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131 Total Reviews Given
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1
1
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
Hi, just picked this up as a random read & review.

TLDR: Great, a couple of minor points. 4.5/5

***


Overall, good. An enjoyable read, very good world building (not that I'd want to live there), great character development and well paced. However, some passages could benefit from tighter editing (example below), and there are a few occasions where a line break's missing.

Example:

Original passage:
"I sigh at the final paragraph before highlighting it for edits and sending it back to my supervisor - who I've never met. My chair creaks as I lean back in it and close my eyes. They tingle from having my workstation project optics in them for too long."

Could become something like:
"I sigh, highlighting the final paragraph for edits before sending it to my never-met supervisor. Leaning back, my chair creaks. My eyes tingle from prolonged exposure to the workstation's projected optics."

Removes some redundant information while keeping the same meaning, and 'flows' better.

Just my 2c, of course.


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2
2
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (1.5)
Hi, I just picked this up as a random "read & review".

There's an interesting premise - a family being startled by a mysterious, frightening sound during a storm, which sets a tense mood.

The family praying and seeking comfort in one another adds a touching, relatable (to some) element to the narrative.

However, I'm sorry to say that the writing itself is very poor:

There's no punctuation whatsoever, making it very hard to read / separate (what should be) different sentences.

         Remember the basics, a comma where you'd normally pause, and a full stop (period) at the end of each sentence.

There's a lack of consistency of tense:

         e.g. You start "This is a story of a family that was"... making this a recount of something that has already happened.

         Therefore, for example, "...all waken up so scare" should be "all woke up scared" (followed by either a comma or full stop).

         You may find something like grammarly's free app useful in identifying and correcting such errors (it's not perfect, but it's pretty good).

To improve, you could:

         Work on the sentence structure and grammar.

         Add more vivid descriptions to make the atmosphere feel more intense.

         Slow down the pace to build up suspense before resolving the tension.


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3
3
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 18+ | (4.0)
Hi, another random 'read & review'...

Caveat: I assume it's internally consistent with whatever came before. Notwithstanding that I haven't read any of the earlier chapters (where I'm assuming a lot of the background / world building is), it looks like you have some interesting characters in an intriguing fantasy world. Do I assume that everyone, or mostly everyone as a King is later mentioned, is female?

The dialogue is fluent and 'feels' natural - though a little more time might have been spent on Carter's emotions and reactions to different elements - e.g. guest or prisoner, the shock of a talking bird - and helps build a picture of the world in which Carter finds himself.

Speaking of which. The paragraph concerning its arrival, etc. is a little 'clumsy' and would, imo, benefit from a few tweaks / slight rearrangements...

"He heard the flapping long before he saw the bird. There was a large, orange-colored bird heading towards his balcony from out of the dark. Carter sat quietly, watching the bird as it landed on his balcony’s armrest. The bird was rather normal-looking, like a large orange crow, only bright orange. It had its beak in the air, sniffing around. The orange crow’s bird's face was still tilted towards the sky when it turned its head and faced Carter. It jumped down from the armrest, landed on his balcony, and walked right up to him. It took taking another long sniff.

Something like that, maybe. Adding the word 'long' tells us something about its size, or the force of its flapping, Removing those bits & changing word order cuts down on the repetition, and makes the para 'flow' better.

Overall, it's short, but is engaging and helps carry the story forward, the presentation's great, one extra line seems to have snuck in just before 'Carter felt a jab in...' - but that's a trivial fix, happy to say I didn't spot any major errors. But for a little 'smoothing' in places would have scored higher.



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4
4
Review of God Must Be There  Open in new Window.
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
Hi, just picked this up as a random read & review,

Whilst I can't say that I necessarily agree with the religious / theological aspects, but to each their own, you did deliver some sage advice for any teen (though I'd insert the word maybe here: maybe being tempted to get more intimate...).

The writing style is fluid and a touch informal, giving your recount a welcoming and engaging feel. It's well structured temporally, grammatically, etc. One minor suggestion would have been to write the ages out in words, rather than as numbers.

Overall, good job.


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5
5
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.0)
Hi, just picked this up as a random 'read and review'

At first glance the presentation is lacking - no spaces between paragraphs / speech / etc. Now, this is quite likely due to writingML stripping them out when you pasted the chapter, and I know (first hand) how tedious it is to go back through reinserting all the line breaks, but that alone would drastically improve readability (justifying wouldn't hurt either - but that's more of a personal preference).

***


It's quite long, so you get a 'Stream of consciousness' - sorry if it's a bit disjointed! (TLDR at the end)

I like the opening, section - sets the scene nicely, well paced, the odd word / phrase I hiccoughed over, e.g. "during my deepest chapters of slumber" - deliberately 'off' phrasing as characterisation / futuristic, or might something more 'normal' be better? (e.g. 'during the darkest hours' - sounds more ominous & fits better, imo).

