Official Review: A Single Round by R A Jacobson

[OB Brian]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Single Round" by R A Jacobson.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Jacob wants a truck to impress a girl. Pete wants to be the star quarterback. Tommy will give anything to be with his dead girlfriend, Rebecca, a little while longer, and this unnamed girl will stop at nothing to be a famous actress. A Single Round by R A Jacobson is a compilation of stories in which a moment's decision changes the characters' lives forever.

These and many other individuals head to the crossroads at midnight and meet the Judge─ a thin, neatly dressed man with an intoxicating smile, driving a shiny black 1969 GTO. They all make a deal; their heart's desire in exchange for their SOUL! Your guess is as good as mine (well, mine is no longer a guess) how their stories end.

If you have the most vivid of imaginations and the faintest of hearts, this anthology is one you do not want to read. While the stories are not bloody like the movie franchise "Saw" or frightening like "Evil Dead," they are quite scary. The picturesque description of a good person making an impulsive decision, coupled with a reader's prior knowledge of how the story ends, is horrifying. Did I mention that the Judge has quite a dark sense of humour? It is a wonder I found these tales invigorating. I suppose I am not easily scared.

Through this collection, the author evokes a myriad of emotions in the reader. I was angry at the protagonists for choosing the deal, frustrated that they could not hear me implore them to find another way, empathetic of their plight, fearful as I knew the end of the road they took, and laughing myself to tears at some of the things that transpired. Come to think of it; the funny moments are what I loved most as they allowed me to release my breath.

A Single Round, however, has two things that were not appealing to me. (1) In most of the narrations, a friend of the main character is the one that suggests a visit to the crossroads. I found it a bit redundant. (2) It contains several errors that, though trivial, cannot be ignored and thus call for another round of editing. These issues have warranted the deduction of one star.

That said, I award A Single Round three out of four stars. I recommend it to lovers of horror and thriller novels. Because the stories are somewhat scary, I advise younger readers to steer clear of this read. As for everyone else, if nothing, at least you will learn that experience is not always the best teacher. In some circumstances, learning from experienced people is the wiser choice.

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A Single Round
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[Kavita Shah]

4 people in exchange for their wishes agree to give their souls. They have literally sold their souls to the devil. It sounds dark and I would like to learn how it ends. Thanks for an honest review!

[OB Brian]

4 people in exchange for their wishes agree to give their souls. They have literally sold their souls to the devil. It sounds dark and I would like to learn how it ends. Thanks for an honest review!

Thanks for your comment.

[Becca Olsson]

I hope the author fixes the errors you mentioned because this sounds utterly fascinating. I’d very much like to know what becomes of their lives because I have a feeling it’s not good. Thanks for the great review!

[NetMassimo]

This seems like an intriguing compilation with stories that offer some food for thought about the ethical and moral side of the protagonists' choices. I hope the author follows your advice about doing more editing to make it excellent. Thank you for your great review!

[OB Brian]

I hope the author fixes the errors you mentioned because this sounds utterly fascinating. I’d very much like to know what becomes of their lives because I have a feeling it’s not good. Thanks for the great review!

Thank you for the comment

[OB Brian]

This seems like an intriguing compilation with stories that offer some food for thought about the ethical and moral side of the protagonists' choices. I hope the author follows your advice about doing more editing to make it excellent. Thank you for your great review!

Your thoughtful reply is very much appreciated.