Crik

by Karl Beer

Deep within Crik Wood is a village in which every person has a unique ability called a “Talent”. The Mayor can talk to insects, a girl can disappear in a cloud of smoke, and a young boy called Jack has a living shadow.
One thunderous night Jack discovers the horrifying secret buried at the heart of his village.
Thrown into an adventure filled with danger and discovery, Jack is faced with the question: ‘What would you do if your closest friend was your greatest enemy?’ For Jack that someone is his shadow.

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal, Fiction

Audiobook

First published April 6, 2015

About the author

I work at Swansea University Research Department, where I am lucky enough to be part of so many exciting projects. Seeing all the good work in fields such as medicine is very inspiring, and motivates me every day. Creativity is very important and I try to surround myself with as much as possible. I live in Swansea with my beautiful wife Helen. We both enjoy exercising, and walks along the coast.
I love a good read, and have spent countless, hours, days, weeks...ok probably years of my life absorbing as much as possible. By taking everything I love from cherished authors such as Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Tad Williams, George RR Martin, Piers Anthony, amongst a multitude of others, my writing tastes of all. Fantasy is my greatest love, and the genre I enjoy most to write. With all great books, characters come first; I enjoy putting mine through hell, thinking of ways to make them grow, and for the reader to relate to them.

I love to hear from new people, and to share ideas. You can find me on Twitter or contact me through my website illyarden.weebly.com. Here you can read some of my short stories, and even a precursor to my novel Crik.

Reviews

[Levi Walls · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even know what to say, yes, I am at a loss for words. I abso-friggin-lutely loved this book!! I think that everyone who likes books at all should read this one, and you won't be disappointed! This is a classic along the lines of the Never-Ending Story and the Dark Tower series by Stephen King, and has elements of both books inside it's pages. Karl Beer has a unique and engaging imagination and I can't wait to see if he has more in store for us. I am adding this to my list of favorite books of all time. I am so glad I got on that dumb Twit thing that one day and saw this book offered for free in exchange for an honest review. (I have since bought my own copy, it had to be on my shelf in sweet-smelling paper, digital is not enough for a beloved book)

Crik is a sweeping, harrowing tale of self-discovery, acceptance, understanding, loyalty, perseverance and, ultimately, love. The story begins in and around Crik village and the surrounding area known as Crik Wood. The people of this town all have unique Talents that have been bestowed upon them. Some can grow plants at an accelerated rate, others can talk to insects, and then we have our main character. Jack, also know as Yin, has a Talent unlike any other. Jack has a shadow, named Yang, that acts independently of him. Much to Jack's annoyance, his shadow is also playful and mischievous, and is always getting him in trouble. This leads Jack to wonder where the Talents come from, and why he got stuck with a Talent that seems to actually be a hindrance to him. One night Jack sees something that changes his whole life, he gets to witness a Talent being "bestowed" upon his best friend, Bill, and he is repulsed by the sight. He vows to find out where the Talents come from, and who all in his village know the secrets that are literally and figuratively buried in his town.

One day Jack and his friend Bill set out to develop Bill's new talent and that is when the story really picks up, and their magical childhood ends. We are swept along at this point into turn after turn of horrific and mystifying events, even though some new friendships are also developed along the way. Jack becomes completely distrustful of his Talent, Yang, and will stop at nothing to rid himself of the Talent that lives inside of him. He pushes boundary after boundary, even endangering the lives of those he loves, just to rid himself of the one that has stood beside him his whole life; who saves him and his friends multiple times along the way. Is his shadow only saving them out of a sense of self-preservation? Are the Talents able to control people's lives? Would their lives be the same without these Talents that were forced upon them? These are the kinds of questions Jack struggles with along the way.

There are many themes throughout the book as I mentioned before. Though the book is magical, the themes mirror issues that we face in real life. Who am I, really? Why are some people more talented than others? Why do some people tease others because they are not as talented, or their talent is not as glamorous as another person's? Can you trust people who keep secrets from you, all the while knowing that you are keeping secrets as well? How far are you willing to go, regardless of the cost, to find the answers you seek in life? Would you lay down your life for a friend's? These questions, and many more, are asked and answered throughout these pages.

I would list the things that I didn't like about the book, but there were none. The only thing I would say is that Jack got annoying at times with his angst in finding the answers that he sought. There were many debates between the main characters over and over about the same issue, and while this was sometimes redundant to read, it played a huge part in the story. Also the topics that were being debated were relevant. Jack thought he had been lied to his whole life, and he wasn't going to take anyone's flippant answers, he was going to find the truth or risk everything trying.

