Revelations
Russell L. Burt returns to the macabre with his novel Revelations:
Bridging the gap between psychological and supernatural horror, Revelations is the story of Jamie Shetter, a psychiatrist on the brink of existential crisis. Unfortunately, her move from private practice to public service is of no help, as she discovers “truths” that have her questioning not only the nature of her existence, but her sanity. Join Dr. Shetter as she struggles to get control of her life back from the mysterious revelations, each more awful than the last.
July 24th, 2006 at 6:33 pm
I think I finally found a book on the site that REALLY impresses me. As Sam Kinison once said, “I like the way you think. I’m gonna to be watchin’ you.”
July 26th, 2006 at 8:31 am
I had serious doubts about this podiobook upon my initial investigation.
Within six and half minutes, I heard “…made you feel useless, but also dissolved you of responsibility…” and became dismayed. Of course, the correct word is absolved and not dissolved.
I thought, “Oh great! Another semi-literate trying to write!”
I’m happy to report that, despite that initial glaring error, R.L. Burt partially redeemed himself shortly. While there are painful grammatical errors (no doubt caused, in part, by a modern public education), there is much to recommend this story.
It rests on an interesting premise/story-line and engaging characters.
Sound quality is consistent and good, narration is more than adequate and the pacing is easily good enough to maintain the listener’s attention.
On the whole, I am recommending this one. I give it a 7.5 so far, and hope that it surpasses that score.
-Bear
July 26th, 2006 at 8:26 pm
I loved this book. It was so interesting that I couldn’t wait for the next chapters as they came. I look forward to hearing more!!!
July 29th, 2006 at 9:01 pm
Mr. Burt just keeps getting better !!!
V.
December 14th, 2007 at 7:30 am
I thought the story, in the beginning, to be interesting enough to warrant a listen. Also, the narration was not horrible. However, this was a fairly decent tale up until the very end- I thought it to be -not so good -to put it lightly. It seemed as though the author ran out of material and like most “horror films” in this era – possessed a cliche ending that was rushed and derivative. I’ve heard worse and I’ve heard better.
July 14th, 2008 at 11:22 am
I thought that the story sounded interesting, and I made it all of the way through listening to the end. I appreciate that it was a shorter story, because I wanted the story to be over. That, in and of itself may or may not be a bad thing. I don’t think that the author tied the story together well, and as a result the ending falls flat, as do the characters within the story.
June 9th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
I thought this story to be a tad derivative and not very plausible. For example, were I to encounter a strange notebook I would not wait an excruciatingly long period to read through its contents. I would read them right there on the spot. Furthermore, one would expect that the rather sloppy philosophy work done in the bits about people being God’s shit would have been spotted by someone who had gone through years of university.
April 1st, 2010 at 12:55 pm
I really want to like this. It sounded really good. Sadly I was very disappointed. That felt like it was half a story and you could have gone anywhere with the other half. It was good, little bit explicit for my taste but still really good right until the end. Sorry, that really killed it for me.
October 13th, 2010 at 3:36 pm
I discovered Burt’s podcast “Come Let Me Whisper” as a result of listening to the Cthulhu Podcast. His original short stories of horror are wonderfully dark and not without humor. Having enjoyed his writing and narrating (and being a psychiatrist-in-training), I really looked forward to listening to “Revelations.”
The story was more of what I’ve come to love about Burt’s work: intriguing and entertaining. (I especially loved the constant bickering in Dr. Shetter’s head between the R-complex and the neocortex.) As other reviewers have said, however, the ending just doesn’t do justice to the build-up. The main character’s reaction trivializes what should feel to the listener like a terrifying situation.
I happily return to listening to CLMW!