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Sam Dryden #2
Signal
In the middle of the night, ex-Special Forces operative Sam Dryden gets a urgent call from an old colleague, desperate for his help in a last-minute secret mission. Without a moment's hesitation, Dryden agrees. The two race to a remote shack in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, where they break in, rescue four girls before the kidnapper can harm them, then flee into the hills just seconds ahead of the arriving police and FBI team.
It's then that Sam Dryden learns the real secret behind this mission. His former teammate has been working security of a very special, very secret government project. A project that led to the development of a device which revealed what would have happened to the kidnapped girls if they hadn't intervened as they did. But as Newton's laws predict, for every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. There are some very bad people determined to get their hands on this device, and every time Sam uses it, now matter how well intentioned, there are hidden and unintended consequences. Consequences that threaten to rip apart his very world and everything that he holds dear.
It's then that Sam Dryden learns the real secret behind this mission. His former teammate has been working security of a very special, very secret government project. A project that led to the development of a device which revealed what would have happened to the kidnapped girls if they hadn't intervened as they did. But as Newton's laws predict, for every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. There are some very bad people determined to get their hands on this device, and every time Sam uses it, now matter how well intentioned, there are hidden and unintended consequences. Consequences that threaten to rip apart his very world and everything that he holds dear.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 7, 2015
378 people are currently reading
1964 people want to read
About the author
Patrick Lee
8books970followersThere is more than one author with this name
Patrick Lee was born in west Michigan in 1976.He started writing by working on screenplays but eventually moved to novel writing.
Patrick Lee was born in west Michigan in 1976.He started writing by working on screenplays but eventually moved to novel writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 380 reviews
November 6, 2017
4.5* - Sam Dryden received a call from his friend Claire, told to drive as fast as he can to reach her at a gas station, and to leave his phone behind. He heard the fear in her voice and knew there was trouble. He just didn’t know how much trouble, and before many hours had passed they would be fleeing for their lives. After eights years in the military together, Claire had joined the private security business where she stumbled upon something that would endanger all of civilization and threaten the lives of many. Sam spotted Claire’s Land Rover and jumped in quickly as she promptly roared onto the freeway at breakneck speed. Only some ten hours ago the headlines screamed out with the news that four little girls had been burnt to a crisp by their captor inside his broken-down and squalid trailer. Claire knew if she could get there posthaste, this time around, they could actually save them. Author Patrick Lee takes you on a wild ride with futures in doubt, somehow changed, and the rush to find The Group that are determined to rule the world. Highly entertaining, a huge rush of adrenaline, and a whole lot of rip-roaring action!
August 12, 2015
This book made my head hurt.
This latest Patrick Lee thriller follows Sam Dryden as he gets swept up in another dangerous game of cat-and-mouse. This time, Dryden's old friend Claire calls him to help rescue some girls being held captive, and next thing you know, Claire has been abducted and Dryden is running for his life.
Claire had found the girls before they were killed because she had access to a machine that could record radio signals from the future. Claire was on the run from bad guys who want the machine so they could control world events. Bwah-ha-ha!
Now it's up to Dryden to figure out how to stop them. Good thing he finds an FBI agent who can help!
I joked that this book made my head hurt because anything involving the time continuum gets a little screwy. For example, the machine records messages from exactly 10 hours and 24 minutes into the future. (Why so specific? No reason given, other than it fits into the fast pace of the book.) So Sam is able to prevent a few disasters from happening because he learned about the details 10 hours early.
But somehow the bad guys figured out how to read radio signals from decades ahead, which would allow them to influence future presidential elections, for example. And even though the bad guys are bad, they have a rule about not changing the past (which is also the present), only changing the future. Huh?
Also, Dryden can be conveniently forgetful. He is smart enough to disable all cell phones that could be tapped, but he forgets he could be tracked by the satellite navigation in his car? Durr.
Even though there are some silly plot holes, this is fun spy fiction. Dryden is like Jason Bourne � he's tough, wicked sharp, trained in special forces stuff, and now he's on the side of Good.
This is the fifth Patrick Lee book I've read, and while I like the guy's imagination and action-packed stories, I wish he would stop using the word hell so much. Scared as hell. Nervous as hell. Beat up as hell. Who the hell? Patrick, if you're reading this, I beg you to do a FIND search for "hell" in your next manuscript, and start rewriting. It would be a helluva thing if you could stop using hellish cliches.
Fun Quotes
"He tried to get his mind around it: what it meant to be up against an enemy who knew your mistakes before you even made them."
"You're already looking at this game the way I do ... Chess in four dimensions."
"How many times had the track of humanity been shifted by some one-off event, some unheard-of person? Like Gavrilo Princip. Like Vasili Arkhipov. The future was no different. History was a surprisingly workable medium, before it was written down."
This latest Patrick Lee thriller follows Sam Dryden as he gets swept up in another dangerous game of cat-and-mouse. This time, Dryden's old friend Claire calls him to help rescue some girls being held captive, and next thing you know, Claire has been abducted and Dryden is running for his life.
Claire had found the girls before they were killed because she had access to a machine that could record radio signals from the future. Claire was on the run from bad guys who want the machine so they could control world events. Bwah-ha-ha!
Now it's up to Dryden to figure out how to stop them. Good thing he finds an FBI agent who can help!
I joked that this book made my head hurt because anything involving the time continuum gets a little screwy. For example, the machine records messages from exactly 10 hours and 24 minutes into the future. (Why so specific? No reason given, other than it fits into the fast pace of the book.) So Sam is able to prevent a few disasters from happening because he learned about the details 10 hours early.
But somehow the bad guys figured out how to read radio signals from decades ahead, which would allow them to influence future presidential elections, for example. And even though the bad guys are bad, they have a rule about not changing the past (which is also the present), only changing the future. Huh?
Also, Dryden can be conveniently forgetful. He is smart enough to disable all cell phones that could be tapped, but he forgets he could be tracked by the satellite navigation in his car? Durr.
Even though there are some silly plot holes, this is fun spy fiction. Dryden is like Jason Bourne � he's tough, wicked sharp, trained in special forces stuff, and now he's on the side of Good.
This is the fifth Patrick Lee book I've read, and while I like the guy's imagination and action-packed stories, I wish he would stop using the word hell so much. Scared as hell. Nervous as hell. Beat up as hell. Who the hell? Patrick, if you're reading this, I beg you to do a FIND search for "hell" in your next manuscript, and start rewriting. It would be a helluva thing if you could stop using hellish cliches.
Fun Quotes
"He tried to get his mind around it: what it meant to be up against an enemy who knew your mistakes before you even made them."
"You're already looking at this game the way I do ... Chess in four dimensions."
"How many times had the track of humanity been shifted by some one-off event, some unheard-of person? Like Gavrilo Princip. Like Vasili Arkhipov. The future was no different. History was a surprisingly workable medium, before it was written down."
December 11, 2016
Let me say up front here I'm torn. I really wonder if I shouldn't drop this to 2 stars but then I tend to rate books right on the edge of dislike a 2. This needs the much lamented half star so i could go 2.5 I think.
I liked the first book about this character and this one opened in an interesting way with a scene that will pull you into the situation. That said after you do get started the book is so full of logical inconsistencies that the idea of suspending disbelief is a huge understatement.
If Doctor Who ever picks this thing up he'll blow a fuse...he'll have a double heart attack.
Look I know that any book which will hit certain problems. That said most books that attempt to deal with at least come up with an explanation as to why they can do impossible things.
I'll say a bit more in a longer spoiler tagged comment below but bottom line... It's "okay" but it drove me crazy and I considered putting it aside a few times.
I liked the first book about this character and this one opened in an interesting way with a scene that will pull you into the situation. That said after you do get started the book is so full of logical inconsistencies that the idea of suspending disbelief is a huge understatement.
If Doctor Who ever picks this thing up he'll blow a fuse...he'll have a double heart attack.
Look I know that any book which will hit certain problems. That said most books that attempt to deal with at least come up with an explanation as to why they can do impossible things.
I'll say a bit more in a longer spoiler tagged comment below but bottom line... It's "okay" but it drove me crazy and I considered putting it aside a few times.
July 12, 2017
zabavan ljetno-akcijski akcić s SF elementima
nije me ni blizu oduševio kao "Trkač" no solidno je napisano - i dalje autor važi za obrazovanu osobu koja vas neće praviti idiotom pišući budalaštine (recimo o paralelnim baterijama koje ubrzavaju smartphone)
jedna bolja trojka i ponesite na plažu bez ustručavanja (ako vas ne smetaju temporalni problemi i dileme, ovaj puta se igramo s virkanjem u budućnost na inteligentan način)
nije me ni blizu oduševio kao "Trkač" no solidno je napisano - i dalje autor važi za obrazovanu osobu koja vas neće praviti idiotom pišući budalaštine (recimo o paralelnim baterijama koje ubrzavaju smartphone)
jedna bolja trojka i ponesite na plažu bez ustručavanja (ako vas ne smetaju temporalni problemi i dileme, ovaj puta se igramo s virkanjem u budućnost na inteligentan način)
December 13, 2016
Audio High tech Sci-fi thriller about changing the future. Found it to be interesting and clever with fast paced action.
