Neville Canton was about as average as any man can be. He had a mediocre job, a pleasant wife, an on-going feud with his sister, and an average case of cancer that took his life.
But death wasn’t the end of his problems and even average people have to learn to overcome.
Now trapped in a cloud between the living and the dead, he must find his way to the afterlife.
With the help of a spiritual guide he navigates through seven challenges; seven tasks to sever his final connections to the mortal world.
If he fails, he forfeits his eternity and the consequences may be worse than death.
** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. So thank you for giving me the opportunity to read your book, R.K!**
Now that’s a tricky one, because I have absolutely no clue how to start this review. XD I guess I’ll just try to write what I thought while I read “Lost in the Clouds” and will take it from there. So first things first! This is a rather short story and for me it was really confusing because I was thrown right into the action and was at least as disoriented as Neville the MC. *lol*
We don’t get any explanation for the things that happen, they just happen and everything you can do is to go with the flow and to try to understand what’s happening to Neville. So yeah, the narration style was kinda weird and super confusing but it was also very intriguing and entertaining?! XD Despite my general confusion I just wanted to know what would happen next and that’s always important when you read a book. That it keeps you hooked and curious and R.K.’s short story definitely did!
Still, if that’s the afterlife I really hope that I’ll never reach that point. *lol* To cut the connection to your human life sounded more than just painful and poor Neville had to endure quite a lot while he was on his journey. So, thank you, but no, thank you. ;-P
Other than that I truly enjoyed “Lost in the Clouds” and I can recommend it to everyone who likes to read stories about spiritual journeys. This isn’t only a book about what moves us while we’re alive but also a book about what we have to leave behind when we end our last voyage and eventually move to that other sphere. ________________________
Since it took me ages to get to this review copy, I feel a need to say shout the following:
R.K I’M FINALLY READING YOUR BOOK!!!
And I’m already very curious about it. The plot sounds pretty intriguing and I can’t wait to find out how this idea is carried out. I’m sure it’s going to be interesting. Well, at least it sounds like there’s a lot at stake! *lol*
If others believe me rating my own book to be unethical I will remove the stars, but I wanted to write a review of it to let those who visit the book page know what this novella means to me.
In podcast and blog interviews when asked what inspires my writing I usually give the same answer, my dog. And to be fair our works do offer a fair amount of inspiration to manuscripts I've completed or am currently writing. But the idea for this book pre-dates Logan. To be honest, I sort of see it as an expansion of one of the first short stories I ever wrote.
It's one of my most vivid memories from elementary school. My english teacher, Ms. Vincent, who was also one of the first people to ever encourage my writing habits, assigned a short story project. I don't really remember my classmates' stories, but I do remember mine. A nameless narrator was training for a tournament when he was zapped to a void within the universe. It was similar to the cloud that Neville had to float through, but the man in my story wasn't dead. In fact, he was there because he was having self doubt about his own abilities. Though the world expected him to be victorious in this tournament he questioned if he was good enough.
Once he entered this strange cloud he found there was one other inhabitant, a guru. Unlike the Old Man in Lost in the Clouds this guru was more based on King Kai from Dragon Ball Z (they say write what you know and in 4th grade I was kind of obsessed with Dragon Ball Z).
In my story the guru reminded the main character what he was fighting for, and that all the strength he would need came from them. The resolution was quick, there wasn't much build up; I was by no stretch of the imagination a genius back then. Once the guru spoke the main character agreed, was sent back, and won the tournament.
Now, while this is a VERY different plot from Lost in the Clouds it did contain some of the same elements. The protagonist was insecure about his own gifts, he felt unworthy at times, he was trapped in an isolated reality looking back at his life with no clear idea of what the future held, and he needed the objective views of a third party wise-man to help him navigate his own internal turmoil.
I have always been drawn to these kinds of stories, the kinds where the internal dialogue/struggle of the protagonist is put out in the open for the reader to see. A place where the MC isn't battling his emotions, but rather bringing them out of his body, giving them tangible structure, and then defeating them. One of the books that inspired me before completing this book was the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna's counsel to Arjuna outside the physical on-going war, helping the prince become the man he needs to be in order to take his kingdom back.
Now, Lost in the Clouds was not trying to capture the same message, or deliver the same themes as the Gita, but the style and the beauty of the writing did help inspire the overall structure of the book. It did give me direction, and without it I do not believe I would've been able to complete this book.
I thank you for reading this and your interest in my work.
