What is your opinion?
Imagine
"Do you know the song, 'Imagine' by John Lennon? If you had a chance for a world like the one described in that song, would you grab it with both hands or turn away and reject it. This story pulls you in from the beginning with well-written scenarios. The author offers you the opportunity to bring your own wonder and/or skepticism to the forefront of your mind. Are miracles possible? Would you doubt your own eyes? Would a world of peace and abundance be acceptable to you? These questions are all raised by this story and the writer's skill is evident in the character development, dialog and narrative. This is a great read. I highly recommend it."
Unexpected
"After reading Chapter 1-3, I am blown away from this story. It is rare to see such good polished stories like this one. And it is especially rare to find a Thriller as good as this one! I also read this story as my two good friends reviewed this and was curious about this story as well.. This story can only be described as a masterpiece. I was already drawn into it within the first paragraph. The title is extremely simple and catchy at the same time. The Last Chance. I would definitely recommend others to read this. The characterizations of Jack and Cass are very real. I can imagine this in real life right away, living like one of the characters in the story. Religion... this element that is mixed into this story is also very much admired. I like how you did that. The most interesting element of your story is the spacing in the events in the timeline of the story. I can't wait to read more!"
Review of Chs.1-3
"I wanted to write a review of the first few chapters, because I don't want to rush through the work, but I want to make sure this book starts getting some attention and buzz. If you're wondering "how do I start a book, how do I grab someone's attention?" I would say, "read the first three chapters of this book." This is almost flawless execution, with sharply-drawn characters and a captivating, yet mysterious plot. It's also very well written and keeps you hanging on every word and flying through the chapters (which is why I made myself stop). This book poses an age-old question: does faith really work? Can a man who attests to work miracles really be miraculous? Or just another faith-healing fraud? A charismatic figure is being investigated by the Church for performing miracles and defying church doctrine and custom to do so. The author gives nothing away in the early chapters. There seems to be more than a glimmer of true faith in Father Cass, as even he downplays the so-called miracles, such as curing people of cancer. And yet the archbishop is frankly disturbed by his frankness, knowing how such people have upset the church throughout history. Of course, the archbishop also enjoys the fruits of his office, reflecting ominously that "it's good to be the king." There are a few shades of Dostoevsky's "Grand Inquisitor" here (from The Brothers Karamazov), suggesting that if Christ himself came back to earth, the Church might ask him to leave the way he came. A very tiny stylistic criticism is that occasionally, and noticeably in Chapter 2, the narrator and the characters tend to repeat their dialogue frequently, in the way of old films: "Only time would tell. Only time." Used once or twice, this is a nice rhetorical effect, but if it happens too often, it can sound like stock characters in an old serial drama. But I didn't encounter is as much in Chs. 1 or 3. That aside, the story unfolds slowly, by careful degrees, but never seems to put on the brakes. In short, it's the product of a talented visionary, a writer who not only tells a good story, but wants to teach us a little along the way, I look forward to furthering my education in the chapters to come!"
A very intriguing story
"I read the first chapters of this story, and I've really enjoyed it so far. It's unlike any story that I've read on this sight so far. Stories that involve religion -- especially when that religion is such a prominent part of the story -- seems to be a bit rare. I really like how you're putting everything together so far, with the miracles and the investigation by the authorities. I'm curious to see how things come together. I liked how you portrayed Cass's character, how he gives the credit for these miracles to God instead of taking the credit himself. It would be so easy to slip into that pride. From the beginning, this story keeps the reader wanting more, and I like the way that the intrigue has been employed so far. I think that my favorite thing about this story is the characters. Each one has a unique portrayal, and you have a real way of showing more than telling, which is great! I found Jack's character a little counter-intuitive, beings as he a priest and yet swears like a logger. The writing itself wasn't particularly flowery, but it fit the style of story that you're writing. It didn't distract and painted a clear picture of what was going on. I don't think I noticed a single typo, so it's obvious that you've done a lot of polishing on this story. So far, I like it a lot. I hope that you get some more reads on it. Good work! And good luck in the contest!"
