L.K. Evans's Blog, page 19
March 6, 2014
SSFFWA and Proud!
Recently, as of Monday to be precise, I became a member of SSFFWA (Shirtless Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) led and organized by the wonderful Zachary Jernigan. It’s a great group with a motto I’m deeply behind:
ZERO SHIRTS.
ZERO BIGOTS.
ALL SFF.
Okay, the shirtless thing might not be something I regularly do. I’m going to ramble here, so be prepared.
Anyone who has followed me knows I’m an extremely shy person. One could say I have a very mild case of social anxiety. One on one I can manage—although I don’t like to be stared at for too long. Freaks me out. If you put me in a room with two very close friends, I can handle it. Add a third and I might get a little quiet. Now, put me in a place where I don’t know anyone and you bet I’m going silent. Here’s the fun part. I can fake it pretty well. My old boss (and now very dear friend) worked tirelessly with me and was able to teach me how to smile and join in occasionally. That doesn’t mean my stomach isn’t in knots, my hands still sweat, and I feel a tad lightheaded. I can pull it off, though. Something I’m quite proud of. I even made it into management and had a group of 15 who reported to me. I conducted team meetings and fostered a very close and relaxed work environment. I like overcoming challenges and pushing myself to be a better person. However, it was still painfully hard. I stood behind chairs or podiums when I presented, just so I was hidden a little. I dreaded each meeting. I hate speaking in front of an audience. My tongue ties up, I sweat like I just ran 5 miles, and I have a very difficult time making eye contact. Not to mention the nausea. To cap it off, I hate pictures of myself.
The reason I have rambled on this way is to show you how much I believe in the SSFFWA. It might have taken me a few days to work up to it, I might have waited a few hours after I had taken the picture, but I eventually sent my request to join the SSFFWA and bit off a nail while I awaited a response. It wasn’t long before I was accepted by Jernigan. I grinned childishly large and felt the camaraderie of being involved in something that means a lot to me.
If anyone has read my book, you might pick up on my dislike of judgements and prejudice. It’s subtly laid out. How Salvarias is treated. How mages are treated. You’ll see that those who should be the “good guys” often do acts that I find, and hopefully you do as well, despicable.
So to conclude this rather long post I will say this: We all have flaws in our character, but the SSFFWA is about identifying our less admirable traits and trying to become a better, more understanding and compassionate individual. If you’re interested in checking us out, you can visit Zachary Jernigan’s website (http://zacharyjernigan.com/ssffwa/).
March 3, 2014
Review of Short Stories by Timothy Ward, D.Z.C., and Zachary Jernigan
Cornhusker: Demon Gene by Timothy C. Ward
4 out of 5 Stars
I’m just going to say it: I LOVE GORE! Now, this wasn’t overly gory to me, but keep in mind that I fucking love gore. So, this had enough to keep my interest, but I don’t think it’s over the top for anyone who reads horror. The reason I mention this is because I think the gory parts were beautifully written. I had a clear image of what was happening, which was great!
I read that Ward had cut down the length, and I must say I’m disappointed. I had the feeling I was walking through a haunted house; you know, the kind with all sorts of crazy shit to see and take in. Instead of moseying along so I could absorb every detail, I felt like someone had a hand on my back and was ushering me along faster than I wanted. I kept looking over my shoulder saying: But wait, that was fucking cool.
Regardless, it was an enjoyable, fast-paced read. The descriptive parts were superb and I found myself clenching my teeth in fear and… well, just read the book. It was delightfully disgusting and, oddly, moving.
How to find Timothy Ward:
Website
Amazon Author Page
Goodreads
Bright, Still by D.Z.C.
5 out of 5 Stars
Oh, how I love this author. He could write the want ads in the newspaper and I’ll read it. He captivates me until nothing exists except for his words. I can’t put my finger on it, sadly, but damn I love it. Seriously, he makes me interested in stuff I wouldn’t normally be interested in.