There's lots of vivid details that really help the reader form an image of what's happening, how the character feels / felt about events, etc. Maybe, to emphasise the noise of the ladder decending (Creeeeak) consider italics? Great world building - I don't think I'd like to visit, let alone live in, Shakoga.

Good dialogue, 'feels' age appropriate for a seven year old, carries the story forward at a pace that kept me engaged, right up to the 'mini-hook' that precedes the jump forward in time. Haven't noticed any glaring errors yet either!

***


TLDR: You're writing a well-crafted, interesting sci-fi / dystopian future story that I enjoyed reading. Aside from the occasional 'odd' word/phrase (to my ear - you might try reading it back to yourself aloud, and slowly, if it still parses without problem, then I guess it was 'only' me), and the formatting issues, I really couldn't find fault *Wink*.


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6
6
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (3.5)
OK, just picked this up as a random 'read and review'.

I note that it's 'ancient history' (again) but, assuming you see this, and notwithstanding the message itself, there's a few things that immediately spring out for attention:

TLDR: Engaging but refining the emotional tone, providing more evidence, and strengthening the structure, would make this piece a more compelling and balanced argument that appeals to a broader audience.

***


While you do a good job of conveying concern, some sections veer into emotionally charged and potentially alarmist territory without sufficient evidence to back up the claims. For example, stating that “some even died from complications” feels exaggerated without specific, verifiable examples.

To make the argument more credible, it would be beneficial to focus on well-documented risks and avoid overstatements. Citing reliable scientific studies that highlight potential dangers or unknowns associated with GMOs would strengthen the argument.

***


Whilst neatly set out in well punctuated paragraphs, using personal anecdotes—like the morning cereal dilemma to make the issue relatable the structure could benefit from tighter organisation.

Right now, the argument jumps from one topic to another (health risks, Monsanto, labeling laws (which I hope have, subsequently, changed), environmental concerns, and so on). Grouping related points together would improve the flow.

For instance, one section could focus on health concerns, another on environmental risks, and another on corporate control (Monsanto). After laying out the various arguments, the writer could return to the central issue: the need for labeling.

***


Some of the other 'issues' include:

Mismatched demonstrative pronouns...

         "GMOs and the Safety Concerns" their
         "this novel, patented organisms..." these
         "Being one of these consumers who would..." those

e.g. If the subject (noun/noun phrase) is singular - the, that, etc. If the subject is plural - these, those, etc.

Mismatched plural / singular

         "...twenty nations banned them from even setting foot in their country..." countries

***


Some places where an extra word or three, a slight rearrangement, or additional punctuation would help with clarity / accuracy:

         "Do you wonder about those genetically modified organisms estimated to be found in sixty to seventy percent of..."

         "I say good for them, and now I’m waiting for our country to wake up and do what’s right for all of us living here in America"

         "Pouring myself a bowl of cereal in the one morning, I read the ingredients list and wondered which of these ingredients listed were genetically engineered."

         "I also wondered why Monsanto gets by with..." how, away

***


Bacon / GMO related side note: Bacon is derived, obviously, from pigs. Pigs (at farms scale) typically eat a corn-soybean meal based diet... much of which will contain GMOs. If GMOs are a health concern for humans (and I assume you mean alteration of our DNA), then surely it is for pigs too? And from the pigs, to us?



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7
7
Review of Poem is...  Open in new Window.
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.0)
Hi,

Review is
Like the sun shining light
Often hard to read
Floating in the ether
Usually, full of itself
Plain for all to see

OK, I give up... freeform poetry, ok, most any poetry is not really my cup of tea. Yours manages to portray, artistically, what a poem is, and some of the frustrations a would be poet faces.

I see this is 'ancient history' but if you happen to read this, I'd suggest considering changing 'large' to 'long' but, then again, that may be one of the 'rules' you've chosen to deliberately break.

As I said, not for me, but I can at least appreciate it for what it is.


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8
8
Review of The Principal  Open in new Window.
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
Just picked this up as a random 'read & review'.

Having worked in schools, although never a head/principal, and had kids of family in my class, I can relate quite well to the poor, put upon adults in your short story.

And mum to the rescue in the end as, I suspect, would usually be the case.

Overall great dialogue driven little story.

Only one small suggestion (oh and when Janet's talking to Jenny (“I know...” Mom said,) --> 'Jenny said,')

And one, equally slight, 'negative' - there's a couple of instances of improper capitalisation - Christmas party, ...better principal, honey*.

*maybe/maybe not: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/qanda/data/fa...



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9
9
Review of Carve Knock Life  Open in new Window.
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: ASR | (5.0)
I don't know why 'Read & Review' keeps pulling up such old pieces but hey ho.

