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Socket Greeny #1-3
The Socket Greeny Saga
The entire Socket Greeny trilogy (Discovery, Training, and Legend) follows a white-haired teenager that discovers he's part of an evolved human race, how he trains to understand his true self, and the legendary conclusion of his true nature.
662 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 27, 2011
About the author
Tony Bertauski
59 books736 followersGet my books FREE. Tell me where to send them at http://bertauski.com
He grew up in the Midwest where the land is flat and the corn is tall. The winters are bleak and cold. He hated winters.
He always wanted to write. But writing was hard. And he wasn’t very disciplined. The cold had nothing to do with that, but it didn’t help. That changed in grad school.
After several attempts at a proposal, his major advisor was losing money on red ink and advised him to figure it out. Somehow, he did.
After grad school, he and his wife and two very little children moved to the South in Charleston, South Carolina where the winters are spring and the summers are a sauna (cliche but dead on accurate). That’s when he started teaching and writing articles for trade magazines. He eventually published two textbooks on landscape design. He then transitioned to writing a column for the Post and Courier. They were all great gigs, but they weren’t fiction.
That was a few years later.
His daughter started reading before she could read, pretending she knew the words in books she propped on her lap. His son was a different story. In an attempt to change that, he began writing a story with him. They made up a character, gave him a name, and something to do. As with much of parenting, it did not go as planned. But the character got stuck in his head.
He wanted out.
A few years later, Socket Greeny was born. It was a science fiction trilogy that was gritty and thoughtful. That was 2005.
He has been practicing Zen since he was 23 years old. A daily meditator, he wants to instill something meaningful in his stories that appeals to a young adult crowd as well as adult. Think Hunger Games. He hadn’t planned to write fiction, didn’t even know if he had anymore stories in him after Socket Greeny.
Turns out he did.
He grew up in the Midwest where the land is flat and the corn is tall. The winters are bleak and cold. He hated winters.
He always wanted to write. But writing was hard. And he wasn’t very disciplined. The cold had nothing to do with that, but it didn’t help. That changed in grad school.
After several attempts at a proposal, his major advisor was losing money on red ink and advised him to figure it out. Somehow, he did.
After grad school, he and his wife and two very little children moved to the South in Charleston, South Carolina where the winters are spring and the summers are a sauna (cliche but dead on accurate). That’s when he started teaching and writing articles for trade magazines. He eventually published two textbooks on landscape design. He then transitioned to writing a column for the Post and Courier. They were all great gigs, but they weren’t fiction.
That was a few years later.
His daughter started reading before she could read, pretending she knew the words in books she propped on her lap. His son was a different story. In an attempt to change that, he began writing a story with him. They made up a character, gave him a name, and something to do. As with much of parenting, it did not go as planned. But the character got stuck in his head.
He wanted out.
A few years later, Socket Greeny was born. It was a science fiction trilogy that was gritty and thoughtful. That was 2005.
He has been practicing Zen since he was 23 years old. A daily meditator, he wants to instill something meaningful in his stories that appeals to a young adult crowd as well as adult. Think Hunger Games. He hadn’t planned to write fiction, didn’t even know if he had anymore stories in him after Socket Greeny.
Turns out he did.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
February 13, 2016
This is all 3 of the Socket Greeny books, so really deserves 3 reviews. I read the first one some time ago as an ebook & liked it, so when Tony offered me his audio book that he narrated, I jumped at the chance although I had reservations. I'm really picky about narrators. This is a self-published novel read by the author - a guy who is a horticulture teacher, so how good would his voice be? It turned out to be excellent & so is the quality of the recording. His voice is perfect for the tone of the book. There were 1 or 2 bobbles in the recording in each book so far, but they were minor. I've come across more than that in most professional works.
These are YA, but at the upper end. Socket is a moody teenager in a near future world where the Internet is old hat compared to virtual worlds & implanted communication devices. He's going through the normal teenage issues plus feeling abandoned since his father is dead & his mother works all the time. This was VERY well done. He echoed a lot of the same thoughts I had at his age in the same situation, but then his world was turned upside down as he discovers the Paladin Nation & his connection to it.
The 3 books in order are:
The Discovery of Socket Greeny I originally reviewed here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Without a lot of exposition, the world becomes quite real even though it's pretty far out. People are still people & there are some great characters. In this media, I'd give it 5 stars. Tony's voice really added a lot.
The Training of Socket Greeny is a logical extension & answers some things I wondered about from the first one. There was a bit too much philosophy for me, but the point of the book is figuring out just what makes humans people. I really liked the way addiction was handled, too. 4 stars.
The Legend of Socket Greeny was even more philosophy (especially self discovery) , but with some very cool scenery, action, & it resolves everything. It answers a lot of questions about the origins, however I didn't care for the end.
There were some shining parts, though. Several characters played excellent twisty parts in the complex scheme. All in all, a pretty good book, but it went on a little too long for me. 3 stars.
These are YA, but at the upper end. Socket is a moody teenager in a near future world where the Internet is old hat compared to virtual worlds & implanted communication devices. He's going through the normal teenage issues plus feeling abandoned since his father is dead & his mother works all the time. This was VERY well done. He echoed a lot of the same thoughts I had at his age in the same situation, but then his world was turned upside down as he discovers the Paladin Nation & his connection to it.
The 3 books in order are:
The Discovery of Socket Greeny I originally reviewed here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Without a lot of exposition, the world becomes quite real even though it's pretty far out. People are still people & there are some great characters. In this media, I'd give it 5 stars. Tony's voice really added a lot.
The Training of Socket Greeny is a logical extension & answers some things I wondered about from the first one. There was a bit too much philosophy for me, but the point of the book is figuring out just what makes humans people. I really liked the way addiction was handled, too. 4 stars.
The Legend of Socket Greeny was even more philosophy (especially self discovery) , but with some very cool scenery, action, & it resolves everything. It answers a lot of questions about the origins, however I didn't care for the end.
There were some shining parts, though. Several characters played excellent twisty parts in the complex scheme. All in all, a pretty good book, but it went on a little too long for me. 3 stars.
August 23, 2014
I'm running out of superlatives to use when talking about mr. Bertauski's work. I even waited a while, worrying about how to write this review without sounding like a crazy fanboy! ha.
The fact is, this is some of the best writing you're going to run into in indie publishing.
What the writer does is present a story written simply enough (deceptively so) to engage you, and with a plot complicated enough to make your mind ponder things of great and imaginative magnitude. Like examining what is human. What is good. What is evil.
The characters are multidimensional and interesting. The plot progresses both logically yet surprisingly through the trilogy. Curves are thrown at you, and you say "Never saw that coming, but yeah, that makes absolute sense".
This is so difficult to pull off, and Bertauski does it so well, it SEEMS effortless.
I guarantee you a few sleepless nights. And well worth it!
The fact is, this is some of the best writing you're going to run into in indie publishing.
What the writer does is present a story written simply enough (deceptively so) to engage you, and with a plot complicated enough to make your mind ponder things of great and imaginative magnitude. Like examining what is human. What is good. What is evil.
The characters are multidimensional and interesting. The plot progresses both logically yet surprisingly through the trilogy. Curves are thrown at you, and you say "Never saw that coming, but yeah, that makes absolute sense".
This is so difficult to pull off, and Bertauski does it so well, it SEEMS effortless.
I guarantee you a few sleepless nights. And well worth it!
Read
March 10, 2016I read about 3/4 but I have no desire to read anymore. The kicker is that I can't tell you one thing I didn't like about it other than the fact that it just didn't draw me in. It had likable characters, people with superpowers, aliens, action...what's not to love right? I think Jim was right when he said that this was a really good book in audiobook format. I should have tried it that way but I'm not currently set up for audiobooks. It's read by the author himself and Jim said he did a really good job at it. If I ever try audiobooks in the future, I'll start with this one.
August 17, 2015
An excellent series! The Socket Greeny Saga is one of the best series I have read in years. Action, adventure, love, evil and the essence of what it means to be human. I can't say enough about these books. Highly recommend!
June 2, 2020
I have read these three books and started to review them individually, but decided to wait until I had read the full set.
