Alex, You Rock!
{This post was typed at 45-rpm but best read at 78-rpm!}
I was the proud recipient of a autographed copy of Alex J Cavanaugh's latest literary triumph. But upon receiving it in the mail last Friday and taking an innocent peek inside the cover I realized I was 10 pages in before I knew it! I had not even had dinner yet and I was hooked. Thankfully my wife came home and slammed the door when she entered and that broke the spell...for then.
I realized I was getting the same feeling as I had for the first book, CassaStar. But I vowed to not repeat one big mistake...what was that you ask? How can you make a mistake when reading a book? Am I insane? Where's my Vitamin Water Zero? Nevermind...
I know I have an addictive personality. I'm the mouse in the experiment who would die of hunger while continually choosing to press the morphine button. Pacing myself and delayed gratification have never been qualities I have possessed. When it came to reading CassaStar I was in a race to finish it for myself and before as many other people as possible. (How that could ever be measured didn't even occur to me.) As with all things addictive that eventually run out...the crash when the book was done was - Nooooooooooo!!!!!!
I really enjoyed CassaStar I believe it truly should be made into a movie. Alex will tell you I have lobbied like a sycophant for that. When I was done with it in 2 1/2 days I was really left wanting for a sequel that was not yet mentioned. I actually went back and re-read the book (obviously less of a high since I knew the end) before I received CassaFire.
Lesson learned.
CASSAFIRE REVIEW - Apocalypse Now Style
It took 5 days this time to read. And when I got rolling on Day 5 there was no stopping until it was over. Quite simply....
I loved the book. I love the two book series. I don't know if Alex is thinking trilogy...but I want to know what happens when Byron returns to Athee's planet in a couple years. So Alex, if you have it in you, know that I support the next Byron adventure.
In reviewing this book I say up front I have no literary schooling or training. My word compositions spring forth with little regard to sentence structure, excessive punctuation or sometimes even organized thought progression. I don't care. I write like I talk, I am anal about spelling correctly and obviously getting off on tangents is a trait of mine. I read this book through THOSE kinds of eyes. Much like movies, if I am kept engaged and most importantly if I can visualize what I am reading (i.e become part of the action) - I'm in.
The action, the characters, the descriptive style, the leaving you wanting more at the end, all get an A+ from me in CassaFire. I know many writers who read Alex's blog and participate in the A-Z Challenge have way more analytical knowledge and schooling about writing and all its intricacies. For me as a reader, I say hook me, reel me in , and make me want to do it again. On a weird note I did find 3 places in CassaStar where a word was missing or in the wrong order in a sentence...I. Don't. Care. The book was great. I want another. And I want to write like Alex...someday.
Writer's shouldn't write books for critics they should write books for readers (fans). Alex does that for me and from what I have read on other sites he satisfies critical reviews just as well. THAT is a successful author.
Now that I think about it, I am not really sure this was a review but simply what this fan thinks.
On a side note:
As for The Artist as best picture...pssft whatever. No desire to see it at all.
