Review by jhmende -- Sunspots by Gary Martin
-
jhmende
- Posts: 52
- Joined: 15 Aug 2016, 21:34
- Currently Reading: The Bible
- Bookshelf Size: 19
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-jhmende.html
- Latest Review: "Blowing Sandstorm" by Horace Crenshaw, Jr.
Review by jhmende -- Sunspots by Gary Martin
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Sunspots" by Gary Martin.]
2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Sunspots, by Gary Martin, was a mess with lots of potential. I hate giving books ratings of two out of four, but I have to on this one. The worst part of it is that, if it weren’t for the constant grammatical errors and basic storytelling mistakes, this short novel had a chance and probably would have gotten a better score. Sadly, though, it feels more like the rough draft of a book, not an actual finished product.
This quick read occurs primarily on a spaceship that dumps garbage onto the surface of the sun, focusing on the crew onboard. The action really begins to pick up when, at one point, one shift wakes up to discover that part of the ship and half of the crew have suddenly vanished. The plot did keep me guessing, and I will say that I did not expect the ending.
The thing that did help this story was the world building. For that, I do have to applaud Gary Martin. From the ship that the main characters are on to the dystopian society back on earth, there was a lot of thought and creativity that surprised me. One of the most entertaining parts about the book, at least for me, was the way the dumping vessel and its crew worked. They were kind of shambled together and didn’t really know what they were doing, and, as an employee of a fast food company, it added an extra layer of relatability. That, however, is just a personal thing.
On top of building a thought-out world, Gary Martin also makes it seem more real by having the characters talk about the world in a seemingly normal way. The protagonist (the book is written in first person) will speak about the way the government controls people and how people are punished for minor crimes as if it were just natural, which makes sense for his situation. It helped add another layer to the whole reality Martin made.
While there was good world building, though, the actual story stumbled and tripped all over the place. There were things that came out of nowhere and had no real buildup; there were multiple scenes that felt completely out of place with the rest of the book and the flow of the plot. Dialogue between characters was often spot-on, with no subtly or layers. I won’t give away the ending, but, while I didn’t expect it, it didn’t really make that much sense. It was like the author tried too hard to be gross and sickening and just made something that, frankly, was ridiculous.
The worst part of all of this, though, was the grammar. While some people may not be bothered by it, and while no book will be perfect, I find that it always takes me out of a story if it seems like the writer forgot to proofread. Run-on sentences can be found on almost every page. There will be commas where periods, colons, or semicolons are supposed to go. Though this doesn’t reflect on the author’s storytelling ability, it does reflect on the overall quality of this novel.
I was disappointed with Sunspots. I wouldn’t have been disappointed with it if it hadn’t shown some cleverness and creativity. Sadly, though, most of the good stuff was buried in bad stuff. I have to give this one 2 out of 4 stars and would not recommend.
******
Sunspots
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like jhmende's review? Post a comment saying so!
2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Sunspots, by Gary Martin, was a mess with lots of potential. I hate giving books ratings of two out of four, but I have to on this one. The worst part of it is that, if it weren’t for the constant grammatical errors and basic storytelling mistakes, this short novel had a chance and probably would have gotten a better score. Sadly, though, it feels more like the rough draft of a book, not an actual finished product.
This quick read occurs primarily on a spaceship that dumps garbage onto the surface of the sun, focusing on the crew onboard. The action really begins to pick up when, at one point, one shift wakes up to discover that part of the ship and half of the crew have suddenly vanished. The plot did keep me guessing, and I will say that I did not expect the ending.
The thing that did help this story was the world building. For that, I do have to applaud Gary Martin. From the ship that the main characters are on to the dystopian society back on earth, there was a lot of thought and creativity that surprised me. One of the most entertaining parts about the book, at least for me, was the way the dumping vessel and its crew worked. They were kind of shambled together and didn’t really know what they were doing, and, as an employee of a fast food company, it added an extra layer of relatability. That, however, is just a personal thing.
On top of building a thought-out world, Gary Martin also makes it seem more real by having the characters talk about the world in a seemingly normal way. The protagonist (the book is written in first person) will speak about the way the government controls people and how people are punished for minor crimes as if it were just natural, which makes sense for his situation. It helped add another layer to the whole reality Martin made.
While there was good world building, though, the actual story stumbled and tripped all over the place. There were things that came out of nowhere and had no real buildup; there were multiple scenes that felt completely out of place with the rest of the book and the flow of the plot. Dialogue between characters was often spot-on, with no subtly or layers. I won’t give away the ending, but, while I didn’t expect it, it didn’t really make that much sense. It was like the author tried too hard to be gross and sickening and just made something that, frankly, was ridiculous.
The worst part of all of this, though, was the grammar. While some people may not be bothered by it, and while no book will be perfect, I find that it always takes me out of a story if it seems like the writer forgot to proofread. Run-on sentences can be found on almost every page. There will be commas where periods, colons, or semicolons are supposed to go. Though this doesn’t reflect on the author’s storytelling ability, it does reflect on the overall quality of this novel.
I was disappointed with Sunspots. I wouldn’t have been disappointed with it if it hadn’t shown some cleverness and creativity. Sadly, though, most of the good stuff was buried in bad stuff. I have to give this one 2 out of 4 stars and would not recommend.
******
Sunspots
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like jhmende's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: "Blowing Sandstorm" by Horace Crenshaw, Jr.
