Official Review: Crueler and More Unusual by Erik Dean

Anon_Reviewer · Post by **Anon_Reviewer** » 16 Mar 2019, 10:22

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Crueler and More Unusual" by Erik Dean.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Crueler and More Unusual: Four More Short Stories of Judicial Horror (Cruel and Unusual Book 2) is a collection of four short stories by Erik Dean. Dean prefaces each story with a brief introduction. At the end of the book, he expands on why he wrote each story. I thought this added a special and personal touch to the anthology. All four stories show how the USA’s justice system could possibly evolve in the future.

The Dummy: The first story in the anthology centers around the dangers that come with driving under the influence. Car mechanic friends, Huan and Robert, get a first-hand experience of these dangers after a wild night out.

Early Release: During the first year of an inmate’s life sentence, the victim’s family is given the chance to choose the Early Release option. If they do, they are given 24 hours to track the criminal down and do as they please with him/her.

Public Pool: Luis and Carlos finally get their efforts rewarded when they win a lucrative pool building contract. Unfortunately, jealousy, betrayal, and deception soon get in the way of their success.

Broken Justice: The final story transports the reader to a future where the justice system heavily relies on artificial intelligence. For the most part, this system is more effective and transparent than the one before it. However, malfunctions or ‘breaks’ in the system sometimes set the guilty free and executes the innocent.

I liked that each story had a unique identity. Each one was intriguing and interesting in its own way. Across the board, the characters were well-developed and relatable. I enjoyed Early Release the most. It kept me guessing and I did not see the twist at the end coming. I liked Broken Justice the least. It was much shorter than the other stories and had an abrupt ending.

There was nothing in particular that I disliked about this book. Overall, the stories were well-paced and engaging. Unfortunately, the anthology can do with another round of editing and polishing. The common errors in the book include misspellings, inconsistent capitalization, and changes in tense.

Thus, I rate Crueler and More Unusual 3 out of 4 stars. If it weren't for the errors, I would gladly give it a perfect rating. I recommend it to readers who are looking for a quick read that is packed with thought-provoking lessons. Fans of mystery and horror might also find it worthwhile. Some of the stories contain violent scenes, as well as descriptions of murder and torture. As such, I don’t recommend it to young or sensitive readers.

Although this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. I look forward to reading other works by this author.

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Crueler and More Unusual
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chiefsimplex · Post by **chiefsimplex** » 24 Mar 2019, 15:20

I like the author's manner of writing ,a single theme is maintained through the stories.This kind of imagination is fascinating ,i'm also wondering if the world would be better with the 'Early release' or everything would just fall apart, we might lose some of the gains of civilisation or much much worse.All the same, i find the author's creativity impressive,i got to think of all the wild possibilities.Thanks for such a great review.

Post by **kandscreeley** » 24 Mar 2019, 20:04

Wow. I love that the author explains the stories! I can't wait to find out what the author thinks the legal system will be like in the future. I think I can overlook the errors. Thanks!

crsz10 · Post by **crsz10** » 26 Mar 2019, 20:24

That's an interesting style of writing. I've always been interested in artificial intelligence as a debate topic in regards to whether it would benefit society. Great review. Sounds like an interesting read!

Prisallen · Post by **Prisallen** » 28 Mar 2019, 16:57

Since I do like mystery, I may have to add this book to my list of books to read. The four short stories would make it easier to break the book down into shorter reading sessions, and they all sound interesting. Good review!

Espie · Post by **Espie** » 29 Mar 2019, 06:38

Although I've made a considerable headway recently, my qualms about horrific details still remain. The mystery is a good aspect, though. Thank you for your honest review.

Kristin Ransome · Post by **Kristin Ransome** » 30 Mar 2019, 18:33

This book sounds interesting and has definitely piqued my interest! I like how the author has an explanation at the end to explain his thoughts, after the reader has formed their own opinions. Thanks for your review