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The Ark Discussion Board (SPOILERS ALLOWED)

16K views 36 replies 13 participants last post by  boydm 
#1 ·
Hi All,

This is the place where you can have free range to talk or ask about anything in The Ark. Spoilers are ALLOWED, so if you haven't finished The Ark and don't want anything given away, read no further.



Please feel free to discuss whatever you want. If you have any questions for me about how I wrote the story, the real and ficitional technology in the book, or specifics about plot points, this is the best place to ask them.

Cheers,
Boyd
 
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#27 ·
I just finished reading The Ark, and it was excellent. I haven't been posting because I was reading ahead and wanted to finish before peeking in this thread ;D An easy 4 stars in my book. You're not quite Michael Crichton yet, but definitely in the ballpark.

Just for something to talk about, I agree with the other posters that there could have been a bit more character development. I did enjoy getting a bit of backstory about Locke and his dad, and I wish you had done the same with Dilara and her dad, and maybe the ex-husband, too. I suspect that you find men easier to write about than women, and that's why you kind of ignored Dilara at times.

I also agree with something that I think I read on the other thread - Locke seems just a little too perfect of an action hero. His only flaw seems to be his relationship with his dad, and that gets worked out. I'd also add that the romance aspect seemed a little too easy, too. I'd like to see a bit more resistance, on both sides. I'm not sure if the men in your audience would feel the same way, though :)

Overall, though, it's a very good techno-thriller. I loved that the main characters were engineers. Partly because I am one ;D, and I agree that it's a profession that is overdue on getting its sexy superheros. I loved what you did with the story of Noah's Ark; you kept me guessing, but you had laid out the clues and it made sense in the context of the story.
 
#28 ·
I used to watch Lost, but have not for the past two years.  I did not connect Tyler Locke's name to that show.

And maybe because I work with a lot of men, it did not seem at all odd to me for him to be referred to by his last name.  We frequently use last names only when speaking about some of the men (even with them present).  Most of the time, their first names are used when addressing them directly.  But it is rare to refer to a woman by last name only.

I thought the plot was quite unique - it was a very creative way that the Biblical story could have been interpreted.  The book definitely kept my interest & I did not want to put it down.  I also appreciated that you did not use crude language in the telling of your story.
 
#29 ·
Here are my several $0.02:

I like how Locke is referred to in the book by his last name.  It reminds me of high school when I was nicknamed a derivative of my last name.  It never occurred to me that he shared a name with the character from Lost, but I kinda lost track of that show after the second season.  Also, the in my mind Tyler doesn't look anything like the TV character!

I feel bad that I was requesting more character development of Dilara from the beginning (I didn't realize you have to work so hard at it, Boyd!), but I am impressed when an author has the ability to write strong characters of the opposite sex in a nonsterotypical, multidimentional way, so I guess it is something I look for in my readings.  I was more satisfied with Dilara's character as the story progressed, but I think more development earlier on would make her an even bigger presence in the story.

I really like how this story ends.  There doesn't appear to be any way that the bad guy would have survived this, although maybe a vengeful Oasis minion will come back to haunt Locke later in life, but the main characters are realistic in their plans for the future, yet there is potential for them to get together and kick some bad guy butt later.

The scene with the humungo tractor and the Tesla car still echos in my head.  What a great chase!  I like how Locke gets into trouble with no apparent way out and he is able to think through it (or gets helped out) logically without too much luck or serendipity.

I'll be sure to visit Amazon and post a review.  I've enjoyed the ride and can't wait to start the next one (although this time I'll be flying through it and not stopping because I'm doing the book klub!).  Thanks for all of your feedback, Boyd.  This was a really enjoyable experience.  I wish I could go talk some sense into some publisher for you.  Good luck!
 
#30 ·
frojazz said:
It never occurred to me that he shared a name with the character from Lost, but I kinda lost track of that show after the second season. Also, the in my mind Tyler doesn't look anything like the TV character!
Well, I'm a total Lost fanatic (Destiny found, baby!), and it didn't bother me, either. It's a pretty common name, and I definitely agree that Tyler Locke didn't look a thing like Terry O'Quinn in my head!
 
#31 ·
Thanks to everyone for their great feedback! This Book Klub has been great fun, and I'd recommend it to other authors who want to start some discussion on their books.

It's also nice to get some honest feedback in a forum that let's us all have a respectful discussion, even when you may not like some of the aspects of the book. It helps to counter a few of the less-than-stellar reviews I've gotten on Amazon. The latest one-star review accuses me of spamming Amazon with reviews from friends, which is obviously untrue, since many of my good reviews have come from readers here on Kindleboards. It bothers me not only because it's a baseless accusation, but also because it dismisses out of hand the opinions of those who enjoyed the book. I don't mind if someone doesn't like The Ark--it's not for everyone--but that one was disturbing. I didn't respond to it on Amazon because starting a flame war never benefits the author, but I wanted to express my gratitude for the support I've received on Kindleboards.
 
#34 ·
See Boyd,
There is some "justice" in the world.
That is great news that the slanderous review was removed.

Our rave reviews of your work are serious business, man.
We like the books.
And we have the right to say so without some clown claiming that the ballot box is being stuffed.

Humph.
(Indignation and all that kinda stuff).

Just sayin.....
 
#36 ·
I've finished the book and left a review on Amazon. I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was very well done. It was easy to get hooked and forget to go to bed at a decent hour.  ;D  I like how it got your attention right off on page 1 and was action packed throughout.

I wish there would have been a little more of Locke's history. It seems like he knew how to do everything. I realize his military training helped some, but there were a couple of moments I thought 'how would he know that'. I can't remember specifics. Maybe it's my own lack of understanding what exactly an engineer does. I still enjoyed the story very much.

I look forward to reading your other books.
 
#37 ·
KimmyA said:
I've finished the book and left a review on Amazon. I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was very well done. It was easy to get hooked and forget to go to bed at a decent hour. ;D I like how it got your attention right off on page 1 and was action packed throughout.

I wish there would have been a little more of Locke's history. It seems like he knew how to do everything. I realize his military training helped some, but there were a couple of moments I thought 'how would he know that'. I can't remember specifics. Maybe it's my own lack of understanding what exactly an engineer does. I still enjoyed the story very much.

I look forward to reading your other books.
Thanks for the review, Kimmy! I hope we get to learn more about Locke in future books. I see him as something of an engineering renaissance man. Because he's so smart and capable, he's the engineer I would aspire to be, but he's also very focused on his work, almost to a fault. And when he isn't working, he's doing something mechanical or speedy, like racing cars. He might know a lot about how to take apart an engine and put it back together, but if you asked him the latest about politics or entertainment, he'd just give you a blank stare. That kind of thing doesn't interest him. Now Grant, on the other hand, loves that stuff, and what little Locke knows about it, he learned through Grant.
 
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