Author Stuart Aken reacts to two of his most honest reviews.
This 5* review went into detail on several levels:
“If author Stuart Aken had started this book with, “A
bishop, a rabbi, an imam, an atheist, an acolyte, and a grieving widow walked
into a bar,” you would expect a joke. But An Excess of . . . is no joke,
nor is the deserted island on which this disparate and increasingly desperate
group find themselves with little hope of rescue after a harrowing shipwreck.
How will they cope? What alliances and alienations will form? In this
page-turner, Aken’s characters face one challenge after another, mostly
successfully but not without strife as their true identities and proclivities
emerge, their conflicting worldviews are laid bare, and they say, do and
experience nothing in moderation – hence the title, which applies not only to
the characters but also to the underlying theme of man’s general inability or
unwillingness to confront his impact on our endangered planet. It is intense.
Still, there is humor, adventure, and romance along with the danger, and you
will want to keep reading to discover the surprising resolution.”
Stuart reflects, “It’s relatively unusual for a reviewer to
detail the essence of a story without giving away too much of the plot. It’s
also not very common for a reviewer to understand and reveal underlying themes.
In this review, Walt Pilcher has done both, earning my sincere gratitude.”
The following is an extract from a 4* review of the same book:
“It's more brutal than I thought it'd be, and it becomes
clear as the narrative progresses that there's no guarantee of anyone making it
to the end alive, which was quite refreshing. I'm withholding one star only
because some of the conversations are quite on the nose. Nothing wrong with
getting a message across, but I feel it could have been more organic.”
Stuart says about this review, “This is from an honest
review, but I wonder if the final two sentences reveal more about the reviewer
than about the book; is this, perhaps, a case of a reader recognising their own
prejudices in one or more characters? Not a criticism, but a reaction to their
presented viewpoint. Of course, the passion of some of the thoughts and words
of the players may well uncover subconscious bias in any reader.”
Stuart Aken has authored many novels across many genres. Find
out more about his work – including his work-in-progress – on his WEBSITE.
Read more about Stuart Aken HERE.
