Rate and Review

THE STORY TELLER

RATINGS & REVIEWS

I have been fortunate to have known David Rattler for a number of years. I first met him in college and have enjoyed his works for years in the underground. So when we was selected to read and rate his works we were honored, because like the public reviews, that he supposedly never read, ours mattered to him. But before I begin our review let me backtrack. I read the first book of the Season Series “When Season’s Change” and like many readers who have grown used to writers saying things a certain way, I too thought he’s nuts. I sent him a note and asked him about what I thought was structural and spellings problems. A few days later I received a reply, “you must learn to listen” was all it said. I went back and reread the work and instead of looking at like most readers, I let the writer tell the story, and like Dante I found myself descending into darkness and there were demons, but they weren’t the writers, they were mine. What I was mistaken for misspelled words was actually words from a language. Take for instant the character Pamela. It was spelled throughout the work one way and I’d grown used to it, but when her name was mentioned by her sister in a scene the spelling changed. Quemela is actually a Cherokee word that’s pronounced (kwaymayla) and although, he gave hints of the character nationality throughout the work. I like most readers, missed it too. I realized then that it wasn’t his like of knowledge of grammatical English structure, but his love of language itself, and his ability to intertwines it with English to complete a whole. He also used Vlax Romanian, French and German in the first book. For the years I’ve known him I finally realized he’ll never submit to the terrorist demands of readers and editors with near visions asking him to speak a certain way to preserve their comfort. You’ll have to expand your horizon to understand the journey of the human experience in his works.

We recently read and reviewed the second book of The Season Series “Discovery The Season of Shadows” and in many ways it’s darker than the first. He didn’t use as many different dialects as in book one, but he continued with the time continuum theory. It’s going to be interesting to see how that plays out in the series.

Like most readers, again, I too expected ethnic writers to say certain words to keep me in a safe place while giving a peek at the suffering in their world. I guess that why each time I read his works, I’m shocked. David doesn’t provide that safety net, there is no promotion of white privileges we’re used to writers preserving. He rips down that facade, holds a mirror to your face, and subliminally whispers, “behold the beast in you.” So if you’re the type of reader that’s looking for a safe place to keep your pride, and dare I say, your whiteness from being bruised. Keep in mind this isn’t the sorry of a down trodden race praising the lord, to go to heaven type work, that’ll makes you feel good about your position in humanity. This is a glimpse into your own damnation, man absent of humanity, the mirror reflection of the evil born in you the reader, and a frightening prophecy of vengeance.

When we finished reading this work we sat quite for a moment. We all agreed the works leaves us numb, afraid, and ashamed. He’d based the story in an indisputable truth and forced us to stare into the eyes of the beast within ourselves.

The work delivers a mind numbing shock factor that’s truly psychological in nature.

The Lair gives Discovery The Season of Shadows.

5 stars