What is your opinion?
A fine example of true art
"'The BOG: King of the Swamp' by XJS seems to be more of a tv/movie drama or thriller that is wonderfully designed to make the read think. Going off the idea that Ruffus is both an embodiment and metaphor for nature's backlash against humans for their negligence against it and a helper or supporter for those with it, this story is beautifully crafted and intertaining. The back stories of the characters and how they intertwine whether directly or indirectly makes the story interesting and leaves the reader guessing what is going to happen next. It's a fun read that once you understand how it is being told or why is full of meaning."
Very interesting
"I'll be honest and say that this isn't; exactly the type of book I would usually pick up. It was very interesting and just a bit confusing from chapter one to chapter two. Be careful when you change characters through each chapter as that might confuse a few readers or seem bit tedious to others. I think your characters are very interesting and this story has a lot of potential."
Original plot
"I am currently reading chapter six of this story and I am finding it quite interesting so far. I really like how you have thought of all of the very different characters and the perspective switching between them is good. The plot is different to a lot of things that I have read and has some unique qualities. I love the idea of a giant snake! Your spelling and grammar is mostly very good. To improve, I would suggest maybe breaking up some of the larger paragraphs into smaller parts so that they are easier to follow. :)"
Amazing and innovative
"Love it. I want to promote your Inkitt book for free to my list of newsletter subscribers. If that is ok with you then please email me at exzordersplrwso AT gmail.com to book your spot, thanks."
Romantical Horror
"I am not a fan of romance novels. I was not a fan of this novel, but did find Tim to be a breath of fresh air during the brief recourse I had with my read-through. Furthermore, slight grammatical errors as well as paragraph overload prevented me from fully engrossing in the plot."
I'm liking this
"I don't like giving this a star rating as I've only just now finished the third chapter (So an overall score is pretty disingenuous, in my eyes) Will change it when I come back to read the whole thing later as right now I'm busy with my creative writing course. One thing I must say first is the marked improvement between the first and second chapters and the subsequent chapters after that. I really suggest going back and re-working the first chapter to the same level as the others. I really love some of your descriptions, some of them are dynamic, interesting and creative even a few in the first chapter. I like the sense of snarky almost parody-like darkness in every part, it's hard to describe, but you can lend your work a sense of foreboding. A few things I think could use improvement are, you tend to over explain things here and there. Or repeat actions a few times. One of the most egregious being in the third chapter 'Tim's smile widened' or 'Tim's grin widened.' If he widened his smile any more it'd be tearing his cheeks! But overall good work and am interested in seeing where this is going. Keep it up! Sorry I'm unable to read it all right now."
Well Done - Liked It
"Seriously I don't think I can compete with the elaborate reviews already posted. I can say that this story is captivating and full of potential for a movie and possibly lead to a couple more. Animal rights people and environmentalists should especially like this one. It is in a sense a "clean up dodge" theme in a much more interesting setting with a fascinating hero and characters. The readers get that satisfied sense of relief they crave when the bad guys are taken out by Rufus. Overall good reading, good plot and execution. Good Job."
An Adventure
"The writer has a lively style and shows talent. Needs a mentor or editor to polish this novel. Brings an interesting cast of characters alive. An original story idea. A young voice. Such potential!"
different is good
"While it took me a couple chapters to really get into the book, I thought it is a brilliant idea. I have never read another book like it and agree with Jan. The book definitely has movie potential with the main focus on Rufus. I also like the environmental ties and the animal perspective. Coming from an environmental and science background and knowing a lot about the exotic animal trade, I thought it was very unique. Great job!"
A fun read
"It took me awhile to get into the plot, but that might be because this isn't really my type of genre, but I still thought the premise was interesting. A snake being the main focus is pretty cool and something that I haven't read before. Writing in the perspective of an animal can be hard since it can turn out cheesy easily, but you did this well. I liked Rufus's character and your descriptions of whenever he kills/eats something is both imaginative and creepy. This was a fun read."
Fun story, upcoming movie?
"In my opinion, this is more horror/comedy than thriller/romance (there's lust and sex, but I don't see any romance). While there are problems with commas, verb tenses, and really long paragraphs, those things can all be fixed by a good editor. What I feel is missing through most of the book is the protagonist, Rufus. I wanted to know more about him- how his opinions and intelligence evolve. Why did he befriend Tim instead of regurgitating and fleeing or attacking? Does he drive the other creatures to do his bidding or are they willing accomplices, even to the point of giving their lives to get revenge? Does he ride in a car to overcome a fear or does he just want to go faster than a mamba? Is he holding reptile rallies back in the swamp? How does he know what is going on in the human world, and what exactly are his abilities? When I read this book, I really saw it as a movie. To me, the extensive background material on minor "bad guy" characters needs to be cut down to just the essentials so we understand their fates (a painful thing to do, I know), and Rufus needs to be the central thread that pulls the book together. The ending should show how his actions positively impact the environmental animal-smuggling theme, or his reaction to the fact that everything he's done hasn't stopped the exotic animal trade. With some rewriting, I do think Hollywood would go for it; Hollywood folks tend toward environmental causes and "Sharkanado" type movies. This could be a summer blockbuster!"
I Smell a Rat saying "Show me the Money!
"The blurb confused me until I read on and then the story pulled me in. Excellent metaphorical messages all through of who the real "snakes" can be. Loved the scene with Ted Pickwick the dick running for Mayor and the "good people" voting profits over the people with his plan to poison parks and the swamp with pesticides, and the political spin always used of "moral values" or "American values". You do an excellent job with POV shifts, always using a horizontal divider to show when we are in the mind of a new character and your character names are funny. Also really good dialogue between Tim Jr.and his sister Elizabeth. Tim is my favorite character. In fact, I don't much like many other characters as they are mean spirited or downright immoral, but I think you meant for the reader to feel this way. I love how well you captured young women's obsession with body image over being beautiful on the inside (Tilly the murderous skinny twit). You overall have the reader waiting, wondering, wanting to read on to find out first of all if little Tim ends up with a radioactive phyton for a pet, secondly how the story plays out with the disappearance of Tilly. Some areas you could improve: Your paragraphs are WAY too long in many places throughout. Break them up a bit, as you don't want to lose the reader. You also started two paragraphs in a row with "Timothy was busy talking to" and then "Tilly was busy talking to.". Change this up so it's not redundant. Overall, this is a fascinating story. I've never before been able to feel as if I could find myself inside the mind of a python, you do this very well. The reader goes from fretting that big snake to loving him for his friendship with Tim and what he does for him. And excellent animal rights message in so many ways. . ."
Great Story
"I wasn't sure if I would like this story, but once I begin to read it I couldn't stop. It is well written and the plot is very interesting. The author has done a very good job with the characters and story line. I can't wait to read more."
Kingfu
"lol..love the mantis scene and I agree with Elizabeth in regards to the potential pet. I have just finished chapter 1 and look forward to reading further. I will post another review later, but I wanted to let you know I am enjoying the story. I am just starting chapter 5 and find your writing to be intriguing..in a scattered sort of way. I find myself consistently surprised between the end of one chapter and the start of the next."
The BOG: King of the Swamp
"Well, that was something. If you like Sharknado, you'll love this book! It was a very unique story, featuring a snake with political aspirations who takes action to protect his home and the boy he has grown to love. As an amateur zoologist, I immensely enjoyed the descriptions of the variety of snakes included in the book. It is easy to feel the affection between the boy and his badass serpent friend. If I could make a suggestion or two: You may want to split some of your paragraphs up a little more. They tended to run on on occasion. Upon finishing, I was a bit confused regarding the "Romance" tag. Overall, a very interesting and suspenseful story. With a little attention given to punctuation and grammar, this could be a real hit in the proper niche!"
Different.
"Our authour ventures into the permissive, the imaginative, with a gusto that might well appeal to younger minds; and does it well. Probably a theme that introduces its characters to adulthood prematurely with the freedom of adventure and exploration in a teenage world. Good writing style that demands attention. and a shifting plot that would attract those who love reptiles. The title word 'Bog' is ambiguous - different meanings for different audiences. Since you ask, an amendment there might benefit the title. 'Swamp King' could be enough. Good luck with this one. Roy J"
Has potential
"The book has a very strong writing, although few people like it. I very much appreciate the writing and the idea that each one write in order to convey the message that can be perceived by the reader. These rats made me shiver a little, but I think that would be your idea. The book has potential and I hope it reaches its target audience."
Interesting
"I was really caught by the name and I really liked the main character. I also liked the descriptions you wrote. But there was just a LOT to follow. I got lost with your anecdotes about the animals and I wanted to know more about the dad and the affair. I like your style of writing, but I think it'd be better if I had more time to read it thoroughly."
