Customer Reviews

A Wicked Twist of Fate

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I've read this novel by Ron Dondiego entitled A Wicked Twist of Fate and was utterly mesmerized by its pages. It is one that I like to call a page turner, I kept reading and turning. I couldn't get enough of it. It seems that I was mesmerized. The story is a gripping novel about a man who makes a bad decision after having been disappointed in love. In a desperate attempt to salvage his life the main character, Jerry Brenner, commits a triple murder. He is convinced that through these murders he will gain both wealth and prestige. The ending will blow your mind. Mr. Dondiego keeps his reader spell bound with this tale set in the late forties in New York. Buy it, you won't be able to put it down.

A Wicked Twist of Fate is an exciting, thought provoking and well-written novel about Jerry Brenner, an intelligent, strong young man whose lust for power turns him into a tormented derelict. A simple countryman who moves from Vermont to New York to become a famous writer, Jerry falls in love with Lydia who unfortunately rejects him, as he is only a waiter at Delos. Accordingly, he runs to Pierce, a devil thief, to seek power to revenge. The price, however, is high for he has to murder three people: Madame Valentine, a wealthy old woman, her doorman and Pierce himself. With a million dollars in his pocket, Jerry becomes a wealthy investor and thinks that now he can get whatever he wants. "I am a totally free man," Jerry whispers. Then he laughs hideously. "I am a rich, free man." Well, rich maybe, but is he really free? From now on, Jerry indulges himself in drugs, wine and sex.He even uses black magic to get Lydia. He first destroys her reputation, and then drives her to a mad house. Afterwards, he meets Lisa, an angel beauty, and marries her although she does not love him. On the wedding night, she commits a suicide and her tragic death opens Jerry's eyes to the fact that he is not as he likes to think, a superman. He is nothing but a low fallen human, lower than a beast. In spite of his wealth, he is pulled by a strong tumultuous current into a river of pain and deceit. And he will never really rise out of its icy depths again. He "walks alone on the side of a highway. He sees the lonely headlight of an approaching truck. He turns his collar to the cold, sweeping wind and sticks out his thumb. The truck stops for him, picks him up, and then disappears down the road into the blackness of a night whose emptiness and silence will be his only friends for the rest of his life." The author of this novel, Ronald Dondiego, is a gifted writer who has a poet's fascination for symbols and metaphors. In his novel, he reflects not only his elegant poetic style, but also his profound philosophical and spiritual thoughts about religion, women, love and friendship. He writes from a true experience about his city, New York. He is a fresh voice to hear, a writer whose novel reflects his life and a book that will be the masterpiece of tomorrow.

And I use the word tale lightly, because this book reads rather like a Shakespearean tragedy of the twentieth century. There is sound and fury and unforgettable sequences set in the seductive atmosphere of New York City in the late nineteen forties. I suppose the book has many themes, however, I found that the most prevalent theme was the abuse of power; second to that were the character flaws that bring the main character, Jerry Brenner, into a total state of dejection. I would say more about the plot, but I don't want to give away it's twists, for they are indeed wicked and unrelenting in their cruelty. In fact, the prose style of A Wicked Twist Of Fate is voiced with an echo of realism that is seldom achieved in the novels of today.

Also, I can't understand why a major publishing house hasn't picked this novel up yet, because it has best seller written on every page. In any event, I highly recommend this story. It's well worth the price of admission.

I bought this book and enjoyed reading it. Hopefully, this writer will go on writing, because I noticed that this was published in the year 2000. Why did I like it? It was fast paced, terse, and he got right into the story without having written one superfluous word. And that's a good thing in this age of overly written, self indulgent fiction. Also, it was edgy and at times down right disturbing.

I have read this short novel and I am totally amazed by how much this author has acomplished with so few words. I had to keep putting it down - mostly because the writing flowed so well and I wanted to savor it. I usually don't write reviews, but I just wanted to let people know that this was a truely exceptional piece of fiction. It is also a very revealing portrait of New York City in the late forties. Really, I haven't been this blown away by a book since I read crime and punishment and that was thirty years ago. My compliments to the author.

I read a book of this author's short stories entitled "Fables and Other oddities of The Imagination." I enjoyed that collection of speculative short stories very much, so I went ahead and ordered this novel. Well, let me be the first to tell you that if you have a weak stomach, or if you're use to watered down commercial literature, don't read it! It has a shock ending if ever there was one. I read some of the other reviews here and couldn't help but smile. Dondiego is the kind of author who strikes a chord in a reader's mind well after the reading's done. And that's a good thing.

I don't know what the fuss is all about. I certainly won't sell my copy - it's POD right now. But I think this writer will be moving on to bigger and better things in the near future. But don't take my word for it. Buy a copy and find out for yourself.

I've read this book three times already. It's amazing. Dondiego is edgy and has some amazing hooks and plot twists. Plus the ending was totally outrageous. If you're into film noir this book definitely captures the noir atmosphere of the late 40's when those movies chilled the blood of American movie goers.

I would say that Dondiego is a writer with a burning ambition to write what he sees and experiences into his fiction. This is a dark novel if ever I've read one, and trust me I've read many. If you're into the strange, the twisted, the off-beat, and the horror of reality, than Dondiego's books will hold you spellbound. Yes, spellbound! Because his writing is powerful it can even overwhelm a reader. Emerson said, "Beware when God lets a thinker out in the world." I say, "Beware, Dondiego will throw your universe into question." And of course for certain readers that's a disturbing prospect. Read him if you dare!

This book was recommended to me by Amazon, so I took a chance on it and was very disappointed. The writing is juvenile and overflowing with cliches; the narration is self-conscious and bombastic; the dialogue is uninteresting and unrealistic; the ideas and descriptions are redundant, superfluous, and unimpressive.

"Ron Dondiego, a passionate writer, whose style is as unique as the stories he writes about...full of stark realism that home and has the power to jar a reader out of his/her complacency." (A direct quote from the "About The Author Section." I could not have discribed this writer or his style in writing any better myself!

"A Wicked Twist Of Fate," is a thrilling read, from cover-to-cover...following a man in his life's quest for power. The characters in this most enjoyable story are deep and compelling, the dialogue flows at a nice pace, and, the plot is interesting, a very appealing combination. Nice Job by this very fine writer!

John Savoy
Savoy International
Motion Pictures Inc.