Review of The Devil Pulls the Strings
-
sayoniwrites
- Posts: 370
- Joined: 30 Jan 2022, 00:06
- Currently Reading: The Scarlet Letter
- Bookshelf Size: 47
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-sayoniwrites.html
- Latest Review: Red Endures the Test of Time by Thomas Fullmer
Review of The Devil Pulls the Strings
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Devil Pulls the Strings" by J. W. Zarek.]
Boone Daniels works as a jousting knight at Ren Faire in Wentzville, Missouri. Boone also has both synesthesia and eidetic memory. This made him ‘the chosen one’ who could save New York City from destruction. In this book, The Devil Pulls the Strings, we go on a wild journey with Boone as he tries to fulfill a promise made to his dear friend, Flynn Michaels.
Flynn was an undisputed jousting champion, and his medieval rock band, the Village Idiots, has won the year-long music competition held throughout the country and has gained the chance to perform at the NYC Ren Faire. During a jousting match, Boone accidentally impales his friend and opponent, Flynn. Flynn knows that the NYC Ren Faire is his band’s big break, and since he can’t play, he extracts a promise from Boone that Boone would fill Flynn’s position.
Flynn asks Boone to meet their band’s sponsor, Professor Stone, in NYC for further details. When Boone enters NYC, he doesn’t know that he is also entering into a century-old feud between two groups: the Lavender and Roses Society and the Dragons and Nymphs Society. If you thought the medieval element is intriguing, then wait till you read about summoning spells, secret music, pocket dimensions, quantum tunnels, space-time continuum, time crystals, and so on. Join Boone and Sapphire, Professor Stone’s assistant, as they race against time to gather some long-lost music.
I will rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I have no negative comments against this fantasy. Every page was fun to read and was filled with never-ending surprises. The story was boisterous, and I can’t think of any other word to describe it. At first, I thought the renaissance fair element was fun, but I was even more surprised when magic and music entered the story. This book’s storyline was as wild as a child’s imagination. My favorite element was J. W. Zarek’s dry humor; even in tense moments, the author could create giggles. The author seamlessly blended realism and fantasy to create this wonderful magical realism book. The book was also exceptionally well edited. I did not find any errors.
The music part of this book revolves around Niccolò Paganini, the great virtuoso violinist. It was rumored that his skills were a gift from the devil. Hence, he was also called the devil’s violinist! Before reading this book, I didn’t have any in-depth knowledge about classical music or musicians, and that factor didn’t diminish my reading experience. Furthermore, I have now fallen into the rabbit hole of the mystery surrounding Paganini. I am also listening to his music pieces on loop recently.
I will be upfront that the story in this book is not for everyone. The timeline shift between the present and past and the vividly descriptive writing will not be everyone’s cup of tea. If you love non-fiction or straightforward fiction, you will struggle with this book. On the other hand, if you love multiple-timeline and era jumping fantasies or fiction based on classical music, just pick this book with no doubt. Much like Paganini’s 24 Caprices, this book is fun and wicked, so don’t miss this.
******
The Devil Pulls the Strings
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Boone Daniels works as a jousting knight at Ren Faire in Wentzville, Missouri. Boone also has both synesthesia and eidetic memory. This made him ‘the chosen one’ who could save New York City from destruction. In this book, The Devil Pulls the Strings, we go on a wild journey with Boone as he tries to fulfill a promise made to his dear friend, Flynn Michaels.
Flynn was an undisputed jousting champion, and his medieval rock band, the Village Idiots, has won the year-long music competition held throughout the country and has gained the chance to perform at the NYC Ren Faire. During a jousting match, Boone accidentally impales his friend and opponent, Flynn. Flynn knows that the NYC Ren Faire is his band’s big break, and since he can’t play, he extracts a promise from Boone that Boone would fill Flynn’s position.
Flynn asks Boone to meet their band’s sponsor, Professor Stone, in NYC for further details. When Boone enters NYC, he doesn’t know that he is also entering into a century-old feud between two groups: the Lavender and Roses Society and the Dragons and Nymphs Society. If you thought the medieval element is intriguing, then wait till you read about summoning spells, secret music, pocket dimensions, quantum tunnels, space-time continuum, time crystals, and so on. Join Boone and Sapphire, Professor Stone’s assistant, as they race against time to gather some long-lost music.
I will rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I have no negative comments against this fantasy. Every page was fun to read and was filled with never-ending surprises. The story was boisterous, and I can’t think of any other word to describe it. At first, I thought the renaissance fair element was fun, but I was even more surprised when magic and music entered the story. This book’s storyline was as wild as a child’s imagination. My favorite element was J. W. Zarek’s dry humor; even in tense moments, the author could create giggles. The author seamlessly blended realism and fantasy to create this wonderful magical realism book. The book was also exceptionally well edited. I did not find any errors.
The music part of this book revolves around Niccolò Paganini, the great virtuoso violinist. It was rumored that his skills were a gift from the devil. Hence, he was also called the devil’s violinist! Before reading this book, I didn’t have any in-depth knowledge about classical music or musicians, and that factor didn’t diminish my reading experience. Furthermore, I have now fallen into the rabbit hole of the mystery surrounding Paganini. I am also listening to his music pieces on loop recently.
I will be upfront that the story in this book is not for everyone. The timeline shift between the present and past and the vividly descriptive writing will not be everyone’s cup of tea. If you love non-fiction or straightforward fiction, you will struggle with this book. On the other hand, if you love multiple-timeline and era jumping fantasies or fiction based on classical music, just pick this book with no doubt. Much like Paganini’s 24 Caprices, this book is fun and wicked, so don’t miss this.
******
The Devil Pulls the Strings
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Red Endures the Test of Time by Thomas Fullmer
