Review of Just Die
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Chinedu Umeobika
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- Latest Review: Just Die by E Alan Fleischauer
Review of Just Die
[Following is a volunteer review of "Just Die" by E Alan Fleischauer.]
His mother sat back and said, “Now, it’s okay to be annoyed, but instead of showing your irritation, just point discreetly at the person and say the words, ‘Just die.’” An unconventional story by Alan Fleischauer, Just Die is a book about a retired financial planner, Jake Silver, who gains a mysterious and terrifying power—he can kill anyone just by pointing a finger at them and saying, “Just die.” After suffering a stroke, he accidentally kills his hospital roommate when he points at him and says those words. This marks the beginning of his slow realization that something is off. After the stroke, strange and terrifying incidents continue to happen, such as his unintentional killing of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un through a TV broadcast on CNN. He also mistakenly kills Dario Q. Mohammed, a criminal with a long record of burglary and drug-related offenses, after Dario disturbs the neighborhood with noise on a bike near Jake's house following his discharge from the hospital.
Jake finally confirms his ability when he tests it on raccoons in front of Beth Ann, his fiancée, and Omar Carter, his new friend. Omar, a former NFL defensive end for the Green Bay Packers, had been working at the hospital delivering meals to patients, including Jake, when he was admitted. Eventually, Jake’s actions draw the attention of law enforcement, and he is arrested for the suspicious deaths linked to him. However, officials in Homeland Security see the potential in his ability and intervene, offering him an alternative—work for them or face prosecution. It’s not really much of a choice, is it? As expected, he undergoes intensive training and works under his handler, Richard "Dick" Payne, who helps him prepare for secret high-risk operations targeting national threats and enemies. So yeah, this is a book you need to read to find out what happens next. With a power of this magnitude, it's pretty interesting to see how Jake's trajectory unfolds. There are lots of plot twists, alright, although I would say some were unbelievable, or I would say too fictional.
The book has so many likable features, the first being its interesting storyline. The idea of a man who can kill with just a few words is always a catch, honestly. It reminded me of the very popular anime "Death Note” and my favorite fictional character of all time, Light Yagami, who used the Death Note to kill people by writing their names in it, driven by his god complex and mission to eliminate criminals worldwide. The anime made me very excited about this book's plot from the very first page. Although I wouldn't say Jake was as appealing to me as Light Yagami, I loved his character depth and attitude, especially his bossy nature. The book is also written so simply and is super easy to follow—the definition of little or no stress. It’s so similar to “Crimeline Hollywood” by Thomas Collins—you read it effortlessly, enjoying the events as they unfold without getting confused or lost. I also loved Omar Carter—he was humorous, interesting, incredibly loyal, and trustworthy. I actually always looked forward to his parts.
I did have some dislikes about the book. The narration gave off an amateur feel—not necessarily a book I would describe as having been written by an impeccable author with mind-blowing literary skill, like Charles Dickens, J.K. Rowling, or even Matthew Tysz, the author of We Are Voulhire. That said, the writing isn't bad. In fact, I found very few errors, meaning the book is professionally edited, and I really appreciate the author for that. However, I believe Fleischauer could improve future books by refining his writing to be more like the aforementioned authors. Additionally, so many conversations between characters felt unnatural; I was irked reading many conversations in the book. Also, a few instances of humor seemed forced rather than flowing naturally.
Overall, I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars, with my dislikes being the reason for removing one star. I was very impressed with the level of professional editing, which is why I deducted only one star instead of my initial intention of two. Despite that, Just Die is a great book that I would recommend to all lovers of fiction and easy-flowing narratives. However, the book contains a lot of profanity, so I would advise kids to sit this one out.
******
Just Die
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
His mother sat back and said, “Now, it’s okay to be annoyed, but instead of showing your irritation, just point discreetly at the person and say the words, ‘Just die.’” An unconventional story by Alan Fleischauer, Just Die is a book about a retired financial planner, Jake Silver, who gains a mysterious and terrifying power—he can kill anyone just by pointing a finger at them and saying, “Just die.” After suffering a stroke, he accidentally kills his hospital roommate when he points at him and says those words. This marks the beginning of his slow realization that something is off. After the stroke, strange and terrifying incidents continue to happen, such as his unintentional killing of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un through a TV broadcast on CNN. He also mistakenly kills Dario Q. Mohammed, a criminal with a long record of burglary and drug-related offenses, after Dario disturbs the neighborhood with noise on a bike near Jake's house following his discharge from the hospital.
Jake finally confirms his ability when he tests it on raccoons in front of Beth Ann, his fiancée, and Omar Carter, his new friend. Omar, a former NFL defensive end for the Green Bay Packers, had been working at the hospital delivering meals to patients, including Jake, when he was admitted. Eventually, Jake’s actions draw the attention of law enforcement, and he is arrested for the suspicious deaths linked to him. However, officials in Homeland Security see the potential in his ability and intervene, offering him an alternative—work for them or face prosecution. It’s not really much of a choice, is it? As expected, he undergoes intensive training and works under his handler, Richard "Dick" Payne, who helps him prepare for secret high-risk operations targeting national threats and enemies. So yeah, this is a book you need to read to find out what happens next. With a power of this magnitude, it's pretty interesting to see how Jake's trajectory unfolds. There are lots of plot twists, alright, although I would say some were unbelievable, or I would say too fictional.
The book has so many likable features, the first being its interesting storyline. The idea of a man who can kill with just a few words is always a catch, honestly. It reminded me of the very popular anime "Death Note” and my favorite fictional character of all time, Light Yagami, who used the Death Note to kill people by writing their names in it, driven by his god complex and mission to eliminate criminals worldwide. The anime made me very excited about this book's plot from the very first page. Although I wouldn't say Jake was as appealing to me as Light Yagami, I loved his character depth and attitude, especially his bossy nature. The book is also written so simply and is super easy to follow—the definition of little or no stress. It’s so similar to “Crimeline Hollywood” by Thomas Collins—you read it effortlessly, enjoying the events as they unfold without getting confused or lost. I also loved Omar Carter—he was humorous, interesting, incredibly loyal, and trustworthy. I actually always looked forward to his parts.
I did have some dislikes about the book. The narration gave off an amateur feel—not necessarily a book I would describe as having been written by an impeccable author with mind-blowing literary skill, like Charles Dickens, J.K. Rowling, or even Matthew Tysz, the author of We Are Voulhire. That said, the writing isn't bad. In fact, I found very few errors, meaning the book is professionally edited, and I really appreciate the author for that. However, I believe Fleischauer could improve future books by refining his writing to be more like the aforementioned authors. Additionally, so many conversations between characters felt unnatural; I was irked reading many conversations in the book. Also, a few instances of humor seemed forced rather than flowing naturally.
Overall, I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars, with my dislikes being the reason for removing one star. I was very impressed with the level of professional editing, which is why I deducted only one star instead of my initial intention of two. Despite that, Just Die is a great book that I would recommend to all lovers of fiction and easy-flowing narratives. However, the book contains a lot of profanity, so I would advise kids to sit this one out.
******
Just Die
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
"There is nothing impossible to him who will try." Alexander the Great
Latest Review: Just Die by E Alan Fleischauer
