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Constance #2
Chance
Cloning is a luxury for the wealthy. For Chance Harker, it’s a way of getting on with his lives. Five years ago, when he was sixteen, he and his brother, Marley, were murdered in a kidnapping gone wrong. Chance was revived—and his grieving parents met his existence with anger, neglect, and aversion. The public, though? They can’t get enough of the death-defying stunts he has parlayed into a social media spectacle.
But after Chance’s latest “refresh,” he awakens to accusations that he’s killed Lee Conway, a stranger Chance has never met. Has one of his clones? With no memory of his previous selves, and working fast before he’s arrested, Chance digs into Conway’s background, the mysteries of his own life—and death—and the tragic abduction that tore his family apart.
All Chance has to do is stay ahead of the LAPD; his kidnappers, who are back on the hunt; and a growing mob of incensed protesters outraged that a rich clone appears to be getting away with murder.
But after Chance’s latest “refresh,” he awakens to accusations that he’s killed Lee Conway, a stranger Chance has never met. Has one of his clones? With no memory of his previous selves, and working fast before he’s arrested, Chance digs into Conway’s background, the mysteries of his own life—and death—and the tragic abduction that tore his family apart.
All Chance has to do is stay ahead of the LAPD; his kidnappers, who are back on the hunt; and a growing mob of incensed protesters outraged that a rich clone appears to be getting away with murder.
313 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 14, 2023
About the author
Matthew FitzSimmons
11 books1,339 followersMatthew FitzSimmons is the author of the bestselling Gibson Vaughn and Constance Series. His latest, The Slate, will be released in October, 2024. Born in Illinois and raised in London, England, he makes his home in Washington DC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
September 13, 2022
My thanks to Thomas and Mercer, Matthew FitzSimmons and Netgalley.
No sugar coating for me! I just flat out loved this dang story!
Last year I read FitzSimmons first book in this series, and was blown away by how much I loved it!
Constance was a fantastic story. It broke my heart.
It's not necessary to read that one first, but when she showed up in this book, I was glad to see her again!
This story is kinda out there. But, it's still believable.
If you cross your left eye and fiddle with your right ear and sing "I'm bringing home my baby bumblebee!"
My one and only complaint was the ending.
This is a complete story, but I really would have liked to 👀 see how Marley reacted to the news and the truth. Maybe in the next book?
No sugar coating for me! I just flat out loved this dang story!
Last year I read FitzSimmons first book in this series, and was blown away by how much I loved it!
Constance was a fantastic story. It broke my heart.
It's not necessary to read that one first, but when she showed up in this book, I was glad to see her again!
This story is kinda out there. But, it's still believable.
If you cross your left eye and fiddle with your right ear and sing "I'm bringing home my baby bumblebee!"
My one and only complaint was the ending.
This is a complete story, but I really would have liked to 👀 see how Marley reacted to the news and the truth. Maybe in the next book?
March 25, 2023
I didn't like this one as much as the first book but I did find so much of it interesting and well done. Mostly, I didn't enjoy spending time with main character, Chance. It wasn't just a matter of not liking him (I didn't), but I also didn't care about his plight and didn't care what happened to him ultimately. When things went badly for him, I didn't care to root for him to prevail. Still, the further look into the world that all this is happening in was fascinating and if there's a third book, I'd totally read it. I also very much liked the reappearance of some pivotal characters from the first book and still want more of them.
Recommended if you've read the first book and are interested in the world of the stories.
Recommended if you've read the first book and are interested in the world of the stories.
December 1, 2022
I LOVED Constance and was really looking forward to the continuation of this series, however this was a huge miss for me. The main character is selfish and pretty insufferable, and the plot was really dumb and had little to do with the cloning that was discussed in the first book.
February 17, 2023
Chance is the sequel to Constance, a futuristic thriller published in 2021, about how human cloning can go wrong when the technology is controlled by the wrong people. I’d listened to the audiobook ahead of reading this ARC, and think it’s crucial to have read that one first, as while the protagonists are different, much of the complex plot here won’t make sense without the background. I’ll confess I enjoyed Constance more - partly because of the much more likeable main character, but also because that story was better paced, while this one took quite a while to get going and only really grabbed me towards the end. It’s still a clever twisty mystery which taunts the reader with the ethics of the cloning debate, without offering any definitive opinions either way.
Set in LA a couple of decades into the future, this introduces Chance, a billionaire’s son who was murdered as a teenager in a kidnapping gone wrong, and brought back as a clone with his consciousness restored. This wasn’t enough to stop his family disintegrating, and his brother from committing suicide, while Chance deals with his trauma by filming crazy stunts for his online fans, safe in the knowledge that if they don’t work, he can be reborn as another clone. Then he wakes from his latest restoration and is arrested for murder - but with no memory of who he has killed, or why. With an anti-clone mob baying for his blood, and evidence that his previous self actively hid things from him, Chance must return to scene of the crime which started it all - his own murder.
This was an accomplished thriller but which tried a little too hard to be clever, leaving me feeling that not all the knots got untangled by the end - it’s possible that this will continue into a third instalment, although it doesn’t need to. I liked the nearish-future aspects, like the way climate change and technology have altered LA and the way people live, without it being a major part of the plot. While the concept of people’s entire personality and memory being seamlessly transferred to a quantum computer and then back into a new body is medically implausible within the time frame suggested (actually, ever) if you let that part go, the implications are intriguing. Some of this one covers ethical issues raised in the first book, but then explores the reactions of ordinary people who can’t afford their own clone being faced with a spoilt brat happy to literally throw his life away without consequences.
Amnesia plot-lines have been done to death in psychological fiction in recent years, and this uses the same storytelling device as Constance to achieve the effect, just in a more original way than the usual head injury or repressed trauma - the protagonist is investigates the murder of themself but in a different body. It’s clever but you have to pay attention for it all to make sense. There’s a twist which I can’t reveal without spoiling it but let’s just say it involves the ring: I think I worked it out but am still confused, so hope that the final version clarified this better: if anyone who has read this knows what I’m referring to and can help clarify it, do comment or message me.
I’m swithering between three and four stars here, and settling on rounding up from 3.5, because I liked the way Constance was brought back into the story, and probably would carry on if this does become a series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. Chance is available now.
Set in LA a couple of decades into the future, this introduces Chance, a billionaire’s son who was murdered as a teenager in a kidnapping gone wrong, and brought back as a clone with his consciousness restored. This wasn’t enough to stop his family disintegrating, and his brother from committing suicide, while Chance deals with his trauma by filming crazy stunts for his online fans, safe in the knowledge that if they don’t work, he can be reborn as another clone. Then he wakes from his latest restoration and is arrested for murder - but with no memory of who he has killed, or why. With an anti-clone mob baying for his blood, and evidence that his previous self actively hid things from him, Chance must return to scene of the crime which started it all - his own murder.
This was an accomplished thriller but which tried a little too hard to be clever, leaving me feeling that not all the knots got untangled by the end - it’s possible that this will continue into a third instalment, although it doesn’t need to. I liked the nearish-future aspects, like the way climate change and technology have altered LA and the way people live, without it being a major part of the plot. While the concept of people’s entire personality and memory being seamlessly transferred to a quantum computer and then back into a new body is medically implausible within the time frame suggested (actually, ever) if you let that part go, the implications are intriguing. Some of this one covers ethical issues raised in the first book, but then explores the reactions of ordinary people who can’t afford their own clone being faced with a spoilt brat happy to literally throw his life away without consequences.
Amnesia plot-lines have been done to death in psychological fiction in recent years, and this uses the same storytelling device as Constance to achieve the effect, just in a more original way than the usual head injury or repressed trauma - the protagonist is investigates the murder of themself but in a different body. It’s clever but you have to pay attention for it all to make sense. There’s a twist which I can’t reveal without spoiling it but let’s just say it involves the ring: I think I worked it out but am still confused, so hope that the final version clarified this better: if anyone who has read this knows what I’m referring to and can help clarify it, do comment or message me.
I’m swithering between three and four stars here, and settling on rounding up from 3.5, because I liked the way Constance was brought back into the story, and probably would carry on if this does become a series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. Chance is available now.
April 11, 2023
Chance is a near-future thriller set in LA, where a billionaire’s son, Chance, is murdered as a teenager but brought back as a clone. Something snaps in him and he does suicidal feats (like jumping from a plane without a parachute) knowing he’ll wake up in a new clone body after the “death” of the old one. However, after his latest “refresh,” he wakes up to accusations of murdering a stranger named Lee Conway, whom he has never met before. With no memory of his past selves, Chance races against time to uncover the truth about Conway, his own life and death, and the tragic events that shattered his family.
While the concept of human cloning and amnesia plotlines are intriguing, the story takes a while to get going and can be confusing at times. I recommend reading the first book in the series before reading Chance - some of the complex plot nuances won’t make sense without the background.
FitzSimmons delivers a well-thought-out plot with many twists and turns that engaged me from beginning to end. I found the characters well-developed and sympathetic and quickly became invested in their story. The writing style is sharp and precise, with vivid descriptions that bring the world to life.Chance is a clever and accomplished thriller that taunts readers with ethical issues and questions and keeps surprises coming.
Narration: an expert performance by Michael Crouch brought Chance to life; I feel like he captured his personality perfectly.
While the concept of human cloning and amnesia plotlines are intriguing, the story takes a while to get going and can be confusing at times. I recommend reading the first book in the series before reading Chance - some of the complex plot nuances won’t make sense without the background.
FitzSimmons delivers a well-thought-out plot with many twists and turns that engaged me from beginning to end. I found the characters well-developed and sympathetic and quickly became invested in their story. The writing style is sharp and precise, with vivid descriptions that bring the world to life.Chance is a clever and accomplished thriller that taunts readers with ethical issues and questions and keeps surprises coming.
Narration: an expert performance by Michael Crouch brought Chance to life; I feel like he captured his personality perfectly.
February 15, 2023
Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the advance reading copy.
I guess my expectations were a little too high when I went into this book.
It started out really good. However, the pace slowed down and it never recovered.
However, it’s a me problem.
I appreciate the theme of technology misuse and we get to rethink about where our lives are going. Well would I be okay with clones of myself which have no memory of my other lives lived by my other clones. The shudder!
I expect a better follow up if this series continues. I was rather disappointed with how things ended in this sequel.
I guess my expectations were a little too high when I went into this book.
It started out really good. However, the pace slowed down and it never recovered.
However, it’s a me problem.
I appreciate the theme of technology misuse and we get to rethink about where our lives are going. Well would I be okay with clones of myself which have no memory of my other lives lived by my other clones. The shudder!
I expect a better follow up if this series continues. I was rather disappointed with how things ended in this sequel.
May 8, 2023
The second clone story of someone solving their own murder was still ok, but not particularly compelling. FitzSimmons should have stopped at one unless he can really stick a landing on a trilogy where he resolves once and for all materialism vs. idealism.
The main character has an interesting gig killing himself repeatedly for clicks, but he himself is a dullard.
Harker is dumb as a brick most of the time but suddenly smart when the narrative calls for it. Lots of plot holes and logic inconsistencies. All other characters are one dimensional and flat, including the protagonist from the last novel.
Good enough to finish, but fairly bland. I might have done a DNF if I hadn't liked the first one a little more. Kind of low rent Blake Crouch.
The main character has an interesting gig killing himself repeatedly for clicks, but he himself is a dullard.
Harker is dumb as a brick most of the time but suddenly smart when the narrative calls for it. Lots of plot holes and logic inconsistencies. All other characters are one dimensional and flat, including the protagonist from the last novel.
Good enough to finish, but fairly bland. I might have done a DNF if I hadn't liked the first one a little more. Kind of low rent Blake Crouch.
Read
June 30, 2023Love Matthew FitzSimmons! Of his 7 books so far, this one was my favorite!
March 15, 2023
Family burnout
Too much family drama for me. I have plenty of family drama in my life, so I don't need to read stories about it. Having confessed that, the author brings a lot human emotional entanglement into the story, and the author is insightful. Whether intended or not, I found subtext and nibbles to infer on that were interesting, so the story isn't lacking depth. I don't remember there being any science in the book, but the story is built off the topic of cloning humans and the questions arising. The family drama always burns me out and turns me off.
Too much family drama for me. I have plenty of family drama in my life, so I don't need to read stories about it. Having confessed that, the author brings a lot human emotional entanglement into the story, and the author is insightful. Whether intended or not, I found subtext and nibbles to infer on that were interesting, so the story isn't lacking depth. I don't remember there being any science in the book, but the story is built off the topic of cloning humans and the questions arising. The family drama always burns me out and turns me off.
October 2, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and Mathew Fitzsimmons for granting my ARC. Chance is a wonderful follow up to Constance. Fitzsimmons creates a pretty stark view of Chance as a very one dimensional character that is the complete opposite of Constance. But true to form as we delve deeper into the novel complexities begin to show in what it means to be human, class warfare and how greed corrupts a human soul. This is an amazing read and for everyone that is new to Matthew Fitzsimmons’ work I highly suggest you read Constance before delving into Chance.
February 20, 2023
Amazing Storyteller
This book was just as good, perhaps even a bit better, than the first. The author grabs you from the very beginning and never lets go. You will find yourself making excuses to keep reading. Great characters, wickedly exciting plot with twists at the very end you won't guess. Keep them coming Matthew!
This book was just as good, perhaps even a bit better, than the first. The author grabs you from the very beginning and never lets go. You will find yourself making excuses to keep reading. Great characters, wickedly exciting plot with twists at the very end you won't guess. Keep them coming Matthew!
February 1, 2023
Book Review: Chance (Constance #2) by Matthew FitzSimmons
Published by Thomas & Mercer, February 14, 2023
★★★★☆ (4.0 Stars)
Many readers were first introduced to author Matthew FitzSimmons in his debut novel, "The Short Drop" (2015), Book 1 of his Gibson Vaughn series, which was featured way back in 2015 as one of the first offerings on Amazon First Reads.
Ever since, I've read all five books of FitzSimmons' IT hacker and former marine protagonist, and was impressed by the author's creativity with fresh material in each and every action-packed iteration.
Chance (Constance #2) by Matthew FitzSimmons (2023)
December 2037.
Salton Sea, due southeast of Palm Springs, Southern California.
OFF THE FRAGMENTARY shorelines of the arid sea beds of that desolate dying sea, described in the book as "...the stillborn bastard of an engineering mishap...", - which is, per se, a real-life ecological curiosity, the kidnapping and murder of the sons of a "Palingenesis" executive triggers a tsunami of events.
Death. And possibly resurrection.
PALINGENESIS, the American human cloning company which five years prior in 2032 advertises that for US$25 million it would speed-grow a clone for private clients.
It all begins with combat troops...
-----
The fertile mind of Mr. FitzSimmons, once again, manifests itself in positing the exploitation and commercialization of human cloning, deftly touching on the umbilical theories of consciousness and memory, inter-alia, should the science and technology be developed beyond the purview of sci-fi films.
And, not in insignificant terms, instances where the process could be horribly misused, even abhorrently abused by clone owners.
Predominant YA themes, sentiments and dialogue in line with teenage and early-twenty-something privileged protagonists with so-called one-percent parents, in simpler terms, the immature, despicable attitude of rotten spoiled brats, may not appeal to Gibson Vaughn readers.
I also found the plot far too compartmentalized, with all relations glued to the confines within the sphere of the cloning enterprise.
E.g. what would the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese do with the technology?
All these could be something in store for the author's future instalments (just as when he expanded Gibson Vaughn's exploits abroad in Book 4).
Review based on an advance reading copy courtesy of Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley.
Published by Thomas & Mercer, February 14, 2023
★★★★☆ (4.0 Stars)
Many readers were first introduced to author Matthew FitzSimmons in his debut novel, "The Short Drop" (2015), Book 1 of his Gibson Vaughn series, which was featured way back in 2015 as one of the first offerings on Amazon First Reads.
Ever since, I've read all five books of FitzSimmons' IT hacker and former marine protagonist, and was impressed by the author's creativity with fresh material in each and every action-packed iteration.
Chance (Constance #2) by Matthew FitzSimmons (2023)
December 2037.
Salton Sea, due southeast of Palm Springs, Southern California.
OFF THE FRAGMENTARY shorelines of the arid sea beds of that desolate dying sea, described in the book as "...the stillborn bastard of an engineering mishap...", - which is, per se, a real-life ecological curiosity, the kidnapping and murder of the sons of a "Palingenesis" executive triggers a tsunami of events.
Death. And possibly resurrection.
PALINGENESIS, the American human cloning company which five years prior in 2032 advertises that for US$25 million it would speed-grow a clone for private clients.
It all begins with combat troops...
-----
The fertile mind of Mr. FitzSimmons, once again, manifests itself in positing the exploitation and commercialization of human cloning, deftly touching on the umbilical theories of consciousness and memory, inter-alia, should the science and technology be developed beyond the purview of sci-fi films.
And, not in insignificant terms, instances where the process could be horribly misused, even abhorrently abused by clone owners.
Predominant YA themes, sentiments and dialogue in line with teenage and early-twenty-something privileged protagonists with so-called one-percent parents, in simpler terms, the immature, despicable attitude of rotten spoiled brats, may not appeal to Gibson Vaughn readers.
I also found the plot far too compartmentalized, with all relations glued to the confines within the sphere of the cloning enterprise.
E.g. what would the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese do with the technology?
All these could be something in store for the author's future instalments (just as when he expanded Gibson Vaughn's exploits abroad in Book 4).
Review based on an advance reading copy courtesy of Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley.
November 2, 2022
** Excerpt from Tea Time With A Good Book, October 2022. Printed and distributed in the Collinwood Chronicle. Cleveland, OH
(begins after previous review)
Next, there is Chance by Matthew FitzSimmons. Here people are able to clone themselves so, if the worst should happen, they can be reborn. And, the hero of our novel as a teen was kidnapped by his father, one of the executives working at the company that cloned individuals. He and his brother were killed during the kidnapping and never knew what occurred as their brain scans weren't updated. Because of this the boys are left with a large mystery to solve. Alive, both now struggle in their own way, to deal with a life that is very much a mystery, and one they should have never survived. Will solve the puzzle, the mystery of their kidnapping, and close the door, finally able to live?
One of my favorite books to read this year, one I liked so much out of all I read this month, I recommended it to all the readers of my monthly column, along with one another
(begins after previous review)
Next, there is Chance by Matthew FitzSimmons. Here people are able to clone themselves so, if the worst should happen, they can be reborn. And, the hero of our novel as a teen was kidnapped by his father, one of the executives working at the company that cloned individuals. He and his brother were killed during the kidnapping and never knew what occurred as their brain scans weren't updated. Because of this the boys are left with a large mystery to solve. Alive, both now struggle in their own way, to deal with a life that is very much a mystery, and one they should have never survived. Will solve the puzzle, the mystery of their kidnapping, and close the door, finally able to live?
One of my favorite books to read this year, one I liked so much out of all I read this month, I recommended it to all the readers of my monthly column, along with one another
November 13, 2023
3.5 Stars
I love the world this author has created so much. I thought he did a great job with continuity of that from the first book to the second. That said, I enjoyed the story in the first book so much more than the second. I thought Con was a much more relatable and compelling character, and I found I cared about her more than I did Chance. I was happy to see her appear in book 2. I also thought the first book brought up more thought-provoking topics to discuss. I do really like the world these books are set in, though, so I am hoping for more in the series.
I love the world this author has created so much. I thought he did a great job with continuity of that from the first book to the second. That said, I enjoyed the story in the first book so much more than the second. I thought Con was a much more relatable and compelling character, and I found I cared about her more than I did Chance. I was happy to see her appear in book 2. I also thought the first book brought up more thought-provoking topics to discuss. I do really like the world these books are set in, though, so I am hoping for more in the series.
Shelved as 'dnf'
February 17, 2023I absolutely loved "Constance," the first book in this series, but "Chance" didn't live up to it. Con D'Arcy is a nuanced character, and the plot was intriguing, multi-layered, and fast-paced. I didn't get any of that from Chance. He's not particularly interesting. We get so much talk about his background, but I still feel like I don't know this character. The book is slow, and it started to feel like a chore to read. I decided not to finish it. I would still read other books from this author because I loved "Constance" so much, but this one was definitely a miss for me.
Read
December 29, 2023I have been reading a lot of disappointing books recently, but there are so many out there that I see no point in reading one that is too irritating. The book is set in 2042 but is simply NOT credible for that era. I had the same problem to a lesser degree with Constance, the first book in the series. It was just published in 2023, but I could believe it was written 20 or 30 years ago. All the references to books, movies, etc., are to old shows or books from that era or earlier. Also, the protagonist is in his early 20s and loves to read and has thousands of his own hard-copy books in his house, I cannot believe someone his age will be hooked on hard-copy books in 2037 or, if he were, it would require some sort of explanation.
Based on the VERY POOR world-building I do not want to continue.
Based on the VERY POOR world-building I do not want to continue.
Want to read
November 13, 2022 I've received an advanced digital copy of this book, courtesy of the author and publisher, via Netgalley, for review consideration.
RTC
RTC
March 7, 2023
Cloning
This was quite an interesting book at first starting it u wasn't sure that I would be able to get into it but once I did it got to me
This was quite an interesting book at first starting it u wasn't sure that I would be able to get into it but once I did it got to me
May 25, 2023
Great story. Now I have to reread Constance. Love this series!
August 23, 2023
I really good thriller that I could not predict the ending to. Also there weren't many nasty, graphic parts which I appreciated.
February 17, 2023
B-O-R-I-N-G
I have read all of the author’s earlier books and enjoyed them all. While the premise of this book had promise, I just couldn’t sustain my interest. The characters weren’t particularly likable, and I finally gave up about half way.
I have read all of the author’s earlier books and enjoyed them all. While the premise of this book had promise, I just couldn’t sustain my interest. The characters weren’t particularly likable, and I finally gave up about half way.
February 27, 2023
This world is fully realized, and believable being 30-40 years from now? First book was great, this one a decent sequel, although Constance does feel forced into this story. all I need to know really is when the next one drops and who's buying the development rights.
January 14, 2023
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and #NetGalley for the digital ARC of #Chance. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
I enjoyed Constance, the first book in this series, but I didn't LOVE it. Chance got my attention from the beginning and kept me interested to the very end. The story was more linear so easier to follow in my opinion. I like how it brought in characters and plot points from the first book, but it's not necessary to read it to understand and appreciate this book. I also like how this story incorporated current socio-economic and environmental issues to provide a glimpse of where our world may be heading.
Overall, an entertaining, roller-coaster ride of a read.
I enjoyed Constance, the first book in this series, but I didn't LOVE it. Chance got my attention from the beginning and kept me interested to the very end. The story was more linear so easier to follow in my opinion. I like how it brought in characters and plot points from the first book, but it's not necessary to read it to understand and appreciate this book. I also like how this story incorporated current socio-economic and environmental issues to provide a glimpse of where our world may be heading.
Overall, an entertaining, roller-coaster ride of a read.
July 8, 2023
I liked the ending of this story - the author did a good job of coming full circle.
April 5, 2023
I struggled with how to rate this. The writing and storyline was wonderful. But Chance annoyed the shit outta me.
March 7, 2023
I had to pick this one up for reading after the amazing Constance, the book #1.
This one is confusing and I am not clear what exactly happened in the plot twist at the end. I kind of get it from stealing the technology part but totally confused about the characters and their relationship in last few chapters.
The pace change is drastic, compared to slow (very) in the beginning where the murder doesn't happen until first 10 chapters and suddenly everyone shows up fully prepared to resolve the mystery
This one is confusing and I am not clear what exactly happened in the plot twist at the end. I kind of get it from stealing the technology part but totally confused about the characters and their relationship in last few chapters.
The pace change is drastic, compared to slow (very) in the beginning where the murder doesn't happen until first 10 chapters and suddenly everyone shows up fully prepared to resolve the mystery
May 9, 2023
Similarly to Part I, this book reads like a YA novel. Some characters are kind of one dimensional and underdeveloped (like the police officer). However, it was an entertaining read and I liked it as much as the original
February 5, 2023
Can The Truth Redeem Two Dysfunctional Families
The kidnapper leader wants a data drive from Brett Harker. The leader sets of a meeting at night along the dead and stagnant Salton Sea to exchange Brett Harker's son for the data drive. The masked leader gets the data drive and sends Marley Harker back to his father. While he is returning, a shot rings out from across the lake. The novel picks up five years later with Chance, Marley’s younger brother, who was killed during the kidnapping and now definitely is living up to his name quite literally.
My main problem with this novel is the start of the main storyline. Chance, the protagonist, is a clone. The father of the original Chance was a senior executive at Palingenesis, the sole provider of cloning technology. As such, his family’s life insurance policy allows unlimited clone backups. Five years earlier, Chance and his older brother were killed during their kidnapping. After Chance was revived, he took up a life in search of fame and followers by staging live and documented events that could and often did result in his death. His next clone would continue the lifestyle. During this portion of novel, I had no clue where this novel was going. Finally, during an introspective moment, Chance reveals what he wants. From this point, the main storyline proceeds with all the elements of a mystery/thriller. Suspense is heighted by Chance needs to discover the truth in a hostile environment of anti-clone followers, kidnappers, several ruthless and senior Palingenesis executives, and a father who will not tell the whole truth. These combined with twists, turns, surprises quickly locked up my attention.
The B-storyline has a traumatic change. It occurs a little after the shift in the main storyline, but it is just as dramatic. He still keeps all the aspects of his character that were revealed before the change, as it is more like an unveiling of his inner character. The reader will see that Chance is more than just an egotistical narcissist that is his public persona. Chance became a more complex and interesting character. There even is a C-storyline in that the Chance at the end of the novel has significantly changed. These two storylines did enhance my reading enjoyment of this novel.
As for the reasons that turn off some readers on a book are very minimal for this book and should not be an issue for most readers. There are not any intimate scenes. Language is mostly rude than vulgar. There is violence, and some of it is described as it occurs, but it is not over the top. Lastly, some of the characters from the previous novel reappear in this novel in some interesting ways, but adequate backfill is provided so this novel can be read without reading that novel.
As for my perception of the novel, the only aspect I disliked was the beginning After reading the whole novel, I understand that the beginning was needed. This novel then turned into the complex thinking read that I like. I also liked the ending. Another criterion, by which I rate novels, is its ability to keep me reading, and this novel did quite well for me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. I have read six previous novels by this author, and he is in my Must-Read category. I recommend reading this novel, and I am looking forward to reading more novels by this author. I rate this novel with five stars.
I received a free prepublication e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Thomas & Mercer. My review is based only on my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.
The kidnapper leader wants a data drive from Brett Harker. The leader sets of a meeting at night along the dead and stagnant Salton Sea to exchange Brett Harker's son for the data drive. The masked leader gets the data drive and sends Marley Harker back to his father. While he is returning, a shot rings out from across the lake. The novel picks up five years later with Chance, Marley’s younger brother, who was killed during the kidnapping and now definitely is living up to his name quite literally.
My main problem with this novel is the start of the main storyline. Chance, the protagonist, is a clone. The father of the original Chance was a senior executive at Palingenesis, the sole provider of cloning technology. As such, his family’s life insurance policy allows unlimited clone backups. Five years earlier, Chance and his older brother were killed during their kidnapping. After Chance was revived, he took up a life in search of fame and followers by staging live and documented events that could and often did result in his death. His next clone would continue the lifestyle. During this portion of novel, I had no clue where this novel was going. Finally, during an introspective moment, Chance reveals what he wants. From this point, the main storyline proceeds with all the elements of a mystery/thriller. Suspense is heighted by Chance needs to discover the truth in a hostile environment of anti-clone followers, kidnappers, several ruthless and senior Palingenesis executives, and a father who will not tell the whole truth. These combined with twists, turns, surprises quickly locked up my attention.
The B-storyline has a traumatic change. It occurs a little after the shift in the main storyline, but it is just as dramatic. He still keeps all the aspects of his character that were revealed before the change, as it is more like an unveiling of his inner character. The reader will see that Chance is more than just an egotistical narcissist that is his public persona. Chance became a more complex and interesting character. There even is a C-storyline in that the Chance at the end of the novel has significantly changed. These two storylines did enhance my reading enjoyment of this novel.
As for the reasons that turn off some readers on a book are very minimal for this book and should not be an issue for most readers. There are not any intimate scenes. Language is mostly rude than vulgar. There is violence, and some of it is described as it occurs, but it is not over the top. Lastly, some of the characters from the previous novel reappear in this novel in some interesting ways, but adequate backfill is provided so this novel can be read without reading that novel.
As for my perception of the novel, the only aspect I disliked was the beginning After reading the whole novel, I understand that the beginning was needed. This novel then turned into the complex thinking read that I like. I also liked the ending. Another criterion, by which I rate novels, is its ability to keep me reading, and this novel did quite well for me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. I have read six previous novels by this author, and he is in my Must-Read category. I recommend reading this novel, and I am looking forward to reading more novels by this author. I rate this novel with five stars.
I received a free prepublication e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Thomas & Mercer. My review is based only on my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.
May 20, 2024
Review originally posted at BooksOfMyHeart.net.
Trigger warning: Suicide, Extreme Risk-taking
This is the second book in the Constance series. I was a bit worried about starting this book. I had it for a while before I finally listened to it. It has been a while since listening to book one. I remembered the gist of it, but didn’t remember the details. I was worried I would miss something from the first book. But that was not an issue at all. This book does take place chronologically after Constance. But this story follows an entirely new character, but again, the character has very close ties with Palingenesis, a cloning company for the rich and famous. The clones were originally designed for the military so that special forces could be brought back if they died in battle. But once it got out, people were against cloning of humans, the US government ended the contract. But that didn’t stop them.
So, this story starts with Chance Harker and his brother being kidnapped and eventually murdered. But their father was the head of marketing for Palingenesis, there were clones waiting for both children. However, there was an issue with lag, the time between the last “refresh” where your conscientious is downloaded, and when you die and are put back into a clone. The longer the lag, the more psychological effects. Chance was only a week or so. His brother was almost 90 days since his last refresh. Palingenesis wouldn’t allow you to get your clone if it had been more than 90 days since the last refresh. It was just too difficult on the human mind.
Needless to say, Chance was never the same mentally after his kidnapping, which he doesn’t remember. His brother was even worse and decided that he couldn’t live with the effects any more. Chance has become an internet star, he takes extremely high risk stunts, most of which he doesn’t survive. He goes to extremes to make sure he never has severe lag again. He has cameras everywhere and is rarely without video footage of himself. Even wearing a body camera most of the time. But he never stops trying to figure out what exactly happened during that very first lag when he was kidnapped.
And that is just the start and background on the story. There’s a lot that happens after all of that, but I don’t want to give spoilers. Feel free to read this book without having read the first book, Constance. Everything you need to know is provided in this book. However, I also loved Constance, so I would recommend getting it first.
Narration:
This is my first time listening to Michael Crouch. He didn’t narrate the first book, which makes sense, since the main character of the first book was female and had a female narrator. I do think that Michael did a great job with the narration of this series. I thought he chose great voices for each character. I would gladly listen to him again.
Trigger warning: Suicide, Extreme Risk-taking
This is the second book in the Constance series. I was a bit worried about starting this book. I had it for a while before I finally listened to it. It has been a while since listening to book one. I remembered the gist of it, but didn’t remember the details. I was worried I would miss something from the first book. But that was not an issue at all. This book does take place chronologically after Constance. But this story follows an entirely new character, but again, the character has very close ties with Palingenesis, a cloning company for the rich and famous. The clones were originally designed for the military so that special forces could be brought back if they died in battle. But once it got out, people were against cloning of humans, the US government ended the contract. But that didn’t stop them.
So, this story starts with Chance Harker and his brother being kidnapped and eventually murdered. But their father was the head of marketing for Palingenesis, there were clones waiting for both children. However, there was an issue with lag, the time between the last “refresh” where your conscientious is downloaded, and when you die and are put back into a clone. The longer the lag, the more psychological effects. Chance was only a week or so. His brother was almost 90 days since his last refresh. Palingenesis wouldn’t allow you to get your clone if it had been more than 90 days since the last refresh. It was just too difficult on the human mind.
