From the journal
Terrific Review of "Life II"! (On Amazon)
How often have we wondered, "What if I could live my life over again, knowing what I know now?" When I came across Scott Spotson's new book, "Life II", in which the main protagonist, Max Thorning, is given exactly that chance, I absolutely had to read it, fearing disappointment, hoping for something more.
http://www.amazon.com/review/RTWB3XN10GC22/
There are four things I look for in a book:
1. Good Writing Had I not been earlier informed that this was a debut novel, I would have had to assume that Spotson was an experienced as well as a gifted writer. His style is mature and controlled. It is comfortably pacy, free of cliches and, like good acting, is so effective that it never draws attention to itself. Top marks for writing.
2. Consistency Every novel is built on a specific premise upon which the new world of the story is created. Inexperienced or poor writers will forget this or drift away from it into areas or themes that are not demanded by (or are even unrelated to) the work's essential premise. Spotson never makes this mistake. Effortlessly he ensures that the action and the plot follow the path laid out in the beginning. Full marks for consistency
3. Great Story After finding a mysterious old book which leads him to a strange alien called Doctor Time, Max Thorning is given the chance to return to his sixteen year old body while retaining his forty-two-year-old mind and all the knowledge that it contains.
Although Spotson's initial idea is exciting a filled with promise, it would have been easy to fall into melodrama or to adopt ludicrously exaggerated assumptions about the impact of his main character's foreknowledge. Again,in Spotson's sure hands, the story unfolds in a logical and convincing manner. Dr. Time's explanation of the anomalies and paradoxes associated with the idea of time travel and her rebuttal of the scientifically impossible forms of time-travel normally found in the world of science-fiction, persuades us that the one possibility mooted in this book is philosophically and scientifically acceptable. This is a significant triumph for Spotson. It paves the way for exciting possibilities and gives the rest of the story credibility.
The fact is, stripped of its almost peripheral science-fiction elements, the story is much more about normal lives lived than it is about science fiction. Here we have absorbing characters interacting and parting. We experience vicariously loss, loneliness, and heartache as well as love, humour and a whole gamut of other emotions. What can I say? Full marks a for story as well
4. Credible Characters There are many well-drawn characters in this novel but interest inevitably flows towards the principal character, Max Thorning, and his reaction to finding himself sixteen again. I have to say that I was initially surprised by the lack of maturity in some of Max II's early decisions and emotional responses. They seemed somehow at odds with his forty-two-year-old intelligence. But it is here that the underpinning psychology is both interesting and clever. It took me a while to figure out that the only part of Max I to return to the past was his 42-year-old intelligence. Now it is suddenly housed in a sixteen-year-old, angst-ridden, hormone-fuelled body. These physical and emotional elements inevitably affect even the mature intelligence of Max II, leading to some impetuous and ill-considered decisions(as well, of course, to many mature and adult decisions). It was great to observe him in action. So, again, great characters, full marks.
I can scarcely believe that this is a debut novel. I enjoyed it immensely. Very competent writing, coupled with a super story and convincing technical explanations as to how one might travel back in time, leads me to predict that here is a writer who is destined to become a household name. Very well worth adding to your Kindle library.
http://www.amazon.com/review/RTWB3XN10GC22/
There are four things I look for in a book:
1. Good Writing Had I not been earlier informed that this was a debut novel, I would have had to assume that Spotson was an experienced as well as a gifted writer. His style is mature and controlled. It is comfortably pacy, free of cliches and, like good acting, is so effective that it never draws attention to itself. Top marks for writing.
2. Consistency Every novel is built on a specific premise upon which the new world of the story is created. Inexperienced or poor writers will forget this or drift away from it into areas or themes that are not demanded by (or are even unrelated to) the work's essential premise. Spotson never makes this mistake. Effortlessly he ensures that the action and the plot follow the path laid out in the beginning. Full marks for consistency
3. Great Story After finding a mysterious old book which leads him to a strange alien called Doctor Time, Max Thorning is given the chance to return to his sixteen year old body while retaining his forty-two-year-old mind and all the knowledge that it contains.
Although Spotson's initial idea is exciting a filled with promise, it would have been easy to fall into melodrama or to adopt ludicrously exaggerated assumptions about the impact of his main character's foreknowledge. Again,in Spotson's sure hands, the story unfolds in a logical and convincing manner. Dr. Time's explanation of the anomalies and paradoxes associated with the idea of time travel and her rebuttal of the scientifically impossible forms of time-travel normally found in the world of science-fiction, persuades us that the one possibility mooted in this book is philosophically and scientifically acceptable. This is a significant triumph for Spotson. It paves the way for exciting possibilities and gives the rest of the story credibility.
The fact is, stripped of its almost peripheral science-fiction elements, the story is much more about normal lives lived than it is about science fiction. Here we have absorbing characters interacting and parting. We experience vicariously loss, loneliness, and heartache as well as love, humour and a whole gamut of other emotions. What can I say? Full marks a for story as well
4. Credible Characters There are many well-drawn characters in this novel but interest inevitably flows towards the principal character, Max Thorning, and his reaction to finding himself sixteen again. I have to say that I was initially surprised by the lack of maturity in some of Max II's early decisions and emotional responses. They seemed somehow at odds with his forty-two-year-old intelligence. But it is here that the underpinning psychology is both interesting and clever. It took me a while to figure out that the only part of Max I to return to the past was his 42-year-old intelligence. Now it is suddenly housed in a sixteen-year-old, angst-ridden, hormone-fuelled body. These physical and emotional elements inevitably affect even the mature intelligence of Max II, leading to some impetuous and ill-considered decisions(as well, of course, to many mature and adult decisions). It was great to observe him in action. So, again, great characters, full marks.
I can scarcely believe that this is a debut novel. I enjoyed it immensely. Very competent writing, coupled with a super story and convincing technical explanations as to how one might travel back in time, leads me to predict that here is a writer who is destined to become a household name. Very well worth adding to your Kindle library.