This is about a young adult called Socket Greeny, Streeter (an intelligent computer nerd who lives and breathes alternate reality), and Chute (a strong female character who is a top athlete and admired by them both), and the experiences that they go through to get through school, and get through life. As with other books by this author, there are twists involved, and this series has plenty of strange occurrences to keep you entertained. Without revealing the plot, Socket becomes aware of strange abilities that are becoming more and more prevalent and both help and hinder him and his friends and family, sometimes getting into some fascinating and life threatening situations. He is challenged by bullies and also by 'friends' and strangers more and more to learn and control his powers before they destroy not just him, but those around him too, and the attacks from outside forces become ever more threatening when he appears on the radar of people who would exploit him. There is an underlying humour in the form of banter which keeps things upbeat at times when you can get overloaded, as there is so much happening in the story and, in places,can be quite hard to follow. This is set in a hybrid of virtual universe and actual universe and there are lots of references to other dimensions and planes of existence which will suck you in and, if you are like me, get you a bit lost! This is extremely detailed and can be hard to follow, but it adds to the authenticity of the storyline and can be quite a spiritual experience. Fans of films like The Matrix, Lawnmower Man, Total Recall etc will totally get these books, as will people into game lit fiction, but this will appeal to fans of sci fi in general too. I didn't enjoy this series as much as the others in the Bertauski Universe, but that is because I was expecting things to take a different path and not down to the quality of the writing itself.
This is about a young adult called Socket Greeny, Streeter (an intelligent computer nerd who lives and breathes alternate reality), and Chute (a strong female character who is a top athlete and admired by them both), and the experiences that they go through to get through school, and get through life. As with other books by this author, there are twists involved, and this series has plenty of strange occurrences to keep you entertained. Without revealing the plot, Socket becomes aware of strange abilities that are becoming more and more prevalent and both help and hinder him and his friends and family, sometimes getting into some fascinating and life threatening situations. He is challenged by bullies and also by 'friends' and strangers more and more to learn and control his powers before they destroy not just him, but those around him too, and the attacks from outside forces become ever more threatening when he appears on the radar of people who would exploit him. There is an underlying humour in the form of banter which keeps things upbeat at times when you can get overloaded, as there is so much happening in the story and, in places,can be quite hard to follow. This is set in a hybrid of virtual universe and actual universe and there are lots of references to other dimensions and planes of existence which will suck you in and, if you are like me, get you a bit lost! This is extremely detailed and can be hard to follow, but it adds to the authenticity of the storyline and can be quite a spiritual experience. Fans of films like The Matrix, Lawnmower Man, Total Recall etc will totally get these books, as will people into game lit fiction, but this will appeal to fans of sci fi in general too. I didn't enjoy this series as much as the others in the Bertauski Universe, but that is because I was expecting things to take a different path and not down to the quality of the writing itself.
May 26, 2019
I made it through the first two books, but honestly it was a slog. I kept hoping it would draw me deeper, but that never happened.
The concept and several details were really cool, but in my opinion, the execution just wasn't for me.
Most of the time, I had no idea what was going on, which may have been the intent for this first person perspective, but I don't think it enhanced the experience. On many occasions this would play out: The action would start, a blur of things would happen that even the pov character would be confused about, he'd black out or something, and then suddenly be somewhere else and the conflict resolved. And, of course, because you and he had no clue what was going on during the fight, it's up to the pov character to TELL you what had transpired, with the implication that he was informed afterward, too... I dunno about you, but I prefer the 'Show, Don't Tell' approach.
I can see why some people like these books, but they just weren't my style.
The concept and several details were really cool, but in my opinion, the execution just wasn't for me.
Most of the time, I had no idea what was going on, which may have been the intent for this first person perspective, but I don't think it enhanced the experience. On many occasions this would play out: The action would start, a blur of things would happen that even the pov character would be confused about, he'd black out or something, and then suddenly be somewhere else and the conflict resolved. And, of course, because you and he had no clue what was going on during the fight, it's up to the pov character to TELL you what had transpired, with the implication that he was informed afterward, too... I dunno about you, but I prefer the 'Show, Don't Tell' approach.
I can see why some people like these books, but they just weren't my style.
August 3, 2013
The first book was one of the best I have read all year. While the next two installments didn't ever get quite to that top level of amazeballs, they are both excellent also. The whole series is seriously gripping, loaded with twists and turns. It has some pretty scary moments and the character development is top notch. I highly recommend this trilogy and frankly, I can't believe it is this cheap! Grab it, read it, enjoy it.
March 27, 2014
Interesting but I found it a bit tedious, although I did finish it. YA, SF or what, not sure how to classify it, a little bit of everything I guess. Secret group of humans with advanced mental powers and technology, aliens, human clones but made of nanocells and not flesh and blood. Add a couple of creatures? with supper powers and a young boy growing into his own powers stir and you get this trilogy.
February 9, 2014
Although this book gets very metaphysical I really enjoyed it. the author could have almost ended the series after the second book except for a few minor loose ends, it seemed, but the author just kept taking it further and further.
January 26, 2015
Clear, descriptive prose in a coming of age series. It was a pleasure to read. Character development was strong. The concepts have not been worn out by prior SF authors.
Very enjoyable and a good read for anyone in the family. (although the language is more suited to teenagers and above.)
Very enjoyable and a good read for anyone in the family. (although the language is more suited to teenagers and above.)
May 9, 2019
Outstanding series of books, the end was incredible! would highly recommend these :o)
March 1, 2014
First book great
can't wait to read next two great characters all the books I've read of his have been enjoyable to sink into
can't wait to read next two great characters all the books I've read of his have been enjoyable to sink into
September 2, 2017
Review originally published at: http://www.lomeraniel.com/audiobookre...
Socket discovers that he is different to the other kids. When in Virtual Mode he sees and can do things that his friends cannot. His mother explains him that he is special, and that his place is in the Paladin Nation, where other people with special abilities train to defend the world from a very dangerous enemy.
Last year I had the honor to review the 'Halfskin Boxed set' and I absolutely loved it. It reminds me of classic dystopian books but completely modernized. What is not to love? So when I got the chance to review 'The Socket Greeny' saga I did not think it twice.
Bertauski writes science-fiction, but the good kind that makes you think and keeps you awake at night. His characters are fully fleshed and they evolve significantly in the three books, which really helps the reader to connect to them, even though the problems they have are so different from ours that this is a difficult task, but Bertauski does it!
The main conflict reminds me of the one present in 'Halfskin' but with a twist. It was interesting to explore this once again from a different point of view.
When listening to the first and second book there was something that failed to make the books complete to me. The issue with the duplicates was an interesting one, but since their origin was kind of obscure, it was difficult to relate to the Paladins. At that moment the duplicates were a kind of faceless enemy but without a lot of substance. There was something missing. But Bertauski's books cannot be read as standalone. Each one of them is part of a meticulously written plan, and everything falls in place in the end. The questions I had, the things that did not convince me, were answered in the third book. So my advice is this: if you have the chance, get the complete saga and read it from beginning to end. Everything will make sense in the end.
The total length is more than 22 hours, but I was so immersed in the story that it took me four days to listen to the three books, and when I had finished them it left me with a lonely feeling, already missing Socket and his friends. As I have said, this is one of those books that makes you think and will have you busy mulling over it after some time. I spent over one hour awake in be around 5 am just unable to take my mind off this story.
The books are narrated this time by Tony Bertauski himself. I am not sure about this move though. I remember greatly enjoying the narration of 'Halfskin', but I had more issues with this one. While Bertauski's narration is mostly correct and his characters' interpretation is quite good, I missed some more voice range. He made the effort of giving a different voice to Spindle, but all the other characters sounded the same, even female characters. This rendered things a bit confusing at times. I also noticed a couple of sentence repetitions and numerous volume variations. This can sometimes be fixed by normalizing the track but I am not sure if it was somehow more evident on the original. At times I could hear Bertauski swallowing and even wheezing, probably caused but being to close to the microphone. All in all, the narration was okay, but I think it is a pity to have a just okay narration for a master piece like this. I believe in hiring professionals to have professional results, and a good narration always makes an audiobook shine.
I am happy that I took the time to listen to this audiobook, and I plan to read more by Tony Bertauski. He is one of my favorite authors nowadays!
I received a copy of this book in audio format from the author and narrator in exchange for an honest review.
