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Level 26 #1
Dark Origins
It is well known among law enforcement personnel that murderers can be categorized on a scale of twenty-five levels of evil, from the naive opportunists starting out at Level 1 to the organized, premeditated torture-murderers who inhabit Level 25.
What almost no one knows, except for the elite unnamed investigations group assigned to hunt down the world's most dangerous killers, a group of men and women accounted for in no official ledger, headed by the brilliant but reluctant operative Steve Dark, is that a new category of killer is in the process of being defined.
Only one man belongs to this group.
His targets:
Anyone.
His methods:
Unlimited.
His alias:
Sqweegel.
His classification:
Level 26.
What almost no one knows, except for the elite unnamed investigations group assigned to hunt down the world's most dangerous killers, a group of men and women accounted for in no official ledger, headed by the brilliant but reluctant operative Steve Dark, is that a new category of killer is in the process of being defined.
Only one man belongs to this group.
His targets:
Anyone.
His methods:
Unlimited.
His alias:
Sqweegel.
His classification:
Level 26.
406 pages, Hardcover
First published December 10, 2010
About the author
Anthony E. Zuiker
21 books155 followersAnthony Edward Zuiker is the creator and executive producer of the American television show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He produced all three editions of the CSI franchise: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami and CSI: NY. Besides his work on CSI, he also founded the murder mystery show Whodunnit?. He also assisted in the writing of Terminator Salvation. He is currently involved in Blackbox TV, a YouTube series and is the executive producer and writer of the web series Cybergeddon.
On September 8, 2009, Zuiker released Level 26: Dark Origins, a book with associated web-based motion picture and interactive elements which he termed a "digi-novel". Zuiker produced 20 cinematic cyber-bridges, which readers are prompted to view online using special codes embedded in the book's text every 20 pages or so.
On October 14, 2010, Level 26: Dark Prophecy was released and the third installment, Level 26: Dark Revelations was released in 2011.
On September 8, 2009, Zuiker released Level 26: Dark Origins, a book with associated web-based motion picture and interactive elements which he termed a "digi-novel". Zuiker produced 20 cinematic cyber-bridges, which readers are prompted to view online using special codes embedded in the book's text every 20 pages or so.
On October 14, 2010, Level 26: Dark Prophecy was released and the third installment, Level 26: Dark Revelations was released in 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 662 reviews
June 29, 2018
After finishing the whole series I still think that the first book was the best one. And I loved the videos those were super awesome. Would love to have more books like this.
Still, remember when I brought it to school with me and talked about it with my friends. One of the "catchy" phrases on the book cover was "Chat with the killer". Which meant that there is a video of the detective chatting with the killer. And my friends were like; you should be really careful! Chatting with a killer! What are you thinking? :D
Fun times.
Still, remember when I brought it to school with me and talked about it with my friends. One of the "catchy" phrases on the book cover was "Chat with the killer". Which meant that there is a video of the detective chatting with the killer. And my friends were like; you should be really careful! Chatting with a killer! What are you thinking? :D
Fun times.
January 10, 2011
I don't ask for any kind of literary high-mindedness when I read throw-away modern crime novels. This book, however, has some of the worst prose I have ever read, but the scene where the killer flenses the hair in his anus was a treat.
Duane Swierczynski writes amazing comic books. He does. You should go out and pick up his runs on Immortal Iron Fist and Werewolf by Night: In the Blood. What you should absolutely avoid is this "interactive" novel that he co-wrote with the creator of, ugh, the television show CSI.
I feel like the scripts and teleplays from episodes of CSI, the worst crime drama/recreation ever to air on television, would make for more literary read than this book. The hack writing of the show would be easier to follow and only half as convoluted.
The premise drew me in enough to make me pick the book up instead of straight out selling it on amazon.com when it came in the mail from a book club I belong to. A Level 26 killer, a new kind of killer that surpasses all other killers ever known to man. This is a new breed of killer because the scale stops at 25. Problem with this premise? No killer ranked currently surpasses level 22 currently and the killer in the book is no exception.
There is nothing that this killer does that outranks Gacy or Gary Ridgway. I'm not saying that this isn't brutal, but it doesn't match the premise. The killer only eludes the police for nearly 30 years, which, as most people know, Ridgway almost did as well.... so.... yeah...
What makes this killer different? Absolutely nothing. It couldn't be sold on it's own merit so it had to come up with a selling point and I admittedly fell for it. But about 30 pages in I began to realize that the book wasn't what it had claimed. So instead of getting something new, we get a rehashing of Thomas Harris' Red Dragon, and that is really all this book is.
What I would have preferred was a very single-minded killer and an in-depth analysis of the killer and motives. Instead, he kills anyone he wants. This is supposed to make him more dangerous. What it makes him is unbelievable and cartoonish. You want a good serial killer book, or at least a decent one? Read Red Dragon. Better yet, watch serial killer movies like Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and Maniac. Or read one of the many non-fiction books on actual serial killers because they are actually worth the time and energy and all the more shocking for being REAL.
Take this book and flense someone's anus with it.
Duane Swierczynski writes amazing comic books. He does. You should go out and pick up his runs on Immortal Iron Fist and Werewolf by Night: In the Blood. What you should absolutely avoid is this "interactive" novel that he co-wrote with the creator of, ugh, the television show CSI.
I feel like the scripts and teleplays from episodes of CSI, the worst crime drama/recreation ever to air on television, would make for more literary read than this book. The hack writing of the show would be easier to follow and only half as convoluted.
The premise drew me in enough to make me pick the book up instead of straight out selling it on amazon.com when it came in the mail from a book club I belong to. A Level 26 killer, a new kind of killer that surpasses all other killers ever known to man. This is a new breed of killer because the scale stops at 25. Problem with this premise? No killer ranked currently surpasses level 22 currently and the killer in the book is no exception.
There is nothing that this killer does that outranks Gacy or Gary Ridgway. I'm not saying that this isn't brutal, but it doesn't match the premise. The killer only eludes the police for nearly 30 years, which, as most people know, Ridgway almost did as well.... so.... yeah...
What makes this killer different? Absolutely nothing. It couldn't be sold on it's own merit so it had to come up with a selling point and I admittedly fell for it. But about 30 pages in I began to realize that the book wasn't what it had claimed. So instead of getting something new, we get a rehashing of Thomas Harris' Red Dragon, and that is really all this book is.
What I would have preferred was a very single-minded killer and an in-depth analysis of the killer and motives. Instead, he kills anyone he wants. This is supposed to make him more dangerous. What it makes him is unbelievable and cartoonish. You want a good serial killer book, or at least a decent one? Read Red Dragon. Better yet, watch serial killer movies like Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and Maniac. Or read one of the many non-fiction books on actual serial killers because they are actually worth the time and energy and all the more shocking for being REAL.
Take this book and flense someone's anus with it.
July 30, 2022
1º que leo de estos autores y me ha resultado bastante entretenido. Si, parece una mezcla de CSI y sobre todo de mentes criminales. 8/10
October 1, 2009
I started out with high hopes for this book, but the further I got into it, the worse it became. It's in the category of great idea, poorly executed. There's so much wrong with this book I don't even know where to begin. First of all, the idea of a Level 26 killer. It's interesting, but in the end, he's no different than one of Dr. Michael Stone's Level 22 killers. The only thing that makes him "special" is that they couldn't catch him for 30 years. Well, look how long it took to catch BTK and he's only a 22. Also, his motives weren't even anything new, just the same old religious nutcase ramblings of most other fictional serial killers. Squeegle was creepy as hell, I'll give you that, but I couldn't even call him terrifying because sometimes, he was just plain comical, especially when the videos are added in.
The continuity errors are the biggest problem in the book. If you go to the book's website, you'll see that Zuiker has started a contest for finding the most errors. I thought this was kind of funny at first, but really... There shouldn't BE that many errors, especially that many huge errors. I was pulled out of the story so often by the errors that it was hard to really just go with it. The biggest mistake he made was trying to give timelines. None of his timelines match up. He tells us in the beginning about one of Squeegle's "earliest" kills... In 1990. This is the mother in the car wash. Except, it's 2009 in the story. A couple pages before 1990, he tells us Squeegle has been killing for over twenty years. 1990 to today is less than twenty. Then, later, we're told his earliest is 1979, which makes it 30 years. Also, he tells us that Dark spent a year after his family's murder on a rampage, trying to find Squeegle. It's made clear that it was either a full year or a better part of a year. So how is it that Dark has been with Sibby for a year and a half, when he met her AFTER the year he spent in various places? Continuity is a HUGE problem here, and I expect better. There is no way a book like that, priced so high, should make it onto the shelves with as many problems as there were.
On top of all that, some things just don't make sense. Most of Wycoff's actions don't make sense, neither does his ability to do these things. Much like Squeegle at times, Wycoff was mostly just cartoonish, reminding me of some mustache twirling villain in a cartoon. I just could not like this book. The further I went in, the more I wished it was over. I stopped watching the videos about halfway through. They were mostly unnecessary, and sometimes they even made the continuity issues worse. I give Zuiker credit for the concept. He tried something new. It just didn't work, at least for me. I will be staying away from future digi-novels, and unless the editors working with him learn how to do their jobs, I'll not be reading anything else Zuiker puts out. I just can't have respect for an author that doesn't have enough respect for me as a reader to give me quality work. Next time, he should be more focused on the actual writing and not just on his super cool new idea.
The continuity errors are the biggest problem in the book. If you go to the book's website, you'll see that Zuiker has started a contest for finding the most errors. I thought this was kind of funny at first, but really... There shouldn't BE that many errors, especially that many huge errors. I was pulled out of the story so often by the errors that it was hard to really just go with it. The biggest mistake he made was trying to give timelines. None of his timelines match up. He tells us in the beginning about one of Squeegle's "earliest" kills... In 1990. This is the mother in the car wash. Except, it's 2009 in the story. A couple pages before 1990, he tells us Squeegle has been killing for over twenty years. 1990 to today is less than twenty. Then, later, we're told his earliest is 1979, which makes it 30 years. Also, he tells us that Dark spent a year after his family's murder on a rampage, trying to find Squeegle. It's made clear that it was either a full year or a better part of a year. So how is it that Dark has been with Sibby for a year and a half, when he met her AFTER the year he spent in various places? Continuity is a HUGE problem here, and I expect better. There is no way a book like that, priced so high, should make it onto the shelves with as many problems as there were.
On top of all that, some things just don't make sense. Most of Wycoff's actions don't make sense, neither does his ability to do these things. Much like Squeegle at times, Wycoff was mostly just cartoonish, reminding me of some mustache twirling villain in a cartoon. I just could not like this book. The further I went in, the more I wished it was over. I stopped watching the videos about halfway through. They were mostly unnecessary, and sometimes they even made the continuity issues worse. I give Zuiker credit for the concept. He tried something new. It just didn't work, at least for me. I will be staying away from future digi-novels, and unless the editors working with him learn how to do their jobs, I'll not be reading anything else Zuiker puts out. I just can't have respect for an author that doesn't have enough respect for me as a reader to give me quality work. Next time, he should be more focused on the actual writing and not just on his super cool new idea.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2021
Anthony E. Zuiker este creatorul binecunoscutului serial CSI. A produs toate cele patru ediții ale francizei CSI: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY și CSI: Cyber. Daca va numarati printre cei care urmaresc seriale la modul compulsiv atunci cu siguranta le-ati savurat pe toate. Ma asteptam asadar ca romanul de fata sa fie la fel de incitant si creativ.
Din cate am inteles, pe vremea cand a aparut, exista si un site level26.com unde cititorii se puteau autentifica cu parolele pe care le primeau dupa fiecare capitol si unde li se aratau diferite filmulete, insa, in prezent acesta nu se mai incarca. Asadar acest wow factor nu mai exista.
Exista in schimb romanul, care este destul de atroce, plin de violenta, cruzime, perversiuni si tot felul de lucruri groaznice, cum ar fi criminalul in serie care are un intreg ritual inainte de a ucide. El se imbraca intr-un un fel de costum din latex si inainte de asta, se rade pe tot corpul, inclusiv zonele sensibile si se unge cu 4 bucati mari de unt. De ce, va intrebati? Ca sa nu lase niciun fel de probe materiale din care sa i se determine identitatea. Imaginati-va cum ar fi sa stai uns cu unt direct dupa ras, cand ustura tot corpul, infasurat intr-o punga din latex, aburind de transpiratie - o oroare de neconceput. Mai si irosesti tot untul din casa, in loc sa-l pui la popcorn...
Nelasand niciun fel de urme, nimeni nu a reusit sa il prinda si astfel a infaptuit mai mult de 50 de crime ingrozitoare, victimele sale fiind in general femei.
Tom Riggins de la Dept. Cazuri Speciale FBI este zorit de catre presedinte sa il contacteze pe fostul agent Dark, singurul care a reusit sa se apropie cat de cat de "Monstrul". Acesta in schimb nu doreste sa revina, pentru ca ucigasul i-a omorat toata familia in trecut si nu si-a revenit din aceasta trauma. Totusi, cand "Monstrul" pune ochii pe sotia lui insarcinata agentul va fi nevoit sa intre in jocul dement al acestuia.
Agentul Dark este un tip inteligent si aratos, cam ca Adrien Brody, asa cum mi-am imaginat eu si va fi un adversar pe masura pentru temutul criminal in serie.
In ceea ce priveste titlul, acesta se refera la faptul ca exista 25 de nivele ale Raului dupa care ucigasii pot fi clasificati si ca nivelul 26 a fost special creat pentru "Monstrul".
In concluzie nu va recomand romanul, stilul este haotic, foarte dornic sa socheze cititorul intr-un mod violent dus pana la ilogic. Este presarat cu scene cu mult sange varsat, creieri imprastiati, violuri, oase zdrobite, tortura etc.
Personajele nu sunt interesante si nici foarte dezvoltate iar actiunea este cateodata haotica.
Cartea este presarata cu prea multa violenta fara rost, chiar si pentru cineva care are "stomacul" tare pentru asemenea lucruri. Iar criminalul in serie reprezinta o dezamagire, neavand nimic atragator sau memorabil. Inafara scenei cu untul, bineinteles.
Din cate am inteles, pe vremea cand a aparut, exista si un site level26.com unde cititorii se puteau autentifica cu parolele pe care le primeau dupa fiecare capitol si unde li se aratau diferite filmulete, insa, in prezent acesta nu se mai incarca. Asadar acest wow factor nu mai exista.
Exista in schimb romanul, care este destul de atroce, plin de violenta, cruzime, perversiuni si tot felul de lucruri groaznice, cum ar fi criminalul in serie care are un intreg ritual inainte de a ucide. El se imbraca intr-un un fel de costum din latex si inainte de asta, se rade pe tot corpul, inclusiv zonele sensibile si se unge cu 4 bucati mari de unt. De ce, va intrebati? Ca sa nu lase niciun fel de probe materiale din care sa i se determine identitatea. Imaginati-va cum ar fi sa stai uns cu unt direct dupa ras, cand ustura tot corpul, infasurat intr-o punga din latex, aburind de transpiratie - o oroare de neconceput. Mai si irosesti tot untul din casa, in loc sa-l pui la popcorn...
Nelasand niciun fel de urme, nimeni nu a reusit sa il prinda si astfel a infaptuit mai mult de 50 de crime ingrozitoare, victimele sale fiind in general femei.
Tom Riggins de la Dept. Cazuri Speciale FBI este zorit de catre presedinte sa il contacteze pe fostul agent Dark, singurul care a reusit sa se apropie cat de cat de "Monstrul". Acesta in schimb nu doreste sa revina, pentru ca ucigasul i-a omorat toata familia in trecut si nu si-a revenit din aceasta trauma. Totusi, cand "Monstrul" pune ochii pe sotia lui insarcinata agentul va fi nevoit sa intre in jocul dement al acestuia.
Agentul Dark este un tip inteligent si aratos, cam ca Adrien Brody, asa cum mi-am imaginat eu si va fi un adversar pe masura pentru temutul criminal in serie.
In ceea ce priveste titlul, acesta se refera la faptul ca exista 25 de nivele ale Raului dupa care ucigasii pot fi clasificati si ca nivelul 26 a fost special creat pentru "Monstrul".
In concluzie nu va recomand romanul, stilul este haotic, foarte dornic sa socheze cititorul intr-un mod violent dus pana la ilogic. Este presarat cu scene cu mult sange varsat, creieri imprastiati, violuri, oase zdrobite, tortura etc.
Personajele nu sunt interesante si nici foarte dezvoltate iar actiunea este cateodata haotica.
Cartea este presarata cu prea multa violenta fara rost, chiar si pentru cineva care are "stomacul" tare pentru asemenea lucruri. Iar criminalul in serie reprezinta o dezamagire, neavand nimic atragator sau memorabil. Inafara scenei cu untul, bineinteles.
February 23, 2010
Ick, ick and ick. I heard about this book before it came out and it sounded interesting. That was until I actually saw the book and noticed that it describes itself as "from the visionary creator of CSI." Wow. Self-glorify much?
He's said in interviews that he believes books need to "evolve" to keep up with television and video viewing and this is his plan to move reading forward into the new age. I say books are fine. Leave them alone.
He's said in interviews that he believes books need to "evolve" to keep up with television and video viewing and this is his plan to move reading forward into the new age. I say books are fine. Leave them alone.
November 10, 2010
Review ex-posted on my blog:
Before I even start, let me just get it out there:
LEVEL 26 IS A MUST READ!!! DON'T HESITATE OR CONTEMPLATE, JUST GO GET IT!!!!!!
Alright, reading this book is like nothing else that you're ever read. It is an experience. You don't simply read this novel, you live it! You fear for the victims, an you're scared crapless by the killer. Every 20 pages or so of the novel, provides with a code that you put in at level26.com. This unlocks a video clip that enhances the reading experience. The clips enable you to witness the characters fears, and the monster's thought process!
Sweegel is the CREEPIEST, STRANGEST criminal I've ever seen! He's unlike anything you've ever seen before and that combined with Zuiker's writing style makes this novel extremely captivating. I read all 400 pages in ONE NIGHT! There was no way I could put down the book until I knew whether or not a certain someone lives, or if Sweegal is caught and how! But this book is only the first book in a series, so there's an INSANE cliff-hanger at the end! I don't know how I'm going to wait for book 2! I CAN NOT WAIT!!!
By the way, Did I mention that Level 26 is a MUST READ!!!! I did? Well, it's worth mentioning over and over. IT'S A MUST READ!!!!!
Before I even start, let me just get it out there:
LEVEL 26 IS A MUST READ!!! DON'T HESITATE OR CONTEMPLATE, JUST GO GET IT!!!!!!
Alright, reading this book is like nothing else that you're ever read. It is an experience. You don't simply read this novel, you live it! You fear for the victims, an you're scared crapless by the killer. Every 20 pages or so of the novel, provides with a code that you put in at level26.com. This unlocks a video clip that enhances the reading experience. The clips enable you to witness the characters fears, and the monster's thought process!
Sweegel is the CREEPIEST, STRANGEST criminal I've ever seen! He's unlike anything you've ever seen before and that combined with Zuiker's writing style makes this novel extremely captivating. I read all 400 pages in ONE NIGHT! There was no way I could put down the book until I knew whether or not a certain someone lives, or if Sweegal is caught and how! But this book is only the first book in a series, so there's an INSANE cliff-hanger at the end! I don't know how I'm going to wait for book 2! I CAN NOT WAIT!!!
By the way, Did I mention that Level 26 is a MUST READ!!!! I did? Well, it's worth mentioning over and over. IT'S A MUST READ!!!!!
June 30, 2021
Qué puedo decir? mmmm... difícil opinar... lectura trepidante: SI, adictiva: SI, te mantiene en vilo, en tensión, queriendo saber que ocurre a continuación: DESDE LUEGO QUE SI, por qué sólo 3 estrellas, pues es una lectura muy peliculera, tira mucho de estereotipos y de recursos muy muy utilizados, no profundiza demasiado en la historia de cada personaje, es fuerte, en el ejemplo de thriller, desde luego que aparecería este título, recomendable? si, pero partiendo de que el fin es entretener, no os va a dar que pensar, lectura de verano.
November 29, 2009
Didn't love this. It was not particularly well written: the characters were shallow and there was no effort made to give back story or an explanation for how the villain became the man he was. It was full of stock characters and charicatures. What there was was an effort to disgust and offend the sensibilities of any decent person by listing horrible crime after horrible crime then describing the horrors of the killer's secret chamber at the end. It was the written equivalent of a slasher film, all shock and gore and no depth of story or character.
Then, there is the online aspect of the book. Disbursed throughout the text, there are code words doled out that you can use to "unlock" some tidbit of video on their website. Firstly, you have to join the website to do it and provide personal information; the codewords are not enough. Secondly, the videos do nothing to enhance the story or the characters. They are either prurient or pointless. I didn't make it through half of them. The acting was not particularly skillful, nor the casting appropriate. In particular, the casting of a circus contortionist as the serial killing mad man didn't work at all. He was somewhat frightening (2 dimensional, but frightening) in the book, but just comic in the videos.
