Review: Very Good Story Idea
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 11, 2013
I am glad I found this book, and once I started, it was hard to put down.  I agree with the positive reviews given so far, and there is only one reason I did not give it five stars: the book needed some editing before being released.  However, in one area it had been over-edited.  There is a tangible absence of the use of past perfect tense ("He had seen this before," "It had happened in the past").  I fear that the author had been coached by someone who does not share his talent or ability to turn a good story.  Many amateur "wannabe" writers concentrate too much on a silly list of mechanics that despises adjectives and adverbs, and thinks it's a cardinal sin to include the passive voice.  I will agree that too much passive voice will damage a story, but it is part of the English language.  Some less-than-professional writers include past perfect tense with the passive voice because they sound alike.  The omission jarred me somewhat.  It was as if the author had used a "search and replace" to get rid of every usage of the word "had" in the book, because sometimes the omission leaves an incomplete sentence.My advice to Mr. Kasselman is to trust his own writing talent, and to avoid the well-meaning literary coach that butchered the narrative in this book.  He is an excellent author:  the characters are likable, believable, and well-developed.  I never lost interest in this book, and even knowing about this one flaw in editing, I would highly recommend the book.  You will not be disappointed.  I look forward to reading more by Harold Kasselman.