June 30, 2016
Another excellent book by Patrick Lee, with plenty of action.
California centered, Lee gets the scenes just right. Like Runner, this thriller has another refreshing time/mind-bending plot driver that over and over sets the stakes ultra-high.
In a nice twist, Lee plays with his villain's characterization and turns a current-day cliche on its head, though he still lets the villain make a standard political point or two.
California centered, Lee gets the scenes just right. Like Runner, this thriller has another refreshing time/mind-bending plot driver that over and over sets the stakes ultra-high.
In a nice twist, Lee plays with his villain's characterization and turns a current-day cliche on its head, though he still lets the villain make a standard political point or two.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2020
I enjoy reading this author. He has only written 6 books, and I hope he gets another one out soon. His books have a way of keeping me focused. When I have a lot going on in life, his books pull me in so deeply that I can put everything else aside. His books are a great escape. Unfortunately, not all books do that for me.
This was Mystery with a Science Fiction twist and I loved it. I would even read this one again. The narrator on the audio did a fabulous job. The story had me on the edge of my seat and I was sad when it ended.
The MC is a great character that seems like a normal guy....and basically good. I also enjoyed the other characters. So good characters in a good story that hooks me immediately equals 5 stars.
This was Mystery with a Science Fiction twist and I loved it. I would even read this one again. The narrator on the audio did a fabulous job. The story had me on the edge of my seat and I was sad when it ended.
The MC is a great character that seems like a normal guy....and basically good. I also enjoyed the other characters. So good characters in a good story that hooks me immediately equals 5 stars.
June 23, 2017
This second entry in the Sam Dryden series gets off to fast start, with a double tap to a child molester's head, then sprints to time travel adventure.
It seems some mysterious group has developed a radio that can get transmissions several hours in the future. A friend of Sam's has such a radio, and the group is out to get them. It's like a time travel novel with only half the headaches!
Good action, and a twist at the end some of us saw coming. Hoping there's a third book forthcoming.
It seems some mysterious group has developed a radio that can get transmissions several hours in the future. A friend of Sam's has such a radio, and the group is out to get them. It's like a time travel novel with only half the headaches!
Good action, and a twist at the end some of us saw coming. Hoping there's a third book forthcoming.
March 1, 2024
I enjoyed this book, although I have to say, the narrator didn't work for me. The way they spoke, made it feel dry, and I would feel like I was going to be bored, even though I wasn't and I wanted to find out what happened next. The story isn't boring at all, and it's very fast paced. I love me an action thriller hero who takes care of business, who's there to protect and deal with nasty bad guys. Sam is on my list. My expectations are unfairly high because of one Evan Smoak aka Orphan X. Like every action thriller lead has to get compared to him from now on. Having said that, Sam gets my 100% approval rating. He's a good person, but he stands on business. I like that he doesn't talk too much and give himself away either. I do admit I missed Rachel from the first book. She wasn't even mentioned, which was disappointing. But having said that, this book was off and running and doesn't slow down until the ending. I love his friend Claire. I would read a series just about her, because she's a badass too.
If I was to nitpick, I think Marnie's character felt kind of dumped in, and all of a sudden she was fully on board. I thought it was a little weird how fast she bought into the situation, but considering what happened and what she saw Sam do, I guess it makes sense. I liked the plot twists, and while things turned out kind of straight forward, there were some good curve balls thrown in.
The concepts deal with some "wibbly wobbly timey wimey," (Doctor Who reference there). My brain doesn't really quite get it all, although a character explained it. The technology is pretty scary when it's used in a bad way, but like Claire, the positive ways it could be used would definitely have me obsessed. I did keep wanting them to use the machine to fix some issues that come up in the book, but I'm guessing it doesn't work that way. I got an A in Non-Calculus Physics, but that doesn't mean I understand quantum mechanics. I liked how it ended because I felt that in my bones, with my obsessive personality. Like, when would it stop?
This is a nice quick action thriller you can slot in between longer books or if you need a good action/thriller hit to get your adrenaline up.
If I was to nitpick, I think Marnie's character felt kind of dumped in, and all of a sudden she was fully on board. I thought it was a little weird how fast she bought into the situation, but considering what happened and what she saw Sam do, I guess it makes sense. I liked the plot twists, and while things turned out kind of straight forward, there were some good curve balls thrown in.
The concepts deal with some "wibbly wobbly timey wimey," (Doctor Who reference there). My brain doesn't really quite get it all, although a character explained it. The technology is pretty scary when it's used in a bad way, but like Claire, the positive ways it could be used would definitely have me obsessed. I did keep wanting them to use the machine to fix some issues that come up in the book, but I'm guessing it doesn't work that way. I got an A in Non-Calculus Physics, but that doesn't mean I understand quantum mechanics. I liked how it ended because I felt that in my bones, with my obsessive personality. Like, when would it stop?
