The Unseen

This is the first novel by TL Hines that I've read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. At times creepy, thrilling, poignant, and even confusing, it's never dull or boring. I'm in awe of Hines' talent for plotting and weaving such a complex story. As I read the book and tried to figure out where the story was going, the prose played out in my mind like a movie, and I could easily seeing this play out onscreen. It's written in a wonderfully cinematic manner. As this book is published by a Christian publisher, I found myself searching for a Christian message or theme in the book. That there isn't anything overt in the novel doesn't detract from it one bit. The protaganist constantly experiences a struggle within his soul and finds solace and answers in an abandoned church, but that's the closest to a "faith message" that can be found. And that's just fine with me. One thing I appreciated was the lack of foul language and sexual deviancy in the book. Is this representative of reality? Considering the subject matter, no. But as someone who doesn't want to be pummeled with cursing and assaulted with perversions, Hines has proven that you can write a solid, entertaining, and thrilling thriller without them. The Unseen is an excellent book, and I highly recommend it for fans of thrillers, mysteries, and even sci-fi.

Lucas is a mystery, even to himself. Hiding himself in public places, watching people's daily activities, he's a loner longing to connect with others. Lucas has mastered the art of remaining hidden and for all practical purposes, non-existent. But who is he, what is his past, and how did he ever end up in his current predicament of being hunted by the police and accused of multiple murders and kidnappings? I love T.L. Hines' books. His imaginative works keep me from having any true indication of what is going on exactly. At times it can be quite frustrating, but mostly it's a great adventure. The Unseen starts out a bit slow, most likely because of the uncomfortable nature of Lucas' `work'. The idea of being unsuspectingly spied on is a bit unsettling, whither it's a public place or your home. However, once the plot starts to unfold, the story really begins to pick up. Locked inside this mysterious book are some great mysterious characters. I so enjoy Hines' ability to take the ordinary and sometimes bizarre person and turn them into a hero. The characters, once again, are wonderfully constructed and offer some excellent insight into humanity. Within The Unseen are some very poignant moments. Several times we're hit with a strong dose of reality. Also are some great supernatural elements that bring a wonderful calming aspect to this rather hectic story. There are many themes that are beautifully explored and leaves the reader with something to contemplate. There is a pretty high body count, but nothing gory and all is within reason. A well written book and I look forward to reading more by Hines.

Since his riveting debut a few years back ("Waking Lazarus"), Hines has established himself as a consistent and original storyteller in the thriller market. Using the tagline "Noir Bizarre" to describe his own work, Hines explores the fringes of society and finds things both disturbing and familiar there. "The Unseen" is another sidestep from the regular thriller vein. This time, through the eyes of a disenfranchised young man named Lucas, we find ourselves lurking in businesses and restaurants, spying on the activities of regular folk. Lucas has no ill-will, only a deep longing to be connected to humanity without the risks such connection entail. He remains unseen, but even when he moves amongst the public, he finds that his fellow man has little time or energy to give to those on the fringes. As Lucas continues with his lurkings, he stumbles upon a more sinister group called the Creep Club. He's put off by their vicarious thrills, yet finds himself drawn to them like an addiction. What starts as a one-man exploration of society, with hints of a tamer Chuck Palahnuik between the lines, turns into a fast-paced thriller that involves government plots, killers, and closely guarded secrets. This is what I like about Hines' books, his ability to take regular people and make them believable, often likable, before taking readers along on a wild ride. Although a few elements left me wanting even more--for example, Lucas' connection with Sarea--Hines does a great job of spooling out the secrets in a manner that keeps us off-guard but still engaged. I love the cover of this book, the packaging, the layout, and all of that just adds to the quality of another Hines thriller. From the opening creepiness to the final thrills and revelations, "The Unseen" makes Hines a writer to watch for years to come.

TL Hines writes great stories, and "The Unseen" is no exception. The concept was touched on in David Morrell's "Creepers" (and it's a great follow-up book if you like this one), but Hines adds his own supernatural twist to things with an assassin who looks different to every person who sees him. Lucas, the hero of the story, is a flawed person with a mysterious past even HE can't remember. Hines does a wonderful job of presenting this unique hobby (urban creeping) with enough realism to make you think he might have done a little sneaking around of his own in the research phase of the story. The action moves along at a breakneck pace from the very start, and has a powerful ending. The only way I can think to describe this would be to imagine Dean Koontz writing a David Morrell novel with Jeffery Deaver looking over his shoulder to give advice on plot twists. Don't miss this one!

Lucas Freund lives his life in the shadows. He spends every available moment watching the lives of others from his secret hiding places: above ceiling panels in offices, on top of elevators, even storage closets of restaurants. A random meeting with another voyeur introduces Lucas to a secret group known as the Creep Club. They have taken the art to a whole new level by spying and recording people in their homes. After meeting with the Creep Club, Lucas is contacted by a federal agent who wants to use Lucas to bring them down. When things begin to go terribly wrong all fingers point to Lucas. Now he is caught up in a deadly game of secrets and conspiracy. Using his unorthodox skills, Lucas Freund must now discover who he can trust and who the real enemy is. T.L. Hines stormed onto the scene a couple of years ago with his wondrous debut, Waking Lazarus. This latest installment continues Hines' hot streak of quality thrillers with delightfully bizarre twists. The underground world of Creepers is incredibly fascinating and serves as the perfect backdrop for this well executed tale. After following Lucas on his peeping tom exploits you can't help but wonder if Hines himself didn't spend some time creeping around office buildings and elevator shafts. Every aspect of the Creeper lifestyle is brought to life before our eyes, immersing us into this strange and unsettling sub culture that exists in the real world. Lucas Freund is the perfect reluctant hero that carries this story throughout. Hines gives us the perfect mix of mystery, charm, genius, and imperfection in the creation of Lucas. Indeed the most intriguing part of the journey is Lucas' discovery of who he truly is and where he came from. This is T.L. Hines strongest character to date and will no doubt become a fan favorite. The Unseen also delivers as a riveting thriller that is full of action and surprises. Plot twists abound here and only add to the fun, causing you to fly through the pages to discover just what the heck is happening. In the end we are treated to just the right amount of closure and a beautiful message that will sit with you long after the end. T.L. Hines has crafted yet another winner that is guaranteed to leave you desperately wanting more.