Official Review: Find Him! by John B. Michaels

[Mercelle]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Find Him!" by John B. Michaels.]

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1 out of 4 stars

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John B. Michaels narrates the story of a man on a revenge mission in the novel Find Him! This C/T/M/H work delivers a dark tale with messed up characters.

Ben Greyback lived a wonderful life with his wife and two children until unknown assailants attacked his home. He tried to save his family, but his efforts were futile. Losing his wife and children was painful enough, but watching them die enraged Ben to the point of no return. For five years he lived a solitary life and plotted, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. When he got the chance, he unleashed his wrath on the town and left a trail of dead bodies. The victims' identities revealed some uncomfortable truths and the police had to deal with a serial killer on the loose.

I like that the author presented crime and revenge from the perspective of someone who has nothing to lose. When Ben needed justice for his family, the system failed him. That sheds light on the rot within the police force and amplifies the effects of corruption. Ben's actions aren't excusable, but readers will empathize with him as he battles depression. The story took an interesting turn when Ben confronted the perpetrators of the crimes against his family. These cold-hearted killers showed no remorse, and some of them bragged about harming innocent people. That level of wickedness is difficult to stomach. This story will leave readers pondering whether revenge is a viable option. I concluded that taking the law into one's own hands leaves an individual scarred and empty.

This book was a chore to read, and that is what I didn't like about it. The text contains multiple errors, mostly misspelled words, which appear on almost every sentence. There's also excessive use of the wrong verb form. The author writes in the present tense even when the past tense is more appropriate. That resulted in poorly constructed sentences, which watered down the book's message. Since I had to put in extra effort to decipher the story, some of the gory scenes weren't as gripping. That is ironic because the book belongs to the C/T/M/H genre. It needs time with an experienced editor to elevate it to the masterpiece it could be.

In its current state, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. I appreciate that it is short and has a solid plot, but the poor execution drops the rating to 1 out of 4 stars.

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Find Him!
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Like Mercy Bolo's review? Post a comment saying so!

[HannahKD]

This book sounds like it could contain interesting themes and pose readers with an intriguing ethical dilemma, were it not for the unfortunate way in which you say it was written! I think I will have to pass this one by, and I thank you for the review to guide my hand in that regard!

[Jessacardinal]

Definitely not a feel-good story. Gripping, nonetheless!

[Anthony__]

The plotting seems nice from your review description. It similar to the movie, "Naked Weapon", Thank you, for the honest review.

[Itskai88]

This sound interesting and Ben Greyback's character is one that movie producers have established on a lot. Thanks for the review and the warning.

[kdstrack]

I agree with your analysis. Reading a book with so many errors is definitely a chore. Hope the author will make the effort to fix it. Thanks for your review.

[bluedragonsii]

Sad that another book is ruined by poor editing. The thought of a revenge story is interesting. I like that the novel explores what becoming a vigilante can do to one's conscience. Thank you for your thoughts.

[kandscreeley]

Editing can definitely make or break a story. It seems like it breaks this one. It's too bad because it sounds gripping. I can't imagine what I would do after the death of my family.

[Faithmwangi]

According to the reviewers perspective of the book I am already intrigued. A valid argument comes out of it; when the police force fails, should we take matters into our own hands. It saddens me that this book had poor editing,but it definitely has the makings of a masterpiece.

[HershyGreenwood]

Great review - your summary tells me exactly what to expect from this book. While the plot by itself wouldn't interest me (I feel like I've read a few other books with similar storylines), I would give it a shot if the character sketches had something new to offer...

[Mbrooks2518]

It's too bad that it has so many mistakes. It sounds like it could be an intriguing read on revenge and vigilante justice. Thanks for the great review!

[nonamer_miss]

I think more than the editing and writing style, the story and theme is pretty much common.

[BelleReadsNietzsche]

Sounds like a stereotypical plot that could be enjoyable (I mean, many of us who are drawn to certain genres are looking for that stereotypical aspect to at least some degree!) had it been more competently/professionally edited. That's a shame. Thanks for reading and reviewing.