This is a nice quick action thriller you can slot in between longer books or if you need a good action/thriller hit to get your adrenaline up.
December 1, 2017
I enjoyed this author's Breach series, which was more sci fi oriented and I also liked "Runner", the first book in this Dryden series. Unfortunately, I didn't like this book very much. It was a serviceable thriller, but despite the addition of a super secret radio it was just a lot of conventional running/chasing/shooting. Disappointing.
September 25, 2015
I really loved Patrick Lee’s first book in this series�Runner. I mean it, it was: love. The big L. Little hearts floated over my head as I read the exploits of Sam Dryden (a Jack Reacher/Joe Pike ex-special forces kinda guy whose adventures seem to have a supernatural edge). I wore a goofy grin all the time, and the teen music on the radio seemed all of a sudden to be so heavy and intense. Carly Rae Jepson and Sam Smith understood me, right here, inside.
But now we have Signal, the second book and I find myself struggling to come up with positives to describe it. I’m filled with confusion. I don’t know now, did I ever even really love Runner? Becky, in the schoolyard yesterday, said I was too young to even know what real love is, but Damnit Becky, I know what I felt. And what I felt for Runner was real!!!
Anyway, Signal isn’t bad (yep, that’ll sell a bunch of copies—buy this book, it’s 100% not bad) but it seems to be missing all the gonzo, over the top action of the previous book. Conflict and excitement has been replaced with a complex time-hopping concept that never really makes sense (An intense throbbing in my Cerebral cortex would occur whenever I would try to understand author Lee’s logic, my face would achieve a purple hue and smoke would steam from my ears-- trilling like a train whistle).
This time out, Sam Dryden has been enlisted to assist his old buddy Claire who is on the run with a mysterious computer that transmits radio signals from a little over 10 hours in the future. The beginning chapters are fun –they use this information to rescue a bevy of abducted girls before they are incinerated by a madman. But soon they are fleeing from the mysterious shadow agency known simply as “The Group�. The Group you see also has this technology and they have somehow managed to jerry rig this contraption--bouncing the signals from unit to unit to go even deeper into the future. If Dryden and his pals do anything that affects the future, The Group will know and they will be able to plant people in the past to stop Dryden and his team from doing whatever they did. See what I mean� the brain…it hurts�
Dryden also makes friends with F.B.I. agent Marnie Calvert, and together they try to stop The Group from using this technology to achieve supreme wealth and power (the nefarious society is already using it to knock-off the people now who would hurt their organization in the future).
Signal moves at a quick pace, but everything seems washed out and not as fun or exciting as it is meant to be. You never really feel the heroes are in danger because it is such a struggle to even identify the danger in the first place. There are some fine ideas here and some parts do get chilling (like the hidden attack on Dryden and Claire after the police see them and record their location) but overall this story comes off lighter than a Hydrogen molecule and easily disposable.
Here’s hoping with next book Patrick Lee, Sam Dryden, and I can reignite those feelings we know still simmer in the furthest crevices of my beating heart.
But now we have Signal, the second book and I find myself struggling to come up with positives to describe it. I’m filled with confusion. I don’t know now, did I ever even really love Runner? Becky, in the schoolyard yesterday, said I was too young to even know what real love is, but Damnit Becky, I know what I felt. And what I felt for Runner was real!!!
Anyway, Signal isn’t bad (yep, that’ll sell a bunch of copies—buy this book, it’s 100% not bad) but it seems to be missing all the gonzo, over the top action of the previous book. Conflict and excitement has been replaced with a complex time-hopping concept that never really makes sense (An intense throbbing in my Cerebral cortex would occur whenever I would try to understand author Lee’s logic, my face would achieve a purple hue and smoke would steam from my ears-- trilling like a train whistle).
This time out, Sam Dryden has been enlisted to assist his old buddy Claire who is on the run with a mysterious computer that transmits radio signals from a little over 10 hours in the future. The beginning chapters are fun –they use this information to rescue a bevy of abducted girls before they are incinerated by a madman. But soon they are fleeing from the mysterious shadow agency known simply as “The Group�. The Group you see also has this technology and they have somehow managed to jerry rig this contraption--bouncing the signals from unit to unit to go even deeper into the future. If Dryden and his pals do anything that affects the future, The Group will know and they will be able to plant people in the past to stop Dryden and his team from doing whatever they did. See what I mean� the brain…it hurts�
Dryden also makes friends with F.B.I. agent Marnie Calvert, and together they try to stop The Group from using this technology to achieve supreme wealth and power (the nefarious society is already using it to knock-off the people now who would hurt their organization in the future).
