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A World To See: A Novel
The Age of Exploration has dawned, and with it a disturbing mystery: why do those sent to the New World return hideously scarred and hopelessly mad... if they return at all?
In the three years since his mentor's disappearance, the Captain has desperately sought a ship to search these strange new lands for the Admiral. When the King finally grants his wish, his adventure - and terrors - begin.
Through strange waters littered with evil omens, the Captain battles otherworldly creatures to arrive at last in a land permeated by an eerie, unnatural darkness overrun by unknowable horrors.
As the Captain and his crew struggle to survive, he begins a different journey of his own. Traveling deep into his past, he will struggle with his own history, and will question everything he's ever known about himself, and the man who brought him all this way.
This adventure will reveal questions in his soul - if unknowable monsters reign in the skies above, can God be trusted? How can he hold onto his humanity, or his sanity, in the face of such horror? And what if the greatest monsters are the ones we bury deep inside ourselves, always itching to rise?
In the three years since his mentor's disappearance, the Captain has desperately sought a ship to search these strange new lands for the Admiral. When the King finally grants his wish, his adventure - and terrors - begin.
Through strange waters littered with evil omens, the Captain battles otherworldly creatures to arrive at last in a land permeated by an eerie, unnatural darkness overrun by unknowable horrors.
As the Captain and his crew struggle to survive, he begins a different journey of his own. Traveling deep into his past, he will struggle with his own history, and will question everything he's ever known about himself, and the man who brought him all this way.
This adventure will reveal questions in his soul - if unknowable monsters reign in the skies above, can God be trusted? How can he hold onto his humanity, or his sanity, in the face of such horror? And what if the greatest monsters are the ones we bury deep inside ourselves, always itching to rise?
298 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 4, 2022
3 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 17, 2023
A WORLD TO SEE is the latest novel that I have read. Unless I am reading a history book, which is my favorite genre, I don't read the hype or even the jacket cover as I like to go into this blind. That being the case, I was glad I went into this not knowing what to expect.
The story started off with a ship being fitted out to go in search of treasure, probably in the New World. No dates were mentioned, but judging from the crew, references to war, and weapons of choice, I guessed it to be around the time of the Spanish expeditions into the New World. So as the adventure began, strange things started happening. That was when it started to take on shades of the paranormal and horror, and that was when it really started getting interesting. I probably already said too much about the plot so I will stop here.
The tale was in the first person narrative, with the ship's captain being the main person of interest. Character development was evident, and chances are you will like him better by the end of the story. The crew was interesting. My favorite was the female Ranger. She was brought along as an expert hunter and tracker, which aren't necessarily the same thing. The Musketeer was another favorite.
There were a little over 400 pages and I thought it would take a lot longer to read than it did. Part of the reason was the size of the page and print. That is not to say that I didn't need my reading glasses. The other reason, which was the main reason, was that there were parts where I was so into the story that when I paused to run and get a snack and looked at the page number, I thought, "This can't be right!"
This was a pretty neat story.
The story started off with a ship being fitted out to go in search of treasure, probably in the New World. No dates were mentioned, but judging from the crew, references to war, and weapons of choice, I guessed it to be around the time of the Spanish expeditions into the New World. So as the adventure began, strange things started happening. That was when it started to take on shades of the paranormal and horror, and that was when it really started getting interesting. I probably already said too much about the plot so I will stop here.
The tale was in the first person narrative, with the ship's captain being the main person of interest. Character development was evident, and chances are you will like him better by the end of the story. The crew was interesting. My favorite was the female Ranger. She was brought along as an expert hunter and tracker, which aren't necessarily the same thing. The Musketeer was another favorite.
There were a little over 400 pages and I thought it would take a lot longer to read than it did. Part of the reason was the size of the page and print. That is not to say that I didn't need my reading glasses. The other reason, which was the main reason, was that there were parts where I was so into the story that when I paused to run and get a snack and looked at the page number, I thought, "This can't be right!"
This was a pretty neat story.
February 2, 2023
A World To See teems with monsters, morals, and mystery. It is an epic novel about the age of exploration, a reminder of the seafaring heroes of ages past. But it is also a modern novel about the tricks and travails of memory, and the danger of our own narratives. It is a horrorscape of Lovecraftian proportions, told with unflinching and vivid detail. But it is also a story of man wrestling with God, with creation, with destruction.
