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A review by couperin
The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn by Tyler Whitesides
2.0
I will start with the positive - the author has clearly put a great deal of effort into the grit system and it's associated features. The characters are painted with big, bold colors; instantly recognizable archetypes whose roles are clearly laid out with their very first appearances. This is one of those books that, likely within the first 100 pages the reader will know whether he/she/they is going to love or hate it.
Unfortunately, I fell into the latter group early on.
If I have to hear mentioned one more mention of, or variation on, the workings of 'grit' I may set off a pot of the stuff myself. Tedious world building and a pretentious lead character with the moral depth of an early teen at best...and croissants?! Numerous places where the immersion is broken by the language - the dialogue, outside of the specfic references to grit, would not be at all out of place in a modern American high school hallway - and/or references (see croissants)...long and Ard-uous (see what I did?)
As another reviewer pointed out, this feels more than a tad bit of juvenilia, and judged as such, I would be less harsh as it would be passing average in that realm; as a full 'adult' work it simply lacks sufficient depth to make me feel much if any investment.
Unfortunately, I fell into the latter group early on.
If I have to hear mentioned one more mention of, or variation on, the workings of 'grit' I may set off a pot of the stuff myself. Tedious world building and a pretentious lead character with the moral depth of an early teen at best...and croissants?! Numerous places where the immersion is broken by the language - the dialogue, outside of the specfic references to grit, would not be at all out of place in a modern American high school hallway - and/or references (see croissants)...long and Ard-uous (see what I did?)
As another reviewer pointed out, this feels more than a tad bit of juvenilia, and judged as such, I would be less harsh as it would be passing average in that realm; as a full 'adult' work it simply lacks sufficient depth to make me feel much if any investment.