Gideon by Jacquelyn Frank

So bad it stinks.

Another reviewer wrote that they were impressed by the ‘other-world building’ in this book. Other world! Forget it. This is basically the story of the petty squabbles and pregnancy worries of a group of friends, husbands and wives. I finally gave up believing in the ‘other world’ when on page 102, Noah, who is supposed to be the King of the Demons, uses the word ‘cockamamy’. I mean. How is that ‘other world?’

The only unique thing about this novel is that it is the first paranormal I have read to feature a pregnancy out of wedlock. And the lack of physical and mental privacy reminded me of the harshest communist indoctrination policies rather than the paranormal. Maybe that's what the other reviewer meant by 'other world.'

I know I will spend the rest of the novel trying to decide which TV Soap the story tries to emulate. Certainly nothing with class, so that cuts out Melrose Place and Dallas. (Yup, I stopped watching soaps when I left my teens)

Fundamentally. There is a complete disconnection between the narrative story and the dialogue spoken by the characters. Imagine Twelfth Night with a Brooklyn accent. That about sums up the novel.

Something else I don't like about this story is that one of the characters, a pregnant female, gets her stomach kicked in, purely for entertainment purposes of course. Being a paranormal novel, there are thankfully no bad consequences and the character makes a complete recovery. However I personally object to novels that depict cruelty to animals or children. In fact I like to be warned when these acts feature in a novel...so that I can avoid buying them. Also. What is the point of the story spending pages and pages describing all those 'special demon powers' if they cannot ensure the safety of their vulnerable womenfolk? Maybe they should use a good ol' human Smith n Wesson.

Gross.

That's why I write spoilers...with glee.

That is just about the only incident of note that happens in this story. The rest is mainly endless nit-picking, belly-button examining conversations between characters. Which is, I suppose, what passes for 'character development' with some authors.

btw. In this story the heroine calls the hero 'a tosser' as a term of endearment!!!!! (And he says nothing...poor emasculated sap.)

Beam me up Scotty.