Hitting the publish button for a first-time
writer can be the equivalent of saying okay to Butch, your newly acquired
girlfriend in prison. Nothing but fear,
pain and questions like, "Will I
contract any new diseases?" or "What if I like it?"
Yes, plenty of alcoholic drinks are consumed during the process and yet,
everyday more and more books hit stores and e-shelves. The author takes great risk birthing a novel,
knowing full well that “Internet Crazies” get to speak their mind on each and
every word. So it's hard not to commend
an author just for having the guts to take their word-baby and release it into
the raging Internet seas. Jason Donnelly took the plunge and released his
first novel. And although it may not fly
out of the gate…it ends in a gallop.
STORY:
Marky McCarren seems like your typical horny
male with nothing to do in his spare time, but talk to his cat, date his right
hand, and draw hilarious pictures of his boss.
Sadly, Marky loses his job and all that fun comes to an end. But not to worry, following a creepy TV
commercial and phone call, a strange package shows up at his doorstep. Now, Marky has to make a decision: open the
box outside his door or follow common sense and run far away in the other
direction. Of course he opens it. And that's when the Program sinks its teeth
into every facet of Marky's life, even quickly changing his name to Mark. Masturbation, awkward dates, random deaths,
product reviews, and secret societies ensue.
THOUGHTS:
Donnelly's first line and paragraph kick you in
the nuts, but quickly thereafter the trappings of a wet-behind-the-ears writer, surface, and the next few chapters can
slow to a crawl. The story picks up pace
once the shady box containing the Program arrives, but the novel still holds some
misgivings of an inexperienced author.
Beats in the dialogue can seem sporadic, misspelled words linger about,
and sentences wander instead of utilizing effective adjectives. Even some feelings and actions repeat
throughout the story in almost every chapter.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel. As the book moves forward the pace slowly
climbs and by the end, the writing and story seem to tighten up and accelerate
to a respectable jog.
THE RIGHT HAND OF LOVE:
The first several chapters deal with Mark
reaching climax so much it'll surprise you that he hasn't broken off his
boyhood in the process. Including the
subject in the first sentence and paragraph will make you chuckle. But to turn to that joke again and again is
like raising a healthy horse and then repeatedly beating it with a stick until dead. And then going back the next day and beating
it some more, because maybe the people watching you beat it the first time,
didn't quite catch on. You may also feel
embarrassed for Marky and some women may even think that's all men do when
alone, but it's not true ladies.
Occasionally, we happen to play video games.
THE PROGRAM CONFLICT:
"This
is all well and good, but just what the heck is the Program?" Well, it seems to be a series of Blu-rays and
messages, telling Marky exactly what to do each day and if he doesn't follow them,
there may be consequences. Each task set
by "Big Brother" pushes the theme of consumerism and how it shapes
individuals and society. Throughout the
story some chapters do tickle the drama angle by having people disappear or
maybe blow up, but you'll never really find out the truth. Instead of cranking the tension and chasing
the thriller bug, the novel has Marky following the Program perfectly,
disregarding conflict and answering none of the questions raised in the text. For instance:
"Does a secret society really
exist? Was Emily (Mark's girlfriend?) ever involved? Did the
Program really murder people? Did Mark have to masturbate so much?" These are all respectable questions. The main character even happens to grow
throughout the book, changing from raging-hormone Marky, to suave, respectable
citizen, Mark. "So does that mean the Program is good?"
Again…a great question. The answer may
be simple: the author wants the reader to draw their own conclusions, or maybe
he wanted the theme to carry the interest throughout the story. Either way, you're left stranded like a
one-legged jack-ass at the bottom of a ladder.
"Says here: Village idiot."
"Yep."
"Nice."
PRODUCT REVIEWS:
Not only do some jokes and actions repeat, but there
are also oddities that find themselves squeezed into the book. For instance: product reviews. You might find it cool that the writer
decided to include actual reviews of stuff throughout the text, but all this
really does is pull you out of the story and make you skip ahead.
THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL:
Once Mark acquires his new broadcast job the
story will flow much quicker than previous chapters, utilizing energetic scenes,
trimmed sentences, and less inner monologue.
The job itself can be somewhat hilarious as all his duties are really
punched up a notch to show you just how silly advertising has become. Networking and social media have the
laugh-book thrown at them and there's also some fun seeing how Mark handles
each and every work day. Sometimes it's
just easier for him to go in knowing nothing and making crap up.
CONCLUSION:
The last half of Gripped will keep you turning
the page and excited for what comes next.
But having an abrupt ending that leaves important questions unanswered
and neglecting conflict, keeps the novel from achieving greatness. If you work in cube-farm marketing or at this
very moment are downloading a new picture, sending a text, answering a tweet, checking
email, watching a movie, and reading
this review, then this book just might tickle your fancy. Hopefully, Jason Donnelly (author) will one
day venture back into the world of Marky and provide some much needed answers.
3
out of 5 stars (minus two stars for
repeated jokes & unanswered questions)
_________________________________________________________________________________
Mini Review - The Sandman: Overture #1
Neil Gaiman, the famous word slinger, has
recently made a return to his roots. His
comic book, The Sandman, helped elevate his brand decades ago and this past
Wednesday he released the first book of a planned six issue prequel dealing
with the famous character Dream. The
Sandman: Overture will unravel the events leading to Dream's capture and if
you're a Sandman or Gaiman fan, then run out and pick this book up—that's if
there's any left on the shelves.
Not only does the writing capture a dream-like,
poetic state, but the art complements the prose perfectly. Every page harnesses imagination and
fantastical qualities that only J. H. Williams III and colorist Dave Stewart can
pull off. The sweeping whimsical feel to
every layout is masterful. And having
these artists attached to Gaiman's idyllic storytelling is as close to a
perfect comic book as you can get.
The first issue deals with Dream and his work,
introducing his daily routines and also the new threat that he can't quite put
a finger on. The story itself reads like
a dream floating through a universe you can't possibly understand. And for a first issue leading up to an event
that Sandman readers already know, the book does a great job keeping you
interested and excited both visually and lyrically. The Sandman: Overture is definitely a must
read for fantasy, Gaiman, or Sandman fans.
And if you're all three, well, you'll wonder why it took Mr. Gaiman so
long to come back. But it is a welcomed homecoming. The only problem with the book is its
inflated price tag of $4.99, which may dissuade a few people still teetering on
the fence.
4 out of 5 stars (minus a star for price)
No comments:
Post a Comment