Abso-friggin-lutely five stars. All in all, an epic book written in a thought-provoking way, with an amazing ending. You will have to read the book to find out what that is, but let's just say someone rides a wolf...............do you need to know more? Why are you still sitting there reading this?

Should you read this book?

Do you have eyes?

You have my answer!

[Gavin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I took a chance on this one because it had such an fun sounding premise.

Everyone in the town of Crik has a unique Talent. One guy can control the weather and another can talk to insects. Jack's Talent is his living shadow, only Jack does not control his shadow. One night Jack learns the truth of how the people of Crik gain their Talent. That truth horrifies him and casts the motives of his mischievous shadow companion in a new light!

It should have been a fun story, as the setting was dark and creepy, but in truth the story was just incredibly slow and dull. Another failing was the complete lack of anything resembling humour. The characters, despite their powers, were all bland and dull.

I quit around the 25% mark. That was about 4.5 hours of the audio. I could have plodded onwards, as it is not like this was overly bad, but the truth is it was dull and I have a whole bunch of exciting books I could be reading instead of investing another 13 hours in this one!

Rating: 2 stars

Audio Note: Simon Brooks performance was only adequate. He had a fairly annoying accent.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What a creepily awesome novel this is! I absolutely loved the world Mr. Beer created and found myself quickly drawn into it. I can definitely describe it has a dark fantasy with elements of horror woven into it. If you like Tim Burton movies and Joseph Delaney or Stephen King novels, then this is for you.

Crik is about a boy, Jack, who lives in Crik village where every inhabitant possess a unique Talent. Jack's Talent is his shadow, Yang, who is ever present, mischievous, and unable to be controlled by Jack despite what everyone else believes. One night, Jack accidentally witnesses the origins of these Talents, and wanting to know more about his shadow and how Talents came to be, he begins on a journey of discovery. While the main characters of this novel are children, for me the content and themes are written more for adults.

Mr. Beer is a very talented story teller and this novel was beautifully written. He has a vivid imagination that doesn't conform to the norm and is easily transferred onto paper for readers to enjoy. While this book is a bit long, there is always action leading to the next scene. I recommend for anyone who enjoys dark fantasy.

Thank you to the author for giving me a copy to review!

[J. New · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without a shadow (pun intended) of a doubt, this is one of the best new epic fantasy’s to come onto the market recently and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Karl Beer has shot out of the gate with his debut novel and hit the ground running, leaving his competition and dust in his wake.
This is not a book that uses traditional fantasy characters, such as elves, goblins and orcs, but refreshingly brings to life fantastical creatures, that have sprung from the incredible imagination of the writer in amazing detail.
Passion for story telling, world building and attention to detail spring from every page and as a reader you are immersed in the epic journey of the characters from the start. Whilst this is dubbed a ‘coming of age’ fantasy, and the main characters are children, this is not a children’s book, as there are elements of horror within its pages and stuff of nightmares leap from the page with alarming regularity.
This for me was a page-turner; once I’d started I couldn’t put it down, and that is testament to the superb story telling skills of the writer. Karl Beer and Crik have come from nowhere, but believe me they are certainly going places, and I for one will be following the journey.

[Toni L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy I don't normally give out to many 5 stars, but this book is a keeper.
The adventures that the kids had was great. Demons, witches woods and so forth.
Again I wish it had illustrations in the book so you could see what the demons
looked like. I think it would make a great movie. Ending was good but it left me wondering
if a sequel was in the works. IS THERE?

[Jules Fielding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book!! Without giving too much away, I was pulled into the magical but dark world of Crik and engulfed by its characters. If you love fantasy and thrillers it's absolutely worth a look. It was a page turner and definitely one to stick with!! Hope to see many more by this author

[Paperback Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, all I saw was the small text and 407 pages of it...It was daunting. It isn't a quick read (Unless you're a fast reader) and I needed to give it my full attention to keep up with the story. I don't think I would have been able to read this book in one sitting. However, there were plenty of times when I wish I could have as there were many moments when I couldn't put the book down.
I am SO glad I gave this book a chance. I rarely give books 5 stars but felt this one deserved it, especially as this is the authors first book - although with the amazing writing you wouldn't be able to tell.
There are lots of unexpected moments where the story just gets better. It's like someone threw X-Men and fairytale/fantasy into a blender and this was the result - I loved it.
The story does get darker as it goes on but it is thrilling.
I can see this being turned into a movie and it would be incredible.

