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Melody and the Pier to Forever: Book One
The Pier goes on ... forever. Epic battles at sea, an undead soul-eating villain, the unbreakable bonds of friendship and love, and the courageous heroes who are called upon to rescue a doomed world ... This is just a taste of what awaits you in the pages of the epic fantasy saga Melody and the Pier to Forever.
987 pages, ebook
First published April 20, 2011
7 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Shawn Michel de Montaigne
30 books5 followersI'm a writer, illustrator, and fractalist. A wonderer, wanderer, and an unapologetic introvert. I'm a romantic; I'm inspired by the epic, the authentic, the numinous, and the luminous. Most of all, I'm blessed.
I'm very deeply involved with an extraordinary, beautiful woman who has been with me now for a decade. We have forged, through awful times and amazing ones, a life that I feel every morning is worth waking up to and contributing to.
I'm interested in connecting with folks who enjoy my art and would like to be part of whichever world or worlds I've discovered and shared. I'm deeply political, philosophical, and opinionated; and I have no patience with manipulators, salespersons, stalkers, bullshit artists, and the psychotic and insane. For that reason, I'm not everyone's cup o' tea. I'm good with that.
Most of all, as I said at the beginning, I'm blessed. If you would know anything about me or my attitude as I go through my days, that's the truest and most relevant one.
I'm very deeply involved with an extraordinary, beautiful woman who has been with me now for a decade. We have forged, through awful times and amazing ones, a life that I feel every morning is worth waking up to and contributing to.
I'm interested in connecting with folks who enjoy my art and would like to be part of whichever world or worlds I've discovered and shared. I'm deeply political, philosophical, and opinionated; and I have no patience with manipulators, salespersons, stalkers, bullshit artists, and the psychotic and insane. For that reason, I'm not everyone's cup o' tea. I'm good with that.
Most of all, as I said at the beginning, I'm blessed. If you would know anything about me or my attitude as I go through my days, that's the truest and most relevant one.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 17, 2025
This book was offputting in its pretentiousness and wordiness but absolutely repellant as a vehicle for the author's hatred of humanity aside from a few predestined individuals associated with royalty.
The idea that the average human life is worth nothing and value is only to be found in a few individuals who are inherently noble and superior is presented continually through the book, embodied by a fanatical obsession with describing a king with his laughably long fully name. Other than the king and a small handful of those devoted to helping him, the rest of humanity is worthless. They're overweight (the author has a particular obsession with this), they're grasping, they even -- we're told at one point -- have forfeited their souls for things like having jobs (I guess de Montaigne is above having to worry about paying the rent). Some of the most spirited rants declaring most humans don't have souls come from a character who we're told was a torturer during the Inquisition. Apparently he can overcome his fanatical devotion to Christianity, but Christians alive today have forfeited their souls by their association with beliefs he now has disavowed.
This book is long. If you haven't downloaded it yet, know that it is even longer than you are probably imagining. And you're going to feel every one of those pages. This story doesn't fly by. I personally got through it by betting myself that it couldn't get worse (I lost that bet).
I've read tons of bad books, but the contempt this author has for people was what made this such a slog ultimately. The final insult was the terrible editing and a lack of desire to verify basic details. Are children today using "Tora! Tora! Tora!" as a chant to bully children of Japanese descent? Maybe they are, but this type of detail doesn't ring true. Are young teenagers really ranting about tattooes being a sign of social decay? Too many characters in this book talk exactly like a certain kind of intolerable early 2000s "intellectual," despite their differences in age, national background, or even interdimensional realm that they happen to hail from.
To top it off, you're expected to deal with stuff like this:
“The Emasculatem,” Luis explained, “creates a conflicted aecxal soul bind. It acts as a capacitor, not a conductor. Mathematicians are, to greater or lesser degree, simple aecxal conductors. The conducting ‘medium,’ for lack of a better word, is inextricably linked to a Mathematician’s physical life processes through an intraphysiomedialmic-osmotic interface.
