Review of Family Business

Cara Wilding · Post by **Cara Wilding** » 12 Feb 2024, 22:36

[Following is a volunteer review of "Family Business" by James Jack Fauser.]

1 out of 5 stars

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J.J. Fauser is a covert operative working for a non-state entity fighting terrorism and organized crime in Europe. This group maintains discreet ties to various international government intelligence and law enforcement agencies as an additional layer of civic protection. Assigned a seemingly straightforward intelligence collection mission, Fauser and his team quickly become the victims of inexplicable attacks by unknown aggressors. Their perilous investigation uncovers an intricate organized crime network, a presidential election campaign riddled with deceit and corruption, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology that harbors hidden secrets worth killing for. Amid these challenges, there might also be a traitor within their organization. Who can be trusted in the espionage crime thriller Family Business by J.J. Fauser?

A complex, plot-driven narrative takes the reader on an international adventure. The author adds a distinctive flair by including a personalized music playlist that complements each chapter thematically. I appreciated that the story grabbed your attention from the beginning and kept you guessing. I also enjoyed the abundance of twists, turns, and blinds. Nevertheless, the author fails to capitalize on these strengths.

Numerous grammatical issues (incorrect word order, missing infinitives and articles, shifting verb tenses, and homophone errors) suggest that English is not the writer’s native language. These problems greatly hindered the reading experience and made it difficult to comprehend the material. The author’s storytelling technique focuses on narrating the entire story rather than using descriptive language to bring it to life. As a result, the reader may find themselves less engaged and immersed in the narrative. Encountering repetitive language, filler words, and overused intensifiers was bothersome and monotonous. While the narrative provides some clues, there is no way for the reader to arrive at the conclusion, which can be disappointing for this genre.

I wish the author would have spent more time fleshing out the characters and simplifying the plot. The interpersonal relationships had a distant quality that made it difficult to engage with their struggles or feel genuine empathy for the characters. The dialogue appeared contrived and often juvenile. The main character needed more credibility. Fauser had a pervasive uncertainty about him, and his actions indicated incompetence, making him hard to like and believe in. For example, he is a secret agent who practices zero operational security despite incessantly talking about it. Fauser tells his family the “basics of clandestine operations” and only “outlines” his missions. After knowing her for a few weeks, he confides in Serenella about his mission. Then, Fauser extensively updates his partner in the presence of his cousin. Additionally, he is repeatedly targeted on six separate occasions before he finally becomes aware of the fact that someone is tracking him, a realization that should have dawned upon him after the second incident. His character always seems caught off guard, even with his careful surveillance tradecraft skills. He requires saving on multiple occasions.

Throughout the book, Fauser primarily goes by his real name (despite being undercover). However, there are instances where he adopts a disguise, believing that wearing dark-framed glasses will render him unrecognizable, akin to Clark Kent. Numerous fortuitous abilities arise at the perfect moment (sailing, Jump School training, building heating units), which adds to the sense of ridiculousness. The repeated references to his training and explanations of how things can happen become tiresome and unconvincing. The portrayal of Fauser's character as a morally conflicted operator is inconsistent, implausible, and further undermines the story's credibility. No one who tries to kill him is ever left unattended or untreated, even if in the middle of an escape attempt or posing a threat to the mission as a whole.

The details could be better managed, resulting in a more realistic story. There are instances of misspelled character names, characters taking part in a scene when they had just left, and the most concerning issue was the presence of a tin can on Fauser’s forearm during a sexual encounter without acknowledgment from the partner (it would definitely be noticed). The narrative had numerous unresolved questions, including the enigma surrounding Lisbeth’s full role, the perplexing third bullet, and the shocking elimination of a critical character. For these reasons, I rate this book 1 out of 5 stars. If this book received the necessary editing, I would recommend it to fans of crime thrillers who crave fast-paced action and intricate plots.

******
Family Business
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Anaïs Quesson · Post by **Anaïs Quesson** » 19 Feb 2024, 10:07

Ouch, sorry to read that this book has let you down. This is definitely going on my do-not-read list ahah. Thank you for this detailed review, Cara!

Julie Basil · Post by **Julie Basil** » 19 Feb 2024, 20:42

This is a very thorough and well-written review. I appreciate your honest critiques both of the content and the editing of this story, and will likely pick another book as my next read based on your review. Keep up the good work.

Mari Thompson · Post by **Mari Thompson** » 21 Feb 2024, 02:34

I’m intrigued by the personalized music playlist that complements each chapter thematically. How does that work? Does the reader find the songs somewhere and then start playing each song at the beginning of each chapter? I really like how you are able to find the good in every book you read amidst all the typos and errors. I will wait to read this one until it is properly edited. Thank you for the detailed review.

Cristiano Bellucci · Post by **Cristiano Bellucci** » 21 Feb 2024, 13:15

Thank you for your review. It seems a book not to have in my bookshelf.

Terry Kimble · Post by **Terry Kimble** » 24 Feb 2024, 08:57

Wow, Cara! This is another example of why, as you have stated before, it would be more beneficial to the authors if they could submit drafts of books here before publication.

From the beginning of your review, it does sound as though the book has the potential to be a captivating novel.

Hats off to you for sticking it out to the end and writing such a thorough review. I might have jumped ship early on.

Gerry Steen · Post by **Gerry Steen** » 25 Feb 2024, 15:30

Hi Cara. It seems like J.J.Fauser needs to go back to the drawing board. The author is lucky that a skilled reader and writer such as yourself read and critiqued this book. The idea of the story is great. However, this agent sounds more like an Inpector Clouseau than a James Bond. I believe that if the author is determined enough he will take your criticisms and suggestions into account and craft a better book. Thank you for the detailed and honest review.

