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Sojourning Souls #2
Eye Spy
Eye Spy is a 106,000-word paranormal thriller about a psychic agoraphobe, the bodies he visits, the sister who saves him, and the people they protect.CJ lives in fear. Fear of the outdoors. Fear of strangers. But his fear disappears when his mind secretly hitchhikes in someone else’s body. Undetectable, he goes where his hosts go, and he senses what they sense.As a spy hidden beyond others’ eyes, he has foiled robberies and solved murders with the support of his sister Steph. Now, they must save a kidnapped teenager from a cult leader who believes the teen is destined to bear his child.But when CJ’s mobile mind is noticed by other psychics, CJ and Steph’s attempted rescue becomes a struggle for survival.Eye Spy is a Sojourning Souls story.Edited by Arlene Prunkl, 2011 Finalist for Canada’s Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence (www.penultimateword.com)Cover art by Steven Novak (www.novakillustration.com)Ebook designed, formatted, and converted by 52 novels (52novels.com) This book also includes the short story Dead Doughboy Walking (Sojourning Souls #1). Dead Doughboy Walking can also be downloaded for free from
290 pages, ebook
First published November 25, 2013
About the author
Kevin J. Hallock
5 books5 followersI'm an early morning writer who is a research scientist by day, and teaches college classes some evenings.
I have a strong interest in the direction of education, especially experiments like Coursera, edX, and the Khan academy. The business side of education is changing, and I'm excited to see where it goes.
I've also always enjoyed learning, collecting, and reading about insects. Yep, I was that geeky kid growing up (and still am pretty geeky).
I started writing for fun in the early 2000s and I liked it so much that I ended up taking some classes (at Grubstreet, in Boston, MA), getting an editor (Arlene Prunkl, who is awesome!), and finally publishing.
World-building is one of my favorite parts of writing. There's something about scoping out a setting that energizes my imagination and makes me want to write more.
I have a strong interest in the direction of education, especially experiments like Coursera, edX, and the Khan academy. The business side of education is changing, and I'm excited to see where it goes.
I've also always enjoyed learning, collecting, and reading about insects. Yep, I was that geeky kid growing up (and still am pretty geeky).
I started writing for fun in the early 2000s and I liked it so much that I ended up taking some classes (at Grubstreet, in Boston, MA), getting an editor (Arlene Prunkl, who is awesome!), and finally publishing.
World-building is one of my favorite parts of writing. There's something about scoping out a setting that energizes my imagination and makes me want to write more.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 7, 2014
I want to start out by saying that I really have no idea how I should rate this book. I'm literally back-and-forth in my mind on whether this should receive a 3 or a 4.
Let me explain...
I'm going to start off with the short story at the end: Dead Doughboy Walking. Anyone who reads my reviews knows that I am not really a big reader of book descriptions, mainly because some people write WAY TOO MUCH in them and end up giving away too much of the story for me. (I want to enjoy the book, not wait in anticipation for certain events to occur.) I skimmed this one on Amazon, though, so when I went to Goodreads to write my review and found that this is actually the second of the series, I was a little shocked. (I went back and saw that, on Amazon, at the end of the description, it mentions something about the short story at the end being the first one. I missed that.) Back to the short story. Had this story been the first thing that I read, I would not have even considered reading the second book - and, to me, reading the whole series is a big deal. This didn't feel like the introduction to a series, but instead the backstory to one of the characters. I actually enjoyed that there was a freebie at the end and that the author had given us more information on that one guy, but now, knowing that it's actually the first in the series, I just feel disappointed.
Now, on to the novel ... Have you ever had one of those teachers/professors who used the same word over and over, so much that you concentrated on that word and missed everything else? (Mine taught Algebra 2 - she said "And uh," sometimes as much as a hundred times during one class, and I would catch myself tallying it up with little marks at the top of my page. She was known throughout the high school for this phrase.) That's kind of how this book was. It's like the author looked at the Thesaurus, got hooked on this one word and never went any further. It was even used THREE times in ONE sentence. I researched this word - it's not even being used correctly. I became curious as to how many times it was used and highlighted it each time - 108 times!! But I digress ...
I almost gave up in the beginning, but honestly, I wanted to know if they found the missing girl. By about 10%, they had introduced other connecting stories so the word had dwindled off, only to be brought back every time the story was with the siblings. But the stories did keep my attention.
There's actually so much going on in this book. So much. (Sometimes too much.) CJ and his sister Steph (both had been through a really traumatic event two years earlier and were still heeling from it), a cult with an Archmessiah, the lady who owns the casino (who's a real witch, by the way), the government and a murderer. Wow.