Needless to say, Chance was never the same mentally after his kidnapping, which he doesn’t remember. His brother was even worse and decided that he couldn’t live with the effects any more. Chance has become an internet star, he takes extremely high risk stunts, most of which he doesn’t survive. He goes to extremes to make sure he never has severe lag again. He has cameras everywhere and is rarely without video footage of himself. Even wearing a body camera most of the time. But he never stops trying to figure out what exactly happened during that very first lag when he was kidnapped.
And that is just the start and background on the story. There’s a lot that happens after all of that, but I don’t want to give spoilers. Feel free to read this book without having read the first book, Constance. Everything you need to know is provided in this book. However, I also loved Constance, so I would recommend getting it first.
Narration:
This is my first time listening to Michael Crouch. He didn’t narrate the first book, which makes sense, since the main character of the first book was female and had a female narrator. I do think that Michael did a great job with the narration of this series. I thought he chose great voices for each character. I would gladly listen to him again.
April 23, 2023
This is a science fiction story set about 30 years in the future where, if you were very rich, you could have a clone of yourself standing by in the case of premature death. If death occurred, the decedent's memories that had been previously uploaded, could be downloaded into the clone's brain, thus creating a very close copy of the former person. There is societal controversy surrounding the idea of a cloned being--is it a real person with the rights of the previous person? Or, does it have a soul? etc., exacerbated by the fact that cloning was available to only the very rich.
The story started slowly with first-person narration by the protagonist, a 21 yr old named Chance. At 16, he suffered a traumatic kidnapping that ended in his death. He was revived as a clone, with his memories downloaded, yet he has no recollection of the kidnapping because he wasn't able to upload his memories of that time. His brother Marley was also killed and revived, but couldn't deal with the gap in his memory, and decided to end his life without another revival. Chance's parents' marriage ended in a bitter divorce due to the kidnapping and fall-out, and Chance had to navigate life alone without his older brother or parents.
For Chance, not knowing what actually happened made him feel like he was not "real" and it drove him to substitute reckless and dangerous activities for actually living and being. He came off as a immature, attention-seeking persona without respect for his life because he knew he would be revived if he died. He had no job but put his stunts on social media to make money. FitzSimmons did a great job of painting his character as a spoiled, dysfunctional rich kid who wasn't particularly likeable, but that maybe you could feel some sympathy toward because he was left alone to deal with all that happened. That being said, I think FitzSimmons spent far too many chapters establishing Chance's character and the current state of his life. It was tedious and somewhat boring after the first 3 chapters.
Almost half-way through the story, FitzSimmons finally started writing an adventure with twists and turns involving Chance and the kidnapping mystery. Chance evolved from being the rich, spoiled persona into a "hero" protagonist. It was a little too much of a 180 turn-around for me. I did enjoy the action but not much else. None of the other characters were developed to any extent, so the antagonists were one-dimensional. The climax had a lot of action but because the villains were so hastily introduced, it fell somewhat flat. The great "reveal" was ho-hum for me.
I've read other FitzSimmons stories and expected more. I will read his next looking for the strength he showed in his last series.
The story started slowly with first-person narration by the protagonist, a 21 yr old named Chance. At 16, he suffered a traumatic kidnapping that ended in his death. He was revived as a clone, with his memories downloaded, yet he has no recollection of the kidnapping because he wasn't able to upload his memories of that time. His brother Marley was also killed and revived, but couldn't deal with the gap in his memory, and decided to end his life without another revival. Chance's parents' marriage ended in a bitter divorce due to the kidnapping and fall-out, and Chance had to navigate life alone without his older brother or parents.
For Chance, not knowing what actually happened made him feel like he was not "real" and it drove him to substitute reckless and dangerous activities for actually living and being. He came off as a immature, attention-seeking persona without respect for his life because he knew he would be revived if he died. He had no job but put his stunts on social media to make money. FitzSimmons did a great job of painting his character as a spoiled, dysfunctional rich kid who wasn't particularly likeable, but that maybe you could feel some sympathy toward because he was left alone to deal with all that happened. That being said, I think FitzSimmons spent far too many chapters establishing Chance's character and the current state of his life. It was tedious and somewhat boring after the first 3 chapters.
Almost half-way through the story, FitzSimmons finally started writing an adventure with twists and turns involving Chance and the kidnapping mystery. Chance evolved from being the rich, spoiled persona into a "hero" protagonist. It was a little too much of a 180 turn-around for me. I did enjoy the action but not much else. None of the other characters were developed to any extent, so the antagonists were one-dimensional. The climax had a lot of action but because the villains were so hastily introduced, it fell somewhat flat. The great "reveal" was ho-hum for me.
I've read other FitzSimmons stories and expected more. I will read his next looking for the strength he showed in his last series.
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