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Captain Chase #2
Spin
Captain Calli Chase races against time to thwart a plot that leaves the fate of humanity hanging in the balance in this new thriller from international bestselling author Patricia Cornwell.
In the aftermath of a NASA rocket launch gone terribly wrong, Captain Calli Chase comes face-to-face with her missing twin sister—as well as the startling truth of who they really are. Now, a top secret program put in motion years ago has spun out of control, and only Calli can redirect its course.
Aided by cutting-edge technologies, the NASA investigator and scientist turned Space Force pilot sets out on a frantic search for the missing link between the sabotaged rocket launch and her predetermined destiny…a search that someone else seems very interested in stopping.
From NASA to the Chase family farm, to the White House to distant orbits of space, Calli plays a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek with a cunning and ruthless adversary. One wrong move will unleash cataclysmic consequences reaching far beyond the boundaries of Earth.
This heart-pounding Captain Chase thriller from Patricia Cornwell will leave readers desperate for more.
In the aftermath of a NASA rocket launch gone terribly wrong, Captain Calli Chase comes face-to-face with her missing twin sister—as well as the startling truth of who they really are. Now, a top secret program put in motion years ago has spun out of control, and only Calli can redirect its course.
Aided by cutting-edge technologies, the NASA investigator and scientist turned Space Force pilot sets out on a frantic search for the missing link between the sabotaged rocket launch and her predetermined destiny…a search that someone else seems very interested in stopping.
From NASA to the Chase family farm, to the White House to distant orbits of space, Calli plays a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek with a cunning and ruthless adversary. One wrong move will unleash cataclysmic consequences reaching far beyond the boundaries of Earth.
This heart-pounding Captain Chase thriller from Patricia Cornwell will leave readers desperate for more.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 2021
3158 people are currently reading
8692 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Cornwell
194 books19.7k followersPatricia Cornwell sold her first novel, Postmortem, in 1990 while working as a computer analyst at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia. Postmortem, was the first bona fide forensic thriller. It paved the way for an explosion of entertainment featuring in all things forensic across film, television and literature.
Postmortem would go on to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards as well as the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize – the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year. To date, Cornwell’s books have sold some 100 million copies in thirty-six languages in over 120 countries. She’s authored twenty-nine New York Times bestsellers.
Patricia’s novels center primarily on medical examiner Kay Scarpetta along with her tech-savvy niece Lucy and fellow investigator Pete Marino. Celebrating 25 years, these characters have grown into an international phenomenon, winning Cornwell the Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author, the Gold Dagger Award, the RBA Thriller Award, and the Medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to literary and artistic development.
Fox 2000 bought the rights to Kay Scarpetta. Working with producer Liz Friedman, Marvel’s Jessica Jones and fellow Marvel EP and Twilight Saga scribe Melissa Rosenberg to develop the film and find Scarpetta a home on the big screen.
After earning her degree in English from Davidson College in 1979, she began working at the Charlotte Observer.
Cornwell received widespread attention and praise for her series of articles on prostitution and crime in downtown Charlotte. From the Charlotte Observer, Cornwell moved to a job with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia – a post she would later bestow upon the fictional Kay Scarpetta.
When not writing from her Boston home, Patricia tirelessly researches cutting-edge forensic technologies to include in her work. Her interests span outside the literary: Patricia co-founded of the Conservation Scientist Chair at the Harvard University Art Museums. She appears as a forensic consultant on CNN and serves as a member of Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital’s National Council, where she advocates for psychiatric research. She’s helped fund the ICU at Cornell’s Animal Hospital, the scientific study of a Confederate submarine, the archaeological excavation of Jamestown, and a variety of law enforcement charities. Patricia is also committed to
funding scholarships and literacy programs. Her advice to aspiring authors: “Start writing. And don’t take no for an answer.”
Social and Digital Outlets
http://www.patriciacornwell.com
https://www.facebook.com/patricia.cor...
https://twitter.com/1pcornwell
https://instagram.com/1pcornwell/
Other areas of expertise & interests
Forensics | Forensic Technologies | Ballistics | Weapons | Explosives | Pathology & Autopsies | Crime | Historical and Unsolved Criminal Cases | Jack The Ripper | Helicopter Piloting | Suba Diving | Archaeological Excavation Experience |
Postmortem would go on to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards as well as the French Prix du Roman d’Aventure prize – the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year. To date, Cornwell’s books have sold some 100 million copies in thirty-six languages in over 120 countries. She’s authored twenty-nine New York Times bestsellers.
Patricia’s novels center primarily on medical examiner Kay Scarpetta along with her tech-savvy niece Lucy and fellow investigator Pete Marino. Celebrating 25 years, these characters have grown into an international phenomenon, winning Cornwell the Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author, the Gold Dagger Award, the RBA Thriller Award, and the Medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to literary and artistic development.
Fox 2000 bought the rights to Kay Scarpetta. Working with producer Liz Friedman, Marvel’s Jessica Jones and fellow Marvel EP and Twilight Saga scribe Melissa Rosenberg to develop the film and find Scarpetta a home on the big screen.
After earning her degree in English from Davidson College in 1979, she began working at the Charlotte Observer.
Cornwell received widespread attention and praise for her series of articles on prostitution and crime in downtown Charlotte. From the Charlotte Observer, Cornwell moved to a job with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia – a post she would later bestow upon the fictional Kay Scarpetta.
When not writing from her Boston home, Patricia tirelessly researches cutting-edge forensic technologies to include in her work. Her interests span outside the literary: Patricia co-founded of the Conservation Scientist Chair at the Harvard University Art Museums. She appears as a forensic consultant on CNN and serves as a member of Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital’s National Council, where she advocates for psychiatric research. She’s helped fund the ICU at Cornell’s Animal Hospital, the scientific study of a Confederate submarine, the archaeological excavation of Jamestown, and a variety of law enforcement charities. Patricia is also committed to
funding scholarships and literacy programs. Her advice to aspiring authors: “Start writing. And don’t take no for an answer.”
Social and Digital Outlets
http://www.patriciacornwell.com
https://www.facebook.com/patricia.cor...
https://twitter.com/1pcornwell
https://instagram.com/1pcornwell/
Other areas of expertise & interests
Forensics | Forensic Technologies | Ballistics | Weapons | Explosives | Pathology & Autopsies | Crime | Historical and Unsolved Criminal Cases | Jack The Ripper | Helicopter Piloting | Suba Diving | Archaeological Excavation Experience |
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 429 reviews
January 26, 2021
Master storyteller Patricia Cornwell is back with the second book in her Captain Chase series. Pulling the reader into the middle of a cyber-tech thriller, Cornwell uses the exciting world of space and the threat to NASA as a whole to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Building on the momentum from the opening novel in the series, Quantum, Cornwell utilises her masterful way of developing a plot to make Spin a novel that is a must-read for those who love her style.
A member of the US Space Force, Captain Calli Chase is following up on a lead involving a murder at a NASA testing facility. Trapping in the middle of a snowstorm, Chase finds herself feeling testy and significantly on edge when she is targeted by a potential killer and saved only when her twin sister, Carme, appears out of nowhere.
Before Calli knows what’s going on, she’s drugged and whisked away to a facility, where she is given more upgrades that she knows how to process. Emerging as a sort of Bionic Woman, Captain Chase is now armed and ready to work at new levels, as she seeks to assemble all the pieces to help her crack the case wide open.
With everything literally at her fingertips, Calli is tasked with locating a young boy who has hacked into NASA and procured a special computer chip, one that could have significant consequences if it falls into the wrong hands. While the lad denies being guilty of anything, the jury is still out. With this chip, control of the internet and other significant technologies could be changed forever. Calli learns that one woman, Neva Rong, has sinister plans when she gets her hands on the chip and will stop at nothing to get it.
As tensions mount, Chase will have to protect the boy and try not to show her cards before it’s time. Rong’s power has already been seen, as she is likely the culprit behind the murder at the NASA facility. Rong’s power in the aerospace world and connections all the way up the political ladder makes her even more deadly, while Chase seeks to reveal all before it’s too late.
There is no doubt that Patricia Cornwell did extensive research for this book, having proven that she understands the topic throughout both novels. She is also not one to slowly offer what she knows, for spoonfeeding has never been what she does best. That said, it is also not presented in a condescending manner. Rather, space becomes exciting in this tech-thriller, for those who have a penchant for all things scientific.
Calli Chase is a likeable character, or so it would seem. She is on point when it comes to her navigation throughout the book and she handles much of what is tossed before her. While she wrestles to understand how she fits into the larger picture, Calli does well to dodge the major issues that occur throughout this piece. The reader will find her learning much about herself, as well as a past she did not know existed.
Cornwell does well to develop a number of other characters throughout the piece, keeping them all complementary of Captain Chase, but never putting the protagonist on too high a pedestal. Cornwell develops her characters to entice the reader, contrasting well with one another at various points. The reader can learn much about the story and Captain Chase through those who cross her path throughout this piece.
While many have come to know Patricia Cornwell for her Kay Scarpetta character, this is far from that domain. While both women thrive on action, Captain Calli Chase is nothing like literary predecessor. Cornwell has taken things in a significantly different direction here and thrives on making waves in a new and exciting domain. Some will love it and others will likely find it too ‘techy’ for their liking. The writing is comprehensive and the plot is somewhat easy to decipher. However, if the reader’s interest is not space, technology, or artificial intelligence, this book may implode before the plot is able to capture their attention. With mid-length chapters, Cornwell develops her story well and tries to keep things on the level, but it missed the mark for me, in that I could not find myself wholly invested. I enjoyed parts of it, but felt out of my element in others. Still, it was a decent effort, even if it’s not entirely my sort of book.
Kudos, Madam Cornwell, for a great leap away from the type of writing I have come to expect from you. While it did not engage me as much, I hope you find many fans and keep your readers guessing where things are headed next.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
A member of the US Space Force, Captain Calli Chase is following up on a lead involving a murder at a NASA testing facility. Trapping in the middle of a snowstorm, Chase finds herself feeling testy and significantly on edge when she is targeted by a potential killer and saved only when her twin sister, Carme, appears out of nowhere.
Before Calli knows what’s going on, she’s drugged and whisked away to a facility, where she is given more upgrades that she knows how to process. Emerging as a sort of Bionic Woman, Captain Chase is now armed and ready to work at new levels, as she seeks to assemble all the pieces to help her crack the case wide open.
With everything literally at her fingertips, Calli is tasked with locating a young boy who has hacked into NASA and procured a special computer chip, one that could have significant consequences if it falls into the wrong hands. While the lad denies being guilty of anything, the jury is still out. With this chip, control of the internet and other significant technologies could be changed forever. Calli learns that one woman, Neva Rong, has sinister plans when she gets her hands on the chip and will stop at nothing to get it.
As tensions mount, Chase will have to protect the boy and try not to show her cards before it’s time. Rong’s power has already been seen, as she is likely the culprit behind the murder at the NASA facility. Rong’s power in the aerospace world and connections all the way up the political ladder makes her even more deadly, while Chase seeks to reveal all before it’s too late.
There is no doubt that Patricia Cornwell did extensive research for this book, having proven that she understands the topic throughout both novels. She is also not one to slowly offer what she knows, for spoonfeeding has never been what she does best. That said, it is also not presented in a condescending manner. Rather, space becomes exciting in this tech-thriller, for those who have a penchant for all things scientific.
Calli Chase is a likeable character, or so it would seem. She is on point when it comes to her navigation throughout the book and she handles much of what is tossed before her. While she wrestles to understand how she fits into the larger picture, Calli does well to dodge the major issues that occur throughout this piece. The reader will find her learning much about herself, as well as a past she did not know existed.
Cornwell does well to develop a number of other characters throughout the piece, keeping them all complementary of Captain Chase, but never putting the protagonist on too high a pedestal. Cornwell develops her characters to entice the reader, contrasting well with one another at various points. The reader can learn much about the story and Captain Chase through those who cross her path throughout this piece.
While many have come to know Patricia Cornwell for her Kay Scarpetta character, this is far from that domain. While both women thrive on action, Captain Calli Chase is nothing like literary predecessor. Cornwell has taken things in a significantly different direction here and thrives on making waves in a new and exciting domain. Some will love it and others will likely find it too ‘techy’ for their liking. The writing is comprehensive and the plot is somewhat easy to decipher. However, if the reader’s interest is not space, technology, or artificial intelligence, this book may implode before the plot is able to capture their attention. With mid-length chapters, Cornwell develops her story well and tries to keep things on the level, but it missed the mark for me, in that I could not find myself wholly invested. I enjoyed parts of it, but felt out of my element in others. Still, it was a decent effort, even if it’s not entirely my sort of book.
Kudos, Madam Cornwell, for a great leap away from the type of writing I have come to expect from you. While it did not engage me as much, I hope you find many fans and keep your readers guessing where things are headed next.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
May 24, 2021
Didn't care for this story at all. Others might. 2 of 10 stars
March 15, 2021
This second book in the 'Captain Chase' series opens soon after the dramatic conclusion of the first novel Quantum. The stories should be read in order.
*****
Captain Calli Chase and her identical twin sister Carme are savants who have an interest in aerospace science and aspire to be astronauts. Both women are pilots, but their careers have taken different paths.
Carme is in the Air Force and Calli is a scientist and NASA investigator. Since they were born, Calli and Carme have been groomed to be prototypes for merging cutting edge technology and AI with humans, and that plan is now being brought to fruition under the auspices of four-star Space Force General Richard Melville (Dick).....
.....and the girls' parents, both of whom are employed by NASA.
It's critical to 'upgrade' Calli and Carme now because evil billionaire Neva Rong, who runs a corporation called Pandora, is poised to co-opt the internet, industry, technology, and space for her own nefarious purposes.
Neva has inveigled powerful people into her schemes - including government bigwigs - and is able to steal, murder and manipulate without any blowback.
Dick is trying to stop Neva, and he needs Calli and Carme to assist him. Thus both women are implanted with advanced technology throughout their bodies, including an AI called ART. ART is connected to a quantum computer, and can pull up and analyze information in milliseconds.
ART relays information by way of 'talking' on a mobile phone or - if there's a need for secrecy - displaying information on special contact lenses worn by Calli and Carme. (Note: the implanted technology, and what it does - like monitoring body functions, opening locks, functioning as a GPS, communicating with drones, sending information to Dick, and so on - is described in detail.)
Neva Rong knows that Calli, Carme and their parents are involved in a plan to neutralize her, and she means to wipe them out.
To get inside information about the Chases, Neva is trying to use a 10-year-old boy genius named Lex, who's being mentored by Calli and Carme's father.
Mr. Chase always wanted a son and tends to share more with the boy than he should. Though Lex is exceptionally gifted, he's also a mischievous kid, and his shenanigans cause BIG trouble at NASA's Langley Research Center.
