Customer Reviews

THE FORNAX DRIVE

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The first page surprised me by how good it was. Could this book actually have been written by someone who had taken the time to learn what good writing is before they published? Could this author have bothered to take the time and make the effort to hone their craft? I turned the page and found that he had not.
The writing soon became just what one would expect of a beginning writer, that is to say redundant, overwritten and purple. Everything is explained tediously, allowing the reader none of the joy that comes from discovering facts as he reads. The dialog is written not as men speak, but as only fictional characters do. The author one can sense always there behind the characters, pulling their strings, filling their mouths with words they would never say.

Care for Examples?



"Oh, yes sir...perfectly," Fornax parroted, suppressing an irreverent snicker.

Like an unlanced boil, the terrain was swollen with one butte after another.

A moment later, he had his answer. It stared them in the face when they crested the next rise.

"Oh, my Lord!" Pasha groaned, his panic-stricken voice serving to fucus their attention on the open expanse before them.

Even as he spoke, Nehrengal's sinewy arms tightened with rage. The bloody fool had led their small company into harm's way; unintentionally perhaps, but into harm's way just the same.



There you have it, prose swollen and purple and in need of slashing. (If you see nothing wrong here, by the way, you'll enjoy the book.)

Does this mean this writer will never write well? Not at all. It means merely he has yet to learn to do so. Will most young readers enjoy this novel? Certainly. Until you learn to discriminate between good and lesser writing, this novel will read quite as well as most. In fact, it is written as well as most novels published. I am only sorry I could not enjoy it. I was rather curious where he was going.

I finished reading your book "The Fornax Drive" just before all the holiday hubbub and didn't get around to saying how much I enjoyed it.

So, let me remedy that now: I loved it!

The whole premise was so enjoyable, and I found myself really identifying with one of the main characters.

I REALLY want to join the newhumans in their new colony. Thanks for writing, and keep it up!

Kent McManigal