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Mirage #0.1
Strife
When Giles Deschain, a well-respected man, consort and father, discovers evidence of the malicious spice drug in his hometown, he embarks on a quest for truth and justice.
The longer Giles searches, however, the more volatile and unpredictable he becomes, and as he inches closer to exposing the rats that live in the walls, the moral anomalies of his own actions begin to endanger every single person he once hoped to protect.
Both thrilling and heartbreaking, Strife is a novella of obsession manifest in many forms.
The longer Giles searches, however, the more volatile and unpredictable he becomes, and as he inches closer to exposing the rats that live in the walls, the moral anomalies of his own actions begin to endanger every single person he once hoped to protect.
Both thrilling and heartbreaking, Strife is a novella of obsession manifest in many forms.
158 pages, ebook
Published May 8, 2016
8 people want to read
About the author
Kevin J.J. Carpenter
8 books13 followersKevin J.J. Carpenter is an author from Sydney, Australia. He has a strong literary background, with a Diploma of Publishing (Proofreading, Editing and Publishing) and a long-lasting fascination with the written world.
He wrote his first novel at seventeen while still in high school, prompting many of his teachers to question whether he was studying for his final exams or busy editing his novel. Over the subsequent years, he has pursued various literary ventures, such as a publishing a reconstructed memoir, Child of None (2015), available to purchase on Amazon.
Mirage is Kevin's latest (and most ambitious) project.
He wrote his first novel at seventeen while still in high school, prompting many of his teachers to question whether he was studying for his final exams or busy editing his novel. Over the subsequent years, he has pursued various literary ventures, such as a publishing a reconstructed memoir, Child of None (2015), available to purchase on Amazon.
Mirage is Kevin's latest (and most ambitious) project.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 26, 2018
Disclaimer: I am the author's fiancèe.
I've known Giles Deschain for a very long time now. The Giles I know however, is a completely different man. He wasn't born this way, and he surely didn't come across this lifestyle by chance, so who is he? Strife became real, because when writing the larger story, Kevin needed to know who Giles was. It's the very powerful story of obsession and a different form of addiction, reminiscent of Stephen King's The Gunslinger, and it earns it's five stars from me because I saw how raw and visceral the story is to the character, the audience and other stories to come.
I've known Giles Deschain for a very long time now. The Giles I know however, is a completely different man. He wasn't born this way, and he surely didn't come across this lifestyle by chance, so who is he? Strife became real, because when writing the larger story, Kevin needed to know who Giles was. It's the very powerful story of obsession and a different form of addiction, reminiscent of Stephen King's The Gunslinger, and it earns it's five stars from me because I saw how raw and visceral the story is to the character, the audience and other stories to come.
March 27, 2018
The final words from the author about how Strife is just a tiny bit of what Miragestories is does definitely feel true in nature when one reads this book. What i mean by that is that you may find yourself with words that you don't immediately be familiarize with, and will probably encounter only short descriptions of what they are throughout the reading of this book.
In fact there are mentions of towns and other things without a real description. This only has increased my curiosity as to what this universe has to offer and i hopefully can see more of it throughout the other books.
Now moving on to the characters and the story itself, Strife is definitely a story i find pleasuring. Giles evolves throughout the book, yet his core essence, that of a man of justice and hardwork, is still present. The narration of the story is filled with mystery and it really makes one wonder whether things will or not unravel. Yet the end feels like there is only more to come.
All in all this book has been completely satisfactory in my perspective. The fact that there are even Appendices and a map of the town in the author's website (miragestories.com) is even more amazing and speaks much of the work involved in writing this piece of a much larger puzzle.
In fact there are mentions of towns and other things without a real description. This only has increased my curiosity as to what this universe has to offer and i hopefully can see more of it throughout the other books.
Now moving on to the characters and the story itself, Strife is definitely a story i find pleasuring. Giles evolves throughout the book, yet his core essence, that of a man of justice and hardwork, is still present. The narration of the story is filled with mystery and it really makes one wonder whether things will or not unravel. Yet the end feels like there is only more to come.
All in all this book has been completely satisfactory in my perspective. The fact that there are even Appendices and a map of the town in the author's website (miragestories.com) is even more amazing and speaks much of the work involved in writing this piece of a much larger puzzle.
February 7, 2017
I really enjoyed this book! I had no idea what it was about going into it, but figured out very quickly that it was gonna be a great book. I haven't read many books with as interesting a concept as this, which puts a twist on the "normal father goes insane" story. This was one of the better books I've read recently, and I recommend this to just about everybody! No matter what you like, it will somehow fit your tastes.
June 29, 2018
A tile in the mosaic of stories known as Mirage, Strife is a fantasy noir novella about Giles Deschain, an upright lawman. In celebrated noir tradition, Giles has everything to lose—a loving fiancee, a beloved little daughter—but he can't look the other way when the chance discovery of the dangerously addictive drug of the title reveals that something is rotten in his orderly copper-mining town. He risks everything to conduct a secret investigation, but he's still surprised by what he discovers. The plot turns dark and darker before a possibly hopeful ending (or is it a beginning of something else?)
The world of the Mirage stories feels solid and ordinary with just a hint of the supernatural or magical. (It didn't hurt that I happened to read Strife while staying in an old Montana copper-mining town.) This reads like a straight-up detective story, except that solving the crime doesn't seem to solve anything. Clearly, this is a piece of something bigger. I look forward to seeing what else Carpenter brings forth from the Mirage.
The world of the Mirage stories feels solid and ordinary with just a hint of the supernatural or magical. (It didn't hurt that I happened to read Strife while staying in an old Montana copper-mining town.) This reads like a straight-up detective story, except that solving the crime doesn't seem to solve anything. Clearly, this is a piece of something bigger. I look forward to seeing what else Carpenter brings forth from the Mirage.
April 15, 2018
A beautiful, dark and teasing mystery.
[NOTE: I was very kindly sent one of the first printed paperback copies of this book in exchange for an updated review.]
One of Kevin J.J. Carpenter’s first ventures into fiction other than short stories, Strife is a great feat of a novella, and highly entertaining. Set in a fictional world similar to our own – except that this one seems to be ruled by individual Baronies, and there are policemen running around with swords (!), and other mystical things – Strife follows a duty-obsessed constable named Giles Deschain as he struggles to single-handedly rid his home town, Othilia, of a powerful and dangerous drug known as the Demon Spice.
"The day Giles discovered evidence of strife in Othilia, he started digging, clawing in a blind fury, desperate for answers. When he finally peered into the deep and realised he was disturbing a grave, the only thing he proved was that the demon spice always claims its victims. One way or another."
Opening the story with that baleful paragraph, Carpenter continues to create suspense marvellously as the story unfolds, an unnerving sense of corruption subtly conveyed in the descriptions of the environment and the dialogue. It's not far from the level of Stephen King's The Gunslinger, to which this book shares certain worldly similarities, although it's has less of an apocalyptic atmosphere.
The protagonist’s motivations are unclear at the beginning of the novella, and some might criticise this as being a little confusing to readers; Giles lives an almost utopian lifestyle, with a beautiful and loving wife, a cute daughter, an expensive manor house and a respectable, well-paying job – why is he so dead-set on eradicating the strife from his home town? But reading on rewards you with backstory that helps you understand where Giles’ duty complex springs from. I personally think his ambiguous motivations are actually more of a hook, as it makes you want to read on to find out why a man as privileged as him would risk his livelihood in pursuit of the truth. It is, in its own way, another acute layer of characterisation – you know that Giles must have some deep issues but you just don't understand what they are right away.
The prose itself is pretty perfect; it flows unwavering throughout, with florid words that sit on the tongue and bring distinct images to mind. The further you get into the story, the more the tension builds and the characters shine through the pages, and this progression is skilfully mirrored in the world-building, as the reader learns more about and becomes more invested in the intricacies of the fictional world that the story is set in. From a writer’s perspective, Strife is most genius in it’s design as a perfect funnel into the author’s future works of fiction within this universe. It manages to intrigue, reeling readers into the world and leaving them curious upon turning the final page. I, personally, am itching to read more from the Mirage series.
With poetic language, an interesting setting, a realistic cast of characters and a gripping mystery that begs important questions about human purpose and morality, this novella deserves no less than five stars. Kevin J.J. Carpenter is a talented storyteller and quickly becoming one of my favourite indie authors.
[NOTE: I was very kindly sent one of the first printed paperback copies of this book in exchange for an updated review.]
One of Kevin J.J. Carpenter’s first ventures into fiction other than short stories, Strife is a great feat of a novella, and highly entertaining. Set in a fictional world similar to our own – except that this one seems to be ruled by individual Baronies, and there are policemen running around with swords (!), and other mystical things – Strife follows a duty-obsessed constable named Giles Deschain as he struggles to single-handedly rid his home town, Othilia, of a powerful and dangerous drug known as the Demon Spice.
"The day Giles discovered evidence of strife in Othilia, he started digging, clawing in a blind fury, desperate for answers. When he finally peered into the deep and realised he was disturbing a grave, the only thing he proved was that the demon spice always claims its victims. One way or another."
Opening the story with that baleful paragraph, Carpenter continues to create suspense marvellously as the story unfolds, an unnerving sense of corruption subtly conveyed in the descriptions of the environment and the dialogue. It's not far from the level of Stephen King's The Gunslinger, to which this book shares certain worldly similarities, although it's has less of an apocalyptic atmosphere.