Calli narrates the story, and she describes one dramatic situation after another as she chases an errant Lex; is repeatedly stalked and attacked by killers;
goes to a meeting in the White House;
is sent on a mission that could alter the future of humanity; and more.
Calli also talks about her food cravings, body image, conversations with Dick, Carme and her parents, Lex's less-than-ideal home situation, and so on....all of which serves to personalize Calli and make her more interesting.
The author clearly did intensive research for this novel, and Cornwell describes myriad kinds of engineering, satellites, aircraft, spacecraft, etc. in detail. Cornwell also employs innumerable acronyms, which are hard to remember. I could have done with less of this tech talk, as it doesn't always advance the story. That said, this is an exciting futuristic tale that many sci-fi fans would enjoy.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
January 17, 2021
The 2nd Cornwell foray into "sci-fi" and it, like the first, is unreadable.
Ugh.
DNF.
Ugh.
DNF.
December 29, 2020
Patricia Cornwall/ Kay Scarpata were great until a couple of years ago. Either she or Kay have gone off the deep end!! The banter and mumbling, idiotic exchanges between Kay and her husband, let alone with her niece are asinine. Story lines become hard to follow and the interaction between characters make you struggle to finish the novels. I’m done with Patricia Cornwall. Too bad because the earlier novels were great.
January 26, 2021
FLIR
MOBE
PEQUOD
BS
SIS
PEEPS
SPIES
AIR
PONG
ART
Do you know what these acronyms stand for? I sure hope so, because these are just the ones I remember off the top of my head. This book needs an index for all the damn acronyms. I honestly think Patricia Cornwell spent more time thinking up clever acronyms than she did on the storyline. I don't mean to be hateful, and I'm a big fan of both her Scarpetta series and the first Chase book, but it seemed like this whole storyline was the introduction of all the different gadgets/acronyms meanwhile not much was actually happening in the story.
There are 1, possibly 2, events in the book, but it reads more like the tech manual add-on to the end of the first book. It ends on a cliffhanger and I suspect there will be a book 3 to wrap it all up. I'll read a third book just to know the end of the story, but if it's anything like this one, I won't like it.
MOBE
PEQUOD
BS
SIS
PEEPS
SPIES
AIR
PONG
ART
Do you know what these acronyms stand for? I sure hope so, because these are just the ones I remember off the top of my head. This book needs an index for all the damn acronyms. I honestly think Patricia Cornwell spent more time thinking up clever acronyms than she did on the storyline. I don't mean to be hateful, and I'm a big fan of both her Scarpetta series and the first Chase book, but it seemed like this whole storyline was the introduction of all the different gadgets/acronyms meanwhile not much was actually happening in the story.
There are 1, possibly 2, events in the book, but it reads more like the tech manual add-on to the end of the first book. It ends on a cliffhanger and I suspect there will be a book 3 to wrap it all up. I'll read a third book just to know the end of the story, but if it's anything like this one, I won't like it.
February 3, 2021
I've been a big fan of the author's work over the years but I do not like this new series. I read the first one and didn't really enjoy it. When this latest one came out, I thought I give it a try and see if it was better. Read about a quarter of it, it took a weird "techy sci-fi" twist, and now I'm done trying to like it. I was repelled by the characters and their choices. And seriously, I can not forgive her naming a character " Neva Rong". Also, there are far too many acronyms and descriptions of firearms, and I really don't want to read about one more character " working her hands into nitrile gloves", or any type of gloves actually. But, if you enjoy detailed descriptions of guns and (hopefully) made up technology and characters with really questionable morals this may be the book for you. I'm hoping Ms. Cornwell writes something in the future that appeals to me like her early work does. Until then, I'll pass and leave this to those who enjoy this genre.
January 25, 2023
This is the first Patricia Cornwell book I've ever read. I won't ever be reading another. I picked this up at the thrift store because I thought it was something else - the Hugo winning classic "Spin" by Robert Wilson. I didn't notice the author mismatch til I got home. But I said "what the heck" and decided to read this anyway. I did not have a good time.
Now, some of this may be my fault; Spin is a sequel, and I did not read the former. So I forgave anytime I missed a plot point, or they referenced something from the previous book. That's on me. Everything else is on Cornwell.
This book reads like a first draft. There are so many incomplete/broken sentences, dropped thoughts/unexplicable scene changes, and just bad prose all around that it made this unbearable. As an example, on the second page is this sentence:
"Assuming Neva Rong is the mastermind, we've seen nothing yet, the tech billionaire's agenda universal dominance at any price or sacrifice."
Ignoring the ridiculous name "Neva Rong" 🙄 , you'll see that the sentence makes no sense. It's structure is bad. It could've easily been corrected with a good edit. But this book doesn't seem to have had a good edit.
Every chapter in this book is about ten pages. It's the law I guess, because Cornwell will place a chapter break in the most baffling places. The characters will be having a conversation, there'll be a chapter break, and then the conversation will just continue. And it's not like some huge piece of information dropped at the end of one chapter, with a chapter break allowing the reader to marinate in it before the next, no, they're just there.
A more minor note, but Cornwell refuses to swear in this book. I guess someone's brain getting blown out is okay to describe, but saying "shit" is too much. I can only read phrases like "what the hell-o" so many times before I cringe into my grave.
The use of ACRONYMS in this book is one of the most annoying things I've ever experienced as a reader. At a certain point, around 80-100 pages in, there's a new acronym introduced almost every page. Then you have to read sentences like "I follow the vivid yellow path mapped in my FIND while monitoring all sorts of data in my PEEPS and SPIES." or "Whether it's ART, a loss of signal necessitating an AIR, following a FIND across a hazardous parking lot or using my bionic WAND to unlock my Chase Car..."
It's just too much. I don't care if she's emulating NASA. I don't want to read it. I don't want to try and remember what all these dumb things mean. It's too taxing to the reader to have to deal with all these definitions and ALL-CAPS words. And it's not worth it.
Okay I'll admit it. I didn't finish this book. I got about 33% through it. And this isn't normal for me, I try and stick out even the worst books – I'm generally a finisher. That should speak to how much I disliked this one.
Now, some of this may be my fault; Spin is a sequel, and I did not read the former. So I forgave anytime I missed a plot point, or they referenced something from the previous book. That's on me. Everything else is on Cornwell.
This book reads like a first draft. There are so many incomplete/broken sentences, dropped thoughts/unexplicable scene changes, and just bad prose all around that it made this unbearable. As an example, on the second page is this sentence:
"Assuming Neva Rong is the mastermind, we've seen nothing yet, the tech billionaire's agenda universal dominance at any price or sacrifice."
Ignoring the ridiculous name "Neva Rong" 🙄 , you'll see that the sentence makes no sense. It's structure is bad. It could've easily been corrected with a good edit. But this book doesn't seem to have had a good edit.
Every chapter in this book is about ten pages. It's the law I guess, because Cornwell will place a chapter break in the most baffling places. The characters will be having a conversation, there'll be a chapter break, and then the conversation will just continue. And it's not like some huge piece of information dropped at the end of one chapter, with a chapter break allowing the reader to marinate in it before the next, no, they're just there.
A more minor note, but Cornwell refuses to swear in this book. I guess someone's brain getting blown out is okay to describe, but saying "shit" is too much. I can only read phrases like "what the hell-o" so many times before I cringe into my grave.
The use of ACRONYMS in this book is one of the most annoying things I've ever experienced as a reader. At a certain point, around 80-100 pages in, there's a new acronym introduced almost every page. Then you have to read sentences like "I follow the vivid yellow path mapped in my FIND while monitoring all sorts of data in my PEEPS and SPIES." or "Whether it's ART, a loss of signal necessitating an AIR, following a FIND across a hazardous parking lot or using my bionic WAND to unlock my Chase Car..."
It's just too much. I don't care if she's emulating NASA. I don't want to read it. I don't want to try and remember what all these dumb things mean. It's too taxing to the reader to have to deal with all these definitions and ALL-CAPS words. And it's not worth it.
Okay I'll admit it. I didn't finish this book. I got about 33% through it. And this isn't normal for me, I try and stick out even the worst books – I'm generally a finisher. That should speak to how much I disliked this one.
January 14, 2021
A fun diversion
I’ve enjoyed P Cornwall books in the past and generally find a fairly substantial plot — with this series the emphasis on NASA and science is a welcome shift, but the plot feels like it’s still waiting to warm up and get rolling. Even at the end, I was waiting for something of substance to say ah-ha, now we’re there, but instead there was another evil overture, a something is still coming kind of comment, like a come-on found in the previous book of this series. If you’re looking for a fun run through NASA, and plot is less important than science kinds of things, then by all means this is a book for you.
I’ve enjoyed P Cornwall books in the past and generally find a fairly substantial plot — with this series the emphasis on NASA and science is a welcome shift, but the plot feels like it’s still waiting to warm up and get rolling. Even at the end, I was waiting for something of substance to say ah-ha, now we’re there, but instead there was another evil overture, a something is still coming kind of comment, like a come-on found in the previous book of this series. If you’re looking for a fun run through NASA, and plot is less important than science kinds of things, then by all means this is a book for you.
January 22, 2021
Blinded me with Science
Patricia Cornwell's two years spent in learning space and law enforcement tech speak and behaviors definitely paid off. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the technical jargon and numerous acronyms distracted me so much from the plot, that I think I kind of missed both it and any character development. Even setting aside any physical augmentation, Calli and her sister, didn't really engage me in a human way but more as walking super textbooks operating under marginal control from their handlers. Caricatures rather than believable characters abound. I guess, I just didn't feel it as emotionally as I would have expected. That being said, if there is another book, I would probably read it, if only to find out what the heck is going on and hopefully, that Never Wrong finally gets her comeuppance.
Patricia Cornwell's two years spent in learning space and law enforcement tech speak and behaviors definitely paid off. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the technical jargon and numerous acronyms distracted me so much from the plot, that I think I kind of missed both it and any character development. Even setting aside any physical augmentation, Calli and her sister, didn't really engage me in a human way but more as walking super textbooks operating under marginal control from their handlers. Caricatures rather than believable characters abound. I guess, I just didn't feel it as emotionally as I would have expected. That being said, if there is another book, I would probably read it, if only to find out what the heck is going on and hopefully, that Never Wrong finally gets her comeuppance.
March 27, 2021
Quantum, the first novel in this series, really appealed to me with its geeky science and intriguing characters and if anything I liked Spin even more as these aspects come into sharper focus.
The rambly nature of the prose which in recent Scarpetta books didnt really work for that character, works brilliantly for Callie Chase – she tells her story immersively and really embraces this world of top secret NASA projects, shadowy assassins and awesomely cool technology. The build up and cliff hanger in book one resolves itself into a clever, speculative “space race” tale that is genuinely compelling.
I won’t pretend to understand the possibility of the technology described being real but it feels real and as Calli struggles to deal with her new reality you are with her all the way and Spin culminates in a race against time that had me devouring the last few chapters in short order.
The ending this time allows for an ongoing showdown between good and evil, but who is on the right side here may well depend on your point of view.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to more adventures with Captain Calli Chase.
The rambly nature of the prose which in recent Scarpetta books didnt really work for that character, works brilliantly for Callie Chase – she tells her story immersively and really embraces this world of top secret NASA projects, shadowy assassins and awesomely cool technology. The build up and cliff hanger in book one resolves itself into a clever, speculative “space race” tale that is genuinely compelling.
I won’t pretend to understand the possibility of the technology described being real but it feels real and as Calli struggles to deal with her new reality you are with her all the way and Spin culminates in a race against time that had me devouring the last few chapters in short order.
The ending this time allows for an ongoing showdown between good and evil, but who is on the right side here may well depend on your point of view.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to more adventures with Captain Calli Chase.
March 17, 2022
The second novel in the Captain Chase duology was better than the first but not by much. There was less stream of consciousness from the protagonist and more Andy Weir's science. The protagonist, cybersecuity law enforcement agent and quantum physicist Calli Chase has been bionically enhanced similarly to her sister, Carme to serve as spies in modern warfare. Although the reader was introduced many acronyms' capabilities, there are some abilities that even Calli isn't aware of yet. The primary plot of this novel is to continue the exploration of a mysterious space launch explosion which occurred in the first novel. The antagonist of this novel is the mysterious egotistical industrial bilionaire, Neva Rong who is suspected to have an involvement in the explosion but the connection is still unknown. I could find no indication of an upcoming sequel; however, there is a number of unresolved mysteries that need to be resolved. But, being underwhelmed by the first two books, I doubt I will be up the third one if one is ever published even if it might tie up loose ends.
May 21, 2021
I don't know why I read this. I don't like spy novels and I don't like militaristic anything. Cornwell writes well, for sure. The pain-in-the-ass, 10 year old genius is fun. Otherwise, I could have done without it. The book isn't bad, it just isn't the sort of thing I like.
September 25, 2022
Two-haiku review:
Continuation
Calli has more adventures
Someone's after her
Can't recommend it
Much technical description
I skipped vast portions
Continuation
Calli has more adventures
Someone's after her
Can't recommend it
Much technical description
I skipped vast portions
September 18, 2025
Ooo pa ovdje ima i neka radnja!
Naravno, ne bih ja bila ja da nisam uzela pročitati drugi dio knjge kojoj sam dala jednu zvjezdicu. Luđakinja, mislite? Vrlo moguće. Al što ću kad me moooram pročitati nastavke ako započnem sa serijalom. A i za živo čudo, moram priznati da ovaj nastavak ni nije bio tako loš kao prva knjiga.
Prvo, nema baš toliko paranoje. Drugo, pojavljuju se i neki likovi s kojima glavna likica ima interakcije. Prvenstveno jedan simpatični AI, a također i 10-ogodišnji klinac lumen koji upada u nevolje. Pojavljuje se i njena majka kao nešto više od glasa preko telefona. Dakle, ima neke radnje. Calli puuuno manje vremena provodi opisujući sve detalje oko sebe, puno manje priča sama sa sobom (sad doduše priča s AI-em), također puno manje mjera izgovara i u američkom i u europskom mjernom sustavu (zapravo općenito puno manje mjeri okolo hahah). Konačno, i to čak već na početku ove knjige gle čuda, dobijamo neke odgovore na sva ona silna pitanja koja su na kraju prve knjige ostala neodgovorena.
E sad, ima tu i stvari koje mi se nisu svidjele (iako puno manje) pa da se dotaknemo i njih. Prvenstveno odnos njenih roditelja prema njoj i sestri tj. ta svrha za koju ih pripremaju. Ta silna tajnost. To što se u nekim trenucima prema njoj odnose kao prema djetetu. A još mi je gori odnos obiteljskog prijatelj generala Dicka prema njoj. Njihov odnos mi je nekad otac-kći odnos, ali nekad sam pomalo imala i osjećaj da prerasta u nezdravi odnos skoro pa ljubavnika tj. kao da on želi da među njima bude nešto više. Ne znam kako bi to bolje objasnila, možda će netko drugi reći da toga nema, ali meni se tako činilo. Nije mi se ni svidjelo što joj oni svi upravljaju životom i ona kao dobra djevojčica pristaje na sve što joj serviraju. Kao, smeta mi, ali šutjet ću. Ima još jedna stvar, ali to je mislim posljedica Cornwellicine ideje da nastavi pisati (iako već 4 godine nije nikakav nastavak objavljen), ali neke su mi stvari nedorečene. Drago mi je što je donekle zaokružila priču jer sam se bojala nekog velikog debelog cliffhangera, ali svejedno mi je nedorečena priča s roditeljima i sestrom, situacija na njihovoj farmi, njena prijateljica Fran, mali Lex i istraga o ubojici u kući sa sovom. Baj d vej, sova Mr Owl je zakon, iako se pojavila doslovno dvaput.
Sve u svemu nadmašila je moja očekivanja i sad bih u biti i voljela saznati kako će se nastaviti priča. Ali čini mi se da neće biti ništa od toga.
Orilium Autumn Exuinox 2025 – Astronomy: O – Invisible Stars: book with a character that has an invissible illness
Orilium Adventure 2025 - 9A Leave the Underground - read the last book in a series
Globalni ciljevi: nastavak serijala
Naravno, ne bih ja bila ja da nisam uzela pročitati drugi dio knjge kojoj sam dala jednu zvjezdicu. Luđakinja, mislite? Vrlo moguće. Al što ću kad me moooram pročitati nastavke ako započnem sa serijalom. A i za živo čudo, moram priznati da ovaj nastavak ni nije bio tako loš kao prva knjiga.
Prvo, nema baš toliko paranoje. Drugo, pojavljuju se i neki likovi s kojima glavna likica ima interakcije. Prvenstveno jedan simpatični AI, a također i 10-ogodišnji klinac lumen koji upada u nevolje. Pojavljuje se i njena majka kao nešto više od glasa preko telefona. Dakle, ima neke radnje. Calli puuuno manje vremena provodi opisujući sve detalje oko sebe, puno manje priča sama sa sobom (sad doduše priča s AI-em), također puno manje mjera izgovara i u američkom i u europskom mjernom sustavu (zapravo općenito puno manje mjeri okolo hahah). Konačno, i to čak već na početku ove knjige gle čuda, dobijamo neke odgovore na sva ona silna pitanja koja su na kraju prve knjige ostala neodgovorena.
E sad, ima tu i stvari koje mi se nisu svidjele (iako puno manje) pa da se dotaknemo i njih. Prvenstveno odnos njenih roditelja prema njoj i sestri tj. ta svrha za koju ih pripremaju. Ta silna tajnost. To što se u nekim trenucima prema njoj odnose kao prema djetetu. A još mi je gori odnos obiteljskog prijatelj generala Dicka prema njoj. Njihov odnos mi je nekad otac-kći odnos, ali nekad sam pomalo imala i osjećaj da prerasta u nezdravi odnos skoro pa ljubavnika tj. kao da on želi da među njima bude nešto više. Ne znam kako bi to bolje objasnila, možda će netko drugi reći da toga nema, ali meni se tako činilo. Nije mi se ni svidjelo što joj oni svi upravljaju životom i ona kao dobra djevojčica pristaje na sve što joj serviraju. Kao, smeta mi, ali šutjet ću. Ima još jedna stvar, ali to je mislim posljedica Cornwellicine ideje da nastavi pisati (iako već 4 godine nije nikakav nastavak objavljen), ali neke su mi stvari nedorečene. Drago mi je što je donekle zaokružila priču jer sam se bojala nekog velikog debelog cliffhangera, ali svejedno mi je nedorečena priča s roditeljima i sestrom, situacija na njihovoj farmi, njena prijateljica Fran, mali Lex i istraga o ubojici u kući sa sovom. Baj d vej, sova Mr Owl je zakon, iako se pojavila doslovno dvaput.
Sve u svemu nadmašila je moja očekivanja i sad bih u biti i voljela saznati kako će se nastaviti priča. Ali čini mi se da neće biti ništa od toga.
Orilium Autumn Exuinox 2025 – Astronomy: O – Invisible Stars: book with a character that has an invissible illness
Orilium Adventure 2025 - 9A Leave the Underground - read the last book in a series
Globalni ciljevi: nastavak serijala
August 18, 2021
Dory - per RFS
.
Dopo aver letto Quantum non stavo nella pelle per il secondo volume Spin, anche perché il primo tomo finisce lasciando tutti col fiato sospeso e senza dare nessuna certezza sul futuro della storia.
Dopo mesi, ho finalmente ripreso in mano la vita di Calliope Chase, scienziata della NASA, pronta per partire come astronauta e decisa a risolvere tutti gli intrighi nati nella base americana, dovuti alla spietata Neva Rong, capa della Pandora e diretta nemica dell’intelligence americana.
La trama è talmente complessa che sarebbe impossibile da raccontare: Calliope si trova di fronte a una missione molto pericolosa mentre è perseguitata da sicari che vogliono uccidere tutta la sua famiglia. Oltretutto, si ritrova invischiata nel progetto Gemini, nato da un’idea della madre, anche lei scienziata, che la porterà a dividersi dall’amata/odiata sorella Carme.
Le due gemelle hanno un rapporto viscerale e profondo che, però, nasconde dei traumi, poiché Carme è sempre stata la più spregiudicata e sicura di sé mentre Calliope ha vissuto sempre un passo indietro, come se avesse sempre dovuto dimostrare qualcosa in più.
Credo che il tema della sorellanza sia molto caro a Cornwell perché ho scoperto che è presente anche nella lunga saga di Kay Scarpetta: devo dire che mi sono sentita molto vicina al racconto poiché anche io ho una sorella a cui sono molto legata che, però, è sempre stata per me una bussola, un faro di perfezione a cui agognavo e che ho lottato per raggiungere.
Spin è un romanzo molto complesso: si nota proprio l’impegno e lo studio dell’autrice che scrive di fisica quantistica, di ingegneria e di intelligenza artificiale con impegno ma anche estrema sicurezza.
I lettori di Kay Scarpetta rimarranno spiazzati perché la facilità dei contenuti e dello stile di quella collana di libri qui vengono persi completamente: la lettura è difficile, spesso mi sono ritrovata a rileggere interi passaggi per cercare di capire meglio, altre cose non sono riuscita proprio a comprenderle, nonostante io abbia una preparazione scientifica.
Credo che Cornwell abbia deciso di dare alle stampe la sua opera magna, il capolavoro di una vita costruito su ricerche e impegno magistrale.
Nonostante le varie difficoltà, il tema non proprio classico e le numerose digressioni, Spin resta un bel romanzo: avventura, sentimento e valori morali si mischiano nella maniera più bella e lineare, lo stile rimane sempre armonioso, aulico, bello da leggere, mentre la trama si intensifica di colpi di scena ed eventi insospettabili.
L’ambientazione è ben descritta e ruota intorno alle terribili tempeste che sconvolgono la zona della sede della NASA: il tempo, sempre inclemente, fa da contorno a una storia ricca di tinte fosche e di scelte molto difficili.
