Review: Don't let the dusty beginning drive you away!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 5, 2014
Once I got past the lengthy introduction covering the history of the building (which really could have been introduced into the story some other way rather than as a dump in the crucial beginning where it’s imperative to hold the audience's attention, I do get that it had to be done since it is important later on in the story), the story did flow rather quickly, introducing us to Jerry, following him around as he got used to his new building and even did some exploring, to uncovering the meat of the story. Though the Chimeras themselves sounded like refugees from Disney's Gargoyles TV show (which really makes the audience dismiss the idea of it being reality based - not that that was a problem for me since I dislike the reality-based idea concept anyway), it was a fascinating concept of having them interact with the modern world in a crime fighting capacity. Though I didn't care much for religious vein the latter half of the story took, it was at least mild in trying to promote religious faith rather than trying to ram it down my throat like other books have done (which I do appreciate). I am getting tired of everything trying to cash in on the sales tactic of claiming to be based on reality these days, from Blair Witch Project to the Paranormal Activity movies, to Cloverfield being shot via a hand-held camera, to just about every other movie. That concept doesn't induce me to go to see the movie or read the book any more than any other book.  All it does is make the blurb scream that it wants the audience to forgive that it's amatureishly written or filmed (which this piece isn't - outside of the handful of typos). Once we look past the dusty beginning and cheap sales tactic, this piece is actually a fun bit of reading that flows quickly, has plenty of magic, has a good narrative voice, and likeable characters. It was my pleasure to read it and I certainly wouldn't mind reading more by the same author.