I enjoy crime dramas usually. My previous opinions are not because I am easily shocked or overly moralistic. It is the forensic science combined with the intuition and reasoning of the investigators I find fascinating, yet somehow this novel, written by the CSI creator no less, managed to skip most of that all together.
I'd call it a disappointing miss. Don't bother.
Then, there is the online aspect of the book. Disbursed throughout the text, there are code words doled out that you can use to "unlock" some tidbit of video on their website. Firstly, you have to join the website to do it and provide personal information; the codewords are not enough. Secondly, the videos do nothing to enhance the story or the characters. They are either prurient or pointless. I didn't make it through half of them. The acting was not particularly skillful, nor the casting appropriate. In particular, the casting of a circus contortionist as the serial killing mad man didn't work at all. He was somewhat frightening (2 dimensional, but frightening) in the book, but just comic in the videos.
I enjoy crime dramas usually. My previous opinions are not because I am easily shocked or overly moralistic. It is the forensic science combined with the intuition and reasoning of the investigators I find fascinating, yet somehow this novel, written by the CSI creator no less, managed to skip most of that all together.
I'd call it a disappointing miss. Don't bother.
January 28, 2018
Leider eine große Enttäuschung! Mir wurde das Buch vor Jahren mal als "super kranker Thriller" empfohlen bei dem "man ängstlich Nachts im Bett liegt"..... Für mich war es einfach nur ein schlecht geschriebenes Buch, was versucht mit Ekel und vermeintlich schockierende Taten des Mörders Angst zu erzeugen. Für mich war es aber die meiste Zeit einfach nur lächerlich. Gleichzeitig sind die handelnden Personen nicht wirklich sympathisch für mich und ihre Taten oft so unfassbar vorhersehbar und unsinnig!
Das Ende weist auf Teil 2 hin (Dunkle Prophezeihung), welchen ich aber ganz sicher nicht lesen werde! Teil 3 auch nicht :)
Schade, denn die Idee mit den Kurzvideos, die man zwischendurch schauen kann war neu für mich und ganz spannend. Leider ist die Qualität der Videos (Schauspieler und teilweise Art der Darstellung) auch nicht sonderlich gut. Den Mörder fand ich darin eher albern als gruselig.
Schade, schade....
Das Ende weist auf Teil 2 hin (Dunkle Prophezeihung), welchen ich aber ganz sicher nicht lesen werde! Teil 3 auch nicht :)
Schade, denn die Idee mit den Kurzvideos, die man zwischendurch schauen kann war neu für mich und ganz spannend. Leider ist die Qualität der Videos (Schauspieler und teilweise Art der Darstellung) auch nicht sonderlich gut. Den Mörder fand ich darin eher albern als gruselig.
Schade, schade....
January 22, 2016
What a concept, read the story and watch short videos online that enhance the story. I really wanted to like this book but found myself disgusted with the cliche's early on. An old, hard as nails, cop who is only months from retirement and a washed up drunk who is suddenly the only person in the world who can catch a killer, are teamed up to solve the case. The killer has a God complex and thinks he has been sent by god to commit these crimes. I've read that all before. I was ready to give up on this book early but I really hate having books in my abandoned list so I continued reading. The story is full of holes and there are things that are never explained, we never find out where the killer gets his money for example. The online videos were barley worth the effort to watch, the directing was extremely bad, the acting was fair with some known actors in small parts, the problem was the information. Some of the videos show you information before it appears in the book and some of them are from scenes that are not even in the book. I had hoped that the videos would give hints and clues that would add to the story but you could read the book without going online and not miss anything.
Once I decided that I was not going to abandon this book, I discovered that everything in the book didn't have to be perfect for me to enjoy it. When I read stories about people visiting alien worlds, I have to suspend reality to a certain degree, I had to do the same with this book before I could enjoy it. Once I got past a few of the boring cliche's, I realized that despite myself, I was completely caught up in the story and couldn't wait to get to the next video.
Level 26 was a weird experience for me. After reading the jacket cover, I thought this was a fantastic idea and I couldn't wait to start reading it. After reading the first four chapters I was ready to abandon Level 26 because it didn't seem to have anything new in the storyline worth the effort to read it. Now that I have finished Level 26, I think it was a pretty interesting experience and I will probably continue reading the trilogy.
Once I decided that I was not going to abandon this book, I discovered that everything in the book didn't have to be perfect for me to enjoy it. When I read stories about people visiting alien worlds, I have to suspend reality to a certain degree, I had to do the same with this book before I could enjoy it. Once I got past a few of the boring cliche's, I realized that despite myself, I was completely caught up in the story and couldn't wait to get to the next video.
Level 26 was a weird experience for me. After reading the jacket cover, I thought this was a fantastic idea and I couldn't wait to start reading it. After reading the first four chapters I was ready to abandon Level 26 because it didn't seem to have anything new in the storyline worth the effort to read it. Now that I have finished Level 26, I think it was a pretty interesting experience and I will probably continue reading the trilogy.
September 8, 2009
Currently there are 25 levels to categorize serial killers. One is someone who just stumbles into killing. Twenty-Five would describe the sadistic psychopaths who find pleasure in suffering. Now imagine that one person has become even more evil than the serial killers you've heard about in the past? Imagine someone who has absolutely no compassion, no feeling, not even a soul. A person lacking all these characteristics is out there and because he doesn't seem to show any of the "normal" traits of a killer it impossible to catch him. This psycho has a name. It's Sqweegel.
The one person who has the ability to catch this criminal is Steve Dark. In a state of mourning, thanks to the psycho, Dark is through with law enforcement and wants no part of the chase. But when the lives of his friends at the department are threatened, Dark decides to step in again. Will he be able to stop this madman before several other murders take place? Or will the world live in fear of Sqweegel until the day they die?
To sum up this book in one word, is impossible. But for some reason, I'm the type of person that loves the impossible and do everything I can to try and make it possible. So as you've probably guessed, I've been doing some hardcore thinking (I know what your thinking, and yes it caused a massive headache, LOL) so as I pondered and looked through the dictionary (no I didn't really look in the dictionary but shhh, it's our secret) and the word that jumped out at me was: WOAH! Yes, all caps and an exclamation point.
This is really difficult to review. Not only is there a book to read but at about every twenty pages, you can log onto www.level26.com and enter a password & watch a clip that will tie in with that section of the book. If you're a CSI fan, this book is probably shouting at you through your monitor, right now, saying "BUY ME, READ ME, LOVE ME". The author Anthony E. Zucker is the award-winning creator, producer, and writer of CSI, CSI: Miami, and CSI: NY.
So, to be completely honest, this book scared the crap out of me!
The one person who has the ability to catch this criminal is Steve Dark. In a state of mourning, thanks to the psycho, Dark is through with law enforcement and wants no part of the chase. But when the lives of his friends at the department are threatened, Dark decides to step in again. Will he be able to stop this madman before several other murders take place? Or will the world live in fear of Sqweegel until the day they die?
To sum up this book in one word, is impossible. But for some reason, I'm the type of person that loves the impossible and do everything I can to try and make it possible. So as you've probably guessed, I've been doing some hardcore thinking (I know what your thinking, and yes it caused a massive headache, LOL) so as I pondered and looked through the dictionary (no I didn't really look in the dictionary but shhh, it's our secret) and the word that jumped out at me was: WOAH! Yes, all caps and an exclamation point.
This is really difficult to review. Not only is there a book to read but at about every twenty pages, you can log onto www.level26.com and enter a password & watch a clip that will tie in with that section of the book. If you're a CSI fan, this book is probably shouting at you through your monitor, right now, saying "BUY ME, READ ME, LOVE ME". The author Anthony E. Zucker is the award-winning creator, producer, and writer of CSI, CSI: Miami, and CSI: NY.
So, to be completely honest, this book scared the crap out of me!
April 2, 2013
I regret that I have to say I finished this book. I don't particularly like slasher/torture books, for the same reason I don't go to slasher movies. I should have stopped at the book cover. Unfortunately once I start a book, I almost feel compelled to finish it. Sigh... Oh, well - warning there is a spoiler later on in this review.
The bad guy is creepy, extremely so. The good guy, named Dark, is an emotional wreck, based on a previous encounter with the bad guy. How's that for a natural set up? Of course, something the bad guy does 'forces' Dark to join in the chase.
So, the only thing that makes Dark part of the human race is his new wife, who,just happens to be pregnant. Can you guess what the plot is?
What I don't get, is how these sick twisted freaks, who spend all their time plotting and performing gruesome murders, can be so loaded with money, they can have several places, or homes, hire private jets to fly all over the world...
There are a few inconsistencies in this novel... We are expected to believe there is an secret organization in our government whose job it is to assassinate American citizens (well, on the other hand with the Obama administration, maybe that isn't too far fetched). In one sequence in the story., the good guy seems to magically appear to thwart one of the torture scenes, but the bad guy escapes - it's not explained how Dark knew where to go, etc. And then when Dark's wife is kidnapped, and tortured and killed, there is almost no reaction, other than he killed the creep. And then he goes to the next case. Wow! From emotional cripple to fully functioning crime solver. I don't get it, his foster family killed by the serial killer - he collapses into booze and self-pity; but the love of his life is killed, brutally, and he becomes a mighty crime fighter.
Won't read the next in the series.
The bad guy is creepy, extremely so. The good guy, named Dark, is an emotional wreck, based on a previous encounter with the bad guy. How's that for a natural set up? Of course, something the bad guy does 'forces' Dark to join in the chase.
So, the only thing that makes Dark part of the human race is his new wife, who,just happens to be pregnant. Can you guess what the plot is?
What I don't get, is how these sick twisted freaks, who spend all their time plotting and performing gruesome murders, can be so loaded with money, they can have several places, or homes, hire private jets to fly all over the world...
There are a few inconsistencies in this novel... We are expected to believe there is an secret organization in our government whose job it is to assassinate American citizens (well, on the other hand with the Obama administration, maybe that isn't too far fetched). In one sequence in the story., the good guy seems to magically appear to thwart one of the torture scenes, but the bad guy escapes - it's not explained how Dark knew where to go, etc. And then when Dark's wife is kidnapped, and tortured and killed, there is almost no reaction, other than he killed the creep. And then he goes to the next case. Wow! From emotional cripple to fully functioning crime solver. I don't get it, his foster family killed by the serial killer - he collapses into booze and self-pity; but the love of his life is killed, brutally, and he becomes a mighty crime fighter.
Won't read the next in the series.
May 9, 2011
There are so many errors in this book that it's almost unreadable. The timeline makes no sense. Some things are refernced as 20 years ago, but the current year makes it impossible, shoddy editing at best. Also, I don't think anyone can put together two shatter glass doors by himself in just a few hours.
I thought that a digi book by the creator of one of my favorite shows would be amazing, but all i got from this was boring and predictable. The videos were cheesy and I stopped logging in early on because I really just didn't care anymore.( plus i must add that I was extremely annoyed that I had to register to watch the videos. The website is hard to navigate and made the bad book more frustrating.)They did little to add to the scenes or progress the story and it actually took me out of the story to log in and wait to watch a video that was predictable and often cut out before it ever got interesting.
No where does this killer make me thing that he should be classified as a level 26 and smearing butter on your body and shaving your anus was just unnessisary . . like most of the creepy scenes that just made me want to hurl this book out the window. The author goes way out of his way to make the story sound overly macho and listening to it on audio was even worse. Really I can't believe that this book made it to publication.
Moreover I would not reccommend this book to anyone, and am upset that what could have been a neat idea was so poorly executed.
I thought that a digi book by the creator of one of my favorite shows would be amazing, but all i got from this was boring and predictable. The videos were cheesy and I stopped logging in early on because I really just didn't care anymore.( plus i must add that I was extremely annoyed that I had to register to watch the videos. The website is hard to navigate and made the bad book more frustrating.)They did little to add to the scenes or progress the story and it actually took me out of the story to log in and wait to watch a video that was predictable and often cut out before it ever got interesting.
No where does this killer make me thing that he should be classified as a level 26 and smearing butter on your body and shaving your anus was just unnessisary . . like most of the creepy scenes that just made me want to hurl this book out the window. The author goes way out of his way to make the story sound overly macho and listening to it on audio was even worse. Really I can't believe that this book made it to publication.
Moreover I would not reccommend this book to anyone, and am upset that what could have been a neat idea was so poorly executed.
October 19, 2021
My thoughts in a nutshell
I can't remember exactly where this book was recommended to me, but I know I was looking for something like Chris Carter.
Compared to him, I would not have given this book 3 stars.
Compared to itself, however, it was a good book.
I really liked the audio book. It was full of sound effects and scary music.
The story itself was interesting. The serial killer is portrayed as a very clever character. He was scary to read about.
I didn't really get excited about the plot because it felt preordained.
At times there was no logic to the story. The main detective was not sympathetic.
The ending was interesting. Even though I have seen there are two other parts, I will not continue to read the series.
February 11, 2010
Level 26 was a breathtaking psychological thriller. Steve Dark is a former member of Special Circumstances, a section of the FBI that the public will never hear about. Special Circs investigates the worst of the worst in serial killers and often its agents are short-time members due to burnout, insanity or death. Steve Dark left because of all three. As the best agent, he was assigned the most difficult cases and his last case was to hunt down and eliminate a Level 26 killer named Sqweegel. Unfortunately, the predator became the prey and after a close encounter between the two where Dark almost killed Sqweegel, the killer took revenge by gruesomely murdering Dark's entire foster family. This led to Dark's departure until he is forced to return by the highest members of government and Sqweegel himself. Their cat-and-mouse game of death and destruction pushes Dark to the furthest reaches of his mind and soul leaving a wake of destruction that can be compared to nothing seen before.
This story was filled with dynamic characters, eerie settings and a lightning paced plot that kept me gasping for more. Coupled with the unique internet clips which are accessed using codes found throughout the book, Level 26 was an unstoppable thrill ride. Steve Dark is an ideal protagonist. He is damaged and moody and fills the shoes of a traumatized agent brilliantly. His intensity sets the tone for the book and his interactions with the secondary characters are riveting. Tom Riggins and Constance Brielle are stellar in their understated way of sympathizing with Steve and understanding his past and present transgressions. Steve Dark is a man on the edge of sanity and his counterpart Sqweegel is a perverse version of insanity. Sqweegel is the most evil of all killers ever to be found on the planet. His killing is indiscriminate and his methods are brutal and often disgusting. The trail of violence left in his wake is astounding and oftentimes I found myself stunned by the level of creepiness the author was capable of putting into words. Pitting these two men against each other is fantastic. Their cat-and-mouse chase is terrifying and the constant shifts in the plot left me off balance far into the book. A real question of who will win the battle is laid forth and the battle itself is astounding. Throw in a satisfying yet tantalizing ending and the promise of a second book in the series and Level 26 is easily one of the best books I have encoutered in a while. A solid 5 star rating if I have ever read one. I would highly recommend this book to fans of the thriller genre however I will throw a warning in there for those who dislike gore. This book is disturbing in its content at times and is not for the faint of heart!
This story was filled with dynamic characters, eerie settings and a lightning paced plot that kept me gasping for more. Coupled with the unique internet clips which are accessed using codes found throughout the book, Level 26 was an unstoppable thrill ride. Steve Dark is an ideal protagonist. He is damaged and moody and fills the shoes of a traumatized agent brilliantly. His intensity sets the tone for the book and his interactions with the secondary characters are riveting. Tom Riggins and Constance Brielle are stellar in their understated way of sympathizing with Steve and understanding his past and present transgressions. Steve Dark is a man on the edge of sanity and his counterpart Sqweegel is a perverse version of insanity. Sqweegel is the most evil of all killers ever to be found on the planet. His killing is indiscriminate and his methods are brutal and often disgusting. The trail of violence left in his wake is astounding and oftentimes I found myself stunned by the level of creepiness the author was capable of putting into words. Pitting these two men against each other is fantastic. Their cat-and-mouse chase is terrifying and the constant shifts in the plot left me off balance far into the book. A real question of who will win the battle is laid forth and the battle itself is astounding. Throw in a satisfying yet tantalizing ending and the promise of a second book in the series and Level 26 is easily one of the best books I have encoutered in a while. A solid 5 star rating if I have ever read one. I would highly recommend this book to fans of the thriller genre however I will throw a warning in there for those who dislike gore. This book is disturbing in its content at times and is not for the faint of heart!
November 1, 2011
If you are looking for a fast-paced, graphic thriller, then you might love this book. If you are looking for character depth and believability, I would not recommend this one.
I had several problems with this story. The main character, Steve Dark, is fairly young with a pregnant wife. They live in a million dollar home with no financial worries, yet neither of them appear to work. Sqweegel, the serial killer, also has total financial independence. We are never given explanations for how any of them live so well without ever working.
I felt Sqweegel's character was far too superhuman. He is omniscient, able to know everything and sneak everywhere without ever once slipping up even a tiny bit. He has access to all sorts of technology and, apparently, is able to easily infiltrate the lives of high ranking government officials. None of this is ever explained.
There are other aspects I thought were too convenient for the story or too over-the-top. I won't name them all because that would give away too much of the story.
This book offers little in the way of hope and pretty much no happiness. It is nonstop action, graphic violence, and emotional turmoil. The end leaves us hanging, nudging us on to book two in the series.
I had several problems with this story. The main character, Steve Dark, is fairly young with a pregnant wife. They live in a million dollar home with no financial worries, yet neither of them appear to work. Sqweegel, the serial killer, also has total financial independence. We are never given explanations for how any of them live so well without ever working.
I felt Sqweegel's character was far too superhuman. He is omniscient, able to know everything and sneak everywhere without ever once slipping up even a tiny bit. He has access to all sorts of technology and, apparently, is able to easily infiltrate the lives of high ranking government officials. None of this is ever explained.
There are other aspects I thought were too convenient for the story or too over-the-top. I won't name them all because that would give away too much of the story.
This book offers little in the way of hope and pretty much no happiness. It is nonstop action, graphic violence, and emotional turmoil. The end leaves us hanging, nudging us on to book two in the series.
June 23, 2023
Weird
This book was really weird. I'm not really interested in reading the rest of the series. It is a very morbid book and just not my style
This book was really weird. I'm not really interested in reading the rest of the series. It is a very morbid book and just not my style
September 19, 2009
I like the concept of this book, but the execution left me cold. There is a web site connected to this book, where you can go and watch video; however you first need to sign up with your email and relevant information. Hated that idea, but did it anything to see what the hoopla was about. The first video was really suggestive and horrible in content. The rest were less so.
The writing was okay, but nothing special. It seems Mr. Zuiker and his co-author are interested in being really gory and explicit. Not my cup of tea.
The writing was okay, but nothing special. It seems Mr. Zuiker and his co-author are interested in being really gory and explicit. Not my cup of tea.
May 30, 2021
Nad hodnocením této knihy jsem musela chvilku přemýšlet a nakonec jsem se rozhodla jen pro 2* a důvodů je hned několik.
1. Stránky, na kterých se máte dívat na klipy, kterou jsou součástí této knihy, už neexistují. Musela jsem je tedy hledat na netu. V knize je sice zmíněno, co v tom klipu bylo, ale jen v určité míře (někdy se to pořádně rozebere, ale většinou je tam vážně jen zmínka a nic víc). Občas jsem tedy měla pocit, že mi chybí souvislost.
2. Časová linka, o kterou se se autor snažil, nedává žádný smysl. Párkrát je zmíněno, že první vražda byla v určitém roce (teď si přesně nevybavuji kdy) a později zmíní, že v tom samém roce vraždil už několik let. Dalším příkladem je to, že Darkovi před 2 lety vyvraždili rodinu a on se vydal konant pomstu na vlastní pěst a tak to bylo cca rok. Jenže teď je ženatý s dítětem na cestě a manželku zná více jak rok. Jenže když se poznali, tak už pomstu vzdal.
3. Tahle knížku by měla mít tunu varování - znásilnění, mučení, vraždy dětí, týrání a vraždy zvířat, atd. V průběhu čtení toho je tam vážně spousta a většinou opakovaně.
4. Skřípal je náš vrah a zdá se, že to je jeho jediný úděl. Přesto má prostředků na rozdávání. Vážně by mě zajímalo, kde bere ty peníze, protože vraždí po celém světě.
Nesrovnalostí a dalších věcí jsem si začala všímat hlavně v druhé polovině. Věřte mi je toho víc, ale nemám sílu to tu všechno vypisovat. První půlka (možná ani ne) byla docela zajímavá, ale pak to šlo z kopce a to ve velkém stylu.
Možná si někdy zkusím přečíst druhý díl, přeci jen mám celou sérii ve své knihovně. Ale na základě této knížky je velká pravděpodobnost, že to bude DNF.