Socket discovers that he is different to the other kids. When in Virtual Mode he sees and can do things that his friends cannot. His mother explains him that he is special, and that his place is in the Paladin Nation, where other people with special abilities train to defend the world from a very dangerous enemy.
Last year I had the honor to review the 'Halfskin Boxed set' and I absolutely loved it. It reminds me of classic dystopian books but completely modernized. What is not to love? So when I got the chance to review 'The Socket Greeny' saga I did not think it twice.
Bertauski writes science-fiction, but the good kind that makes you think and keeps you awake at night. His characters are fully fleshed and they evolve significantly in the three books, which really helps the reader to connect to them, even though the problems they have are so different from ours that this is a difficult task, but Bertauski does it!
The main conflict reminds me of the one present in 'Halfskin' but with a twist. It was interesting to explore this once again from a different point of view.
When listening to the first and second book there was something that failed to make the books complete to me. The issue with the duplicates was an interesting one, but since their origin was kind of obscure, it was difficult to relate to the Paladins. At that moment the duplicates were a kind of faceless enemy but without a lot of substance. There was something missing. But Bertauski's books cannot be read as standalone. Each one of them is part of a meticulously written plan, and everything falls in place in the end. The questions I had, the things that did not convince me, were answered in the third book. So my advice is this: if you have the chance, get the complete saga and read it from beginning to end. Everything will make sense in the end.
The total length is more than 22 hours, but I was so immersed in the story that it took me four days to listen to the three books, and when I had finished them it left me with a lonely feeling, already missing Socket and his friends. As I have said, this is one of those books that makes you think and will have you busy mulling over it after some time. I spent over one hour awake in be around 5 am just unable to take my mind off this story.
The books are narrated this time by Tony Bertauski himself. I am not sure about this move though. I remember greatly enjoying the narration of 'Halfskin', but I had more issues with this one. While Bertauski's narration is mostly correct and his characters' interpretation is quite good, I missed some more voice range. He made the effort of giving a different voice to Spindle, but all the other characters sounded the same, even female characters. This rendered things a bit confusing at times. I also noticed a couple of sentence repetitions and numerous volume variations. This can sometimes be fixed by normalizing the track but I am not sure if it was somehow more evident on the original. At times I could hear Bertauski swallowing and even wheezing, probably caused but being to close to the microphone. All in all, the narration was okay, but I think it is a pity to have a just okay narration for a master piece like this. I believe in hiring professionals to have professional results, and a good narration always makes an audiobook shine.
I am happy that I took the time to listen to this audiobook, and I plan to read more by Tony Bertauski. He is one of my favorite authors nowadays!
I received a copy of this book in audio format from the author and narrator in exchange for an honest review.
July 8, 2019
Trilogy set with all 3 books in one set
A fantasy trilogy set in the near future, involving 3 teens, a girl who is in love with the hero, their mutual friend who is a computer genius, & the protagonist, a young man with white hair who has so far been living a relatively aimless life. He has recently lost his father & his mother is a workaholic for a shadowy organization. His nerd friend was orphaned & taken in & raised by his grandparents. The girl's father is wheelchair bound. The loss of an intact family in the sense of an traditional nuclear family binds these friends together.
The white haired boy is discovered to have powers beyond the norm & is taken to his mother's workplace where he discovers more about his gifts & undergoes special training. Meanwhile, though he longs to see his friends & is often promised a chance to visit them, the visits are often not forthcoming. The trilogy follows a rather bizarre world & path for the young man as he discovers more about his powers, his friends, the world at large, & what his role is in all of this.
While well written for the most part, it sometimes drags & there is an over-emphasis on Eastern religious practices, plus the end seems a bit improbable, even for a trilogy that promises to be improbable at best. It is also a bit incongruous at the ending.
A fantasy trilogy set in the near future, involving 3 teens, a girl who is in love with the hero, their mutual friend who is a computer genius, & the protagonist, a young man with white hair who has so far been living a relatively aimless life. He has recently lost his father & his mother is a workaholic for a shadowy organization. His nerd friend was orphaned & taken in & raised by his grandparents. The girl's father is wheelchair bound. The loss of an intact family in the sense of an traditional nuclear family binds these friends together.
