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Ivory

3.08 of 5 stars 3.08 · rating details · 48 ratings · 17 reviews

Martin Roberts has made a successful career from painting, but is finding that his creativity is slipping away - stifled by his family life. That is until he is responsible for running a teenage girl down in his car. Miraculously the girl survives, but stranger than her lack of injuries is her striking physical appearance; stark white hair and skin, and jet black eyes. Bei...more

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Published January 30th 2010 by Smashwords (first published 2010)

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Jun 02, 2012 Karl Drinkwater rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. [Contains spoilers] I had read reviews about the slow pace, that it only picked up towards the end. This is true, but is not necessarily a flaw, more a matter of taste. I was happy to follow events in a slow-burn way, but it won't suit the impatient.

The novel is a strange mix. On the one hand there is some good writing, convincing detail ("shoved it whole into his mouth and gnashed bitterly at it, swallowing with self-loathing"), good use of painting as analogy/theme, professional plotting, and...more [Contains spoilers] I had read reviews about the slow pace, that it only picked up towards the end. This is true, but is not necessarily a flaw, more a matter of taste. I was happy to follow events in a slow-burn way, but it won't suit the impatient.

The novel is a strange mix. On the one hand there is some good writing, convincing detail ("shoved it whole into his mouth and gnashed bitterly at it, swallowing with self-loathing"), good use of painting as analogy/theme, professional plotting, and original ideas (the twist at the end caught me by surprise, having fallen for the red herrings as to the truth about Ivory).

The surprising downside for me was something easier to avoid, and therefore all the more frustrating - typos. They are nowhere near as frequent as I have found in other free books, but each one distracts, and the common errors are such an easy thing to avoid with extra proofreading. I’ll list some here but send the full list to the author in case they want to update the novel, so if you read Ivory in future this criticism may not apply any more. Some examples that stood out:

the hiss of the tires thrashing the puddles [UK writer and UK book, so tyres]
Within a few minutes they were into ardent throws / men and women in throws of violence [throes]
he lead the way with a determined step [led]
gradual decent of a jaw [descent]
the compliment of light and detail had to be right / this form of art to compliment my own [complement]
her mop of springy raven and died blonde curls / bangs of starkly died black hair [dyed]
Since she had bumbed into Gloria Denza [bumped]
He couldn’t bare the thought of her knowing [bear]
he knew the voice emenated from her [emanated]
sound in the air was faint and illusive in its direction [elusive]
draped the front’s of the houses / vehicles that the Eastern European’s had used [unnecessary apostrophe - plurals]

There are missed opportunities in places. For example the bit where the protagonist has sex with Ivory is skipped over at first. Although there is no need for anything gratuitous, when we are dealing with a being as alien as Ivory - and after having created desire in the protagonist for so long - it seems to short-change the reader if this is skipped over. (For me this point was proved by a later flashback to the good detail of her facial expression during sex when she doesn’t think she is being watched - the writer missed a trick by not making more of this kind of thing). Another example could be the possessed miniatures at the end. They provided menace that wasn't as fully realised as it could have been. If I was to restructure the novel I would probably bring their part of the story forward and let them add to a rising sense of horror and danger over a period of days - and only then provide the Ivory-delivered coup-de-grace. This would help with the novel's pace, and some work on the first half could enhance that too. There is also some weirdness, such as Ivory leaving a locked house and returning, which the protagonist considers impossible - yet he glosses over this and it passes in a way that seems more convenient for the writer than realistic.

Although not related to the content of the novel, the cover would work better with less blood, and there is no need for the skull in the eye. Subtlety wins in some cases. Though I do like the way Steve uses a single tone for his book covers, it makes them distinctive and attractive.

So, overall, a novel that generally manages to avoid unintentional cliché and create a convincing world, with some excellent elements that show the writer's skill, yet missing greatness due to some basic errors and missed opportunities where the work could be improved. The novel is free, so one can hardly whinge that things aren't perfect, but the promise it shows, and the unique enigma at its heart, should be allowed to have full expression with no distractions. I'm certainly going to have a look at some of Steve's other work.(less)

