Official Review: 101 People To Kill Before I Die

[InStoree]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "101 People To Kill Before I Die" by Anthony O'Connor.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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Brian Samuals is a former Australian police officer, soldier, ex-convict, and a recently divorced man; he goes on “a homicidal killing spree” after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, leaving him only six months to live. The protagonist creates a list of people who wronged him in the past, and he decides to seek revenge on every one of them, one by one. He commits the murders, leaving no trace until things derail, and he becomes the most wanted criminal in Australia. “Mine was a path of justice and vengeance. Payback. Righteousness.” But will he be able to cover his tracks from the Australian Federal Police or the CIA? How will Natasha, the beautiful stripper, become involved in Brian’s life? What unexpected turn happened that British anti-terrorist squads, a Chinese mob, and the powerful head of a Russian crime organization — along with Russia’s most feared assassin — are on Brian’s trail? And why?

101 People to Kill Before I Die, by Anthony O’Connor, is a horror fiction that unfolds as a murderous bloodbath fueled by the protagonist’s anger and desire for revenge. Brian’s hypocritical and disrespectful personality is depicted by the active dialogue that flows throughout the novel. His furious nature, along with numerous swear words, could be justified by the shocking news of his terminal illness. But his naturally dominant behavior didn’t create any empathy for such an arrogant character. During the novel, the arc of his character development moves from an ordinary citizen to a cold-blooded killer eager to satisfy his thirst for blood. His creative idea to use a different weapon for each murder is part of the book’s originality — though this faded after just a few weapons.

With minimal words and a blunt writing style, the author manages to touch on various significant topics related to banks’ self-interests, prostitution, human trafficking, police corruption, and government control of the population. Once I became used to the word-deficient sentences, the plot kept me engaged and eager to find out what happens next and how the story will end. The homicidal moments were quite intense scenes as the author described the terrifying dark places of Brian’s mind. I felt uncomfortable shivers while reading the chapter entitled “The Night of the Garrote” when “the wire started cutting viciously into his [Andrew’s] neck.”

Although the title seemed to be self-explanatory, it’s in fact misleading. I would suggest a more suitable title. The number of murders is not 101 but rather 33 plus collateral victims. In addition, seemingly contrived or exaggerated plot events occurred to keep the story alive, and at some point, spoilers were introduced in the narrative, completely destroying the suspense. By the middle of the book, there were so many characters that I needed a pen and paper to keep track of them in order to follow the plotline; at this point, readers can easily get lost and quit reading. The constant aggressive tone might also be a setback.

Characters act in an unrealistic manner, and most of the time, the book’s content seems to be written more for the author’s therapeutic value than for the reader’s interest. The book needs professional proofreading to correct the grammatical errors and thorough copyediting to improve the syntax.

Those who enjoy crime novels and sarcastic criminals would find this book intriguing. However, I would recommend it mostly to men. Women might find the author’s view regarding female characters offensive; they are discriminated against and often treated as sexual objects. Sexual intercourse is described in graphic details with BDSM references. There are violent murders, torture scenes, gruesome outbursts, bloody moments, and humiliating episodes. Considering all the negative points, I rate 101 People to Kill Before I Die with 2 out of 4 stars for the author’s ability to expose the mind’s darkness, perversions, and pure evilness.

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101 People To Kill Before I Die
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[Excel 2021]

Beautiful plot, great storyline but poor execution. However I am not a great fan of such violence. Great review by the way.

[NetMassimo]

A thriller that addresses important issues and humanity's dark sides is intriguing. In this case, a professional editor might help the author in developing it properly and with proofreading. Thank you for your honest review!

[Shieldmaiden88]

Wow, that got my attention! It’s been a long time since I gave an thought to the idea of someone committing murder or other crimes of vengeance because they have nothing to lose anymore. Fortunately I haven’t heard about that happening in real life but it really makes you stop and think how you are living your life. Is there anyone you offended and never reconciled?

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

Characters act in an unrealistic manner, and most of the time, the book’s content seems to be written more for the author’s therapeutic value than for the reader’s interest.

