Customer Reviews

On/Off - A Jekyll and Hyde Story

5 star:		(4)
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3 star:		(1)
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On/Off is a novel that shows a thoughtful progression of suspense and storyline rather than a traditional series of dramatic events as in other horror novels. On/Off has a great balance of dramatic plot line, humor, as well as a dark undertone that builds throughout the story. In some ways the story line is almost a commentary on what is now the common college experience. Jamie Pepper is as believable as any of the real life friends who shared my dorm. I recommend this book and author, you will not be dissappointed

Seeing as I rarely dabble (or waste my time) with most independent fiction, I was pleasantly surprised when I became so attached to the self-absorbed mainstays in Mike Attebery's "On/Off." More than just another sex-fueled college romp, this provocative trip down the rabbit hole is packed with clever interactions, tense scenarios, and wonderfully defined characters. The circumstances that lead the story's protagonist to madness are convincing and cohesive, allowing the author to paint a picture of a character who is familiar yet foreign at the same time. I wouldn't call it horror per se, but it's a dense psychological thriller that translates the fears and anxieties of young adulthood into a modern identity-bender. I'm excited to see what Attebery comes up with next!

Edgy, sexy, violent, and naughty. This is what your mother warned you against....and this is primo underground writing. Get this book, stay up late and dig in. And remember this author's name, you'll be hearing more of it in the future.

This book is creepy, and Sensual, two of my favorite things. Along with being an engrossing tale of horror, the characters and setting bring the reader back to those special school years of drunken love and fun. Terrific Beach Reading!!

I purchased my copy of On/Off due to the fact that I am a regular reader of the website Highdefdigest.com - and this novel is written by their managing editor.

As a fan of novels that involve looking deeper into one's own self, I have always been drawn to Jekyll and Hyde type stories, as they tend to explore what lies on the darker side of our being. For this reason, as well as the potential for some man vs. science story with the implant in the main character's head, I put On/Off at the top of my to-read list.

Unfortunately, On/Off isn't quite the Jekyll and Hyde story it is made out to be. For the most part the book follows the college exploits of Jamie Pepper, the main character and all the usual parts of life that would encompass - above all, sex. And while I'm not a prude, I found the sex scenes to be forced, and frankly unnecessarily explicit. Basically, it felt like a switch to some kind of erotica in those parts, and it really didn't work for me.

It is also worth pointing out that it is fairly obvious that Atteberry has a background in film, as several of the main characters get into film discussions and are going to film school. These aspects were not a problem with the writing, but they did seem to get in the way of the actual story being told.

As far as the story goes, it seemed a bit convoluted, and took quite a long time to really get going. Once it did, I was hooked - but this wasn't until well into the second half of the book. The ending then came much too quickly and left the rest of the story feeling a bit empty and meaningless.

In all, Atteberry is a good writer - although he could have used some trimming of the story to keep things a bit more focused. I'll keep my eye out for future works from him, but may wait until I see a few reviews of them before clicking the "buy" button.