Review of Just Die

[Anna Bookowski]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Just Die" by E Alan Fleischauer.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Just Die by E. Alan Fleischauer begins when Jake wakes up in the hospital after a mild stroke and discovers that he’s got a very unusual superpower: he can kill anyone by simply pointing his finger and saying the words “just die.” After getting back home, he wants to prove his new ability to his fiancé, Beth Ann. As a result, he kills an aggressive cyclist passing by next to their home. What they don’t expect is that the dead man’s presence there was not coincidental. This spontaneous act will lead to a series of surprising developments, and Jake will have to choose between going to prison or working for Homeland Security.

The story is very engaging from the beginning. It moves forward in a fast-paced tempo, and it’s easy to notice that the author is a skilled writer. He’s a natural storyteller, and you can sense that he’s having a lot of fun when writing. His style is smooth and captivating. The three main characters: Jake, Beth Ann, and Omar (ex-NHL player with a broken career whom Jake met in hospital), are well-developed and feel real even though the book is not long. There’s also a subtle sense of humor incorporated. For example, when Jake calls his old friend, Alan Fleischauer (the author’s name), and asks if the trio can stop in his cabin. They also plan to drink Alan’s all whiskey.

Despite that I enjoyed the writing style and the general idea, I must admit that the second part of the story did not meet the expectations I had at the beginning of the book. I felt that the author had a good concept and started well, but the plot lost something from its “real feel.” The following chapters came out hasty and a bit naive. Some scenes just asked to be more elaborated and longer, but instead, they felt hurried and flat. Close to the end, I felt a note of disappointment because I couldn’t get rid of the impression that there was untapped potential for a better-developed story. There were also a few side characters who had not much to do with the main plot and seemed redundant.

There was also an issue with the book formatting. I don’t suppose it was intentional, but the whole text was moved to the left side of the page, with a broad column for editor’s notes left on the right side (there was even a note with correction somewhere in the text). I had to enlarge the text to 175% of the original to read it, and it took me at least the first few chapters to get used to that and stop being distracted by this inconvenience. But because I enjoyed the story, I decided not to let it spoil my reading and ignored it. There were also few minor grammar or punctuation errors, however not very serious.

Because of the arguments listed above, I decided to rate the book with 3 out of 4 stars. Even though it was a good and entertaining book, it could use some extra polishing. I’d like to see this story grow into something more. It doesn’t change the fact that I’d still be willing to read other books from this author. I’m convinced that many readers will enjoy Just Die, especially fans of fiction, thrillers, and paranormal stories. As there’s some violence and swearing, I’d recommend the book to the adult audience.

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Just Die
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[iva_ivanova]

Oh, this story reminds me so much of Death Note! I would love to read this book for that. Having the power of death in your hands usually makes for an engaging read.

[Kira Bonita Reece]

This story sounds interesting. Imagine being able to kill someone just by pointing at them and saying 'just die'. That's a world I wouldn't want to lie in. Great review!