Nonostante sia un thriller, Patricia Cornwell lascia molto spazio anche all’introspezione e al pensiero della protagonista (il romanzo è narrato da Calliope in prima persona): risulta così impossibile non immedesimarsi in lei e tentare di capire le sue decisioni.
Consigliato agli amanti della scienza o a chiunque voglia formarsi un bagaglio culturale su di essa: non ve ne pentirete!
.
Dopo aver letto Quantum non stavo nella pelle per il secondo volume Spin, anche perché il primo tomo finisce lasciando tutti col fiato sospeso e senza dare nessuna certezza sul futuro della storia.
Dopo mesi, ho finalmente ripreso in mano la vita di Calliope Chase, scienziata della NASA, pronta per partire come astronauta e decisa a risolvere tutti gli intrighi nati nella base americana, dovuti alla spietata Neva Rong, capa della Pandora e diretta nemica dell’intelligence americana.
La trama è talmente complessa che sarebbe impossibile da raccontare: Calliope si trova di fronte a una missione molto pericolosa mentre è perseguitata da sicari che vogliono uccidere tutta la sua famiglia. Oltretutto, si ritrova invischiata nel progetto Gemini, nato da un’idea della madre, anche lei scienziata, che la porterà a dividersi dall’amata/odiata sorella Carme.
Le due gemelle hanno un rapporto viscerale e profondo che, però, nasconde dei traumi, poiché Carme è sempre stata la più spregiudicata e sicura di sé mentre Calliope ha vissuto sempre un passo indietro, come se avesse sempre dovuto dimostrare qualcosa in più.
Credo che il tema della sorellanza sia molto caro a Cornwell perché ho scoperto che è presente anche nella lunga saga di Kay Scarpetta: devo dire che mi sono sentita molto vicina al racconto poiché anche io ho una sorella a cui sono molto legata che, però, è sempre stata per me una bussola, un faro di perfezione a cui agognavo e che ho lottato per raggiungere.
Spin è un romanzo molto complesso: si nota proprio l’impegno e lo studio dell’autrice che scrive di fisica quantistica, di ingegneria e di intelligenza artificiale con impegno ma anche estrema sicurezza.
I lettori di Kay Scarpetta rimarranno spiazzati perché la facilità dei contenuti e dello stile di quella collana di libri qui vengono persi completamente: la lettura è difficile, spesso mi sono ritrovata a rileggere interi passaggi per cercare di capire meglio, altre cose non sono riuscita proprio a comprenderle, nonostante io abbia una preparazione scientifica.
Credo che Cornwell abbia deciso di dare alle stampe la sua opera magna, il capolavoro di una vita costruito su ricerche e impegno magistrale.
Nonostante le varie difficoltà, il tema non proprio classico e le numerose digressioni, Spin resta un bel romanzo: avventura, sentimento e valori morali si mischiano nella maniera più bella e lineare, lo stile rimane sempre armonioso, aulico, bello da leggere, mentre la trama si intensifica di colpi di scena ed eventi insospettabili.
L’ambientazione è ben descritta e ruota intorno alle terribili tempeste che sconvolgono la zona della sede della NASA: il tempo, sempre inclemente, fa da contorno a una storia ricca di tinte fosche e di scelte molto difficili.
Nonostante sia un thriller, Patricia Cornwell lascia molto spazio anche all’introspezione e al pensiero della protagonista (il romanzo è narrato da Calliope in prima persona): risulta così impossibile non immedesimarsi in lei e tentare di capire le sue decisioni.
Consigliato agli amanti della scienza o a chiunque voglia formarsi un bagaglio culturale su di essa: non ve ne pentirete!
October 5, 2021
This was a lot different than I thought it would be. It is a continuation of the first book Quantum and should be read after that one. It was enjoyable and a quick read. However it did end quite abruptly. It makes me wonder if there is a third book in this series planned. Only time will tell. I'm sure Patricia is telling.
February 17, 2021
Patricia Cornwell is no one-trick pony. Arguably, she created the modern-day forensic thriller with her unmatched Scarpetta series (in my opinion, only author Kathy Reichs and her Bones series even comes close). Outside of some stand-alone work and shorter series, she has written what she knows best. That is until she came up with this terrific Captain Calli Chase series.
Prior to releasing the first novel in this series, QUANTUM, Cornwell spent two years researching space, technology, and robotics at Captain Calli Chase’s home base --- NASA’s Langley Research Center and studied cutting-edge law enforcement and security techniques with the Secret Service, the US Air Force, Space Force, NASA Protective Services, Scotland Yard, and Interpol. The outcome show the results of these efforts and the second release in the series, SPIN, is even better than the first novel!
To begin with, Captain Calli Chase has a twin sister named Carme. They get along, for the most part, but Carme is the more out-going of the two with a slightly homicidal streak in her. Ever since the first novel, Carme has been on the loose while Calli is keeping up appearances in her role as a NASA investigator, scientist, and Space Force Pilot. For Calli and her leaders, things start out with a bang. A NASA rocket launch is hacked into by unknown forces and blows to bits, killing many people in the process. Not only will Calli have to spend the rest of the novel tracking down the guilty party but she will also learn more about who and her twin sister really are and what their true purpose is.
Calli wakes up after an incident where her sister saves her from a maniac trying to kill her during a highly dangerous chase scene during a snowstorm to find herself restrained to a bed in an unknown chamber. She is there under the control of the man who she calls her boss, Dick Melville. Before he will let her go and investigate the NASA rocket launch, he must inform her about what her role is. He also lets her know that she will not be alone. Not only is Carme somewhere out her on a parallel mission but Calli is now equipped with a permanent smart device, worn through a pair of specialized contact lenses, called ART. She can correspond with ART who can show her things through the lenses that only she can see in addition to helping guide her new SMART supped up vehicle as a sort of super GPS. The on-going discussions with ART are some of the best parts of this novel.
The only issue I have with SPIN is that it is acronym crazy --- admittedly so, as you will learn; but I would have liked to have had a glossary of the dozens of acronyms used within the story because it became distracting at times to try to remember them all. Well, if Calli Chase is the primary protagonist there must be an antagonist. In this case, it appears that this is the megalomaniacal billionaire Neva Rong whose own sister, Vera, was killed in the rocket blast. She works with the organization Pandora and may have ulterior motives in creating all this anarchy. For instance, she may be trying to pin the blame for hacking into the deadly rocket launch on a 10-year-old wunderkind named Lex Anderson who Calli’s father George had taken under his wing as the youngest and most brilliant intern working on a NASA project.
Everything comes to a head in the high-octane finale where Captain Calli must take to space once again to confront an unknown object that was initially thought to be a satellite but now appears to be some sort of ship speeding towards the Space Station to take down vital communication between the governments of the world and access to outer space pathways. Those who have a love of classic literature will love the acronyms used for these unknown spacecrafts. SPIN finishes with a sort of cliffhanger in which our villain is revealed and Calli Chase discovers the lengths to which this deadly plot will go. It makes me glad that Patricia Cornwell has stepped away from her Scarpetta novels as I cannot wait to see what happens with the engaging Chase sisters next!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Criminal Element
Prior to releasing the first novel in this series, QUANTUM, Cornwell spent two years researching space, technology, and robotics at Captain Calli Chase’s home base --- NASA’s Langley Research Center and studied cutting-edge law enforcement and security techniques with the Secret Service, the US Air Force, Space Force, NASA Protective Services, Scotland Yard, and Interpol. The outcome show the results of these efforts and the second release in the series, SPIN, is even better than the first novel!
