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branch_c's review against another edition
3.0
On the positive side, the characters are interesting, especially the supernatural ones - clearly a lot of creativity went into their natures and actions. The story is likewise a good one, well-plotted and intriguing.
The atmosphere, however, I found a bit cartoonish - the dialogue is too glib, with even the supernatural creatures talking in modern casual slang. Maybe this is the norm for the "urban fantasy" being prolifically written these days - haven't read a lot of it but clearly there's an audience for it. I wasn't wild about it though. And the way the protagonist goes about figuring things out when he finds himself in a fantasy world, it comes across almost exactly as if he's playing a role playing or video game - I wouldn't have necessarily said this was a bad thing, but the way it's executed here was a bit too transparent for me, making it feel like the reader's the one playing a character.
On a more minor note, there were maybe one too many occasions where Billy explains his plan, but it's not revealed to the reader. When done well, this ploy is not noticeable, and enhances the suspense for the reader. Since it jumped out at me here, though, I was left thinking of it as an obvious strategic choice by the author. Likewise the extensive dropping of poker jargon without explanation for the uninitiated seemed calculated to make the poker-familiar reader feel like an insider. Same with some of the chatter about weaponry and automotive details.
But again, the story itself is not bad at all, and with the twists and turns seemingly leaving Billy with no good options, I honestly wanted to know how things were going to work out. The climax felt a little tacked on initially, but in the end things came together for a fun finish.
The atmosphere, however, I found a bit cartoonish - the dialogue is too glib, with even the supernatural creatures talking in modern casual slang. Maybe this is the norm for the "urban fantasy" being prolifically written these days - haven't read a lot of it but clearly there's an audience for it. I wasn't wild about it though. And the way the protagonist goes about figuring things out when he finds himself in a fantasy world, it comes across almost exactly as if he's playing a role playing or video game - I wouldn't have necessarily said this was a bad thing, but the way it's executed here was a bit too transparent for me, making it feel like the reader's the one playing a character.
On a more minor note, there were maybe one too many occasions where Billy explains his plan, but it's not revealed to the reader. When done well, this ploy is not noticeable, and enhances the suspense for the reader. Since it jumped out at me here, though, I was left thinking of it as an obvious strategic choice by the author. Likewise the extensive dropping of poker jargon without explanation for the uninitiated seemed calculated to make the poker-familiar reader feel like an insider. Same with some of the chatter about weaponry and automotive details.
But again, the story itself is not bad at all, and with the twists and turns seemingly leaving Billy with no good options, I honestly wanted to know how things were going to work out. The climax felt a little tacked on initially, but in the end things came together for a fun finish.
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