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Startup
" ... Reminiscent of John Grisham's THE FIRM. A solid business thriller ..."-Kirkus Reviews
"...inspired by today's Wall Street scandal stories ..."
-Midwest Book Review
"The best novel about Silicon Valley that I've read in the last decade." -Review Maven Amazon
"...this is one author who will shortly become a household name ...STARTUP is a smashing achievement ...Ogura's mastery of plot development is spectacular ..."wow" this guy can write."
-Examiner.com
"...a stellar cast of characters...a highly gifted writer... STARTUP will be the first of many Ogura bestsellers."
-Pacific Book Review
"... the hype surrounding new author Glenn Ogura is right on the mark... if you love fast-paced fiction that will keep you reading into the wee hours of the night ..."-Create with Joy
Young idealist Zack Penny usually gets to work early to take in the surroundings and breathe in the crisp, mechanically filtered air, knowing that one day his own company will be very different from Display Technik. As he follows the vision of his highly successful, results-at-all-costs mentor and CEO Allen Henley, Zack quietly nurtures a big dream--to create a new company of high morals and values, one that will revolutionize the world through the creation of wallpaper-thin displays to completely surround a viewer.
That dream is set into motion one morning when he realizes an important paper has been taken from his office. Moments later, Zack learns someone has turned him in. After his boss, who also happens to be the father of his girlfriend, Mary Anne, gives him one last chance to pledge his loyalty, Zack resigns. Determined to realize his vision, he soon steps into his new facility with high hopes and no idea that Henley has already put a plan into action with the intent of systematically destroying Zack, his perfect company, and, most of all, the relationship between Zack and Mary Anne, who is unwittingly caught in the cross-fire.
In this fast-paced thriller, a young entrepreneur faces moral dilemmas in Silicon Valley, a place where the inner working of the legal system favors the aggressor.
"...inspired by today's Wall Street scandal stories ..."
-Midwest Book Review
"The best novel about Silicon Valley that I've read in the last decade." -Review Maven Amazon
"...this is one author who will shortly become a household name ...STARTUP is a smashing achievement ...Ogura's mastery of plot development is spectacular ..."wow" this guy can write."
-Examiner.com
"...a stellar cast of characters...a highly gifted writer... STARTUP will be the first of many Ogura bestsellers."
-Pacific Book Review
"... the hype surrounding new author Glenn Ogura is right on the mark... if you love fast-paced fiction that will keep you reading into the wee hours of the night ..."-Create with Joy
Young idealist Zack Penny usually gets to work early to take in the surroundings and breathe in the crisp, mechanically filtered air, knowing that one day his own company will be very different from Display Technik. As he follows the vision of his highly successful, results-at-all-costs mentor and CEO Allen Henley, Zack quietly nurtures a big dream--to create a new company of high morals and values, one that will revolutionize the world through the creation of wallpaper-thin displays to completely surround a viewer.
That dream is set into motion one morning when he realizes an important paper has been taken from his office. Moments later, Zack learns someone has turned him in. After his boss, who also happens to be the father of his girlfriend, Mary Anne, gives him one last chance to pledge his loyalty, Zack resigns. Determined to realize his vision, he soon steps into his new facility with high hopes and no idea that Henley has already put a plan into action with the intent of systematically destroying Zack, his perfect company, and, most of all, the relationship between Zack and Mary Anne, who is unwittingly caught in the cross-fire.
In this fast-paced thriller, a young entrepreneur faces moral dilemmas in Silicon Valley, a place where the inner working of the legal system favors the aggressor.
486 pages, Paperback
First published May 20, 2013
14 people are currently reading
2404 people want to read
About the author
Glenn Ogura
1 book20 followersGlenn Ogura earned a degree in Electrical Engineering from Queen's University in Canada and is currently a Vice President for a global laser micromanufacturing company. Glenn lives with his wife in Florida. STARTUP is his first novel.
Editorial Reviews of STARTUP:
"...inspired by today's Wall Street scandal stories .." -Midwest Book Review
"The best novel about Silicon Valley that I've read in the last decade."
-Review Maven-Amazon
"A solid business thriller. Ogura competently crafts a novel reminiscent of John Grisham's THE FIRM."
-Kirkus Reviews
"...this is one author who will shortly become a household name ...STARTUP is a smashing achievement ...mastery of plot development is spectacular."
-Examiner.com
"...a highly gifted writer..."
-Pacific Book Review
He can be reached at www.glennogura.com
Editorial Reviews of STARTUP:
"...inspired by today's Wall Street scandal stories .." -Midwest Book Review
"The best novel about Silicon Valley that I've read in the last decade."
-Review Maven-Amazon
"A solid business thriller. Ogura competently crafts a novel reminiscent of John Grisham's THE FIRM."
-Kirkus Reviews
"...this is one author who will shortly become a household name ...STARTUP is a smashing achievement ...mastery of plot development is spectacular."
-Examiner.com
"...a highly gifted writer..."
-Pacific Book Review
He can be reached at www.glennogura.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
September 4, 2016
If you read novels to relax, this debut thriller by author Glenn Ogura, "Startup" is not for you. I was at the edge of my seat - frantically turning pages throughout. A modern yet timeless tale of good vs. evil. Integrity versus the morally bereft.