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Feb 07, 2012 David Watson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ivory tells the tale of an artist and art teacher named Martin Roberts. Martin is having a midlife crisis, he doesn’t feel satisfied with his family and doesn’t feel inspired to paint anymore. Then one rainy night his life changes when he accidentally hits a teenage girl with his car. Even though the girl should have died in the horrific crash, she survives. She is no ordinary teenager, her skin and hair are pure white, her eyes are black as coal and she is mute. Martin sits with the girl until...more Ivory tells the tale of an artist and art teacher named Martin Roberts. Martin is having a midlife crisis, he doesn’t feel satisfied with his family and doesn’t feel inspired to paint anymore. Then one rainy night his life changes when he accidentally hits a teenage girl with his car. Even though the girl should have died in the horrific crash, she survives. She is no ordinary teenager, her skin and hair are pure white, her eyes are black as coal and she is mute. Martin sits with the girl until the paramedics come, then follows them to the hospital.

At the hospital the young woman gets her wounds treated and is picked up by a blind black man named Ebony. Martin finds out that the girl is a prostitute named Ivory. After the accident Martin tries to go back to his bland life but can’t forget Ivory, so he returns to the scene of the car crash. Martin finds Ivory and a world of danger he never knew existed. He also rediscovers his inspiration to paint along with an obsession with Ivory that he soon finds out has led other men to there deaths and may kill him as well.

If your like me you we’re probably reading the description of Ivory I just gave and thought it doesn’t sound that good. I could go further describing this book but that would ruin the surprises in the story. This book does not go where you think its going to go. The story builds throughout the book and halfway through becomes impossible to put down. While reading the first half of the book I found myself thinking this is a good book but I’m not sure I would consider it a horror novel. The second half of the book I thought was imaginative, terrifying and violent.

My favorite part of the book is when we find out exactly who Ebony and Ivory are, where they live and more importantly what other things are in the house. I also liked how Martin sees that his obsession with Ivory is turning him into something he hates as well as destroying his family, but at the same time he can’t stay away from her. I don’t know if it’s how the author meant it, but I took it as a metaphor for drug addiction. I found myself not liking Martin but I could relate to the character and felt sorry for him. Like Martin, I looked at Ebony and Ivory as tragic figures who were given horrible circumstances. The difference being that Martin had a choice of what he became but Ivory and Ebony did not.

My only complaint about this book was that I wanted more. I would love to see a few more books about Ebony and Ivory. I would like to see a prequel that tells more about Ebony’s life and a sequel that focuses on Ivory after the events of this book. I can also think of a third book I would like to see but if I mention what it would be, it would give away some of the surprises you’ll find in Ivory.

If you think Ivory sounds like a good read you can find it for free online. Steve Merriefield just asks that you leave a review where you got the book. This book was so good I found myself feeling guilty not paying for it. I’ll definitely be wanting to read some of the other books that Steve Merrifield has available.

(less)

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Feb 07, 2011 Reading Wolf rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-male

I found this book to be written ok, but I disliked the character of Martin. He was a flat character. He disappointed me in the end. His choices were poorly chosen and weak. I deleted this free book.

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Dec 30, 2012 Casey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, kindle-books

Ivory is an engrossing story of a man obsessed. Although it starts out strong, it's not without its faults. When I got to about 88%, the story took a strange turn. Now don't get me wrong, I love supernatural horror stories. You allow your mind to shift past the "that could never feasibly happen" and take everything given to you in believable stride. But the big secret plot twist is fragmented and incomplete as best. When dealing with the supernatural you expect that there are questions without a...more Ivory is an engrossing story of a man obsessed. Although it starts out strong, it's not without its faults. When I got to about 88%, the story took a strange turn. Now don't get me wrong, I love supernatural horror stories. You allow your mind to shift past the "that could never feasibly happen" and take everything given to you in believable stride. But the big secret plot twist is fragmented and incomplete as best. When dealing with the supernatural you expect that there are questions without answers, but the cause and effect at this point makes no sense.
****************************SPOILERS AHEAD!*****************************************************

Ebony makes gear-driven inventions for money, and one day demonic spirits take his sight in return for making automatons capable of housing a wandering soul. Apparently these souls, which you would expect to be malevolent, are not. They do nothing, serve no purpose, do not make themselves known at all until Ebony's death. So, are they subservient to the demonic tool?! When does THAT ever happen?! What is the general demonic motive? There doesn't seem to be one. Furthermore, after Ebony builds his primary automaton (Ivory) the reader is entreated to the fact that Ivory is at the center of a prophecy; a bloody war between men and women for the affections of Ivory. Why the battle for Ivory's affections over the other automatons? What is the goal that the demonic spirits are trying to achieve with the battle? The destruction of the human race? WHO KNOWS!! And in the end, who is at King's burned out house? Is it Ivory, who is doing nothing but taking money that is thrown through the windows and supposedly fulfilling a prophecy? Is it Martin, who through some force survived his self-inflicted torture and attempted suicide only to live as an purposeless automaton himself? Is it Richard, one of Ivory's suitors who becomes entangled in her "struggles" and mysteriously disappears (only to somehow end up as an automaton, too)?? No one will ever know.
**********************************END OF SPOILERS**************************************************

I liked the book up until the revelations around the 88% mark. It's not a bad story, but it could do with some work to really be great. It has the potential.(less)

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Jul 15, 2011 C.V. Hunt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Everything is not what it seems.

I liked this book. It had a strange and unreal story to it, but it was combined with our reality. Being a painter I could find the obsession in the beauty that Martin had, but I felt his character was sort of distant from the reader. I believe it is because I prefer first person POV.

The story was original, and once Martin is aware of an alternative reality, it gets even better. I’ve said it before; if the writer can make my stomach churn, they’ve done a good job....more

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Mar 08, 2011 Billy rated it 1 of 5 stars

Again, like Harvest by the same author, heavy-handed and turgid prose bored me to death. It was like wading through thick custard with all your winter clothes on. Started off okay, but the main character quickly lost my interest and I found myself not caring about him or Ivory or anybody else in the book. I picked this up, like Harvest, because I'd read lots of high praise. I now doubt the sincerity of those readers.

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Apr 07, 2011 Darlene added it

This book was a little slow in spots but was stll worth the read. The ending was a bit of a surprise. I wasn't expecting what I got.

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Jun 14, 2012 Crystal rated it 3 of 5 stars

well it was a strange book it was something I had to finish but it didnt make me happy ok for a free book.

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May 05, 2012 Dee6265 rated it 1 of 5 stars

This was a very strange book. Normally I like strange, but I had a lot of trouble getting into this story. It was one of those that I had to push myself to finish and not just give up on.

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Jan 08, 2011 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow!! What a great read! The book was enjoyable from start to finish and the last chapter had me reaching for popcorn! Great book!

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Dec 11, 2010 Bert Long rated it 4 of 5 stars

quite interesting and unpredictable. Not sure it would appeal to everyone, but I liked it.

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Jun 17, 2010 Jan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, kindle, fiction

Not too sure what to make of this book, its well written and imaginative, but strange. Liked his other book better.

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Apr 15, 2011 Candice rated it 4 of 5 stars

Interesting and twisty... It was a morbid horror that suited my mood perfectly as the time of reading it.

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Apr 27, 2012 Tammy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: smashwords, e-reader

I enjoyed this book much more than Harvest.

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Mar 14, 2013 Laura Mcgee rated it 4 of 5 stars

A story of obsession! Artist Martin is quite enthralled by Ivory and a supernatural tale ensues.
I really enjoyed this book. It was written well, very descriptive. It was a very strange and unusual book and may not be for everyone.

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Nov 20, 2011 Diana Quinn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not one of Merrifield's better works. The storyline is not bad, but the writing is not his usual caliber. "Ivory" is an easy read and has some good sci-fi aspects.

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Feb 24, 2013 Tim Ouellette rated it 3 of 5 stars

Reading Ivory, so far so good.

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May 08, 2013 Ari rated it 2 of 5 stars

Apr 18, 2013 Teresa Procell added it

Mar 22, 2013 Gold Turtle marked it as to-read

Feb 12, 2013 Jodi marked it as to-read

Jan 22, 2013 Amanda (Letters Inside Out) marked it as to-read

Shelves: tbr-nook

Jan 17, 2013 Angel marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Jan 17, 2013 Lisa Livingston Clark marked it as to-read

Jan 02, 2013 Dennis Lott marked it as to-read

Shelves: thriller

Dec 28, 2012 Tessa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dec 11, 2012 Arielle marked it as to-read

Dec 08, 2012 Francesca Beretta is currently reading it

Nov 21, 2012 Kathy Mawn marked it as to-read

Shelves: e-reader-version

Nov 12, 2012 Rosa marked it as to-read

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