Review: Dark Eden by Patrick Carman

Title: Dark Eden

Author: Patrick Carman

Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books

Publishing Date: November 1st, 2011

Pages: 336
Audio Length: 5 Hour and 41 Minutes

Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction

Series: Dark Eden 

Source: ARC

 

Fifteen-year-old Will Besting is sent by his doctor to Fort Eden, an institution meant to help patients suffering from crippling phobias. Once there, Will and six other teenagers take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares—with the help of the group facilitator, Rainsford, an enigmatic guide. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night's experiences. But each person soon discovers strange, unexplained aches and pains. . . . What is really happening to the seven teens trapped in this dark Eden?

What made me pick this book up: 

I have no idea where this book even came from. I've had it on my bookshelf forever. 

What did I like about the cover: 

I like that the letters look like they're spray painted on the wall. That's about it.

What made me read this book: 

I guess I just got tired of seeing it on my bookshelf... Just kidding. Like I said, it's been on my shelf for forever, and it matched for a task. So I figured it was time. The synopsis also sounded pretty unique.

What did I like the most: 

Well the mystery of it really. I wanted to keep reading for two reasons. The first because I wanted to find out what everyone's fears were. I just had to know what had them so terrified that they had to be "cured". The second thing I needed to know was what happened when they were cured and how the cure worked. I just had to know!

What didn't I like: 

I really wanted to like this book. But I could not connect with the characters at all. And the ending was just plain weird. So so so so weird. It didn't match the book at all. It just didn't make any sense. I feel like this book could have been so much more than it was.

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this author? 
Nope, I have no desire to read the rest of the series at all. It was just too weird.

I really expected more, and it just fell short.

I have been a lifelong writer and storyteller. Salem, Oregon is where I spent my formative years and I graduated from Willamette University. After college, I spent a decade living in Portland, Oregon where I worked in advertising, game design, and technology.

I've written young adult and children's books for Scholastic, Little Brown Books For Young Readers and Katherine Tegen Books/ HarperCollins Publishers.
I've been fortunate enough to have had some bestselling series work: The Land of Elyon, Atherton, Elliot’s Park, 39 Clues, and Skeleton Creek. Here's a fun note...the books have been translated into approximately two dozen languages. Currently I'm developing a few new-media projects. Check out DARK EDEN to experience this type of cross-platform project.
When I'm not writing or creating a story, I spend my free time supporting literacy campaigns and community organizations, fly fishing, playing basketball and tennis, doing crosswords, watching movies, dabbling in video games, reading (lots), and (more than anything else) spending time with my wife and two daughters.