This was a very satisfying compilation of short stories. As is his signature, not every question was answered at the end of the story. So once again I was left screaming and grinning. I. Fucking. Love. It. I don’t have a favorite. What I thought was my least favorite beginning had my favorite ending and vice versus. The stories were vastly different from one another, and entirely yummy.
All I can do is repeat myself over and over. I love his writing and I will buy anything he publishes.
How to find D.Z.C.:
Website
Amazon Author Page
Goodreads
The Bottom Of The Sea by Zachary Jernigan
5 out of 5 Stars
First off, this was my favorite of the day. Second, buy this book. I was a fan of Jernigan’s after No Return. Now, he’s got my full adoration. On to the review.
Well, once again I’m blown away by Jernigan’s writing. His prose seduced my mind and made my heart ache. Perhaps it was the shortness of the stories, but I connected with this book way more than No Return. It tossed me into a serious reverie about life. I’ll try to explain that in the next paragraph, but first: Fucking crazy shit again! Jernigan’s imagination just staggers me. I didn’t have as big of a problem wrapping my mind around this one — except for maybe Pairs, which was wonderfully depressing, but set in a world that my mind said nope. Oh well, I still enjoyed it immensely and it stuck with me for quite a bit after I finished the book. My favorites though were The War is Over and Everyone Wins and then All My Ghosts, which was my top favorite. Here’s a little excerpt from All my Ghosts that resonated with me and the words are painfully beautiful:
“I came to love and resent him as any son would. I suppose he felt something similar for me, but we never spoke of it — never spoke of much, really, nor possessed the words if we’d wanted to.”
Be prepared. I’m amount to ramble here a bit.
There is a solitary nature to Jernigan’s characters; as if the main character in each story is alone, awaiting an unavoidable betrayal. I think some would view it as pessimistic. I view it as realistic. At some point in your life, you will be betrayed; not just by friends and family, but by life itself. An optimist might look around and shake their head, stating that nothing in life will betray them. And when it finally happens, the optimist probably won’t see it for what it is. If by chance they do, they’ll smile broader, thinking it won’t happen again. A pessimist looks around and says all will betray them. When that one incident happens, they wait eagerly for the next, knowing without a doubt betrayal will meet them again. A realist looks around and smiles knowingly. They will love life unhindered, see every ounce of good. But, they know with every fiber of good there is a fray of evil. When that one incident betrays them, it will hurt, because they loved the good as clearly as they saw the evil. I’m a realist. I see in some of these characters (not all) that same outlook. Awaiting the inevitable. Living life. Alone. Loved. Happy. Sad. I’ve admittedly read this paragraph many times over, but have no other way to describe how I feel. Right or wrong, it is the impression I am left with. And I love it. I sit here writing this in a little gloomy state of reflection, but the stories also moved me in ways I can’t explain. Perhaps I read too far into them, but I wanted to. So I did. Others will probably walk away with an entirely dissimilar view. I think the stories will resonate differently with each person who reads them based on what they’ve experienced in life, which in my opinion is the mark of a true master of story telling.
I have nothing else to say except it was a brilliant selection of stories that impacted me deeply. I think I’ll end my ramblings there and sit with my thoughts for a bit.
How to find Zachary Jernigan:
Website
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
February 27, 2014
Review of No Return by Zachary Jernigan
No Return by Zachary Jernigan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I love this author. His book was recommended to me by a friend of mine on Goodreads (thanks Amber), and I when I added it to my to-read list, Mr. Jernigan added me as a friend. It gave me a great chance to see him in action with his blog, reviews, and comments. I must admit, No Return wasn’t high on my list. I tend to lean towards sword/sorcery/traditional type fantasy books, and this had a bit of sci-fi mix, which put it further down on my list. However, after following the author, I catapulted it to the top. He is so incredibly interesting and engaging that it rose my curiosity about his book. Follow him and you’ll see what I mean.
