Customer Reviews

Brother John: A Novel of the Duelists

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an excellent piece of writing by an author I have read before. He seems to be getting better and better with every new book.

Brother John is a character who appears in another book titled Legend of the Duelist. He is a giant with deep emotional scars who was killed by a woman and then brought back to life by an alien species. He learns by surprise that he has become immortal.

This book is about his childhood, and his attempts to leave his homeworld and rise above his circumstances. I thought it has the right touch of humor and pathos. Some of the book is heart wrenching while other parts made me laugh out loud. The only criticism I have is that the book seems to change in tone right about the middle although the writing remains excellent. Also it ends before something very important to Brother John and the reader is about to happen. Maybe this is to presell the next book. If it is, it worked. I will definitely buy the next one.

In conclusion I would say that Brother John is a very complex person. He is brought to life by the author with some great writing. The scenes where he is trying to become a Duelist are hilarious and touching at the same time.

This is the introduction for what could be a great book packaged as a "stand alone" novel. The characters were well rounded, but where's the story? This was just a tease, an intro for a real novel, not a novel in it's own right! I was left with an empty unfinished feeling and reminded of the way comic books would say; "To find out what happens buy...". I really LIKE Rutledge Etheridge's writting but this book left me feeling cheated.

I read this book in one day...its pretty short but very well written. The story flows and as I neared the end I began to get that dreadful "to be continued..." feeling. Whats worse is that I am not sure it will be continued, the author or publisher did not indicate a sequel or follow up! Whats the deal!!! I want to know what happens to John.

A great book! -dn

A few years ago I was fortunate enough to pick up a copy of Rutledge Etheridge's AGENT OF CHAOS, which was an amazingly good read. So when I saw this book, I bought it and am very pleased that I did. With a bit less than 200 pages, and primarily made up of two short episodes, it is a quick read, but Etheridge has created something very special with the characters. The writing is done in a smooth and confident manner--moving the plot along at a brisk pace. I am not fond of the "Duelist" culture of structured violence, nor was I pleased with the story coming to an abrupt halt, begging for a sequel, but it is a very well written and fascinating story.

It is a wornderful story about a large boy does not fit in find a group to fit in with, the duelists.