Review by becsimpson -- The Wall by Some Guy

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becsimpson
Posts: 69
Joined: 03 Mar 2018, 05:16
Currently Reading: Ringo and the guardians of the waterfall
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Latest Review: The Wall by Some Guy

Review by becsimpson -- The Wall by Some Guy

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[Following is a volunteer review of "The Wall" by Some Guy.]
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2 out of 4 stars
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The Wall by Some Guy is a four-part ‘paranormal fiction thriller’ according to the writer’s own description and it certainly ticks all of those boxes although it also touches upon politics, social, issues and current affairs. It’s designed to make the reader think while offering escapism at the same time. The writer himself is unusually secretive. He goes only by the name of ‘Some Guy’, conjuring up images of a Banksy-esque character only interested in passing on their art but not the recognition or potential fame that could bring. In his prologue, the author declares the book is “dedicated to those caught up in the daily grind, searching for meaning and purpose in their pursuits.” It all makes for a very intriguing set up from the offset whereby the reader is already fascinated by this unknown writer and what he might have to offer.

Opening up with a horrific scene of brutal torture before going back in time and exploring how the five men involved got to that point, it follows the tale of Forge (a.k.a. Gunns) – the main hero – and his team of four men – Bananas, Scorpion, Terminator and DMoney. The group of soldiers are exploring the deserts of Afghanistan on a mission that goes terribly wrong, ultimately leading them to dishonorable discharge from the military to instead take roles as the President's personal security team.

From then on, the story explores a dystopian future where the wall between the US and Mexico has been built and the resulting fall out from that. Anyone looking for some anti-Trump rhetoric can find it here albeit disguised under different names. President Jonathan Rothchild bares many similarities and the parallels and references come thick and fast, from the voting recount in Kentucky to his rival front-runner Hillary Dixon (who met with an unfortunate accident in this alternate reality). Any reader with even a passing interest in politics or current affairs will find these little ‘easter eggs’ amusing and they only add to the overall story and impression.

The book itself is a graphic novel in the most literal sense of the term. It is not a comic book. It is a novel with long paragraphs and sections of prose occasionally broken up by dramatic and graphic drawings depicting the most exciting scenes of the storyline. The themes, topics and scenarios explored in the novel are not for the faint hearted although clearly aimed at an older young adult (18+) to mid-twenties audience. The art itself is captivating. Designed in a grainy, mosaic style, it is unusual and quirky but does its job and helps to add to the story.

Some of the early writing in the first chapter feels unnecessarily expositional as the characters talk to one another and reveal as much as possible about their own personality traits and backgrounds in a short space of time. For example, “how many times do I have to tell you that I only met the Queen once?” There’s also an overlooked discrepancy in one of the final chapters, which revealed something earlier than intended and a couple of instances where lines or very similar lines get repeated. Other downsides of the text include a large amount of spelling and grammatical errors (over 10 in total). These include the occasional changing of tenses, wrong word choice and missing words in sentences.

Aside from this, the creative writing itself is generally of a good standard and the dialogue believable and realistic. The descriptions are vivid and evocative. The prose is easy to read and follow. The pace is kept high throughout the short text as we follow the lives of the five men and how the incidents in the prologue and first chapter shaped them into the men they became. Along the way we get to see glimpses of the world they live in and how it works – or doesn’t – and a scary warning of our potential future. All this, however, is wrapped up in fantasy, sci-fi and massive character development as the reader follows the central character’s journey of self-doubt and guilt as he wonders whether his life has been worth it.

A sense of impending doom leads crashing to the final twist of the conclusion where all the pieces come together. Metaphors that were hidden beneath the surface come to the forefront and beg further thought and consideration of the text long after the reading has ceased. This book is a lot deeper than one might initially suspect. These last chapters are satisfying and enthralling to read and the mistakes in grammar are mostly forgiven as we move to the final cliffhanger ending to leave the reader wanting more. Thankfully, this is only the beginning of the series and anyone wishing to find out what happens next will be able to wait for Volume 2. I rate The Wall a 2 out of 4 due mostly to the large number of errors and mistakes. This book still feels like it’s in the draft stages and more work is needed although it’s a good first effort and was generally captivating and enjoyable to read.

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The Wall
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