Since I’ve followed Jernigan for a bit, I know he enjoys swearing, and actually encourages it. You might not know it based on previous posts or my book, but I cuss like a sailor. My mother clutches her pearls around me all the time. Therefore, I’ll be free with my language out of respect for Jernigan. If cursing bothers you, I’d suggest you stop reading after this paragraph, and I’d highly suggest steering clear of this book. Me? Well, I find swearing keeps me honest. I’m not so cautious of what I say and I tend to be a bad liar because of it. I attribute this to my cussing. I’m less guarded about my words, therefore I speak what I honestly feel. Granted, working in a horribly stuffy, corporate environment tamed me, but now that I'm free of it, I’m slowly finding my spirit.
So, now that we’ve said those things, on to the review.
Wow. I walked away from this book feeling weighted. It was a heavy read. It was not light and airy. It did not induce butterflies of giddy joy. I did not laugh. I did not cry. I read the story of Vedas with a heavy heart. I sympathized with Berun. I rooted for Churli (damn... she is a badass). And my mind wondered during scenes with Ebn, Pol, and Adrash. Honestly, those three POV’s didn’t hold my interest well at all. I’d much rather be with Vedas, Churli, and Berun.
Vedas was my favorite, but Churli and Berun gave him a good run for his money. I can’t really say why I liked Vedas except that I connected with his awkwardness in social situations. It was endearing, something I understood, something—to a degree—I had in common with him. Other than that, I can’t say exactly why I found him so engaging. I just did.
Churli was an incredible, strong female. I never felt her waver in her strength. She is one of the more wonderfully written heroines I’ve ever read. Brilliant. What we learned about her past was moving, different, and explained so much of who she was. Plus, did I mention she’s a badass?
Berun was just damn interesting. I was fascinated by him. I tried to dissect his mind and understand him with little reward. Honestly, I still don’t understand him completely. Maybe a re-read later will help. Perhaps my mind was too full, confused, and overwhelmed.
This brings us to the point where I try to understand my confounded state. It also sparks my cussing, because I’m quite disappointed in myself.
I admit, I enjoy writing reviews because they help me figure out what the fuck I just read (most of the time I don’t know the star rating until I’m done). It helps me absorb everything, solidifies my thoughts and feelings. With this book... well, I just don’t know. Even now, I can’t get my mind wrapped around it. Which brings me to the one statement that seems to fit how I feel: This book was too smart for me. I struggled to get my imagination to kick into gear. Jernigan obviously does not have this problem, and his explanations were detailed and wonderful. Fucking shit was crazy. I read stuff that my brain said: Fuck that. I’m not going to try to construct something for your little mind to visualize. Deal with it.
So, I dealt with it. I did feel a little cheated, a tad inadequate, but mostly I felt (and I hang my head in shame) jealous. I shy away from sci-fi because I know I lack an imagination sometimes. I’m a horribly visual person, and my mind couldn’t deal with this book. I couldn’t immerse myself in the world. I think another reason for this is because of the lengthy recounts of history. I always glaze over in those parts of books, and this one was no different. They were important, written stunningly, and much needed. But, for me, it’s just a matter of personal taste.
Now, what I will say is that, to my surprise, my mind did pick up on the examination of the human condition. This is what also made the book a heavy read. But—and here’s the clincher—I FUCKING LOVED IT. I loved that it made me think, that I didn’t get spoon fed stuff, that I had to force my brain to function. I think sometimes books can be mind numbing; just a place to drift off to. That’s not a bad thing at all. I love those books. But this was a dose of something different.
I’ve read reviews about the sex and violence in this book, so let me address it. Yeah, there was sex. A lot of it. Sex and religion were the at the forefront of this book. If you can’t read a book with sex scenes, I’d forgo No Return. Some of it was done nicely, some of it meh. But I did not feel it was done as horribly as some others have mentioned.
As for the violence... Well, sure there was violence. I’d expect nothing less from a sci-fi fantasy book. I actually could’ve done with a bit more. I like violence in books. It usually equates to action. I like action. It wasn’t overly gory, which was a slight disappointment to me. However, I must warn that I like a good dose of gore, so it might seem excessive to some.
The last quarter of the book was fucking spectacular. It moved quicker, there was less history stuff, and I grew more fond of my favorite three characters. The world is crazy detailed and complex with religious, racial, and political issues. The writing itself was superbly brilliant.
