Official Review: Effacement by Hieronymus Hawkes

[Sam Ibeh]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Effacement" by Hieronymus Hawkes.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Effacement by Hieronymus Hawkes is a near-future science fiction that revolves around a neurochip that controls daily life routines. This neurochip is so legally backed that one can be prosecuted for not having it.

Cole Westbay, a law-abiding citizen and staff of BioNarratus, is chiefly instrumental in developing this neurochip. While investigating the problems on an upgrade of the neurochip, he discovers a flaw. This discovery unearths a supposed government conspiracy. Trouble looms as Cole's life is in danger, and he also finds himself at the wrong end of the law, facing possible jail time. Will Cole be able to get out of this precarious situation and avoid an almost-certain jail sentence?

Hieronymus Hawkes brilliantly captivated my mind with his writing. One word to describe him would be "painter." He described every scene so vividly that I imagined seeing them play out. I know this would be commonplace among science fiction authors. However, Hieronymus Hawkes did it in a way that was both elaborate and simple.

What I liked the most about this book was how the author infused humor into the narrative. Having read so many sci-fi/fantasy books, I would say that this approach put this book in the upper echelons. I started this book with a serious disposition, as the book centered around a neurochip; I anticipated an all-techy narrative. I was glad to be disappointed; the book was a lot more humorous than I anticipated. I would say that it spiked my enjoyment of the story. By the way, the book's storyline wasn't unique, as I had read other books with a similar plot. I'd bet that you'd find dozens of books talking about a biochemical chip that would save the world. However, the author wrote this book in such an interesting manner that made it stand out from other similar books.

Another thing I liked was the timeline transition; they were clear and smooth. The author always kept me in the know of what time a particular event was happening. For instance, the second chapter started with the phrase: "Two weeks earlier …" This phrase made me know that the author was taking me back in time. There were so many instances of this across the book, albeit in different forms.

Sadly, there was little to no suspense in the book. Most of the activities in the book were predictable; my curiosity wasn't engaged at all. However, this could be me judging this book with very high standards. The outcomes were all too familiar and predictable. I'd guess the humor was the hook and anchor that drew me in and kept me fixated on the book till the end.

I encountered several errors during the read. However, considering the book’s volume, they wouldn’t take away from the rating. Therefore, I’d rate it 4 out of 4 stars. Another round of editing would be needed to correct the errors in the book, though. Readers interested in tech-related stories laced with humor would have a swell time reading this book. There was no explicit sexual content. Therefore, it would be suitable for a younger reading audience.

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Effacement
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[NetMassimo]

This seems like a novel that uses future technologies to address issues that are important today adding a lot of humor. Thank you for your great review!

[Jackie Holycross]

I love futuristic, realistic, sci-fi. Sounds like a winner. I love your writing style as well.

[Alheotuci]

A detailed and honest review. Good job!

[K+SQUARE]

Unsurprising about the books inability to. Stimulate curiosity. There are so many science fiction books out there that their storylines follow the same pattern and conclusion. Like you said, the humorous part of the book makes up for its lack of stimulation. Wonderful review.

[Rayah Raouf]

It's unfortunate that it was predictable. I've noticed many books being predictive. However, you did enjoy the book so that is promising. Thank you for your review.

[Uzo_Reviews]

The humour in the book compensates the lack of suspense. Thanks for being as honest as possible in the review.

[onyii_review]

This seems like a book techies will love reading. This might be a fun read too. Thank for the review.