Review: Intriguing and Intense, but Rough Around the Edges
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 7, 2014
I don't typically read or review horror novels, but the premise of this one sounded rather intriguing, and the reviews were largely positive. To be completely honest (which is what one hopes for in a literary review), I felt that Unearthing fell a bit short of the praise most of the other reviewers had offered. It is certainly a good, well-written book with a clever plot and an engaging story line, but there were a few too many rough spots for me to completely support Patterson's writing. One of the key elements of horror is the building suspense and the sense of dread as the full scope of a story reveals itself. In Unearthing, I feel like the author told the reader a lot, but didn't necessarily show us much, which is a common and sometimes unavoidable fault of writers. There were also a number of issues with editing that should have been changed or caught by a proofreading/copy editing eye. I think that an editor could have re-arranged certain sections, shortened some unnecessary areas, and kept the flow of the story headed in a consistent direction.All of that being said, I think Patterson was on the right track with Scott, who was well developed, and I think the actual story, which included great geographical history, ancient traditions, folklore, etc. was fascinating and unique. I think that with a bit more focus and a firm editorial hand to guide the story forward, Patterson's future writing will be much more streamlined and accessible. He has a whole lot of talent; he just needs to sharpen it to deliver his obvious gift of fiction and creativity to the world.