The reason this gets 4 instead of 5 stars is quite simple and boils down to 2 reasons (both of which are personal taste): 1) I never got a picture of this world solidified in my mind, therefore, I was not immersed in the story completely. 2) I’m just not a fan of sections devoted to history. I need more action.
So, that was a damn long review, and I didn’t cuss nearly as much as I thought I would. I’ll end my ramblings with this: I will be buying the sequel when it comes out (probably on the release day), and I’ll continue to follow Jernigan cause he’s fucking funny and has a lot of good stuff to say.
Review of Xanadu by D.Z.C.
Xanadu by D.Z.C.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
So, this moved quicker. I finished it in one sitting. While I loved the pace of this story, I found myself begging for more Estrade and Nicolas time. Estrade seemed less prevalent in this book. It was the relationship between Nicolas and Estrade that had me so loving People Like Us. Maybe it’s just me, but I didn’t get enough banter between them. Maybe it was because there were other characters that took up more page time...I’m not really sure I could explain it appropriately. I just miss Estrade. Anyways, the story moved along fast enough that I really didn’t notice my pouting until it was over.
The details were there, but not as heavy as People Like Us. I appreciated what I was given in Xanadu because I didn’t feel overwhelmed by everything. I nestled right in and enjoyed the ride.
Nicolas’ is still a character I love and smile at with unashamed fondness, while frowning at him on occasion. Estrade...oh how I love him. Like I said, I wish I had more time with him in this book. Especially his interactions with Nicolas. The other characters were needed for the story but did get on my nerves, just as they did to the other characters, which, I guess, was the point.
Once again, there are some unanswered questions in this book. Don’t expect a nice and neat ending where everything miraculously comes together. They’ll be some stuff unanswered. Again, I’m fine with it. We’re still in Nicolas’ first person view so he doesn’t know everything. As I said in my review of People Like Us, it added a mysteriousness that had me screaming and grinning. I like that I didn’t know everything. Such is life, right?
Of course it is the humor and writing that I absolutely love. I was sad to finish it because I wanted to keep reading and smiling. This one didn’t get me to laugh aloud, but I rarely do in books. I smiled quite a bit, grinned a few times, and thought about the book for days after I finished it (which means I loved it and it stuck with me).
To conclude my ramblings, I’ll say it again: I am a HUGE fan of D.Z.C. and will ready anything he throws at me. He truly is a gifted author. Matter of fact, I have his ghost stories on my list (another genre I usually don’t read), but there are many other books in front of it (although, I might cheat and read it one night since it’s super short). However, as much as I love his books and writing, it’s time for me to return to my beloved fantasy genre for a bit. Boy, how I’d love it if he wrote one of those. Huh...what a wonderful idea! Please, D.Z.C.? Pretty please? Magic? Creatures? And the same cynical protagonist type lead? Please!
Here are a few links for D.Z.C.:
Blog: http://www.dzc-books.co.uk
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Zichao-Deng/e/B00HOAMIEK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Review of the Protector by Mark Matthews
The Protector by Mark Matthews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
First and foremost, the disclaimers:
1. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
2. Reading is subjective. This is merely my opinion.
Throughout this review, you’ll see me refer to David Eddings’ series. The Belgariad. I grew up on David Eddings, reading and re-reading his Belgariad and Malloreon series all through grade school and high school, so I’m quite familiar with them. This book reminds me very strongly of the Belgariad series, so be prepared to see Belgariad mentioned a few times below. Now, on to the review.
First, what bothered me.
My first issue has me straddling the 3 and 4 star rating (if I could, this would be a 3.5 star). It was the romance between two main characters, Barrett and I’ll leave the other nameless so I don’t totally ruin it, in case you don’t see it coming. Barrett is supposedly 24 years old in this book, and I totally ate up that fact until the budding romance started. I would peg these two characters, based on romance alone, to be more young teen. It’s a little childish. It reminded me of the Belgariad romance, but the Belgariad fit better since the main character was like 13 or 14 when the romance started. Of course, as I complain about nearly every book I read, the romance started too soon, mere weeks after meeting. I just have a hard time swallowing such fast paced love. Flirting? Absolutely! Kissing? Sure! Fooling around? Why not. Undying love and marriage? Hold your horses. I need to work up to that. So, there you have it. I was annoyed by the romance. Is there any book I’ve read where I could handle the romance? Ummm...the Belgariad....and only the Belgariad. Not because I enjoyed their courtship (I actually didn’t), but because I understood it. It took quite a bit of time and then after they married, there were a boat load of problems to work through. It wasn’t so clean cut. Not that The Protector didn’t have a few ups and downs, but it seemed fake at times.
Secondly, every great once in a while the humor felt a little forced, like I should have been laughing when I wasn’t. It’s damn hard to get me to laugh aloud. I mean, really hard. I didn’t do it with this book, though it wrestled a few smiles out of me. Still, sometimes I felt a little guilty when I wasn’t smiling.
Now, on to the fun stuff.
What I enjoyed about this book was how it felt like I was on the journey with the group of characters. Not a lot of time was skipped, and when it was it was a few short days of travel here and there. It kept me tied into the story. Much like the Belgariad, they traveled from place to place and had a good set of adventures along the way. The pace was well thought out and kept me interested. After all, I read it in one sitting.
For those of you who are die-hard map followers, be prepared. They travel a lot with no map for you to reference. I’m a map glancer. I take a look at it and then dive right in. I rarely ever look back. Take heart, though. This book didn’t lose me. Like I said, I was along on the journey and never felt lost. We moved from kingdom to kingdom in an orderly, well thought out manner.
The settings were wonderfully described. I hate long, drawn out descriptions, but Mr. Matthews was able to give me plenty of information to keep me in the story without boring me to tears. Yay! Smells, sights, and sounds were alive. I really did feel like I was there.
The world was well thought out. The races and kingdoms weren’t crammed down my throat in the beginning, trying to immerse me immediately. Mr. Matthews eased me into the history through dialog and stories. It prevented me from feeling like I was in history class listening to the droning voice of a professor. And it didn’t even rely on a prologue! Yay!
The story itself is light, which agains remind me of the Belgariad series. Stuff happens, some not so pleasant, but the vibe is upbeat and the characters joke among each other with regularity. It gave the book a carefree feeling, but that did drain the tension from some scenes.
Quite a few of the characters I could exchange with those in the Belgariad books and the stories would still flow effortlessly. One character in particular hit very close to Pol. Funny thing, I didn’t really latch on to any one character. But I didn’t in Belgariad either. That’s very odd for me. If I don’t latch on to someone, I usually don’t like the book. But like the Belgariad, the characters had their quirks and the story was enjoyable enough to make up for the lack of my whole investment. Tylor was my absolute favorite though. His sense of humor was awesome and his abilities were incredibly fun to read about.
Please note, this is not a dark book. This is not a horribly traumatized cast of characters. This is a very clean cut fantasy. It is a break from the dark books out there and has a completely followable plot.
So, you might be wondering why, especially for a character driven reader such as myself, I would award this book four stars. What tipped it for me was because of the nostalgia it brought. I was young again, enjoying a story that didn’t hurt my brain, sitting astride a horse while gazing at what they saw and listening to their conversations. It was a break from reality and a quick little adventure.
Would I read it again? Probably not. Will I buy the second book? Absolutely.
So there you have it. My ramblings are done.
February 25, 2014
Giveaway for Keepers of Arden: The Brothers Volume 1
I know I’m a day late on my “Monday” post, but life has been a little on the hectic side. Today, I’d like to let you all know that my book just got a nice touchup with the help of Jo Michaels at Indie Books Gone Wild. To celebrate, we’re doing a giveaway on the Indie Books Gone Wild website (click here). So stop on by and enter to win.
A few other updates:
I’m looking to move my website over to WordPress sometime in March. I’m hoping this will be seamless since I own the domain, but be prepared for a new look and tons more options for sharing via social media.
Book 2, which I’ve imaginatively titled: Keepers of Arden: The Brothers Volume 2, is coming along splendidly. You might wonder why I didn’t get creative with the title. Let me explain. This series is about the brothers, their life, their hardships, and their story. Maybe later-years perhaps-we’ll learn the story of Mafarias, or possibly Humar. Maybe even Durak. Perhaps we’ll go forward twenty or so years and go on an adventure with a new set of characters. Whatever may come, I wanted to keep the titles simple. I’ve got a few other series in the works, and they’ll be in different worlds with entirely different characters. For those, I’ll be entirely creative, but for Keepers, I felt less was more.
Lastly, I’m taking a few days off from writing to spend time reading. I’m in need of an escape and I have a few books lined up. First on the list is No Return written by Zachary Jernigan (this author’s blog-click here to check it out-is as moving as it is hysterical). It looks to be a fun and explosive read. Come back on Thursday for the review.
That’s all I’ve got for now. I hope everyone has a wonderful week, and don’t forget to visit Indie Books Gone Wild and enter for a free ebook of Keepers of Arden.
Giveaway for Keepers of Arden: The Brothers Volume 1
I know I'm a day late on my "Monday" post, but life has been a little on the hectic side. Today, I'd like to let you all know that my book just got a nice touchup with the help of Jo Michaels at Indie Books Gone Wild. To celebrate, we're doing a giveaway on the Indie Books Gone Wild website (click here). So stop on by and enter to win. A few other updates:
I'm looking to move my website over to Wordpress sometime in March. I'm hoping this will be seamless since I own the domain, but be prepared for a new look and tons more options for sharing via social media.
Book 2, which I've imaginatively titled: Keepers of Arden: The Brothers Volume 2, is coming along splendidly. You might wonder why I didn't get creative with the title. Let me explain. This series is about the brothers, their life, their hardships, and their story. Maybe later-years perhaps-we'll learn the story of Mafarias, or possibly Humar. Maybe even Durak. Perhaps we'll go forward twenty or so years and go on an adventure with a new set of characters. Whatever may come, I wanted to keep the titles simple. I've got a few other series in the works, and they'll be in different worlds with entirely different characters. For those, I'll be entirely creative, but for Keepers, I felt less was more.
Lastly, I'm taking a few days off from writing to spend time reading. I'm in need of an escape and I have a few books lined up. First on the list is No Return written by Zachary Jernigan (this author's blog-click here to check it out-is as moving as it is hysterical). It looks to be a fun and explosive read. Come back on Thursday for the review.
That's all I've got for now. I hope everyone has a wonderful week, and don't forget to visit Indie Books Gone Wild and enter for a free ebook of Keepers of Arden.
February 19, 2014
Review of Xanadu by D.Z.C.
Xanadu by D.Z.C.My rating: 5 of 5 stars
So, this moved quicker. I finished it in one sitting. While I loved the pace of this story, I found myself begging for more Estrade and Nicolas time. Estrade seemed less prevalent in this book. It was the relationship between Nicolas and Estrade that had me so loving People Like Us. Maybe it’s just me, but I didn’t get enough banter between them. Maybe it was because there were other characters that took up more page time...I’m not really sure I could explain it appropriately. I just miss Estrade. Anyways, the story moved along fast enough that I really didn’t notice my pouting until it was over.
The details were there, but not as heavy as People Like Us. I appreciated what I was given in Xanadu because I didn’t feel overwhelmed by everything. I nestled right in and enjoyed the ride.
Nicolas’ is still a character I love and smile at with unashamed fondness, while frowning at him on occasion. Estrade...oh how I love him. Like I said, I wish I had more time with him in this book. Especially his interactions with Nicolas. The other characters were needed for the story but did get on my nerves, just as they did to the other characters, which, I guess, was the point.
