Frenzy

Glenn Lazar Roberts

Average Rating 8/10 (1 Review)

Don't go in alone!

The top-floor hurricane party went well - until the freakish storm forced the party-goers into the Cancer Research Institute's basement. Now their only escape is through a labyrinth of barely-lit tunnels that are rapidly flooding. Pretty biologist Carmen Niles leads the others through the maze, and falls into a deadly scheme to sabotage the Institute's experiments, involving a biker drug gang, psychics, stock fraud, and one-minute piranhas made by experimental computer 'genechips'. Few heed Ed’s warnings that this water is from the spirit world, and that their best protection will not be science, but charms and incantations.

Brisk dialogue and a tight roller-coaster plot that leaves the reader guessing from one plot twist to the next until the very last page and paragraph.

'A plot worthy of the movies', say reviewers in this speculative sci-fi novel based on the ideas of the famous physicist Stephen Wolfram.

Review by Molly Martin (310817) Rating (8/10)

Review by Molly Martin
Book Source: Not Known
Rating 8/10
A massive hurricane is nearing Houston, Texas as Glenn Lazar Roberts Frenzy commences.

Carmen Niles, Carm, is relatively troubled to know that while countless of the residents of the area are by now firming their plans to leave before the storm hits, and schools are closed; she and fellow employees at MacDonald Cancer Research Institute are not only projected to come to the work site; but are to be prepared to conceivably even stay for possibly extended hours during the storm.

Carm, microbiologist, recently remarried widowed wife, and mom; drops Cheyenne and Burke at day-care despite their avowals of not wanting to go, touches base with new husband Carl who has just returned Houston following a business trip, and is now stuck in traffic on the other side of town, before she starts her day working in the lab.

In a short time the storm hits with full force, Carmen, hurricane party attendees bidden by Carl, along with varied Research Institute personnel take shelter in the high-rise building’s underground area where they soon learn to their dismay; they are stuck for at least 24 hours due to the Institute security device triggered when Carm places a research genechip in the computer to deliver clarification to the party goers concerning just what type research is being conducted at the site.

The Reader is carried along on a frantic rush beginning in the computer lab, out into the swiftly flooding tunnels through a little used access all but forgotten below the streets of Houston, as Carm ventures into the route with a mixed group of revellers in an effort to locate a way to reach street level via the passageways.

Writer Roberts explains "my third novel, Frenzy, is the first and only novel to be based on Houston's underground pedestrian tunnel system (yes, most tunnels are underground), a horror/sci-fi tale that builds on the ideas of the physicist Stephen Wolfram".

Roberts presents a diverse assemblage of characters beginning with Carm, the now and then rattled researcher desperate to reach safety and pinpoint her children, in addition to an enigmatic couple; the man with owl round eyes and woman with stealthily turning grey hair, over and above the hurricane party goers some of whom Carm recognized, but none she recognized by name.

There were computer programmer Cliff, a black man clad in brown slacks, Terry and Cracker, two young men garbed in outback shorts, Terry’s green-eyed, spouse Melanie who favours tons of lipstick, along with the amulet toting Ed, and, Marlena, both of whom disavow knowing Carl and insist the other invited them to the festivity.

Bill of ABI Construction who is keen on cowboy hats did the rewiring for the Institute site, is there as well. Armani suited Gary is a law office partner with Frost, Lank, and Frere. The attorney group represents biotech firms.

Alice is an employee of the genomic transference technology Institute and elderly Nicholas MacDonald is the person in charge of the Institute. Because MacDonald will be joining the Mayor’s re-election party held in the tunnel area; it is left to Carm to show Gary the ‘Monster Mash’ cellar area housing the computer core of the Institute. Scrubs attired Ruben, keeps the computers humming.

Genechips, the focus of the research, are kept in a large plastic tray. Action filled writing moves the Reader rapidly from one situation to another, characters are presented some disappear along the way, Carm, and a minor collection of party goers continue in their mission to find exodus out of the tunnels.

Frenzy seems to this reviewer more avant-garde, and not so much science fiction in sense of the word, nonetheless the genechips and their usage does lend to that appellation.

A copiously established account Frenzy is jam-packed with anticipation, some a good bit of manufacturing scheming, intrigue and espionage, stock fraud, and pure greedy machinations abound. Characters are well-fleshed, some are amiable others are not, even a biker drug running gang, as well as, a cluster of homeless people appear in the tunnels.

Imagery is well defined, note – Houston does actually have a series of tunnels where shops, eateries and the like are situated. Author Roberts has merged them with aplomb into his narrative.

Conclusion of the chronicle may hold a few surprises for Readers, heads up - watch for clues to keep on the right track.

While not really my genre, I did find the theme provocative, set down in clear comprehensible prose, the writing maintains reader interest from opening paragraphs and keeps the reader turning the page to the end of the book.

Interesting Read. Recommended for the target audience of those who like a bit of the avant-garde, and/or Science Fiction.
Molly Martin (31st August 2017)