CJ's spirit leaves his body and enters Steph's when they go out because, after that horrible incident, he's afraid to leave the house. He goes into other people's bodies to learn what they know, him and his sister working together to solve crimes. This is the center of the story. The other stories are centered around this main one, all connecting to each other and, in the end, converging together. Quite an interesting story with several things that caught my attention and an ending that leaves you wanting a little bit more (I like to know where the characters I've liked went at the end of a story and this is open for another book).
So you see why I'm stuck. There were both good things and bad things. Was the telling of the story enough to make those little (and sometimes big) annoyances disappear? I don't know. I think I'll give it a 4 and let you decide for yourself whether you want to read it or not.
Note: I was given a copy of this story in exchange for my honest review.
Let me explain...
I'm going to start off with the short story at the end: Dead Doughboy Walking. Anyone who reads my reviews knows that I am not really a big reader of book descriptions, mainly because some people write WAY TOO MUCH in them and end up giving away too much of the story for me. (I want to enjoy the book, not wait in anticipation for certain events to occur.) I skimmed this one on Amazon, though, so when I went to Goodreads to write my review and found that this is actually the second of the series, I was a little shocked. (I went back and saw that, on Amazon, at the end of the description, it mentions something about the short story at the end being the first one. I missed that.) Back to the short story. Had this story been the first thing that I read, I would not have even considered reading the second book - and, to me, reading the whole series is a big deal. This didn't feel like the introduction to a series, but instead the backstory to one of the characters. I actually enjoyed that there was a freebie at the end and that the author had given us more information on that one guy, but now, knowing that it's actually the first in the series, I just feel disappointed.
Now, on to the novel ... Have you ever had one of those teachers/professors who used the same word over and over, so much that you concentrated on that word and missed everything else? (Mine taught Algebra 2 - she said "And uh," sometimes as much as a hundred times during one class, and I would catch myself tallying it up with little marks at the top of my page. She was known throughout the high school for this phrase.) That's kind of how this book was. It's like the author looked at the Thesaurus, got hooked on this one word and never went any further. It was even used THREE times in ONE sentence. I researched this word - it's not even being used correctly. I became curious as to how many times it was used and highlighted it each time - 108 times!! But I digress ...
I almost gave up in the beginning, but honestly, I wanted to know if they found the missing girl. By about 10%, they had introduced other connecting stories so the word had dwindled off, only to be brought back every time the story was with the siblings. But the stories did keep my attention.
There's actually so much going on in this book. So much. (Sometimes too much.) CJ and his sister Steph (both had been through a really traumatic event two years earlier and were still heeling from it), a cult with an Archmessiah, the lady who owns the casino (who's a real witch, by the way), the government and a murderer. Wow.
CJ's spirit leaves his body and enters Steph's when they go out because, after that horrible incident, he's afraid to leave the house. He goes into other people's bodies to learn what they know, him and his sister working together to solve crimes. This is the center of the story. The other stories are centered around this main one, all connecting to each other and, in the end, converging together. Quite an interesting story with several things that caught my attention and an ending that leaves you wanting a little bit more (I like to know where the characters I've liked went at the end of a story and this is open for another book).
So you see why I'm stuck. There were both good things and bad things. Was the telling of the story enough to make those little (and sometimes big) annoyances disappear? I don't know. I think I'll give it a 4 and let you decide for yourself whether you want to read it or not.
Note: I was given a copy of this story in exchange for my honest review.
August 21, 2021
Awesome Indies Book Awards is pleased to include EYE SPY (Sojourning Souls #2) by KEVIN J. HALLOCK in the library of Awesome Indies'
Badge of Approval
recipients.
Original Awesome Indies' Assessment (4 stars):
Kevin J. Hallock’s Eye Spy: A Sojourning Souls Story is an exciting novel of paranormal suspense.
The protagonist, CJ Campbell, has the ability to travel outside his body and attach his consciousness to the bodies of other people. With a few notable and dangerous exceptions, these others don’t know he’s there. Nor can he read their minds. He just tags along for the ride. CJ uses his special ability to solve crimes and collect the reward money.
His most formidable target is the cult of the Archmessiah, who have kidnapped a teenager they believe to be the Mother of the Return. She will have the honor of being impregnated by the cult leader and giving birth to their prophet — unless CJ tracks her down in time.
CJ and his sister, Steph, desperately need money. Since a horrific attack on the family left both their parents dead, the siblings have been unable to make regular payment on their mortgage. They’re on the brink of losing their farm, which the local casino owner is eager to buy and develop. They’ve kept to themselves since the attack. CJ is severely agoraphobic and can’t leave the house without passing out. When a chance for romance comes his way, he needs all the courage he can muster.