1. Stránky, na kterých se máte dívat na klipy, kterou jsou součástí této knihy, už neexistují. Musela jsem je tedy hledat na netu. V knize je sice zmíněno, co v tom klipu bylo, ale jen v určité míře (někdy se to pořádně rozebere, ale většinou je tam vážně jen zmínka a nic víc). Občas jsem tedy měla pocit, že mi chybí souvislost.
2. Časová linka, o kterou se se autor snažil, nedává žádný smysl. Párkrát je zmíněno, že první vražda byla v určitém roce (teď si přesně nevybavuji kdy) a později zmíní, že v tom samém roce vraždil už několik let. Dalším příkladem je to, že Darkovi před 2 lety vyvraždili rodinu a on se vydal konant pomstu na vlastní pěst a tak to bylo cca rok. Jenže teď je ženatý s dítětem na cestě a manželku zná více jak rok. Jenže když se poznali, tak už pomstu vzdal.
3. Tahle knížku by měla mít tunu varování - znásilnění, mučení, vraždy dětí, týrání a vraždy zvířat, atd. V průběhu čtení toho je tam vážně spousta a většinou opakovaně.
4. Skřípal je náš vrah a zdá se, že to je jeho jediný úděl. Přesto má prostředků na rozdávání. Vážně by mě zajímalo, kde bere ty peníze, protože vraždí po celém světě.
Nesrovnalostí a dalších věcí jsem si začala všímat hlavně v druhé polovině. Věřte mi je toho víc, ale nemám sílu to tu všechno vypisovat. První půlka (možná ani ne) byla docela zajímavá, ale pak to šlo z kopce a to ve velkém stylu.
Možná si někdy zkusím přečíst druhý díl, přeci jen mám celou sérii ve své knihovně. Ale na základě této knížky je velká pravděpodobnost, že to bude DNF.
April 6, 2018
Unbelievably dark and twisted. My kind of book. I certainly want to continue this series some day.
September 12, 2022
This guy is my worst nightmare!!
I need a good 10 RomCom to heal myself from this book.
I need a good 10 RomCom to heal myself from this book.
October 5, 2009
This book uses a new concept designed by the primary author, who is the creator of the TV show "CSI". The idea is that the book can stand alone as the first in a planned series of books, or the reader can choose to further immerse into the story via a website where you can see short films that purportedly bridge some small gaps between chapters in the story.
Honestly, I wasn't that interested in the multimedia experience, but I was interested in what the creator of one of my favorite TV shows would write. The story is about the hunt for a serial killer so heinous that the FBI created a new level just to rank him properly (Currently there are 25 levels, with 25 considered to be the worst, but this one is given level 26, hence the title of the book). They call him "Sqweegel", and only one man, Steve Dark, has come close to catching him. But Dark left the job when his personal price became too high. Now the FBI wants to lure him back to the job so he can get rid of this killer for good.
In my opinion, the book's biggest problem is that Sqweegel is not markedly worse than any other killer you may have happened across if you read a lot of crime books, true or fictional. It defies credulity in many parts, but it's not a non-fiction book either, so if you just go with it, you might be fine.
However, I'm on the fence about if I would read the next in the series when in comes out. This is because I made the mistake of going to the website to get the full multimedia experience. First, it forced me to sign up for an account, which I am never a fan of when I intend to be a passive viewer and not a participant, even if it is free. But that aside, the videos ruined the whole thing for me. It was badly overacted from the very first video. Sqweegel was more clownish than scary due to the film's insistence on using the actor's bizarre movement skills even when completely unneccessary, and such skills weren't in the book at all. For some films, the book promises aren't delivered on. For example, it says the reader will see security footage, but the clearly edited filming from multiple angles negated any belief that it was just simple security camera footage. Finally, many of the films didn't add anything to the storyline at all. For example, do we really need to see a video of a text message on a phone? The multimedia part seems to be geared towards readers who lack imagination.
If the full experience gets people to read when they don't normally read, then I don't suppose it's all bad, but I would recommend that others stick to the book and don't deviate like I did! Once you see the first video, you can't take it back, and it will likely color the rest of your reading experience if you haven't already finished the book.
Honestly, I wasn't that interested in the multimedia experience, but I was interested in what the creator of one of my favorite TV shows would write. The story is about the hunt for a serial killer so heinous that the FBI created a new level just to rank him properly (Currently there are 25 levels, with 25 considered to be the worst, but this one is given level 26, hence the title of the book). They call him "Sqweegel", and only one man, Steve Dark, has come close to catching him. But Dark left the job when his personal price became too high. Now the FBI wants to lure him back to the job so he can get rid of this killer for good.
In my opinion, the book's biggest problem is that Sqweegel is not markedly worse than any other killer you may have happened across if you read a lot of crime books, true or fictional. It defies credulity in many parts, but it's not a non-fiction book either, so if you just go with it, you might be fine.
However, I'm on the fence about if I would read the next in the series when in comes out. This is because I made the mistake of going to the website to get the full multimedia experience. First, it forced me to sign up for an account, which I am never a fan of when I intend to be a passive viewer and not a participant, even if it is free. But that aside, the videos ruined the whole thing for me. It was badly overacted from the very first video. Sqweegel was more clownish than scary due to the film's insistence on using the actor's bizarre movement skills even when completely unneccessary, and such skills weren't in the book at all. For some films, the book promises aren't delivered on. For example, it says the reader will see security footage, but the clearly edited filming from multiple angles negated any belief that it was just simple security camera footage. Finally, many of the films didn't add anything to the storyline at all. For example, do we really need to see a video of a text message on a phone? The multimedia part seems to be geared towards readers who lack imagination.
If the full experience gets people to read when they don't normally read, then I don't suppose it's all bad, but I would recommend that others stick to the book and don't deviate like I did! Once you see the first video, you can't take it back, and it will likely color the rest of your reading experience if you haven't already finished the book.
January 12, 2015
I found this book disappointing on at least two fronts. Number one, it really seemed to glorify the killer as opposed to law enforcement. And this is nothing like "Dexter," where the killer is the main character. Sqweegel is just too perfectly awful, with his skin tight crime suit (in white, no less, like a bride) and his time spent lurking in small uncomfortable spaces so as to be creepily in the "right" place at the "right" time. So he requires 4.5 pounds of butter to properly grease himself to get into the suit (which he seems to spend the majority of his time in)--who buys this butter and how the heck does he pay for it? (And does he escew eating, so as never to have to have a bowel movement? We see him obsessively fixing the suit, but not scrubbing it clean). He has multiple hidey-holes all over the place--who pays the mortgage/rent/taxes? He obviously has no time for gainful employment--he's much too busy studying every aspect of the life of the next victim. He has all these credit card accounts set up, but who covers the charges?
My second observation: this would have been much better as a TV show (not surprising, as the author was involved in CSI). I have the distinct impression that this book was cobbled together after it was rejected as a television script--he might as well make something out of the effort, mightn't he? I didn't use the digital aspects, as I truly feel that a book should be able to stand on its own two feet, without needing the crutch of a website to help it along.
So much of the plot seemed to be derivative from TV shows like "Criminal Minds"--Steve Dark seems to be based on Hotch from that show.
Not dreadfully original and I'm not sure I'll spend more time on the remaining books in the trilogy, despite some dangling threads that I'd like to see resolved. Thank the Goddess that I got if from the library instead of paying for it. Two rather grumpy stars.
My second observation: this would have been much better as a TV show (not surprising, as the author was involved in CSI). I have the distinct impression that this book was cobbled together after it was rejected as a television script--he might as well make something out of the effort, mightn't he? I didn't use the digital aspects, as I truly feel that a book should be able to stand on its own two feet, without needing the crutch of a website to help it along.
So much of the plot seemed to be derivative from TV shows like "Criminal Minds"--Steve Dark seems to be based on Hotch from that show.
Not dreadfully original and I'm not sure I'll spend more time on the remaining books in the trilogy, despite some dangling threads that I'd like to see resolved. Thank the Goddess that I got if from the library instead of paying for it. Two rather grumpy stars.
March 20, 2015
4-stars
Level-26 is a pretty radical book written by the man who created the television show CSI. There are even movie clips on the internet you're supposed to watch at specific times throughout the story. You don't have to watch them, though; I watched less than half of them due to internet connection issues, and I don't feel like I missed anything, but they're actually pretty cool.
If you've seen very much crime television programming on cable at all, you've probably come across a guy named Doctor Michael Stone. He's a forensic psychiatrist from Columbia University famous for developing a scale of evil which goes from, 1, "Those who have killed in self-defense, and who do not show traces of psychopathy" all the way up to level 22, "Psychopathic torture-murderers, where torture is the primary motive." This is like that, only the scale goes up to 25, and the story itself is about trying to capture the world's first and only known level-26 killer.
This isn't the type of book that going to win literary awards. As a matter of fact, I can't help but think of this type of book as "junk read" or a "trash read." But every now again I quite enjoy one of those. If you do too, you might want to check this out. I thought it had a very James Patterson-like feel to it. Good Patterson, though; Patterson at his best.
Level-26 is a pretty radical book written by the man who created the television show CSI. There are even movie clips on the internet you're supposed to watch at specific times throughout the story. You don't have to watch them, though; I watched less than half of them due to internet connection issues, and I don't feel like I missed anything, but they're actually pretty cool.
If you've seen very much crime television programming on cable at all, you've probably come across a guy named Doctor Michael Stone. He's a forensic psychiatrist from Columbia University famous for developing a scale of evil which goes from, 1, "Those who have killed in self-defense, and who do not show traces of psychopathy" all the way up to level 22, "Psychopathic torture-murderers, where torture is the primary motive." This is like that, only the scale goes up to 25, and the story itself is about trying to capture the world's first and only known level-26 killer.
This isn't the type of book that going to win literary awards. As a matter of fact, I can't help but think of this type of book as "junk read" or a "trash read." But every now again I quite enjoy one of those. If you do too, you might want to check this out. I thought it had a very James Patterson-like feel to it. Good Patterson, though; Patterson at his best.
March 8, 2010
I enjoyed this book. There were some things I was able to guess and figure out ahead of time, but it was certainly tense enough that I plowed through it in less than 24 hours! I've read some reviews that were frustrated with the characters, but I went into this expecting entertainment, and that's exactly what I got. If you are looking for the great American novel, this isn't it. But if you want a fun book FBI thriller, you'll enjoy Dark Origins. The cyber-bridges were a fun and interesting addition to reading! The only warning that I'd give is that if you aren't fond of the original CSI show, you probably won't enjoy the bridges.
June 20, 2010
Despite the odd spelling error and some time line stuff that didn't quite add up, I found this to be an intense thriller and I've read loads of serial killer stuff which is often predictable, but not the case here.
Original concept with the website tie-in, though I didn't bother with this, it stands up as a good crime-thriller without this element. Did wish there was some more explanation of the killers origins though, a few too many questions left unanswered!
Original concept with the website tie-in, though I didn't bother with this, it stands up as a good crime-thriller without this element. Did wish there was some more explanation of the killers origins though, a few too many questions left unanswered!
March 7, 2016
Dieses Buch hat mich fertig gemacht. Ich hätte absolut nicht damit gerechnet das dieses Buch so ekelhaft, abartig, creapy wird. Es war wirklich gut und spannend aber manchmal auch einfach nur schrecklich.
Für volle 5 sterne reicht es leider nicht, aber das kann im zweiten Teil ja noch werden! :)
Für volle 5 sterne reicht es leider nicht, aber das kann im zweiten Teil ja noch werden! :)
February 28, 2024
Level 26, three whole levels above any current serial killer or psychopath currently on file. Deadlier, crazier, smarter… or so we’re told. While the cover, and the epilogue of the book will lead you to believe this will be a dark, twisted story it’s just a run of the mill dad thriller. While it teases the worst of humanity, cowardly writing shies away from anything too graphic or intense, just in case it frightens away its boiled chicken audience. The villain, Squeegal, even with his infinite budget and borderline magic ability to leave no DNA and have cameras everywhere of which he uses to terrorize the most on the nose named man. So on the nose in fact, the writer has to use the word “Dark” again for something completely different.
It’s a bit elitist, a bit on that high horse but the best thing about a book is that it’s the purest method of story telling. Words on a page, usually but a single writer, mostly unmarred by additional influences. The author breaking that up to make you watch parts of the story in short film form really shows a lack of confidence in your own writing ability – which in this case was justified, to be fair. In a way, it’s ahead of its time, taking a break from a boring book to watch small clips as a pallet cleanser is common practice these days. I can’t speak on the quality of the films though, they have been taken off any official website and no one has cared enough to keep them all uploaded somewhere.
Everything else about this: characters, writing, plot all range from bad to okay. Occasionally even competent. Its fine, but with parts inaccessible it should probably not even hit the one star.
It’s a bit elitist, a bit on that high horse but the best thing about a book is that it’s the purest method of story telling. Words on a page, usually but a single writer, mostly unmarred by additional influences. The author breaking that up to make you watch parts of the story in short film form really shows a lack of confidence in your own writing ability – which in this case was justified, to be fair. In a way, it’s ahead of its time, taking a break from a boring book to watch small clips as a pallet cleanser is common practice these days. I can’t speak on the quality of the films though, they have been taken off any official website and no one has cared enough to keep them all uploaded somewhere.
Everything else about this: characters, writing, plot all range from bad to okay. Occasionally even competent. Its fine, but with parts inaccessible it should probably not even hit the one star.
May 26, 2024
This was horrible. I could have guessed from the blurb.
The prose is a nightmare, the characters, I would barely call them that, are walking cliches and the plot is predictable, stupid and extremely unoriginal.
This book tries so hard to be creepy, chilling and terrifing but just throws endless descriptions of gore at you that are just... bad and boring.
Don't waste your time on this, read any Stephen King book instead.
The prose is a nightmare, the characters, I would barely call them that, are walking cliches and the plot is predictable, stupid and extremely unoriginal.
This book tries so hard to be creepy, chilling and terrifing but just throws endless descriptions of gore at you that are just... bad and boring.
Don't waste your time on this, read any Stephen King book instead.
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