The author has a profound ability to weave these themes together into overlapping layers, driven by a gripping narrative. The otherworldly scenes he sketches are done in perfect, eery detail; pages ooze with suspense and surreal imagery. The emotional churn of the Captain's travels will move you, and the philosophical questions the book prods at will last long after you read the last lines.
In short: this book is incomparable, a genuine tour de force from a new author. I strongly encourage you to read it!
The author has a profound ability to weave these themes together into overlapping layers, driven by a gripping narrative. The otherworldly scenes he sketches are done in perfect, eery detail; pages ooze with suspense and surreal imagery. The emotional churn of the Captain's travels will move you, and the philosophical questions the book prods at will last long after you read the last lines.
In short: this book is incomparable, a genuine tour de force from a new author. I strongly encourage you to read it!
July 12, 2024
Such an interesting and multi-layered read. Alex has undoubtedly concocted a rich and engaging brew with his debut novel. Full review to come!
February 10, 2023
Adventurous, Cerebral, Mythic
A description of this book in three words:
-Adventurous
-Cerebral
-Mythic
Definitely a page turner, this debut novel has its share of both swashbuckling excitement and deeper introspection. The tale is an odd blend of philosophy, mythology, but it works!
My one gentle criticism is that it could’ve used one more pass-through by an editor. There were some typos and things of that nature that were missed.
Solid 4 ⭐️!
CW: some infrequent but strong language, strong violence, a few mentions of rape, trauma, self harm, mental health issues, and prostitution
A description of this book in three words:
-Adventurous
-Cerebral
-Mythic
Definitely a page turner, this debut novel has its share of both swashbuckling excitement and deeper introspection. The tale is an odd blend of philosophy, mythology, but it works!
My one gentle criticism is that it could’ve used one more pass-through by an editor. There were some typos and things of that nature that were missed.
Solid 4 ⭐️!
CW: some infrequent but strong language, strong violence, a few mentions of rape, trauma, self harm, mental health issues, and prostitution
January 28, 2023
This book is incredible. The descriptions make you feel like you are in the center of the story. Once I was hooked, I couldn’t put it down. The story draws you in and will have you wanting to know what happens next and how the adventure resolves. It is a real page turner!
August 27, 2023
Though I'm writing this review well into the year, this novel kickstarted my reading for 2023 and did not disappoint! The exposition and build-up throughout the journey created true connections with the characters and led to a multitude of emotions as events unfold. My typical reading style consists of "whodunnits" or relaxed story lines. A World To See was a brain workout, with numerous layers for interpretation and thought provoking reflections.
March 23, 2023
I thought the beginning was a little slow. Read it cold - not sure what I was getting myself into. But, once the main adventure began I was hooked. Great story, some editing issues, great intertwining of myth, adventure, and dark fantasy. I think because I haven’t read much in this genre I didn’t let my brain relax enough to enjoy the ride. Hope to read more from this author.
December 27, 2022
While I may be biased, I think that anyone who reads this book will enjoy it! I had a tremendous amount of fun writing it, and I hope you have fun reading it!
March 26, 2023
Psychological thriller treat!
A sumptuous tale that has many tropes and genre mixed into one.
The story has a different take on fear of the unknown from what I have perceived it to be. And that is interesting as I love to get different POV from fellow authors. This emotion lends to the horror element in the story.
It is about the character Captain and his adventure on the sea to find the Admiral. The narrative gives vivid imagery of the scenes that unfold as the MC navigates the rough waters. It opens the door to the unknown and reveals the ominous. It sort of gives a glimpse into what the early explorers might have come across.
The author has an ambiguous style to keep the reader on edge. I suppose it makes sense in maintaining the intrigue from start to finish. An excellent read if this is your genre. A great one regardless the genre preference.
A sumptuous tale that has many tropes and genre mixed into one.
The story has a different take on fear of the unknown from what I have perceived it to be. And that is interesting as I love to get different POV from fellow authors. This emotion lends to the horror element in the story.
It is about the character Captain and his adventure on the sea to find the Admiral. The narrative gives vivid imagery of the scenes that unfold as the MC navigates the rough waters. It opens the door to the unknown and reveals the ominous. It sort of gives a glimpse into what the early explorers might have come across.
The author has an ambiguous style to keep the reader on edge. I suppose it makes sense in maintaining the intrigue from start to finish. An excellent read if this is your genre. A great one regardless the genre preference.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews