Shannon C. (Shannatram) reviewed on 10/2/2010 + 33 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

Initially, I was attracted to this book because the cover was yellow, the plot seemed ok, but I loved the yellow cover. I know how silly that sounds, but sometimes I make the mistake of judging books by their cover (ok... I do it all the time). Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this was a pretty good book!

If you read a lot of fantasy/sci fi it can sometimes get a little tiring, because some themes, plot lines, and writing styles tend to repeat themselves after a time. Reading Monster was refreshing. It felt like Martinez broke away from a lot of the typical sci fi devices, and created a truly unique story. The characters all have a lot of personality, and the good guys are easily likeable, probably because they're easy to relate to. The heroes are regular working stiffs trying to get through the day and pay the rent.

Part of what makes the story unique is that he ads in mythology that isn't often explored. Most of the otherworldly creatures who showed up I had never heard of! Sure there was a minotaur here and there, but there was a lot of mythos thrown in that is usually looked over by other authors.

The pacing fit the story, and the humor was decent. Martinez didn't waste time on things that were unnecessary to the story. The whole thing felt like a solid, cohesive piece. Martinez is clearly just a good storyteller, and his books are definitely worth reading.

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