Jeff Sexton
Solid Introduction Prequel - And Marketing. This is one of the shorter short stories out there at just 22 pages, but it does its job remarkably well - it shows us where our lead characters are just prior to the opening of Marsh's earlier book Did Not Finish, as well as some of their initial motivations, setting up perfectly to lead directly into that particular book. Which makes it a spot-on prequel. In serving up this book just ahead of the launch of the *sequel* of Did Not Finish, One Star Review, it *also* reminds readers of the story and brings these characters back to the forefront of the mind, which as someone who has read nearly 200 books *since* reading Did Not Finish, was greatly appreciated. As to the actual story within these 22 pages... yes, they are more like an extended scene or two from each of our leads for Did Not Finish than a complete tale of its own here - but it seems that this was never *intended* to be a complete tale of its own, instead being exactly what it is - an "introduction" that also serves as a "reintroduction" to those of us who had already read Did Not Finish. Ultimately, it does everything it needed to do and not anything more, and thus this is actually a successful story. Very much recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.
Solid Introduction Prequel - And Marketing. This is one of the shorter short stories out there at just 22 pages, but it does its job remarkably well - it shows us where our lead characters are just prior to the opening of Marsh's earlier book Did Not Finish, as well as some of their initial motivations, setting up perfectly to lead directly into that particular book. Which makes it a spot-on prequel. In serving up this book just ahead of the launch of the *sequel* of Did Not Finish, One Star Review, it *also* reminds readers of the story and brings these characters back to the forefront of the mind, which as someone who has read nearly 200 books *since* reading Did Not Finish, was greatly appreciated. As to the actual story within these 22 pages... yes, they are more like an extended scene or two from each of our leads for Did Not Finish than a complete tale of its own here - but it seems that this was never *intended* to be a complete tale of its own, instead being exactly what it is - an "introduction" that also serves as a "reintroduction" to those of us who had already read Did Not Finish. Ultimately, it does everything it needed to do and not anything more, and thus this is actually a successful story. Very much recommended.
Originally posted at bookanon.com.