Cellmates

Rating:
Summary: Burton knows his stuff
Review: As the former Chief of Neurology at Mount Zion Medical Center, Burton knows his stuff. While Burton' second novel, Doc-in-a-Box, shows off his medical expertise, Cellmates does it in a subtle way that is compelling and informative, without being overdone. The scariest thing about Cellmates is that it's based on reality. What would you do if you woke up tomorrow and found there were nine identical "you's" running around? Now, what would you do if one of the nine is a socio-path set out to kill his brothers? Read Cellmates

Rating:
Summary: Cellmates is a great thriller: 10!!
Review: Given all of the recent publicity surrounding the cloning of humans, I picked up Robert Burton's new book, Cellmates. This is a fast, furious read that not only makes you think about it's inevitable possibilities, but also the repercussions.

Rating:
Summary: Predictable
Review: I found that the characters are likeable. The general pace of the book such that it made the book a fast read. However, the plot, as promising as it was, was completely predictable. If you are a hardcore mystery buff, I would definitely go elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: Believe the Hype:
Review: I read a review of Cellmates in People Magazine and then immediately came to Amazon.com. I agree with what people have said about it. This book deals with a very poignant issue in an intelligent manner with just the right mixture of shrills, chills, and even a touch of humor. The last scene with the showdown is terrific.I read a review of Cellmates in People Magazine and then immediately came to Amazon.com. I agree with what people have said about it. This book deals with a very poignant issue in an intelligent manner with just the right mixture of shrills, chills, and even a touch of humor. The last scene with the showdown is terrific.

Rating:
Summary: Zero suspense
Review: Once again an author takes a fantastic idea for a novel and totally messes it up in the writing. It is as bad as it can be withou being totally horrible. The premise is interesting and intriguing and full of promise for a great story. But alas, this one fall short of its promise. Should you read it? I think so, just to get the premise and story basics into your own mind. The reader can do a better job of rewriting the story in ones head so that it reaches closer to its original potential.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic premise but not well written or developed..
Review: Once again an author takes a fantastic idea for a novel and totally messes it up in the writing. It is as bad as it can be withou being totally horrible. The premise is interesting and intriguing and full of promise for a great story. But alas, this one fall short of its promise. Should you read it? I think so, just to get the premise and story basics into your own mind. The reader can do a better job of rewriting the story in ones head so that it reaches closer to its original potential.

Rating:
Summary: Terrible job
Review: The plot sounded promising, but the author failed to deliver. The characters are ridicilously unbelievable. There are ten 28 year-old men, and none of them have a normal lifestyle - one is a monk, one is a professional clown, one gambles at Las Vegas casinos for his income, one lives in the woods as a recluse, etc. Give me a break... Also, the dialogue is rushed and choppy. I had a hard time believing that Artie would take a two hour flight to have a two minute, uneventful conversation with one of his clones.

Most importantly, perhaps, is that the killer is purposefully revealed in the first 80 pages. I was hoping for a mystery where the reader has to guess which of the clones was the culprit. That was not the case. The only reason I read further was to be introduced to the rest of the Artie Singleton "zoo" (the ten characters) for a good laugh. In that sense, the book was entertaining (hence, the second star). Otherwise, it was a major disappointment.

Rating:
Summary: Awful writing and a predictable finish
Review: There aren't too many good things to say about this book. In summary, there are ten clones, all scattered throughout the West Coast, one of which is trying to kill the other nine. The problem is, the author tells you which one is the killer towards the beginning, which eliminates all suspense. The characters are poorly developed and not credible. Only one of the ten 28-year old clones has a real job (the others live in the woods as hermits or have joined various religious sects). It was difficult to relate to any of them. Even Artie, the main character, works in a virtual reality-type game shop with a Bozo-the-clown looking girlfriend (at least that's the way she was described in the book). Again, not very believable.

File this book under science fiction. Or, better yet, file in the recyclable heap, which might be more appropriate.

Rating:
Summary: Zero suspense
Review: This book had absolutely no suspense. Early on it is revealed which one of the ten clones is the killer, and after that you have 200+ pages of filler until the final "showdown" between Artie and the murderer. Predictably, Artie wins.

Along the way, the other eight clones are all killed, mostly at their own homes. Artie finds out about each murder by traveling from one clone's house to the next, whereby he finds one dead body after another. There are no clues left at the scene. So, only by process of elimination does Artie realize who the killer is (there are nine other clones: once he finds the eighth victim, he crosses him off his checklist and has his answer). If this entire premise seems silly, then don't waste your time reading the book. It has nothing to do with cloning in today's society.

One thing I'd like to know: how does a guy who runs a comic book shop have the money to book flights, one day in advance, from San Francisco to Seattle, then to Portland, then back to San Fran, then to Las Vegas, then to LA, then back to San Fran, etc. - all in about a two-week span. That would have cost about $10,000.

Rating:
Summary: Zero suspense
Review: This book had absolutely no suspense. Early on it is revealed which one of the ten clones is the killer, and after that you have 200+ pages of filler until the final "showdown" between Artie and the murderer. Predictably, Artie wins.

Along the way, the other eight clones are all killed, mostly at their own homes. Artie finds out about each murder by traveling from one clone's house to the next, whereby he finds one dead body after another. There are no clues left at the scene. So, only by process of elimination does Artie realize who the killer is (there are nine other clones: once he finds the eighth victim, he crosses him off his checklist and has his answer). If this entire premise seems silly, then don't waste your time reading the book. It has nothing to do with cloning in today's society.

One thing I'd like to know: how does a guy who runs a comic book shop have the money to book flights, one day in advance, from San Francisco to Seattle, then to Portland, then back to San Fran, then to Las Vegas, then to LA, then back to San Fran, etc. - all in about a two-week span. That would have cost about $10,000.