Review: Ideas are great, but execution was poor
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 02 15, 2013
This review can also be seen at topoftheheapreviews(dot)comTold from the perspective of Wee Willy Winky this story gives a bit more depth to quite a few characters that you've already read about.  Most importantly Ladle Rat (Little Red Riding Hood).  While it features other characters from the Diaries (Peter, Jack, Marmalade, Wendy) this story brings Ladle Rat to the fore front in how difficult her job can be as Death.She has her assignment, and is sent to kill a boy in his early twenties.  The boy is of course upset about this, so Ladle Rat decides to take him out for a night on the town so to speak.  To let him enjoy his last day/night before the stroke of midnight.So she takes him to the bar that the Big Bad Wolf (Wolfey) has set up, and runs into the cast of characters mentioned above.  Which you get to see a bit of a "fun" side to them during this period.Well the night comes to an end and Ladle Rat must do her duties and slay the boy, but for some reason she feels for him, and sheds a tear when the deed is done.  The consequences of that tear however will be far reaching.  No, you won't find that out in this review, you have to read the short story.Cameron has some really good ideas with these Grimm Diaries Prequels.  His historical research on the actual tales and his fantasy twists make it something that you probably haven't read, even if you read "cracked" fairy tales.  They are intriguing twists in which things aren't quite what you remember and never what you think will be.But.  There are several things I didn't like.  For one, this may or may not be the full diary entry.  On the front page there is a PS saying the copy of the story included in the next bundle might be slightly different due to certain events maybe spoiling other parts of other diaries in the next group.The other thing is bad editing and grammar.  On the title page there is an editor credited.  I'm not sure how this passed the editors desk.  For instance, you don't even get off the first page:  "I was only hired my Morpheus, the King of Dreams...."  This book is plagued with things like that.  In my opinion, a new editor needs to be hired if simple things like that get through the cracks starting from page one.This seemed almost rushed, and it probably has to do with this line on Amazon:  This is a special diary for the fans of the series the Grimm Diaries Prequels. I wanted you to read it as an apology since I have been slow with releasing the rest of the books, but I am working on it:)Please don't apologize for not getting work out...when it's out, it's out.  Don't put out a sub-par product just because you haven't released something in a while.  I hope that when the full novel comes out Snow White Sorrow, it won't be riddled with the mistakes that are in the diaries.I hope that he takes as long as he needs to get it right, and get it right the first time.  He has a fan base of people that enjoy his work.  Hell, I enjoy the ideas presented.  They are fantastic!  But the mechanical execution needs to be addressed.  If these very fundamental problems are not fixed with Snow White Sorrow, I don't think I'll be able to hold on for the next one.I believe that Cameron will in fact get better as he goes along.  His capability as a storyteller shows much promise.  And I truly want him to succeed, but it needs another two or three coast of polish before it should be released to the masses.