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Note to Self: Myth Reimagined
Time: a blessing or a curse?
Can time ever be changed? If so, at what cost?
What is more precious: the past, the present, or the future?
In this layered journey through time, discover the answers for yourself.
When Kris is delivered a book about the time travels of Faran Senecio and his attempt to save his family, he learns that the past is not made to be dwelt in, the future is uncertain at best, and the present is filled with trouble and heartache. Through Faran’s story, Kris comes to realize that there is only one way to change the past but the price is high—Time-Sacrifice.
Take this journey with Kris through a modern reimagining of the Narcissus Myth.
Can time ever be changed? If so, at what cost?
What is more precious: the past, the present, or the future?
In this layered journey through time, discover the answers for yourself.
When Kris is delivered a book about the time travels of Faran Senecio and his attempt to save his family, he learns that the past is not made to be dwelt in, the future is uncertain at best, and the present is filled with trouble and heartache. Through Faran’s story, Kris comes to realize that there is only one way to change the past but the price is high—Time-Sacrifice.
Take this journey with Kris through a modern reimagining of the Narcissus Myth.
323 pages, Paperback
Published July 6, 2020
2 people are currently reading
858 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 15, 2020
Fantastic! It was a book worth reading for sure! Time traveling is something I thought was interesting to read for sure. Kris is given a book about time traveling and that is when the story begins. Kris's character is so well developed and a major page turner until the very end. I cannot say much so I do not spoil. Well written, and the plot flowed well.
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August 31, 2020If Note to Self has piqued your interest, you should check out the second book in the Myth Reimagined series, Strength in Weakness, a novelette reimagining of the Theseus Myth.
Myth Reimagined is a series of standalone books that are tied together by their fresh take on ancient myths. So, whereas Note to Self is a Contemporary SciFi, Strength in Weakness is a Coming of Age Adventure set in a mythic, ancient world.
Strength in Weakness: Myth Reimagined
Myth Reimagined is a series of standalone books that are tied together by their fresh take on ancient myths. So, whereas Note to Self is a Contemporary SciFi, Strength in Weakness is a Coming of Age Adventure set in a mythic, ancient world.
Strength in Weakness: Myth Reimagined
July 9, 2020
Note to Self is a Science Fiction novel that will hit home for every type of reader. It has time travel, family relationships, loss, love, & narcissism told in a story of choice and consequence. A story for the head and the heart.
October 1, 2020
Ok this is a book where the plot was good enough to keep you interested but the character was so flat I almost put it down if that makes sense. I want led to know what came next so much that I flew through the story but I had no hope for character development from our main character.
I will tell you about it a little first. We have our main character who is a young writer in Atlanta and is driven by the belief that he is the next big thing. He is selfish, rude, and uses others to get what he wants. His big idea, the one that will rose him to stardom is a time travel story he saw in a dream. I won’t say much more because the plot is so interesting and would hate to ruin it for you.
Now my Pro’s for the story are
Setting- Atlanta I live in Atlanta and enjoyed the references.
Plot- drives the story and is very interesting
Time Travel Element- This idea presented by the author was imaginative and compelling. I liked it a lot.
Great quotes about living in the moment!
Con’s are
Character- So vey unlikeable and I don’t feel gets any redemption. After the story even if given a second chance I cannot see him making the right choices until he loses all that he loves. Without a big moment to break him I don’t think he will change.
Poorly done info dump 40% in- I have heard it said show don’t tell is a great way to get readers interested in your story. The author started to do that and then stopped the story to give all the rules. Stopped forward momentum and he went over a ton of the things that our main character already knew.
Ending- The character development we see does not point to a happy ending this character was to selfish. I didn’t believe it.
I know my cons are a bit harsh but this book is very readable and I think is very close to being a good book. I will do a video review as well if you are interested on my channel.
I will tell you about it a little first. We have our main character who is a young writer in Atlanta and is driven by the belief that he is the next big thing. He is selfish, rude, and uses others to get what he wants. His big idea, the one that will rose him to stardom is a time travel story he saw in a dream. I won’t say much more because the plot is so interesting and would hate to ruin it for you.
Now my Pro’s for the story are
Setting- Atlanta I live in Atlanta and enjoyed the references.
Plot- drives the story and is very interesting
Time Travel Element- This idea presented by the author was imaginative and compelling. I liked it a lot.
Great quotes about living in the moment!
Con’s are
Character- So vey unlikeable and I don’t feel gets any redemption. After the story even if given a second chance I cannot see him making the right choices until he loses all that he loves. Without a big moment to break him I don’t think he will change.
Poorly done info dump 40% in- I have heard it said show don’t tell is a great way to get readers interested in your story. The author started to do that and then stopped the story to give all the rules. Stopped forward momentum and he went over a ton of the things that our main character already knew.
Ending- The character development we see does not point to a happy ending this character was to selfish. I didn’t believe it.
I know my cons are a bit harsh but this book is very readable and I think is very close to being a good book. I will do a video review as well if you are interested on my channel.
December 8, 2021
In Note To Self: Myth Reimagined by Donald Catchings, time travel and morals become philosophical dilemmas.
Kris and Lali are grad students working on their thesis of sorts. They're writing stories, though the length of the stories isn't clear. Kris appears to be wanting to write about time travel, and so begins the philosophy and mathematics of how to write it, what it would look like, and how it would affect the time traveler. Catchings makes sure there is a lot to dive into, creating a thoughtful narrative that expects more of the reader than genre fiction might.
Kris is an eccentric and selfish character. He comes across as liking to hear himself think and thinking others want to listen to his ramblings. His relationship with Lali is callous. She loves him, but he's only using her as a springboard for his ideas. Meanwhile, his actual girlfriend, Dani, has dropped out of college and is helping take care of Kris's teenage sister since their parents passed away. His poor sister only wants his attention, and Dani wants to give him some good news, but he explodes, saying they've only held him back and he's better off without them.
It's a whirlwind of emotion right off the start without any premise for the dramatic reactions. There doesn't seem to be any reason for Kris to act like such an ass. Overlooking the shallow actions of our protagonist, we begin to see that this is a reimagining of the Narcissus myth.
Catchings writing is very storyteller-esque. Note To Self reads more like a modern myth or a story told around the fire. While the prose flows well, the dialogue is unrealistic and trite.
Like A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Donald Catchings hopes to teach the reader a lesson. If not for the unnatural cadence to the relationships and the dialogue, this novel would be a great reminder of how we should treat others and live in a world of unknowns.
Kris and Lali are grad students working on their thesis of sorts. They're writing stories, though the length of the stories isn't clear. Kris appears to be wanting to write about time travel, and so begins the philosophy and mathematics of how to write it, what it would look like, and how it would affect the time traveler. Catchings makes sure there is a lot to dive into, creating a thoughtful narrative that expects more of the reader than genre fiction might.
Kris is an eccentric and selfish character. He comes across as liking to hear himself think and thinking others want to listen to his ramblings. His relationship with Lali is callous. She loves him, but he's only using her as a springboard for his ideas. Meanwhile, his actual girlfriend, Dani, has dropped out of college and is helping take care of Kris's teenage sister since their parents passed away. His poor sister only wants his attention, and Dani wants to give him some good news, but he explodes, saying they've only held him back and he's better off without them.
It's a whirlwind of emotion right off the start without any premise for the dramatic reactions. There doesn't seem to be any reason for Kris to act like such an ass. Overlooking the shallow actions of our protagonist, we begin to see that this is a reimagining of the Narcissus myth.
Catchings writing is very storyteller-esque. Note To Self reads more like a modern myth or a story told around the fire. While the prose flows well, the dialogue is unrealistic and trite.
Like A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Donald Catchings hopes to teach the reader a lesson. If not for the unnatural cadence to the relationships and the dialogue, this novel would be a great reminder of how we should treat others and live in a world of unknowns.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews