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Noah FreggerGabriel's Watch"Gabriel's Watch is not like your average day dystopian, this one has an untouched andutterly unique story line." - Alexandra Harris (goodreads)
"Gabriel's Watch is unlike any book I have ever read. The premise is entirelyoriginal - a refreshing turn of events in today's literary world ofzombies, vampires, and werewolves." -Tracy (goodreads) "Poetically written, this novel winds together science fiction, drama, action, andromance. Its unique and fascinating story line is trulyunforgettable." - Danielle Tara Evans (goodreads) "This is a FANTASTIC read! Noah Fregger is a really talented author who has created a dark world that will pull you in and then spin you around and around leaving you wanting more and more! I was glued to every page and left stunned in the end. Gabriel's Watch is a morbid roller coaster ride that will tug at your heartstrings!" - Lucy Hayes (goodreads) "If you are looking for a Science Fiction story that doesn't hold true tothe boring stereotypes that drive most of us away from the genre, thisis the story. Not only do you get to see incredible feats in depth ofcharacter but you also are thrust forward into a world of amazingcreation." - Angelica (goodreads) "Whenever you think you know what's going on, you find out you never did." - Shay De Flory (bluebicblog) Readers' Comments58 reader comments 4.5 out of 5 stars
Here are a selection of the reader comments regarding Gabriel's Watch. All 58 Customer Comments (Reviews) can be read at Amazon. Carol Kean I happened across an author named Noah Fregger via Nicholas Sansbury Smith's Twitter wall. Noah looks so cute and young, I had to download a sample chapter even though the book was not recent enough for me to review @PerihelionSF.
No disclaimer necessary: Noah never asked me to review this, and I bought it at the incredibly low price (for a book this good)of $3. From the first line, I was hooked: “It was shortly before nightfall, and no one was ever out past sunset--far too dangerous for the weak and unsuspecting. I am neither.” After a violent adventure in the night, Miles Stone looks out the window above his bed: “In the moonlight, past my home and the debris of the previous world, I could see two thin strips of raised earth in the distance, each marked with its own small and simply constructed wooden cross. There in the thick and stale night air, with the world collapsing around us, I blew them a kiss and wished them goodnight.” At that moment, there was no longer any doubt: I was smitten with this man. Danielle Tara Evans Gabriel's Watch is a post-apocalyptic book that is unlike anything I have ever read before. It's not just a story about struggling to survive, even though that is certainly an important element. Ten years after a nuclear war has decimated the majority of the population, the remaining survivors are living in a dangerous world. Government agents, who are really just thugs, have taken over the city, wreaking havoc wherever they go. Miles and Alice have built their own safe haven outside of the city, only it becomes clear that their safety is being threatened by the agents.
While reading this, I honestly had no idea what to expect. There was nothing predictable at all, and there were several surprises and revelations that left me stunned. I almost immediately fell in love with the main characters, Miles and Alice. Their relationship was complicated but beautiful at the same time. They are both strong people who have dealt with unimaginable horrors, and even though Alice is not a typical woman, she still seemed very real. They find an unusual way to defend themselves, which surely becomes a great challenge. Poetically written, this novel winds together science fiction, drama, action, and romance. Its unique and fascinating story line is truly unforgettable. It is a reflection on humanity and how ultimately destructive our species can be. I'm afraid to write too much more because I don't want to give anything away. It was definitely a book that I desperately wanted to keep reading so I could find out what was going to happen. I carry my Kindle with me just about everywhere, so I would pick it up any chance I had. The ending left me satisfied and in awe, and I even read it a couple of times so I could take it all in. I have read several books that are the first in the series, and even though I liked most of them, chances are I won't get around to reading the following books. With this book, I will make sure I read the next ones. I can't even begin to imagine what's in store for us as the story continues. This is a book definitely worthy of five stars. It affected me emotionally in so many ways - there were times when I was sad, angry, nervous, elated, and hopeful. I loved it, and I highly recommend it! R2D2 Gabriel’s Watch hooked me with it’s blend of dystopia and alien invasion that reads like an underdog story turned superhero. Amalgamating our ancient past with speculative future, Fregger excels in delivering a tale that is worth being read. Although often common in the books I read, this one entertained in a unique way. In comparison to many invasion tales, this one provokes thoughts of a protector rather than a destroyer concept. Instead of alien Visitors being the bad guys, the reader has to come to the realization that evil is perhaps something that exists only on Earth and lies within the realm of mankind--or at least that is a reoccurring thought I had while reading this story. Without spoiling the plot or the ending, which sets up Book 2 nicely (release date soon, I read on the author’s site). L.M.Fields
Noah does a wonderful job of easily pulling the reader into his world with matter-of-fact storytelling that could have you sitting across from the author in one of his easy chairs one minute, to standing at the main character's side next, and you'd believe you were in the post apocalyptic future because this author does an awesome job of telling you exactly how things truly are. You can't deny anything being said. The simple fact is, once you start reading this story everything changes; you are suddenly there, getting dragged along, smelling the fires burning, seeing the marbled sky, even feeling sharp metals scratch your skin when you try to move out of the way in high impact, action scenes. Noah does an excellent job of making sure he protects you, but your senses are still fully engaged and vividly immersed one-hundred percent! So of course, I highly recommend reading Gabriel's Watch to anyone who loves storytelling the way it was meant to be written- it's an original, believable story, that safely takes you away and returns you fully satisfied with an everlasting desire for more. Kindle Customer
One of the first things that drew me into this book was the writing style. There are all kinds of little twists and turns in the plot that are enough to keep you going, as you'd hope with any good post-apocalyptic thriller. I love the way Miles and Alice interact - they're both very real characters in a world that feel frighteningly real.
