Death Unmasked: A Novel of Reincarnation & Retribution

Death Unmasked: A Novel of Reincarnation & Retribution by Rick Sulik      264 pages

Well, I tried to read retired police officer Rick Sulik’s novel, but all three times would get to the end of Chapter 6, I had to give up. It’s a mish-mash of poetry and prose that doesn’t work for me.

I knew I was in trouble by the beginning of Page One for three reasons: Sulik’s original poetry that I didn’t’ get; excerpts from Oscar Wilde’s “The Ballad of the Reading Gaol” (from 1898) that made no sense to me, and the lack of imaginative chapter titles. It’s true that many authors don’t title their chapters, only number them, but here it seemed to stick out like a sore thumb. I feel like the reason for that is that most authors don’t list the chapters. A fourth reason was that each sentence is its own paragraph. A fifth reason was the time frame listed in that first chapter, “Somewhere in Time.”

I hate to say it, but as plowed through, not only was I bored, but confused and lost. There is no tension in the writing.

Therefore, Death Unmasked: A Novel of Reincarnation & Retribution receives 2 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world. One star is for effort and a cool front cover.