Shrouded Insanity

Rating:
Summary: I must be insane...
Review: (...) I'm a stubborn reader-meaning that when I purchase a book, particularly in hardcover, I consider it my duty to finish it. Finishing this book was an activity lacking any pleasure.

I accept that books I buy for entertainment don't need to be very believable. Most killers portrayed in thriller fiction are not believable in terms of actual profiles, nor does mental illness or psychopathy get a fair portrayal. That is expected.

Snow's book is an example of a neat idea and locale-subterranean corridors, religious zeal, and murder-combined with exceedingly poor dialogue and storytelling. The characters are drawn with unsharpened crayon, and the logical leaps within conversations strain credibility, several examples are included below:

"Jesus Christ!" Piedmont said, instinctively covering his mouth with a handkerchief. "Not again! Not Joline, too! I don't know how much more of this I can stand. When will the madness stop?" He gagged as he witnessed the pitiful sight and grimaced when the men placed the bodies onto the dew covered ground.

"Inspector," Roget said, gently squeezing his shoulder. "Snap out of it. I think you may be too personally involved to think straight. You might even be playing right into the killer's hands."

"What?" Piedmont exclaimed, wiping vomit from his mouth. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"In view of the fact that your daughter was the last victim, maybe someone else should handle this."

"Are you out of your mind, Roget?" Piedmont screamed. "Ever since Jacqueline's death, finding that son-of-a-bitch has been my only reason to get up in the morning. I can handle it. I'll be fine. Now lay off."

"Okay," Roget said. "Simmer down. I only call it as I see it and I understand your pain."

On the next page Piedmont mumbles, "I'll kill the bastard when I catch him!" When asked if he is going to be alright the response is, "Sure. Don't worry about me. It must be a touch of the flu."

Beginning on page 46, the good guy, Father Xavier's, first meeting with the beautiful Sister Domenique reads like a moony pick-up scene between teenagers. She "smiles coyly" and he offers her comfort by "gently caressing her shoulder." He "watched as she moistened her lips between sentences."

Domenique urges Xavier to tell her about his past. He tells it this way, "My story's a bit different, though similar to yours in some ways. I, the same as you, never knew my natural parents either. I was adopted by some horrible people who were extremely abusive. But that was before I entered the church."

"That must have been terrible for you."
"I can't find the words to describe my pain."
"I'm sorry. I'd always dreamt that adoption would have been wonderful, though now I'm not so sure. After hearing of your experience, maybe I was better off in the convent."
"You were, Xavier said, staring off into space.

If those excerpts seemed thrilling and awesome and filled with suspense then all the more reason to doubt my sanity. To me they are wooden, concrete, and lacking in emotional congruity. But, call me crazy... maybe it's great literature!

Sure, read it. I did. (...)

Rating:
Summary: Count me as a new fan of Jamian Snow!!!
Review: I loved this book. It was the best book I've read in a long while. He definitely has talent. I loved the the characters too. It was so well-written that I thought I was watching a movie. Please, keep writing new books, Jamian.

Rating:
Summary: Jamian Snow is an Up-and-Coming Stephen King!!
Review: SHROUDED INSANITY is a flight into the imagination of Jamian Snow. Once you start on the journey, there's no turning back!! The story, set in the monastery, lends to the anxiety which is embedded in the pages. If your interested in a real thriller, read this novel.

Rating:
Summary: Jamian Snow is an Up-and-Coming Stephen King!!
Review: SHROUDED INSANITY is a flight into the imagination of Jamian Snow. Once you start on the journey, there's no turning back!! The story, set in the monastery, lends to the anxiety which is embedded in the pages. If your interested in a real thriller, read this novel.

Rating:
Summary: Fast-Paced and Thrilling Read!!
Review: Shrouded Insanity is a novel that once I began the read, I just couldn't put it down. It was a fast-paced and thrilling read!!

Rating:
Summary: Roller Coaster Ride From First Page to Last!!
Review: SHROUDED INSANITY was fast paced and a definite roller coaster ride from first page to last. The story was ingenious with all of the twists and turns. I can't wait to read Jamian Snow's next novel.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome Book, Jamian!! You have a new fan!
Review: Shrouded Insanity was the best!! The way he managed to keep Domenique in her prison cell, deep beneath the monastery was chilling. He is definitely the new "Master of Horror" and I can't wait to read more!! Also, Dean Koontz's book Odd Thomas, (which Jamian Snow recommends) is a great too! Jamian is not only a terrific writer, but has good taste in the authors he likes. Humble, I like that.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome Book, Jamian!! You have a new fan!
Review: Shrouded Insanity was the best!! The way he managed to keep Domenique in her prison cell, deep beneath the monastery was chilling. He is definitely the new "Master of Horror" and I can't wait to read more!! Also, Dean Koontz's book Odd Thomas, (which Jamian Snow recommends) is a great too! Jamian is not only a terrific writer, but has good taste in the authors he likes. Humble, I like that.

Rating:
Summary: A must read!
Review: This book grabbed me right in the beginning, and did not let me go until the end. I have never been so unable to put down a novel as I was here. I finished the whole thing in one sitting; I had to know what was going to happen next! The plot keeps you guessing, and when you begin to understand what is happening, you can't help but cross your fingers and hope like heck that your favorite character wins. Really, do yourself a favor and pick up this novel. I haven't read a book that stayed with me in a long time, but Shrouded Insanity does. The story and the characters are unforgettable.

Rating:
Summary: A Book Of Merit!
Review: This is one for all thrill-seekers out there. I read it twice, not wanting it to end! It's a Gothic tale of mystery, madness, and mayhem. A must read!