Official Review: The Futility of Vengeance by Adam Guest

Shrabastee Chakraborty · Post by **Shrabastee Chakraborty** » 19 Oct 2020, 11:33

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Futility of Vengeance" by Adam Guest.]

3 out of 4 stars

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The Futility of Vengeance is the sequel to Adam Guest’s first novel, Worldlines. Both have their roots in the Many-Worlds Interpretation that supports the existence of a multiverse. Whenever an important event takes place in our life, all the possible outcomes play out in parallel universes or worldlines. Although these alternate worldlines do not interconnect, our consciousness might wander between them while dreaming. In the first book, after being accused of murdering his girlfriend, Gary Jackson's trial led to his acquittal in one worldline and his imprisonment in another. The sequel finds both these versions of Gary intent on punishing a third version, one who committed the crime during lucid dreaming. This third Gary complicates the matter further by reaching out to his teenage crush, Michelle. The reunion affects his engagement to Sinead, and consequently, his life. As the story plays out in multiple worldlines, one question becomes prominent. Is it possible to take revenge on your doppelgänger, knowing that it will affect you in the current worldline?

The concept of a multiverse was both confusing and thought-provoking. I could not help speculating what possible scenarios might have played out had we applied the Many-Worlds Interpretation to our lives. In addition to the worldlines described in the previous novel, this book showed three further offshoots, proceeding with a total of six worldlines. Although they adhered to the same primary storyline, Guest tweaked each worldline just enough to make subtle alterations in the course of events. This aspect helped me to view a single situation from multiple angles. At times, this feature baffled me; I had to stop reading and recapitulate the events of different worldlines. However, the ingenuity and uniqueness of the plot kept me engrossed.

Guest’s depiction of the characters showed how the situations we face in life play a predominant role in shaping our personalities. I loved how the same person revealed distinct traits in different worldlines. The Black line Gary, who had been disabled by a motor accident, was sulky and manipulative. On the other hand, the Blue line Gary gradually became frustrated with his imprisonment and started to look down upon the other inmates. The Green line Gary was level-headed, while the Brown line Gary was plain obnoxious. The characters of Sinead and Michelle portrayed these nuances, as well.

I was not, however, entirely satisfied with the introduction of so many worldlines. Keeping the story straight started to become problematic after a while. I had to focus on the general essence of the story instead of working out the minor details and their alternate versions. Also, the story ended rather abruptly in almost all the worldlines. Considering the future installments of this series, I expected cliffhangers. However, the ending resembled a random break in an otherwise continuous plot and brought no sense of closure.

Considering these aspects, I rate the book 3 out of 4 stars. Although the author marked the copy as an edited version, a few minor formatting errors still lingered. However, they did not detract from the reading experience. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to those who appreciate science fiction and abstract ideas, such as the Many-Worlds Interpretation. The readers who have enjoyed Worldlines will love this sequel. However, since the two books create a continuous storyline, reading the previous book is imperative before starting this one. There are several references to violent incidents that might be unsuitable for younger readers.

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The Futility of Vengeance
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Wamakima · Post by **Wamakima** » 15 Dec 2020, 03:03

A sequel! Wow! This is a great review. I am currently reading Worldlines, and I agree the concept itself is confusing. But it's a fun read, so I will definitely add the sequel to my shelves.

Joan642 · Post by **Joan642** » 15 Dec 2020, 17:50

I have read Adam Guest's first book, Worldliness, and I too was fascinated by the many world theory, and even we further to do some research on it. I am also looking forward to reading this sequel and sharing more of the author's thought on it. Thanks for your honest review.

Jennifer Aldo · Post by **Jennifer Aldo** » 15 Dec 2020, 22:24

As awesome as the book is, I do not think I'd make a good audience. Thanks for the great review.

Eddy E · Post by **Eddy E** » 16 Dec 2020, 06:32

This sounds like a great book, a bit confusing at first with respect to the word lines but reading further, it becomes clear. This is definitely a type of book I would read.

NetMassimo · Post by **NetMassimo** » 17 Dec 2020, 02:38

A multiverse isn't easy to handle in literature. On screen you can alter the protagonists' look to stress the differences among different timelines, writing them is more complex with the constant danger of confusing the reader. Nonetheless, I liked Worldlines, so I'm interested in its sequel. Thank you for your great review!

Atieno Magero · Post by **Atieno Magero** » 21 Dec 2020, 05:54

Wonderful review! Your review has been helpful and provided me great insight about this book. I'm fascinated by the whole multiverse theory and I'm definitely interested in reading this book.