The white haired boy is discovered to have powers beyond the norm & is taken to his mother's workplace where he discovers more about his gifts & undergoes special training. Meanwhile, though he longs to see his friends & is often promised a chance to visit them, the visits are often not forthcoming. The trilogy follows a rather bizarre world & path for the young man as he discovers more about his powers, his friends, the world at large, & what his role is in all of this.
While well written for the most part, it sometimes drags & there is an over-emphasis on Eastern religious practices, plus the end seems a bit improbable, even for a trilogy that promises to be improbable at best. It is also a bit incongruous at the ending.
March 20, 2021
Tony Bertauski has a wonderful imagination as is evident with his Claus series and he’s once again on top form with this clever series. The Discovery Of Socket Greeny is one of those stories that feels both familiar and original at the same time. This may technically be Sci-Fi, or maybe Fantasy, but I’m certain it will appeal to those who simply like a smart story.
After the events of the first book The Training Of Socket Greeny sees our hero now in full time training with the Paladin Nation and it’s hard going. Tony Bertauski keeps the tension high throughout and has Socket dealing with many issues from his training to his personal relationships before things get really dangerous.
Socket Greeny has had quite the adventure during the previous two volumes in this clever series but nothing comes close to what he has to face in The Legend Of Socket Greeny, the final instalment. He has taken to mentoring kids younger than himself to achieve more than they thought possible. He also gets a trip further than he’s ever been before. This is a worthy conclusion to this series that has heart, soul and most importantly mind behind it giving us smart, intelligent Sci-Fi with characters that are both fantastical and relatable. Greta work Mr Bertauski.
After the events of the first book The Training Of Socket Greeny sees our hero now in full time training with the Paladin Nation and it’s hard going. Tony Bertauski keeps the tension high throughout and has Socket dealing with many issues from his training to his personal relationships before things get really dangerous.
Socket Greeny has had quite the adventure during the previous two volumes in this clever series but nothing comes close to what he has to face in The Legend Of Socket Greeny, the final instalment. He has taken to mentoring kids younger than himself to achieve more than they thought possible. He also gets a trip further than he’s ever been before. This is a worthy conclusion to this series that has heart, soul and most importantly mind behind it giving us smart, intelligent Sci-Fi with characters that are both fantastical and relatable. Greta work Mr Bertauski.
July 30, 2019
The Socket Greeny Saga - a review by Rosemary Kenny
Despite his unusual (to say the least!) name, MC Socket Greeny is a normal healthy teen VR Gamer geek, with a girlfriend, Chute and a best pal Streeter, who are at school with him...until he goes to his Mom's workplace 'The Garrison' on a school trip, where his eyes are opened to the reality of their existence, which is very far from what everyone accepted as reality, in a Neo/Matrix-like awakening The Socket Greeny Saga (Books 1-3), by Tony Bertauski.
This YA, what if...? sci-fi, GameLit adventure will appeal to young people (as well as young-at-heart, 'recycled teenagers' like myself!) and having these excellent books in one set is a great idea, as the eager reader isn't left with bated breath waiting for the continuation of the saga - it's all here for your reading pleasure.
Grab The Socket Greeny Saga: A Science Fiction Thriller by Tony Bertauski as soon as you can - and tell all your friends too!
Despite his unusual (to say the least!) name, MC Socket Greeny is a normal healthy teen VR Gamer geek, with a girlfriend, Chute and a best pal Streeter, who are at school with him...until he goes to his Mom's workplace 'The Garrison' on a school trip, where his eyes are opened to the reality of their existence, which is very far from what everyone accepted as reality, in a Neo/Matrix-like awakening The Socket Greeny Saga (Books 1-3), by Tony Bertauski.
This YA, what if...? sci-fi, GameLit adventure will appeal to young people (as well as young-at-heart, 'recycled teenagers' like myself!) and having these excellent books in one set is a great idea, as the eager reader isn't left with bated breath waiting for the continuation of the saga - it's all here for your reading pleasure.
Grab The Socket Greeny Saga: A Science Fiction Thriller by Tony Bertauski as soon as you can - and tell all your friends too!
January 18, 2018
This is a rare look at what it means to be human.
If you like reading about the human experience hours going to love this collection.
