Fringe

The Burning Man (Fringe #2) By: Christa Faust

The Burning Man

The Burning Man (Fringe #2) By: Christa Faust

Plot:

The critically acclaimed Fringe television series explores the dramatic and grotesque as impossible crimes are investigated by the government’s shadowy Fringe Division, established when Special Agent Olivia Dunham enlisted institutionalized “fringe” scientist Walter Bishop and his globe-trotting son, Peter, to help in investigations that defy all human logic – and the laws of nature. Author Christa Faust (Choke Hold, Supernatural) is working hand-in-hand with the television writers to create new adventures uncovering the secrets of the series. The first novel revealed how Walter Bishop and William Bell discovered the drug Cortexiphan–and the alternate universe! Book two will explore how Olivia Dunham first was subjected to Cortexiphan experiments, with catastrophic results.

Review:

There were some really horrific moments in this book. Lots of unnecessary death, though, I guess it wasn’t technically unnecessary because it did a great job of making the bad guy seem unhinged.

The last part of the book was lots of gore and disgusting Sci-Fi stuff. Not what I normally like to read to be honest, though it’s normal for the Fringe universe.

I didn’t find this book as interesting as the first one. It was well written and seemed in character, but it was somehow more graphic. I felt helpless a lot of the time while reading, there was so much bad going on and none of it was being resolved.

The epilogue brought closure and picked up shortly before the TV show started. I’m curious to see what happens in Peter’s book, but I’m not in a hurry to read it.

3.5/5

 

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The Zodiac Paradox (Fringe #1) By: Christa Faust

fringe-the-zodiac-paradox

The Zodiac Paradox (Fringe #1) By: Christa Faust

Plot:

In 1971 university students Walter Bishop and William Bell use an exotic chemical compound to link their subconscious minds. Unexpectedly, they open a rip in space through which comes a menace unlike any our world has ever seen – the Zodiac Killer. His singular goal is death, and it falls to Bishop, Bell, and Nina Sharp to stop him.

Review:

A couple months ago I re-watched Fringe and immediately after doing that I wanted MORE! So I searched and found this series. As anyone that has read book adaptations of non-book worlds knows they can be hit or miss. I’ve loved some Star Trek books and hated others, the same with the Fable video game books. However, I really wanted more in the world and bought the first one, without reading the blurb, not sure why I did that.

I should have been clued in by the title but I was still surprised that the book was about the Zodiac Killer. I’ve read some books on serial killers that of course mention the Zodiac but it’s been a few years so I couldn’t tell you if the facts were right. Honestly, I don’t think it matters.

The story was interesting and revolved around Walter, Bell, and Nina. It was nice to see them younger and see the beginning of… everything really. You saw Bell and Nina get it on for the first time and their more than romantic bond begin. You also saw the beginning of Cortexiphan.

I was unsure of the depiction of Walter. In most of the flashbacks that I remember in the TV show he seemed very focused on Science, but not as absent minded or crazy as he seemed in this book. I thought the crazy didn’t happen until they took the part out of his brain. He was the moral center of this book, but was easily overruled by Bell and Nina, which I don’t really see becoming the character that is in such control in the TV show before the brain slice.

I liked seeing Walter again but I’d really like to read more about the other characters. This was definitely a prequel to the TV show and I’m never too fond of those, however, it was nice to see the origins in this case.

4/5

Re-Watch Fringe (2008-2013)

Fringe

Fringe (2008-2013)

Network:

Fox

Starring:

Anna Torv

Joshua Jackson

John Noble

Jasika Nicole

Plot:

A television drama centered around a female FBI agent who is forced to work with an institutionalized scientist in order to rationalize a brewing storm of unexplained phenomena.

Review:

Fringe was one of those shows I came too late, but once I got into it I watched every week. It took a couple of false starts, but by the time I got into the second season I loved it.

It’s been a little while since it was off the air and when I saw that Netflix had the entire series on streaming I decided to go back and experience the episodes back to back.

Binge watching really exposes a shows flaws and how much a story changes. The first few episodes of the show had a real X-Files vibe going on, which turned me off the first time I tried to watch it. If I want X-Files I’ll watch X-Files. Once you get past those episodes, though, it really gets its own feel.

In season four of Fringe there was an episode that came out of the blue. In the previous episode, The Consultant, there were some major plot points with the main bad guy David Robert Jones (basically a terrorist that wants to reboot the world). You’re thinking awesome what’s going to happen next, but the following episode, Letters of Transit, has them in the 2063 and has nothing to do with the story arc. The episode would have worked better as the season finale as a sort of this is what you have to look forward to, but I’m sure there was some sort of network bullshit that caused the episode to be aired at that time. Whatever the reason it’s episodes like that which made the show difficult for viewers to just jump into.

So much happens in the show that things that would cause a continuous ripple effect in any other show are almost forgotten three episodes down the line. Which is fun but like I said, makes it hard for random people to just jump in. Now that it’s on Netflix I hope it gets more attention and people discover the gem that it is.

4.5/5