Mike Phillips (5) (1971–)

I received this through the Early Reviewers program at Library Thing. This book was difficult to read, but not because it was a heavy subject. It was difficult because it was very confusing. There were four or five different points of view in the first six chapters of the book, and the reader is thrust into each, without getting any of the background on some of the major themes that run through out the book. While I normally feel like I generally pick up easily the major points and settings of the books I read, in this one I felt I didn't get the basic background of one of the main groups until I was about three-quarters of the way through the book. While the main storyline would have been interesting enough if flushed out more, it was disjointed by what seemed unnecessary point of view changes, or information that didn't seem to pan out in the end of the book. I still am not certain how or who the title pertains to.

Additionally, the e-book was formated poorly. There were no chapters in the contents section, so if you wanted to go back to something, you had to go all the way back to the table of contents page and use the links on it. But it also refused to show the bookmarks I had placed, so you had to keep track of that if you backtracked for something. Chapters seemed to start whenever on a page, and not on a new one. And there were a few pages that had from 1-5 lines on it only, but it wasn't an end of the chapter. The formating just added to the overall frustration withe the book.… (mer)

"I received this through the Early Reviewers program. This book was difficult to read, but not because it was a heavy subject. It was difficult because it was very confusing. There were four or five different points of view in the first six chapters of the book, and the reader is thrust into each, without getting any of the background on some of the major themes that run through out the book. While I normally feel like I generally pick up easily the major points and settings of the books I read, in this one I felt I didn't get the basic background of one of the main groups until I was about three-quarters of the way through the book. While the main storyline would have been interesting enough if flushed out more, it was disjointed by what seemed unnecessary point of view changes, or information that didn't seem to pan out in the end of the book. I still am not certain how or who the title pertains to.

Additionally, the e-book was formated poorly. There were no chapters in the contents section, so if you wanted to go back to something, you had to go all the way back to the table of contents page and use the links on it. But it also refused to show the bookmarks I had placed, so you had to keep track of that if you backtracked for something. Chapters seemed to start whenever on a page, and not on a new one. And there were a few pages that had from 1-5 lines on it only, but it wasn't an end of the chapter. The formating just added to the overall frustration withe the book."… (mer)

After finishing this book my first thought was, "What the crap did I just read?" It's hard to compose a plot summary because most of this novel is frankly inexplicable. The common phrase, "Show don't tell" is a great piece of advice and one this author could benefit from following. Crazily enough, it would also help if the author told a little more too.

I often found myself wondering who the various characters are and why I should care. Does this novel take place on earth or some other planet? Who are the strange invaders? Aliens? Refugees from a far more advanced culture? There are Jinn's witches, ghosts, the list goes on and on. None of it makes any sense.

Here's what I got out of it: There is a remote jungle civilization, basically stone age, maybe bronze age but with the addition of shamanistic magic. The civilization finds themselves under attack by an invading force of highly advanced outsiders. One man must set out on a quest to save his people.

This novel is extremely disorienting. Characters wander in an out with no apparent purpose. The most jarring is the main character's love interest. She is introduced as someone he knew as a child but hasn't seen in years. Literally two days later they are married. The worst part is they don't even seem to like each other. She is abrasive and emasculating. He is insensitive and juvenile. After some extremely uncomfortable honeymoon sequences, she disappears from the book for the rest of the novel, just as abruptly as she arrived. Gross. Just awful from beginning to end.… (mer)