Bobby Denise Is Reigning Rampant by Daniel Ross

This is a somewhat peculiar little book, although firmly set in a version of the real world (as real as Las Vegas or Los Angeles could ever be I suppose) there is just something about it that made me feel as though I was reading a Fantasy Tale.  Something about the people, the places and the situations felt as though they were skewed by viewing through some sort of stargazing device that allowed you to see other worlds the roughly parallel our own.  The Quantum Theory as applied to Reality.

The first thing that struck me is the observational powers of the author.  Characters come alive through the pages not through their voice but through their actions and through their observations of others activities.  Our protagonist's character becomes apparent not through the murder he commited and not through his determination not to repent for killing his Manager but through his observations of Edward and Frances.  This is a man who misses nothing and watches every minutiae of life - much like the big cats he used to work with.  In fact I am not entirely sure that Mr Bobby Dennison is actually a Human Being, more a darkly enchanted Dusty set for revenge.

Amanda Paceman is a deliciously vindictive character, the epitome of every vile and judgmental hack reporter you have ever gleefully read.  Such is the power of the author I did find myself becoming gloriously outraged on our anti-hero's behalf at her diatribes against him in Catfights and Footlights.  Strangely I felt more outrage for a fictional report doing a disservice to a fictional character than I do for what often passes for real journalism.  Curse you Mr Ross for making me care.

As to plot, it is there but so sinuous that I genuinely felt as if I was merely following Bobby's example and observing a life unfold.  An old life, a lived life and a life with tragedy seeded throughout.  The plot weaves sinuously throughout but so unobtrusively that I got fully sucked in to the world and the players on the stage I was allowed to glimpse.  Players with wonderful names Gator Amy, Les Animo, El Motto.

So, why not 5 Stars for the book?  Simply put there was one little bit that annoyed me and snapped me right from the tale - a conversation starts in a Park but then ends in an apartment with no signalling of movement and during such a short conversation and the relative distances between locations (as already described during earlier chapters) impossible for them to walk and talk it.  One little slip up removed one whole star from your review Mr Ross - blame your proofreader or your editor for that one!

This is a gloriously peculiar fiction and it has left me wondering how long we are going to be made to wait for it's successor.  Surely there must be another book inside Mr Ross.

THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED VIA THE PIGEONHOLE.