And even the supporting characters who show - maybe for just a scene or two - play roles that give them more depth than the 2D supporting characters often seen in Sci-Fi novels. I'd highly recommend this for anyone of the Sci-Fi or post-apoclyptic genres. Forest K. Duncan
An interesting story with enough twists to keep you guessing. The main characters are well developed, realistic and likable. This is sort of an end-of-civilization tale with an upbeat ending.
I like that this book actually HAS an ending, considering that it is supposed to be Book One of a trilogy. I've seem far too many "series" books lately that do not have a real ending, but abandon the reader in the middle of an unresolved situation. There's no excuse for that kind of lazy writing, and Noah Fregger deserves a lot of credit for doing it right. Neulen D. Risley
I know you've read rave reviews before about a new ebook and, after reading the book, you wondered who paid the reviewer off; I know I have! Don't let my positive review dissuade you. READ THIS BOOK! It's fantastic, and I can't wait for the second book of the trilogy. There's nothing not to like. The writing is very well done, the plot is engaging, the characters are solidly built, and the story has twists in it that may give you whip lash. And no, I'm not the author's uncle or college pal. This is the first five star review that I have ever left on a book on Amazon..... J. Perez
What I would have liked to know before I bought this book. (ONE MINOR spoiler.)
1. What type of book is it: action, drama, adventure, etc? This book depicts a slow Sci-fi dystopian drama with a little adventure and suspense thrown into the mix. 2. What is the story about, in general? The story is about the protagonist Miles aka Scrapman and the woman he protects, Alice. Two people surviving in a post apocalyptic Earth. 3. What/Who is the target audience? This is actually difficult. Some of the story might appeal to Young Adult males, but I think the story REALLY targets older adult males. 4. Is there character development? Miles and Alice are two very complex characters. The reader is able to explore their complexities and thus their evolution. Both characters have multiple conflicting facets to their personalities. They both have a range of feelings and emotions that remarkably resemble living humans. The rest of the characters have little character development or very little page time. Though they do provide scene impact for important events and scenes, in general they don't make much of an impression on the reader. 5. Are the characters likable? My feelings on this point are divided. The main protagonist, and important secondary characters, are well written. That does not mean they are likable. I find Miles ... dull. He isn't much of an action character through most of the book installment. In fact, Miles is very mundane and unimpressive. He is one of the most real characters I've read in a while, but uninteresting. He felt like a sidekick and that made me, personally, feel like a tourist; apart from the story, uninvolved. Alice, a primary character, was more impressive, more dominating and simply more exciting to read than Miles. I found myself wishing the story would be conducted from her point of view, that scenes would develop around her and that Miles would step aside. 6. Does the story keep its pacing? I felt it was a slow plodding book. The few action scenes weren't exactly exciting either. The story is more about the exploration of the self, issues of faith versus faithlessness, arrogance versus compassion and cold survival instincts versus kindness. There is simply very little adventuring in this sci-fi story, and that's something that's not going to go down well with some readers. On the other hand, the writing syntax is second to none. I couldn't find any crass errors. The story verbosity flows like prose, sometimes much too flowery, but most of the time rather spot on. Understand that this must be taken in context as the book is still quite slow. 7. Do you have to suspend disbelief? Sporadically. There is a logic error that is pivotal to the story and that made no sense to me. Perhaps I didn't understand the scene. There are also, two or three minor logic points that strained my disbelief to extremes, but which had little story impact anyways. 8. Is the book worth the asking price? This is a very cheap book at $3. It shouldn't hurt anyone's pocket to give it a try. In conclusion: A rather dull book that uses a dystopian setting to explore human nature and species evolution. The primary characters are technically well written, with many facets to their personalities. Unfortunately, the main protagonist is rather underwhelming as the story focuses more about introspection than about evolution through action. Also, the main protagonist is perpetually outshone by every other primary character in the story. That, in combination with a 1st person point of view, may cause the reader to feel like a tourist; looking out at the cooler side of the story instead of actually being the center of it. The book is well edited with hardly, if any, spelling errors. The price is modicum and well within anyone's range. The writing style is actually enjoyable, with paragraphs and sentences meshing neatly. I didn't feel very emotionally involved with the slow story but can appreciate its quality. Robert Freeman
