Sunday, October 20, 2013

Re-Alive (Dirt Side Up)

Scott Grimon-Indie Author



The details: First in a trilogy, indie author, 251 pages, 3-4 days to read.

Summary: (From Amazon) Lucca Thompson was just an average kid who had an unfortunate run in with a Buick. Average, that is, until he was brought back to life. Now he’s in a battle against magic, warriors and his own hormones to complete three tasks for a nameless Wizard. Will he win his freedom or go back to pushing daisies?


Review: When most people hear 'Indie Author' they tend to think of people who aren't good enough to catch a publisher, and unfortunately many of these books go unpurchased. When my Wife told me one of her friends wrote a book and that I should read and review it, I was ready for the challenge. See, I almost ALWAYS read indie books. I'm pretty cheap, so being able to read 5 books for the price of one, is pretty awesome. I'm also of the opinion that most indie books are a tad 'different' and edgier then what I find in most main-stream books. (However, there have been several duds, too.)

So as I said, I was ready to accept the challenge. Mind you, this was before I even knew what the book was about. When I did get around to reading the summary, I figured the book would be something I'd enjoy. I was correct in that assumption, but there were also times where I was pleasantly surprised.

For example, the main character was not very accomplished in fighting when the book began. So I believed part of the book would be dedicated to his training, but that was not the case. This book picked up right away into the drama and plot. Along with the story line, Scott Grimon uses witty one-liners and comebacks, that do not seem forced or cheesy. His dialogue feels real and flows naturally. 

Within the plot of the book, I do not want to give much away. This book is the first in a trilogy and while it does a great job as to setting up the full story, it still seemed to be a finished stand-alone. I have read somewhere where someone mention that this book was similar to Harry Potter, and while I see some similarities, I can not say it's truly similar.

This story is about a teenage boy who your 'average Joe' type but ultimately ends up dead. Thankfully, our hero is brought back to life. In order to complete the process, he must complete three tasks. This book follows the first task. This book does not lag in parts, and I never felt like I wanted to rush through any parts. As a gamer, I am easily excited when I find a reference to, or feel like the author draws influences from games I enjoy. As a reader, I am even more excited when those references are done so seamlessly. In Re-Alive are nods to popular culture, including BioShock and Indiana Jones.

I will be watching Scott for the next two books, and any other works he has written. Out of the literally hundreds of self-published books I have read, this is one of the best, and I am surprised that Scott has not been tapped by a publisher yet.

If you enjoy Harry Potter, witty one liners, and fantasy, you really should look for his book on Amazon. Good job, Scott.

Rating: 5 stars (For the record, I feel $1 is underpricing this book. I would actually pay full cover price for this one.)

No comments:

Post a Comment