Set in and around California's Bay Area and Silicon Valley, the novel features an idealistic young entrepreneur, Zack Penny and his mentor, the ruthless CEO of a major technology business. To further complicate things, this man, Allen Henley is also his boss and the father of the woman he loves. When events dictate he make his move from under Allen's wing to his own startup company, Zack believes that finally he will be able to pursue his dream of heading a tech company that values its employees - and trusts that he, and it, will become tremendously successful due to a cutting-edge, flat-screen technology founded by his friend and business colleague, Dimitre.
Zack's dreams are short lived when he encounters roadblock after roadblock with his new venture. Industrial espionage, corruption, personal betrayal, unethical law practices and a completely unscrupulous nemesis provide Zack with disillusion, despair and heartbreak.
"Startup" is a true page-turner. A fast-paced legal/techno-thriller with a memorable - if slightly 'over the top' - climax which will appeal to all thriller readers and fans of television shows such as "The Good Wife".
Many thanks to author Glenn Ogura for sending me a copy of "Startup" in return for my honest review. As it is not probably a novel I would have picked up on my own, if not for his generosity, I would have missed an enjoyable and riveting read.
Set in and around California's Bay Area and Silicon Valley, the novel features an idealistic young entrepreneur, Zack Penny and his mentor, the ruthless CEO of a major technology business. To further complicate things, this man, Allen Henley is also his boss and the father of the woman he loves. When events dictate he make his move from under Allen's wing to his own startup company, Zack believes that finally he will be able to pursue his dream of heading a tech company that values its employees - and trusts that he, and it, will become tremendously successful due to a cutting-edge, flat-screen technology founded by his friend and business colleague, Dimitre.
Zack's dreams are short lived when he encounters roadblock after roadblock with his new venture. Industrial espionage, corruption, personal betrayal, unethical law practices and a completely unscrupulous nemesis provide Zack with disillusion, despair and heartbreak.
"Startup" is a true page-turner. A fast-paced legal/techno-thriller with a memorable - if slightly 'over the top' - climax which will appeal to all thriller readers and fans of television shows such as "The Good Wife".
Many thanks to author Glenn Ogura for sending me a copy of "Startup" in return for my honest review. As it is not probably a novel I would have picked up on my own, if not for his generosity, I would have missed an enjoyable and riveting read.
November 11, 2013
It's hard to believe that Startup is Ogura's debut novel. It's even harder to believe that this extraordinarily well-written novel was penned by an electrical engineer, since most engineers I know (including my husband) can't write a grammatical sentence to save their souls.
Kirkus Reviews described Startup as "reminiscent of John Grisham’s The Firm," and the comparison is apt. Like The Firm, Startup gives the reader an in-depth, and scary, look at a cutthroat world with which many of us are unfamiliar: in this case, not the legal profession but the high-tech world of Silicon Valley. While Ogura does provide many technical details, they are necessary and appropriate in context, and I had no trouble understanding them despite my utterly non-scientific background. Some of the details of the legal maneuvers Henley throws at Zach did not ring true to me, in light of my own experience as an attorney, but Ogura was kind enough to respond personally to my questions in this regard; once I allowed myself to become immersed in the story, rather than focusing on the legal details, I enjoyed the rollercoaster ride.
During my reading of Startup, I repeatedly found myself imagining what I would do in Zack's position. I think this is one of the most important requirements of a business thriller: that the protagonist's situation is realistic, not cartoonish. Zack is a well-developed character, and the dialogue among the characters, particularly when they discussed legal strategies, sounded exactly like the conversations I used to have with my clients.
I don't want to spoil anything, so I will just say that I was surprised by at least one aspect of the ending. My only complaint, and it is a minor one, is that the epilogue was a little trite.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys realistic thrillers which create suspense without descending into melodrama.
I received a free copy of Startup from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Kirkus Reviews described Startup as "reminiscent of John Grisham’s The Firm," and the comparison is apt. Like The Firm, Startup gives the reader an in-depth, and scary, look at a cutthroat world with which many of us are unfamiliar: in this case, not the legal profession but the high-tech world of Silicon Valley. While Ogura does provide many technical details, they are necessary and appropriate in context, and I had no trouble understanding them despite my utterly non-scientific background. Some of the details of the legal maneuvers Henley throws at Zach did not ring true to me, in light of my own experience as an attorney, but Ogura was kind enough to respond personally to my questions in this regard; once I allowed myself to become immersed in the story, rather than focusing on the legal details, I enjoyed the rollercoaster ride.
During my reading of Startup, I repeatedly found myself imagining what I would do in Zack's position. I think this is one of the most important requirements of a business thriller: that the protagonist's situation is realistic, not cartoonish. Zack is a well-developed character, and the dialogue among the characters, particularly when they discussed legal strategies, sounded exactly like the conversations I used to have with my clients.
I don't want to spoil anything, so I will just say that I was surprised by at least one aspect of the ending. My only complaint, and it is a minor one, is that the epilogue was a little trite.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys realistic thrillers which create suspense without descending into melodrama.
I received a free copy of Startup from the author in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2013
Decided to try this book based upon a reviewers description it was "Grisham like". The book, an impressive achievement for a debut by Glenn Ogura, was a fast enjoyable read. The author seems to have the insight/background in the tech field and brought the business environment in Silicon Valley to light without technical terms etc. He showed good skill at character development and the story before the surprising ending, was very believable. Bravo!
June 11, 2014
Goodread readers drew me to this book after seeing some favorable reviews. Startup is a classic tale about greed and corruption in California’s Silicon Valley. It is the story of a young man with high ideals (Zach Penny) who envisions starting his dream company but soon, that dream turns into a nightmare. His and his fellow startup workers have their dreams trampled in the pursuit of the American dream. Some of us have personally witness how they feel, as we know from personal experience some employees are fired without cause, their ideas stolen and receive poor treatment by management.
In this story, the author has taken a group of people, put them in close proximity to each other and gave each character an impossible moral dilemma to sort out. Then to fuel the anxiety further, the story adds imposing external forces to create a David versus Goliath confrontation. Battling the business evil forces towards the final outcome keeps us readers turning the pages at a frantic pace until the cinematic-style climax.
Startup is a fast moving classic story of good versus evil, rich versus poor, powerful versus weak. I always enjoyed stories about characters facing moral dilemmas and dire circumstances. Something happens in their lives that shake their core and gets them out of their comfort zone. The real story and suspense is how they respond to these challenges. Startup also addresses the broader issue of morals and ethics in business (and in life), therefore it was easy to empathize with Zack Penny, the protagonist who believes that he can create his dream company and follow the moral high ground, unlike the antagonist, his former mentor, Allen Henley whose singular ambition drove him to do anything to succeed.
My only criticism is that the plot reads like a movie of the week. Real business drama can take many paths to the closing chapter. I found Zach to be a bit soapy with his dream and morals, his girlfriend, Mary Anne, a bit of a twit of the British sense in the way that she handles these conflicts but every David versus Goliath needs a good ‘bad guy’ to make us cheer for our heroes and in this book, Allen Henley, delivers the goods. He makes a great bad guy and the story would fall flat without him.
In this story, the author has taken a group of people, put them in close proximity to each other and gave each character an impossible moral dilemma to sort out. Then to fuel the anxiety further, the story adds imposing external forces to create a David versus Goliath confrontation. Battling the business evil forces towards the final outcome keeps us readers turning the pages at a frantic pace until the cinematic-style climax.
Startup is a fast moving classic story of good versus evil, rich versus poor, powerful versus weak. I always enjoyed stories about characters facing moral dilemmas and dire circumstances. Something happens in their lives that shake their core and gets them out of their comfort zone. The real story and suspense is how they respond to these challenges. Startup also addresses the broader issue of morals and ethics in business (and in life), therefore it was easy to empathize with Zack Penny, the protagonist who believes that he can create his dream company and follow the moral high ground, unlike the antagonist, his former mentor, Allen Henley whose singular ambition drove him to do anything to succeed.
My only criticism is that the plot reads like a movie of the week. Real business drama can take many paths to the closing chapter. I found Zach to be a bit soapy with his dream and morals, his girlfriend, Mary Anne, a bit of a twit of the British sense in the way that she handles these conflicts but every David versus Goliath needs a good ‘bad guy’ to make us cheer for our heroes and in this book, Allen Henley, delivers the goods. He makes a great bad guy and the story would fall flat without him.
January 23, 2014
I received this book as part of the "first-reads" giveaways. Thank you again for the book!
I loved this story! I had a hard time putting it down and I frequently stayed up way too late reading it. The storyline was clean and flowed well. The characters were well developed. I couldn't stop cheering on the main character and booing those against him, including his girlfriend. It was a good glimpse into how a company may begin. I learned something new while reading this. It is always nice to see there are people out there who are wanting to be a fair and kind employer, to share the successes as well as the disappointments and failures, to share in the profit instead of skimming off the top and treating their employees as minions. I would love to work for someone like the main character. I really enjoyed how the author wrapped up all the characters' stories at the end of the book.
I am looking forward to more from this author. Good job!
I loved this story! I had a hard time putting it down and I frequently stayed up way too late reading it. The storyline was clean and flowed well. The characters were well developed. I couldn't stop cheering on the main character and booing those against him, including his girlfriend. It was a good glimpse into how a company may begin. I learned something new while reading this. It is always nice to see there are people out there who are wanting to be a fair and kind employer, to share the successes as well as the disappointments and failures, to share in the profit instead of skimming off the top and treating their employees as minions. I would love to work for someone like the main character. I really enjoyed how the author wrapped up all the characters' stories at the end of the book.
I am looking forward to more from this author. Good job!
May 19, 2015
If you're like me and read novels to relax, then this thriller by author Glenn Ogura, "Startup" is not for you. I was at the edge of my seat, and turning pages rapidly and anxiously to see what comes next. This book kept me reading it for a while, and would hold my attention longer than some of my teachers do. I really enjoyed this book, the storyline was clean and flowed well. I would recommend this book to people that love excitement, and books that are addictive. Something I didn’t like about the book was what I previously mentioned that I read novels to relax, and I try to relate to them if I can. I couldn't stop cheering on the main character and booing those against him, including his girlfriend.
May 14, 2015
In general I usually only read from a select few authors, but even though I've never read this authors work before it was absolutely great! I enjoyed how there was never a full moment. The characters were all super interesting. The plot was great and once I started reading I couldn't stop. There were plenty of surprises and I would highly recommend this book to anyone.
February 28, 2014
Zack Penny has a silicon dream of starting up his own company, Imagination. Along with a handful of his electrical engineer buddies from Display Tecknik, Zack has everything he needs to produce a unique multimillion-dollar product, a "cutting-edge flat-display" screen, which uses a totally different technology than Display Tecknik. Zack also has the perfect business model -- to always keep open communication and give his employees the proper respect they deserve. At Display Tecknik, CEO Allen Henley is the model to follow. He sets up the rules, period. Although Zack and his crew keep a very low profile while they put the last minute touches on Imagination, Allen gets wind of Zack's plans and fires Zack and his troupe on the spot. But this is not the end. Allen's idea of fighting competition means to go out for the kill. The small band of friends, and most especially Zack, have no idea that they are about to experience eleven days of living hell.
In his fast-paced debut thriller, Ogura spins a story of hope caught in the jaws of greed. Zack, the protagonist, is an ordinary guy with big hopes, not just for Imagination, but also for the love of his life, Mary Anne, who happens to be Allen's daughter. No doubt, Mary Anne becomes an unwitting participant in Allen's malicious plans toward Zack's demise, but there is nothing hackneyed about Ogura's method for unfolding Allen's wicked intentions. Keeping each chapter short and riveting, Ogura flips from protagonist to antagonist scenes and, at times, the audience gets to see what's going to happen before the characters do. He also incorporates scenes that are purely focused on a particular character, juxtaposing their struggles with their past while interweaving panoramic scenes of San Francisco or highlighting snippets of historical information.
Ogura includes nothing but a stellar cast of characters that cover the gamut of simple everyday people to the lives of those – particularly the antagonist, Allen -- who have been completely engulfed by the evils of power and wealth. His character development centers more on the thoughts that shape each personality than outward appearances. This design permits Ogura full usage of third person omniscient view, and thereby provides readers with a glimpse into each character's joy and pain, especially those who have a difficult time standing up to Allen's overbearing demeanor.
Ogura, who has a degree in electrical engineering, is also a highly gifted writer. Indeed, he has proven that he can construct an incredibly imaginative narrative from beginning to end. It is this reviewer's hope that Startup will be the first of many Ogura bestsellers.
Anita Lock, Pacific Book Review
November 20, 2013
A classic tale of good versus evil with a high-tech twist, STARTUP is well-written, perfectly paced and a very enjoyable read.
Allen Henley, corporate mega-mogul supreme, is bad to the bone and one of the most soulless characters I've ever encountered. Although I wouldn't want to meet up with him on the opposite side of a boardroom table (or a dark alley for that matter), I found his actions believable. And even though it's obvious his cruelty to his peers and the employees of his company has no bounds, I also found other's willingness to follow him and believe that deep-down he's a good guy, convincing. Those who achieve vast sums of money and power often mystify and beguile people, like the misguided Julie, director of his company's human resources department. Maybe it's the cynic in me, mentally nodding my head at all his antics. The times we live in are harsh and we're bombarded daily by news stories exposing the selfishness and greed of our fellow man. Sadly, the celebrity-spotlight stories are just as prevalent, extolling the virtues--and pitfalls--of having fame and fortune at any cost. The author taps into our collective disillusionment and infuses enough high-powered ego and arrogance into Allen Henley to make us feel vindicated in our distrust and dislike.
Yet "hope springs eternal," as the saying goes, and I, for one, am an optimist by nature. I think most of us are. I saw in Zack Penny the perfect foil for Allen Henley. Mentally tough but innately tender, loyal and protective of those he cares for, this larger-than-life hero comes wrapped in an unassuming package of T-shirt, jeans and naivete but with enough mental brilliance and scruples to restore my faith in the notion that the human race is redeemable. Even his surname is well-chosen: Penny. What is a penny? It can be shiny and new, lucky and has monetary worth. Yet it's easy to overlook among the quarters, dimes and nickels. Yet a penny is vital when you need it, isn't it? When you don't want to walk around with ninety-nine cents worth of heavy coins sagging your pocket.
The supporting cast of characters adds to the magic of this setup: The engineers caught in the midst of the Allen-Zack rivalry and their all-too-human reactions; the flawed wife and shark-like maneuverings of lawyers and investors; the disenchanted daughter who desperately wants to believe in her father. As Allen tightens the vice around Zack's neck, all these characters come into play, heightening the stakes and the drama.
