Review of Damon Ich

[Hazel Arnaiz]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Damon Ich" by Aaron d Key.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Damon Ich is the protector of his world. Guided by the universe, he has the power to travel through time. Efficient as clockwork, he spends most of his time working and keeps to himself. Then, he rescues a man from torture. It begins a chain of events that takes him weaving in and out of time, places, and realities. As he intervenes with time, he stumbles on surprising revelations about his identity and life purpose.

Damon Ich by Aaron d Key is the second installation in a science fiction fantasy series. This standalone belongs to the genre because of the elements of time travel and alternate realities. But rather than delving into the technicalities of these subjects, it explores the philosophical and sociological aspects. The story follows two seemingly unrelated characters. One is a gardener, and the other is a time traveler. Their lives take an unexpected twist as the story draws to a conclusion. The narration is from the perspective of these two characters. The readers are privy only to their thoughts which complement the nonlinear structure of the time-traveling plot. It effectively builds up the mystery that eventually leads to an interesting aha moment. Likewise, the use of familiar elements in the world-building supports the cohesiveness of the plot. It does not divide the attention between absorbing a new setting and following the sequence of the time jumps.

The book cleverly uses literary devices to explore themes and engage the readers. The garden and time travel are metaphors for timely, relevant, and relatable topics. These are free will and predestination, the randomness of life, diversity and inclusivity, and control, to name a few. Comparing the command of a time traveler and a gardener over their job is what I like best. A time traveler must have total control over each leap to avoid disrupting the fabric of time. A gardener, in contrast, can only work on some elements and leave the rest to nature. As for other literary devices, foreshadowing adds intrigue. The subtle hints sustain the curiosity of the readers.

Furthermore, the book represents diverse sexualities. It explores different perspectives on same-sex relationships. One character shows an internal conflict between religious belief and sexual preference. The guy takes the crucifix down from the wall and hides it before their intimate moment.

There is nothing I dislike in the book. But I have a suggestion to enhance the reading experience. It might help if the characters have more distinction in their speech. It will be easier to distinguish them during long dialogues.

Furthermore, the editing issues are not distracting but are more than a handful. Borderline swear words are few, and sexual references are only suggestive. The contents are inoffensive to any religious group. There is homosexual representation. I advise the discretion of a mature audience from age eighteen and above. Readers keen on the philosophical and sociological aspects of alternate realities and time travel should try this book. Those interested in the science and technicalities of time traveling may want to look elsewhere.

The book effectively uses appropriate literary devices to explore timely, relevant, and relatable topics. The interpretation of the metaphors adds another layer of enjoyment to the reading experience. But the need for more distinction in the dialogues and the editing issues get a demerit. That said, I give three out of four stars.

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Damon Ich
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[Umesh Bhatt]

I was drawn to the peculiar title of the book. Time travel is a common theme for science fictions. Would go through the book to explore more. Thanks for a nice review.

[Amy Luman]

I read another review of this book and it is interesting to me how two people can read the same novel and focus on different things entirely. I am drawn to the elements of time travel.

[Kelyn]

When I saw the title of the book and that it was sci-fi, I wondered if 'Damon' was a substitute for 'Demon.' Given his(?) description, that still seems to be a possibility. Demons can be pretty powerful. I find it interesting that rather than being straightforward, time travel and gardening were instead metaphors for significant areas of thought. I might have to give this one a look. Thanks for the recommendation!

[Nwadinso Michael]

When someone who keeps to himself gets to do something extraordinary it opens him up to a series of change. I would love to read this book. Thanks for your honest and concise review.