Seven stars
Having discovered and enjoyed a number of Andrew Mayne’s other books, I thought that I would give this novella a chance. I had a gap in my reading schedule and needed something to tide me over for the day. This book, a thriller of sorts, takes the reader into the odd world of medieval knights and sword-wielding foes. A young man wakes up and is unsure what’s going on, as a man is trying to kill him. He takes the opportunity and slays the man, only to have all the evidence disappear. A few more events occur, in a similar vein, leaving him to wonder if this is a cruel joke or some sort of drugged out game that someone’s playing. It may be of interest to other Mayne readers, but I really could not connect.
Kevin Miller regains consciousness mere moments before axe-wielding man decapitates him. Dressed in chainmail and donning a sword, Kevin does all he can, killing his attacker, unsure of his identity or how things progressed to this point. After Kevin helps a woman free, she assaults him herself and flees. It is only later, when the police saw Kevin in his garb, that he admitted what happened, even though it sounded equally troubling.
With no body to speak of, Kevin has no idea what’s going on or who is behind it. Odd things happen on a few more occasion, in the same vein, leaving him to wonder if his new meds have been spiked or the whole thing is a sick joke. However, the injuries he has suffered are not fictitious and he cannot explain it. However, there is surely some puppet-master out there, somewhere.
As I mentioned above, I am truly a fan of Andrew Mayne and at least two of his series. However, when I chose to read this novella, I had to second guess whether it was Mayne who penned it. The depth, the intrigue, the nuances… all of them were gone and I was left with something less than enticing. Thankfully, I did not begin my Mayne reading adventure here, or I may not have discovered some of the true gems out there.
While the writing was decent and the story had promise, I could not connect. It might have been the Kevin Miller character, the premise of the novella, or the lack of magnetism towards the plot. Whatever it was, I was not a fan. Thankfully it was short and I can use it as a blip on the reading radar, as I prepare to dive into a full-length novel soon. All I can say is that this is not the Andrew Mayne that I have come to know, so don’t use this as a proper baseline.
Kudos, Mr. Mayne, for the attempt to push outside of your usual writing zone. It did not work for me, but others may really enjoy it.
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
Book Reviews to Ponder 