Omneya Shakeep · Post by **Omneya Shakeep** » 27 Feb 2024, 14:02

Wow, that's an impressive professional analysis of the book, Cara. Hats off for going through the entire novel despite all the negatives.

I'm looking forward to the next one.

Sarah Zain · Post by **Sarah Zain** » 28 Feb 2024, 09:31

I can feel your frustration Cara, I'm sure it was stressful reading. But my respect for your reviews increases, as this pain of mistakes, whether linguistic or creative, you have been able to write a coherent and comprehensive review, which I hope the author will benefit from to improve the book.

Jennifer Coxon · Post by **Jennifer Coxon** » 29 Feb 2024, 12:03

Cara Wilding wrote: ↑12 Feb 2024, 22:36 [Following is a volunteer review of "Family Business" by James Jack Fauser.]
A complex, plot-driven narrative takes the reader on an international adventure. The author adds a distinctive flair by including a personalized music playlist that complements each chapter thematically. I appreciated that the story grabbed your attention from the beginning and kept you guessing. I also enjoyed the abundance of twists, turns, and blinds. Nevertheless, the author fails to capitalize on these strengths.

Numerous grammatical issues (incorrect word order, missing infinitives and articles, shifting verb tenses, and homophone errors) suggest that English is not the writer’s native language. These problems greatly hindered the reading experience and made it difficult to comprehend the material. The author’s storytelling technique focuses on narrating the entire story rather than using descriptive language to bring it to life. As a result, the reader may find themselves less engaged and immersed in the narrative. Encountering repetitive language, filler words, and overused intensifiers was bothersome and monotonous. While the narrative provides some clues, there is no way for the reader to arrive at the conclusion, which can be disappointing for this genre.

I wish the author would have spent more time fleshing out the characters and simplifying the plot. The interpersonal relationships had a distant quality that made it difficult to engage with their struggles or feel genuine empathy for the characters. The dialogue appeared contrived and often juvenile. The main character needed more credibility. Fauser had a pervasive uncertainty about him, and his actions indicated incompetence, making him hard to like and believe in. For example, he is a secret agent who practices zero operational security despite incessantly talking about it. Fauser tells his family the “basics of clandestine operations” and only “outlines” his missions. After knowing her for a few weeks, he confides in Serenella about his mission. Then, Fauser extensively updates his partner in the presence of his cousin. Additionally, he is repeatedly targeted on six separate occasions before he finally becomes aware of the fact that someone is tracking him, a realization that should have dawned upon him after the second incident. His character always seems caught off guard, even with his careful surveillance tradecraft skills. He requires saving on multiple occasions.

Throughout the book, Fauser primarily goes by his real name (despite being undercover). However, there are instances where he adopts a disguise, believing that wearing dark-framed glasses will render him unrecognizable, akin to Clark Kent. Numerous fortuitous abilities arise at the perfect moment (sailing, Jump School training, building heating units), which adds to the sense of ridiculousness. The repeated references to his training and explanations of how things can happen become tiresome and unconvincing. The portrayal of Fauser's character as a morally conflicted operator is inconsistent, implausible, and further undermines the story's credibility. No one who tries to kill him is ever left unattended or untreated, even if in the middle of an escape attempt or posing a threat to the mission as a whole.

The details could be better managed, resulting in a more realistic story. There are instances of misspelled character names, characters taking part in a scene when they had just left, and the most concerning issue was the presence of a tin can on Fauser’s forearm during a sexual encounter without acknowledgment from the partner (it would definitely be noticed). The narrative had numerous unresolved questions, including the enigma surrounding Lisbeth’s full role, the perplexing third bullet, and the shocking elimination of a critical character. For these reasons, I rate this book 1 out of 5 stars. If this book received the necessary editing, I would recommend it to fans of crime thrillers who crave fast-paced action and intricate plots.

The plot sounded quite promising, but with so many issues, I can understand why you gave such a low score. I'm not sure I would have been able to persevere with the book myself as I can be quite easily turned of by the types of issues you listed.

I am interested in the personalised music playlist though. How did that work?

Laney K · Post by **Laney K** » 01 Mar 2024, 10:53

The general premise and music playlist caught my attention, so it's a shame the book didn't live up to standards.

Anu Anand · Post by **Anu Anand** » 04 Mar 2024, 00:39

Hi Cara, thank you for your heartfelt review. Your detailed analysis paints a clear picture of the book's strengths and weaknesses. It's evident that you put a lot of thought into your assessment, and your insights are invaluable for readers considering this. Your dedication to providing honest feedback is commendable. Keep up the great work!

Stephen Christopher 1 · Post by **Stephen Christopher 1** » 11 Mar 2024, 22:34

Yikes. The story on principal sounds like it would be a great read if it were written better. Everything you've highlighted are the reasons for anyone not to want to read this. Perhaps the author will take all this on board, hire a professional editor, clean it up, and re-release it. I may actually read it if he does that.

Rob Carr · Post by **Rob Carr** » 15 Mar 2024, 18:35

It's a shame about all the issues with the book. The idea of the personalized playlist sounded cool though!

Ohmy Book · Post by **Ohmy Book** » 23 Mar 2024, 00:01

Hi, Cara. Looking at the cover, I thought this was a non-fiction book and was interested. I'm sorry this book did not work out for you. I, too, need deeply layered and realistic characters. Your review is comprehensive and I really liked how you have shared your thoughts so clearly. I hope your next read is a fantastic one!