Now that you’ve read the book, tell us what you think. Are you eager for a sequel? Just PLEASE if you are giving away any details place a SPOILER ALERT note at the top of your review. After all, you don’t want to spoil it for others, now do you?
“This author is absolutely captivating. Emotion, suspense, fantasy. Everything a great book needs. I would like to read more works from this author and highly recommend this one.” -Ellsie Brooks, reviewer on Bookkus
Here are some reviews from Amazon:
By MRose on February 4, 2015
Two terms come to mind when trying to describe “Agony”:Original: As an avid reader of many genres I am pressed to come up with any title with similarities in plot/character development/world building to this book. It’s refreshing to read a story I haven’t read before and delve into the workings of a wholly new realm! The author has created not only a different world for readers, but fresh “sci-fi” concepts as well. I found myself more intrigued with every world visited – I couldn’t wait to see what twisted new fantasies (and in many cases, extremely depressing fantasies) the gods had in store for us.Thought Provoking: Again, unlike many popular books I’ve read recently, this book requires the reader to think. There is so much more to this novel than a simple “who dunnit?” The relationship between the main characters is intricate and, in many cases, I found it troublesome deciding which of the main characters I agreed with the most; a process I greatly enjoyed, especially when it came to the ending.
That being said, I enjoyed this novel and found it was hard to put down; the author did a wonderful job of creating muted suspense and tension between characters. I recommend this novel for those who are ready to move beyond the thoughtless bestseller drab and onto new worlds and new ideas.
The Agony of the Gods was an impressive book full of descriptive imagery, believable dialogue, action and suspense. Once I started reading the book, I could not put it down. I prefer books that make me think and this book introduced some new ideas that made me wonder about my world view. It was a smorgasbord for the senses. Totally enjoyable. Well written and well done.
Different…and excellent.
February 8, 2015 By GrouchoMarxist “Brooklyn Corvid” (Brooklyn, NY, USA)
Tom Wolosz’s first novel is a genre-defying triumph that keeps the reader guessing until the end, and certainly makes one think. I’d have to define it as futuristic mystery more than science fiction, but trying to pigeonhole it trivializes it to some extent. It’s literature more than pop fiction, making a statement on human nature that is, sad to say, timeless. It’s a stunningly imaginative, intelligent debut by an author I hope to read more of in the future.
Joe Crowe on December 23, 2014
It’s tough to invent a science-fiction universe from scratch, and tougher still to make readers care about the characters in that world. Usually writers pick one, intentionally or not. But the emotional guts of “Agony of the Gods” succeeds in both. Moreover, many of the characters are god-powered super-beings. (They experience the “agony” in the title.) This one’s definitely worth giving a shot.
Waiting impatiently for publication! In the meantime, I really enjoy this website; beautifully done!
I look forward to the publication. I hope it is international because I am from the UK and it’s a bit far to go to travel to the USA just to purchase one book! I shall definitely be purchasing a copy from my local bookstore when I see it. Good luck with it.
Sound great.
Hello Doc Tom,
The novel sounds fascinating. Is there a publication date yet? Thanks. Robbie R
Hello Robbie,
Sorry for the long delay, but I finally got a publication date – January 1st. Book should be available for pre-order on Amazon soon in both paperback and Kindle format. I’m told it will also be available in Kobo and Nook. You can get more information at http://shop.bookkus.com/product/agony-gods/
Best wishes,
DocTom
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I loved the book. It is wonderful to see someone writing with both intelligence and heart instead of the usual crap churned out by authors looking to cash in on the latest trend at the rate of a book a month.
I would dearly love a sequel that includes the Enforcer and Charles. I have to believe writing books like yours take an inordinate amount of skill, time and effort, so while I would like to read it tonight before I go to sleep, I would not dream of pushing you to publish sooner than you see fit.
As per our previous conversation on GR, the novel was so good, it didn’t need the obvious ending. I can only guess at your reasoning, but the last scene can encompass your intriguing title without the arrows. I am hoping for something gritty, yet lyrical – a scene that sums up the gentleman at the end of the story. You already established the weather, his emotional state and his identity, but it is the dichotomy warring inside him that drives everything. (I am not being obtuse, just trying not to drop spoilers.) If you could somehow externalize that it would be a wonderful ending.
Example: Trying to capture any sense of her, he strips down and finally goes swimming in the ocean from his hidey hole. After a short time, the memories start bombarding him, warming and freezing his heart. The freezing started an avalanche of cold hearted memories until he can’t take it any more – he shoots out of the sea like a dolphin to his full height with his arms raised overhead, and roars his pain to the stars while giving the freeze to the machine. The temperature drops as snowflakes fall on his hair and eyelashes. Slowly, he lowers his body into the water, sobbing.
That’s just my opinion. I am clearly not a writer. You already proved you can write like many of the SF masters, so take it or leave it at your own discretion. You won’t hurt my feelings.
I will recommend your book to my friends.
Hello Melinda,
Thanks again for your kind review. Let me try to answer your questions.
Well, I wanted the ending to convey a couple of things. First, HIS conflict. Throughout the story he is constantly playing two roles, his sanity is often slipping (remember, he hates what he is doing), so he must be very guarded. Guarded people build walls, sometimes going into extreme denial. When such a wall breaks, it often collapses catastrophically.
For him, he maintained his approach to her even up to the end. As an act of love he buried her with The Lady, despite The Lady being the rival for her affection, a rivalry that led to her death. But when the ultimate human tragedy hits him – the total finality of death – the point at which there are no more do-overs, no more last chances to make things right, never again the chance to tell someone how you truly feel, his wall finally broke, finally crashed down around him.
Second, what you might call the final summary wasn’t meant to tie in the title. Actually, as far as ‘snow’ is concerned, the ended generated the subtitle. Think about it. Two “Gods” who wanted nothing more than to be with each other are dead, and a third “God” lost in despair – are these “Gods” or just people? And the snow? The snow falls on the grass, the trees, and every ordinary being anywhere. It covers all. So is there really a difference between the “God” weeping on the grave and a beggar kneeling at a Potter’s Field and weeping over the grave of a lost lover?
The snow sees no difference – we’re all just people in the end.
If you have other questions or comments, I’ll be glad to continue the conversation. But could you do one thing for me? Post your comments/questions on the “Into The Machine” Page. I’d like to make it clear that page is for discussions on any and all topics concerning the story.
Thanks!
DocTom