Review by Esmitty4293 -- Becoming the Dragon

Esmitty4293 · Post by **Esmitty4293** » 17 Apr 2018, 20:00

[Following is a volunteer review of "Becoming the Dragon" by Alex Sapegin.]

3 out of 4 stars

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All of us become readers and writers because we want to teleport to other worlds, but what if you actually did? What if you were thrown into a vastly foreign environment without the comfort of knowing that it isn't real, and that, truthfully, you're sitting in bed with your coziest socks on? Andy, the young protagonist of this series, is forced to find out exactly what the reality of that situation is. For Andy, matters get harsh very quickly, but what about for the reader?

As a reader, you will experience plot twist after plot twist. These will keep you frantically turning the pages to find out how our adventurer will writhe his way out of each and every conundrum. Luckily for him, he does occasionally have a cast of interesting allies. These allies are another point of intrigue for the reader, not only because they take other-worldly physical forms, but also because they are casted with rich and mysterious backstories of their own. Of course, not every character that is interesting should be trusted.

On the other hand, this story could have really benefited from better descriptions. If I were thrown in a foreign land with creatures unknown, I would definitely spend a good bit of time in observation mode. According to the way that this novel was written, Andy wasn’t at all concerned about that at all. He immediately begins with the business of moving forward, which is perhaps a good survival technique, but it commits a great disservice to the reader.

To be quite forward, it is quite difficult to fully immerse yourself in a story when you have little to no description of the surroundings or characters. I don’t mean that there is simply not as many details as I personally want, nor am I expecting Charles Dickens flashbacks in every book that I venture to read. I mean that this story is void of portraiture in general. I don’t know if this is simply not this author’s strong suit, or if it was assumed that the target audience wouldn’t appreciate the details. Maybe it was just a matter of rushed writing, as I did also take issue with the number of errors. Whatever the case, this is a science fiction book. That means you want to transport your readers to a world you created. Finish creating it, and we will stay all the longer!

I am rating this story 3 out of 4 stars because the story-line was creative and kept me wanting to return. I also thoroughly appreciated the literary and historical references that the author sprinkled throughout his work. However, it had a lot more potential than it achieved because of the utter lack of imagery. I would recommend for teenagers, especially teenage boys, to read this series with the caveat that they will need to be prepared to put their own imagination to work. I would caution parents to be aware that there is some content of a more mature nature.

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Becoming the Dragon
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Mary WhiteFace · Post by **Mary WhiteFace** » 07 Jun 2018, 21:49

When I read I want to be mentally transported to another time and place, to find myself so completely emersed in the tale I am reading that it is almost a shock to look up and realize I haven't left the room.

A good author can accomplish that. A great author can also make you feel an emotional bond with the characters.

I was truly hoping that this series would be one of the great ones. After reading your review, I don't believe I'll get my hopes up too high. Yet, I'll still give it a chance. Maybe it will affect me differently than it did you.

Your review was very well written.
Thank you.