With hilarity and heart, author R.K. Gold explores the ways in which we’re attached to our world - through our experiences- our past memories - our love connections - our tragedies -our point of views - and our bodies.
Neville Canton has died of cancer at the beginning of this story. It’s an inevitable struggle for Neville to deal with transition into the afterlife. He gets stuck in the middle of two very different worlds. Along comes a spiritual guide: “THE OLD MAN”,... who has irritating habits...but he presents Neville with two choices. He can either move forward and seek eternal peace or remain lost in the clouds where he will be a restless ghost.
A process of letting go begins. Neville revisits experiences in the mortal world. He confronts several different curves life threw his way with his wife, his sister, other friends, and even a memory of his dog. By observing himself - as if playing back a video of himself - he has more clarity and begins to realize what’s holding him back. He begins to look at his own emotions such as fear, grief, and anger, with courage. Neville continues to struggle for sometime of completely detaching from earth. Facing his wrongdoings- incomplete conflicts - were his hardest to accept and be at peace with himself. There is nothing preachy or religious about this book. It’s often very funny - and heartwarming because the dialogue and relationship between Neville and THE OLD MAN ( spirit guide) is delightfully absurd yet in a context of truth.
This is a SEMI SHORT AUDIOBOOK .....with PERSONALITY. The writing itself kept me on my toes with it’s poetic beautiful prose. The narrator, Kyle, was AWESOME! This book came alive through his voice.
If I HAD to compare R. K. Gold with another author ( creative writing style), David Sedaris comes to mind.
Great spirit....original....increasingly engaging our curiosity .... ......the reader takes a journey with Neville and THE OLD MAN. While we do, we quietly ask ourselves profound questions about life and death.
That was the main character's mindset for nearly the entire novel - and pretty much mine, too. Honestly, I'm still confused whether or not this was really weird in a good way or bad way. I had an update earlier saying the same thing and I've yet to decide which it is.
First off, I'd like to thank R.K. Gold for personally sending me a copy of this book. It breaks my heart that I have to rate it so low, but I'm a real stickler when it comes to honesty and reviews. Either way, I'm sorry. But thank you a million times for giving me a second chance to review this. It means a lot.
All right. Now it's onto the nitty-gritty.
Straight off, the novel started off strangely. Yet, it was the type of strange that gauged my interest and had me continue reading with the need to know what would happen next. And then, I don't know how else to say it, that interest just stopped somewhere along the way. The first chapter was the strongest, and then everything afterwards went downhill. Which was quite jarring! One minute I'm interested, then the next I'm confused and wondering what the heck is going on. Which was (as stated above) pretty much was how I felt for the remainder of the novel. But it was a journey. I wasn't bored or anything like that. Just confused.
A positive about this novel was its originality. It felt like I'd never read anything like this before, so that uniqueness certainly kept me going. I only wish I better understood what was going on - or that I would feel a connection with one of the characters. But I couldn't find one. I felt like I was reading a story rather than living one - which is how I feel with most "great" books.
Another thing I enjoyed, was how the novel ended well. It's always pleasant to finish a novel with no loose ends and no need for further questions asked. So nice job on a clean finish, R.K. Gold.
Overall, this was definitely better than the audio-book (I couldn't even finish that). However, it still lacked in many areas, and made me feel too detached from the story and characters. It was an interesting premise, I will admit, I just I wish it had been executed better. Perhaps, if it'd been written longer, maybe that would have allowed me to grow closer to some of the characters.
Anyways, thank you again to the author for everything - and for just being an outright awesome person! Never stop writing!
______________________________
First Read: Audio-book Edition DNF
I think I can firmly say that audiobooks are not for me. I literally could not picture anything going on and I would've preferred reading this myself. Now, I know there are good audiobooks out there, I've listened to a few minutes of a Harry Potter one and loved it, but I'd still prefer actually reading it rather than listening to it.
Now, there are two things. Personally, I didn't like whoever was reading the the story - his voice was too airy and made it difficult to follow along. Secondly, the story wasn't really up my ally. So these two negatives made it difficult for me to continue with the novel, which is why I had to stop after the 2 hour mark.
Overall, I probably would've finished this if I had the physical copy - but between the difficult to follow narrator and the rather confusing story-line, I couldn't get far into this one. It's honestly shameful on my part because I hate DNFing books - no matter what the case. But I didn't think it would be fair of me to rate the novel when I was probably going to end up rating it lowly because of the narrator. That didn't seem right.
Anyways, thank you very much to the author for giving me a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I'm sorry I couldn't give you a concrete rating.
