Customer Reviews

Merging with Monsters

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When an author breaks new ground with a seemingly old story line, it is often overlooked by main stream readers and reviewers. Which I feel is exactly what has happened with Merging with Monsters. While it would appear, at first glance, the plot has been covered already - this assumption would be in error. Yes, it is true, discrimination has been the subject of many books. But never, like this.

Joseph Green has painted a masterpiece, using a corporate merger and the employees vying for position within the company as his canvas. The characters are very real, three dimensional and flawed. Much like you and me. Each having been effected and changed in some way by that which they have endured. Anita, a woman of impeccable strength and character fights both her inner demons and the glass ceiling of corporate America. Her assistant, Phoebe, paralyzed by a bullet has dealt with hurdles of her own. While Grayson and his wife, Sherry live in a prestigious neighborhood in Colorado, they too struggle with ignorance and discrimination.

Through out this novel I found myself stopping, momentarily to reflect upon my own experiences. So often we know nothing of the people we work with everyday. "You never know what is behind the smile of your co-worker," has never been demonstrated in such a powerful and compelling way. From the highly controversial topics, to the beautifully written metaphors, this is one of the most engaging pieces of literature that I have read in quite some time. Whether you have experienced discrimination in your own life, or simply enjoy a good, suspense filled book - Do not miss Merging with Monsters. Joseph Eugene Green has delivered a novel that will leave the reader thinking and inspired to treat others with a deeper understanding.

Happy Reading!
3Rs-Real Reader Reviews

Merging With Monsters is the best novel I have read in years. And I do mean years! From the Prologue metaphor of the melting snow after a brutal rape to the very last line, Joseph Eugene Green makes visible to us those that society makes invisible. The writing is shockingly beautiful.

In Merging with Monsters, Joseph Green views a corporate merger through vignettes of characters struggling to succeed in the business world. Anita, an African-American woman, fights her way up the corporate ladder. But will her close-held secret bring all her hard work crashing down in front of her and the entire company? Will the white good old boy golf partners allow her entry into their closed group? Grayson, a black man living in prestigious Highlands Ranch, Colorado, was promised a leadership role in the merger, but he is stymied at every turn. Will he succeed in grasping power or self-destruct? Phoebe, Anita's assistant, has fought her way through poverty and a bullet permanently disabling her to her current position. How will her momentary error in judgment tip the balance in the struggle between Anita and Grayson? Sherry, Grayson's wife, has fought her family who opposed their biracial marriage. Now, she must fight to preserve her marriage as Grayson's perfect corporate veneer starts to crack. Julian, both gay and Hispanic, finds himself in the middle of both corporate and family struggles. Can he successfully negotiate all the power plays around him and keep himself intact?

Green's book is a thriller....it was impossible to put down, but it is so much more than a thriller. Green's delightful humor effuses the world he has created. The sex scenes are both raw and classy. Green gives us an incredible depth of character behind the façade and power struggles. Green has given us a thriller with a modern sense of spirituality that both grounds the characters and lifts them up.

Merging with Monsters will appeal to anyone who liked Six Feet Under....except that Green's book is better in my opinion. What makes Merging With Monsters truly unique is the generosity of vision with which Green sees his characters. Read this book. Turn off your phone, cancel your engagements and read slowly. This writing is something that you will want to savor. At the same time, you will want to race through the book to find out the answers. Fight that desire and read slowly. Merging with Monsters will give you a new appreciation for the world around you and the grace within us all.

The ending was a total surprise. With his ending, Joseph Eugene Green has given his reader the same shocking generosity of insight that he has given his characters. Such an unexpected spiritual twist. Perfect!

What a real life thriller! Merging With Monsters by Joseph E. Green is an extraordinary piece of work. I was "pulled" in almost immediately by the Prologue: 1992. After I read that, I ordered my book from Amazon with no hesitation. I was so anxious to receive my book because I couldn't wait to start reading. Once my book arrived...I could not put it down for anything! It discusses real issues that go on in Corporate America. The characters are so real, but yet...their actions still have you on the edge of your seat as your reading. You will never be able to guess what's going to happen. That's the beauty of it all...It definitely is not predictable. Anita...Grayson...Sherry...Julian...Phoebe are all very surreal. I find myself relating to the characters in some way or the other, whether it is my own identity or someone that I know. These characters will definitely make you think! Joseph E.Green is phenomenal! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!

Anita Powers holds a secret that she hopes will never come out. Finally getting recognition for all her hard work, things have finally started looking up and she's on the fast-track to success. Getting promoted to Chief Executive Officer was just what she needed. Driven, determined and a downright workaholic, she's had to fight her way to the top, so it's no big deal when she has to fight with one of her own.

Grayson Malone has it all. Confident that he's about to be promoted from Vice President Development to a higher position, he's got the world in the palm of his hand. Things go a little awry when his bubble bursts and he's faced with working for a woman - and a black woman to boot. But these days, it's more than pride that's in the forefront of his mind, it's all about revenge.

Sherry Malone has been married for eleven long years. Through the ups and downs, she's remained faithful to Grayson. The real problem is - has she been faithful to herself? She's loved Grayson with every fiber of her being, but the problems just seem to keep cropping up and she has no clue how to fix it. Taking matters into her own hands, Sherry is determined to find her way in life, get her marriage back and stand the test of time.

