Never Die Review

Review

“The difference between the rich and the powerful was always made so much clearer by walls. The rich hid behind them, the powerful tore them down.”

It is always an interesting feat to stumble upon a novel that is just plain amazing. More so if said novel is self-published. There’s just a stronger sense of fulfilment and you feel so proud with the work even when you’re completely new to who the author is. Thank you Hamad (@thebookprescription) for recommending this book to me.

There is so much to say about how Rob J. Hayes executed his writing with this book, and to put it in one word I would say that it is amazing! It is accessible and extremely easy to get along with. The pacing of the story is quick without really putting too much strain to the plotline. It didn’t feel rushed and the fluidity of it made it appear as though you’re watching a good Asian show rather than reading. Moreover, the placement of each story was so good; it is unnoticeable that you are being plunged into background information—either about a character, the world, or whatever it is that is being introduced to you.

The characters are absolutely stunning. They are all likeable and the more you get on with the story, the more attached you become to them. Moreover, I adore the compression of the world Hayes used in this novel. The way he introduced to readers the world these characters live in by way of their accomplishments. As the reader is being presented with the character stories, they are also getting acquainted with the world. Lastly, I love the use of Japanese folklore! The familiarity of it makes me miss the days when I watch too much anime and was so strongly a chuunibyo.

“There were monsters in the world, Cho knew that well enough, but none were nearly so monstrous as man.”

Overall, I absolutely love this book. It’s overall appeal and quality is just so worth all the time and money you spend with it. Fluid writing, pacing, and great transitioning. Fantastic group of characters. Mesmerizing world. Exhilarating action scenes. This book is surely one of the best written self-published book I’ve ever read. If you are into Japanese folklore and/or literature, then you should definitely pick this book up.

About the Author

Winner of Mark Lawrence’s 3rd Self Published Fantasy Blog Off (SPFBO) with Where Loyalties Lie

Rob J. Hayes was born somewhere south of the cockney wastelands in a small town called Basingstoke. He grew up with all the usual boy toys including Lego, Star Wars figures (complete with working lightsaber action) and plenty of Transformers. Playing with these toys inspired his imagination and as soon as he was old enough he started playing with swords… OK, wooden sticks.

At the age of fourteen he started writing but, like most fourteen year old boys, everything had to be either a vampire, a werewolf, or have superpowers. Thankfully, like most fourteen year old boys, he eventually grew up… a bit.

After four years at University studying Zoology and three years working for a string of high street banks as a desk jockey/keyboard monkey, Rob ran away to live on a desert island in Fiji for three months. It was there he re-discovered his love of writing and, more specifically, of writing fantasy.

When he’s not madly scribbling his next epic, Rob has a variety of hobbies that, unsurprisingly, are fantasy themed. He regularly plays card games based on the A Game of Thrones and the Netrunner universes and attends tournaments throughout the UK. Rob also enjoys Airsofting: the act of running around a forest with fake guns shooting (being shot by) his friends.