Review of Beating Death (resubmission)

Post by **Priya Murugesan** » 09 Jun 2024, 11:51

[Following is a volunteer review of "Beating Death (resubmission)" by Sean O'Banion.]

5 out of 5 stars

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Beating Death (resubmission) by Sean O’Banion

This thriller mystery book has a very unique combination of science and magic. In the first chapter, we are introduced to Robert O'Banion, the main protagonist and narrator. He possesses the ability to fly, like a bird. But the irony is that he is very scared of heights. Thus, the author's sense of humor can be witnessed right from the start. Rob is met by three women, Jolie, Emily, and Greta, who are revealed to be witches. They pursue Rob for some mysterious reasons. Later, many interesting characters are introduced, such as Dan, Abe, Alicia, Daphne, Doris, and Maria, all connected through the element of magic. Rob is then hit by various mishaps and is overwhelmed by them. He tries to overcome them with the help of his friends. Will he come out of his troubles successfully? Why do the women pursue him? What is the role of science and magic in this story? These questions are dealt with in the rest of the story.

Rob's interesting past is shown in the first half of the book. His personality and accomplishments are revealed slowly in each chapter, which made me view him in a new light. As the story unfolds, new information about each character is disclosed, and the plot thickens with numerous twists. The entire picture is uncovered as each mystery unfolds and each puzzle piece fits. This kind of storytelling is very gripping and exciting.

This novel is written in first-person narrative. I loved the author's conversational style of storytelling. Each chapter contains numerous subtitles, which initially seemed odd to me, but later on, I started to appreciate them. The flow of the story travels back and forth between the past and the present. Sometimes, while reading, the book felt like the journal of a superhero. It touches on a range of subjects like war, science, technology, witchcraft, spirituality, and humanity. The author talks about Agent Orange, the Vietnam War, the Twin Towers, and Area 51. He shares his opinion about the violation of Native American rights. Many Navy scenes were present in the book, and I learned the meaning of the terms pollywog and shellback. The prison narrations were quite interesting. I adored the heartwarming bond between Rob and Shadow.

"I’ll bet if they could show the actual smells of war, people might stop watching war shows, playing the games, or stop glorifying war altogether."

The above sentence intrigued me a lot. I have always felt that war is over-glorified and people should know the real truth and the ugly face of the war. I was also charmed by the definitions of hell and heaven, good and bad energy, and angel and demon. It resonated with me very well.

As the author warns on the first page, a lot of profanity is found in the book. The author's writing style is humorous, and he even incorporates comedy into serious scenes. As it is the first part of the series, the book doesn't have a definite ending. It offers a brief introduction to nanotechnology and wormholes, which might be further explored in the second book in this series. It builds all the suspense needed for the second part, and I would love to delve into the magical scientific world in the next book and learn what happens to Rob.

Towards the end of the book, many repetitions can be found. Some scenes are narrated repeatedly by the characters, which some readers might not like.

The editing is incredible. The book is riveting, and I enjoyed reading it. So, for the above reasons, I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.

******
Beating Death (resubmission)
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_Rhea Jacob · Post by **_Rhea Jacob** » 18 Jun 2024, 11:42

It looks like a wonderful book that integrates science, magic and comedy. You review makes me want to read the book though I might find the repetitive ending boring. Thank you for your in depth review!

Gerry Steen · Post by **Gerry Steen** » 18 Jun 2024, 12:52

WOW! Priya, it seems that you found a gem of a book. You described it very well, and I now want to read it. Science, magic, and strong character development make for an interesting read. I am interested in all of the themes you mentioned: Agent Orange, the Vietnam War, the Twin Towers, Area 51, and the violation of Native American rights. The excellent editing is icing on the cake. Great review!

Post by **Priya Murugesan** » 19 Jun 2024, 06:27

_Rhea Jacob wrote: ↑18 Jun 2024, 11:42 It looks like a wonderful book that integrates science, magic and comedy. You review makes me want to read the book though I might find the repetitive ending boring. Thank you for your in depth review!

Thanks for reading my review!

Post by **Priya Murugesan** » 19 Jun 2024, 06:28

Gerry Steen wrote: ↑18 Jun 2024, 12:52 WOW! Priya, it seems that you found a gem of a book. You described it very well, and I now want to read it. Science, magic, and strong character development make for an interesting read. I am interested in all of the themes you mentioned: Agent Orange, the Vietnam War, the Twin Towers, Area 51, and the violation of Native American rights. The excellent editing is icing on the cake. Great review!

Thanks, Gerry! Hope you read the book!

Harshitha G B · Post by **Harshitha G B** » 19 Jun 2024, 15:03

Good review and highlighted the important factors which boosted the subject while reading. I have read only few only thriller elements book, all these review make to me pick up some good thriller book to experience it.

Post by **Priya Murugesan** » 19 Jun 2024, 21:42

Harshitha Nayak wrote: ↑19 Jun 2024, 15:03 Good review and highlighted the important factors which boosted the subject while reading. I have read only few only thriller elements book, all these review make to me pick up some good thriller book to experience it.

Thanks! Hope you love reading thriller books!

RJ Reviews · Post by **RJ Reviews** » 20 Jun 2024, 01:18

Only the 1st paragraph of your review was enough to pique my interest! What an irony! How hilarious it is to be able to fly and be afraid of height! A very well-written review. It certainly encouraged me to pick the book up. Thrillers with humor are my favorites. Thank you.

Post by **Priya Murugesan** » 20 Jun 2024, 01:50

RJ Reviews wrote: ↑20 Jun 2024, 01:18 Only the 1st paragraph of your review was enough to pique my interest! What an irony! How hilarious it is to be able to fly and be afraid of height! A very well-written review. It certainly encouraged me to pick the book up. Thrillers with humor are my favorites. Thank you.

Thanks a lot!

Post by **Martina Sette** » 20 Jun 2024, 09:11

I'm very interested in this kind of book, and I'll try it. Great review!

Post by **Priya Murugesan** » 20 Jun 2024, 10:16

Martina Sette wrote: ↑20 Jun 2024, 09:11 I'm very interested in this kind of book, and I'll try it. Great review!

Thank you!

Abhishek3m4 · Post by **Abhishek3m4** » 21 Jun 2024, 04:55

"Thank you for your insightful review of 'Beating Death'! I'm delighted that you found the blend of science and magic engaging, and that the humor and unique narrative style resonated with you. Your exploration of Rob's character development and the intertwining mysteries captures the essence of the story perfectly. I appreciate your feedback on the structure and themes explored in the book. Looking forward to sharing more of Rob's adventures with you in the next installment!"

Post by **Priya Murugesan** » 21 Jun 2024, 06:32

OMKAR AHIRRAO wrote: ↑21 Jun 2024, 04:55 "Thank you for your insightful review of 'Beating Death'! I'm delighted that you found the blend of science and magic engaging, and that the humor and unique narrative style resonated with you. Your exploration of Rob's character development and the intertwining mysteries captures the essence of the story perfectly. I appreciate your feedback on the structure and themes explored in the book. Looking forward to sharing more of Rob's adventures with you in the next installment!"

Thanks!

Post by **MAHAD BAIG MIRZA** » 26 Jun 2024, 12:04

Thank you for your in-depth analysis of "Beating Death" by Sean O’Banion. Your review was engaging and provided a fascinating overview of the book's unique blend of science and magic, making it truly interesting to learn about. Your insights into the author's humorous storytelling and the intriguing character development added an extra layer of appreciation.

Post by **Priya Murugesan** » 26 Jun 2024, 21:56

MAHAD BAIG MIRZA wrote: ↑26 Jun 2024, 12:04 Thank you for your in-depth analysis of "Beating Death" by Sean O’Banion. Your review was engaging and provided a fascinating overview of the book's unique blend of science and magic, making it truly interesting to learn about. Your insights into the author's humorous storytelling and the intriguing character development added an extra layer of appreciation.

Thanks for your appreciation!