Enter
INTERVIEWS & REVIEWS
  • Home
    • About >
      • Mission Statement
      • FAQ'S
      • Review Us!
    • Contact
  • For Writers
    • Resources
  • Interviews
    • Interview Submissions
  • Reviews
    • Book Submissions
    • Become a Reviewer >
      • Book Reviewer Guidelines
  • Team Members Only
    • Amish Romance
    • Biblical Fiction
    • Bible Study/Devotional
    • Children's Books
    • Christian Living
    • Contemporary Fiction
    • Fantasy/Sci-Fi
    • Historical Fiction
    • Mystery/Suspense
    • Young Adult
  • Book of the Month
    • January Nominations
  • 2022 Book of the Year
    • 2022 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2021 Book of the Year
    • 2021 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2020 Book of the Year
    • 2020 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2019 Book of the Year
  • 2018 Book of the Year
    • 2018 Finalists
  • Our Reviewers
    • Marta Aldrighetti
    • Karen Baney >
      • Anna Bottoms
      • Ezara Boyce-Swann
      • Kassidi Brewer
      • Thomas Brown
      • Carolyn Bryant
    • Laura J. Davis >
      • Joan Dowell
    • Marie Edwards
    • Susan Feaster
    • Kristina Hall >
      • Joy Hannabass
      • Abigail Harder
      • Adriann Harris
      • Charity Henico
      • Mindy Houng
      • Monica Huyser
    • Christy Janes
    • Raechel Kelly >
      • Linda Klager
    • Beverly Laude >
      • Cassandra Lee
      • Tammy Lunsford
    • Kevin Maltsberger >
      • Rebecca Maney
      • Lisa McGuire
      • Jane Mouttet
    • Rick Norris
    • Lori Parrish >
      • Deanne Patterson
      • Susan Poll
      • Mary Polyakov
    • Kathryn Sadakierski >
      • Kimberlee Sams
      • Connie Porter Saunders
      • Rob Seabrook
      • Erin Stevenson
      • Emily Stephens
      • Katelyn Sponaugle
      • Sarah Speck
      • Amy Smelser
      • Paula Shreckhise
      • Nora St. Laurent
    • Laura Thomas >
      • Winnie Thomas
    • Billi Varela >
      • Diana Varela
      • Elisha Varela
      • Juanita Varela
    • Nikita Wells >
      • Sara Beth Williams
      • Tina Williams
      • Conny Withay
      • Cheryl Wood
  • Home
    • About >
      • Mission Statement
      • FAQ'S
      • Review Us!
    • Contact
  • For Writers
    • Resources
  • Interviews
    • Interview Submissions
  • Reviews
    • Book Submissions
    • Become a Reviewer >
      • Book Reviewer Guidelines
  • Team Members Only
    • Amish Romance
    • Biblical Fiction
    • Bible Study/Devotional
    • Children's Books
    • Christian Living
    • Contemporary Fiction
    • Fantasy/Sci-Fi
    • Historical Fiction
    • Mystery/Suspense
    • Young Adult
  • Book of the Month
    • January Nominations
  • 2022 Book of the Year
    • 2022 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2021 Book of the Year
    • 2021 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2020 Book of the Year
    • 2020 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2019 Book of the Year
  • 2018 Book of the Year
    • 2018 Finalists
  • Our Reviewers
    • Marta Aldrighetti
    • Karen Baney >
      • Anna Bottoms
      • Ezara Boyce-Swann
      • Kassidi Brewer
      • Thomas Brown
      • Carolyn Bryant
    • Laura J. Davis >
      • Joan Dowell
    • Marie Edwards
    • Susan Feaster
    • Kristina Hall >
      • Joy Hannabass
      • Abigail Harder
      • Adriann Harris
      • Charity Henico
      • Mindy Houng
      • Monica Huyser
    • Christy Janes
    • Raechel Kelly >
      • Linda Klager
    • Beverly Laude >
      • Cassandra Lee
      • Tammy Lunsford
    • Kevin Maltsberger >
      • Rebecca Maney
      • Lisa McGuire
      • Jane Mouttet
    • Rick Norris
    • Lori Parrish >
      • Deanne Patterson
      • Susan Poll
      • Mary Polyakov
    • Kathryn Sadakierski >
      • Kimberlee Sams
      • Connie Porter Saunders
      • Rob Seabrook
      • Erin Stevenson
      • Emily Stephens
      • Katelyn Sponaugle
      • Sarah Speck
      • Amy Smelser
      • Paula Shreckhise
      • Nora St. Laurent
    • Laura Thomas >
      • Winnie Thomas
    • Billi Varela >
      • Diana Varela
      • Elisha Varela
      • Juanita Varela
    • Nikita Wells >
      • Sara Beth Williams
      • Tina Williams
      • Conny Withay
      • Cheryl Wood

Book Reviews​

8/5/2020

0 Comments

These Nameless Things

 
Picture
Author: Shawn Smucker
Genre: Mystery/Magical Realism
Release Date: June 30, 2020


Once held captive and tortured on a mysterious mountain, Dan was lucky to have made it out alive. But freedom comes at a cost. Left with little memory of the horrific ordeal, Dan can recall one thing--his escape meant leaving his brother behind.

With each day that passes, Dan waits with the other survivors in hope of his brother's escape. But just as long-forgotten memories start rising to the surface, the sudden appearance of a wounded woman throws everything into question. As Dan struggles to know who to trust, he is caught once again in a paralyzing moral dilemma:

How far will he go to save the people he loves?    

Visionary writer Shawn Smucker is back with an unsettling story that invites us to consider two challenging questions: To what lengths will we go to assuage our own guilt? and Is there a limit to the things we will do for the people we love?

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Reviewer: Connie Brown

Dante Alighieri's 14th-century epic poem Divine Comedy came to mind as I read Shawn’s story of a brother caught between fear and his longing to rescue his brother. The described images of Dan’s isolated mountainside village left me feeling like the story was but a retelling of a dream, or more accurately, a recurring nightmare. There were characters and settings throughout the story that lacked context and clarity. The main character Dan was depicted with the most clarity, and a reader would find his beleaguered quest to rescue his long lost brother who he had left behind in the mountain at some unclear time in the past.

Shawn Smucker is a gifted writer, but I felt the story lacked sufficient context on multiple levels and dragged along. I almost abandoned the book several times. I believe this 320-page story would have been better with far less repetitive descriptions in most of the scenes. We got very early on the mental anguish and struggles Dan was going through, but it was overwritten, and the story would have been more palatable as a 250 page edited story. After I pushed through the book to the end, I discovered what I had guessed was an attempt to provide a parody to Dante’s Inferno, though more so, Purgatorio, in his Author Note at the conclusion.

As a Young Adult read, I wonder if the focus on Dan’s mental anguish and struggles would be enough to engage them for all 320 pages.

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group/Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.


Picture
Reviewer: Susan Poll

This is a different book than my normal and I’m happy I took the chance. It grabbed me in from the first page and I just needed to know what was happening.

The author keeps you wondering what exactly is going on as he reveals little clues – the memories that come back to the villagers with Dan are placed perfectly and I loved the “aha!” moments that it brought. There is a deep meaning to this story and it brought revelations to me as I realized how many people can be affected. I will leave that sentence as cryptic as it sounds – I don’t want to give anything away. 

Dan has much to figure out and discover as he interacts with those who came from the mountain. Very well written. If you like deep thinking stories with mystery and lessons to learn in the end, then this book will be right up your alley. 

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group/Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.



Picture
Reviewer: Beverly Laude

"Abandon Every Hope, Who Enter Here"

"Do you have any idea what our freedom cost?"

"It's the kind of place you have to leave on your own. Everyone who has ever left has battled their own way out. In this place, our guilt consumes us."

"Love changed me."

These are just a few of the quotes that resonated with me as I read this book. This book is very thought-provoking as it deals with guilt, grief, personal demons, and redemption. 

Dan escaped the mountain long ago, but can't leave the village he calls home because he is waiting for his brother, Adam, to join him. As he waits, he learns that the few people left in the village are waiting for Adam's return also. Dan slowly learns how their stories join them together while at the same time, remembering his part in the tragic events.

Dan decides that he must return to the horrors of the mountain to bring Adam out. His journey leads him into the depths of his own personal hell.

I will admit that the book had a slow start, and I found some of the more descriptive passages to be a little bit tedious. But, the writing was beautifully descriptive, and the emotions that evolved while reading were well worth sticking with it until the end.

I did not realize until the end of the book that it was based on Dante's "Inferno." (Maybe because I have never read "Inferno"). It has a post-apocalyptic feel to it but is much, much more than that. I know that the message of this book will stay with me for a long time.
 
This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group/Revell through Interviews & Reviews.


Picture
Reviewer: Raechel Kelly

This is my second book to read by this author and his writing voice is very interesting. The whole concept of each book is intriguing, and the kind which you need to suspend your mind a bit to understand. Nothing is exactly clear, and all is a little strange, but it keeps you captivated and continue reading to find out what is happening.

I don't think I could even describe the plot with justice, especially since even after finishing, I'm still not exactly sure about all of it, haha. 

About all I can think to say about it is that "These Nameless Things" is a fascinating book that piques your interest. It was confusing at times, and as I said, I'm still not sure about all of it, but it was definitely intriguing. The characters all sprang to life and it is all told with vivid imagination. Some parts felt a little darker, while others hinted at more light, and the memories of the characters that surfaced helped weave the story together.

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group (Revell), through Interviews & Reviews.    


Picture
Reviewer: Mindy Houng

"We smell like exhaustion, like miles piled on top of miles, like time when it has already run out. Yet somehow, we also sound like hope, like fresh water washing through the reeds."

What an intriguing, thought-provoking novel by Shawn Smucker! His lyrical, poetic, mesmerizing writing style is captivating, and the plot is quite unique. The author seamlessly integrates themes of guilt, unbearable pain, bonds of family, loyalty, hope, forgiveness, and redemption into a beautifully written, other-worldly kind of story. If you haven't read Dante's Inferno, I would suggest reading the synopsis of the classic work (like I did) before starting this book.

The story is told in first person from Dan's perspective. He, along with several others, are at a village right outside of the mountain from which they had all escaped. Dan is waiting for his twin brother Adam. Most in the village have already left and headed east, but the ones who have chosen to stay all have memories and past experiences that tie them together. The memories, including Dan's, are foggy and dream-like at first, but they start rushing back to the people left in the village. The first few chapters can be a little confusing since the author is laying down the foundation of setting and characters, but the story picks up pretty quickly once the cast of characters is introduced and relationships are explained. How each person's past and pain fit into the giant puzzle of the plot is surprising when discovered but also wonderfully redemptive when forgiveness is extended and accepted.

It's an intensely emotional, unforgettable allegory and definitely worth reading. 

I received a copy of the book from Baker Publishing Group via Interviews & Reviews. I was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.


Picture
Reviewer: Anna Bottoms

These Nameless Things is a book that exposes the sins of the heart, yet brings the hope that we are not forever captive—there is a way out. There is one whose deception keeps us bound in the lies we tell ourselves, but there is another who is always present, fights our battles, sustains us and frees us from darkness. 

In this book the main protagonist, Dan, is living a complacent life. Temptation comes subtly, leading him to do things that exposes his sin, shame and guilt. He is shown the consequences others suffered because of his previous choices. This story is a study of redemption and the power of forgiveness. 

All life is a journey, but the path we take is our choice. Will we continue on the dark path, or change direction and step into the light? 

This book is well written, descriptive, made me think, and examine myself. The beginning held me up a bit, because I kept waiting for where the story would take me. I almost put it down, but I’m glad I didn’t. It’s definitely worth the read.

I was given a copy of this book courtesy of Baker Publishing Group through Interviews and Reviews, by way of NetGalley. This is my honest review.

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed


    Categories

    All
    Action/Adventure
    Amish Fiction
    Anthology
    Bible Study
    Biblical Fiction
    Children
    Christian Living
    Christmas
    Church History
    Contemporary Fiction
    Contemporary Romance
    Cookbook
    Devotionals
    Dual Time
    Dual-Time
    Fantasy
    Fiction
    Historical Fiction
    Historical Romance
    Inspirational Fiction
    Marketing
    Marriage
    Memoir
    Missions
    Mystery/Suspense
    Poetry
    Prophecy
    Regency Romance
    Romantic Suspense
    Science Fiction
    Self Help
    Self-Help
    Social Issues
    Spiritual Growth
    Spiritual Warfare
    Theology
    Thriller/Suspense
    Time Travel Romance
    Women's Issues
    Young Adult

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016

    We are listed in The Book Reviewers Directory!

Services

Interviews
​Interview Submissions
Reviews
Our Reviewers
Advertise
For Writers
Book Submissions

Support

Contact


© COPYRIGHT 2016. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Disclaimer
FTC DISCLAIMER: All the books reviewed on this site are given to us for the express purpose of review. They are provided by publishers, publicists, authors and agents. None of our reviewers were required to write positive reviews and none of them were paid monetarily. All opinions are those of each individual reviewer. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”