BOOK REVIEW: reWritten

Mamma Bear Book Review

*A bear trundles in with a book under one, fuzzy arm*
 
Written by J. Malan
Published by: Goal Publications
Cover by: Tim Jardim
 
 
 Malan's reWritten is at its heart an adventure story, and delivers on an intriguing premise and a diverse cast and setting that will please just about any reader of anthropomorphic fiction or any fan of scifi adventure as well.

The writing is highly descriptive and reminiscent of more classic works, but it fits with the protagonist's character, a slightly stuffy professor who's usual adventures don't take him too far from his front door.

Despite the lovely prose, I had a hard time embedding in the story, which I felt didn't really get going until well into part two or even part three, which is where I felt the main character really first displays any sort of independent agency. Before that he is very much pushed and pulled by outside forces, though the mystery surrounding him does offer enough intrigue to keep the reader's attention.

I just wanted to attach more or feel more empathy sooner than I eventually did, and that felt like perhaps the hook came a little late, at least for me.

The ending really twisted in interesting ways for me. I found the big reveals wonderfully unexpected, and the final pages tied up in a nice satisfying package that still left me wanting more from the universe.

I give it a solid four claws rating, mostly because the pacing of the hook felt a bit tardy at the start, but I also hope very much for a sequel to shed more light on the mystery of this world.

*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
 
Character:
The main character in reWritten is a bit like a leaf tossed on the wind until fairly late in the novel. He's mild mannered, devout, and I would have liked him to show some unique qualities and strong emotions earlier on. There are a number of really interesting side characters, however. Most of them are well developed and interesting, and even the AI computer had a strong, distinct character.
World-building:  The world in this one is really seamless and portrayed naturally and clearly. Even the unraveling of the mysteries, which all somewhat revolve around the world and history, was done with an easy stroke and never heavy handed. I enjoyed the immersion and skill with which the world was dropped a great deal.
Pacing: For me, this was the real struggle with becoming hooked on the story. It took awhile to get rolling, and without a really quirky main character to latch onto, I felt like I didn't really invest in the outcome until about halfway through the book.
Shiny: The writing in this one is lovely and descriptive. The author's skill with words really shone through and made the story a nice, flowing and lovely piece of prose.
-Mammabear

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