Signal moves at a quick pace, but everything seems washed out and not as fun or exciting as it is meant to be. You never really feel the heroes are in danger because it is such a struggle to even identify the danger in the first place. There are some fine ideas here and some parts do get chilling (like the hidden attack on Dryden and Claire after the police see them and record their location) but overall this story comes off lighter than a Hydrogen molecule and easily disposable.
Here’s hoping with next book Patrick Lee, Sam Dryden, and I can reignite those feelings we know still simmer in the furthest crevices of my beating heart.
July 15, 2015
This novel by Patrick Lee can be a stand alone since there are only two characters from the first book, and two completely different mysteries. Sam Dryden and his old friend Claire from his Army days, race against time to stop unseen enemies from using a machine that spits out broadcasts from the future.
Mind boggling for sure but also very entertaining! I like Sam Dryden. A strong protagonist that you can trust to do the right thing. What would you do with a machine that can give you information about the future at random? Everything from baseball scores to a 911 call from an abducted little girl, hours ahead of time. Would you tell anyone? Would you destroy it? Would you use it to be a hero? This is the very question Sam and Claire ask themselves while they realize there is someone out there who is using another one just like it for political gain and power. This monster is smart and they need to be smarter, for the machine knows what you will do before you do it.
A face paced, action packed thriller that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Unfortunately, I also felt like the writer was in a hurry to wrap up the end, too tight, and yet with too many loose ends. I was hoping for a few more chapters and I was a tad disappointed, knocked off a star. No cliffhanger, just an abrupt end. I would definitely recommend this book.
Mind boggling for sure but also very entertaining! I like Sam Dryden. A strong protagonist that you can trust to do the right thing. What would you do with a machine that can give you information about the future at random? Everything from baseball scores to a 911 call from an abducted little girl, hours ahead of time. Would you tell anyone? Would you destroy it? Would you use it to be a hero? This is the very question Sam and Claire ask themselves while they realize there is someone out there who is using another one just like it for political gain and power. This monster is smart and they need to be smarter, for the machine knows what you will do before you do it.
A face paced, action packed thriller that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Unfortunately, I also felt like the writer was in a hurry to wrap up the end, too tight, and yet with too many loose ends. I was hoping for a few more chapters and I was a tad disappointed, knocked off a star. No cliffhanger, just an abrupt end. I would definitely recommend this book.
August 27, 2023
DNF 50%
Isprva sam se lako uključila u priču i uživala u njoj, ali kako je zaplet prirodno postajao komplikovaniji, primetila sam da se stvari ne slažu baš najbolje. Autor je kao da nije pratio sopstvena pravila (bolje reći, nije ih ni precizno definisao, niti seo da ozbiljno osmisli njihove posledice) i to me je isprva zbunilo. Pa najozbiljnije frustriralo pred konačan prekid na pola knjige.
Preambicioznost je ono što bih rekla da je pokopalo ovu priču za mene. Sve zajedno, ima dobrih trenutaka, ali nedostaci su nažalost previsili moj prag tolerancije. Kome mozak nema tendenciju da se hiperfokusira na paradokse, preporučujem ako zabavno, napeto, ne previše zahtevno letnje štivo.
Isprva sam se lako uključila u priču i uživala u njoj, ali kako je zaplet prirodno postajao komplikovaniji, primetila sam da se stvari ne slažu baš najbolje. Autor je kao da nije pratio sopstvena pravila (bolje reći, nije ih ni precizno definisao, niti seo da ozbiljno osmisli njihove posledice) i to me je isprva zbunilo. Pa najozbiljnije frustriralo pred konačan prekid na pola knjige.
Preambicioznost je ono što bih rekla da je pokopalo ovu priču za mene. Sve zajedno, ima dobrih trenutaka, ali nedostaci su nažalost previsili moj prag tolerancije. Kome mozak nema tendenciju da se hiperfokusira na paradokse, preporučujem ako zabavno, napeto, ne previše zahtevno letnje štivo.
January 11, 2018
Mitch Rapp combine with Jack Reacher and you get Sam Dryden. If you've seen the movie Frequency combine with Minority Report then this is what you get. A machine predicts the future and in present time Dryden along with Claire prevent crimes before it happens. The Group wants this machine for their own agenda. I absolutely love Dryden! The character has flaws and he is different from Reacher that he's not a womanizer and very much like Rapp that he can kill you before you know what hit you. A great suspenseful ride and a big improvement from Runner which I thought was weird the second half but this book the third act race against time is marvelous. Do yourself a favor and read this book. When they say a book a page turner well this book fit the mold.
July 14, 2015
2.75-stars
Oh, goodness� I was getting ready to say what a hell of a good thriller writer Patrick Lee is, and how even though his books often contain an element of sci-fi, and I’m really not that fond of sci-fi, it doesn’t even matter because his ideas are so cool, and his books are written in such a way that they don’t even read anything like sci-fi at all, that they’re 99% thriller, and then he goes and TOTALLY SCREWS UP THE END OF THE BOOK with some cheese ball bullshit! WTF?! Very, very disappointing, as this could’ve been a 5-star read. Sorry—no soup for you! I don’t know if an approaching deadline got the best of him or what, but something happened. SIGH. Cannot recommend.
Oh, goodness� I was getting ready to say what a hell of a good thriller writer Patrick Lee is, and how even though his books often contain an element of sci-fi, and I’m really not that fond of sci-fi, it doesn’t even matter because his ideas are so cool, and his books are written in such a way that they don’t even read anything like sci-fi at all, that they’re 99% thriller, and then he goes and TOTALLY SCREWS UP THE END OF THE BOOK with some cheese ball bullshit! WTF?! Very, very disappointing, as this could’ve been a 5-star read. Sorry—no soup for you! I don’t know if an approaching deadline got the best of him or what, but something happened. SIGH. Cannot recommend.
February 18, 2017
I won an advanced reader's copy from ŷ, which is kind of poetic justice to see this book ahead of its July 2015 publication. Retired Special Forces operative Sam Dryden is called by a close friend to help, and arrives in time to save kidnapped girls from a burning home. However, his friend is captured and Sam barely escapes to find himself as the target of a manhunt. Sam is then joined by an FBI agent who decides his fingerprints at the crime scene do not make him complicit. High octane thriller.
December 1, 2019
This is a great series and I am finally up to date. I started in the wrong order. This one reminded me of a great tv series called Person of Interest. Where they have a machine that tells about things that are about to happen. I really like the main charater.
February 2, 2016
Patrick Lee totally amazes me with the books that he writes. A sequel to Runner, this book was a thrill ride and a half! He seamlessly puts together a high-octane thriller with scifi elements that you can't help believing. Excellent book!!!
June 1, 2016
This is the second book I've read by Patrick Lee and I love his writing. This was a great installment in the Sam Dryden series and I would definitely recommend it for anyone that is a fan of science fiction or mystery/thrillers.
The first book in this series, , had a bit of a paranormal aspect to it, but this one was more straight science fiction, regarding time. It had realistic bad guys with realistic motives, so it wasn't too far fetched. The science part was explained well enough that it is believable, but not so much that you have no idea what they are talking about.
There is no real connection to the first book in this one. So, if you were looking for a certain young girl, you won't see her here. This book could work as a standalone for anyone that chooses to skip books in a series, but I would recommend reading the first book just because it was so great on its own.
This series has become a favorite and I'm already looking forward to the next book.
The first book in this series, , had a bit of a paranormal aspect to it, but this one was more straight science fiction, regarding time. It had realistic bad guys with realistic motives, so it wasn't too far fetched. The science part was explained well enough that it is believable, but not so much that you have no idea what they are talking about.
There is no real connection to the first book in this one. So, if you were looking for a certain young girl, you won't see her here. This book could work as a standalone for anyone that chooses to skip books in a series, but I would recommend reading the first book just because it was so great on its own.
This series has become a favorite and I'm already looking forward to the next book.
December 9, 2015
I loved reading SIGNAL; a high octane thriller with a little sci-fi thrown in. I want to read RUNNER now!
May 14, 2019
I just had a really hard time following along with this story. It's about knowing the future and trying to change it. I really loved the first book in the series, and I really wanted to love this as well, but I'm just confused. I may not have been in the right mood or mindset though. I'll still check out the next book in the series when it comes out.
August 3, 2015
My View:
Fantastic premise that is well executed and a narrative packed with action!
What an amazing read! Clever, complex, full of great characters, moral dilemmas and action, actION, ACTION!
To put it simply I was blown away by this narrative. This book had a brilliant introductory hook that didn’t let go!
This book left me speechless! What an incredible writer. I think I now need to read the first book in the Dryden series Runner � which is now being made into a feature film (and it does not detract from your reading pleasure if you haven’t already caught up with the first book as Only to Die Again can easily be read as a standalone), then I would like to read Patrick Lee’s other books; The Breach (also currently in production as a feature film), Ghost Country and Deep Sky. I can’t believe I haven’t come across this author before � he makes words leap off the page!
Fantastic premise that is well executed and a narrative packed with action!
What an amazing read! Clever, complex, full of great characters, moral dilemmas and action, actION, ACTION!
