There is a scene where the main character meets an alien. I am not going to tell you what the alien looks like. To me that is a spoiler. My main reason for wanting to read alien books is the way the author tells the fantasy side of the book. This author does a wonderful job of bringing the scene alive. It is such a wonderful part of the book that I feel like I had watched it on a theater screen. I had one point in the book where I was a little confused, but everything has came together. I didn't expect to like this book as much as I do This author has a wonderful imagination. He has done a wonderful job of redeeming himself after what I encountered in the book before the story had even started. I have taken too much time away from the book. Ready. Set. READ!

This is getting really interesting. It's a fun read. Except for that one wonky sentence, I am REALLY enjoying this.

P.S. The author did have an editor. He sent me another message.

Update: The author did have a professional editor.

Hi, Jessica!

You know what? You're right. I should get rid of that stupid letter.

As a first-time novelist, I was worried that the book might be full of mistakes. After going cross-eyed from working on the book for 12 months straight, I started to feel that I was too close to the material to spot errors. I figured putting that note in there would divert people's critiquing energies into sending me helpful emails instead of roasting the book in reviews. I hadn't considered that the note itself might be putting people off. 

Would you be so kind as to have that follower of your blog send me a message with her address? I'll send her a print copy. :)

Thanks for your insight! I'm new to this and I really appreciate the help.

-Kevin

Update: This is a polished book. The author did have an editor.  Book gets way better.

Okay, now I am seeing problems. This author really needs to redeem himself, and soon, or this book is DNF.

Eventually Len figured it out: you weren't supposed to do anything during shikantaza, because doing itself was the problem. The brain was always doing stuff.

The beginning was great, then it started to read like a middle grade novel. I have noticed a couple of instances where he used a word that would have been better off with an alternative choice. Like the use of stuff in the above excerpt.

The author sent out 200 hundred physical copies of this in a Goodreads giveaway. (This was another book from my drunken night on the internet.) I now am maybe thinking that some of the opinions that some of you posted in my comments section of my last post were correct. Why would he have 200 hundred copies printed out, then pay for postage on an unpolished book? That is very costly.

I do so love the cover art by Benjamin Ee. If this author doesn't pull something out of his ass soon, at least I will have nice decorative piece.