Despite still being in school, Socket Greeny, finds the world changing when he starts to develop abilities beyond those of around him. To find answers he has to take a trip to a mountain retreat where he finds he is not alone.
However, for me it's the combination of the main character and his support network that make this series so fascinating.
There is a clear development in the relationships between Socket and Streeter, a young man with programming skills way beyond the average. But it's Socket's relationship with Chute that makes the series shine. Can she be what Socket needs her to be, or will the changes he's undergoing destroy their friendship?
If you like reading about the human experience hours going to love this collection.
Despite still being in school, Socket Greeny, finds the world changing when he starts to develop abilities beyond those of around him. To find answers he has to take a trip to a mountain retreat where he finds he is not alone.
However, for me it's the combination of the main character and his support network that make this series so fascinating.
There is a clear development in the relationships between Socket and Streeter, a young man with programming skills way beyond the average. But it's Socket's relationship with Chute that makes the series shine. Can she be what Socket needs her to be, or will the changes he's undergoing destroy their friendship?
December 8, 2018
I left a review for the book first in the series after I read it, because I was so excited to go through the other two books and had to leave my praise. The rest of the series did not disappoint in any way. Mostly, I've only read one other series of books where the "one with everything and the universe" idea was so exquisitely well done. That was Frank Herbert's Dune.
This series is not Dune, by any means, but the well-conceived and brilliantly written, believable, heart-wrenching parts of Socket that come back to play "for the long game" were absolutely wonderful. For a teenage boy discover who and what he is, and what he was actually meant to do, Socket's put through some serious sh*t. And he comes out on the other end... well, himself. I enjoyed this entire series so much, and the world was fantastic.
This series is not Dune, by any means, but the well-conceived and brilliantly written, believable, heart-wrenching parts of Socket that come back to play "for the long game" were absolutely wonderful. For a teenage boy discover who and what he is, and what he was actually meant to do, Socket's put through some serious sh*t. And he comes out on the other end... well, himself. I enjoyed this entire series so much, and the world was fantastic.
November 9, 2019
Hmmm...good.
Thought provoking. Surprising. I was invested in the characters. Good story. I especially liked the end, how everything came together. I enjoyed the ?symbolism? ?archetypes? whatever you want to call it. The parts that could be read as a story beyond the story, the spiritual parts, if you will. If you are a Christ-follower, there are some parallels, just don't take it too far. It's not Narnia! As for the actual writing, I thought the narrative was a little repetitive and unclear sometimes. If I were the editor I would say it could use a few more rewrites, some tightening up as well as some expansion in some places. But it was good, overall. Thanks, Tony
Thought provoking. Surprising. I was invested in the characters. Good story. I especially liked the end, how everything came together. I enjoyed the ?symbolism? ?archetypes? whatever you want to call it. The parts that could be read as a story beyond the story, the spiritual parts, if you will. If you are a Christ-follower, there are some parallels, just don't take it too far. It's not Narnia! As for the actual writing, I thought the narrative was a little repetitive and unclear sometimes. If I were the editor I would say it could use a few more rewrites, some tightening up as well as some expansion in some places. But it was good, overall. Thanks, Tony
April 14, 2020
My favorite series
I can't say enough about Bertauski's books. I've read almost all of them and have loved every one, but The Socket Greeny Saga my favorite. The entire time I was reading it, I just kept thinking what a great movie it would make. The plot is fresh and full of twists and turns, the characters are deep and evocative. And the end! So satisfying. Hard to believe this was his first. I read the entire series in four days; I just couldn't put it down! (and I'm generally a slow reader by habit) If you love Bertauski's writing as much as I do, don't miss this one!
I can't say enough about Bertauski's books. I've read almost all of them and have loved every one, but The Socket Greeny Saga my favorite. The entire time I was reading it, I just kept thinking what a great movie it would make. The plot is fresh and full of twists and turns, the characters are deep and evocative. And the end! So satisfying. Hard to believe this was his first. I read the entire series in four days; I just couldn't put it down! (and I'm generally a slow reader by habit) If you love Bertauski's writing as much as I do, don't miss this one!