To put it simply I was blown away by this narrative. This book had a brilliant introductory hook that didn’t let go!
This book left me speechless! What an incredible writer. I think I now need to read the first book in the Dryden series Runner � which is now being made into a feature film (and it does not detract from your reading pleasure if you haven’t already caught up with the first book as Only to Die Again can easily be read as a standalone), then I would like to read Patrick Lee’s other books; The Breach (also currently in production as a feature film), Ghost Country and Deep Sky. I can’t believe I haven’t come across this author before � he makes words leap off the page!
March 6, 2015
With a device that can't be explained by logic or reality, power hungry villains, and a secret government project, Signal is another fast-paced thrilling adventure. Once I got over my disappointment that we wouldn't be seeing more of Rachel, I became engrossed in Sam's next adventure. Brought in by his old colleague Claire, Sam must race against the clock to battle a sightless enemy with a constant advantage.
Just like the first in the series (), you'll need to suspend your disbelief. A lot of crazy stuff is going to happen, but you'll be frantically flipping the pages to discover what comes next.
Just like the first in the series (), you'll need to suspend your disbelief. A lot of crazy stuff is going to happen, but you'll be frantically flipping the pages to discover what comes next.
October 12, 2015
Review for audiobook ~ 3.5 stars story � 5 stars narration. I loved the first book a lot more than this one. With this machine, it was just all a big confusing at times. It felt very "Terminator." It was suspenseful and I did enjoy that... I just didn't really enjoy all the I hope next book will have more of a feel like the first one, and
The narrator was awesome! I really enjoyed listening to him and give him 5 stars. He made the book much more enjoyable than the narrator for book 1.
The narrator was awesome! I really enjoyed listening to him and give him 5 stars. He made the book much more enjoyable than the narrator for book 1.
November 29, 2017
Sam Dryden gets an urgent phone call from Claire Dunham, a former military associate. She needs him to meet her immediately in order to rescue some girls being held by a kidnapper. Two timelines suddenly converge. Claire heard a news announcement from the future. Her boss has created a system that can hear radio reports ten hours in the future. And, everything changes. Sam, Claire and Marnie Calvert, an FBI agent go on the lam to figure out how to keep the future open. Crackerjack adrenaline ride! Great plotting.
August 26, 2015
Patrick Lee is back and as fearless and brilliant a plotter as ever. Recommended.
May 11, 2021
4.5 stars rounded up - this was a great take on time travel. Well thought out and it avoided a lot of the pitfalls that time travel stories inevitably have. I really like Sam Dryden, too. Well narrated by Ari Filiakos. I hope Lee has more books in this series coming, because they're good adventures.
July 4, 2018
In this second installment of the adventures of Sam Dryden we find what was the strength of Patrick Lee's first trilogy: the plot is centered on an object with incredible properties, which gives an extraordinary dimension to a basic thriller.
It's very rhythmic, intense, pleasant to read. As in any thriller it goes at full speed, the characters are not very worked. The enormity of the object on which the story is centered may repel the Cartesian readers, but once this huge swallow swallows it pretty much holds the road until the end.
I still miss the SF side that I loved in The Breach, but do not sulk his pleasure: Only to Die Again is a good thriller.
And it's already an achievement in itself.
It's very rhythmic, intense, pleasant to read. As in any thriller it goes at full speed, the characters are not very worked. The enormity of the object on which the story is centered may repel the Cartesian readers, but once this huge swallow swallows it pretty much holds the road until the end.
I still miss the SF side that I loved in The Breach, but do not sulk his pleasure: Only to Die Again is a good thriller.
And it's already an achievement in itself.
November 7, 2017
So much happened in a very short amount of time. Very fast paced and with a good ending.
November 14, 2019
Signalstärke »GUT«
Ein Radio, das Sendungen aus der Zukunft empfangen kann, steht im Mittelpunkt der neuen Story rund um Sam Dryden. Eine alte Freundin bittet ihn um Hilfe bei einem Entführungsfall, dessen Ausgang in einem Drama enden wird, wenn sie die Opfer nicht rechtzeitig befreien können. Sam erfährt von Claire, dass sie von diesem Fall durch einen Radio-Bericht aus der Zukunft erfahren hat. Das High-Tech-Unternehmen, in dem sie arbeitete und das nun völlig zerstört wurde, erforschte eine geheime Apparatur, mit deren Hilfe sich willkürliche Nachrichten aus der Zukunft empfangen lassen. In den falschen Händen sicher eine fatale Waffe, weshalb Claire alles daran setzt, das Gerät in Sicherheit zu bringen.
