Official Review: Swampwalker by J. K. Jolliff

Guda Lydia · Post by **Guda Lydia** » 07 Dec 2020, 12:31

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Swampwalker" by J. K. Jolliff.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Carlos O’Keefe is a Cuban-Irish graduate student undertaking advanced genetics at the University of New Orleans. He is driven, open-minded, and quite stubborn when it comes to listening to his lecturer, Dr. Friedrich Fanning. As a result, he takes a detour from his main area of study, swamp rats, and starts to follow a controversial phenomenon, the swamp ape or locally known as the swampwalker. Carlos is determined to uncover conclusive and scientific evidence of the swampwalker and either approve or disprove the animal’s existence. He begins by looking at past witness statements and sightings of the elusive creature.

His path steers him to the Bottomlands, where he meets Julius Babineaux and Jim Papatonis. Julius is an eccentric individual with a difficult personality and a wave of hidden anger within him. He is the resident swampwalker expert, but with questionable credibility due to his sensational past. Jim, on the other hand, is quite levelheaded and an expert bear tracker and conservationist. He is much more composed and seems to have pure motives compared to Julius. Carlos’s research will take him to a world he had never imagined or thought of, and it will reach a point where he will struggle to keep his head above board and his mission on course. Further, the research will lead him to a realization that will question his true intent and need for searching for the swamp ape.

J.K. Jolliff instantly captures the reader’s attention right from the introduction, which starts by philosophically explaining three mysterious sightings of the elusive swamp ape. The author explicitly describes each character and provides an in-depth introduction of each and the reason for their being. The vivid descriptions of swampy and murky scenes, and the various animals and insects, enable one to not only visualize them but also feel them, making it a holistic reading experience. Additionally, Carlos’s sarcastic nature brings in humor and moments of laughter, making the book immensely enjoyable and engaging.

My favorite aspect of the book is its explanatory nature. The various environmental and genetic concepts are explained in pleasant and simple terms, enabling anyone to grasp them effortlessly, for instance, when talking about hiking, how to spot different tracks of various animals, or the evolution theories and their deficiencies. There is absolutely nothing to dislike about the read; however, I noted that the author, at times, tended to over-explain or over-introduce a person or place. I cannot conclusively decide whether this bothered me or not.

Swampwalker is excellently edited; I did not find any grammatical or spelling errors. The language employed is intelligible, and there are no cases of profanities, therefore, suitable for a wide range of readers. The book is both immensely educative and entertaining; there are many helpful concepts to learn as one reads the captivating story. Additionally, the book evokes emotions such as suspicion, anger, pain, and a sense of discovery as the story approaches its conclusion. Therefore, I happily award Swampwalker a deserved rating of 4 out of 4 stars and recommend it to anyone looking for an eye-opening, human-centered, and profound Bigfoot story with a scientific approach.

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Swampwalker
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Silpi B · Post by **Silpi B** » 09 Dec 2020, 14:49

This certainly sounds very unique and interesting. The blend of an air of adventure with descriptions of nature seems like the perfect read to me. Beautiful review. It makes the book come alive in front of one's eyes.

Joan642 · Post by **Joan642** » 09 Dec 2020, 16:16

Seeing the title at first, I thought it was a mystery thriller, but as I read your well detailed review it shows that this is going to be an intriuging sci-fi.

Serenity2010 · Post by **Serenity2010** » 09 Dec 2020, 17:33

This book sounds interesting, it reminds me of the various videos people post on youtube about the supernatural, except more in depth because of the story. Thanks for the well written review.

Faithy_Goody_Star · Post by **Faithy_Goody_Star** » 11 Dec 2020, 12:35

This book seems informative and eye-opening. Great review!

Guda Lydia · Post by **Guda Lydia** » 14 Dec 2020, 04:40

Silpi B wrote: ↑09 Dec 2020, 14:49 This certainly sounds very unique and interesting. The blend of an air of adventure with descriptions of nature seems like the perfect read to me. Beautiful review. It makes the book come alive in front of one's eyes.

It was indeed an intriguing and unique read. Thank you.

Guda Lydia · Post by **Guda Lydia** » 14 Dec 2020, 04:41

Serenity2010 wrote: ↑09 Dec 2020, 17:33 This book sounds interesting, it reminds me of the various videos people post on youtube about the supernatural, except more in depth because of the story. Thanks for the well written review.

Thank you for your kind comments.