Have to say that's a great Halloween inspired dialogue from the pumpkin's point of view. Amusing and, from their perspective, quite frightening.

It's well paced throughout and culminates with a super 'punchline'.

Good job.


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10
10
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 18+ | (3.5)
Hi, one review requested, one review incoming *Wink*

Overall

This is an intriguing fantasy story with complex characters and an interesting magic system. The narrative explores themes of power, morality, and the consequences of using magic. However, there are some areas that could be improved for clarity and consistency.

A random reader, not knowing that it wasn't intended to be chronological from the outset, might find the jumps between different time periods confusing - maybe consider adding clear time markers at the beginning of each section, such as "13 years earlier" or "Present day."

While the main characters are intriguing, their motivations and backgrounds could be more clearly established early on. You could, for example, provide more context for the opposing views on magic earlier in the story to help readers understand the conflict.

Similarly, the magic system and societal structure are interesting but could benefit from more explicit explanation. You might, for example, include a brief explanation of the "Sons of Adam" and their relationship to magic and society when they're first mentioned.

And, there are a more than a few examples of awkward phrasing / typos / grammatical / punctuation issues that detract somewhat - that are not necessarily major, but 'irritating' nonetheless. Some examples include:

"Even that fine blade could do nothing against the raw power here. If left unchecked, that would bring down the dragon's justice."

This sentence pair is awkward and unclear. The pronoun "that" in the second sentence doesn't have a clear antecedent. It's not obvious if "that" refers to the blade, the raw power, or something else entirely (but, assuming the blade, it...).

"As Relemiah drew her breath, the metal around her wrists reached in and drained all the heat from her body, leaving her shivering."

This sentence is overly long and combines multiple actions in a confusing way. It would be clearer if broken into two sentences or restructured.

e.g. ..the metal around her wrists drew all the heat from her body, leaving her shivering.

"Relemiah sized up the enemy. Frail yet genteel, Milos seemed untouched by time. Quela looked aghast."

This is an example of poor sentence construction, it abruptly shifts in focus, and has no clear connection between ideas.

The sentences jump from Relemiah's perspective to a description of Milos, then suddenly to Quela's reaction without any transitions or context.

This creates a disjointed flow that can be confusing for the reader.

Rating? OK, but could be so much better.


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11
11
Review of Jared Fainted  Open in new Window.
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
Just picked this up as a random 'read & review'

Have to say, you managed to do / convey a lot in so few words. I was particularly impressed by how easy it was to relate to / empathise with Jared - got a real sense of his character & panic.

Only slight tweak I might suggest would be, instead of 'Then she added...' maybe his reaction.... blood pumping, didn't make out the next few words... but then they registered. Jared fainted.

My 2p, for what it's worth.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!Open in new Window..
12
12
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
Hi, picked this up as a random 'read & review'.

Well, that was an interesting read, even if it didn't quite end up where I thought it would.

The pacing was good throughout, the dialogue painting a great (if depressing) picture of the characters, and the situation relatable.

There were a few minor things, typos, etc.

Her mind was spinning them. -- then

"Now, Eliza. Can you tell me the two sommeliers between these three pictures?" -- similarities?

"she trained every day, and forsaken homework in order to do so" -- forsook or, her homework forsaken in order to do so.

Anyhow, great little story.

13
13
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (4.0)
Hi, picked this up as a random 'read & review' - apologies for any typos I miss, doing this on my tablet and it's 'twitchy'.

Having read through it, twice, I have to say it's an intriguing opener... and something I'd probably quite enjoy reading more of.

Other plus points include the details - which result in decent world building & character development; mostly natural dialogue, and the hook at the end.

On the other hand, there are a few areas that I found, a little 'off', mostly little things but they did trip me up when reading...

Including use/consistency of tenses:

For example, your opening paras, comprising past events that set the scene:

"Agent Kyle was had been called to... of 800 people. More than half of them are whom were World Space Agency employees."

"The small electric car had picked her up at the docks and drove driven her down... It had dropped her off at one of the biggest buildings on Moore's Island, housing which housed the pinnacle of modernization and space travel. She was still wondering..."

Which concludes the past, and brings events back into the present.

Side note, not sure about modernization (hence bold), but can't think of a substitution (at 04:30).

***


In your reporting clauses there are an awful lot of 'saids'... some variety would make things more interesting.

***


There are a few places with 'awkward' phrasing.

e.g. "Her division was the Transmedium Objects Department of the Pentagon. Basically, it's a joke department of one that she takes seriously"

Would suggest "Trans-Medium"

And something like, "Basically, it was a joke department. A department of one. And, no matter what others thought, she always took her work seriously."

