Review by AnnOgochukwu -- The Demon of the Well

[AnnOgochukwu]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Demon of the Well" by James B. Hendricks.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Demon of the Well is a long narrative poem comprising 297 quatrain verses with quite a unique, alternating rhyme scheme; the second and fourth lines have end rhymes, while the first and third lines are written in free verse. Set in the desert dunes of the Middle Ages, the themes of this story include war, deception, ambition, greed, hope, and courage. The story is divided into four parts and is told from the first-person perspective of two protagonists, an old man, and a young boy.

Persuaded by a curious young boy and his friends, an old trader reluctantly takes a walk down memory lane, back to many years ago, when he was a young trader. While en route to a trade city, the then-young trader overhears two brothers talking about retrieving a long-lost treasure, a magic cup with which the future could be seen. Overcome by greed, and forgetting his former business, he offers to guide the brothers to their destination, the Devil's Springs, for he "knew the springs and trails of the desert far and wide". On getting to the Devil's Springs, he finds out that it is indeed a devil's lair, for alas, it is a demon's abode, and to acquire this so-desired treasure, a costly price must be paid.

Many years have passed since his first trip to the boiling springs, and now the old trader, in the company of his young friend, must, once again, travel through the dreary trails that lead to the demon's lair, for the old man must retrieve a lost belonging of his, in order to save his desert homeland.

The most striking feature of this book is its diction. The symphony of words was so beautiful and endearing, I could go on and on ranting about it. Also, the diction was not too sophisticated or formal that it would become incomprehensible to an average reader, as is common with poetry. The author managed to balance the unique sophistication of poetry with simplicity, thus making it easier for all to appreciate the beauty of this piece. I appreciate this simple sophistication, for very often, lack of comprehension is the reason I never make it to the end of a poetry piece. That the author succeeded in making this story poetry is especially commendable. It not only made the story more artistic, but also easier to memorize and fun to read. James B. Hendricks outdid himself on this piece.

The story of how this piece came to being is also an interesting one. After years of research and unsuccessful attempts at writing a prose version of an initial story, an off-hand suggestion from a friend helps Hendricks to discover 'the Muse'. "With the Muse in charge, the story [a new story] came tumbling out," and whenever an idea or verse came to him, he would scribble it down on whatever material was available; paper or wood. Eventually, over eighteen years, the last of the verses came into place, and this epic work came to being. I reckon that eighteen years is a long time to work on a piece, but I think the result is worth the wait. And in the absence of any error, this book has duly earned 4 out of 4 stars.

I recommend The Demon of the Well to everyone and anyone who likes a good read, children and adults alike. It would make a perfect bedtime story for the young ones, and a nice light-read for the older ones. O lover of poetry and folktale, this book is especially for you.

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The Demon of the Well
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[Huini Hellen]

I saw the title and I thought it was a fantasy tell. I aint judging a book by its cover anymore.
Great review.

[Saint Bruno]

This book has received positive reviews from many reviewers. I am happy you you found the book to be amazing too. Perhaps its time to read it for myself. Thanks for the well-written review and recommendation.

[AnnOgochukwu]

I saw the title and I thought it was a fantasy tell. I aint judging a book by its cover anymore.
Great review.

Don't judge, sis . It could pass for fantasy though. Thanks for commenting.

[AnnOgochukwu]

This book has received positive reviews from many reviewers. I am happy you you found the book to be amazing too. Perhaps its time to read it for myself. Thanks for the well-written review and recommendation.

It's a very short read and you'll enjoy it. Thank you for your kind comment .

[RHD]

This one seems interesting. I wouldn't mind a poem or two. Thanks for such a detailed review

[Ellylion]

I love poetry and lore is very welcome too I guess, this one can be very interesting! Thanks for a great review!

[Eutoc]

It's beautiful when authors substitute readability for highfalutin words (sorry I couldn't find a simpler word). Sha ... Thanks for this detailed review.

[Sou Hi]

I've seen a few reviews about this book, but your summary makes it sound so intriguing. Normally, I don't fancy poetry, but maybe I will give this a try.

[Honest-reviewer]

Poetry is not something that I enjoy. But the story in it seems interesting. Thanks for your wonderful review!

[LinaJan]

I sampled this book some time ago and I really enjoyed the little bit that I read! Judging by your review, I may go back to it as it only seems to get better I, too, enjoyed the ingenuity and the diction

Nicely written review! Nice flow Thank you!

[Chigo Nwagboso]

This is a thriller and adventurous book. Honestly, I wish I have powers to foster the future . Great review.

[Prisallen]

I can see how this would be a good bedtime story for children. It is amazing that the author continued to work on it for 18 years. It sounds like a unique book. Thanks for your wonderful review!

[AnnOgochukwu]

This is a thriller and adventurous book. Honestly, I wish I have powers to foster the future . Great review.

The future might be too much to handle. On seeing the future, the old man in this story was frightened, and he hide the chalice once again. I can only wonder what he saw.
Perhaps, not knowing the future is a blessing in disguise.
Thank you for finding time to comment .

[Kirsi Cultrera]

I do think the story itself is interesting, but as I am somewhat allergic to poetry, I have my doubts about this book. Who knows, maybe it could actually become the first book with poems that I was able to finish...

Anyway, thank you for a nice review!