1:10:29 It’s possible that the author lapsed into the lore of the monster and assumes the reader would know that two magical cannibals, even of different species, avoid one another. I run into this problem in my own writing all the time. When you know a type of lore inside out and backwards, it’s easy to forget not everyone else will make the same connections. This story is full of that kind of ‘writerism’. 1:12:28 The difference between Charlie and Robert is that Seymour used samples from Robert to make Charlie a cannibal of other monkies, not humans. Macaques eat fruit, legumes, and other vegetables and grains. Making Charlie a cannibal is totally against his nature. This is likely why none of them survived. 1:19:05 That there is a process to become this kind of cannibal makes it specific to humans, and wouldn’t work with a different species. Charlie never had a chance. 1:29:11 Cannibals of this kind are loners, they will kill any competition, another ‘writerism’ on the author’s part. She shoots Robert, and we aren’t shown WHY. This bothered me. 1:40:33 You may not agree with this take: This book was written by a clinically detached person who’s two steps removed from their characters. There isn’t any introspection happening within the characters, which is a red flag. You can’t write what doesn’t exist inside you. I read the sample chapter, and it frustrated me...because we’re kept totally separate from the characters internal life. Overall, would I read this book? No. The lack of introspection of the characters (based on the sample chapters from amazon) make this too ‘on the surface’ for me. The author himself teases that Lauren is a pen name and his real name is sprinkled through out the books. These aren’t simply stories, they’re puzzles. I got the sense the author is messing with the readers and it turned me right off. In his own words: Read the standalone sequel set in the Dark Descendants universe, filled with psychological twists, grotesque discoveries, bodily transformations, cannibalistic creatures, and a pinch of salt. What is a perfect body worth when you’re no longer human? Lauren Chambers has a background deeply rooted in the complex terrains of psychological science. With an academic background in personality studies, psychometrics, and psychoanalysis, he crafts stories that delve beyond the surface of fear and into the intricate psyche of his characters, offering both intelligent and warped personalities, often consumed by their own psychic creations. Combining his passion for psychology with a fascination in collective myths, he seeks to continue the uncanny cultural tapestry of his favorite legends, whether of Christian lore, Canadian monsters, or alchemical achievements. As his first series, The Dark Descendants encompasses a lifelong obsession with the liminal space where madness becomes mystical.
You mentioning writerisms makes a lot of sense to me. I don't know what the author's crit partners looked like, if any, if there were some that didn't know them intimately to allow for feedback from a completely foreign mind, but I think that happens a lot with newer writers. Don't know what other people don't know, and it's hard to tell what info to give. It might be one of the things exactly I feel missing from their books. Reading the Dark Creator, it's the same issue and feels detached, though the characters in it feel even LESS focused on motive than in this one. I think that may have been why I Violinist faded in the background of my mind once it was over. I see neat ideas and threads to pull at, but not a full commitment to bringing them out, and if they were, it could be something much richer. Also, I didn't know that about mystical cannibals! That's interesting lore and also neat for the setup. Always love your thoughts, Spooky! Thank you!
1:10:29 It’s possible that the author lapsed into the lore of the monster and assumes the reader would know that two magical cannibals, even of different species, avoid one another. I run into this problem in my own writing all the time. When you know a type of lore inside out and backwards, it’s easy to forget not everyone else will make the same connections. This story is full of that kind of ‘writerism’.
1:12:28 The difference between Charlie and Robert is that Seymour used samples from Robert to make Charlie a cannibal of other monkies, not humans. Macaques eat fruit, legumes, and other vegetables and grains. Making Charlie a cannibal is totally against his nature. This is likely why none of them survived.
1:19:05 That there is a process to become this kind of cannibal makes it specific to humans, and wouldn’t work with a different species. Charlie never had a chance.
1:29:11 Cannibals of this kind are loners, they will kill any competition, another ‘writerism’ on the author’s part. She shoots Robert, and we aren’t shown WHY. This bothered me.
1:40:33 You may not agree with this take: This book was written by a clinically detached person who’s two steps removed from their characters. There isn’t any introspection happening within the characters, which is a red flag. You can’t write what doesn’t exist inside you. I read the sample chapter, and it frustrated me...because we’re kept totally separate from the characters internal life.
Overall, would I read this book? No. The lack of introspection of the characters (based on the sample chapters from amazon) make this too ‘on the surface’ for me. The author himself teases that Lauren is a pen name and his real name is sprinkled through out the books. These aren’t simply stories, they’re puzzles. I got the sense the author is messing with the readers and it turned me right off.
In his own words: Read the standalone sequel set in the Dark Descendants universe, filled with psychological twists, grotesque discoveries, bodily transformations, cannibalistic creatures, and a pinch of salt. What is a perfect body worth when you’re no longer human?
Lauren Chambers has a background deeply rooted in the complex terrains of psychological science. With an academic background in personality studies, psychometrics, and psychoanalysis, he crafts stories that delve beyond the surface of fear and into the intricate psyche of his characters, offering both intelligent and warped personalities, often consumed by their own psychic creations.
Combining his passion for psychology with a fascination in collective myths, he seeks to continue the uncanny cultural tapestry of his favorite legends, whether of Christian lore, Canadian monsters, or alchemical achievements. As his first series, The Dark Descendants encompasses a lifelong obsession with the liminal space where madness becomes mystical.
You mentioning writerisms makes a lot of sense to me. I don't know what the author's crit partners looked like, if any, if there were some that didn't know them intimately to allow for feedback from a completely foreign mind, but I think that happens a lot with newer writers. Don't know what other people don't know, and it's hard to tell what info to give. It might be one of the things exactly I feel missing from their books.
Reading the Dark Creator, it's the same issue and feels detached, though the characters in it feel even LESS focused on motive than in this one. I think that may have been why I Violinist faded in the background of my mind once it was over. I see neat ideas and threads to pull at, but not a full commitment to bringing them out, and if they were, it could be something much richer.
Also, I didn't know that about mystical cannibals! That's interesting lore and also neat for the setup.
Always love your thoughts, Spooky! Thank you!
@@KirkpattieCake you’re welcome.
A cannibal by the name Robert Hare? Really? A little on the nose isn’t it? 🤣🤣🤣