So I picked up a copy of "Demon" at the recommendation of a friend. I was hesitant, to be honest, because new authors tend to be a significant risk for the money. One of the main draws for me was the cover art. I know the rule is to not judge a book by its cover, but if we're telling the truth here, the cover always plays a major role in my book purchases. On a side note, I had to research the artist and was impressed with several of her other pieces as well!

Now on to the book itself. It is an interesting read, a mixed bag of poetry and short fiction. The work here is dark and blunt. The author does not shy away from vivid description. His writing style is right up my alley. While it's billed as fiction, I can tell that there is pain here from the real world. Anger. Frustration. Emotions felt by real people that we're sometimes afraid to speak on.

So, pretty good comments, but I only give it a "3." If I could, it would really be a 3.5. It would be extremely rare for a new author to score a 5 on his first try. The writing is good but unrefined. It is also appears that the book could have benefited from a more thorough editorial review (spelling, grammar, format issues). Overall, I am pleased with this purchase and look forward to any new works Mr. Rivera may produce. (Posted on 2/27/10)