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Cryptofauna

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Cryptofauna

2018 | Fiction & Poetry

Working as a janitor at an insane asylum in rural Idaho has Jim in the dumps. One night, his attempted suicide is rudely interrupted by one of the residents, and he's recruited to play a game called Cryptofauna. The bizarre contest of worldwide mischief and meddling might actually help the blue custodian discover a reason to life, if he can survive the deadly trials that await...


“If Alice and Wonderland and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy had a love child, it’d be Cryptofauna. This fantasy novel creates an acid dream of lovable characters, tense twists, and a storyworld unlike any I’ve experienced. […] it’s a beautiful story, funny at times, ridiculous in the best possible way, intense and action packed." - Nico Bell Writes

"[...] a very readable fast-paced adventure packed with fantastic and ridiculous invention.” - Ingenious Cat

“Every so often, you come across a book that leaves you wondering if you should be looking into psychedelic drugs, because you realize that your reality is rather limited. This is definitely one of those books. [...] one of the strangest, most intriguing things I've ever read.” - Songs Wrote my Story

“Cryptofauna is fantastically strange, it's so funny and I found myself laughing out loud multiple times. But it's also deep and poignant and [the] attention to detail is superb.” -Rae’s Reading Lounge

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Patrick Canning
Edition Kindle
ASIN B07L6TMSV7
Language English
Edition Paperback
ISBN 9781790939688
Language English
Black Urban Fiction

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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated

Aug 3, 2020  
Cryptofauna
Cryptofauna
Patrick Canning | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
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Cryptofauna by Patrick Canning is definitely a read that will certainly stay in your memory, for how unique and random it is.

<b><i>Synopsis</i></b>

Jim is a janitor at an insane asylum and one day, he decides to commit a suicide at his workplace. But before he can do the deed, a mysterious resident at work equips him with a dog and a bag of ash, and throws him into a secret game known as Cryptofauna.

Cryptofauna is played by Operators, people with special abilities, who battle one another to influence important events around the world. To become an Operator, Jim must successfully pass a couple of exams, including surviving the Pacific Ocean, surviving some weird monks, and ultimately, passing the exam that proves his mind and soul are ready as well.

On top of this, there is his enemy as well, another Operator, who is forever his rival until the game ends.

This is how Cryptofauna works, in case you are curious. The image was sent to me by the author:

<img src="https://i2.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/How-To-Play.jpg?resize=768%2C994&ssl=1"/>;

<b><i>My Thoughts:</i></b>

From the synopsis, I expected this book to be unique. However, I never expected to enter such a creative and random world. The events are all so random, the characters too. It is all very random and chaotic in a very interesting way. I am still struggling to decide whether I love this chaos or not.

This book is amazing in terms of creativity and world building.
The author is quite good at creating something new in a place where everything already exists. Patrick Canning managed to create a whole new reality within our real world. A place where Cryptofauna exists as a game and a way of life, and I was glad I entered that world.

There were times I felt very confused on what is happening. I had to re-read chapters and scenes, which resulted in average reading experience. I liked Jim as a character, and I loved how he slowly develops throughout the book and finds his true purpose in his life. As a person that was about to commit suicide, I felt he learned a valuable lesson to not give up. However I felt that the other characters had more liveliness in them (no pun intended, given the fact he wanted to kill himself). I actually loved the evil guy more. He had a recklessness about him that I found intriguing.

Overall, I did enjoy the creativity and the idea of the game itself. However, I felt very lost and confused at certain times, which made my experience less enjoyable. I still recommend it to you, if the synopsis intrigues you and you enjoy stories about good battling evil.

Thank you to the author, Patrick Canning, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.