[Gary Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Deserves 10 Stars

The author, Mr. Beer, is a true master of his craft. He is a wordsmith which doesn't come around very often. He weaves a story that is so descriptive that it's breathtaking. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I hope you give this book a try and you won't be disappointed.

[Ryan Sedgwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a town where everybody has a talent, a boy named Jack searches for a deep secret. Jack's talent is that he has a living shadow. Jack and his friend leave the safety of the village to find out the answer to his question. I really liked this book. I constantly wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next.

[N. Lang · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very intriguing book. A whole new fantasy that takes you into a world you've never seen before. I felt the character were well done, especially Inera. It is 60 chapters but if you get the book in print the ch are very small. Overall very good debut.

[Wanda Hartzenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epic in scope and highly entertaining what got and kept my attention the most was the world building. Truly amazing.

You do need to be a fan of the genre though before you pick up a copy of this book.

I had fun in this world.

WaAr

[Brian Wilkerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Trickster Eric Novels review

Karl Beer asked me to read his story "Crik". I will examine plot, character and polish and then determine a grade.

The Amazon blurb says little about the setting or the plot so it is difficult to say much here without spoiling. SPOILERS AHEAD! There, you have been warned.


PLOT

When I first received this request and started reading this book my impression was "familiar elements in an unfamiliar plot" and that remains my opinion. No single element here is original but the way they are put together is unique. For instance, there are many stock super powers such as Beast Master/pest controllers, Dream Walker, Necromancy, Green Thumb etc. but this is mundane. Everyone in the village has one and this has been the case for generations. There is a creepy man living alone in the woods that has a sinister purpose but the mechanics of this verse give him a degree of distinctiveness. There is a quest through the Unknown World through which the "hero" becomes wiser and more mature but he hardly counts as a hero for most of it.


When I say the powers are mundane, I mean that they are treated, in-universe, as mundane. There is nothing special about having powers. Having powers is normal. Indeed, Bill is called a "freak" by some because he doesn’t have powers similar to how powered people would be called freaks in stories where having powers is rare. What Mr.Beer did with Crik is less common than the flip side and that is partly why I say it is creative. I certainly do not mean the powers or situations are "boring". Few indeed are the parts in this book that can, in my opinion, be considered "boring".

The other reason I say it is creative is because of the mechanics of how the powers work. Jack's Living Shadow, for instance, has a lot of details in how it works. The strength of nearby light determines how strong Yang is; stronger light casts a darker and more defined shadow which means Yang is capable of more while weak light makes him pretty impotent. Complete darkness is where he is at his strongest, which is something I did not expect. The following explanation made perfect sense; in complete darkness Yang is everywhere at once. He can come down on something (or someone) like a thunderbolt and smite them but he also has less control in this form because he is essentially formless; no hands or fingers. Therefore, he needs a light source for delicate work. In fact, he deliberately stays motionless every night because he is afraid of accidentally harming Jack. Yang is essentially Unskilled But Strong or Weak But Skilled depending on the situations. He has other powers besides these depending on the color of the local light; standard candles or sunlight gives him standard abilities. Purple light enables him to speak and other colors enable him to perform Exposition Beams.


This sort of detail is something that I love to see in fantasy novels. The part where Yang explains all this to Yang is one of my favorite parts of the book.


In addition to the powers, there are other mechanics of the verse that I like. The Narmacils are fascinating. Their life cycle, why they need human hosts, and the ways they can stretch their powers; all of this shows the thought Mr.Beer has put into the fictional species he has created. While Super Empowering is not a new idea (even the more specific version that tiny creatures are providing the power to human hosts is not a new idea) Mr.Beer has put his own personal spin on it. That is a clearer mark of a talented author than attempts to create something entirely new (it is a fool's errand to try).


The final battle is awesome. Here we have a village of diverse Talents vs plate mail warriors and ghosts with a zombie army reinforcing the former. It reminded me of a video game, a strategy-action one like Dynasty Warriors, where players had to move across the battlefield and fight different enemies in different situations.

There are a lot of characters here; a lot of named characters with individual powers and varying levels of skill in combat. Mr.Beer transitions between them well to give a good sense of the battle while also conveying the general fear and confusion of the villagers and Jack in particular.