On top of all this, CJ is on the radar of a mysterious organization that monitors Out of Body Masters and takes extreme measures to neutralize them if they threaten society. The priest who runs the outfit thinks that nearly all OBMs eventually turn bad. The most skillful ones develop the ability to possess a body and expel the consciousness of its owner, making them immortal since they can move from body to body. Such an act of possession is of course murder.
The complex plot and the memorable and sympathetic characters keep me engaged in the action. The casino owner’s scheme to take the farm is the stuff of 19th Century melodrama, but the characters and the fully imagined world of the novel make it fresh.
The organization that tracks OBMs becomes problematic later in the story. Its reach seems to extend everywhere, and the priest manipulates events in ways that are unclear. The workings of the organization may become clearer in the sequel. In Eye-Spy it resolves plot complications a little too conveniently.
The writing is good except for some clumsy moments. A construction such as “Peering through the blinds revealed a police-free street” weakens point of view by eliminating the actor from the action and distracts me with its clumsiness.
CJs thoughts have a natural flow except for clunkers like this one:
At least it’s not that bizarre Book of the Archmessiah that police think was written by that religious fanatic who calls himself the Archmessiah.
Hallock occasionally over explains. Steph insists that CJ wear a diaper during his out-of-body journeys. He resists. In his argument he makes his attitude quite clear. We don’t need to be told, “He loathed wearing diapers.”
In the end the small flaws didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story. I recommend Eye-Spy to readers who enjoy an imaginative story with quirky, memorable characters and nonstop suspense. 4 stars.
Original Awesome Indies' Assessment (4 stars):
Kevin J. Hallock’s Eye Spy: A Sojourning Souls Story is an exciting novel of paranormal suspense.
The protagonist, CJ Campbell, has the ability to travel outside his body and attach his consciousness to the bodies of other people. With a few notable and dangerous exceptions, these others don’t know he’s there. Nor can he read their minds. He just tags along for the ride. CJ uses his special ability to solve crimes and collect the reward money.
His most formidable target is the cult of the Archmessiah, who have kidnapped a teenager they believe to be the Mother of the Return. She will have the honor of being impregnated by the cult leader and giving birth to their prophet — unless CJ tracks her down in time.
CJ and his sister, Steph, desperately need money. Since a horrific attack on the family left both their parents dead, the siblings have been unable to make regular payment on their mortgage. They’re on the brink of losing their farm, which the local casino owner is eager to buy and develop. They’ve kept to themselves since the attack. CJ is severely agoraphobic and can’t leave the house without passing out. When a chance for romance comes his way, he needs all the courage he can muster.
On top of all this, CJ is on the radar of a mysterious organization that monitors Out of Body Masters and takes extreme measures to neutralize them if they threaten society. The priest who runs the outfit thinks that nearly all OBMs eventually turn bad. The most skillful ones develop the ability to possess a body and expel the consciousness of its owner, making them immortal since they can move from body to body. Such an act of possession is of course murder.
The complex plot and the memorable and sympathetic characters keep me engaged in the action. The casino owner’s scheme to take the farm is the stuff of 19th Century melodrama, but the characters and the fully imagined world of the novel make it fresh.
The organization that tracks OBMs becomes problematic later in the story. Its reach seems to extend everywhere, and the priest manipulates events in ways that are unclear. The workings of the organization may become clearer in the sequel. In Eye-Spy it resolves plot complications a little too conveniently.
The writing is good except for some clumsy moments. A construction such as “Peering through the blinds revealed a police-free street” weakens point of view by eliminating the actor from the action and distracts me with its clumsiness.
CJs thoughts have a natural flow except for clunkers like this one:
At least it’s not that bizarre Book of the Archmessiah that police think was written by that religious fanatic who calls himself the Archmessiah.
Hallock occasionally over explains. Steph insists that CJ wear a diaper during his out-of-body journeys. He resists. In his argument he makes his attitude quite clear. We don’t need to be told, “He loathed wearing diapers.”
In the end the small flaws didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story. I recommend Eye-Spy to readers who enjoy an imaginative story with quirky, memorable characters and nonstop suspense. 4 stars.
January 29, 2014
Review contains minor spoilers. But! I tried to mitigate them.
*
*
Kevin Hallock's “Eye Spy” is a dark, edgy and blood-saturated thriller that escorts us through a world of traveling spirits, clairvoyance and possession. The novels itself follows a young brother and sister (CJ and Steph) who live in relative isolation on Apple Island, a semi-rural island town in Lake Michigan. After a horrible attack on their family that left them orphans, CJ and Steph discover that they have a psychic gift of sorts. He can hide his mind (or possibly his soul) inside other people's bodies and experience his host's sensory input (like: if his host smells coffee, then he smells coffee). And she has the power to telepathically communicate with her brother's disembodied spirit.
