The work is a vampire novel with all the usual trappings of vampire legend, as Chris Poirier mentioned. It seems distinctly inspired by the Underworld movies. That is to say, it’s not hugely original, but the author, Becka Sutton, is a good writer, which makes it worth a look.
I think there are some shortcomings in terms of a lack of tension. We don’t get the strong impression, for example, that David is in real danger. Perhaps introducing the vampire, Leisa, in a scene in which she does stalk and kill a victim would create more palpable danger, and perhaps make for a more complex character. The story also has a distinct lack of description. I don’t feel the reader gets much sense of what locations and persons look like. Adding a lot of description to tense scenes can also help to slow down the pace and add to the tension, perhaps. Describing the characters, especially by drawing them as attractive and physically desirable, could also help explain the element of attraction between he two main characters.
On the other hand, the characters seem well drawn. They feel distinct and believable. The story does start strong and keeps one interested.
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The Smell Collector is an odd bit of fiction.
Its central character, Jim Bronson, is fascinating in all his socially awkward, idiosyncratic glory. As the title would suggest, he collects smells. He’s fascinated with his olfactory sense and seems to devote the majority of his time working out the mysteries in everything he smells and determining the physical and chemical makeups of each scent.
He’s a weird guy. And that makes him fun to read. But lest we get bored of his oddities, the author also tells his story from various other viewpoints, which allows for a little more humor and emotional impact. I don’t think our hero Jim Bronson is very good at either humor or emotion. But the story as a whole does pretty well with it. It’s entertaining and kind of sweet. Maybe "charming" is the most accurate word for it.
I think my only complaint is that The Smell Collector is slow to start. The first few posts were like jumping into a freezing swimming pool . . . I was in shock because of how weird the narrator was. But soon enough, the plot began to pick up and the other characters began to emerge and balance Jim out a little bit. And now I’m hooked.
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Right at the beginning, the authors are creating a new captivating world where we are swallowed and moved to a industrial steam punk story mixed with mystery and a touch of magic. We can take part in the struggle between magic and science in a Victorian time line where the characters evolve through the action pack scenes. Although, don’t forget to pay attention to the details for they are the true master piece of this story. They will get you entangled in the life of the characters and make your brain work along with your imagination being pushed to a different level. Chapter one is not even ended that I am already waiting for more.
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