Yet in the end it's the plot that carries this book along and keeps it from being a cliché. Set in the Silicon Valley, the story centers around a unique polymer formula guaranteed to revolutionize people's lives and vastly enrich the fortunes and reputations of its developers. The author clearly has a knowledge of the technology sector of business that the average reader lacks. But I never felt lectured to, bored or in any way encumbered by the weighty nature of their business. In fact, the premise of the story is simple: a few dreamers trying to achieve the fairytale. I suspect it wasn't easy to incorporate the technological aspects into a fast-paced, exciting thriller and I applaud Mr. Ogura's efforts. He succeeded beautifully, in my opinion; I look forward to reading his next book.
I was given a copy of STARTUP in exchange for my honest review.
Allen Henley, corporate mega-mogul supreme, is bad to the bone and one of the most soulless characters I've ever encountered. Although I wouldn't want to meet up with him on the opposite side of a boardroom table (or a dark alley for that matter), I found his actions believable. And even though it's obvious his cruelty to his peers and the employees of his company has no bounds, I also found other's willingness to follow him and believe that deep-down he's a good guy, convincing. Those who achieve vast sums of money and power often mystify and beguile people, like the misguided Julie, director of his company's human resources department. Maybe it's the cynic in me, mentally nodding my head at all his antics. The times we live in are harsh and we're bombarded daily by news stories exposing the selfishness and greed of our fellow man. Sadly, the celebrity-spotlight stories are just as prevalent, extolling the virtues--and pitfalls--of having fame and fortune at any cost. The author taps into our collective disillusionment and infuses enough high-powered ego and arrogance into Allen Henley to make us feel vindicated in our distrust and dislike.
Yet "hope springs eternal," as the saying goes, and I, for one, am an optimist by nature. I think most of us are. I saw in Zack Penny the perfect foil for Allen Henley. Mentally tough but innately tender, loyal and protective of those he cares for, this larger-than-life hero comes wrapped in an unassuming package of T-shirt, jeans and naivete but with enough mental brilliance and scruples to restore my faith in the notion that the human race is redeemable. Even his surname is well-chosen: Penny. What is a penny? It can be shiny and new, lucky and has monetary worth. Yet it's easy to overlook among the quarters, dimes and nickels. Yet a penny is vital when you need it, isn't it? When you don't want to walk around with ninety-nine cents worth of heavy coins sagging your pocket.
The supporting cast of characters adds to the magic of this setup: The engineers caught in the midst of the Allen-Zack rivalry and their all-too-human reactions; the flawed wife and shark-like maneuverings of lawyers and investors; the disenchanted daughter who desperately wants to believe in her father. As Allen tightens the vice around Zack's neck, all these characters come into play, heightening the stakes and the drama.
Yet in the end it's the plot that carries this book along and keeps it from being a cliché. Set in the Silicon Valley, the story centers around a unique polymer formula guaranteed to revolutionize people's lives and vastly enrich the fortunes and reputations of its developers. The author clearly has a knowledge of the technology sector of business that the average reader lacks. But I never felt lectured to, bored or in any way encumbered by the weighty nature of their business. In fact, the premise of the story is simple: a few dreamers trying to achieve the fairytale. I suspect it wasn't easy to incorporate the technological aspects into a fast-paced, exciting thriller and I applaud Mr. Ogura's efforts. He succeeded beautifully, in my opinion; I look forward to reading his next book.
I was given a copy of STARTUP in exchange for my honest review.
October 2, 2015
How well you like this book will depend on how well you are able to connect with our protagonist, Zack Penny. The man with a dream to build his own multi-million Silicon Valley company. He is quite a likable fellow, has a good moral code that he lives by and is a leader. But he only failed in one aspect, in that he doesn't 'do' things as much as you'd like him to. I read the whole book and still wondered who the actual protagonist of the book is, him or the villain Allen Henly. Because to be honest, that guy gets more meat than anybody else. The villain has a better etched out character than the hero. Yep.
But this is just me nitpicking as I HAD to write about something that's bad because this book so absolutely perfect otherwise! Be it the story, the way the author structures, the reveals, the twists, the tech - it all feels so seamless and realistic. And you could tell that the author has done his homework in book architecture because he deftly throws blow after blow at the precise positions, leading to a plot that has almost zero boring bits. It never drags and you're always on the edge of the seat. And wondering how the hell are these people ever going to resolve the mess they're in.
Was I completely happy with the way things were resolved? No, but it's okay and works out really well for everyone in the end. This is the only book I've read on the silicon valley so far and it was splendid! Go read it!
P.S. Zach's girlfriend is absolutely stupid!
But this is just me nitpicking as I HAD to write about something that's bad because this book so absolutely perfect otherwise! Be it the story, the way the author structures, the reveals, the twists, the tech - it all feels so seamless and realistic. And you could tell that the author has done his homework in book architecture because he deftly throws blow after blow at the precise positions, leading to a plot that has almost zero boring bits. It never drags and you're always on the edge of the seat. And wondering how the hell are these people ever going to resolve the mess they're in.
Was I completely happy with the way things were resolved? No, but it's okay and works out really well for everyone in the end. This is the only book I've read on the silicon valley so far and it was splendid! Go read it!
P.S. Zach's girlfriend is absolutely stupid!
August 19, 2013
This novel has all the ingredients of an epic thriller. I ended up turning the pages much quicker than expected. It was a perfect summer read for me.
The main characters as well as some of the supporting ones are well developed and intriguing, particularly the evil CEO Allen Henley of Display Technik. Henley will stop at nothing to destroy his former prized disciple Zack Penny and his talented team that dared to leave the security of a giant company to make it on their own in the same industry. The research done on the technology of the patented process that will revolutionize TV watching, and the legal system that Henley maneuvers through with the help of his lifelong attorney pal is very thorough and is up to the standard one would find in many of Michael Chrichton's novels.
The book flows nicely from one scene to the next right up to the tantalizing ending full of suspense and a few surprises.
It's hard to believe that Ogura or anyone could craft such a fabulous story their first time out. If this is indicative of his work, I hope to be reading many more novels from him.
The main characters as well as some of the supporting ones are well developed and intriguing, particularly the evil CEO Allen Henley of Display Technik. Henley will stop at nothing to destroy his former prized disciple Zack Penny and his talented team that dared to leave the security of a giant company to make it on their own in the same industry. The research done on the technology of the patented process that will revolutionize TV watching, and the legal system that Henley maneuvers through with the help of his lifelong attorney pal is very thorough and is up to the standard one would find in many of Michael Chrichton's novels.
The book flows nicely from one scene to the next right up to the tantalizing ending full of suspense and a few surprises.
It's hard to believe that Ogura or anyone could craft such a fabulous story their first time out. If this is indicative of his work, I hope to be reading many more novels from him.
October 10, 2016
I can't say it's totally unreadable... Probably my expectations were too high after watching the Silicon Valley TV series. I wanted to see how startup life can be depicted in a book. Well, in this particular case, it didn't work out. In Silicon Valley TV series things are totally crazy and unbelievable, but they are true. They are so true that it's painful to watch.
In this book things are crazy and unbelievable and false. The main character who was not the author of the original idea, had no startup experience and no money - how did he become a CEO? Just because he was dating the daughter of another CEO? Buying factory equipment when there is no a working prototype - yeah... And the business plan was to go from 0.3 mm to 0.2 mm thin display (well, will anybody notice the difference?) As for the writing, I hated those constant internal monologues that make sure you don't miss any stupid thought that crossed the character's mind, ugh...
I stopped in the middle, so I don't know how the story ends. Maybe it will get better.
In this book things are crazy and unbelievable and false. The main character who was not the author of the original idea, had no startup experience and no money - how did he become a CEO? Just because he was dating the daughter of another CEO? Buying factory equipment when there is no a working prototype - yeah... And the business plan was to go from 0.3 mm to 0.2 mm thin display (well, will anybody notice the difference?) As for the writing, I hated those constant internal monologues that make sure you don't miss any stupid thought that crossed the character's mind, ugh...
I stopped in the middle, so I don't know how the story ends. Maybe it will get better.
September 29, 2013
I was offered this book to read in exchange for an unbiased review. This book is very well written. The author didn't leave any loose ends, which is nice. I am primarily a mystery reader, so this isn't what I would normally read. The story is about a man who wants to start his own computer based company, and the evil minded owner of the company he currently works for. POSSIBLE SPOILER: While it was a well written story, I was disappointed that ninety percent of it was about what lengths the current company owner would go to. Seemed to depressing and real world news to me. But that is just my opinion. I can easily see this being how things work in the real world. I don't want to spoil it for anybody, so I wont go into the lengths actually taken or how the books ends. If you're intrigued, check it out.
October 16, 2013
Glenn Ogura's first novel, "Startup" is a winner! This review combines the independent input by a husband and wife. We found the story very realistic, occurring in the San Francisco Bay Area, specifically the Silicon Valley. The novel gives readers an insight into the challenges of establishing a startup company. From the beginning, the novel had us totally involved with the characters and the development of the startup venture. The author weaves suspense, humor, psychology, and sex to keep the reader's interest. We found ourselves eagerly turning pages, wondering "what's next?" The book was difficult to put down. It's a great novel for anyone who enjoys reading about suspense and intrigue. "Startup" has the high recommendation from us both. We hope this is the first of many future novels by Glenn Ogura.
August 26, 2013
Startup was an amazing read. Hard to believe it was written by a first time novelist. Ogura does a wonderful job of captivating your interest right from the start. He has you cheering on the underdog despite the constant road blocks put out there by the evil former boss. Ogura's style is similar to that of Grisham in how the characters are developed. Another similarity is to that of Michael Crichton in regards to how Ogura features technology into the basis of Imagination, the startup company the main character tries to get off the ground. All in all, Startup is a great read and can't wait Ogura's next one.
July 6, 2016
Won this book from the Author in a goodreads giveaway.I loved this book! This first time author writes a wonderfully faced paced thriller.Great characters,pacing, location and overall very enjoyable.The story follows Zachary Penny who works for Display/Technik but decides to begin his own startup Imagination.He wants to revolutionize the world through state of the art wall paper thin displays.But he soon finds out his dream is in jeopardy, when his current CEO Allen Hensley finds out about his plans.If you like thrillers please do yourself a favor and check this one out, you'll be glad you did.
September 4, 2016
I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.
Startup is a business thriller that is full of suspense. It was a little slow in a couple spots but most of the time kept my interest. There were even times that I couldn’t put it down.
The characters are well developed and realistic for the most part. I’m not sure how many people are as naive as Zack but I’m sure they’re out there. I don’t know how many times I found myself shaking my head as I read, or wanting to knock some sense into one of the characters. They sure made things interesting!
This is a very good first novel and anyone who likes suspense will enjoy it. And what an ending! It was not what I expected.
Startup is a business thriller that is full of suspense. It was a little slow in a couple spots but most of the time kept my interest. There were even times that I couldn’t put it down.
The characters are well developed and realistic for the most part. I’m not sure how many people are as naive as Zack but I’m sure they’re out there. I don’t know how many times I found myself shaking my head as I read, or wanting to knock some sense into one of the characters. They sure made things interesting!
This is a very good first novel and anyone who likes suspense will enjoy it. And what an ending! It was not what I expected.
November 15, 2014
I enjoyed this book. Without giving anything away ~ I'll say it made me a little (more:) crazy, angry, disgusted, frustrated, surprised, sad, disappointed and more... and then BAM!! Did. Not. See. That. Coming... I received this book from the author after I was selected as a Goodreads First Reads giveaway winner! Yay me ;) Thank you Glenn Ogura.
September 1, 2013
I'm very busy and have little time to read. I picked up this book, couldn't put it down. Loved the character development especially Allen Henley who reminds me of a former boss.
February 10, 2015
I read this while penned in by another winter day and could not put it down. It is one good book!!
February 20, 2015
its so good
March 29, 2015
Great first book
The ending may have been a little too neat but this was a great beginning for a new author. Can't wait to read his next.
The ending may have been a little too neat but this was a great beginning for a new author. Can't wait to read his next.
December 13, 2020
Startup is a thriller about a group of techies departing from a company to create their own startup centered around an emerging display technology (OLED). Their ex-CEO is not too happy about this and makes life difficult for them with legal challenges, and things kind of escalate from there.
I had the impression this would be a slow-burn thriller but it is very fast paced than the premise appears. I expected the story to play out over months/years but it's a much shorter span of time.
Kudos to Glenn Ogura with just a single published book, I found the story well written and engaging. The story escalated far beyond what I expected, but maybe this is on me for expecting something a bit more grounded.
A couple of gripes for me that bumped this from 4 to 3 starts. Was this published in 2013 or 1997? Why is driving home to check answering machine for phone calls central to the story and mobiles seem like such a rarity? It's not the 2013 silicon valley I remember. Putting that aside I just couldn't reconcile the villain in this story - there was a dual mentality of employees being throwaway money chasers, yet anything less than 100% loyalty to the company above all else (a key theme in this story) just didn't reconcile for me. This put one of the central characters in the realm of fantasy than reality which lessened my enjoyment.
However, if the premise sounds interesting to you then it is not a bad thriller.
I had the impression this would be a slow-burn thriller but it is very fast paced than the premise appears. I expected the story to play out over months/years but it's a much shorter span of time.
Kudos to Glenn Ogura with just a single published book, I found the story well written and engaging. The story escalated far beyond what I expected, but maybe this is on me for expecting something a bit more grounded.
A couple of gripes for me that bumped this from 4 to 3 starts. Was this published in 2013 or 1997? Why is driving home to check answering machine for phone calls central to the story and mobiles seem like such a rarity? It's not the 2013 silicon valley I remember. Putting that aside I just couldn't reconcile the villain in this story - there was a dual mentality of employees being throwaway money chasers, yet anything less than 100% loyalty to the company above all else (a key theme in this story) just didn't reconcile for me. This put one of the central characters in the realm of fantasy than reality which lessened my enjoyment.
However, if the premise sounds interesting to you then it is not a bad thriller.
March 25, 2017
I bought this as the premise seemed interesting: a start up company in a fight to the death with a Silicon Valley titan. Unfortunately, the Startup failed big time in the editing department. Constant navel gazing, massive amounts of rehashing of large sections of the story, and telling not showing, made for a tedious read. It was a perfect study in why editors are necessary.
July 27, 2017
Fast paced corporate thriller, full of emotional, archetypal characters, many of whom like to hit inanimate objects. The book did cause an unpleasant amount distrust in the legal and intellectual property systems - I had to remind myself to draw the (often tenuous) distinction between fiction and reality.
May 10, 2019
This book is set in the hi-tech industry in the San Francisco Bay Area. Having grown up there, I was right at home with the places-- even getting stuck in traffic on the Oakland Bay Bridge. Parts of the book reminded me of the TV series Silicon Valley such as legal battles over intellectual property, and a megalomaniac CEO who will stop at nothing to take down his ex-employees who are launching a startup.
July 20, 2017
A slow read, I nearly gave up but thought maybe it would get better... unfortunately it didn't. Not really the thrilling page turner I had expected from the other reviewers, more like a TV movie of the week with what I thought was a disappointing finish.