Ich las vor Jahren »Mindreader«, den ersten Band der damals neuen Thriller-Reihe des Autors Patrick Lee. Ein Action-Blockbuster in Printform, der mich wirklich begeistern konnte. Natürlich musste der zweite Teil deshalb auch bei mir einziehen. Warum ich erst jetzt dazu gegriffen habe, können wohl nur Bücherverrückte halbwegs nachvollziehen � kurz und knapp: Zu viele Bücher, zu wenig Zeit. Mit dem hervorragend von Uve Teschner gelesenen Hörbuch bin ich aber nun endlich auch in »Das Signal« abgetaucht und habe es nicht bereut, auch wenn diese Story nicht an »Mindreader« heranreicht.
Lee steigt gewohnt rasant und ohne Warm-Up in das Geschehen ein und nimmt den Leser sofort gefangen. Die Idee ist spannend, wenn auch nicht innovativ. Durch seine flüssige Erzählweise fliegt man förmlich durch die Seiten. Allerdings gab es dann und wann kleinere Hänger, durch die mich der Autor dann kurzzeitig verloren hat.
Insgesamt aber bietet »Das Signal« spannende und kurzweilige Unterhaltung mit Blockbusterqualitäten, regt stellenweise wirklich zum Nachdenken und Reflektieren an. Was würdest du tun, wenn dir eine so mächtige Informationsquelle zur Verfügung stehen würde; du die Möglichkeit hättest, die Zukunft zu verändern, noch bevor sie passiert? Würdest du Verbrechen, Unfälle sowie Kriege verhindern oder aber Wetten abschließen, Börsenkurse beeinflussen, deine Gegner ausschalten, bevor sie zu Gegnern werden, und so deine Macht ausbauen?
Übrigens: Wer die Bücher gern unabhängig voneinander lesen möchte, der kann dies getrost tun, denn bis auf den Protagonisten Sam Dryden und einige wenige Andeutungen gibt es keinerlei Verbindung der beiden Geschichten zueinander.
Ein Radio, das Sendungen aus der Zukunft empfangen kann, steht im Mittelpunkt der neuen Story rund um Sam Dryden. Eine alte Freundin bittet ihn um Hilfe bei einem Entführungsfall, dessen Ausgang in einem Drama enden wird, wenn sie die Opfer nicht rechtzeitig befreien können. Sam erfährt von Claire, dass sie von diesem Fall durch einen Radio-Bericht aus der Zukunft erfahren hat. Das High-Tech-Unternehmen, in dem sie arbeitete und das nun völlig zerstört wurde, erforschte eine geheime Apparatur, mit deren Hilfe sich willkürliche Nachrichten aus der Zukunft empfangen lassen. In den falschen Händen sicher eine fatale Waffe, weshalb Claire alles daran setzt, das Gerät in Sicherheit zu bringen.
Ich las vor Jahren »Mindreader«, den ersten Band der damals neuen Thriller-Reihe des Autors Patrick Lee. Ein Action-Blockbuster in Printform, der mich wirklich begeistern konnte. Natürlich musste der zweite Teil deshalb auch bei mir einziehen. Warum ich erst jetzt dazu gegriffen habe, können wohl nur Bücherverrückte halbwegs nachvollziehen � kurz und knapp: Zu viele Bücher, zu wenig Zeit. Mit dem hervorragend von Uve Teschner gelesenen Hörbuch bin ich aber nun endlich auch in »Das Signal« abgetaucht und habe es nicht bereut, auch wenn diese Story nicht an »Mindreader« heranreicht.
Lee steigt gewohnt rasant und ohne Warm-Up in das Geschehen ein und nimmt den Leser sofort gefangen. Die Idee ist spannend, wenn auch nicht innovativ. Durch seine flüssige Erzählweise fliegt man förmlich durch die Seiten. Allerdings gab es dann und wann kleinere Hänger, durch die mich der Autor dann kurzzeitig verloren hat.
Insgesamt aber bietet »Das Signal« spannende und kurzweilige Unterhaltung mit Blockbusterqualitäten, regt stellenweise wirklich zum Nachdenken und Reflektieren an. Was würdest du tun, wenn dir eine so mächtige Informationsquelle zur Verfügung stehen würde; du die Möglichkeit hättest, die Zukunft zu verändern, noch bevor sie passiert? Würdest du Verbrechen, Unfälle sowie Kriege verhindern oder aber Wetten abschließen, Börsenkurse beeinflussen, deine Gegner ausschalten, bevor sie zu Gegnern werden, und so deine Macht ausbauen?
Übrigens: Wer die Bücher gern unabhängig voneinander lesen möchte, der kann dies getrost tun, denn bis auf den Protagonisten Sam Dryden und einige wenige Andeutungen gibt es keinerlei Verbindung der beiden Geschichten zueinander.
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