The scene where Inara shows up with her zombie reinforcements is another one of my favorite moments. Coming up over a hill, riding her Noble Wolf guardian, flanked by the undead and she does this in response to a ghost walker's You And What Army moment.

The resolution is good; conflict resolved with a fitting aftermath. I like stories that have an aftermath, denouement, whatever you want to call it. It shows that they are more than just their climax; that they can continue beyond the high action. I suppose I like seeing where the sticks lie after the dust settles. In this story there is the intensely personal of Yang and Yin/Jack's reconciliation and the more wide-scale repulsion of the Ghost Walker Invasion with other threads like Inara finally going home to reunite with her family and the way the villagers react to a third secret let loose by the invasion.


This is the part of the review where I talk about the things I didn't like or the narrative weaknesses I see. There is a difference.

The Amazon blurb is misleading. The "horrifying secret" is indeed horrifying but it is hardly a secret. There are grave stones in the community's graveyard marked "ghost walker" and the protagonist knows tales about them. The part about Jack's shadow being his greatest enemy is simply Jack's paranoia; this is never remotely the case. The narmacils aren't a secret either. Parents tell their kids about them when they're 18 years old; it's a coming-of-age thing like the Birds and the Bees.
This is not a narrative weakness; it is something I dislike. It has nothing to do with the book.

-----> My next point is the narrative thrust of this book. Jack leaves the Known World, faces Trials and Tribulations, Descends into the Abyss, the whole Hero's Journey nine yards all because of the irrational belief that his narmacil is evil incarnate and has been subtly controlling him towards a mysterious-yet-definitely-sinister purpose. The book itself foreshadows their reconciliation but even without that it is easy to see The Blue Bird of Happiness resolution coming.
---> Adding to this effect is that the entire plot only happened because Jack was able to see a forest giant enter Crik and bury a narmacil egg at night and during a heavy rain storm. I kept thinking " a lot of people are going to get hurt or worse because of this kid's paranoia".
----> For sure there is positive stuff; Inara's rescue, the baby narmacil's rescue, Knell is no longer tormented by the Birdman, and Jack reconciled with Yang in a more powerful way then a talk with his mother would have been. It wasn't a pointless journey.
---> This is a narrative weakness. All Jack has to go on for his "narmacil are evil" belief is that his shadow has be engaging in petty mischief for years. Based on his interest, one would think that he'd be a Nightmare Fetishist. If the story can be averted by asking one's mother, with plenty of opportunity to do so, about were your powers come from that is a weakness. The wait-until-they-are-18 thing is also a weakness and Jack recognizes that it doesn't make sense. There's no explanation.

It is unfortunate that these points involve the protagonist and the reason for his quest. For me personally, they slowed down and made more unpleasant a story that I otherwise think is a good one.



CHARACTERS

---> I don't like Jack. He has the same interest in the macabre as Yang yet he takes Yang's interest as proof of evilness and then blames his own interest in it on Yang. This makes him a hypocrite. He has no evidence or indeed any reason to think Yang or other narmacil are evil and yet he adamantly believes so. This makes him paranoid and irrational. He wants to search for the house of someone he doesn't know exists and abandon his friend in the woods, of which his friend doesn't know how to navigate. This shows a lack of concern for others. He occasionally realizes how selfish he is for doing this but brushes it aside. This underscores his selfishness. He occasionally wonders if his distaste is based on Beauty Equals Goodness but brushes that aside as well. He refuses to listen to Inara, who has proven herself to be more knowledgeable about narmacils and Crik wood in general. This marks him as closed minded.
---> His fantastic racism in particular made this hard to read. I don't mean this in a political-real-world-analogous sense. It was boring and tedious and annoying. Rarely one page passed without him thinking through the 3rd person limited narration or dialogue about how the narmacils are obviously evil and that he is the only one rational for thinking this way.
---> I give him credit for overcoming the fantastic racism, at least in regards to Yang and the narmacil in general. He certainly doesn't lack for courage at any point in this narrative.


I like Inara. After all the torture and horror she experienced in the Marsh House she remains more reasonable, more friendly, and more optimistic than Jack. This is a sign that she is a tough girl, both emotionally and mentally. At the same time, she's not a Pollyanna. She certainly has been traumatized, such as the experience making her unable to appreciate things such as a beautiful day like she used to and wondering if her parents will still love her despite her new deformity. Personally, I find her view on necromancy to be interesting but, in this case, I can understand why Jack would find it abhorrent.