***


So, in summary, pretty good all round but, in this reader's opinion, would benefit from a little tightening up with respect to tenses, some more contractions to make the dialogue more natural, and some variability in your reporting clauses.

Hopefully you'll have found this useful.


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14
14
Review of Hope  Open in new Window.
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
Hi, picked this up through a random 'read & review'

While I normally skip poetry, not feeling 'qualified' to criticise or comment theron, I'm dropping you this note as a couple of quick things sprang to mind while reading...

The line "Of pain, of suffer, of sorrow," -- might it not sound/flow better as "Of pain, of suffering, of sorrow,"

I'm not sure the metaphor 'honey for my soul' quite works as, to me, it doesn't imply 'pleasure or salve' which is, I think, what you intended. Not that I can readily think of an alternative...

Anyhow, I did quite like the poem overall, it conveys a nice sense of yearning for something unknown to salve the ills inflicted by one's existence in the world.


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15
15
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 18+ | (4.0)
Hi there, one review requested, one review incoming.

Be advised, as it's a long(ish) read, I'll note things as I come across them / as they occur to me (so those parts may be a little disjointed) and come back to the top to summarise...

***


Summary: An exciting and engaging story, even if not necessarily my cup of tea. As you'll see from the notes below, I found it well paced and packed full of detailed description and nice little touches that helped world build and develop a range of interesting characters.

The suggestions I had for improvements were mostly fairly minor - including slight rearrangements to enhance readability (some long, awkward sentences in there), the odd word change, and/or not repeating yourself in narrative and dialogue (if you're going to show the reader, you don't need to tell him beforehand).

Whilst only minor in nature, there were several such long/awkward sentences, ergo I would suggest this is where you could most significantly improve the writing herein.

I've also suggested cutting out the paragraph starting "There were several things the outlaws didn't know..." and showing the reader as the outlaws slowly find those things out (It wasn't so much foreshadowing, but giving away the plot completely).

There were a few minor typos, but nothing significant on the spelling or punctuation front (other than where necessitated by a suggested rearrangement).

See below for specifics but, overall, a fine job.

***


Chapter One


A quick scan shows the piece to be presented well, although my preference would have been justified text, but that's purely aesthetic.

***


Bit of rearranging in the intial para could, perhaps, improve flow...

e.g. They had scouted the best spot to hit. After searching the route, they decided on a narrow pass in the mountains, just after a bridge spanning the gorge by Sherman Hill.

"...had to slow its speed to navigate..." --> had to slow down (or reduce its speed) to navigate...

"...as a warning of her approaching the trestle..." --> as a warning of it's approach to the trestle

repetitive use of 'trestle' in close proximity, maybe try and vary some.

***


Good, nice little hook to keep the reader engaged (unwittingly...), followed by an exciting description of the start of the raid.

***


Some of the following sentence structures are a little unwieldy, and could be tightened up

e.g. "...They each reached the landing upon their respective engines almost simultaneously and slowed their speed to keep a steady pace with the train."

They reached their respective engines almost simultaneously, and slowed to keep pace with the train.

e.g. "When the raiders were satisfied that they could make the jump safely they put all their weight upon their left stirrups and reached for the train's railings while throwing their right legs over their mounts to jump and land safely aboard the trains on their left."

When they were satisfied they could make the jump safely they readied themselves. Putting all their weight upon their left stirrups they reached for the train's railings and, hauling their right legs over their mounts, leapt.

***


Another, nice little dramatic hook... (thought all under control, couldn't have been more wrong.)

Pacing so far has been good, plenty of descriptive language too painting a vivid image of what's happening, how people are reacting, etc.

Personally, I'd consider cutting this paragraph completely "There were several things the outlaws didn't know..." and reveal the unknowns as the outlaws discover them.

***


OK, a few things about this little section:

"He inquired about Agents Roberts and Freeman's location with the front desk receptionist. Joe told the secretary what he had been up to and asked to see one of the agents to discuss what he had heard. Not long after, Agent Freeman appeared and took Joe to his office. The agent listened attentively, scribbling notes before excusing himself and leaving Joe alone in the office. Joe sat nervously as he waited for him to return. It seemed like an eternity but lasted no more than a few minutes. Freeman soon returned and asked Joe to recount his story again.

"Do you mind going over all that again, kid?" Freeman asked as he leaned forward, his interest piqued."

inquired/enquired - US English vs British English?

"...and it was one of these agents he now looked for.

He inquired about Agents Roberts and Freeman's location..."

He inquired about the location of agents Roberts and Freeman at the front desk, before telling the secretary...

Do we really need the last line? Given that you then immediately show the same thing through the following dialogue?

And, instead of 'piqued', I'd suggest something like 'evident'.

***


Subsequent dialogue's good, helps build a picture of "the kid's" character...

"He looked at Joe with eyes that seemed to peer directly into the kid's soul" --> see might be better?

***


"That was 6 years ago" a) start a new para here, b) for consistency, six rather than 6

Purely aesthetic again, but consider centering your separator (****)

***


I'd suggest cutting this part ("Then everything went dark. Tom was dead.") and let the reader infer his death.

***


As earlier, this bit's a little clumsy, and repeats itself in narrative then dialogue...

Wil saw the door to the engine was ajar. He smiled, thinking this would be easy. Inside sat an old man. His hands trembled as he held them over his head. He didn't say a word.

"This'll be easy," he thought, with a smug grin on his face. "A piece of cake."


Wil saw the door was ajar. Glancing in he saw an old man, his hands trembling as he held them over his head.

"This'll be easy," Wil thought to himself, a smug grin forming on his face, "piece of cake."


And, again, consider cutting "Wil was captive." and let the reader infer.

***


Chapter Two:


I'd suggest another rearrangement

"Hannah Jane was had been secretive about her background as long as Jack had known her. Hannah's Her expression would instantly harden, and she'd refuse to say anything whenever someone brought up her past. She would say nothing. Jack supposed that she must have been a trick rider in the rodeo."

And tack the 'Jack supposed...' line into the next para after extolling her horsemanship (i.e. having established the reason, state what he thought)

***


Keep tenses consistent:

"She quickly joined the gang and had been a part of Jack's criminal endeavors" (She'd, or She had)

"Other members would come and go over the past few years, but these three..." (had come and gone)

***


"Hannah before meeting Jack and Dan was a burglar. She would ride into town..." - awkward phrasing - Before meeting Dan and Jack, Hannah was a burglar. She would ride into a town...

***


Generally, writing could make use of more contractions to sound more 'natural' and to flow better.

***


Typo: missing 'return' after "...on people's schedules."

Typo: missing comma: "Jack had been in Laramie, Wyoming "

Spelling: "smokey" -- smoky (Merriam Webster, Cambridge, et. al.)

Spelling: "farro" -- Faro (assuming you mean this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faro_(banking_game))

Nice description(s) of saloon atmosphere, etc.

***


"Leaving the saloon, he untied his horse from its tether, before mounting. He rode Diablo towards the corner of Second and Grand Avenue where sat the Laramie House.

The Laramie House was a two-story brick building with 25 rooms. It sported a dining room and a bar. At the back of the place was a billiard room. The Laramie House was opened over a decade earlier by John and Elizabeth Baker, it was one of the grandest hotels West of the Mississippi."

Awkward phrasing, suggest rearranging into one para - "He rode Diablo towards The Laramie House on the corner of Second and Grand. Opened over a decade earlier, it wasn't a big hotel. The two-story brick building only had twenty-five rooms... but at least it sported a decent dining room and a bar."

***


"Why hadn't I ever even checked on Sam after Fort Worth?" he thought. Sam had always been able to take care of himself. "Still, I should have found him after the robbery instead of selfishly heading to Wyoming territory." he reasoned.

"Why," he wondered, "haven't I ever checked on Sam after Fort Worth? OK," he reasoned, "Sam's always been able to take care of himself... but still, I should have..."

***


Some of the detail just isn't needed for either the story, or world building and, frankly, feels like it's been included only to raise the word count.

e.g. "Jack checked the Colt revolvers he always wore and his Bowie. Jack, put on his hat, gathered his belongings, and headed out the door. He walked down the stairs of Laramie House and up to the front desk and settled his bill with the hotel. After paying the few dollars he owed for his room, Jack walked out into the waning sunlight, and mounted Diablo. He and rode in the direction of to the livery stables.

He passed other saloons and a couple of brothels on his way. Laramie, he mused, was a town full of trouble. It was the kind of town where he could easily disappear, fading into the shadows like some mythical creature of old. No one took notice of him, as long as he behaved himself."

***


"He sat there, at the bar, seething. His blood boiled as he filled with rage. Leaving the bar, he waited for the man outside. He stood in the corner of a dark alleyway, waiting for the man to come out."

"He sat there at the bar seething. His blood slowly boiling as he filled with rage. He left the bar with murder on his mind, stepped into the corner of a dark alleyway and waited for the man to come out."

***


Typo: "attack.
The..." (Missing line between)

Typo: "over, jack quickly" -- Jack

***


Chapter Three:


Nice opening interplay between the three outlaws when they realise it's all gone to pot.

***


"Peering through the smoke, Jack tried to spot the source of the gunfire. He noticed a figure in a black coat aiming a rifle in their direction. The man was aiming and shooting at them from the other end of the car. Diamond’s eyes were wide with recognition."

***


And I like the alternating 'now' and 'then' sections in this chapter.


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16
16
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.0)
Hi, just picked this up as a random 'Read & Review'

Having read through your outline, I can't say that I think the story would be my cup of tea - but to each their own. There's sufficient detail throughout for me to envision the story unfolding and conclude that fans of the genre would likely find it interesting enough to want to read.

However, you might want to expand on the 'their relationship grows as the terrier ages' part of the outline, as that period would cover several years, and gives plenty of scope for ups and downs, and a will they / won't they storyline wherein, I believe, most of the interest would lie.

Anyhow, good luck if & when you follow up on this.

Cheers.
17
17
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 18+ | (3.0)
Hi, one review requested, one review incoming :)

TLDR version

This short story has an interesting premise set within a complex universe with multiple planetary conflicts. However, it would benefit from more context, character development, and a stronger overarching narrative. Addressing the consistency & clarity issues, and expanding on the world-building elements could significantly enhance a reader's engagement and understanding of the story. (2.8/5)

***


First Impressions (Visuals)

First impressions are good, I like the presentation, the writing looks well structured.


Plot / Premise

Whilst fairly typical for the genre, the premise is interesting, the main characters consistent, and plot 'exciting' with a variety of conflicts (some self-inflicted) to overcome. (4/5)


World Building / Characters

I know it's 'only' a short story, but it does rather drop the reader straight into the action. A little world building (background information about the universe, resource collection system, the nature of the 'group of planets' and how they work) would add depth to the story and to the characters who, unfortunately, are a bit one dimensional. (3/5)

Their reactions to the various crises seems detached, that may be a deliberate choice, but without explanation as to the why, could confuse or alienate readers. As their actions and decisions often seem morally questionable, you could also consider exploring the ethical implications more deeply.


Structure & Pacing

The story feels episodic, which isn't a problem in and of itself, but you could consider tying the sections together with an overarching narrative, and vary the pacing by adding more build up to events, to make the whole more engaging.

The story ends abruptly without resolution. Consider adding a concluding section, or at least a 'hook line' that ties together the various plot threads and/or hints at future developments. (2/5)


Clarity / Writing Style:

Much of the story is told through dialogue, which sometimes feels unnatural (due to word choice, or characters explaining things they should already know) - consider using more descriptive narration to balance out the dialogue.

e.g. “About a thousand were there when this happened. How many Kassims got out of there alive and how many are still in this Resources Collectors Sites?” Juanin asked.

Could be something along the lines of: "About a thousand were there when this happened," Juanin stated, "how many made it out and, more importantly," he continued before Noorva could say anything, "how many were left behind?"


Unfortunately, there are several places where the writing is too 'clumsy', or too ambiguous to make reading easy. Take, for example, your opening sentence:

"Juanin and Noorva watch the large Image Monitor in front of them as a huge metal structure above a tall and wide opening into a mountain behind this structure when it explodes, sending pieces of this structure everywhere."

Had me pausing as I tried to work out what it was that had exploded. The monitor? The structure? The opening or the mountain? A case could be made for it being any of the four!

Assuming it was the metal structure, and incorporating the points above, this could be re-worked into something like:

Senior Resource Controller Juanin and his assistant, Noorva, sat staring at the large bridge display as the recording replayed, again. The were unable to tear their eyes away as the huge container drifted closer to the opening in the mountain, and still shuddered with the explosion that shredded the gate as pieces of the container, and it's cargo, ripped through the air at hypersonic velocities.

There was no way in hell that this had been an accident, anyone could see that and yet, instead of fear or anger, a sly smile slowly lifted Noorva's lips...


Then on to the dialogue (how many are trapped? how will this affect production?) intermingled with narrative (It was a treacherous plan, one full of risk but, if they could pull it off... If they made enough noise, the others would fall over themselves blaming each other, distracting them from what J & N were doing...)

And so on...

And, in closing, whilst completely subjective, I'm not sure your choice of writing in the present tense was appropriate - you do so consistently, mostly, but that's a bit of a 'turn off' for me (someone else might love it, of course).

Anyway, I realise I've gone on longer than I intended, so hope that helps, cheers.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!Open in new Window..
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Review of Hot Pursuit.  Open in new Window.
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (3.5)
OK, first off, overall I enjoyed your short story. Which is always a good start.

You manage to squeeze a lot in, in so few words. There's a little scene setting, some good dialogue (that gives a good feel for the characters), and adventure and it's resolution. Not to mention some humour that most, if not all, parents could relate to.

There's at least one trivial typo: A full stop (period) instead of a comma (here: advancing. screams like a banshee, and) (and, potentially, a couple of extra line spaces) but, meh, these things happen.

There is, however, one thing that niggled most of the way through - sorry - the tenses appear to be 'all over the place'.

e.g. (my emphasis) It was such a sunny day. I'm I was sitting in my car...

e.g. Fifteen minutes go went by. A lady comes came out of the library doors, and a turkey falls fell in line behind her...

And so on through the piece.

One final suggestion in closing: You use 'zigzagging' (understandably) quite often when describing the motion of the woman and the turkeys. You might want to consider some alternative phrasing to avoid the repetition...

e.g. "...zigzagging and making gobbling sounds..." --> zigging and zagging, and making...

Just for some variety.

Anyway, an OK piece that would benefit most from tidying up the tenses 'issue'.

Hope that helps.


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Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (3.0)
Hi, this insomniac just picked this up as a random 'read & review'.

As my brain's tired (it's 3am!) you're getting something of a 'stream of consciousness' here... so if it doesn't quite make sense to you, I apologise in advance.

Overall, it's not a bad start to a story, 'Nicholas' sounds like an interesting character, and it would be interesting to find out who he is. While the dialogue is mostly good, the writing is let down somewhat in a few areas:

First thought, the presentation could be better - maybe it got messed up by WritingML (drives me nuts when that happens with stuff I'm posting) - but would definitely benefit from some line breaks between paras, around speech, etc.

There are places where punctuation could be improved; and where the writing is, for the lack of a better word, a little bit 'clumsy' - not awful, don't get me wrong... I'll try and illustrate the sort of thing I mean:

Examples:
         "...looked outside. It was dark outside probably about four in the morning"

          --> ...looked outside. It was dark, probably about four in the morning

         You said he looked outside, so that's where it'd be dark, no? I added the comma to separate the two distinct parts of the sentence (the statement, and his subsequent thought).

         "The man looked out and saw the glitter of a village in the distance, which without a doubt is the city of Erobringen."

         ...glitter of lights in the distance which, without a doubt, was the...

         If he's certain it's the city, would he think 'there's a glittery village' or 'there's the city'? Punctuation was a little off, and tenses needed to match (was rather than is).


There're also some places where you've maybe started writing one thing and changed your mind, or just missed out a word?

"The man walked over and cleared his tapped on the glass"

"Oh, and we will be name sir.” --> "Oh and I'll need the name sir."

Here you could have also used a reporting clause to indicate how he said it, was he curious? business-like? impatient? to add a little more depth if so inclined.

You might benefit from employing something like Grammarly for desktop which, while not perfect, would highlight a good percentage of such issues. Failing that, a proof reader (if you can find one) or reading it back slowly to yourself are other good ways of finding 'clumsy' writing - if you trip over it, you can be sure your readers will.

Anyway, hope that helps.






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Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (2.5)
Hi, I just picked this up as a random 'read & review'.

Overall, it's brief, and generally OK, but has definite room for improvement.

Structure: It does rather resemble a wall of text as there's practically no punctuation whatsoever - which makes it harder to read than it ought. Splitting into a couple of paragraphs would be beneficial.

There is one consistent error running throughout (i instead of I) but, other than that (and the punctuation), there's not much wrong with what you've actually written.

Oh, just noticed, "but i sometimes frighten if he goes too far." -- I'm sometimes frightened that he'll go too far (to keep tenses consistent).

Hope that helps.

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Review of alright, alright!  Open in new Window.
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (3.0)
Hi, picked this up as a random 'read & review'

Well, it's brief!

While there doesn't appear to be anything particularly wrong with what you've written, it does resemble a list (I was 'here', doing 'that', then 'this' happened...) rather than a story/recount.

I would therefore encourage you to consider expanding on your writing to paint us a picture of what's happening, how it's happening, why it's happening, etc.

Why/when were you at the lake? --> It was late in August and the weather had started getting cooler but, with a few days off work ahead, a little time up at the lake sounded good. (Random example only!)

How did it feel to have your spirit guides staring over your shoulder? Did you feel an itching sensation, you skin crawling, icy shivers running up and down your spine?

You might also consider a little conjunction... I had a Jetpack wireless provider and was watching “K-Pax” to improve the 'flow'.

In essence, there's lots you could add to round this out and move it from 'ok' to 'good'.
22
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Review of Unnatural Growth  Open in new Window.
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
Hi there, just picked this up as a random read & review.

First off, classic sci-fi premise, executed well, with a healthy dose of realism supporting the more fantastical elements.

Good pacing with building tension until a satisfactory resolution, or was it? I haven't looked at your profile, so don't know if you followed up, but I'd say definitely scope for more.

Overall, an engaging short story that effectively blends science fiction elements with suspense. It raises interesting questions about the potential dangers of genetic engineering and the responsibility of scientists.

A couple of minor points for consideration:

There's an awful lot of 'said'... some variety (exclaimed, replied, stated, responded, etc.) wouldn't go amiss.

In places, e.g. Mike's voice shared Dr. Rosen's irritation. "Can't we just get the landscapers back to fix their problem? What do you want me to do?", you could maybe tweak the speech... something like...

"Can't we just get the landscapers back to fix their problem?" Mike asked, his voice sharing Dr. Rosen's irritation, before continuing without waiting for an answer. "What do you want me to do?"

OK, that's not the best example, but it's 5am and I haven't slept yet ;)

Anyhow, good job, enjoyed reading your story.
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Review of The Status Quo  Open in new Window.
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (3.5)
Hi, just picked this up as a random read & review:

Your poem presents a bleak and cynical view of the world, focusing on themes of power, corruption, and injustice.

It uses direct and unambiguous language (leaving little room for interpretation), resulting in a lack of subtlety which may make it feel heavy-handed to some readers. There's little use of metaphor, for example, or other poetic devices that could add depth to the message.

The use of repetition ("despite what they say") to emphasise points is fine - although I'd question the opening line... as I've always heard words to the effect of 'Money rules the world'.

Its effectiveness will largely depend on the reader's receptiveness to its message and appreciation for its straightforward style. Unfortunately, it's not my cup of tea* - I'd say it'd benefit from more nuanced language and poetic techniques to elevate its artistic quality BUT I'm sure it'll resonate with others more.

*Not bad, per se, just blunt.
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Review of College  Open in new Window.
Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (2.5)
Hi, just picked this up as a random 'read & review'.

I have to say, I didn't know what to expect as read the brief description but, if I'm honest, whilst finding it an unusual idea for a story, I was feeling a little short changed by the end as it ended without resolution to the question (so I guess I must have liked it enough to want to read more / know who won the bet).

If it's intended as the first instalment of an ongoing story, you might want to end on a hook to make readers want to come back and carry on reading. At the end of this piece, for example, you might have written the last line as something like:

That afternoon they met up again, Andrew wasn't nervous yet, even if it was Zach's turn to add something. Then he saw the familiar glint in his friend's eye...

That said, there are a number of issues with the writing itself:

There's inconsistent & improper capitalisation from the very first line (i.e. "Andrew and Zach are two Senior roommates in College, They'd met Freshman...") - note, all new sentences should start with a capital letter.

While most of punctuation is there, and correct, there's quite a bit of missing in places. Mostly full stops (periods) at the end of sentences.

And, there are a few places with issues around spelling (maybe typos) and/or tenses. For example;

         "Andrew joke "Though..." -- joked
         "i figure neither of you want to actually get fitter for a bra" -- I, fitted
         "it was significantly toughter than" -- tougher
         "adding one knew feminine thing" -- new, watch out for homophones ;)

There are more, but that's enough to get you started. I would suggest you might find grammarly's app useful (and/or a competent proof reader) - it's not perfect, but it scans as you type and would identify a lot of these types of errors for you.

Overall, a novel (to me) idea that's let down by its presentation and abrupt (and unfinished) ending, leading to a (just) below average rating.


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Review by DS Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (2.0)
The document appears to be a personal reflection on the Israel-Palestine conflict and people's reactions to it, appearing to expresses frustration with what you perceive as inconsistent public attention and support for Palestine.

The piece also includes a poem that seems to be about truth and falsehood, which doesn't directly relate to the main topic but, I suppose, might be intended as a metaphorical commentary.

It comes across as heartfelt, but the structure is disjointed - with no clear transitions between the prose sections and the poem which creates a jarring reading experience, and makes it somewhat difficult to follow your train of thought, possibly by design.

The prose sections are written in an informal, stream-of-consciousness style making use of rhetorical questions and repetition to emphasise points... and is, unfortunately, technically quite poor:

Spelling Errors:

"wandering" should be "wondering" (assuming you mean 'thinking about')
"to much" should be "too much"
"They don't care about anything they all wanted publicy" should be "publicity"? (and missing punctuation between clauses)

Punctuation:

Inconsistent use of full stops (periods) at the end of sentences, e.g. "quiet after sometime"
Missing question mark after "Why the world is so much unaware"
Missing punctuation in various places, particularly in compound sentences e.g. "Not the whole world, some of them still have feelings."

Grammar:

"everyone was fill with anger" --> filled
"whole social media was filled" --> "all of..." or "the entirety of..."
Inconsistent capitalisation: e.g. "i am wandering" ("I"), "palestine" ("Palestine")

"those who were talking so much and were showing" should be "those who were talking so much and showing"

Ambiguity:

"Why they were talking to much" --> Is it a question, or a statement? "Why were they talking..." if a question.

There are some tools out there that may be of use to you. Grammarly, for example, have a nice little widget that scans your text as you type for such errors (it's not perfect, but it'd be a useful guide).

If you can get one, a competent proof-reader is very helpful.
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