June 7, 2017
Potential. So, so much potential that this trilogy has. The story could be perfect, the books could be fantastic, but it would take a monumental rewrite. A lot of time and effort into painstakingly rewording the plot to flow better, to explain things that weren't entirely explained, to put more emphasis on things that turned out to be more important than you thought they were. So far, it reads like fanfiction. But it could be so much more.
October 23, 2018
Pulled me right in and never let up
Loved the ideas in this book(men in black finally explained!) Loved the main character and both secondaries. Loved the unexpected twists and turns. Did not see that one coming at all! (No spoilers) Well thought out. Can machines have souls? I guess sooner or later we'll find out.😀
Loved the ideas in this book(men in black finally explained!) Loved the main character and both secondaries. Loved the unexpected twists and turns. Did not see that one coming at all! (No spoilers) Well thought out. Can machines have souls? I guess sooner or later we'll find out.😀
January 23, 2020
Deeply fascinating
I chose five stars because the characters, the world building and the story line are all so well done. This adventure is unique enough that I could not guess what would happen next and that is a true joy!
I chose five stars because the characters, the world building and the story line are all so well done. This adventure is unique enough that I could not guess what would happen next and that is a true joy!
June 5, 2020
A fantastic sci-fi trilogy! An amazing journey into the realms of virtual reality. The author takes you into the story so well that you can clearly envision the world he has created. I was totally hooked from start to finish. Fantastic read and highly recommended!
December 3, 2022
Socket Greeny
Beautyfully written, excellent play with words. Took only day and a half to devour this novel. Asimov and Heinlein are also my favorites, but the best memories are the Perry Rhodan adventures.
Thank You.
Beautyfully written, excellent play with words. Took only day and a half to devour this novel. Asimov and Heinlein are also my favorites, but the best memories are the Perry Rhodan adventures.
Thank You.
December 23, 2018
Amazing
This was a great romp of a sci-fi series! You will enjoy it! Fun, thought provoking, action, and adventure; A good story to read!
This was a great romp of a sci-fi series! You will enjoy it! Fun, thought provoking, action, and adventure; A good story to read!
August 23, 2020
Audible Audiobook
March 1, 2017
I really enjoyed this trilogy. Though I was not a fan of much of the last book, I felt compelled to complete the trilogy and I'm glad I did. The characters were well developed, which, to my mind, is the key to a books survival. If I like a character I can forgive/roll with/ get through any plot or story issues I may have. My biggest issue with this series came in the last book, as stated. I felt there was far too much self loathing and unnecessary reflection on the part of Socket.
All in all, this was a unique series with some really wonderful moments and well done characters.
All in all, this was a unique series with some really wonderful moments and well done characters.
October 13, 2018
Great series. Except for the last book. It left me cold.
July 16, 2015
I loved this book. I was hooked from the first chapter and had a hard time putting it down. Great, well thought-out characters. Plot was well developed with some interesting ideas into how AI might work and problems that might come with it. Some of the twists were predictable, but there were a few gems that had me pleasantly surprised. Word of warning. The last chapter is very expected once you get through the books, but I had to wipe my eyes before anyone saw me getting all emotional...
Couple of things to note. There is a bit more swearing than I would prefer, including some F-bombs. Additionally, this is a very sci-fi book, meaning if you are not comfortable with wormholes, nanobots, and AI, this is probably not the book(s) for you.
That said, I only mark a book as a 5-star if I enjoyed it and it made me think about the book once I was done. This is one of those books. In particular, what is it that makes each of us real? Is it genetics? Being human? Or is there something more that we need to do?
In the end, at least by my interpretation of this book, how real we are is determined by the impact we play in people's lives. And interestingly enough, we can never see how real we are. Only those around us have that ability.
Couple of things to note. There is a bit more swearing than I would prefer, including some F-bombs. Additionally, this is a very sci-fi book, meaning if you are not comfortable with wormholes, nanobots, and AI, this is probably not the book(s) for you.
That said, I only mark a book as a 5-star if I enjoyed it and it made me think about the book once I was done. This is one of those books. In particular, what is it that makes each of us real? Is it genetics? Being human? Or is there something more that we need to do?
In the end, at least by my interpretation of this book, how real we are is determined by the impact we play in people's lives. And interestingly enough, we can never see how real we are. Only those around us have that ability.
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