Review of The Futility of Vengeance
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Jackie Kook
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Review of The Futility of Vengeance
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Futility of Vengeance" by Adam Guest.]
How do you avenge an action you committed in a different timeline? What impact will this have on the people you love in that timeline? These are the central questions Gary Jackson must face, as each decision he makes spawns new “Worldlines” with ripple effects in his other timelines. After Black Line Gary lucid dreams into Blue Line Gary’s timeline and murders Gary’s partner Michelle, Blue Line Gary is acquitted in one “Worldline” and convicted in another. Fixated on correcting the injustice, he embarks on a journey to find support, redemption, and revenge across the “Worldlines.” His relationship with Sinead is tested throughout as she struggles to come to terms with her mother’s declining health and the increasing pressures of supporting Gary. Once Sinead’s mother succumbs to her illness, Gary’s actions put not only his own mental and physical health but also those of Sinead and Michelle in jeopardy. Gary’s integrity will determine the outcomes of each “Worldline.”
The second “Many Worlds” novel by author Adam Guest, The Futility of Vengeance picks up right where Worldlines left off and draws the reader through protagonist Gary Jackson’s post-trial lives. Interestingly, the original Black and Blue Line stories continue, although now additional lines are introduced, which makes the story more varied and tangled. It begins to read like a “choose your own adventure” novel, where the reader gets similar or duplicate passages in various timelines while also getting a different outcome each time. The directions Gary’s life takes in each “Worldline” lead to increasingly unexpected new paths, and by the end of the book I wondered when I can get my hands on the next book. Guest does a fantastic job of keeping each “Worldline” organized and flowing, which is vital to assist the reader in navigating the different timelines.
The main drawback to The Futility of Vengeance is that the story becomes overly complex as more “Worldlines” are introduced. I found it extremely helpful to create a map of each split with the new timeline name alongside a written list of each timeline and its major events. However, the number of “Worldlines” continues to increase, and at some point, there will either be too many to keep track of or some will have to be abandoned in favor of others. The reader may not realize a timeline has ended or recognize it if it comes back up in a subsequent book. Additionally, while this is a standalone story there is a lot of the “Many Worlds” theory that would be lost if a reader skipped the first book. There are numerous references to this type of quantum physics in pop culture, most notably in Marvel graphic novels, television, and movies, so most readers will enjoy the story regardless.
I rate this novel 4 out of 4 stars for the brilliant storyline, complexity of character development, and excellent editing. Guest weaves so much into each timeline that it is difficult to predict where the characters will go with their individual and intermingled stories. There is enough closure in certain timelines to satisfy the reader and many unraveled threads that can be tied up with the promise of future novels.
The audience for this book would be adults who have either read the first novel in the “Many Worlds” series, are interested in the “Many Worlds” theory, or are fans of the concept of parallel universes generated unwittingly by the decisions people make. Working knowledge of British slang and phrasing would come in handy, as there are phrases, words, and sentence structures that will be unfamiliar to readers who are primarily versed in US English. Because there is adult content in terms of violence, mild drug use, and sexual references, this novel would not be suitable for young readers.
******
The Futility of Vengeance
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
How do you avenge an action you committed in a different timeline? What impact will this have on the people you love in that timeline? These are the central questions Gary Jackson must face, as each decision he makes spawns new “Worldlines” with ripple effects in his other timelines. After Black Line Gary lucid dreams into Blue Line Gary’s timeline and murders Gary’s partner Michelle, Blue Line Gary is acquitted in one “Worldline” and convicted in another. Fixated on correcting the injustice, he embarks on a journey to find support, redemption, and revenge across the “Worldlines.” His relationship with Sinead is tested throughout as she struggles to come to terms with her mother’s declining health and the increasing pressures of supporting Gary. Once Sinead’s mother succumbs to her illness, Gary’s actions put not only his own mental and physical health but also those of Sinead and Michelle in jeopardy. Gary’s integrity will determine the outcomes of each “Worldline.”
The second “Many Worlds” novel by author Adam Guest, The Futility of Vengeance picks up right where Worldlines left off and draws the reader through protagonist Gary Jackson’s post-trial lives. Interestingly, the original Black and Blue Line stories continue, although now additional lines are introduced, which makes the story more varied and tangled. It begins to read like a “choose your own adventure” novel, where the reader gets similar or duplicate passages in various timelines while also getting a different outcome each time. The directions Gary’s life takes in each “Worldline” lead to increasingly unexpected new paths, and by the end of the book I wondered when I can get my hands on the next book. Guest does a fantastic job of keeping each “Worldline” organized and flowing, which is vital to assist the reader in navigating the different timelines.
The main drawback to The Futility of Vengeance is that the story becomes overly complex as more “Worldlines” are introduced. I found it extremely helpful to create a map of each split with the new timeline name alongside a written list of each timeline and its major events. However, the number of “Worldlines” continues to increase, and at some point, there will either be too many to keep track of or some will have to be abandoned in favor of others. The reader may not realize a timeline has ended or recognize it if it comes back up in a subsequent book. Additionally, while this is a standalone story there is a lot of the “Many Worlds” theory that would be lost if a reader skipped the first book. There are numerous references to this type of quantum physics in pop culture, most notably in Marvel graphic novels, television, and movies, so most readers will enjoy the story regardless.
I rate this novel 4 out of 4 stars for the brilliant storyline, complexity of character development, and excellent editing. Guest weaves so much into each timeline that it is difficult to predict where the characters will go with their individual and intermingled stories. There is enough closure in certain timelines to satisfy the reader and many unraveled threads that can be tied up with the promise of future novels.
The audience for this book would be adults who have either read the first novel in the “Many Worlds” series, are interested in the “Many Worlds” theory, or are fans of the concept of parallel universes generated unwittingly by the decisions people make. Working knowledge of British slang and phrasing would come in handy, as there are phrases, words, and sentence structures that will be unfamiliar to readers who are primarily versed in US English. Because there is adult content in terms of violence, mild drug use, and sexual references, this novel would not be suitable for young readers.
******
The Futility of Vengeance
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Souljourner by Paul Steven Stone