Driven by the anguish of what happened to their own family, the brother and sister start using their powers to fight crime and soon find themselves enmeshed in a hunt to find a murderous cult leader while they themselves are hunted by a murderous threat from the psychic world. A third, less supernatural, storyline follows their ongoing battle with a very wealthy casino owner who is determined to take over their farm home.
Hallock does a solid job of building suspense in all three plotlines and his writing is strong and clear, delivering deft plot twists and believable characters. It certainly kept me turning pages. He is good at creating deep and believable characters. The good guys, bad guys and funny guys all have depth. In particular, I enjoyed Apple Island’s cranky but loyal Sheriff, and the mysterious Father Rodney.
The stakes are well-defined and we do worry about our heroes, and I give him extra credit for letting us know that no one is totally safe as he moves towards a high energy climax.
Having said all that, I do feel that the middle of the novel could have used a solid trim. In particular, there were a number of passages that involved minor characters reporting to major characters (for example, a lawyer reporting to the very wealthy casino owner or a secret agent who monitors psychic powers reporting back to his handler). These reporting scenes often reiterate or only slightly clarify information that we, the readers, are already keenly aware of. Hopefully the sequel (the last few chapters of Eye Spy seem to suggest a sequel) will be a slightly slimmer tome.
Additionally, I have to admit that the romantic interplay between CJ, who is housebound and terribly out of shape, and a pretty young woman friend just seemed off-kilter. It felt a little forced, as though a romance was somehow required in the book, but it doesn't quite come together in a way that seems organic.
These are minor quibbles however. Overall, I feel that “Eye Spy” is a solid debut novel from a smart and promising fiction writer and look forward to more work from Mr. Hallock.
*
*
Kevin Hallock's “Eye Spy” is a dark, edgy and blood-saturated thriller that escorts us through a world of traveling spirits, clairvoyance and possession. The novels itself follows a young brother and sister (CJ and Steph) who live in relative isolation on Apple Island, a semi-rural island town in Lake Michigan. After a horrible attack on their family that left them orphans, CJ and Steph discover that they have a psychic gift of sorts. He can hide his mind (or possibly his soul) inside other people's bodies and experience his host's sensory input (like: if his host smells coffee, then he smells coffee). And she has the power to telepathically communicate with her brother's disembodied spirit.
Driven by the anguish of what happened to their own family, the brother and sister start using their powers to fight crime and soon find themselves enmeshed in a hunt to find a murderous cult leader while they themselves are hunted by a murderous threat from the psychic world. A third, less supernatural, storyline follows their ongoing battle with a very wealthy casino owner who is determined to take over their farm home.
Hallock does a solid job of building suspense in all three plotlines and his writing is strong and clear, delivering deft plot twists and believable characters. It certainly kept me turning pages. He is good at creating deep and believable characters. The good guys, bad guys and funny guys all have depth. In particular, I enjoyed Apple Island’s cranky but loyal Sheriff, and the mysterious Father Rodney.
The stakes are well-defined and we do worry about our heroes, and I give him extra credit for letting us know that no one is totally safe as he moves towards a high energy climax.
Having said all that, I do feel that the middle of the novel could have used a solid trim. In particular, there were a number of passages that involved minor characters reporting to major characters (for example, a lawyer reporting to the very wealthy casino owner or a secret agent who monitors psychic powers reporting back to his handler). These reporting scenes often reiterate or only slightly clarify information that we, the readers, are already keenly aware of. Hopefully the sequel (the last few chapters of Eye Spy seem to suggest a sequel) will be a slightly slimmer tome.
Additionally, I have to admit that the romantic interplay between CJ, who is housebound and terribly out of shape, and a pretty young woman friend just seemed off-kilter. It felt a little forced, as though a romance was somehow required in the book, but it doesn't quite come together in a way that seems organic.
These are minor quibbles however. Overall, I feel that “Eye Spy” is a solid debut novel from a smart and promising fiction writer and look forward to more work from Mr. Hallock.
June 22, 2015
Eye Spy: A Sojourning Souls Story by Kevin J. Hallock is a chilling tale of Stephanie and Christopher Campbell, two survivors of a vicious attack that killed their parents. Christopher (CJ) has become a recluse who is afraid to leave his house except when he sojourns in the bodies of hosts, so he and Steph help their friend, Sheriff Paul Howard solve crimes.
