P.E.A.C.E.

Rating:
Summary: Big Brother IS watching you
Review: A very disturbing view of future world, where police wear 'sleeper' guns which are, in theory, supposed to put you into a light sleep and calm you down. But what if the drugs used in the gun are not as innocent as they seem? Guy Holmes explores the (grim prediction for) future with breathtaking detail. This stuff sounds so real, that I am afraid that, few years from now, we will be walking the streets we only read about.

Rating:
Summary: You Can Almost Smell New York
Review: Guy Holmes has taken an engaging political topic and painted an in-your-face kind of story. What could really happen if "big brother" watched too often and inserted too much control in our lives. This book's setting is very New York; you can almost smell the city, but without an overkill in adjectives. The novel is written in a straight forward, almost sticatto form. Quick, pointed, and simple. The plot sets up well, and the character's relationships are built well for a solid working novel. There are only a couple of awkward moments in the story where the characters are dreaming or seeing others around them supernaturally that the story line takes a brief and unusual, maybe unrealistic detour. The plot is strong and heroic, however, and keeps you attentive and interested through the entire novel. Good work Guy!

Rating:
Summary: Totally mind blowing
Review: I managed to get a preview copy of this book, and totally loved it. PEACE has loads of action, and really cool conspiracy/big brother stuff, it's actually a bit chilling at some points. Along with the action and thrills, I really dug the characters and story. I am waiting for a sequel.

Rating:
Summary: Totally mind blowing
Review: I managed to get a preview copy of this book, and totally loved it. PEACE has loads of action, and really cool conspiracy/big brother stuff, it's actually a bit chilling at some points. Along with the action and thrills, I really dug the characters and story. I am waiting for a sequel.

Rating:
Summary: P.E.A.C.E. is hellatious!
Review: In a future New York City everyone lives in a surveillance state where video cameras record everywhere in subways & streets, elevators & offices; everything from vandalism, burglary & murder & the NYPD wield innovative & much-touted tranquilizer guns. The Police Enforced Anti-Crime Environment(P.E.A.C.E.) seems to be working perfectly - crime is down & the citizenry seems content.

Everyone says those tranquilizer guns are harmless, they simply stun perps for the few seconds needed to restore peace. One of New York's elite undercover agents is not so sure. During a fracas in the subway he had accidently tranqed his partner who began showing strange symptoms & ended up in hospital, dead.

In a heart-pounding, ungodly vision of the future of Big Brotherhood, Guy Holmes' maiden novel paints a deadly, intricate dabble into the profit of science & experiments, politics & justice. A satisfying & thought-provoking read! Do check out my site for my full review - & eInterview with this new author!

Rating:
Summary: P.E.A.C.E. COULD COME TRUE
Review: In light of the recent tragic events I began thinking of this book which I read a while back. As we (rightly) edge our way to becoming more of a security state to protect ourselves from terrorism the scenario laid out in Holmes's novel set in New York city (massive video surveillance linked to facial recognition technology linked to behavioral recognition neural networks) looks frighteningly relevant. Though this technology is only begining to be effectively used and is just entering the American public's conciousness it is obvious that it may become a vital part of our future. Holmes touches on the possible (probable?) abuse of this invasive "Big Brother" technology but he doesn't take this obvious route and looks into more subtle and complex underpinnings for the conspiracy which propels the plot. In this regard, I strongly disagree with the previous review. In questioning the saftey of a widely embraced but untested technology Holmes takes a route less predictable but still exciting (you have to read the book to get the details but a good present day analogy might be the massive proliferation of cell phones). There's a secret government and enough conspiracy here to make even the most trusting of us a little paranoid. With recent events I took a second look at this novel. Though a fun, can't-put-it-down kind of read, P.E.A.C.E is also the type of book that can change the way you look at our future.

Rating:
Summary: Great police procedural
Review: The law abiding citizens of New York City welcomed the Police Enforced Anti-Crime Environment (P.E.A.C.E.) system that placed surveillance cameras all over town. Although freedoms were surrendered for safety, most New Yorkers have been elated with the results of their new surveillance system that has dramatically reduced crime.

While monitoring cameras watching over the subway, police officer Mac Wells and his partner Sam Mullane notice a crime in progress. They quickly arrive at the scene, but during the ensuing fight, Mac accidentally tranquilizes Sam, which is a minor inconvenience. However, a few days later, Sam stunningly dies. A guilt wracked Mac clandestinely makes inquiries starting with the so-called safe stun gun, which soon leads the former loyal cop into uncovering something sinister about P.E.A.C.E. Now his former employers assign Mac's former peers to make Mac meet with an accident.

P.E.A.C.E. is a fast-paced futuristic police procedural thriller that will provide much satisfaction to sub-genre fans who don't mind loose subplots. The action-packed story line takes a close look at the issue of safety vs. First Amendment rights with the major advancements in technology making "Big Brother" quite feasible. Although the characters including Mac never quite seem real, the story line packs quite a wallop as Guy Holmes cleverly relates his basic theme of who watches the watcher.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Shallow and unconvincing.
Review: The problem with this book is that the setting has almost nothing to do with the plot or character. So it's an orwellian world. Surveillance cameras are everywhere, all susupicious moves are screened out by pattern matching and suspects are immediately identified.

And then, the special unit named PEACE will nail the suspect using a tranquilizer gun. The city became safer, less crimes. Fine.

You would imagine that this sort of setting would lead to an Orwellian dystopia, where people's freedom is compromized under a police rule. No. The only problem is that there is some side effects with the tranquilizer and the hero goes after it. and then he uncovers this huge conspiracy...

But even after everything is revealed, I can't really understand the problem. So why not use another tranquilizer??! That's all there is to it. Everything else about this system, according to this story, is just peachy. Really?

The story avoids all difficult issues about this sort of setting, and just does this tough good guy (with a beautiful wife) against a big conspiracy. I don't think the characters and the plot are well worked out. He devotes a chapter about a news reporter's past, you think he's an important character, but he doesn't do ANYTHING. Why bother? The final battle seen, where somehow, the major characters come together, is totally unbelievable.

I regret the time I spent on this story. I wouldn't want other people to repeat that waste.