Review: A Demonically Long Winded but Fun Trip
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 19, 2014
What I would have liked to know before I bought this book. (no spoilers)Updated May 16:  I've read the book a second time and believe my better understanding requires that I edit this review.1. What type of book is it: action, drama, etc? This is a fun fantasy action book with a healthy amount of parody to make it not-so-serious.2. What is the story about, in general? The story is about a teenager that is kidnapped/summoned by an evil wizard, and through ignorance reforms the teenager into the form of a powerful demon. The story subsequently focuses on all the misconceptions, lies, and plots of having a powerful, yet very misunderstood, teenage demon.3. What/Who is the target audience? I think young adult males, fantasy aficionados and that ilk.4. Is there character development? The roles of the characters remain the same, they don't change. The evolution of the characters within their roles is noticeable within, at least, 3 significant characters. The rest are static and one dimensional, though still entertaining.5. Are the characters likable? Yes, most of the characters are likable because they mesh well to the story. Even the psychotic ones are funny to a degree.6. Does the story keep its pacing? Generally yes, though with serious exceptions.  There are many moments when the story truly lags because of impressively long winded plot discussions and character brainstorming sessions. Those scenes are a true shore to read. Some internal monologues share the excessive verbosity as well as some ability explanation scenes. I browsed those scenes and moved on. They simply didn't get to the point.  Besides those scenes, the story moves along quite well.7. Do you have to suspend disbelief? Not really. The story doesn't threaten the boundaries of the created universe. The events have enough awe and majesty to inspire and enough substance and twists to keep my attention. The more I read this volume the more I like it and the more I appreciate it.8. Is the book worth the asking price? From the time I purchased this book, the price has been lowered to between $5 and $6 dollars. That's a good price.In conclusion: A dark humor fantasy action book that tries to explore and break through rigid stereotypes. The book has a very interesting premise and that premise kept me equally interested. The story has some serious pacing issues in multiple scenes, but those scenes don't completely detract from the story's novelty. The characters are interesting and likable, though many (not all) suffer from lack of character development. The book has re-reading value and that's something that's very good in any story. The e-book price is good and solid. Either way, I want to continue reading this story and recommend it.3.8 stars