The protagonist’s motivations are unclear at the beginning of the novella, and some might criticise this as being a little confusing to readers; Giles lives an almost utopian lifestyle, with a beautiful and loving wife, a cute daughter, an expensive manor house and a respectable, well-paying job – why is he so dead-set on eradicating the strife from his home town? But reading on rewards you with backstory that helps you understand where Giles’ duty complex springs from. I personally think his ambiguous motivations are actually more of a hook, as it makes you want to read on to find out why a man as privileged as him would risk his livelihood in pursuit of the truth. It is, in its own way, another acute layer of characterisation – you know that Giles must have some deep issues but you just don't understand what they are right away.
The prose itself is pretty perfect; it flows unwavering throughout, with florid words that sit on the tongue and bring distinct images to mind. The further you get into the story, the more the tension builds and the characters shine through the pages, and this progression is skilfully mirrored in the world-building, as the reader learns more about and becomes more invested in the intricacies of the fictional world that the story is set in. From a writer’s perspective, Strife is most genius in it’s design as a perfect funnel into the author’s future works of fiction within this universe. It manages to intrigue, reeling readers into the world and leaving them curious upon turning the final page. I, personally, am itching to read more from the Mirage series.
With poetic language, an interesting setting, a realistic cast of characters and a gripping mystery that begs important questions about human purpose and morality, this novella deserves no less than five stars. Kevin J.J. Carpenter is a talented storyteller and quickly becoming one of my favourite indie authors.
May 31, 2016
Although this is outside the normal genre I read, I found this book to be very intriguing. It must have been, because I couldn't put it down once I started!!!
Spoiler ahead:
Giles Deschain is a member of the Guardian Force in Othilia. When he comes across the devil spice Strife, he is enraged. He doesn’t want this anywhere near his town…the town where he lives with his beautiful wife and daughter. Yet, when he brings it to the attention of someone higher up, he is told to let it go. He receives orders to not investigate, but Giles can’t help himself.
Giles investigation wrongly leads to him to one person who is accidentally killed in the process of investigating. Giles is stricken with grief until he is finally persuaded by superiors that he can find the strife farm. Unfortunately, in his investigation, he uncovers the truth, but loses his wife in the process.
This book is the first story of Giles and I cannot wait to find out what more comes to him. I can honestly say that I am now waiting very impatiently for the next story of Giles to be published. The writer draws you in until you are holding your breath to see what happens. As I stated before, this is outside my normal genre, but it is definitely one that I would recommend to anyone who likes a little mystery and intrigue. I will continue to come back to this author for everything he writes!
Spoiler ahead:
Giles Deschain is a member of the Guardian Force in Othilia. When he comes across the devil spice Strife, he is enraged. He doesn’t want this anywhere near his town…the town where he lives with his beautiful wife and daughter. Yet, when he brings it to the attention of someone higher up, he is told to let it go. He receives orders to not investigate, but Giles can’t help himself.
Giles investigation wrongly leads to him to one person who is accidentally killed in the process of investigating. Giles is stricken with grief until he is finally persuaded by superiors that he can find the strife farm. Unfortunately, in his investigation, he uncovers the truth, but loses his wife in the process.
This book is the first story of Giles and I cannot wait to find out what more comes to him. I can honestly say that I am now waiting very impatiently for the next story of Giles to be published. The writer draws you in until you are holding your breath to see what happens. As I stated before, this is outside my normal genre, but it is definitely one that I would recommend to anyone who likes a little mystery and intrigue. I will continue to come back to this author for everything he writes!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2016
This was an interesting tale set in an alternate world about a good man who becomes obsessed with eradicating a drug called "Strife" from his town. The short story opens when Giles, a respectable and honorable family man who works for the village police force, discovers some Strife in a campsite. Convinced that the drug is being manufactured in his town, he sets off on a mission to uproot it with deadly consequences.
The story was a quick read and well written, and the language was lyrical and interesting. I just didn't really get Giles. Why was he so obsessed with discovering where the Strife came from? He seems to plunge headfirst off the cliff, when it would be more believable if he got nudged along in smaller steps, and had some sort of backstory to explain why he cared so much. But, this is only the first installment, so maybe the next story will fill in more details!
I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for an interesting quick read in a quasi-fantasy type world, especially if you like your reads on the darker side!
The story was a quick read and well written, and the language was lyrical and interesting. I just didn't really get Giles. Why was he so obsessed with discovering where the Strife came from? He seems to plunge headfirst off the cliff, when it would be more believable if he got nudged along in smaller steps, and had some sort of backstory to explain why he cared so much. But, this is only the first installment, so maybe the next story will fill in more details!
I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for an interesting quick read in a quasi-fantasy type world, especially if you like your reads on the darker side!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews