The first time I picked this up to read, I found it slow going. First, there were TONS of punctuation errors as Jamin let me see the "rough" copy....Second, I was in "school teacher" mode - and I really get bogged down grading writing assignments....Third, I was desperately trying to sort out and remember all the characters in the first 30 pages. . .
THIS TIME......I realized that there were several main "settings" in the book and that I wouldn't need to remember all those characters because they would go away. Jamin had gone back through the manuscript and taken out commas and worked on dialogue punctuation....it was an easier read. I DID point out spelling.....and figure MIKE (he of the RED PEN) will bleed all over the thing; I didn't need to worry to much more about grammar. I focused on the plot line and such.
After the first 25 - 30 pages I was HOOKED. This book is full of non-stop action. I finished it and SCREAMED. I hate HOOKS. I hate books with no resolution - but this is set to be a trilogy - I should have guessed! Jamin loves JRR Tolkein - I should have guessed. I told him he'd best not take 4 years to write the sequel. I did find it to be a fun read - once I got use to his way of introducing characters.
There were several times when I stopped and thought, "Wow - what a great worldview this child has" and other times when I thought, "He could strengthen this theme".
The book is set in the middle ages - sort of a mythological area.....it has knights, lords, villains, witches, flying beasts, animals I've never heard of before, battles.....but he did fairly well at staying away from cliches. It doesn't read like "Tolkein or Lewis with new names". I'm not really into the fantasy genre but this one did hold my attention to the very, very end....once I quit trying to keep the hundreds of characters in the first few chapters straight. He told me he did that because in a small town "everyone knows everyone". LOL You DO get that feeling.
Mike is reading it now for grammar/structure/themes. We began reading it last night as a family read aloud. Becky has it and is reading for inputs and themes etc. Jamin is starting to rewrite again.....and has begun book 2. The series will tentatively be called "The King, The Key and The Genie".
6 comments:
I would love to read this book someday once it's available! This is one of my favorite genres.LOL Just don't let him take 5 years to finish the other two. I'm still waiting for the third book of Eragon.LOL
Lisa - I've sufficiently chided him to get busy and finish the sequels....which I think needs to happen even if he never publishes because I need to READ what happens...and don't TELL ME NOW what your outline for the series is - I want to READ IT. ::snort::
Tell you what - if he doesn't publish it, I'll be sure to get a copy to you anyway. LOL You deserve for kindly being interested all these months. LOL
Sounds like a GREAT book.
Thanks! Maybe he just needs demands from his target audience to get him moving.lol
Count me in on the target/genre audience! My 9 y/o and I tag team read lots of sci/fan...Fun!
Lisa - Jamin says he doesn't have college going on, so he should be able to finish the triology.
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