My sister Laura asked me to read her friend Jerry’s book. I bought the kindle version from Amazon, which cost less than three dollars and has since been retired. The title was SlingStar Myth: Manuscript 1.
Ten days later, I wrote this review and sent it back to Laura.
“I read the book – I really liked it. It is original, fresh, quite Californian, and full of very cool tech and engineering solutions. I love the Lithe, I really enjoyed the Lana character, and I was quite motivated to find out what would happen. I also really liked the “Blue wizard” development, although the recursive stuff towards the end totally lost me. I think Jerry has accomplished a major work, and it has promise for lots of sequels. That said, and considering it is always so much easier to criticize than to create, how do you want me to share the issues I found?
I have started reading it again, and I am documenting the grammar and other editorial glitches.
I have two conceptual problems: the biological bases for color differentiation, and the ability of all humans from different planets to understand English (or the absence of a linguistic translation technology). I also think that Jerry assumes that all of his California references and descriptions will be universally understood (for example using the car dealership balloons to describe the wranglers). And finally, I had trouble keeping track of all of the short-named characters. I would recommend some longer names for different colored people, and/or some identifying behavioral quirks for the main players.
I don’t know whether finding a publisher to promote the book is better than trying to gain followers in Amazon. But I do think that his book is at least as good as several I have read recently and better than many that are currently out there.”
My review was designed as personal feedback. Reading it today, I believe that it accurately expresses my first impression of the story. I recognize, however, that my gentle perspective was meant to encourage. I am sure that I did not have even a remote idea that the book would change my life.
So remember the next time your sister asks you for a favor, especially one that seems innocent and easy, that “no good deed goes unpunished…” My involvement in Jerry’s project started as a simple desire to help. The consequences of that decision have not yet been determined. One of the consequences is that I have embarked upon a journey to become a writer, a producer of fiction, not only a consumer. We can only hope that the final outcome is positive.