To begin with, Captain Calli Chase has a twin sister named Carme. They get along, for the most part, but Carme is the more out-going of the two with a slightly homicidal streak in her. Ever since the first novel, Carme has been on the loose while Calli is keeping up appearances in her role as a NASA investigator, scientist, and Space Force Pilot. For Calli and her leaders, things start out with a bang. A NASA rocket launch is hacked into by unknown forces and blows to bits, killing many people in the process. Not only will Calli have to spend the rest of the novel tracking down the guilty party but she will also learn more about who and her twin sister really are and what their true purpose is.
Calli wakes up after an incident where her sister saves her from a maniac trying to kill her during a highly dangerous chase scene during a snowstorm to find herself restrained to a bed in an unknown chamber. She is there under the control of the man who she calls her boss, Dick Melville. Before he will let her go and investigate the NASA rocket launch, he must inform her about what her role is. He also lets her know that she will not be alone. Not only is Carme somewhere out her on a parallel mission but Calli is now equipped with a permanent smart device, worn through a pair of specialized contact lenses, called ART. She can correspond with ART who can show her things through the lenses that only she can see in addition to helping guide her new SMART supped up vehicle as a sort of super GPS. The on-going discussions with ART are some of the best parts of this novel.
The only issue I have with SPIN is that it is acronym crazy --- admittedly so, as you will learn; but I would have liked to have had a glossary of the dozens of acronyms used within the story because it became distracting at times to try to remember them all. Well, if Calli Chase is the primary protagonist there must be an antagonist. In this case, it appears that this is the megalomaniacal billionaire Neva Rong whose own sister, Vera, was killed in the rocket blast. She works with the organization Pandora and may have ulterior motives in creating all this anarchy. For instance, she may be trying to pin the blame for hacking into the deadly rocket launch on a 10-year-old wunderkind named Lex Anderson who Calli’s father George had taken under his wing as the youngest and most brilliant intern working on a NASA project.
Everything comes to a head in the high-octane finale where Captain Calli must take to space once again to confront an unknown object that was initially thought to be a satellite but now appears to be some sort of ship speeding towards the Space Station to take down vital communication between the governments of the world and access to outer space pathways. Those who have a love of classic literature will love the acronyms used for these unknown spacecrafts. SPIN finishes with a sort of cliffhanger in which our villain is revealed and Calli Chase discovers the lengths to which this deadly plot will go. It makes me glad that Patricia Cornwell has stepped away from her Scarpetta novels as I cannot wait to see what happens with the engaging Chase sisters next!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Criminal Element
January 17, 2021
A Little Far Out There.
I chose the title of my review for a number of reasons. Following Quantum I was prepared for a different take in this Cornwall book, ready to see things differently than my old pal, Kay Scarpetta. I waz prepared to find Calli and Carme continuing their " twindom dance" as they prepared to save the US from space age enemies. I had thought I could be comfortable as their NASA family solved 21st century issues.
I was not prepared to find out the underlying truths about the plans for Calli and Carme. At some points, I was ready to write off the story as just another ridiculous "sci fi" and close the book; hoping to pick up a new Scarpetta saga soon. Am I glad I did not abandon this ride.
International and Corporate espionage combined with a healthy dose of AI ? I was back on board with Conwell and her characters! Spin provided and interesting and borderline believable mystery which leavez me waiting for Book Number 3!
I chose the title of my review for a number of reasons. Following Quantum I was prepared for a different take in this Cornwall book, ready to see things differently than my old pal, Kay Scarpetta. I waz prepared to find Calli and Carme continuing their " twindom dance" as they prepared to save the US from space age enemies. I had thought I could be comfortable as their NASA family solved 21st century issues.
I was not prepared to find out the underlying truths about the plans for Calli and Carme. At some points, I was ready to write off the story as just another ridiculous "sci fi" and close the book; hoping to pick up a new Scarpetta saga soon. Am I glad I did not abandon this ride.
International and Corporate espionage combined with a healthy dose of AI ? I was back on board with Conwell and her characters! Spin provided and interesting and borderline believable mystery which leavez me waiting for Book Number 3!
February 9, 2021
I usually like Patricia Cornwell's writing and have read most of her books, but this one was terrible. The plot was OK to start with in book one, but it seemed like she went off the charts here. After a few chapters, it seems like the whole purpose of the book became a vessel to see how many bad puns an/or bad acronyms you could stuff into one book. After that, the plot became secondary. This kind of stuff was fun the the 1st Piers Anthony Xanth trilogy, but here... not so much...
January 22, 2021
Just never takes off. Dull as dirt, too many ridiculous acronyms. Definitely not the Patricia Cornwall of old with sparkling wit and chair gripping story telling. Such a disappointment! Page 263 I finally gave up
June 18, 2021
Her Kay Scarpetta novels have spoiled me. I'll pass on this one.
June 15, 2021
For there is . . . a single vast immensity which we may freely call void . . .
In it are an infinity of worlds of the same kind as our own.
-Giordano Bruno, 1584
Patricia Cornwell rides the fine line between science fiction and the real-life implications of NASA's Space Force program. Gemini Twins with enhanced technological abilities are launched into the great unknown. Cornwell includes owls, extraterrestrials and lightning strikes to illuminate the story.
Favorite Passages:
"Part of protecting people is not exposing them to more than they can handle."
_________
"I guess that's how it works. Fiction starts feeling like fact, and what you want to think becomes what you believe."
_________
Unusual thoughts and moods might cause me to suspect I've been altered or worse, fear I'm becoming delusional, possibly paranoid and psychotic.
_________
"In other words, I'm Pigpen, the character in Peanuts," I summarize. "Only the dirty cloud that follows me everywhere is electromagnetic, meaning I'll constantly get in my own way."
_________
"Relying on your own resources."
"That sounds like sudden death on a cracker," I give him the unvarnished truth.
_________
"Bump, Bang and Crush. Twister, Striker and Breaker," I take an inventory. "I see Crackle and Pop but where's Snap?"
_________
"Do you know the name?"
"Mr. Owl."
"I mean, the man's name."
"No, but he had a lot of scars on his hands and arms from Mr. Owl's talons. And Birdman let me say hello to him once, not pet him even though I wanted to. Owls don't like that. And there was a python inside the house, although I never met it. As you can imagine, Birdman didn't have to worry about burglars."
_________
"And by the way, it's illegal to have a pet owl unless you're a licensed handler."
_________
"She's hypersensitive to electromagnetic energy."
. . . .
"Nonna was fine until she was struck by lightning."
_________
At times she has an overwhelming awareness that she's living in a virtual reality. Now and then while sleeping, she feels she's moving in and out of multiple dimensions. And on occasion she has flashbacks of being adjusted and tampered with by beings from another planet.
_________
WHO-WHO . . . WHO-WHO-WHO . . .
The deep eerie sound is almost human, almost barking, and I flick my light over what might be the biggest great horned owl I've ever seen, perched on the branch of a tall pine tree. He watches us with full moon eyes, a taloned foot clutching Ranger the PONG captive by its gripper.
WHO-WHO-WHO . . . he unnaturally swivels his head around like in The Exorcist.
_________
It's called KMA, which could be the dead assassin's initials. Or maybe it's an acronym for Kiss My Ass, and that would fit with what I think of the man who tried to kill me.
_________
"So, what you're saying is there could be snakes in the furniture. In anything, let's be honest!"
_________
The pocket-sized notebooks are identical, each with a black cover neatly dated and numbered in white Magic Marker. Some haven't been used, the rest are inside ziplock sandwich bags containing small plastic trinkets I recognize as Cracker Jack toys. Not new ones but from the good ole days when you never knew what fun prize might await inside the box of caramelized peanuts and popcorn.
There are whistles, charms, rings, figurines, games, stickers, mini comic books that bring back memories, most of the journals meriting but one prize.
_________
A questionable suffocation with a dry-cleaning bag in Ogden, Utah . . .
_________
When the visibility is as good as it is right now, I'm reminded that the past is always present, and at times I get the uncanny feeling that nothing begins or ends, everything happens at once. In creeks and shallow water along the shoreline are the coffin-shaped charred hulls of Civil War fleets set ablaze more than a century and a half ago.
_________
Arlington Cemetery's perfect rows of white headstones bring to mind Chiclets candy-coated gum . . .
_________
. . . we hadn't factored owls into the equation, and we should have.
In it are an infinity of worlds of the same kind as our own.
-Giordano Bruno, 1584
Patricia Cornwell rides the fine line between science fiction and the real-life implications of NASA's Space Force program. Gemini Twins with enhanced technological abilities are launched into the great unknown. Cornwell includes owls, extraterrestrials and lightning strikes to illuminate the story.
Favorite Passages:
"Part of protecting people is not exposing them to more than they can handle."
_________
"I guess that's how it works. Fiction starts feeling like fact, and what you want to think becomes what you believe."
_________
Unusual thoughts and moods might cause me to suspect I've been altered or worse, fear I'm becoming delusional, possibly paranoid and psychotic.
_________
"In other words, I'm Pigpen, the character in Peanuts," I summarize. "Only the dirty cloud that follows me everywhere is electromagnetic, meaning I'll constantly get in my own way."
_________
"Relying on your own resources."
"That sounds like sudden death on a cracker," I give him the unvarnished truth.
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"Bump, Bang and Crush. Twister, Striker and Breaker," I take an inventory. "I see Crackle and Pop but where's Snap?"
_________
"Do you know the name?"
"Mr. Owl."
"I mean, the man's name."
"No, but he had a lot of scars on his hands and arms from Mr. Owl's talons. And Birdman let me say hello to him once, not pet him even though I wanted to. Owls don't like that. And there was a python inside the house, although I never met it. As you can imagine, Birdman didn't have to worry about burglars."
_________
"And by the way, it's illegal to have a pet owl unless you're a licensed handler."
_________
"She's hypersensitive to electromagnetic energy."
. . . .
"Nonna was fine until she was struck by lightning."
_________
At times she has an overwhelming awareness that she's living in a virtual reality. Now and then while sleeping, she feels she's moving in and out of multiple dimensions. And on occasion she has flashbacks of being adjusted and tampered with by beings from another planet.
_________
WHO-WHO . . . WHO-WHO-WHO . . .
The deep eerie sound is almost human, almost barking, and I flick my light over what might be the biggest great horned owl I've ever seen, perched on the branch of a tall pine tree. He watches us with full moon eyes, a taloned foot clutching Ranger the PONG captive by its gripper.
WHO-WHO-WHO . . . he unnaturally swivels his head around like in The Exorcist.
_________
It's called KMA, which could be the dead assassin's initials. Or maybe it's an acronym for Kiss My Ass, and that would fit with what I think of the man who tried to kill me.
_________
"So, what you're saying is there could be snakes in the furniture. In anything, let's be honest!"
_________
The pocket-sized notebooks are identical, each with a black cover neatly dated and numbered in white Magic Marker. Some haven't been used, the rest are inside ziplock sandwich bags containing small plastic trinkets I recognize as Cracker Jack toys. Not new ones but from the good ole days when you never knew what fun prize might await inside the box of caramelized peanuts and popcorn.
There are whistles, charms, rings, figurines, games, stickers, mini comic books that bring back memories, most of the journals meriting but one prize.
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A questionable suffocation with a dry-cleaning bag in Ogden, Utah . . .
_________
When the visibility is as good as it is right now, I'm reminded that the past is always present, and at times I get the uncanny feeling that nothing begins or ends, everything happens at once. In creeks and shallow water along the shoreline are the coffin-shaped charred hulls of Civil War fleets set ablaze more than a century and a half ago.
_________
Arlington Cemetery's perfect rows of white headstones bring to mind Chiclets candy-coated gum . . .
_________
. . . we hadn't factored owls into the equation, and we should have.
January 31, 2021
Completely conflicted on this one.
Plusses: some good writing, technological insights, some really good descriptions on the astronauts' experience, decent thrilling bits, interesting controlled life vs free will, human life vs artificial intelligence etc.
Negatives: not a lot of character development; patchy pace; far, far too many acronyms; and a baddie called Neva Rong (Never Wrong). Honestly.
This is the second book in the Calli Chase series and it was very readable but felt like what is, the middle book in a series which you really need to read all of for it to make sense.
Plusses: some good writing, technological insights, some really good descriptions on the astronauts' experience, decent thrilling bits, interesting controlled life vs free will, human life vs artificial intelligence etc.
Negatives: not a lot of character development; patchy pace; far, far too many acronyms; and a baddie called Neva Rong (Never Wrong). Honestly.
This is the second book in the Calli Chase series and it was very readable but felt like what is, the middle book in a series which you really need to read all of for it to make sense.
January 25, 2021
I wasn’t sure about the book when I started it. So many acronyms made my head spin. I decided to just read them as words phonetically and it made it so much easier to read. About 2/3 through the book I found it becoming much more interesting and looked forward to finishing it. However, there was no surprise ending which leads me to believe there is another book coming in the series. Only time will tell. I truly enjoyed her Scarpetta series and became a fan of her. I am glad the Chase series was not her first.
March 2, 2022
This is the continuing saga of Captain Chase. Filled with assassinations, tech-type data, intrigue, and colorful characters, this book rated higher than even the first Captain Chase novel. If you like astronauts and evil characters and a hero who doesn't think they are anything super special, this is a book for you.
June 25, 2025
The details in this book get monotonous and so boring, it’s hard to stay with it until the next time something actually happens that’s worth reading. Just like the first books it’s unbelievable in a corny and not clever way. Callie and her twin Carme and the rest of their family have secrets, they just aren’t that thrilling. There’s not an enjoyable character in the series.
January 19, 2021
I eagerly waited for this book to be released and was pleasantly surprised when it was released on Kindle Unlimited Read and Listen. I am a big Patricia Cornwell fan and January LaVoy is one of narrators I could listen to endlessly. This was book was easier to navigate than Quantum was just by layout. I have nothing negative to say about Spin at all. This is as close to a spoiler I will get...like Quantum it ends in a cliffhanger. I am not a big fan of this concept yet with this series it makes sense. If you enjoy a bit of futuristic technology and lots of suspense this is wonderful read. My hope is that it doesn't take a whole year for the next installment of this awesome adventure.
January 22, 2021
Better than the first.
Not sure who this book is written for. Very p.g. Age 12+. I would have to say a serialized children's book. So if child likes space stories this book would be ok. Mixed up child, plus mixed up adults.
Not sure who this book is written for. Very p.g. Age 12+. I would have to say a serialized children's book. So if child likes space stories this book would be ok. Mixed up child, plus mixed up adults.
March 8, 2021
I found it hard to follow. Her books just hold me like they use to. I wish they did but they don’t.
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