3 out of 4 stars
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The Other Side by Dan Pagano combines different religious aspects of the world beyond while exploring the struggle between good and evil. It is the late 1700s and the French revolution is looming closer. Jude St. Simon has just become aware of his ability to see ghosts. He comes to learn that he belongs to a special order that has been tasked with the responsibility of maintaining the balance of power on earth. Jude’s journey will take him in front of gods to fight for the fate of mankind and his three friends. Through it all, he will question his competence and strength, die and wake up in strange lands, fight evil and live through different time dimensions.
I liked the opening scene. It features Jude as he identifies a strange-looking person who does not appear fully human. The ghost starts talking to him. The scene is gripping and it quickly drew me in. Jude later experiences apprehension as his friends mock his story.
I also liked the backdrop of the plot. The author chooses a time of mayhem and political upheaval to heighten the chaos and uncertainty experienced by Jude. Different time periods are also incorporated and Jude gets a glimpse of the 21st Century towards the end. This combination makes the work even more interesting. It also highlights the conflict in the book which involves the dispute between good and evil.
The antagonist is well-developed. He is frightening and powerful which makes Jude’s quest even harder. The Nameless, who is the antagonist, lures one of Jude’s friends to his side which further toughens Jude’s task. The Nameless is also accompanied by hordes of followers and seems to be indestructible.
I did not like the complexity of the plot. Jude seems to have too many roles to play. His role as the character who can speak to ghosts disappears at some point in the book. On top of Jude’s responsibilities, there are so many characters in the book which made it confusing. In almost every part of Jude’s journey, he encounters new characters. This, combined with a mix of different religious personalities and notions, makes the book overly complex and hinders the harmony of various sections.
On grammar, I only identified a few errors which were not too distracting. The Other Side by Dan Pagano has many great aspects and is bound to captivate lovers of science-fiction books who love elements of time travel and spirituality. Readers who prefer simpler plots and different genres to that of the book may not enjoy it. I rate it 3 out of 4 stars.
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The Other Side
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