Once again, there are some unanswered questions in this book. Don’t expect a nice and neat ending where everything miraculously comes together. They’ll be some stuff unanswered. Again, I’m fine with it. We’re still in Nicolas’ first person view so he doesn’t know everything. As I said in my review of People Like Us, it added a mysteriousness that had me screaming and grinning. I like that I didn’t know everything. Such is life, right?
Of course it is the humor and writing that I absolutely love. I was sad to finish it because I wanted to keep reading and smiling. This one didn’t get me to laugh aloud, but I rarely do in books. I smiled quite a bit, grinned a few times, and thought about the book for days after I finished it (which means I loved it and it stuck with me).
To conclude my ramblings, I’ll say it again: I am a HUGE fan of D.Z.C. and will ready anything he throws at me. He truly is a gifted author. Matter of fact, I have his ghost stories on my list (another genre I usually don’t read), but there are many other books in front of it (although, I might cheat and read it one night since it’s super short). However, as much as I love his books and writing, it’s time for me to return to my beloved fantasy genre for a bit. Boy, how I’d love it if he wrote one of those. Huh...what a wonderful idea! Please, D.Z.C.? Pretty please? Magic? Creatures? And the same cynical protagonist type lead? Please!
View all my reviews Here are a few links for D.Z.C.:
Blog: http://www.dzc-books.co.uk
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Zichao-Deng/e/B00HOAMIEK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
February 17, 2014
Indie Challenge 8 – People Like Us by D.Z.C.
Good morning! I had a very entertaining weekend! I read two books by the amazing D.Z.C., and have found myself a new author to stalk. While his books are very outside my preferred genre and comfort zone, I found his writing style absolutely addicting. I. Must. Read. More. And I did :) Come back on Wednesday for my review of Xanadu. Anyway, here’s the review for People Like Us.
People Like Us by D.Z.C.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Well now, that was a rush at the end. First, let me tell you: I’ve already bought the second book. I’m not ‘going’ to buy it, I’m not ‘looking forward’ to it. I bought it. The instant I finished People Like Us, I bought it. Why, you might ask? Sit back and let me explain.
I LOVED the writing and cynical dry humor, the aloof yet deep character of Nicolas, and the oddly alluring Estrade. There was something about the way they were written that just entranced me when reading. Here’s a few excerpts (this is told in first person from Nicolas’ perspective):
“He (Estrade) has, however, an unsettling, heavy-lidded way of smiling at you, as though he is the only one present who has seen the joke...”
“He went over backwards, and about two seconds later Estrade appeared at the door, with a heavy, nasty-looking semi-automatic pistol of his own. I suppose someone with as well developed knack for irritating people as he possesses learns caution quickly.”
“In this risky business, clearly I was going to have to be the responsible, reliable one. It is not a position to which I normally gravitate.”
I have so many other quotes I’d rather use but I fear they might be spoilers for those trying diligently to figure everything out. These little tidbits of amazing description and aloof outlooks towards things most would find appalling was oddly addicting. D.Z.C. is an amazing writer and I am captivated by his skill.
Let me just tell you, there was one part that I was dying! It involves a shotgun and a face. I seriously couldn’t stop laughing. It’s kinda sick, but I couldn’t help it. It was the way the scene was written. Hopefully, if you ever read it, you’ll not think me a horrible person for finding the scene so hilarious.
You’ll notice this book took me quite a while to read, which is out of character for me. Usually when I start a book I stick to only that book until I’m finished. If I would have stopped reading at any point up to 3/4’s completion, I would have rated this book a 4. It was the ending that shot it up to 5.
The reason I was more inclined towards 4 in the beginning was because it had a very slow start, for me, anyways. Furthermore, there were soooo many references to stuff I just didn’t get. I’m a rather sheltered girl who is unworldly, to put it mildly. So a lot of stuff hung me up. However, when I sat down with it yesterday--I was only 35% done--, I decided to forgo trying to understand every reference and just read for the story and characters. Once I did that, it went by much quicker and I sailed through the book.
The ending was a rush of events with a closure that left me grinning. As much as I love and am fascinated by Nicolas, there are things he does that I’m not supportive of, yet I couldn’t help but smile at him. Don’t go into this book expecting a perfect little hero wrapped up in a bow. There are no heroes in this book. There are life-like people doing things tons of people do, while other things are a little more fictional, or at least not as common. Also, do not expect a nail-biter of a book. This is a slower read with a lot of getting involved in the...community the book is set in. If you pay attention, it all kinda connects.
There are some grievances out there that this had loose ends. It sure did, and I didn’t mind one bit. This is told from purely a first person perspective, so what our narrator doesn’t know, we don’t. I’m fine with that. I know there is a second book and maybe we’ll get some answers. Maybe we won’t. But it wasn’t a hang up for me. I enjoyed having these tiny unknowns floating around. It just made the book that much more mysterious and further immersed me.
Overall, it was the writing and these two beautifully imperfect characters that has me picking up the second book.
Indie Challenge 8 - People Like Us by D.Z.C.
People Like Us by D.Z.C.My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Well now, that was a rush at the end. First, let me tell you: I’ve already bought the second book. I’m not ‘going’ to buy it, I’m not ‘looking forward’ to it. I bought it. The instant I finished People Like Us, I bought it. Why, you might ask? Sit back and let me explain.
I LOVED the writing and cynical dry humor, the aloof yet deep character of Nicolas, and the oddly alluring Estrade. There was something about the way they were written that just entranced me when reading. Here’s a few excerpts (this is told in first person from Nicolas’ perspective):
“He (Estrade) has, however, an unsettling, heavy-lidded way of smiling at you, as though he is the only one present who has seen the joke...”
“He went over backwards, and about two seconds later Estrade appeared at the door, with a heavy, nasty-looking semi-automatic pistol of his own. I suppose someone with as well developed knack for irritating people as he possesses learns caution quickly.”
“In this risky business, clearly I was going to have to be the responsible, reliable one. It is not a position to which I normally gravitate.”
I have so many other quotes I’d rather use but I fear they might be spoilers for those trying diligently to figure everything out. These little tidbits of amazing description and aloof outlooks towards things most would find appalling was oddly addicting. D.Z.C. is an amazing writer and I am captivated by his skill.
Let me just tell you, there was one part that I was dying! It involves a shotgun and a face. I seriously couldn’t stop laughing. It’s kinda sick, but I couldn’t help it. It was the way the scene was written. Hopefully, if you ever read it, you’ll not think me a horrible person for finding the scene so hilarious.
You’ll notice this book took me quite a while to read, which is out of character for me. Usually when I start a book I stick to only that book until I’m finished. If I would have stopped reading at any point up to 3/4’s completion, I would have rated this book a 4. It was the ending that shot it up to 5.
The reason I was more inclined towards 4 in the beginning was because it had a very slow start, for me, anyways. Furthermore, there were soooo many references to stuff I just didn’t get. I’m a rather sheltered girl who is unworldly, to put it mildly. So a lot of stuff hung me up. However, when I sat down with it yesterday--I was only 35% done--, I decided to forgo trying to understand every reference and just read for the story and characters. Once I did that, it went by much quicker and I sailed through the book.
The ending was a rush of events with a closure that left me grinning. As much as I love and am fascinated by Nicolas, there are things he does that I’m not supportive of, yet I couldn’t help but smile at him. Don’t go into this book expecting a perfect little hero wrapped up in a bow. There are no heroes in this book. There are life-like people doing things tons of people do, while other things are a little more fictional, or at least not as common. Also, do not expect a nail-biter of a book. This is a slower read with a lot of getting involved in the...community the book is set in. If you pay attention, it all kinda connects.
There are some grievances out there that this had loose ends. It sure did, and I didn’t mind one bit. This is told from purely a first person perspective, so what our narrator doesn’t know, we don’t. I’m fine with that. I know there is a second book and maybe we’ll get some answers. Maybe we won’t. But it wasn’t a hang up for me. I enjoyed having these tiny unknowns floating around. It just made the book that much more mysterious and further immersed me.
Overall, it was the writing and these two beautifully imperfect characters that has me picking up the second book.
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