The idea that the average human life is worth nothing and value is only to be found in a few individuals who are inherently noble and superior is presented continually through the book, embodied by a fanatical obsession with describing a king with his laughably long fully name. Other than the king and a small handful of those devoted to helping him, the rest of humanity is worthless. They're overweight (the author has a particular obsession with this), they're grasping, they even -- we're told at one point -- have forfeited their souls for things like having jobs (I guess de Montaigne is above having to worry about paying the rent). Some of the most spirited rants declaring most humans don't have souls come from a character who we're told was a torturer during the Inquisition. Apparently he can overcome his fanatical devotion to Christianity, but Christians alive today have forfeited their souls by their association with beliefs he now has disavowed.
This book is long. If you haven't downloaded it yet, know that it is even longer than you are probably imagining. And you're going to feel every one of those pages. This story doesn't fly by. I personally got through it by betting myself that it couldn't get worse (I lost that bet).
I've read tons of bad books, but the contempt this author has for people was what made this such a slog ultimately. The final insult was the terrible editing and a lack of desire to verify basic details. Are children today using "Tora! Tora! Tora!" as a chant to bully children of Japanese descent? Maybe they are, but this type of detail doesn't ring true. Are young teenagers really ranting about tattooes being a sign of social decay? Too many characters in this book talk exactly like a certain kind of intolerable early 2000s "intellectual," despite their differences in age, national background, or even interdimensional realm that they happen to hail from.
To top it off, you're expected to deal with stuff like this:
“The Emasculatem,” Luis explained, “creates a conflicted aecxal soul bind. It acts as a capacitor, not a conductor. Mathematicians are, to greater or lesser degree, simple aecxal conductors. The conducting ‘medium,’ for lack of a better word, is inextricably linked to a Mathematician’s physical life processes through an intraphysiomedialmic-osmotic interface.
May 11, 2011
Clearly one of the best books I've ever read in print or otherwise. Melody and the Pier to Forever is an epic, told with passion and solid style. Actually it is several books combined into one massive novel. The author is extremely talented and immerses the reader into a fantasy world that will not let go. This is one novel you will want to reread just to feel the emotions and the wonder.
September 8, 2011
This is not a book to be read quickly, it's a book to be savoured so that you don't miss any of the rich details.
Read
April 8, 2021DNF. Not sure if I ever will...
So long. Too long. Ugh.
So long. Too long. Ugh.
July 13, 2024
This book is totally amazing! It's so captivating, I couldn't stop reading it. I love stories about parallel worlds, and the world-building in this book is off the charts. It's an epic, intimate, and super well-crafted story that had me hooked from start to finish. I am thoroughly impressed and want to read more from this author!
September 17, 2012
This is a book I'm proud to gush to friends and family about. I'm a huge fan of YA fiction. Being 30, I usually keep this little fact to myself. I saw on Reddit a review for this book, and the fact it was free. I decided to read a few chapters and see if I liked it. This is a long book. Much longer than I was expecting to be offered for free. And it is written beautifully. I found myself tearing up at multiple points. This book is a must read and hard to put down. I have never bothered to write a review for a book, or any other product I have bought really. But I had to sacrifice a few minutes for this author. I am eagerly anticipating book 2.
May 10, 2016
I don't get the Young Adult classification.I'm 56 years old, The story will appeal to all ages. I'm also male, so what, I've always enjoyed strong female role models. Both my Daughters and grand daughters have lots of strong will. I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to book two in the series.
November 24, 2016
Shawn sent me this book after reading the short from Aldiko. I am an evening reader to relax the mind. This is the foundation stone for a collection I feel compelled to read. The initial story is not over indulgent, it's vivid & an easy read. I have read many an imaginary saga, this is without doubt one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in a long time. Treat yourself, your worth it
August 27, 2016
Wow and Wow again... This is book one and I am waiting with bated breathe for the next one to come out. This book made me laugh out loud, cry, and hold my breathe. Wonderfully written and very descriptive.
June 28, 2012
One of my favorite books ever! Well worth the time investment. So much to think about and to savor. I've been a reader all of my life, this book really took me on a journey that months later I haven't returned from!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews