Official Review: The Seer of Possibilities and Other Dist...

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Kristy Khem
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Official Review: The Seer of Possibilities and Other Dist...

Post by Kristy Khem »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Seer of Possibilities and Other Disturbing Tales" by Thomas O..]
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4 out of 4 stars
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The Seer of Possibilities and Other Disturbing Tales by Thomas O. is a collection of six short stories, each one equally as chilling as the last. In the first story, Jack receives small instructions from an entity, known as the ‘Seer’ through the internet. When Jack completes each demand of the Seer, it sets off a chain of events which lead to horrible things happening to the people around him, but Jack always benefits in some way. In the second story, an old man helps shape the photography skills of a college student in the most sinister way possible. The third features an evil twist on Phantom Limb Syndrome. The fourth story is centered on the degradation of nature and family legacies. The fifth features a gruesome killer in outer space. The sixth story delves into a boy’s childhood and describes how his wishes are always wickedly fulfilled each year around Christmas by a malevolent, supernatural visitor.

Some horror writers include lengthy, gory descriptions of death, evil beasts, and destruction to evoke their readers’ emotions. Some stories are written in the first person, to immerse the reader fully in the horror story. Thomas O. hardly uses gory descriptions, and his stories are written from both first person and third person perspectives. What is impressive, however, is that each of his stories accomplishes what every horror story aims to do – engross the reader in unpredictable twists, frighten them, and ensure that the story remains in their mind for a while after the book has ended, which consequently whets their appetite for more. This is all accomplished without the typical gory or frightening descriptions. His stories do not take a direct approach to horror, but there is a lot going on behind the scenes of each plot, things that are only hinted at, things which do not seem to add up, and things that are left unsaid. These subtleties are embedded in the actions and dialogue of the characters themselves. They stimulate the imagination and ultimately bring each tale to life in the mind of the reader. I really appreciate how Thomas O. was able to incorporate these details into his stories.

The characters in this book are masterpieces, especially the villains. Most of them seemed harmless at the beginning of the story, but they seem to morph into the most twisted souls before your very eyes. One such example is Mr. Videre, an old man who collects fine art, photography, and literature. At first glance, he seems to be a charming, eccentric elder. As the story goes on, I realize he is a master manipulator, perhaps even the devil himself in human form, as he nurtures the natural talents of people in the most horrible way, takes their first piece of work for his collection, and assures them that their talents will bring fame and fortune. He reminds me of an evil version of Professor Slughorn from the Harry Potter series.

Thomas O. is truly skilled in the art of horror story writing. His six stories show the versatility of the genre. He incorporates different elements of horror, each of which will appeal to readers based on their individual fears. For example, there is the fear of wishing for something which can be granted in the worst way possible, the horror connected to the destruction of nature, the fear of criminals, as well as the horror associated with demonic beings - this was the case in 'The Phantom Arm of Sebastian Culpepper'.

There were no flaws in Thomas O’s writing, except for a few errors like typos, but these were negligible. I rate The Seer of Possibilities and Other Disturbing Tales 4 out of 4 stars for its imaginative plots, the excellent characterization, and for showcasing the versatility of the genre. I will recommend this book to young adult horror fans, and anyone who enjoys thrilling stories. However, readers who become frightened easily may not enjoy this book because certain elements of these tales have a way of clawing into the subconscious and remaining there, forcing the reader to think about them again and again.

******
The Seer of Possibilities and Other Disturbing Tales
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Post by Book Lover 35 »

This book sounds great. I like that it is a book of scary stories. I need to check this one out. Thank you for the nice detailed review!
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Sonya Nicolaidis
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Post by Sonya Nicolaidis »

Well, I’m not a young adult (anymore!) but this book really appeals to me, so I have made a note to read it as soon as I can. Subtle horror has intrigued me since I was a child, and this was a brilliant recommendation. Thanks a million!
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Post by TJanowski23 »

This sounds too frightening for me. I think I will head your warning. Thanks for the review.
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Kristy Khem
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Post by Kristy Khem »

sonya01 wrote: 26 Nov 2018, 01:18 Well, I’m not a young adult (anymore!) but this book really appeals to me, so I have made a note to read it as soon as I can. Subtle horror has intrigued me since I was a child, and this was a brilliant recommendation. Thanks a million!
You're welcome, I know you won't be disappointed with this book. It was an incredible read!
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Post by T_stone »

The book has a great set of characters and good plots. I like horror books and I will recommend this to a few friends too. It's good book for horror fans and this is s great review. Thank you.
Feeling upset sometimes may be unavoidable, but acting distressed is always optional.

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Post by Caylie_Cat »

I'm pretty sure I would not being sleeping much after reading this book, but you have written a great review.
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Post by MsTri »

I saw this book on the list and sooo started to pick it, but ultimately chose the one I'm in the midst of reading now. I am enjoying my current book, but I still feel bad that I missed out on this good thing, too (ha-ha)! Thanks for confirming that it was a winner. Now I'll just have to get it on my own!
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Post by kandscreeley »

Wow! High praise! Dare I say that this is almost reminding me of a short story collection by Stephen King?? I haven't read something like this in a while. I'm going to have to put it on my to read shelf! Thanks.
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Kristy Khem
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Post by Kristy Khem »

MsTri wrote: 26 Nov 2018, 22:05 I saw this book on the list and sooo started to pick it, but ultimately chose the one I'm in the midst of reading now. I am enjoying my current book, but I still feel bad that I missed out on this good thing, too (ha-ha)! Thanks for confirming that it was a winner. Now I'll just have to get it on my own!
I know the feeling of almost picking a book and then reading the review, only to realise it was a great book! I hope the book you ended up choosing was equally enjoyable as this one :)
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Kristy Khem
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Post by Kristy Khem »

kandscreeley wrote: 27 Nov 2018, 16:31 Wow! High praise! Dare I say that this is almost reminding me of a short story collection by Stephen King?? I haven't read something like this in a while. I'm going to have to put it on my to read shelf! Thanks.
I'm glad my review convinced you to add this book to your 'to read' shelf. You won't be disappointed. I only read one Stephen King book years ago called Carrie, so I'm not very familiar with his style...but if you like unexpected and twisted endings, then this one is for you!
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