I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
This was a brilliant novel, following a man (Neville) after his death and his attempts to cut his ties with his life and move on to the afterlife. I loved the premise of this novel, the writing, the characterisation, everything. It was extremely well written and I especially loved the scenes between Neville and his wife. In the blurb they're described as average and pleasant, but you could really feel the love between them and the heartbreak when Neville had to chose to let her go in order to move on. I loved the journey that Neville travelled in this book and I thought that the ending really befitted the plot.
One of the most unique books I've read in a while. This tackles a very interesting perspective of death and what happens next. Very short, but thoroughly enjoyable.
This book was a most unusual read for me, making this review equally as difficult. I so wanted to give a full 4 stars, but just couldn't let my fingers do the typing.
Basically, this book is about Neville Canton's inability to release his ties binding him to his earthly existence, even though he has died of cancer. He becomes trapped in a sort of limbo between life and death, with the "black" always trying to claim him - and take him to hell. The "grey," representing the afterlife, is quickly becoming overrun by the "black" the longer Neville clings to his ties to the mortal world.
He receives assistance from a spiritual guide that has an annoying habit of always sitting on his chest in the clouds and giving vague and inconclusive clues as to how Neville can accomplish seven challenges that will help him to release himself from his connections to mortal world.
But time is his enemy...the longer he delays severing his ties to his past mortal life, the more "grey" the "black" consumes. But with only ambiguous clues from his guide, Neville must race against the "black" to pass into the afterlife, or he can forever forget about his eternity in the afterlife and possibly face an eternity worse than his death.
Does Neville manage to complete all seven challenges before the "black" completely encloses the "grey" forever, damning his soul to a place no one wants their soul to go? This reader knows the answer...will you?
I will admit that I don't read many books about the afterlife, but the concept behind this one intrigued me. The main character dies right at the beginning and the rest of the book follows him while he tries to make his way into the afterlife. Surprisingly (and thankfully), this isn't a book full of preaching about how to get to heaven. Instead, it's a thought provoking look at letting go. The narration was very good, though the reading lacked full emotion in some parts. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who finds the premise interesting.
I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this honest review.
I received a free copy of this audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this honest review.
****THIS REVIEW DOES CONTAIN A SPOILER**** (And by that I mean something that I realized while listening that isn't actually addressed or even talked about. It's not technically a spoiler but still.)
"Don't let the past be an anchor- let that energy rise with the smoke and push you to the next destination." Seriously one of the many new favorite quotes I have gathered from this book.
Where to even begin? It's kind of What Dreams May Come meets new age. It's a rather clever take on the concept of the afterlife. Well thought out and intricately executed.
First off this book starts with death. A slow plunge into the void beyond. But Neville finds that it's not at all what he thought it would be. Instead of just immediately moving forward he's stuck in this sentient dark inky cloud with this spiritual guide helping him process his existence. Through basic meditation and lots of snickering from the guide, Neville is sent on a spiritual journey for his own salvation. Through his trials he is required to face certain aspects of his past and learn to accept them and let them go, to release himself from the ties of life.
I wonder if anyone else caught on to the whole Chakra thing. I was rather pleasantly surprised myself. How inspired to incorporate such an interesting belief!
Now, as for the narrator: I thought he did very well. He has a nice voice and his pacing was decent. My biggest issue was that the emotions were not included in the performance. There is a lot of anger and frustration and passion in this book and I don't feel the narrator adequately portrayed any of those. It was a missed opportunity to bring more life into the story. I feel that the true essence of the book wasn't captured in the performance.
I have read all of R.K.'s books so far and each one brings something different and unique to the table. First there was a living forest with a guardian demon, then a religious cult survival thriller and now a mystical journey between life an death.
As I journeyed through the story each of the tests that our hero undertook became more convoluted. Not a negative for the reader but as a difficulty for Neville. From straightforward to temptation that he didn't realize was leading him astray.
For a story about some random dude in a cloud, the character development is incredibly deep. What's more is that it's not just developing the character of Neville but the character of every individual who at some point must go on this journey. Sure there is buy-in to Neville himself as you discover his backstory and type of person he is, but it is more that we as the reader get a deeper glimpse of what may await us in the in-between and what actually matters in life as we know it.
The guide was fantastic and you are always guessing at what his actual deal is (in a good way). It is terrifying to imagine this journey alone and the guide brings some levity (and creepiness in a fun way) to the dire situation.
