"The 13th Hour" Review

This is my friend's book, he's trying to draw attention to a book he has written. Check it out on facebook. Here's the link: http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=304984697029 He describes the book as: "I've written a novel called “Wilderness” which I'm sending out to agents (think "Calvin and Hobbes" written by Neil Gaiman)" He also says "one who friends the group will get any messages from me, they will just be helping a young aspiring novelist." I think that's a worthy cause.

Hello,

"The 13th Hour" by Richard Doetsch is a very intense and interesting book. What is the book about? I'm quoting from the book jacket itself. "A mesmerizing thriller-told in reverse! The 13th Hour is the story of a man given the chance to go back in time in one-hour increments to prevent a vicious crime from destroying his life."

I read about the first 20 pages and I was not liking this book. If you stick with it, like I did, it gets a lot better. It's almost like it took 20 or 30 pages for the author to tell the story effectively.

Page 193: It certainly has been as promised so far. It took the author about 50 pages to find his footing. Also at first the book was at it's most interesting when it revolved around the couple at the center of the story, Nick and Julia. Once he found his footing though, the story has become very exciting. It's so hard for me to put down.

I only have one concern, this is how Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol" was for me. Then when I was done with it, I realized I had been on a sugar rush. After finishing it I felt deflated. Now I look back at that book with disdain. I'm glad I read it if only to satiate my curiosity, but no other reason. That makes me nervous about this book but so far "The 13th Hour" has more story. The story is also a lot more believable, other than the time traveling angle. It's also more entertaining and better written.

I still wonder at the end will my hunger have been satiated or is this just going to be a sugar rush as well?

Page 237: The story is continuing to hold up. The story is going back in time. It will continue to do so as long as the main character Nick Quinn has the magic watch. Nick continues going back in time and so each hour is almost like it's own little story. The person that gave him the watch said going back in time would last for about 12 hours. So when someone dies-two very central people die-they'll be back alive when time goes backward again. Of course Nick can't die, that would negate the backwards time effect seemingly. Although he has come very close to death once so far, but the magic watch saved him. (I only say magic for the lack of a better word.)

Page 310: The exciting finale is coming up. This book is a lot more satisfying than "The Lost Symbol". The bad guys are real people, unlike most of Brown's villians. They are motivated by logical things like revenge, greed, living a good life. Yes just like alleged "good" people.

Although the book could have become rote and predictable, Doetsch has thought the whole story out. Everything fits, the good guys don't win every battle. The bad guys are just as smart as the good guys. And the bad guys are much more ruthless than the good guys.

Thankfully my fears about this book leaving me empty weren't realized. The ending to this book was very good. A very satisfying ending to a very good book. The end leaves me tingling. Also the book sets itself up for a sequel. I know this is the age of the sequel, but let's hop Doetsch leaves well enough alone.

You definitely need to read this book! I expect it to be on the movie screens in a couple of years.

themusicaddict