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James Patterson has done it again in this
riveting, pulse pounding, edge of your seat thriller.

It’s been years since I picked up a James Patterson novel and, honestly, I can’t understand why I ever stopped. I have some serious respect for Patterson as an author, he has such an incredible gift for writing, and I will be keeping my eye out for more of his books.

If you’re looking for one hell of a story? I firmly recommend you give this one a try.

By the end of this book, these authors will have you questioning the possibility of a future where the conveniences we’ve grown to rely so heavily on, may just become our downfall.

Trigger Warning! Graphic content, Gore, Child Abuse, Suicide, Death, Murder

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The Noise: A Thriller by James Patterson & J. D. Barker

First line: The forest had a particular scent to it, a dewy moistness off the Columbia River mixed with Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, red cedar, hemlock, and maple.

Sixteen year old Tennant and her eight year old sister, Sophie, live in a small settlement hidden deep in the shadows of Mount Hood. Just under two hundred people, survivalists, live simple lives off the grid with the girls and their family. Until everything changes.

While out hunting, a terrible noise begins, slowly building until the pain of it becomes unbearable. Just when Tennant believes she can no longer withstand the agony, the girls parents arrive, they’re rushed into one of the towns cellars and closed in, falling unconscious beneath the weight of the tortuous sound.

Later, when they both awaken, it’s to find a world much changed. Their home is gone, their parents have disappeared, and Sophie’s behavior is becoming more and more aggressive.. unstable.

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An unlikely group of experts in everything from astrophysics to geology are brought in by the military to identify and determine a solution for the strange occurrence. They’re given no information and told to form their own theories separately.

Dr. Martha Chan, a brilliant psychologist, becomes quickly frustrated with all the secrecy and lack of information.. Until she arrives at the settlement. Where once there were buildings, there is now only destruction, the people? Missing or dead. Nothing is left untouched by whatever devastation visited this small town and it’s up to these specialists to find out why.

Five Stars!

The sound grew louder.
Deafening.
A crescendo of screams.
As if every human, animal, and creature of Mother Earth all cried together in fevered pain.

I can see where some might have found this book repetitive but.. to sustain such a consistent level of intensity throughout? That’s a gift.

James Patterson has always been an on again, off again author for me and, while I enjoyed his ‘Maximum Ride’ series, some of his others were.. not to my taste. Fortunately? This one was!

Tennant Riggin: sixteen years old
Sophie Riggin: eight years old
Dr. Martha Chan: a psychologist – study them
Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Fraser: a career military man – contain them
Sandford Harbin: climatologist

Alternating POV’s of Tennant, Martha, Fraser, and Harbin.

About the book:

Deep in the mountains of Oregon, a small community lives tucked away from the modern world.

While out hunting, sisters Tennant and Sophie are immobilized by a strange and overwhelming sound. It screams its way through their minds, overpowering, all consuming.. as they lay helplessly in the woods. They’re found by their parents who quickly carry the girls to an old cellar, leaving them in the darkness as the frightening noise leaves them unconscious.

When they wake, the world they knew is gone irrevocably, replaced by a nightmare far greater than anyone could have imagined.

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Overall:

This book starts off with a bang.

We’re almost immediately introduced to this intense situation where the two girls are in immense pain, paralyzed by this horrible sound, and under the threat of being buried alive in the cellar they’ve been left in for safety. I’d say that’s one heck of an opening.. but was Patterson able to keep that tension throughout?
Absolutely.

There are some graphic descriptions of bloody, gore filled scenes.

Upon leaving the cellar they find nothing but death and ruin, followed by the traumatic discovery of (what they believe is) their Poppa’s corpse, among others.

I was hooked.

The characters each had their own distinct voices, were well developed, and served a distinct purpose in the storyline. I liked Martha. She’s stubborn, brave, and independent. She has her moments of weakness but pushes past them and keeps moving forward. Fraser is intelligent, driven, and fair. He runs a tight ship and expects orders to be obeyed. He even showed a good amount of patience when dealing with the civilians, mostly the stubborn, questioning Martha but has no interest in wasting time arguing.
Being very familiar with military life.. I found that quite entertaining

Hands down one of my favorite reads this year.

At first the short chapters threw me off.. but it actually heightens the suspense and creates a deeper, more complicated storyline with each different perspective.

Patterson has this impressive ability to hit hard and fast, seizing you in these highly intense and unique stories. The characters are intelligent and interesting, the writing is top-notch, and the dark mystery of what lies behind ‘The Noise’ keeps you guessing until the very last.

Three cheers to these incredible authors for a job well done!

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If you enjoy fast paced, darkly addictive reads where the consequences of playing with forces beyond our comprehension backfires spectacularly. I highly recommend this book.

What are your thoughts on experimenting with things we don’t fully understand?
Where do we draw a line?

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