Review: Redemption: The Further Adventures of Huck Finn & Tom Sawyer - An in depth 11 point review
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 22, 2013
Please note: The `review' of this book (which was donated to The Magnolia Blossom Review for the sole purpose of a review) was completed by Glen Marcus based on the Rubric designed by the owner of The MBR, L. Avery Brown. If you would like to read the entire review which includes an in depth author interview - please visit The Magnolia Blossom Review's site online today!And Now for the Review...(Review prepared by Glen Marcus)1. Book Title 5 of 5For the Reviewer: Did it grab your attention right away? (5) Was it ho hum? (3) Would you glance at it and then forget it? (1) What do you think the author might consider for future book titles? (You should have plenty of space for each item on the form as I think I set it up for the boxes to 'grow'.)Response: When I see the word, "redemption", I think of the improved state of somebody or something saved from apparently irreversible decline. In that train of thought, after reading the book I believe the title of Mr. Joyce's work hits the mark. Granted, the name of the town that a good portion of the book takes place in is called Redemption Colorado, I believe the author goes for a double meaning and thus it works both times.2. Book Cover 4 of 5For the Reviewer: Did it grab your attention? (5) Was it ho hum? (3) Did it look like it was haphazardly thrown together? (1) What do you think the author might consider for future book covers? Did it help make the title more effective?Response: Being an avid reader of western novels, of course two men riding off into the sunset at a full gallop grabs my attention. For my taste, there was a bit too much text on the cover. "They are not boys anymore but men doing what men have to do", is something I would have inserted into the blurb and not the cover. The cover proudly states, "The Further Adventures of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer." I think that would have sufficed for me.3. First 500... 10 of 10For the Reviewer: Thinking of the first 500 (usually about 2 pages) words of the book, do you think the author provided enough incentive to urge the reader to continue? What stood out to you the most? Were you captivated after a couple of paragraphs? Did the 1st sentence grab you? Did you get to around the 500 word mark and didn't have a clue where the story was going?Response: Raise your hand if you have ever read 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' or 'Huckleberry Finn'. Most all of us have our hands up now, so put them down as not to appear silly. Sure, Sam Clemens' works are considered "must reads" though I must admit, I was an older teen before I experienced those classics. Did you ever wonder what became of Tom, Huck, Becky and the rest of those beloved characters? You get a glimpse in the first few pages of this book. The story begins with Huck and Tom enlisting in the Civil War and being thrust into the battle of Manassas. That is just the beginning of many miles and the many years this book covers of their lives. It was a good start and whet my appetite for more.4. Blurb 7 of 10For the Reviewer: Now that you've finished the book, please take a moment to look back over the blurb. How effective do you think the blurb will be to potential readers? Did the author write a blurb that was enticing and went along with the story? (10) Was the blurb lacking? (5) Was it entirely too long or too short? (1) Do you have any suggestions for the author to make it more effective?Response: I reviewed the blurb given on Amazon's website. While the description given is an accurate view of the story, I was left wondering a couple of things. One, if the potential reader might have wanted to be "drawn in" by relying more on the angle of Tom and Huck's growth into manhood and further spirited romps. Secondly, I believe the blurb, while only a few sentences, disclosed a bit too much of the storyline for my taste. It might have been better to simply entice potential readers by promising bold adventures in the wild west by two of the most beloved Mark Twain characters and leave it at that.5. Age Recommendation/Genre Classification 10 of 10For the Reviewer: Age Recommendation - If the book is entirely too young/juvenile for the intended age group? Is it entirely too mature? (Please take into account swearing/sexual scenes/drug use, etc... Please rank this from 1 -5 then add that to the GENRE total. Genre Classification - Was the book listed as a thrill ride of a read but was more of a bumper car ride (sort of all over the place)? Was it listed as a mystery and you simply had to turn the page to find out 'who did it'? Please rank this from 1 - 5 then add that to the AGE RECOMMENDATION - then put the total in the 'bubble spots' below!Response: This book, not unlike the classics before, is suitable for all ages. There was not enough profanity or descriptive violence that would deter me from handing this to book to anyone craving a fine day of reading. The genre is western, plain and simple and it IS just that.6. Presentation/Format 10 of 10For the Reviewer: Did the 'innards' of the book follow a clear, concise, standard format throughout the book? Or did you have a hard time keeping up with paragraphs or dialogue? Were multiple fonts used? Were they distracting?Response: I read somewhere once that Mark Twain initially began work on a manuscript to take Tom and Huck through adulthood, but he ultimately abandoned the idea. While I would have loved to read that continuation, Andrew (pardon the pun) "shoots straight from the hip" and when the smoke clears, you'll have a hard time discerning between the two author's work. The book is mostly written as 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' was, in the first person vernacular of Huck. His colloquialisms and southern English make it a treat as you sift through his feelings and observations. There is a clear writing-style change you'll encounter, as Jed's storyline (the third main character) is being told and again with Tom's travels to Hawaii. These are handled nicely and fluidly with no distraction element.7. Theme/Originality 8 of 10For the Reviewer: Was this book something you'd never read? Or was it formulaic and a 'rehash' of a popular tale/current 'pop' genre? If it was a retelling - did the author make it feel fresh and just different enough that it kept you involved?Response: Being a devout Western reader, I can't say the "Redemption Colorado" section of this book was fresh to me. Not to say it wasn't an enjoyable read, but the bad guys wore black hats and the good guys got to fire the last round. The first half of the book set the stage for the "western" to break loose, so all-in-all the storylines meld to keep the theme in line.8. Intrigue 9 of 10Did you want to turn the next page because it was SO good? (10) Was it interesting but you didn't quite have an urge to keep reading? (5) Did you think 'I wonder if we have Twinkies in the pantry? Mmmmm, Twinkies' while you read? (1)Response: The intrigue level for me was actually more of an anticipation to see how the author progressed the characters of Tom and Huck. Sure, being set as a Western was a plus, but I enjoyed the book, just relishing the growth and maturity of the two wayward sons of St. Petersburg. One of my favorite "scenes" of the book was towards the end, where Tom and Huck are about to go into a showdown and are discussing how their views/ideals on life have been altered by time. These type insights made the book click for me, even though I knew the bad guys were inevitably doomed.9. Description/Enhancement 10 of 10For the Reviewer: Did the author use descriptive language and 'all those extra little things' to make it the best it could be? Did you feel it was too sparse in description? Did the author go OVER board with the description?Response: As I said previously, the first person writing of Huckleberry Finn is used and to me, it was an excellent choice. You'll realize one reason why when you get to the final chapter, but I won't spoil that here. Seeing the action through the eyes of a well-seasoned adventurer such as Huck adds a flavor to the tale that old Samuel Clemens would have been proud of.10. Grammar/Mechanics 10 of 10Was the book pretty darn flawless? (10) Did you see more that 5 or 10 'jump out' at you mistakes in grammar or the actual mechanics (verb tense, noun/pronoun agreement, misued words) ? (5) Did you feel it was a chore to read because it was riddled with errors? (1)Response: I'd say the book is extremely sound in mechanics and grammar. I only found an editing flaw towards the end of the book, and that was only a space missing between two words.11. Overall Impression 10 of 10For the Reviewer: When all is said in done - did you enjoy the book? Would you recommend it to others?Response: If I were to take on a project such as this, I would first want to consult a psychologist to have myself tested for sanity. To think, a renowned and time-tested series such as the "Tom Sawyer" books could be expanded, would lead me to believe I had lost all my marbles. But what I think has happened with 'Redemption', is Andrew Joyce has successfully channeled the spirit of Mark Twain into the twentieth-century. Through page after page, I read with amazement on how this could not be considered a companion to the Twain's 1876 and 1884's respective works. In a nutshell, they work together as a trilogy to complete the saga, from the imagination of two tremendous writers. Well done Mr. Joyce!The Bestowing of the Blossoms...Well there you have it folks - proof positive that the Western is alive and well thanks to writers like Andrew Joyce! Because trust me, that Glen Marcus - he does love Westerns and if he gives it a big ol' Texas seal of approval (and as he's from Texas - it's legit!) it must be good. Having said that, when all the points are totaled up...Redemption: The Further Adventures of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer has earned = 93 points! It's a true 'A' story that deserves all 5 of the Big Beautiful Blossoms it has earned. We at the Magnolia Blossom Review wish Andrew Joyce a bounty of sales as he's written a book that does the Twain and the characters he created, Finn and Sawyer, proud.