Emergence Collective by Joseph Hallett is a suspenseful science fiction novel. When Frank Friedman dropped out of college and left his parents’ home in 1969, he decided to hitchhike to start a new life. He was picked up by a painted school bus filled with similarly situated young adults on their way to Oregon. With no specific destination in mind, Frank decided to join their group. Their commune in the Oregon mountains consisted of fifty free spirits. Eventually, the members left the commune, except for Frank. He enjoyed life alone in the mountains with a few friends who lived nearby; however, he was bored. He became fascinated with a hole on the land that the commune had used to dispose of garbage over the years. The hole never filled up. Decades of garbage and old appliances, including refrigerators, never filled the hole. He decides to investigate the depth of the hole and engages his friends, including a geologist at a local university, to assist him. What secrets will they uncover about this mysterious hole?
Chief Master Sergeant Barney Derrick of the United States Air Force has been studying deviations in the magnetosphere. His study of the deviations over the last two years became his pet project for personal reasons. He assembled a team to accompany him to Washington state to investigate the anomalies. Mark and Trina are a young couple staying at the commune in Oregon when they find themselves in the middle of the mysteries surrounding the hole, the anomalies, and the ambitions of Barney Derrick.
This book is a page-turner. There are several unexpected twists that kept me guessing until the end. The existence of the hole is a mystery and it was intriguing to gradually learn more about it. It was captivating to see how each of the characters approached that mystery and tried to discover more about it. Each character brought a unique perspective to the investigation. The characters are what I liked most in the book. They are well-developed and interesting. Frank and his friend, Willy, had developed a deep connection over the years. Their relationship became more like family. The relationship between Mark and Trina was also well-written and realistic for a young couple. They had the unique perspective of teenagers as they investigated the strange occurrences.
Barney Derrick is a fascinating character. Without divulging any spoilers, he goes through many changes through the course of the book. Initially, he is demanding of his subordinates who accompany him on his quest. This seems natural since he is a Chief Master Sergeant. However, as the story progresses, his demands become more and more unacceptable. The contrast between Barney and Frank is significant. Their objectives and the way they treat others are vastly different. There was nothing that I disliked about this book.
I recommend Emergence Collective to fans of science fiction novels. I also recommend it to readers who enjoy mysteries and suspenseful novels. There were more than ten errors in the book, so I don’t believe it was professionally edited. With some additional editing, this book is worthy of a perfect score. Because it has more than ten errors, I give this book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars.
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Hand-prints of Darkness 