Again, this is a quick read/listen. You will be able to crank it out in half a day give or take but the length takes nothing away from the story itself. I have high hopes for this writer and I cannot wait to see what comes next.
Also, I am kind of hoping the guide and the demon are connected in some way. I know not every writer has their own universe connecting everything but these two characters are fantastic and would love to learn more about them.
Highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys the mystical, metaphysical, magical or just enjoys a good read.
The premise: The main character dies on the first page, and spends the rest of the book journeying to the afterlife. But in order to get there, he must first pass a series of tests, each of which severs a tie to his life on earth. Time is short, and if it runs out, Neville will find himself wandering on the wrong side of eternity.
As a voice actor, I've worked on a multitude of projects with many different authors. RK Gold was one of the best. His writing flows beautifully, painting a simultaneously terrifying and uplifting picture of the afterlife. This is an extraordinarily creative work--one which you can read in an afternoon but take a month to digest.
And in a shameless self plug, I highly recommend the audiobook.
I purchased a copy of this book the day it came out. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I can say I wasn't disappointed. Gold sucks you into a long trip of discovery and letting go of your past in search of peace. We ride alongside Neville as he grows through the frustrating tasks of understanding where and why he is in the cloud. Lost in the Cloud is a short yet impressive work of fiction, and one I'd recommend to any reader looking for a wild read.
Lost in the Clouds by R.K. Gold was a good read. Neville has sucuumed to his cancer but it isn't the end of his story. He has to find his way to the afterlife with the help of a spiritual guide.
I really enjoyed this story although I did find it a bit hard to read being it is about death this book makes you really ponder where do we go what becomes of us after death .. I really enjoyed his writing style his words easily flow and I didn’t want to put the book down ..
This was an interesting and creative take on what happens after you die. It is definitley different and unusual from anything I have listened to before. The synopsis sounded really intriguing and even though it was entertaining and interesting overall, it just wasn't for me. It felt like it had that "dream" quality at times. You know when you have a dream and most of it makes sense then all of the sudden it takes a left turn and it just seems odd and confusing. I'm sure there is some deeper meaning/insight to the story that just flew right over my head. Honestly, it seemed like some kind of weird hallucination acid trip. ( I'm basing that on what I've heard not from personal experience).
Evidentially the space between death and the afterlife can be a strange adventure for some depending on what earthly connections you need to cut and what final business you need to take care of. Hopefully when the time comes my trip will be much more dull and peaceful than Neville's.
Kyle Tait did a really good job with the narration. This is the first time I have listened to him narrate a book. Nice voice that is easy to listen to for long periods of time. Clearly spoken with a nice even pace. Great character voices. His voice for "the guide" was great. A bit creepy. But it gave him a distinct personality. He was able to bring the story and characters to life. Very enjoyable.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I voluntarily provided this review.
This book was just what I needed. It’s filled with sharp emotion and a flurry of intense interactions. I thought this book was absolutely brilliant and a must read for those who are looking for a fantastic quick read that explores the unknown world of the afterlife.
The way this book is configured works flawlessly. It goes back and forth between his previous life and an existence that causes him to reevaluate how he perceives reality. Caught in the middle of two very different worlds, he is presented with two choices. He can either move forward and seek eternal peace or he can remain lost in the clouds and potentially become a restless ghost. Throughout the book he revisits his experiences in the mortal world that adds up to the totality of his life. By watching himself in this sort of out of body experience he is able to form realizations that help him conquer the things that are holding him back and preventing him from moving on.
This book magnifies the internal struggle for peace and difficulties of attaining a life devoid of bad decision-making, family conflict, grudges that are probably inconsequential, and things that overall lead life astray. The main character is trying to find his way and overcome several obstacles because otherwise he would be trapped in an abyss of black clouds forever.
At its best moments, this book reads like a poem. At its worst points, it feels like a strange version of the conversation between Harry Potter and Dumbledore at Kings Cross station, if Dumbledore decided to become way more New Age. Which, to be honest, I would still read and probably love, so take this review with that grain of salt.
By midway through this book, I started wondering what it would be like to attempt a yoga practice while listening to the audiobook. The moments of tension and conflict might make for some difficulty in this area, but the dialogue between the protagonist and his guide seems to address areas of the negative self-talk that can crop up during meditation attempts. As with this author's previous works, the visual descriptions are nothing short of stunning. The reader is transported to a place where they can follow along with a similar (though hopefully less deadly) letting go of ties to emotions of the past. The protagonist himself even becomes surprisingly relatable by the end, despite first impressions.
This was one of the more interesting books I have ever encountered, it took me much longer to listen to than books three times it's length because I found it quite disturbing. I think it might have just been bad timing for me as my great aunt passed away in the midst of me listening to it and I had to combat those ideas in my head. (over active imagination).
It really made me contemplate how I am living my life and what I might to have to sort through at the end of it. So far I am not too worried but there are things I could work on for sure. As I am sure we all could. I felt a great deal of sympathy for Neville, it felt like he held a lot of bitterness.
I received a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
The writing style was poetic and downright beautiful at times. The narration was easy to follow with unique voices for all of the characters adding to the experience. I was able to listen to this book in two sittings.
This book was well paced and offered a unique perspective on the afterlife, one I have never seen before.
Thank you to Gold and Tait for the opportunity to listen to your work.
***The author was kind enough to give me a free copy of the book this is a voluntary review***
The book was a fascinating take of the path to the after life. The story was poetic at times and often heartbreaking to relive the past while trying to come to terms with your own death. It was interesting read for anyone who is interested in this topic.
A truly cerebral take on crossing over. I spent most of the book as confused as our main character, but I think that was intentional. Sure am glad I didn't pass up reading this!
World Building: B+ Mythology: B Plot-Twists: A- Suspense: B+ Feels: B+
For you clean-readers: this book does NOT have mature content.
Honestly, this review could stop right here! Simply.........Brilliant.
Not only does Gold have some of the most unusual concepts for his novels but his writing is absolutely phenomenal.
Lost In The Clouds is such a thought provoking, profound read. Neville is faced with the hardest moment in his life. Having to sever all ties with the life you lived, saying goodbye to those you love and things that were near and dear to your heart is hard enough. Finding out not everything you thought you knew was honest. This only stirs the pot of emotions much deeper.
Through Neville's desperate journey to find that closure and to be able to move on, not wanting to face a consequence worse than death itself wasn't the only heart-full piece of this read. Neville learns about himself, he realises some negative moments in his life he can't only point the finger at others... he is just as much to blame. This sat heavy with me! It made me think back on my own choices and whether I dealt with them in the purest of heart or out of anger.
One paragraph in this book really stuck with me and will forever have me thinking.
"Who am I to judge what gives us our identity? Many struggle to find meaning in a hundred lifetimes. If you were lucky enough to have a purpose day in and day out, well, perhaps you lived more than most. And if you don't regret it, why should I regret it for you?"
I took so much from this incredibly powerful read. Be honest to yourselves, be honest to others, have the utmost respect for everyone and everything around you. Don't ever take advantages of moments, hold your memories close. Life is meaningful and we only get one to live. Don't have any regrets.
Thank you so much to R.K. Gold for sending Lost In The Clouds to me. R.K. did not ask me for a full review but I was so moved by it....I had to.
This was one of the most unusual books I've ever read and quite an interesting take on death, and what comes after. RK Gold is imaginative in his creation of the afterword. As a reader, you feel the confusion and fear of the MC Neville as he awakes in the afterlife confused. That's when you are sucked into a journey quite like no other. The character development is excellent. An short, but interesting read.
Neville is quite the ordinary man, neither a saint nor a devil. He’s got some hangups but also some righteous anger. As he drifts in the in-between, he’s guided by a rather blunt, grumpy man. Neville has to face all the things he loved and hated in life and one by one let go so that he can move on to the next stage of existence.
Not much happens in this book. It’s a quiet, personal, and emotionally challenging journey for Neville and us readers are just along for the ride. In this sense, I would compare it to some of Guy Gavriel Kay’s books where the story is all about a character’s personal growth. Honestly, at first I wasn’t too sure where this tale would go but I was hooked on Neville and really wanted to see what he would make of it.
Perhaps half way through the tale we learn more about Tessa, Neville’s older sister, and why he holds such anger towards her. I really liked this scene because it gave me both sides of the larger issues that stood between the two. They both made mistakes and they both had to pay for them.
Neville’s bland wife Catherine wasn’t all the interesting. We only get small snatches of her, seeing how she’s done her best to support Neville emotionally throughout the years. I would have liked more about her because I’m pretty sure she had hobbies or friends or personal tribulations.
A few more minor characters come into play. Dennis is the office parasite. There’s a memory of Neville’s dog Wilbur. There’s also a lovely lady at the office that could be Neville’s friend or his undoing. The cast was pretty small for this book and I think that makes it ideal for a stage play.
