27th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards
Below is the feedback I received from the judge for my entry. Although I did not win the category, I loved the comments, and appreciate that the judge took the time to send them. The comments follow below, unredacted.
Entry Title: Midnight in the Garden of Doom
Author: J.N. de Bedout
Judge Number: 22
Entry Category: Genre Fiction
Structure, Organization, and Pacing: 5
Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar: 5
Production Quality and Cover Design: 5
Plot and Story Appeal: 4
Character Appeal and Development: 4
Voice and Writing Style: 5Midnight in the Garden of Doom has the makings of an ancient epic, as it tells a grand story of war, vengeance, and political ambition. There are a lot of moving parts, and seemingly random plotlines throughout the Chinese Empire that come together for a grand finale.
The majority of the characters are unlikable, or downright despicable, such as Sangey and Empress Wu, and yet, they are so well characterized, that likability becomes irrelevant: even Erik, who transforms into a savage madman by the story’s end, is redeemable, because readers understand his pain, and his motivation.
The amount of details sprinkled throughout the novel is impressive, and as a result, the reader’s experience is that much more immersive.
That said, there were moments in which the details were overwhelming, particularly when it came to the bloodshed. Violence is an integral part of a warrior’s life, and while illustrating both Erik’s excessive violence and the terrors of the Garden of Doom are key to the plot, providing a reader with a detailed descriptions of every murder might not be necessary. That said, Mariko’s silent vow at the end of the novel to not let herself “fall victim to the same cycle of violence and revenge that plagued” gives the reader hope that she will succeed.
Breathtaking in its scope of drama and storytelling, Midnight in the Garden of Doom is a tour de force of one warrior’s rise to infamy–and the wreckage he leaves in his wake.
— Judge, 27th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards