Official Review: Maniacs in the Fourth Dimension
Posted: 18 Sep 2015, 06:21
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Maniacs in the Fourth Dimension" by YT Whitemansson.]
2 out of 4 stars
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Maniacs in the Fourth Dimension by Y. T. Whitemansson is a satirical fantasy novel that explores the Gnostic belief that the world exists in multiple dimension at the same time, and that it is possible to travel between them through different methods.
The story starts with a large variety of characters attending the “Convention-con,” which is a caricature of fantasy conventions. Each character has a different agenda at the Convention-con, but most end up attending a session where a new comic book author named Abraxas talks about his comic book “365 Heavens.” Abraxas ends up telling them that his comic book is real, and is actually a guide to the first few dimensions. He transports them all into the fourth dimension, explaining to them how to begin moving onward through the dimensions and tells them that all life is about to be destroyed on the first 52 dimensions unless they travel through different dimensions collecting energy to neutralize the threat.
The story is told from the perspective of multiple characters but focuses for the most part on a group of university friends as they transverse through the dimensions. As the get farther along in their journey and have to fight harder for survival, they begin to see each other quite differently.
I found the idea for the story really interesting and was kept engaged by the unpredictability of what they found on their journey. One of the characters was a theology student who continually added tidbits about Gnostic philosophy and history, which were helpful as I started reading the book with no knowledge on the subject.
Although the plot was engaging and kept me reading, it was extremely difficult to follow what was happening due to the multitude of narrators and the inability to discern who was narrating until another character called the narrator by name. This was especially difficult at the beginning of the story when nearly everyone present in the room with Abraxas had a voice. The author would narrate in each individual’s diction and grammar which helped slightly, but at points it was difficult to tell if grammar errors were the narrator’s or the author’s. I also had a difficult time relating to any of the characters as I found them all generally unlikeable. This might have been solved if any of them had gotten to narrate for a longer length of time, and I’d had a chance to invest myself in their story.
Overall I would give this book 2 out of 4 stars. The idea for the story was really good and well thought out, but it was extremely difficult to follow due to the mass of narrators. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to think about reality from a different perspective, as long as they don’t mind a constantly changing narrator.
******
Maniacs in the Fourth Dimension
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
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2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Maniacs in the Fourth Dimension by Y. T. Whitemansson is a satirical fantasy novel that explores the Gnostic belief that the world exists in multiple dimension at the same time, and that it is possible to travel between them through different methods.
The story starts with a large variety of characters attending the “Convention-con,” which is a caricature of fantasy conventions. Each character has a different agenda at the Convention-con, but most end up attending a session where a new comic book author named Abraxas talks about his comic book “365 Heavens.” Abraxas ends up telling them that his comic book is real, and is actually a guide to the first few dimensions. He transports them all into the fourth dimension, explaining to them how to begin moving onward through the dimensions and tells them that all life is about to be destroyed on the first 52 dimensions unless they travel through different dimensions collecting energy to neutralize the threat.
The story is told from the perspective of multiple characters but focuses for the most part on a group of university friends as they transverse through the dimensions. As the get farther along in their journey and have to fight harder for survival, they begin to see each other quite differently.
I found the idea for the story really interesting and was kept engaged by the unpredictability of what they found on their journey. One of the characters was a theology student who continually added tidbits about Gnostic philosophy and history, which were helpful as I started reading the book with no knowledge on the subject.
Although the plot was engaging and kept me reading, it was extremely difficult to follow what was happening due to the multitude of narrators and the inability to discern who was narrating until another character called the narrator by name. This was especially difficult at the beginning of the story when nearly everyone present in the room with Abraxas had a voice. The author would narrate in each individual’s diction and grammar which helped slightly, but at points it was difficult to tell if grammar errors were the narrator’s or the author’s. I also had a difficult time relating to any of the characters as I found them all generally unlikeable. This might have been solved if any of them had gotten to narrate for a longer length of time, and I’d had a chance to invest myself in their story.
Overall I would give this book 2 out of 4 stars. The idea for the story was really good and well thought out, but it was extremely difficult to follow due to the mass of narrators. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to think about reality from a different perspective, as long as they don’t mind a constantly changing narrator.
******
Maniacs in the Fourth Dimension
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
Like rspinelli's review? Post a comment saying so!