TM yomide

I was asked by the author to read this and I did so quite willingly because I have a natural soft spot for this kind of thing. I mean, shattered realities, cosmic horror, timey-wimey stuff in one shot? Hell yeah.

Diving right in, it had some massive hard SF feels to it AND major classic Fantasy feels in different sections. Indeed, we’re thrown into into three timelines of the deep past with sword and sorcery, WWI getting weird, and the far future, complete with AIs, VR, and hacking.

It was almost like I was reading the Elric Saga, classic Conan, a hint of Tad William’s Otherland series, and a modern technothriller all in one.

One caveat to your enjoyment, however: It’s a very rich novel in terms of imagery and mythos. In some places, I wished we had slowed some to get to know the characters in times of rest, but it isn’t that kind of story. It’s epic and fraught throughout. As it probably ought to be, with stakes this pervasive.

In the end, however, it’s very much a standard quest story and very satisfying for that reason.

Highly recommended for anyone wanting a rich brew to sate themselves.

Check out The Merged on Goodreads →

First of all I want to say thank you so much for giving me the chance to read the ARC of your book. I still feel very honored. Honestly I am SO glad I got this chance because I really had a great time reading The Merged. I’ve been looking for a complex multiverse story and that’s what I’ve received from your book!

So, here is my complete honest review of The Merged:

1. Characters

• I really love the John-Kara duo in the future timeline! I think it is my favorite combo from all the three timelines. You did a really good job developing their bond.
• I like how you build the different versions of Krux/Zoran/John. They all have slightly different personalities but you can still tell that they are the same person. Because they have these feelings, it didn’t take them long to realize what they needed to do (saving the multiverse).
• But I do have to say that the pacing was a bit too fast, so I didn’t really see deep character development and impacts. I feel like the character’s depth needs a bit of improvement. Then again, I think a fast pacing is also good to keep the reader engaged especially for a debut novel.

2. Plot

• I believe the plot is the strongest point in the book. It is definitely my favorite part of The Merged! I feel like this is a plot driven story, which is why I love it so much.
• You did a very great job creating and building a complex plot and world in a digestible way. It’s very easy to understand and I think a sci-fi/fantasy beginner can also read this book. I truly believe the concept is brilliant. Good job!
• I love how structurized the story is. How you provide a clear description at the beginning of every chapter (the universe, setting, and POV). I believe it should be essential to have those descriptions for stories with multiple POVs and settings.

3. Emotional Impact

• As I mentioned earlier, because the pacing was too fast, I didn’t really feel a big emotional impact for the characters. I can picture the idea but I still think it needs improvement. However, because this is a plot-driven story with a very well-developed plot, it masked the lack of character depth. I still really enjoyed the story!

4. Enjoyment

• I don’t need to elaborate on this point. I REALLY ENJOYED READING THE STORY! I didn’t struggle to finish the book. I honestly keep thinking about it when I’m not reading it lol. At the end of every chapter it makes you want to continue reading it. Such an enjoyable read!

5. Imagery

• I feel like this is also another strong point in the book. You described the settings of each universe so well. I can picture it vividly in my mind. It is very detailed and it matches the version of the characters that are playing in that chapter.
• I also love how you’re taking a real historical plot to the story of WW1. I learned new things!

Overall I would say that this is a very well written story! Especially for a debut novel. I can really tell how much you love sci-fi and fantasy. I adore how you can put this huge concept into a book. I know it wasn’t easy, so congratulations for that!

I did find some typos but it’s not a crucial thing. Probably needs a bit more editing and everything’s all good!

I hope this review helps you in any way possible for your future projects and I do look forward to seeing more of your works!

Thank you very much once again for giving me the opportunity to read your printed work.

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