Hallock has written a book that combines the best of science fiction, fantasy, and mystery in a story that will keep readers turning the pages. The characters are compelling and easy to identify with—even sojourner CJ—as we follow their actions and innermost thoughts. Steph is perhaps the character most easy to sympathize, and identify, with. Loyal to her brother, she also has a wild streak that wasn’t completely extinguished by the brutal assault. But, she keeps it in check in deference to CJ and his demons.
The supporting characters are also interesting. From the sheriff who is willing to risk his job in order to support the children of his dead friend to Father Rodney, an investigator for the mysterious VSA, who is determined to find and control all Out of Body Masters (OBMs), we encounter characters that are both bigger than life in some ways (due no doubt to the genre), but who remind us of people we’ve met. The most interesting, and at the same time troubling, character is Cecil, the OBM serial killer who is the main focus of Father Rodney’s search. He is the cardboard villain for most of the book until he encounters CJ on the ferry from Apple Island. Cecil’s attempts to communicate with CJ, and his frustration and anger when CJ is unable to respond make him real at that point. It would have been better if there’d been more of Cecil’s backstory, but the lack of it doesn’t hurt the book.
The plot, really the eventual merging of two parallel stories, is fascinating. On the one hand, there’s the conflict between the Campbells and Doris Morris, the owner of the Apple Island Casino. An effective combination of humor, greed, and mystery actually makes this the most interesting of the two stories. The other story—Father Rodney’s search for Cecil, and Cecil’s deadly flight across the country to Apple Island, is a chilling tale that has some graphic scenes of violence that are not for everyone. The subplot, the actions of the messianic cult and its pedophilic leader, are also graphically disturbing. But, all of this comes together to create a mixed genre story that will keep you reading.
On the mechanical side, this book is extremely well edited and laid out, and the cover signals what the story is about without giving anything away.
Hallock has written a book that combines the best of science fiction, fantasy, and mystery in a story that will keep readers turning the pages. The characters are compelling and easy to identify with—even sojourner CJ—as we follow their actions and innermost thoughts. Steph is perhaps the character most easy to sympathize, and identify, with. Loyal to her brother, she also has a wild streak that wasn’t completely extinguished by the brutal assault. But, she keeps it in check in deference to CJ and his demons.
The supporting characters are also interesting. From the sheriff who is willing to risk his job in order to support the children of his dead friend to Father Rodney, an investigator for the mysterious VSA, who is determined to find and control all Out of Body Masters (OBMs), we encounter characters that are both bigger than life in some ways (due no doubt to the genre), but who remind us of people we’ve met. The most interesting, and at the same time troubling, character is Cecil, the OBM serial killer who is the main focus of Father Rodney’s search. He is the cardboard villain for most of the book until he encounters CJ on the ferry from Apple Island. Cecil’s attempts to communicate with CJ, and his frustration and anger when CJ is unable to respond make him real at that point. It would have been better if there’d been more of Cecil’s backstory, but the lack of it doesn’t hurt the book.
The plot, really the eventual merging of two parallel stories, is fascinating. On the one hand, there’s the conflict between the Campbells and Doris Morris, the owner of the Apple Island Casino. An effective combination of humor, greed, and mystery actually makes this the most interesting of the two stories. The other story—Father Rodney’s search for Cecil, and Cecil’s deadly flight across the country to Apple Island, is a chilling tale that has some graphic scenes of violence that are not for everyone. The subplot, the actions of the messianic cult and its pedophilic leader, are also graphically disturbing. But, all of this comes together to create a mixed genre story that will keep you reading.
On the mechanical side, this book is extremely well edited and laid out, and the cover signals what the story is about without giving anything away.
December 6, 2013
After reading Dead Doughboy Walking I was delighted to find that the author had just released the follow-up, Eye Spy. I really liked the novel overall, it was a great story and the characters were interesting. My main complaint is that Cecil didn't get enough screen time in Eye Spy; Dead Doughboy Walking game me the impression he would be the main antagonist. Instead it seems that he exists as a secondary antagonist, who's main purpose is to introduce the agency. To me this seems like a waste of a very cool character, though considering the books themes it isn't too hard to see a future revival of Cecil. That, though, is a gripe and did not keep me from enjoying Eye Spy. I'll be looking forward to seeing where the series goes next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2014
So far, at 17%, this one is great! The action is tight, the description terrific. Reading this one is fun!
February 28, 2014
I really loved all the covers on this series of books, you can tell the author put some thought into them! Action and descriptions went well throughout this whole story.
February 25, 2016
My debut novel!
October 19, 2018
Bravo! A good fast read! now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews