Assessment:
Plot/Idea: The stakes are high for protagonist Joshua in this supernatural tale of unrest, as he’s tasked with traveling to an alternate dimension to save Earth (and his loved ones) from destruction. The storyline jumps perspectives often, which becomes confusing at times, and the plot’s scope is extensive—but the author successfully spins a sense of dread and unease.
Prose: The prose is dense in keeping with the story’s expansive plot, and makes for challenging reading in places, but the author is skillful at rendering scenes that will disquiet readers and leave them with a feeling of foreboding.
Originality: The plot borrows elements from science fiction and horror, melding them together into a distinctive storyline that will leave readers curious and apprehensive.
Character/Execution: Joshua is the central character, with strong interiority and sound development, despite seeming older than his years. Secondary characters lack Joshua’s arc, but the author uses them adequately to bolster the story.
Date Submitted: May 21, 2023
Well, this is something different. But I mean that in a very good way. This is one of those books that really defy genres. There's some science fiction, there's some coming of age, and,of course, plenty of horror!
It's about childhood trauma that comes back to haunt you and the terrifying consequences of doing so. But it also has other "worlds" and dimensions, a very frightening man in black who plagues the children of this town, and friendships that will put people to the test.
You can't help but feel sympathy for the protagonists as they encounter an evil that defies explanation and could, literally, cause the destruction of earth if they can't find a way to stop it. And these characters aren't heroes and they're actually ill equipped to handle a situation like this. So the whole "underdog" vibe makes this even more compelling.
There are plenty of horrific and brutal scenes that will have you wincing as you read. The author's narrative is descriptive but it feels as if each word is intended for maximum effect and it never goes off course. You'll happily keep turning the pages in this novel as the tension builds and things start going off the rails.
A father, son and a recurring town-wide nightmare.
"Suppose, just for a moment, that time does not merely exist on a single plane, but is multi-layered; and what we see, what we experience, is to the exclusion of a vast majority of possibilities. Like a multi-storey edifice erected in haphazard fashion, there are time zones merrily ticking away in the past, present and future".
This is the first paragraph of the book, Kaleidoscope Shades by David Neuman.
This literary masterpiece is the perfect example of psychological horror. Instead of jump scares, it has spine tingling terrors that keeps the reader at the edge of their seats.
Although there were some points when it felt like the book was being drawn out a little too long, but in the end, the long journey was definitely worth it.
I'd definitely recommend this book for anyone and everyone who loves a good, twisted thriller/horror book.