Yes, some authors do that.
I was actually very attracted by the title. I do wonder if there are 101 different weapons that a norm citizen could access. But later on, you clarified there were 33.
I think the premise is not bad and if the author polished mistakes and managed to make the character relatable it could be just my kind of book.
As always a very analytical review, @InStoree!

[InStoree]

Characters act in an unrealistic manner, and most of the time, the book’s content seems to be written more for the author’s therapeutic value than for the reader’s interest.

Yes, some authors do that.
I was actually very attracted by the title. I do wonder if there are 101 different weapons that a norm citizen could access. But later on, you clarified there were 33.
I think the premise is not bad and if the author polished mistakes and managed to make the character relatable it could be just my kind of book.
As always a very analytical review, @InStoree!

I think it's fair to say that most of us had a revenge feeling at some point, and Brian can be quite relatable in that department exploring a fury that has been buried and carried inside of a citizen heart. Without giving any spoiler, his resentment goes beyond the acquaintance's circles. When you're upset on the government or illegal organizations, this book might release some tension. Or, give some ideas... (?)

Indeed, an editor helps to bring the premise to a more widespread audience. Thank you for your perceptive comment @Lunastella!

[InStoree]

Wow, that got my attention! It’s been a long time since I gave an thought to the idea of someone committing murder or other crimes of vengeance because they have nothing to lose anymore. Fortunately I haven’t heard about that happening in real life but it really makes you stop and think how you are living your life. Is there anyone you offended and never reconciled?

Well, that's one of the questions that this book raises. Brian has his version of the answer. I hope you'll check it out. Thanks for taking the time!

[InStoree]

A thriller that addresses important issues and humanity's dark sides is intriguing. In this case, a professional editor might help the author in developing it properly and with proofreading. Thank you for your honest review!

Well-said! After a careful editorial polish and improvement of the shortcomings, the book might have a different impact on readers. Thank you for your thoughtful comment!

[InStoree]

Beautiful plot, great storyline but poor execution. However I am not a great fan of such violence. Great review by the way.

Thank you!

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

Characters act in an unrealistic manner, and most of the time, the book’s content seems to be written more for the author’s therapeutic value than for the reader’s interest.

Yes, some authors do that.
I was actually very attracted by the title. I do wonder if there are 101 different weapons that a norm citizen could access. But later on, you clarified there were 33.
I think the premise is not bad and if the author polished mistakes and managed to make the character relatable it could be just my kind of book.
As always a very analytical review, @InStoree!

I think it's fair to say that most of us had a revenge feeling at some point, and Brian can be quite relatable in that department exploring a fury that has been buried and carried inside of a citizen heart. Without giving any spoiler, his resentment goes beyond the acquaintance's circles. When you're upset with the government or illegal organizations, this book might release some tension. Or, give some ideas... (?)

Indeed, an editor helps to bring the premise to a more widespread audience. Thank you for your perceptive comment @Lunastella!

I had the same thought. I hope no one takes this as a manual...It's better to write it down than to make it real.

[Stephanie Runyon]

This book sounds like a twisted blood bath. If it was made into a movie it would probably fall in with Hannibal Lector or the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The issues you mentioned are very persuasive reasons to avoid reading this book. Great review#

[InStoree]

This book sounds like a twisted blood bath. If it was made into a movie it would probably fall in with Hannibal Lector or the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The issues you mentioned are very persuasive reasons to avoid reading this book. Great review#

Thank you! Yes, those are some suitable analogies. I would however suggest improving the quality of the text in order to fully fall along with awarded movies. Perhaps, can even be polished the corners of the aggressive tone a little.

[Jeremie Mondejar]

The theme in this book seems horror for me. I'm glad you like reading this book. Since the protagonist knows his death, killing for revenge seems a great satisfaction for him.

[Joy Phill]

The plot is believable & captivating. However graphic scenes is not my forte. I'll pass on this. Thanks for a very detailed review.

[InStoree]

Thank you for taking the time, @jeminah28!