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The Last Seer and the Tomb of Enoch by Ashland Menshouse
The Last Seer and the Tomb of Enoch
written by Ashland Menshouse
published by Dog Ear Publishing, LLC
find it here: Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Goodreads
Why did I pick this book: The author, Ashland Menshouse, requested that I review his book. I gladly accepted his request. (I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
Did I enjoy this book: I did not enjoy this book. At first I thought the writing was beautiful because of the thorough descriptions. Then, the thoroughness did not end and quickly became too much. I found myself skimming paragraphs and pages because there was too much embellishment and detail. The end seemed to wrap up so quickly, that I almost missed it.
Here’s the thing…this book has a lot of potential. The plot is interesting, intriguing, and could have a reader hooked. But the endless descriptions of things that do not pertain to the underlying plot drag this book along as well as the reader.
There were five main characters in this book – Aubrey, Buzz, Rodriqa, Jordana, and Magnos. All of these characters are very different yet work together so well. Most of them have their own side story that was a part of the overall story. There was Aubrey and Hovis Trottle (the ghost); Jordana and the Tsul-Kalu (bigfoot); Rodriqa and the dam (the location of the main,sought-after object) and Magnos and Mrs. Thistlewood (the bad guy). Buzz was a sidekick throughout all of these stories. To me, each of these stories could have been their own separate book. They were each interesting and attention-getting in their own way. I realize that all of the stories led up to the end, but each story could have been condensed and the overall book could have focused on just one or two main characters.
Would I recommend it: No, I wouldn’t. It was just too much. I found myself getting lost and confused…not something I would recommend for a middle grade audience. I want kids to read, and read alot, but if a story isn’t focused, they will lose interest.
Will I read it again: No, I will not…unless, my kids want to read it when they get older, then I may have to reread it. We shall see.
About the book – from Goodreads: Do you believe? Can a ghost haunt more than your home? Can a Sasquatch track more than footprints?
Aubrey Taylor’s quaint and cozy life in the subdued, Appalachian town of Lake Julian had never been exceptional. Shouldered by his lifelong friends, Buzz Reiselstein and Rodriqa Auerbach, he quietly endured the puerile punishments of a persistent pack of pesky bullies that included the most-feared kid in school, Magnos Strumgarten, and his own obnoxiously, well-accomplished brother, Gaetan. Comfortable in his humdrum niche of the absolutely average, Aubrey never pushed back.
Until…fate dug a little too deep…and the unseen darkness of unspoken places rattled his mediocrity.
When spurious specters and elusive mountain men battle for a tomb of Watchers, buried in ages past, only those who choose to look beyond the surface feel the grip of the ancients’ revenge. Unusual disappearances, a colorful cadre of insightful townsfolk and a whirlwind of blunders and mishaps exposes the struggling forces that transform Aubrey and his friends into more than spectators amidst the oldest war of all.
Prepare yourself to see the unseen as you’ve never seen it before.
Happy reading wherever you are and whenever you get a free chance!!!
