The Pretender: Rebirth by Steven Long Mitchell and Craig W Van Sickle
Synopsis:
There are Pretenders among us, geniuses with the ability to become anyone they want to be. In 1983 a corporation known as The Centre isolated a young Pretender named Jarod and exploited his genius for their research. Then, one day, their Pretender ran away.
Review:
The Pretender: Rebirth is written by the creators of The Pretender television show which aired from 1996-2000. Rebirth is just that – a rebirth of the series in novel form, updated to the present day. Fans of the show will see mostly similarities but a few new characters as well.
In this first novel, Jarod Pretends to be a doctor to infiltrate some shading dealings. It reads a lot like the show, fast-paced and thrilling. The story is told from the point of view of the various characters – fleshing each out very well. As in the show, Ms. Parker is completely unlikeable right from the beginning in her villainous role. And Sydney has made some bad choices, but genuinely cares for Jarod. And Jarod is a wide-eyed innocent as he experiences life outside The Centre, with a hero complex.
I thoroughly enjoyed this first novel in the series. The mystery and suspense build to an exciting and dramatic cliffhanger ending that left me wanting more. Fans of the show will definitely want to check this one out. And I’ll certainly be following this fascinating series.
It is so exciting to see the Pretender back! Was a fantastic read and so wonderful to see so many new aspects of our favourite characters. Cannot wait for the next book.