuck is a high school teacher. He's also a master in Aikido and a pacifist. One day his family is killed and he discovers he has telekinetic abilities. Very strong telekinetic abilities. He goes to a government training facility to learn more about his powers and discovers he's being trained as an assassin. Chuck escapes the facility with a giant dog named Rasputin with whom he shares a telepathic link, and goes on the lam from the government.
Wonderful premise. This is a short, to the point story. I can't wait to read more in the series. Very clever and has the same serial feel as The Green Mile (but a much lighter read). Highly recommended.
Helpful Score: 1
It is 2020, and Chuck Simon is a peace-loving, non-violent Quaker, an ordinary gym teacher who always had good "instincts". However, "The Complex", a mysterious government agency, has secretly had him in their sights for awhile. Believing Chuck's mental potential is far beyond anything they have ever seen, they seek to stress-trigger his powers by endangering his life - and unleash a psionic firebomb. They persuade Chuck to join their organization to develop his powers for the good of his country, but when he realizes he is being trained as an assassin, Chuck escapes, with his enemies in hot pursuit. This is classic sci-fi, obviously written early in David's career, as the writing is brash, simplistic, and straightforward action, almost naive in places, with no subtlety whatsoever. Despite some shaky parts that brush the edge of corny, still it's a solid piece - just suspend your disbelief, sit back and enjoy the ride.
