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A review by random_spider
The Definition: A Novel by Joseph Schulte
2.0
This novel is straight up subpar, no sugarcoating needed. Smack at the bottom of 4/10 books. This is a long inspection, so buckle up.
The plot follows Michael/Isaac, and the decisions he makes to satisfy his twisted desire/goals. YES, he is the antagonist (an Anti-Villain) of the novel despite being the main character, which is a fresh concept for me at least. I didn't expect it was more of a character-driven narrative rather than plot-driven. It also emanates a ton of Nihilistic energy (so yeah, enjoy if you're into that). But I wrote this review to tell everyone A LOT OF things about this book (many of which are BAD.)
------------------------------------------------
Things that are commendable:
1. 'Interesting' stuff and a few good scenes.
2. Dissociative Identity Disorder.
3. The book gets better.
1. There were some things that 'stimulate' my interest for sure. No one warned me, so it'll be my pleasure doing so for others. THIS BOOK IS PART EROTICA!!! If you're into sexual kinks, BDSM, Masochism, Sadism, and alike, you might enjoy a few scenes of this read. Speaking goods scenes, this book had some (although few and far between.) I personally like the focus on gory action, the relationship building with Natalie, and the prostitute scene.
2. Although I notice it a bit too late, one of its themes was Dissociative Identity Disorder. This psychological condition allowed the character of Isaac/Michael to play the role of the antagonist and protagonist at the same time, connecting his goals that initially have nothing to do with each other achieved through a split personality (I'm a little impressed this was successfully pulled off.) I learned from the story why one should be careful on who to be close with.
3. Finally, the book does get better on crossing the halfway point. The writing was noticeably more coherent, the character arcs were finally unfolding, and the world building made more sense upon later pages. Throughout the length of the book, Natalie was the most consistent character by far. These are the reasons why this book was saved from being placed on a 2/10 or 3/10 rating list.
------------------------------------------------
Just a notice, I don't revel in pointing out someone's mistakes but I need to be outspoken to do my task effectively.
Things that are lousy:
1. Atrocious start.
2. Lot of telling / not enough showing.
3. Vague / Surface level.
4. Weak buildups / Unsatisfactory reveals.
5. Monotonous.
6. Way too slow and too long.
1. Yup, reading the first 200 pages was TORTURE! It's just...WTF? I'm talking about weak establishment of every character (which were also unlikable/uninteresting), and the book can't decide whether to focus on the circus, the Changelings, pursuit of Anchora, or Izalith's character. Also, despite making sense in the end, Isaac/Michael was SOOOO CREEPY it was a challenge to root for him. How could I invest on the main character if he was portrayed as a stinkard/bugger, and if I didn't experience at least a full chapter about his childhood before proceeding to the turning point of the first act?
2. Another crime committed was a lot of telling and not enough showing. Many elements were void of profound depth due this. Like...conversations/dialogues usually ended up as exposition/info-dumps. Things were repeated more than enough to the readers. Yeah, WE GET IT ALREADY!!! Michael/Isaac has an obsession with his idol. And the whole concept of 'infinite lifetimes' was wasted since the readers never get to experience what it was. It could have been a wonderful plot device to further display the true self of Isaac/Michael.
3. Most things were vague, and the book was full of surface-level writing. Many side characters weren't deep enough to garner interest, and things/dialogues sometimes flowed without much realistic logic or explanation.
4. I observed that several plot points just happened for the sake of the plot progression. Like... what's the deal with Izalith? There's little entrance nor closure about this character, and nothing about her goals. I'm not even sure if she was Ancora at the final reveal (or probably it was just the product of Isaac/Michael's imagination, IDK). Another unsatisfying moment was Isaac/Michael's first reveal to one of the side characters as the Beaked Stranger. It just happened nonchalantly...like HELLO? THIS SHOULD BE A BIG DEAL!
5. Yeah, this needs no clarification. The whole reading experience was obnoxiously dull. It could have used a few extra lighter tone switches (like a witty humor occasionally.) One doesn't need to commit into full dark speculative fantasy without these appreciated nuances in writing.
6. Lastly, it could benefit from trimmings of pages, or adjustments on overall pacing. I was literally trudging on the first half just to get over it, so yeah...the good stuff should be pushed earlier. There were actual chunks of chapters that could be shortened into a few paragraphs and still achieve that same narrative objective.
------------------------------------------------
Some parts were too paltry I was genuinely chortling. The elements were undoubtedly there, but their execution were flawed. One would to pay me a large sums of money to f*ck with this book again. All of these boils up to the effect of amateurish writing. Now, there's nothing wrong with that since everybody starts at the base at some point. The problem here is that it was published at such unrefined state. The book definitely needs more time on the writing/editing desk.
I believe this novel was too much for its own good. If you are reading this Joseph Schulte, please take this whole review as a constructive criticism. You have potential, and I know your could do better.
Special thanks to Joseph Shulte himself <3 for providing an e-copy of the book in exchange for honest thoughts.
The plot follows Michael/Isaac, and the decisions he makes to satisfy his twisted desire/goals. YES, he is the antagonist (an Anti-Villain) of the novel despite being the main character, which is a fresh concept for me at least. I didn't expect it was more of a character-driven narrative rather than plot-driven. It also emanates a ton of Nihilistic energy (so yeah, enjoy if you're into that). But I wrote this review to tell everyone A LOT OF things about this book (many of which are BAD.)
------------------------------------------------
Things that are commendable:
1. 'Interesting' stuff and a few good scenes.
2. Dissociative Identity Disorder.
3. The book gets better.
1. There were some things that 'stimulate' my interest for sure. No one warned me, so it'll be my pleasure doing so for others. THIS BOOK IS PART EROTICA!!! If you're into sexual kinks, BDSM, Masochism, Sadism, and alike, you might enjoy a few scenes of this read. Speaking goods scenes, this book had some (although few and far between.) I personally like the focus on gory action, the relationship building with Natalie, and the prostitute scene.
2. Although I notice it a bit too late, one of its themes was Dissociative Identity Disorder. This psychological condition allowed the character of Isaac/Michael to play the role of the antagonist and protagonist at the same time, connecting his goals that initially have nothing to do with each other achieved through a split personality (I'm a little impressed this was successfully pulled off.) I learned from the story why one should be careful on who to be close with.
3. Finally, the book does get better on crossing the halfway point. The writing was noticeably more coherent, the character arcs were finally unfolding, and the world building made more sense upon later pages. Throughout the length of the book, Natalie was the most consistent character by far. These are the reasons why this book was saved from being placed on a 2/10 or 3/10 rating list.
------------------------------------------------
Just a notice, I don't revel in pointing out someone's mistakes but I need to be outspoken to do my task effectively.
Things that are lousy:
1. Atrocious start.
2. Lot of telling / not enough showing.
3. Vague / Surface level.
4. Weak buildups / Unsatisfactory reveals.
5. Monotonous.
6. Way too slow and too long.
1. Yup, reading the first 200 pages was TORTURE! It's just...WTF? I'm talking about weak establishment of every character (which were also unlikable/uninteresting), and the book can't decide whether to focus on the circus, the Changelings, pursuit of Anchora, or Izalith's character. Also, despite making sense in the end, Isaac/Michael was SOOOO CREEPY it was a challenge to root for him. How could I invest on the main character if he was portrayed as a stinkard/bugger, and if I didn't experience at least a full chapter about his childhood before proceeding to the turning point of the first act?
2. Another crime committed was a lot of telling and not enough showing. Many elements were void of profound depth due this. Like...conversations/dialogues usually ended up as exposition/info-dumps. Things were repeated more than enough to the readers. Yeah, WE GET IT ALREADY!!! Michael/Isaac has an obsession with his idol. And the whole concept of 'infinite lifetimes' was wasted since the readers never get to experience what it was. It could have been a wonderful plot device to further display the true self of Isaac/Michael.
3. Most things were vague, and the book was full of surface-level writing. Many side characters weren't deep enough to garner interest, and things/dialogues sometimes flowed without much realistic logic or explanation.
4. I observed that several plot points just happened for the sake of the plot progression. Like... what's the deal with Izalith? There's little entrance nor closure about this character, and nothing about her goals. I'm not even sure if she was Ancora at the final reveal (or probably it was just the product of Isaac/Michael's imagination, IDK). Another unsatisfying moment was Isaac/Michael's first reveal to one of the side characters as the Beaked Stranger. It just happened nonchalantly...like HELLO? THIS SHOULD BE A BIG DEAL!
5. Yeah, this needs no clarification. The whole reading experience was obnoxiously dull. It could have used a few extra lighter tone switches (like a witty humor occasionally.) One doesn't need to commit into full dark speculative fantasy without these appreciated nuances in writing.
6. Lastly, it could benefit from trimmings of pages, or adjustments on overall pacing. I was literally trudging on the first half just to get over it, so yeah...the good stuff should be pushed earlier. There were actual chunks of chapters that could be shortened into a few paragraphs and still achieve that same narrative objective.
------------------------------------------------
Some parts were too paltry I was genuinely chortling. The elements were undoubtedly there, but their execution were flawed. One would to pay me a large sums of money to f*ck with this book again. All of these boils up to the effect of amateurish writing. Now, there's nothing wrong with that since everybody starts at the base at some point. The problem here is that it was published at such unrefined state. The book definitely needs more time on the writing/editing desk.
I believe this novel was too much for its own good. If you are reading this Joseph Schulte, please take this whole review as a constructive criticism. You have potential, and I know your could do better.
Special thanks to Joseph Shulte himself <3 for providing an e-copy of the book in exchange for honest thoughts.