I love science fiction and have read much of what we would now call the master's of the genre. I have to say I was truly impressed with this story. I am reminded somewhat of Clarke's "Childhoods End" and found myself thoroughly engaged with the story line and the characters. I especially enjoyed the 1st person point of view. I do not like to give away plots or story lines but I can truthfully say this is one of finest pieces of SF I have read in a long time. I highly recommend it and look forward to rest of the trilogy and other works by Noah.
Lynne A. James
This book doesn't fit neatly into any genre. For this reason alone I enjoyed the story. I disagree with the reviews that criticized the first person voice. I think that this was the only way to create the sense of mystery and wide eyed wonder that makes this book a joyous celebration of life in all it's diverse forms. I recommend this book to those who are looking for something completely different.
Urbananchorite Throughly enjoyed this book and waiting for the sequel. Character driven stories always are the best. Note to author: your author page does not have a link to sign up for notice of future publications. I want to be notified so I will leave contact info at your website as you suggested but you should get that link. Thanks for a great read.
Jslim Rarely does a book capture my mind entirely; and never does a book employ my mind and heart. Gabriel’s Watch did both. Wow. I cried – big ol’ crocodile tears, I cheered, and I rejoiced at multiple points throughout the book. It was just sooooooo good. And instantly upon finishing, I found myself manically searching through Amazon to find out if the sequel was released yet… Hurry up Mr. Fregger I need some more please. Very refreshing! Thank you for writing this story. Sparta
I think the author does a wonderful job creating the main character and providing deep and feeling to him. You never see where the story is going and that is refreshing in itself. The are a few interesting twists which moved this story into the "moving relationship" category. The story is complete but has an open ended finish allowing the next book.
Peter Wayne
One of the best e-books I've read. Yes, it's post-apocalyptic, but by being in the first person, the author is able to maintain some sense of optimism. The out-there sci-fi elements may turns off some fans of the end-of-the-world genre but I found it a welcome change from the brooding pessimism so often evident in these stories. I found some emotional punch in the narrator's and would highly recommend it.
Book devourer
Read this book, you will not be disappointed. I will definitely read the rest of the trilogy. The story is well thought out and has a rhythm that entices the reader to keep reading. I will not provide details of this story here as I believe that a few sentences of simplistic description will do the author an injustice. This book is a read again type, enjoy. E. Adams Not your typical post-apocalyptical survival tale, there are aliens , modified humans, robots with human memories and a love story. A hopeful non cliffhanger ending that leaves you wondering what more can happen. Amazon Customer I am a avid reader, 3-4 books a month, fictional and non fictional. This book was captivating. The author has a wonderful mind and shows the creative ability to keep me so intensely occupied by the story and it's tale that it's kept me up two nights in a row reading. Can't wait to start the next book. Than you for your such a great stort Kindle Customer This apocalyptic tale winds it way around your heart....from desolation to the euphoric, it takes you on a journey of self discovery. A gorgeous evolution of the soul and it's infinite realm of cocreation. Don't miss this journey. SamuraiSteve Really enjoyed this one. Got it a few months ago and hadn't gotten to it until over Christmas. There were several twists in the book that kept me reading and the characters were well fleshed out. The pacing was good and I ended up reading this book in two days. This is kind of a cross-breed of a story with dystopian, post-apocalyptic and technothriller elements. Not sure how I would even categorize it, which makes the book unique. Looking forward to the sequel. Authors serving authors ... All
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