Julian Quintana has a new job, a new outlook and a quest for a new life. Although he feels close to his boss after they have a close encounter with death, is it in his best interest to reveal his sexual preference? Couldn't that have a bearing on his future at the company? Things get a little sticky when he ends up sleeping with one of the main people in charge ... will his secret or his dysfunctional family drive him crazy first?

Joseph Green does an excellent job with his first novel, sure to open your eyes to the inner- workings of corporate America. With in-depth relationships and a great storyline, you can't go wrong. One thing's for sure ... although the glass in front of the door seems clear, when you stop to take a closer look, it's foggier than you think.

This book was much more than I bargained for. It was a suspenseful, accurate, and well written book that pulls the reader in from the very first chapter. The characters of the book are brought to life by not only highlighting their present day plight, but also by giving the reader some historical info about the character's past that more than puts into perspective the drivers for a lot of their actions. Without giving away too many particulars and spoiling the ending or the experience of the read I will summarize best by saying..this book has it ALL. Corporate workplace drama, personal and internal conflicts amongst the characters, infidelity, the hurt felt due to the loss of a loved one, and strained family relationships.

The book was excellently written and edited. Mr. Green's excellent choice of wordplay gives the reader a full scope illustration of each event..almost like you are there, living in the moment.

With the patience and perseverance of a spider, Joseph Eugene Green spins a web of intrigue that serves to focus on the inner workings of major corporations (a very timely topic!), and writes with such centripetal force that the end of this very fine novel is an explosion at the core. Green, himself an integral part of the corporate world, has a rich vocabulary, a keen sense of characterization, and the ability to present the intimate aspects of the sex lives of straight people, [...] people, and those on the down low - be they African American, Hispanic, white, or biracial - with more sensitivity to sensuality than most writers writing today.

MERGING WITH MONSTERS is not only about corporate mergers, but also about sexual mergers, and even past-to-present mergers - and in each category the constituents are often monsters. Anita Powers is a beautiful black woman from humble beginnings who entered her adult life with a horrid physical assault, yet instead of submitting to that incident's scars, has climbed the ladder of success to become a top corporate executive. Likewise her close friend Phoebe, from similar background, sustained a gunshot wound as a result of being public with her girlfriend and is wheelchair bound, yet rises to high levels in corporate management as Anita's assistant. Grayson Malone also has a past of secrets, and as a handsome black man marries a white girl Sherry, coping with the familial prejudices as well as the corporate problems to rise in the ranks of the big companies. Julian Quintana comes from a humble, close-knit family and faces not only the corporate prejudices of being an Hispanic but also those of his being [...].

And these are only a few of the myriad characters that Green catches in his web, interrelating them all in a manner that addresses so many social evils, so many personal triumphs won by sheer chutzpah, and so many private and public pains, that the reader is left nearly breathless as the novel speeds to a satisfactory end. Green is a very fine writer. There are some technical aspects of his style that can either be considered positive or negative, depending on the reader's mindset: he for some reason feels the need to call his black characters either Sistah or Brotha and italicizes these terms, pulling focus away from his narrative in a jarring way; he has a propensity to use repeated phrases in italics between paragraphs to apparently project a character's subconscious when the writing simply doesn't need the diversion/distraction.

But these are small (and remedial) aspects of a mature writer's gifts, and since this novel establishes Joseph Eugene Green as a successful African American artist as well as simply a fine writer, he can now move forward and continue to create spellbinding plots and characters without the need for gimmicks. He definitely is a writer to watch - an this novel is fine piece of work! Grady Harp, May 07

A fast moving, intricately woven story, populated with vividly drawn characters trying to muscle their way through life, relationships and sometimes each other. Just when you think you have a handle on one of these wounded renegades, bam! You are hit with something else to consider. This book was over waaay too quickly!

In the wake of a mega-merger, corporate types jockey for position. Green finds a metaphor for life in the corporate battlefield, and makes a blistering indictment of a "white male supremacy" atmosphere, in which those not in "the club" - blacks, women, gays, et al - find themselves the victims of bias both subtle and overt. The author, himself an executive with "one of America's largest corporatins," clearly knows whereof he speaks. He presents a large and well drawn cast of characters, and his anger translates into a passion that keeps the pages turning despite the occasional misstep. A note of caution: with a couple of violent scenes, this book may not be for the squeamish, and it's certainly not for the bigoted.

Victor J. Banis, author of Spine Intact, Some Creases.

I have no doubt racism still exists in American businesses, and this book captured it for me. Even when you succeed, there are subtle differences at work. Of course, a lot in this book isn't so subtle. Interesting read from an author I'd read again.

The opening of Merging with Monsters will leave you feeling violated and shaky...and may prompt you to stop reading. But don't! The violent and prolonged opening sequence is a stunning metaphor for how minorities are often treated in the business world of the US. Green has populated his battlefield with surprisingly sympathetic characters...which makes us want to read on and makes us care about their fates. Although the book could use some editorial tightening here and there, this is a promising effort from a talented writer. Definitely worth a look.
Rick R. Reed, author of Obsessed, Penance, A Face Without a Heart, and Twisted: Tales of Obsession and Terror