Review of The Dark Secret of Ian's Peak

[Shally Z]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Dark Secret of Ian's Peak" by D.J. Brand.]

---

3 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

The Dark Secret of Ian’s Peak is a 67-page science fiction mystery written by D.J. Brand. In just nine chapters, the author gives us an introduction to the series and the power of “Dream Reality”. James Thompson was an ordinary teenager until he went into Cave Death four years ago with his best friend, Josh Brown. Inside, they find a science laboratory. As a joke, he lay down on the experimental table and was accidentally electrocuted. Since then, he has been given the powers of Dream Reality and now experiences vivid dreams of past, present, and future events.

The book begins with a stranger mysteriously arriving in a quiet town and burning down the local school, killing the principal, who was still inside the building. This stranger has now kidnapped Josh’s little brother. Can James use his powers to find the culprit before it’s too late?

I was originally drawn to the book because I was curious about Dream Reality and how James would adapt to these newfound powers. I thought it was interesting that the author has an acting background and originally intended this book to be a screenplay. This was most clearly seen in the opening, as it was written like a short, action-packed opening sequence of a movie.

However, I found the pacing inconsistent at times. For example, the revelation of the stranger’s identity and the ending of the book felt very abrupt compared to earlier parts of the book where the author took the time to set the scene. I was hoping for a mystery story with clues for us to figure out the stranger’s identity, but in the end, the stranger’s identity was just told to us. I would have liked it if the author spent more time fleshing out the plot of the book and leading us towards the solution rather than directly telling readers.

I also found the switching between perspectives confusing at some points. James, our protagonist, had his view told in the first person, but the other characters were described in the third person. There were parts of the book when the switch in perspectives was not clear to me.

The book began with a gripping and vivid introduction but started to lose me due to the inconsistent perspectives and pacing. The book also needs a round of professional editing, as there were more than 10 errors in the first 5 pages. Despite these negatives, I found this a quick read, and I am still curious about the Dream Reality experiments carried out in Cave Death. Because of these reasons, I give this book a rating of 3 out of 5 stars.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy science fiction novels and want something short to read. The book would be appropriate for most adults, but it does touch on sensitive and violent themes such as kidnapping, child abuse, and arson.

******
The Dark Secret of Ian's Peak
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[NetMassimo]

This mix of mystery and science fiction has good potential but the author should do more editing to improve it and correct the errors. Thank you for your honest review!

[Michael Gambo]

Your critique about pacing is valuable, as inconsistent pacing can affect the overall reading experience. The book ought to be further edited to correct the errors you mentioned. Numerous errors in the first few pages can distract readers and potentially diminish the overall quality of the book.

[Mehul P]

I was looking for a Sci-fi horror book for so long. Finally, I've found it. I'm a great fan of horror movies and Sci-fi genre incorporated with Horror makes it even more scary. Thank you.

[Jennifer Garcia 555]

This sounds like an interesting plot. It’s too back it had negative aspects and so many errors. Great review.

[Shally Z]

This mix of mystery and science fiction has good potential but the author should do more editing to improve it and correct the errors. Thank you for your honest review!

Yes it was a really quick and interesting read but I was just a little disappointed by the editing. Thank you for your comment

[Shally Z]

Your critique about pacing is valuable, as inconsistent pacing can affect the overall reading experience. The book ought to be further edited to correct the errors you mentioned. Numerous errors in the first few pages can distract readers and potentially diminish the overall quality of the book.

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment Michael

[Shally Z]

I was looking for a Sci-fi horror book for so long. Finally, I've found it. I'm a great fan of horror movies and Sci-fi genre incorporated with Horror makes it even more scary. Thank you.

You're very welcome Mehul - I hope you enjoy the book.

[Shally Z]

This sounds like an interesting plot. It’s too back it had negative aspects and so many errors. Great review.

Thanks Jennifer. It was really a shame since it had such potential!