There were a few times when the story lagged a little for me. I felt that Neville had made his point but then slid into the Whiny Zone. The first time, this was part of his character but as he did it more and more often, I became a little tired of it.
On a side note, as Neville fades in and out of life throughout this book, he often mentions tingling in his personal bits. Yep. Honestly, after the second time it added a little humor to the tale. Neville’s nethers are tingling again! Perhaps it’s just me or perhaps the author was trying to work in a reference to Neville’s root chakra.
All together, I was entertained throughout the book. The tale has some weight as Neville confronts his own shortcomings and overcomes them. This is a small, quiet tale that left me with some deep thinking to do.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Kyle Tait. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Narration: Kyle Tait was a perfect fit for this book. He was great as Neville, capturing the often subtle emotions of this character. His female voices were also believable and all the character voices were distinct. I especially loved his voice of the grumpy guide that Neville is plagued by as he transitions from the living to the after life.
Neville Canton had an average life, and unfortunately, died of cancer. This is the story of his pass to the afterlife, of the trials he will have to overcome to avoid getting lost in the clouds.
I think this is a very personal book. The afterlife and the journey towards it has a different meaning to everybody. This books is kind of original in the way that it proposes different kinds of ordeals than the ones we are used to.
While I enjoyed the story, I think I was not able to get all the meaning Gold had pour onto it. it could be that I don't really believe in anything like this, or just that the story kept me expecting something... else.
I did enjoy Kyle Tait's narration. He really became Neville in this story, and was also good with voices. I just found the spiritual guide's a bit overdone. For the rest, his voice is clear and his audio production skills are very good.
I am not sure if I could recommend this book to anyone. I think it will be enjoyed by those with an open mind and who believe in the afterlife.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Kyle Tait. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
This book is dark, gritty, touches of humor, and has a lot of scenes that force you to look into your past and wonder what tethers you to this world before you die. The number of attachments, the emotion investment, and the people who are apart of Your life even when we think they aren't. Neville was annoying, but he was relatable because he is the underdog that wants to have peace and be happy (like all of us). Lost in the Clouds is similar to The Five People You Meet Before you Go to Heaven by Mitch Alborn. Except instead of people, it is moments or memories in Neville's life that have made you the person you were before traveling the path to the afterlife. Lost in the Clouds is a great book, and everyone should read this!
This story is about an after death experience and the soul works to leave life behind and move on to the afterlife. It's vivid, creative and strange. It's very creative and makes some interesting points about letting go of attachments that are holding you back, but I couldn't get into it, I kept wondering what the point was.
The narration is well done, good character voices and a nice flow to it.
This book was supplied free by the author/narrator/publisher and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.
R.K.Gold always has interesting plots that challenge the reader. That is the case with this most engrossing book. Once I started I couldn't put it down.
First I want to thank R.K. Gold for gifting me this book, however, that will not have an effect on my review of this book.
When I first started reading this, I really enjoyed it. I am very fascinated with anything that has to do with life after death so I knew I would like this to an extent. The way Gold has written this book is odd to me, in a way I really liked it but I also felt like something was missing. Gold uses imagery a lot which makes the writing feel sort of dreamy which fits the plot, but to me, it was used way too much which means every time he used imagery it had no meaning. The text also feels very chaotic and messy which I liked in the beginning because I always thought that crossing over to the other side was a messy and difficult thing to do so it makes sense to me to have a jumbled text that sometimes makes little sense. However, towards the end of the book, it too became a little too much, I found that I lost my footing and lost the plot.
When it comes to characters, I like that we are introduced to characters from his past throughout the novel, but this being a short book, I think there were way too many characters. It was hard to keep tabs on all of them. I also didn't like the "heh heh" laughs that popped up because they broke the flow and didn't feel natural.
I think this book has a lot of potential. I like the concept but I do think that the plot would have benefitted from the book being longer and also that the main character didn't have such a boring life. If the character is bored, so will the reader be. There are so many things I didn't get an answer to just because the scenes were too short.
I am excited to see what else R.K. Gold creates in the future, I do hope to see a longer book in the future as I feel like the length of this one held you back, don't be afraid to ramble on, us readers like the normal stuff just as much as the crazy stuff.
Lost in the Clouds is a wonderful story of a man trying to find truth and direction after his time has past. Neville is well-written and you'll spend the entire story rooting for him to reach his "destination." Neville's guide was also a great character and I got a kick out of reading his parts. I highly recommend this book, it's very unique and won't leave you disappointed!