ENCLAVE by KAREN HANCOCK: When Lacey McHenry accepts a prestigious research fellowship at the world-renowned Kendell-Jakes Longevity Institute, she sees it as a new start on life. But a disturbing late-night encounter with an intruder leads to an unexpected cover-up by Institute authorities, and she soon realizes there's more going on than she ever imagined.
She finds a supporter in genetics researcher Cameron Reinhardt. However, Reinhardt is a favorite of the Institute's director, and she can't help wondering if he, too, is in on the cover-up. The brilliant but absentminded researcher turns out to have his own secrets, some of them dark and deadly.
She finds a supporter in genetics researcher Cameron Reinhardt. However, Reinhardt is a favorite of the Institute's director, and she can't help wondering if he, too, is in on the cover-up. The brilliant but absentminded researcher turns out to have his own secrets, some of them dark and deadly.
I hate to be negative, but I just couldn't get into this novel. While I realize Mrs. Hancock is a wonderful writer, this particular story seemed to have so much going on that it became muddled up for me...I couldn't find a place to hold on to in the story, an anchor for my interest, I suppose. I didn't particularly care about the characters or where the plot was going.
Maybe its just my own preferences here...I'm used to her fantasy and found it more enjoyable, personally.
3 comments:
Honestly, many of the elements of "Arena" and her past novels were recycled within this book. And her writing's excellent and thoroughly engaging. But I felt the story itself and it's characters felt similar to elements of her past novels. Karen Hancock's Legend of the Guardian series transcended these recycled elements and brought the characters more to life. Instead of having them fit a certain pattern to reflect the struggle of faith.
James, I think it's interesting to see the varying reactions. I prefer fantasy myself, but was easily engaged with the story. I wonder if it's because the protagonist is a woman. (I may have just opened up the whole discussion again about the way men and women differ in our approach to fiction.)
Becky
I have always wanted to like Karen Hancock's books, and I've never been able to do so. I really did want to like them! I love fantasy, I want to promote the ladies that write fantasy, but I couldn't in good conscience do so with Karen's work.
Becky--I'm a fantasy lovin female, and I want explosions and battles and all kinds of impending doom and switchbacks and betrayals, losses compounded by frustrations compounded by overwhelming odds. I want desperate hopes, and characters willing not to make it to the end of the story.
What is it you look for in a story?
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