January 28, 2018
Ok, but long and not very credible
About 1/3 in I was getting bored so jumped ahead to about 80%. I don’t feel like I missed much. The ending was stupid.
About 1/3 in I was getting bored so jumped ahead to about 80%. I don’t feel like I missed much. The ending was stupid.
January 13, 2014
STARTUP tells us the story of Zack Perry and what happens when he decides to start up his own company, Imagination. Along the way, he loses friends, makes enemies and becomes a little wiser to the world, only to find himself back where he began.
When I first read the description for this story, I thought it would be something in the way of John Grisham. However, I felt none of the adrenalin and morbid curiosity which kept me constantly reading THE FIRM. Instead, after having an interesting opening with the prologue, which captures the imagination and starts the reader to thinking, things rise and fall as you read the story. At times I found myself wanting to read more, while at others I just wanted it to be over and done with as I skimmed along.
Although the writing mechanics are meticulous, I felt little for most of the main characters in the story. To me, the main players in the story were Zack, Mary Anne and Allen, who was the most believable. Both Zack and Mary Anne, work for Allen in his cutthroat business DisplayTechnik. Each are near the top of their divisions in this company and Allen is not a man to promote people without talents, even if they are his own family. In my opinion, both Zack and Mary Anne were way too naive to be where they were at that point in their lives. It was as if, in an attempt to make the point that there still remain a few people with morality and ethics in the business sector, it was overdone to the point that it was unbelievable.
Perhaps the most well developed character of the book was Allen, although I did like his wife Charlotte also. Even though Allen is clearly the villain in the story, you can't help but have a little respect for his brilliance of mind and that go get em attitude, while hating his immorality and selfishness. Allen is a man with dreams and goes after them. First he starts his own company and makes it a roaring success, then he hires only the best for the business and does whatever he has to to protect that business. It is this character which makes the saddest and most memorable statement in the story when he educates Julie in no certain terms, “I'm saying that there's no loyalty in America. None. People don't work for me because they believe in me. Hell, they couldn't care less about me. They work for me because it helps them get what they want. Money. Money for a bigger house, more cable channels, vacations from their pathetic lives. Today, people don't have any respect for their employers.” Of course this works both ways, as employers no longer have respect for their employees either. This statement had me thinking that more and more we have respect for no one or nothing but ourselves and what we want. We're becoming so isolated with our technologies, that all we see is me.
When I first read the description for this story, I thought it would be something in the way of John Grisham. However, I felt none of the adrenalin and morbid curiosity which kept me constantly reading THE FIRM. Instead, after having an interesting opening with the prologue, which captures the imagination and starts the reader to thinking, things rise and fall as you read the story. At times I found myself wanting to read more, while at others I just wanted it to be over and done with as I skimmed along.
Although the writing mechanics are meticulous, I felt little for most of the main characters in the story. To me, the main players in the story were Zack, Mary Anne and Allen, who was the most believable. Both Zack and Mary Anne, work for Allen in his cutthroat business DisplayTechnik. Each are near the top of their divisions in this company and Allen is not a man to promote people without talents, even if they are his own family. In my opinion, both Zack and Mary Anne were way too naive to be where they were at that point in their lives. It was as if, in an attempt to make the point that there still remain a few people with morality and ethics in the business sector, it was overdone to the point that it was unbelievable.
Perhaps the most well developed character of the book was Allen, although I did like his wife Charlotte also. Even though Allen is clearly the villain in the story, you can't help but have a little respect for his brilliance of mind and that go get em attitude, while hating his immorality and selfishness. Allen is a man with dreams and goes after them. First he starts his own company and makes it a roaring success, then he hires only the best for the business and does whatever he has to to protect that business. It is this character which makes the saddest and most memorable statement in the story when he educates Julie in no certain terms, “I'm saying that there's no loyalty in America. None. People don't work for me because they believe in me. Hell, they couldn't care less about me. They work for me because it helps them get what they want. Money. Money for a bigger house, more cable channels, vacations from their pathetic lives. Today, people don't have any respect for their employers.” Of course this works both ways, as employers no longer have respect for their employees either. This statement had me thinking that more and more we have respect for no one or nothing but ourselves and what we want. We're becoming so isolated with our technologies, that all we see is me.
September 3, 2013
Startup is a first novel by Glenn Ogura, who knows his way around Silicon Valley. He can talk the tech talk, but doesn't, yet he has a free and easy way of describing various e-devices in clear English that gets the job done and done with a feeling of completeness. His description of Silicon Valley makes it look like both a creepy and a promising place. Ogura either knows or makes up a lot of dirty big secrets. I suppose, as with every other place, people use each other, but Ogura's Startup has people who are very close using each other. I was quite taken by the interaction between a gorgeous legal assistant and a lecherous CEO. Ogura shows us who's using whom.
For me, it was worth reading for his description of the overdone work place. The owner can buy everything but good taste and doesn't know the meaning of understated. A good read.
For me, it was worth reading for his description of the overdone work place. The owner can buy everything but good taste and doesn't know the meaning of understated. A good read.
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