One More

by Jeremy DeBottis

All Jack Falcone wants to do is be a veterinarian. While hoping to get into school he spends his mornings at the gym, days working at the zoo and his evenings studying. When Adam Buckminster, the man who just may hold the key to Jack's acceptance to school shows up at the gym and begins gaining impossible strength despite doing everything wrong, Jack's life suddenly starts down a spiral of improbable events. Only with the help of the massive Brock Steele and the self-proclaimed knight Wallace Claymore can Jack hope to get things back to normal. A witty, unbelievable tromp through the streets of Buffalo, New York ensues that forces the trio to dance the magical line between science and myth.

Genres: Fiction

276 pages, Paperback

First published May 9, 2012

Reviews

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book five stars because it was funny and awesome. Also, the author is outstanding at writing, working out, being cool, making inappropriate jokes, dancing, sock collecting and doing dishes (whoops, not that last one). He also happens to be one of my favorite people of all time. Times infinity.

[Derrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up simply because I was looking to read an independently published novel after realizing I had, up to this point, read none; and I have been recently interested as I see independent publishing as a future possibility. And I am so glad I chose this one, because it really sparked a fire in me. It's a great book and can certainly stand up to the big dogs with fancy publisher's names stamped on their spines. And I think it really helps to show where publishing is headed, and I now feel much better about one day self-publishing. So if for no other reason, I would recommend this book to those that are still wary of the self publishing push to see all that it has to offer.
*One of the best parts of this book is the diversity of characters, all revolving around a gym. The main character, Jack Falcone, is a perfect protagonist; he doesn't steal the show, overshadowing the rest of the unique characters, nor does he shy away from showing his own colors. He has different levels to his personality that all work together to create depth that especially shows in the final scenes of the novel. The rest of the character are all unique and interesting as well, ranging from BROCK STEELE! whose name gives enough of an idea of who he is, a mermaid, an evil scientist, and modern day knight.
*The intertextuality used with Don Quixote was fun to read also. In any good book you'll find that character you wished you knew in real life, and Wally was that character.
*The book was just fun as hell. It had depth, but for the most part it was just fun, which you can probably tell by the description. Mermaids, and steroids, and knights. Oh my! I think that was the main point of this book. Something unique and fun!
*But be warned readers; there are some heavy-handed hipster notions that at one point made me cringe while reading. There were a couple sentences that I would have preferred not to read as they just needed a more subtle touch to come off right. Also, there was a weird epilogue at then end. (Not the good kind of weird the rest of the book employs.)
*Overall, I give it a 'cool story bro' rating. And I recommend this to everyone looking for a good, funny, well-crafted read. And especially to my other writer friends out there.

[Cheryl Gatling]

My husband brought this home from the library because he was attracted by the cute smiling mailbox on the cover. Finding out that it was a local author was an added plus. Jeremy DeBottis's author blurb says that he lives in Syracuse, New York (as do I), and that he has never written a book before. That last part shows, either that the writing is unpolished, or that it didn't have a professional editor. There were scattered spelling and grammatical errors, as well as sentences that just read awkwardly. I started out keeping a mental tab of these, but the more I read, the less it mattered. DeBottis's story is imaginative and entertaining. His characters are funny, and the situations they get into are funnier, with a touch of heartwarming thrown in toward the end. There is Brock Steele, the body-building mailman, whose entire existence revolves around increasing his strength. There is Wally, the Cervantes scholar, who goes about trying to right wrongs and help the helpless. There is Penelope, secretly a mermaid, who endures being the subject of "scientific" testing so that she can live in an apartment and have a cell phone. There is Adam Buckminster, slovenly evil genius. There is Brad the entitled rich kid, and his even more entitled mother. And of course, our hero Jack Falcone, who only wants a recommendation so he can get into veterinary school. This crazy cast is original enough, but as they stumble into each other's lives by apparent accident, it soon becomes apparent that each character is tied to every other character. Watching the little knot of their tangled web get tighter and tighter is part of the fun. (The story takes place in Buffalo, not Syracuse, because the mer-people live in Lake Erie. Well, duh, nothing can live in Syracuse's Onondaga Lake.) What a crazy guy that Jeremy DeBottis must be to have written such a crazy story.

[Grizelda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up in Buffalo, so what caught my attention was that the story took place in Buffalo. Whatever it takes, right? I absolutely loved this witty, whacky, whimsical story! Just the right amount of humor and plot twists kept me riveted to the pages. It is a masterpiece of weaving characters and content into chaotic completion. LOVED IT! Write another one, Jeremy.

[Bennett Gavrish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grade: B+

L/C Ratio: 20/80
(This means I estimate the author devoted 20% of his effort to creating a literary work of art and 80% of his effort to creating a commercial bestseller.)

Thematic Breakdown:
35% - Humor
30% - Gym culture
20% - Mermaids
15% - Mystery


Wacky characters can help make a book memorable, and One More is filled with a whole cast of them. DeBottis uses them very careful, drawing out plenty of humor while making sure the characters still feel human. A character like Wally (a man-child convinced he is a medieval knight) gets close to the border of ridiculousness but never crosses the line. And by the end of the book, DeBottis has given him depth and found a way to work him into the plot's resolution.

One More is a smooth read except for the narrator's tendency to over-explain minor details (such as trips to the bathroom). Even still, it's an impressive debut by DeBottis that lands plenty of laughs.


Noteworthy Quote:
The bastard winter must have not worn its condom this year, for it seemed as though spring was going to be late.

[Kelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Novel received from Goodreads.com giveaway

This was one of the strangest books I've ever read. The characters ranged from a 64 year-old steroided up bodybuilder to a PhD candidate that acts like a knight-errant and many others that were just as odd. The plot was as random as the characters! I must, however, applaud Jeremy DeBottis for his imagination! Not only would I never have thought up such a story; I don't think I know anyone who could have! I found myself chucking at the story and, by the end, I really did want to know what would happen. Although this wasn't my favorite book, I definitely know a person or two who would really enjoy it.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked "One More". A lot. It was fun to read, had some hilariously quirky characters, and never took itself too seriously. It took a few pages for the story to hit its stride, but when it did, it was fantastic. I frequently chuckled and occasionally laughed out loud. A quote in the beginning of the story pays homage to "A Confederacy of Dunces", which becomes more and more fitting as the story progresses. I thought it was an impressive freshman effort from Jeremy DeBottis, and I really look forward to seeing what else comes out of his brain and onto the page.

[Sara]

It stresses me out to give star ratings normally, but I just can't handle it when I know the author. I just can't.

I'm probably biased a bit, but I am really proud to know the mastermind behind this piece. He embraced the style of caricatures and didn't compromise on his humor or vivid imagination. I loved the mermaid world he created and I wish they were real

[Jeremy DeBottis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reason I find this book amazing is that as I was working on it and proofreading and editing it continued to amuse even though I knew everything that was going to happen. I hope you enjoy it too.

[Scott]

I smiled a lot when I read this. good smile.