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Fringe #3
Fringe - Sins of the Father
Never-before-revealed secrets of the characters, leading to the creation of the government's covert Fringe Division.
In 2008, Peter Bishop is estranged from his father and running shady operations in Southeast Asia. His latest scam lands him in a life-or-death situation involving weird events beyond the ken of modern science. On the run, he finds himself pursued by strange
specters of his past... and his future.
The Fringe Division is summoned when the unimaginable occurs. Armed with experimental technology, special agent Olivia Dunham, "fringe" scientist Walter Bishop, and his son Peter Bishop investigate cases that lie beyond the realm of possibility.
In 2008, Peter Bishop is estranged from his father and running shady operations in Southeast Asia. His latest scam lands him in a life-or-death situation involving weird events beyond the ken of modern science. On the run, he finds himself pursued by strange
specters of his past... and his future.
The Fringe Division is summoned when the unimaginable occurs. Armed with experimental technology, special agent Olivia Dunham, "fringe" scientist Walter Bishop, and his son Peter Bishop investigate cases that lie beyond the realm of possibility.
320 pages, ebook
First published October 15, 2013
About the author
Christa Faust
73 books368 followersChrista Faust is an American author who writes original novels, as well as novelizations and media tie-ins.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 28, 2018
3.5 Stars
Sins of the Father is my favorite book of the Fringe prequel series and not just because it centers around Peter Bishop either. I enjoyed this story the most even though it took some leaps that were not consistent with the plot of the tv show.
Sins of the Father takes place right before the tv show in fact on the last page Peter is told that a Blond F.B.I agent is looking for him, and we all know who that is. In 2008 Peter who is estranged from his father Walter, is pulled in to a life or death situation involving a virus and bioterrorism. He also investigates his first Fringe case and "meets" some Fringe Supervillains in the process. This book gets bonus points for having a Obama cameo(Man, I miss him).
Overall it was a fun fast paced adventure and I enjoy anytime I get to spend with Peter Bishop and Co.
Only recommended for readers who loved and watched the tv show Fringe. Non Fringe lovers will just be confused.
Sins of the Father is my favorite book of the Fringe prequel series and not just because it centers around Peter Bishop either. I enjoyed this story the most even though it took some leaps that were not consistent with the plot of the tv show.
Sins of the Father takes place right before the tv show in fact on the last page Peter is told that a Blond F.B.I agent is looking for him, and we all know who that is. In 2008 Peter who is estranged from his father Walter, is pulled in to a life or death situation involving a virus and bioterrorism. He also investigates his first Fringe case and "meets" some Fringe Supervillains in the process. This book gets bonus points for having a Obama cameo(Man, I miss him).
Overall it was a fun fast paced adventure and I enjoy anytime I get to spend with Peter Bishop and Co.
Only recommended for readers who loved and watched the tv show Fringe. Non Fringe lovers will just be confused.
April 6, 2017
I feel that people are often dismissive of authors who write TV novelizations, which would be a mistake as it must be hard work to produce a well-written original story in a universe that you didn't create, where you have to make your characters recognizable to their TV audiences, and have to avoid causing anything that is in conflict with the source material. Very often, this can lead to either safe stories that don't rock the boat but which are just a bit bland or boring, or exciting stories that take the characters on a journey that they couldn't have taken on the screen, but then paints the author into the corner marked "reset button".
The easiest type of such a novel to write is probably one that is set after the conclusion of the screen story, as you have a freer rein to branch out into new material. The downside is that there may be a later demand for sequels on the screen which wipes out everything that has been created on the page by going in a different direction, like in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. These stories still exist but legitimacy has been taken away from them.
More tricky is a story written during the life of the series. These have to read like they might be an untold story which may be impactful to the characters at the time but cannot be allowed to rock the boat as the series is still there on the screen, probably going off in a different direction.
The hardest story to write is the prequel, because it has to stay true to the characters without the scaffolding of the series to support them. This is where this book lies, in a story set immediately before the first episode of Fringe begins.
Peter Bishop is a scammer, always looking for the next big score and always one step away from serious trouble. When he himself is scammed by someone he trusted, he finds himself on the run with a beautiful scientist and a vial of a drug that could cure epilepsy - or become a lethal bioweapon. When terrorists try to use the drug to assassinate a presidential candidate, Peter has to risk everything to stop the weapon being deployed.
This is a well-written exciting story, and Peter comes across very well. The rest of his Fringe companions appear only in flashback (such as his father Walter) or are mentioned only briefly (such as Olivia). His only real time connection in the story is with William Bell, his father's old partner.
One of the things you need to remember is that Peter is not from "our" universe, but from a parallel world and that Walter Bishop stole that Peter to replace his own son from our universe that had recently died. The is a major part of the Fringe storyline, and the repercussions of this act can be seen in this book as there are people who later become an integral part of the story taking an interest in what Peter does.
A healthy person who takes the drug becomes hideously mutated and can slip from one dimension to another thanks to an ingredient in the drug that was made from Peter's own blood. Chasing the terrorists through a luxury New York hotel while presidential candidate Barack Obama is giving a speech gives Peter and his companion glimpses of the other world, one where the hotel in question is derelict and half torn down. This leads to some exciting sequences where Peter and one of the terrorists have fallen into the swimming pool, which keeps switching between dimensions, rapidly losing and then regaining its water. It is wonderfully written, as is a similar sequence where the stairs keep disappearing, but the glimpses that Peter has of this other world (one where the twin towers never fell) leads to a huge problem.
Basically, Peter is not supposed to know about the other world until much later, let alone before the series even starts. As the story heads towards its conclusion, you realise that the reset button has to be hit, and sure enough, Peter . It was inevitable but also a pity because it spoiled what was otherwise a strongly written and engaging story.
The easiest type of such a novel to write is probably one that is set after the conclusion of the screen story, as you have a freer rein to branch out into new material. The downside is that there may be a later demand for sequels on the screen which wipes out everything that has been created on the page by going in a different direction, like in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. These stories still exist but legitimacy has been taken away from them.
More tricky is a story written during the life of the series. These have to read like they might be an untold story which may be impactful to the characters at the time but cannot be allowed to rock the boat as the series is still there on the screen, probably going off in a different direction.
The hardest story to write is the prequel, because it has to stay true to the characters without the scaffolding of the series to support them. This is where this book lies, in a story set immediately before the first episode of Fringe begins.
Peter Bishop is a scammer, always looking for the next big score and always one step away from serious trouble. When he himself is scammed by someone he trusted, he finds himself on the run with a beautiful scientist and a vial of a drug that could cure epilepsy - or become a lethal bioweapon. When terrorists try to use the drug to assassinate a presidential candidate, Peter has to risk everything to stop the weapon being deployed.
This is a well-written exciting story, and Peter comes across very well. The rest of his Fringe companions appear only in flashback (such as his father Walter) or are mentioned only briefly (such as Olivia). His only real time connection in the story is with William Bell, his father's old partner.
One of the things you need to remember is that Peter is not from "our" universe, but from a parallel world and that Walter Bishop stole that Peter to replace his own son from our universe that had recently died. The is a major part of the Fringe storyline, and the repercussions of this act can be seen in this book as there are people who later become an integral part of the story taking an interest in what Peter does.
A healthy person who takes the drug becomes hideously mutated and can slip from one dimension to another thanks to an ingredient in the drug that was made from Peter's own blood. Chasing the terrorists through a luxury New York hotel while presidential candidate Barack Obama is giving a speech gives Peter and his companion glimpses of the other world, one where the hotel in question is derelict and half torn down. This leads to some exciting sequences where Peter and one of the terrorists have fallen into the swimming pool, which keeps switching between dimensions, rapidly losing and then regaining its water. It is wonderfully written, as is a similar sequence where the stairs keep disappearing, but the glimpses that Peter has of this other world (one where the twin towers never fell) leads to a huge problem.
Basically, Peter is not supposed to know about the other world until much later, let alone before the series even starts. As the story heads towards its conclusion, you realise that the reset button has to be hit, and sure enough, Peter . It was inevitable but also a pity because it spoiled what was otherwise a strongly written and engaging story.
April 10, 2020
Oh why did it have to be the last prequel novel to Fringe but then again each book was shifting closer to the start of the show and this book which is set in 2007 and 2008 and moves from there. This one is set in different cities like Bangkok, Edinburgh, New York etc. and it's crime drama in flesh. Peter Bishop is the hustler who runs from running one scam to another and is in deep debt from a dangerous guy and all his attempts are to nullify that debt but his poor luck continue.
It also deals with Peter's sense of being alone everywhere and his distance from his father. This one moves from one danger to another but it all turns out to be planned carnage to move Peter to one location or another. Nice one and definitely made me want to watch at least the premier again and probably I will.
Do read this one too and enjoy the Fringe world before it became Fringe and then Keep on Reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genre but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
It also deals with Peter's sense of being alone everywhere and his distance from his father. This one moves from one danger to another but it all turns out to be planned carnage to move Peter to one location or another. Nice one and definitely made me want to watch at least the premier again and probably I will.
Do read this one too and enjoy the Fringe world before it became Fringe and then Keep on Reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genre but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
April 11, 2016
A really good Fringe book. (To bad they only did three of them.) This one centers on Peter and his less-than-legal activities. Always trying to make a big score Peter devises a plan that can help him pay back Big Eddie.
What Peter didn't count on was a guy with an English accent that will become critically important in the series and a woman with an agenda all of her own which could endanger two realities. William Bell makes an appearance as does Reiden Lake.
It turns out to be a complex story that leads perfectly into the first episode of Fringe.
What Peter didn't count on was a guy with an English accent that will become critically important in the series and a woman with an agenda all of her own which could endanger two realities. William Bell makes an appearance as does Reiden Lake.
It turns out to be a complex story that leads perfectly into the first episode of Fringe.
April 22, 2023
Continuity? Never heard of her...
Would work better as an unrelated standalone story than a prequel for the show.
Would work better as an unrelated standalone story than a prequel for the show.
August 18, 2021
I love this series! The tv show is great and not to be missed, but reading the stories is much better to me!
October 1, 2014
I definitely think that "Sins of the Father" is the best of the three Fringe prequel novels by Christa Faust. The release of this novel was delayed for several months, but the extra time seems to have done some good.
If you're a fan of the Fringe series, you know that this book is about how Peter Bishop spent his time directly before joining the Fringe team. I was a little surprised how directly the narrative led to his first meeting with Olivia Dunham.
What I liked most about this novel is that it finally flashes back to tell the story of how Walter Bishop ended up in the asylum. That was one large missing piece from the Fringe TV show.
And the first two-thirds of "Sins of the Father" is a compelling adventure. Peter is a rogue with a heart of gold (tarnished, but golden), and it's a fun ride while he's making deals and staying one step ahead of the bad guys (and girls).
Peter and a lovely female scientist companion have to stop a mutagenic virus from being released at an Obama fundraiser in New York City.
Yet, as with the second book of the series ("The Burning Man"), the events of "Sins of the Father" are too "weird" not to have an effect on the characters (Olivia and Peter, respectively) and fundamentally change how they react to the events of the Fringe TV series. In short, there's no way that battling virally altered mutants would not have come up in the TV show or changed how Peter reacted to the Fringe events he was exposed to.
Yes, they do "cover up" the most egregious of the plotline transgressions--a meeting Peter has (in universe B) with William Bell--with a convenient "memory wipe" drugging. But that is a very sloppy technique to have to rely upon).
And I found it confusing how David Robert Jones (a recurring villain in the Fringe universe) figured into the story. His shape-shifters seemed to be the kind from season four, but the whole "dual-universes" plotline from seasons 1-3 seemed to be relevant as well. I haven't watched the show in a while, but I think I'd be confused even if I had.
In order to make these "prequel" books interesting, however, the author has to come up with something satisfying for the Fringe TV show fans. It just sucks that "suspension of disbelief" takes a (distant) back seat to "fan service."
If you're a big fan of Fringe, I definitely recommend "Sins of the Father." If you're not, I would suggest watching the Fringe TV show instead of reading any of these prequel novels about the characters in the show.
If you're a fan of the Fringe series, you know that this book is about how Peter Bishop spent his time directly before joining the Fringe team. I was a little surprised how directly the narrative led to his first meeting with Olivia Dunham.
What I liked most about this novel is that it finally flashes back to tell the story of how Walter Bishop ended up in the asylum. That was one large missing piece from the Fringe TV show.
And the first two-thirds of "Sins of the Father" is a compelling adventure. Peter is a rogue with a heart of gold (tarnished, but golden), and it's a fun ride while he's making deals and staying one step ahead of the bad guys (and girls).
Peter and a lovely female scientist companion have to stop a mutagenic virus from being released at an Obama fundraiser in New York City.
Yet, as with the second book of the series ("The Burning Man"), the events of "Sins of the Father" are too "weird" not to have an effect on the characters (Olivia and Peter, respectively) and fundamentally change how they react to the events of the Fringe TV series. In short, there's no way that battling virally altered mutants would not have come up in the TV show or changed how Peter reacted to the Fringe events he was exposed to.
Yes, they do "cover up" the most egregious of the plotline transgressions--a meeting Peter has (in universe B) with William Bell--with a convenient "memory wipe" drugging. But that is a very sloppy technique to have to rely upon).
And I found it confusing how David Robert Jones (a recurring villain in the Fringe universe) figured into the story. His shape-shifters seemed to be the kind from season four, but the whole "dual-universes" plotline from seasons 1-3 seemed to be relevant as well. I haven't watched the show in a while, but I think I'd be confused even if I had.
In order to make these "prequel" books interesting, however, the author has to come up with something satisfying for the Fringe TV show fans. It just sucks that "suspension of disbelief" takes a (distant) back seat to "fan service."
If you're a big fan of Fringe, I definitely recommend "Sins of the Father." If you're not, I would suggest watching the Fringe TV show instead of reading any of these prequel novels about the characters in the show.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2015
Of the three Fringe books in this series, Sins of the Father was likely the best of the lot. Saying that, it's not exactly high praise as the first two were less than exciting reads. I found the pacing of the story uneven, the dialogue forced and no real insight provided regarding the characters we came to know in the TV series. Fans of the TV show should find this an interesting read, but others won't get much from the novel.
July 31, 2022
Did the author even watch the show?
Not only was this an insulting representation of Peter's character, it didn't even make any sense. Peter is supposedly of a genius level intellect, but he can't even make obvious connections, although him being stupid in this novelization at least explains the outrageously horrible continuity from page to the show. Namely why he doesn't seem to question the whole other-universe-poking-through-the fabric-of-space-thing and why he later never connects it to his time spent in the Fringe Division.
I also don't understand what the author was trying to accomplish by shoehorning Jones into the story. Seriously, what was he doing here? And working with Newton? If Jones had these connections, why would he need access to Walter's research to find a way to cross over? Why does he act like he doesn't know Peter in the show when he obviously had an interest in him in this novelization?
Even if these novelizations aren't intended to be taken as canon, (which I don't believe given how much effort they go to to connect it to the show) they're not well told stories. Peter's character is utterly butchered and made out to be a dumb pervert. When I think of Peter's character in terms of flirting, I'm always reminded of the scene in the vampire episode where he's searching for Valery and a girl in the club comes up to him, asking what he's doing. He tells her that the machine indicates if people are hot or not. She gestures for him to scan her and he says, "You're hot, but I'm looking for someone with Syphilis." She's obviously put off and walks away and Peter laughs to himself and continues with his task. At other points in the series it's clear that he's attracted to women and can be flirtatious at times, but he's also a very logical person who has his priorities straight. At the time they were looking for a killer. Priorities.
This novelization made way too many attempts to include Peter peeping at women's chevage in his internal thoughts. The whole gag with the vibrator had me rolling my eyes too. The way it tried to explain Carla's death was not at all how I imagined it either, and in some ways made it less impactful.
These novelizations were awful. They add nothing (more like subtracted) and I'm just going to forget they exist.
Not only was this an insulting representation of Peter's character, it didn't even make any sense. Peter is supposedly of a genius level intellect, but he can't even make obvious connections, although him being stupid in this novelization at least explains the outrageously horrible continuity from page to the show. Namely why he doesn't seem to question the whole other-universe-poking-through-the fabric-of-space-thing and why he later never connects it to his time spent in the Fringe Division.
I also don't understand what the author was trying to accomplish by shoehorning Jones into the story. Seriously, what was he doing here? And working with Newton? If Jones had these connections, why would he need access to Walter's research to find a way to cross over? Why does he act like he doesn't know Peter in the show when he obviously had an interest in him in this novelization?
Even if these novelizations aren't intended to be taken as canon, (which I don't believe given how much effort they go to to connect it to the show) they're not well told stories. Peter's character is utterly butchered and made out to be a dumb pervert. When I think of Peter's character in terms of flirting, I'm always reminded of the scene in the vampire episode where he's searching for Valery and a girl in the club comes up to him, asking what he's doing. He tells her that the machine indicates if people are hot or not. She gestures for him to scan her and he says, "You're hot, but I'm looking for someone with Syphilis." She's obviously put off and walks away and Peter laughs to himself and continues with his task. At other points in the series it's clear that he's attracted to women and can be flirtatious at times, but he's also a very logical person who has his priorities straight. At the time they were looking for a killer. Priorities.
This novelization made way too many attempts to include Peter peeping at women's chevage in his internal thoughts. The whole gag with the vibrator had me rolling my eyes too. The way it tried to explain Carla's death was not at all how I imagined it either, and in some ways made it less impactful.
These novelizations were awful. They add nothing (more like subtracted) and I'm just going to forget they exist.
May 10, 2017
The book is a prequel to the TV series Fringe, focusing on Peter Bishop. For the most part, it was an entertaining, action-driven reading experience that I liked. Secrets were revealed that remained unanswered in the TV series: what led to the accident in the lab that caused the death of Walter's assistant and drove Walter mad; or how David Robert Jones developed the second generation of (organic) shapeshifters. The story also included an original shape shifter, but -matching to the TV story- Peter never learns that truth here, only notices the silver fluid. Peter's character in the book and his humor matches the character of the TV series very well.
Still, the "Fringe" part of the events in the hotel, when Peter hunts virus-infected terrorists, are somehow at this time of Peter's life too exaggerated with the other universe shimmering through into "our" world. I also did not see a value for the story in him meeting William Bell.
Overall, I liked it much better than the second book about Olivia, but not quite as much as the first one about Walter.
Still, the "Fringe" part of the events in the hotel, when Peter hunts virus-infected terrorists, are somehow at this time of Peter's life too exaggerated with the other universe shimmering through into "our" world. I also did not see a value for the story in him meeting William Bell.
Overall, I liked it much better than the second book about Olivia, but not quite as much as the first one about Walter.
July 27, 2020
Well, what a disappointment. The writing was fair, lacked any style or surprise at all. The story line was straight out of the mind of an 8 year old boy I think. It was NOTHING like the writing of the show. I did finish it though. Two stars since I didn't stick my head in the oven half way through and it did have a great picture of Peter on the cover. If you are a fan of the show, spare yourself and don't bother. If you're not, just read a different book.
September 3, 2019
Man there's a huge deus ex machina at the end of this that is then just totally wiped away by some magic memory juice and then boom you're in the first episode of the TV show. Should have left a lot of the fringe (lol) stuff out of the story and it would have been better but at this point it's just all fan fiction, all three books.
May 18, 2024
A very engaging read, but gets a little crazy two-thirds of the way through. I haven’t finished the show yet, but I find it hard to believe Peter would go through all this yet still be a skeptic about fringe science at the start of the series. Still, I enjoyed reading it and would definitely recommend to any Fringe fans!
July 15, 2017
It was okay, but I really was hoping for a Fringe book with the characters I know from the show, not a Peter-centric prequel.
November 17, 2017
last half of the book is boring also its much longer then it needs to be and contradicts the show for the last hundred or so pages bah
December 25, 2017
Third book in the trilogy prequel to the t.v. series concentrating on Peter.
December 30, 2019
3.7 Stars
Read
June 24, 2020I bought this when it was released. I'm still a huge fan of the show, but I am quite happy treating the TV series as complete canon without needing to delve more into the before. DNF.
July 25, 2022
Peter is easily my favorite character of the whole series. His entire character arc is one of my favorites across all media types. I love his dry humor and sarcasm and the way he interacts with the whole crew. Peter + Olivia is just <3. His relationship with Walter is a rollercoaster. He's a fighter and a genius. There's just so much to love; which is why I had high hopes for Peter's prequel story. And that's probably what made me not like this one as much as I wanted to.
First off, I have to admit that the first 50 pages or so are a bit boring. The dialogue and Peter's inner monologue are in tune with the show, but the first part of the book just drags on too long. Plus there's just so much unnecessary description and it becomes a slog. There were a couple of references to the show, but it wasn't enough to keep me engaged. This isn't what I expected when the first part focuses on Peter's scam-gone-wrong.
The story picks up once Peter realizes he needs to go back to the states in order to set some wrongs right. There's some more backstory that I enjoyed, but then it just kind of fizzled, and by the end, none of it really mattered. Anyway, Peter is in possession of a deadly virus that needs to get back into the hands of the right people. This is when Peter meets a busty dame and this is where Fringe becomes Cringe. Sorry... I liked their dynamic, but in the grand scheme of the story, it felt a little too silly.
By far the worst offender is when the story reveals a character plot twist about halfway through the book. I feel like maybe if something like this is done right, it'd be more acceptable, but it just didn't feel right here. Instead, it just gave away the suspense. I thought that maybe by the end, there would be another revelation, but nope. It ended exactly how I thought it would. Sure, it provided some nice alternate views of what happens in the show, but I didn't think it had much impact as the background beats had in Olivia's story.
While it seems like most of the stuff I said is negative, I still enjoyed the book. Mostly because it's Peter. Had it been any other character or a non-Fringe book, I probably would have been harsher on it. But just like the previous two books, I think it's nice to have more of Fringe. Sure, these prequel books could have done a tiny bit more, but in a way, they still enhance the show a bit more. That's all I could really ask for.
First off, I have to admit that the first 50 pages or so are a bit boring. The dialogue and Peter's inner monologue are in tune with the show, but the first part of the book just drags on too long. Plus there's just so much unnecessary description and it becomes a slog. There were a couple of references to the show, but it wasn't enough to keep me engaged. This isn't what I expected when the first part focuses on Peter's scam-gone-wrong.
The story picks up once Peter realizes he needs to go back to the states in order to set some wrongs right. There's some more backstory that I enjoyed, but then it just kind of fizzled, and by the end, none of it really mattered. Anyway, Peter is in possession of a deadly virus that needs to get back into the hands of the right people. This is when Peter meets a busty dame and this is where Fringe becomes Cringe. Sorry... I liked their dynamic, but in the grand scheme of the story, it felt a little too silly.
By far the worst offender is when the story reveals a character plot twist about halfway through the book. I feel like maybe if something like this is done right, it'd be more acceptable, but it just didn't feel right here. Instead, it just gave away the suspense. I thought that maybe by the end, there would be another revelation, but nope. It ended exactly how I thought it would. Sure, it provided some nice alternate views of what happens in the show, but I didn't think it had much impact as the background beats had in Olivia's story.
While it seems like most of the stuff I said is negative, I still enjoyed the book. Mostly because it's Peter. Had it been any other character or a non-Fringe book, I probably would have been harsher on it. But just like the previous two books, I think it's nice to have more of Fringe. Sure, these prequel books could have done a tiny bit more, but in a way, they still enhance the show a bit more. That's all I could really ask for.
November 14, 2014
How one rates these novels is dependent on how intense a Fringe fan he is most likely. If no familiarity with it, the plot holds up nicely, but with unexplained references I suspect. As a huge fan though, there just are plot elements which simply are incohesive with the show's mythology. Also a problem is that memories of events for characters in the novels would surely be referenced in the show because of their "fringe" nature. Novel 1 largely avoided these issues, but 2 and 3 do not.
Sins of the Father is on par story-wise with the other two. Answers are given about Peter's life before the pilot of Fringe, and also more exploration of Walter's character before the lab accident which is nice to get. The story does drag down at times because of meticulous descriptions of details which are unnecessary in my view.
Sins of the Father is on par story-wise with the other two. Answers are given about Peter's life before the pilot of Fringe, and also more exploration of Walter's character before the lab accident which is nice to get. The story does drag down at times because of meticulous descriptions of details which are unnecessary in my view.
November 5, 2014
While a little slow at times, I'd would still call it a must read for any fans of the "Fringe" TV show. It does a wonderful job of allowing the reader more insight and answering questions that would otherwise have gone unanswered.
Granted, while (in my opinion) it wasn't as good as the first book in the series (Walter's story), it was by far a lot more fast paced than the second book (Olivia's tale).
All in all though, I definitely think it was a great read and one I expect that I'll probably read again sometime down the road. ;)
One last note: If you've never seen the show "Fringe" I would not recommend reading this book, there's far too many references; whether it be a character or something smaller, that just would not make sense. Not to say the story can't be read and followed by those who haven't watched, it just won't be as satisfying of a book.
Granted, while (in my opinion) it wasn't as good as the first book in the series (Walter's story), it was by far a lot more fast paced than the second book (Olivia's tale).
All in all though, I definitely think it was a great read and one I expect that I'll probably read again sometime down the road. ;)
One last note: If you've never seen the show "Fringe" I would not recommend reading this book, there's far too many references; whether it be a character or something smaller, that just would not make sense. Not to say the story can't be read and followed by those who haven't watched, it just won't be as satisfying of a book.
March 18, 2015
Someone (either Megan Abbott or Charles Ardai) once described noir fiction as a story that starts bad and gets progressively worse. And that definition pretty much describes the third Fringe novel. Peter Bishop's bad luck is good news for the reader. A tip o' the hat to author Christa Faust. She's written a couple of novels for Ardai's Hard Case Crime imprint, and her affinity for hardboiled fiction suits the Fringe universe nicely.
Full review here: http://superheronovels.com/2015/03/18...
Full review here: http://superheronovels.com/2015/03/18...
September 7, 2016
Very involved plot that made so much sense because I was an avid fan of Fringe on Fox TV. I enjoyed carousing with some members of the old TV Fringe crew on an adventure involving the meddlings of the alternate universe in the politics of "our" world. Written from a time when Peter had no knowledge of the "Fringe Division" of the FBI, which made the book even more appealing since we get to see what he did before the show's timeline, which episodes sometimes hinted toward but never revealed.
March 2, 2015
Completely ridiculous occurrences in breakneck speed succession with a double helping of Peter Bishop and his sarcasm? YES PLEASE. Seriously preposterous plot development that walked the line between a really bad action fic and a really good satire of an action fic, but hey, that's what I love about Fringe.
October 28, 2014
This is more of a general review of all three Fringe books Faust wrote. Full disclosure-I am a rabid fan of the show. So, I absolutely *loved* getting the back stories on Peter, Olivia, & Walter. The Zodiac Paradox didn't grab me as much as Burning Man & Sins of the Father, though
Shelved as 'reading-on-hold-ebook'
October 23, 2014SO excited that this is going to be a trilogy!
April 3, 2015
Pretty good prequel to the series. If you're a fan of the show you can't go wrong with this. It does seem a little longer than it needed to be. But, Faust is a good writer. Not a hack at all.
September 8, 2014
Ugh this book was not what I expected at all :( it was severely lacking in the fringe department I thought and really didn't feel like much of time with series!
September 7, 2015
While I really enjoyed this book, it was implausible as a prequel. If it had happened, the character would have had a different reaction to things at the beginning of the series.
May 10, 2016
A quick and fun book to read. It was enjoyable to read about the world from Peter's perspective.
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