Bill is interesting for a number of reasons. He doesn't have a Talent so he has a different perspective on them then both Jack and Inara; a third voice in the debate. He is the only one without a Talent and so he is a "freak"; yes, the "normal one" is not normal because Crik's idea of normal is different from the reader's idea of normal. A third point is how his beastmaster power works; it's basically mind-control that only works on non-human and non-supernatural creatures. If his control slips then the Noble Wolf protecting the group suddenly reverts back to a Savage Wolf. There's also his academic interest. In contrast to Jack, he has read a lot more than comic books. This turns up on several occasions.


There is a rotating cast of villains: Krimble, the Ghost Walkers, and the Birdman. Three villains generally means a cluttered narrative, but not in this case. Mr.Beer does a good job of making all three of them distinct, relevant, evil-sinister in their own way. This is accomplished primarily by giving them each their own arc within the overall adventure.


POLISH

I found the prose to be long-winded and occasionally purple. One time I read a paragraph and then had to re-read it before realizing that it doesn't actually say anything. I much prefer the dialogue. The dialogue is often powerful, emotional, and heavy with characterization.


Trickster Eric Novels gives "Crik" a B


For any who are confused by this rating, I provide the following two lists of positives and negatives. Hopefully, this will resolve any confusion.


Positives

1. Creative use of classic tropes such as Stock Super Power, Lost Woods, and the Hero’s Journey.

2. Well-thought-out original species (the narmacil); their life cycle, their need of hosts and the powers that they grant.

3. Skillful use of villains; all three are relevant and important without cluttering the narrative or making them bleed together.

4. Inara is all-around fantastic.

5. Bill provides a useful third point of view between Inara and Bill regarding the narmacil.

6. Awesome climatic battle.

7. Strong conclusion.


Negatives

1. Jack’s baffling and tedious Fantastic Racism (because he is the protagonist, there is a lot of it in the narrative).

2. Could Have Avoided This Plot regarding the nature and origin of Yang (this underpins the narrative and so it affects everything).

As you can see, the positives outnumber the negatives 3-1 but the negatives are more noticeable and prevalent because they involve the protagonist’s personality and the reason he goes on his quest.

[Michelle Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite

Crik is a fantasy epic for teens by Karl Beer. In the village of Crik each person has a special skill called a “Talent.” The Mayor speaks to insects, Jack has a misbehaving shadow called Yang, and his mother grows plants overnight. After seeing a giant bury an object in Grandma Poulis' garden, Jack digs it up and realizes it is an egg, which hatches into a lizard-like creature.

The creature possesses Bill’s body, giving him the “talent” to talk to animals. He and Jack venture into the woods and are captured by the evil Marsh Man who wants to control their talents. They escape with another prisoner, Inara, and venture deeper into the wilderness where they are hunted by the Myrm monsters. As they encounter numerous dangers along the way, Jack realizes that his village of Crik has hidden secrets for many years that now affect their lives, and he suspects his shadow is a traitor to him.

Crik is an exciting, action-packed epic adventure that teens will like. In some ways, it reminded me of the novel Eldest, since a few characters and scenes are similarly repulsive. Karl Beer is an excellent fantasy storyteller who is not afraid to stretch his imagination to create unique plots. His writing style is fluid, and the dialogue is unforced with spine-chilling descriptive drama. Jack and Bill bravely learn how to deal with the new discoveries that affect and mature them along the way. Crik is a novel I highly recommend reading.

[Rochelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book in the mail on August 14 and stayed up some nights to read it. Its a very well written book and I would love to see a movie made of the book. I would also like to see some more books written about Crick Woods. I could almost feel Jack and his shadow as they were almost real when I read this book. Karl Beer has a magic in his story that could make you think that Crick Wood is actually real and you want to go see it. I almost felt like I could climb into the book and be with Jack.

[Charlotte Condon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack a young boy from the village of Crik one night discovers a terrifying secret that send him and His friend Bill on an epic adventure. The author has a great imagination, creating a world of both horror and wonder coming together to make this very well written, exciting read. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys dark fantasy. 5 stars definitely.

[Julie Donovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crik

Very well written for adults as well as a younger generation. Jack and his friends are well written with wonderful characters as well as awful. Jacks story is a good one. Gemini comes to mind in fairytale fashion. Once read, you may agree.

[Stacie Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. So full of talent and adventure. A definite read for anyone who ikes magic. It would nice to know what kind of talent I have.

[Wanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadow

Jack aka Yin has a shadow that he hates. Yang ( his shadow) loved to create mischief which always gets Jack in trouble, even though he tells everybody that he can't control his shadow.
Bill Jack's best friend always has his nose stuck in a book because he has no gifts like everyone else.
One night Jack sees a giant digging a hole in Bills grandmothers rose bush. Curiosity pushes Jack to see what the giant has buried. What he sees scared him to death! He sees what her perceives as a demon crawl into Bill's mouth. All of the sudden Bill has a talent. He can control animals. Bill talks Jack into going in the woods to find a wolf that Bill can control.
After a battle with the Wolf pack they get lost in a marsh and find Inara. She has been locked in a shack and tortured beyond what they have ever seen. She too has a gift, she can raise the dead!
I encourage you to read this book and go on the ride of your life finding out what these children have to endure.
I'm not usually one to read Sci Fi books, but I was given the opportunity to read this for free. As you've probably already noticed I gave it five stars. I was captured from the first page and you probably will be too.
Happy Reading!!

[Carolcoucillgmail.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lord of the ring lovers

Anyone who like the beasts and monsters in lord of the rings will definitely love this book. This mans imagination is likened for me to Tolkien . I was enthralled with all the creatures and the special powers of the characters , definitely a good book for fantasy lovers

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad I picked up this book. Some fantastic reviews here and they were right. Couldn’t put it down and kept me interested throughout. Would highly recommend - you won’t be disappointed.

[Victoria Rees · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book which kept me engaged. Only took me two sittings to complete book which is really good for me. Usually I read a book over 5-6.
A must read

[Chrys Cymri · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author kindly sent me a free audio version to listen to.

As a result, I really wanted to finish. But around 5 hours in, I just couldn't go on. So sorry...

The story just seemed to plod, and the narrator's voice didn't help. I couldn't connect to the characters, which meant I found that I didn't care what happened to them.

A DNF from me.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

a good paced story with wonderful descriptions. I did wonder why Inura had the talent she had and what use it would have been outside of the story whereas some of the other's talents were of obvious use.

[Sammi McSporran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sent a copy of Crik as part of a Goodreads First Reads promotion.

When I started reading I really wasn't too sure how this book would go. While the author is a fantastic story weaver, his grammar isn't great which is jarring at times. Commas are wrongly overused, words like 'past' and 'passed' are frequently confused, and there are various errors scattered throughout that would be easily solved with a bit of editing. It also bothers me that the main character is nicknamed 'Ying' when in fact it should be 'Yin' to go with 'Yang'.

Despite the errors, this is a truly marvellous story. The characters are endearing in their own ways, and there is plenty of tension and horror throughout the adventure to keep you on your toes!

It's a long book and it took me such a long time to read! At 406 large pages, I would say it was a good 10 hours worth of reading for me!

This is a unique and epic tale and I am really glad I had the opportunity to read Crik.

Four stars.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting!

A freebie I think which grabbed my attention from the "blurb". Took a while to get into but got there in the end and it really got me hooked!
A village of people with "talents" granted by another organism which lives inside them. Jack sees his friend discover his talent and is disgusted so wants to lose his own., a shadow with a life of his own. Here follows an epic adventure with ghosts, zombies, metal forests, wolves and witches. Jack eventually discovers his shadow is not a demon and learns to love it.
An interesting book, slow to start but gripping in the end.

[Kat (kvcatnip) · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I would like to thank the author for sending this book to me and trusting me to read it and review his work. That is a brave and wonderful thing.

This book was interesting because how much detail was within this book, especially for essentially being an independent novel. It carried trances of high fantasy and some dark sci fi type characteristics, and had very thorough world building.

This book was very well thought out and I was impressed at the skill needed to create such a vast and detailed novel.

[Leslie John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crik is an imaginary tale that grips you right from the start, and just will not let go. It follows the adventures of a few youngsters, on a quest to solve a mystery. You would expect them to face dangers, but threats soon turn to horror as they travel from one region land to another.
The characters come across strongly, and the tale is well written, holding together well throughout.
Highly recommended to all who enjoy fantasy'

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friend or Foe

A scary coming of age adventure. After seeing the impossible... Jack embarks on a journey, learning secrets along the way. *No spoiler here* A must read . I highly recommend this book to read.

[Allan L. Rubin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave it three, it was meh. The premise sounded fun, but, the book plodded along. Hard to stay with it, left the book several times to read other books. I just trudged through to the end, wanted to see how things turned out.