Dirty Eden Paperback – March 10, 2012

I thought I had seen, or read, J. A. Redmerski in her best performance…I thought I had seen J. A. Redmerski’s creativity in action…I was COMPLETELY wrong!When I finished this book I didn’t have, and probably still don’t have, words able to describe how wonderfully creative and exquisite this work is. This book was on my TBR list since the day I was presented to this author’s writing. Author who earned my respect, my admiration and my trust these past years. Unfortunately, I will always regret not having read this book before.Many times the author herself said that of all the books she has written, this undoubtedly is her favorite, and I can honestly say I see why.As the blurb describes, the book revolves around a mission given to Norman Reeves, an ordinary divorced man, who like many others is frustrated with the direction his life took, dissatisfied with his boring work, but who wakes up every day and follows the same routine ever. ‘Till one day, when in an unconventional meeting, Norman receives a mission, given by the Devil himself, to reverse the fall of man, the original sin.The magnificent plot itself guarantees all the honorable mentions this author deserves. Not many authors are capable of, paraphrasing a Goodreads and Amazon’s reviewer (Skorpius), picking up one of the biggest stories out there (The Garden of Eden) and reinvent it in a way that s/he ends up creating a completely new, unusual and original story, making it as her/his own. J. A. Redmerski didn’t just rearrange a plot that already existed, or made a new reading of it. She created a completely new story, bringing new meaning to the several elements that we thought we knew and adding new ones that blew our minds.Added to the phenomenal creativity she brought, we are given with a clean and extremely detailed narrative. I've said it once, and I reaffirm it today: J. A. Redmerski is not just a writer, or a mare author, she is an amazing storyteller. Since page one, the reader has his/her attention and curiosity captured. Each event, revelation, development, new character, surprise leaves us wondering what is yet to come. And the amount of details in the way she narrates every single scene, how she describes the scenarios, how she develops the characters, fascinate us.Like all her books, Dirty Eden is full of twists that catch us off guard. Even its ending. The last sentence makes us wish a sequel could exist. It’s not that there is an open ending. The author wraps every detail of this story beautifully. However, we finish this book so delighted with what we’ve read and the high level of, once again, creativity in which it has been told, that we desperately wish to know how the rest of the story would be told.Today I reaffirm that J. A. Redmerski is an author who has all the qualities an author must have, except, and unfortunately, the recognition she deserves. Her career doesn’t sum up to Andrew and Camryn, and her creativity is not limited to Victor his organization. There are sides of this author that still are little-known and deserve to be much more widespread.Sigh…I honestly feel I’m unable to write something that will do justice to this book, its greatness and perfection. As much as I can reaffirm my admiration for this author, for the level of creativity in this book, for the unexpected surprises in it, for the endless detailing in this narrative and how everything was created and developed with frightening precision and incredibly consistency, yet I fail to describe what she was able to do in this book.So maybe the only thing that remains to be said is that, as much as I have an endless list of books I love, as much as I LOVE ‘The Edge of Never’, as much as I ADORE ‘In The Company Of Killers’, as much as I have been delighted with all of my readings by J. A. Redmerski and so many other authors I admire, and as much as I wish I could see all of those books in the big screen or a tv show, if I was given the choice to choose only ONE book of all books I have ever read, by this author or any other author, I would not think for a single moment before pointing Dirty Eden as my answer. Such is my desire to see every page, every word, every detail, character and scene of this book gaining life. A desire that reaches the level of need. While reading it, I felt every sentence of it gaining life in my imagination, but I desperately wish I can have the opportunity to see it one day portrayed on the big screen.Last but not least, as the author herself alerted, this book is completely different from her other works, which proves once again her endless quality of being a highly diversified author, able to write one of the most beautiful and exciting love stories and one of the most creative fantasies I've ever seen, whether in books, films, series or theater.Dirty Eden is a new breath that deserves its due recognition!***>> In this book there is NO romance! (Out of curiosity, I woke up in the middle of the night because of a nightmare. Yep! I’m NOT kidding!) This book is suitable for people who like fantasy, or have an eclectic literary taste, and definitely a more mature audience. I’d compare it to a mixture of Pan's Labyrinth, The Devil's Advocate, Constantine, Neverending Story, Lord of the Rings and books like that.>> As a Christian, I don’t agree when it says this book is a blasphemy, because it is not a statement of faith. It IS one of the most magnificent works of FICTION I have ever had the pleasure to read. And I didn’t feel at any time any intention to disrespect anyone’s faith. Plus, I’m capable to distinguish reality from fiction.>> Besides TEoN (which is my favorite book for personal reasons and reasons I don’t even understand), I got to the point of no longer being able to point out which book written by J. A. Redmerski is my favorite. Each one of her works is unique and stands out one of her endless qualities as an author.Dirty Eden is definitely a book I recommend and is one of my all-time-favorites.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book.Norman Reeves makes a deal with the Devil to fix the original sin and restore the Garden of Eden. He shows up in a desolate place called Creation and has to accomplish 3 tasks to do so.While I thoroughly enjoyed the book overall, as Norman got to the first 2 tasks, he also got whiney and I had to struggle through a bit to continue.Still, highly recommend it.

This book was crazy. Like....messed up, horrifically detailed, scandalous...yeah, that sort of crazy.Starting with Norman, loved him as a character. He was so crass, not afraid to speak his mind to the reader at all. He was my favorite by far out of all the characters, but Tsaeb kind of grew on me a little. Don't really understand why...Anyways! Great plot in this one, too. It's true what the blurb says: this is NOTHING like Redmerski's other books. If you think it is and that's what you expect, turn back now brochachos. Seriously.Very creative, innovative way of viewing Creation, the Devil, and the Fall of Mankind! The details of the story wove together well despite the slight lags in character-driven action. I highly recommend this!

Another great read from J. A. Redmerski. Please let me know when her next novel,(In the company of killers. Volume8) The Darkest Half, is on sale.Other novels I would like to buy are:Another great read by J. A. Redmerski. Please let me know when the novel, The Darkest Half (in the company of killers)(volume 8) is on sale.Other novels I am interested in by J. A. Redmerski are:1 The Red Lotus.2 A Feast of Devils.3 The Shadow Sect.The Red Lotus.

I don't even know where to begin with this review. Too many words to put down cause that's how much I loved the book. It was so strange in the best way. I am so glad I picked this up because I literally couldn't put it down. Bravo!!! I suggest this book to everyone!

This is a weird, freaky novel, which is exactly how I like them. The whole story is very imaginative and I was completely sucked in and was unable to put the book down. Some parts were a little cheesy, but other than that, I loved it.

Dirty Eden is a complete breath of fresh air on a virtual shelf overcrowded with formulaic dreck that seems to have taken over the industry. This is intelligent contemporary fantasy done right, and exceptionally well.In our protagonist Norman Reeves, we have a somewhat affable fellow who hates his job and trends toward self-deprecation. But he soon finds himself staring into an alley where his fate changes with the help of the Devil, portrayed throughout as not so bad of a guy.....except for when he is. And like the Devil, the denizens of Creation, which isn't quite Heaven, and isn't quite Hell, have many sides.Never is a character wasted, as even the most seemingly miniscule encounter is imbued with rich characters and dialogue. Indeed, Redmerski is particularly strong with writing dialogue, and the conversations between all of the characters are realistic and flow effortlessly. Each character is well defined and their quirks and mannerisms play out exceedingly well. You can't help but fall in love with and care about these characters and you will not soon forget them, right down to the tiniest mouse or foul-mouthed bluejay.Ultimately, what Redmerski has done is to create a complete and complex world from scratch, filled with a multitude of characters who have only previously occupied our own mythologies (the signs of the Zodiac are not who you think they are) and religious creation stories. She has somehow taken one of the biggest stories of all (The Garden of Eden) and wrapped everything around it and made it all her own.I highly recommend this book.

I loved it. Kept me interested all the way through. . Was nice to read something so different but then I love all Redmerski's work.

I don't know why but i couldnt put this down, it isn't the best book out there, but i love twisted religious fiction and it just did something for me, if you like this type of book i would read it.

Eu achava que já tinha visto toda a criatividade de J. A. Redmerski em ação, mas eu estava COMPLETAMENTE errada!Eu não possuía ao terminar a leitura desse livro, e ainda não possuo, palavras capazes de descrever o quão magnificamente criativa e primorosa é essa obra. Este livro estava na minha lista de livros para ler desde o dia que conheci a escrita dessa autora, que ganhou meu respeito, minha admiração e minha confiança ao longo de quase dois anos. Infelizmente, sempre irei me arrepender de não o ter lido antes.Por várias vezes a própria autora disse que, dentre todos os livros que ela já escreveu, este, sem dúvidas, é seu preferido e o que mais gostou de escrever. E eu posso dizer, com toda certeza, que entendo o porquê.Como a sinopse descreve, o livro gira em torno de uma missão dada a Norman Reeves, um homem normal, divorciado, que como muitos outros se encontra frustrado com o rumo que sua vida levou, insatisfeito com seu trabalho monótono e formal, mas que acorda todos os dias e segue a mesma rotina de sempre. Até que um dia, em um encontro nada convencional, Norman recebe a missão, dada pelo próprio Diabo, de reverter a queda do homem, o pecado original.O enredo, magnifico devo ressaltar, por si só já garantiria todas as menções honrosas que essa autora merece, porque não é qualquer autor que é capaz de, parafraseando um dos resenhistas do Goodreads e Amazon (Skorpius), pegar uma das maiores histórias existentes (O Jardim do Éden) e a reinventar de tal maneira que acaba criando uma história completamente nova, inusitada e original, tornando-a sua. Redmerski não apenas readapta um enredo existente, ou faz uma nova leitura. Ela cria uma história totalmente nova, trazendo novo significado para vários elementos que julgávamos conhecer e inserindo novos de nos deixar boquiabertos.Somada a absurda criatividade que essa autora demonstrou possuir, encontramos uma narrativa impecável e extremamente detalhada. Eu já disse isso uma vez, e hoje reafirmo: J. A. Redmerski não é uma mera escritora, ou autora, ela é uma incrível contadora de histórias. Desde a primeira página o leitor tem sua atenção e curiosidade capturadas. Cada acontecimento, revelação, desenrolar, novo personagem nos surpreende e nos deixa querendo saber ainda mais o que virá na página seguinte. E o detalhamento na forma de narrar as cenas, de descrever os cenários, de desenvolver os personagens, deixa-nos fascinados.Como todos os livros de autoria de J. A. Redmerski, Dirty Eden também está recheado de reviravoltas que nos pegam desprevenidos e nos surpreendem. Até mesmo seu final. Final fechado com uma frase que nos faz desejar um segundo livro. Não que seja um final em aberto. A autora fecha cada detalhe dessa história primorosamente. Entretanto, terminamos o livro tão encantados com o que foi narrado e o nível de, mais uma vez, criatividade, que almejamos saber como o possível resto da história seria contato.Hoje afirmo que J. A. Redmerski é uma autora completa, e constato que, infelizmente, ela ainda não logrou o reconhecimento devido. Sua carreira não se resume apenas a Andrew e Camryn, e sua criatividade não se limita a Victor e companhia. Ainda há faces dessa autora pouco conhecidas e que mereciam ser muito mais difundidas.Hum...Sinto-me impotente e incapaz de escrever qualquer coisa que possa fazer jus a esse livro, sua grandeza e perfeição. Por mais que diga e reafirme minha admiração pela autora, pela criatividade contida nesse livro, pelas inesperadas surpresas, pelo infinito detalhamento que há nessa narrativa e a forma como tudo foi criado e desenvolvido com uma precisão assustadora e incrivelmente coerente, ainda assim falho em descrever do que ela foi capaz nesse livro.Então talvez só me reste dizer que, por mais que exista uma lista enorme de livros que eu tenha amado, por mais que eu AME Entre o Agora e o Nunca, por mais que eu ADORE a série In The Company Of Killers, por mais que eu tenha me deleitado com todas as leituras de J. A. Redmerski e de outros tantos autores que eu admiro, e por mais que eu deseje ver todos eles adaptados para o cinema ou televisão, se me fosse dada a opção de escolher somente UM livro de todos os que eu já li, sejam de autoria dela ou de qualquer outro autor, não pensaria por um momento sequer antes de apontar Dirty Eden como resposta. Tamanha minha vontade de ver cada página, cada palavra, cada detalhe, personagem e cena desse livro ganhar vida. Uma vontade que atinge o grau de necessidade. Durante a leitura, senti cada frase ganhar vida em minha imaginação, mas desejo imensamente ter a oportunidade de vê-las um dia retratadas em tela grande e interpretadas por pessoas de verdade.Por fim, como a própria autora alerta, esse livro é completamente diferente de suas demais obras, demonstrando mais uma vez sua inesgotável qualidade de ser uma autora altamente diversificada, capaz de escrever desde uma das mais lindas e emocionantes histórias de amor até uma das fantasias mais criativas que já tive contato, seja através de livros, filmes, séries ou teatro.Dirty Eden é um folego novo que merece ser reconhecido!***Obs.1: Nesse livro não há romance! (A título de curiosidade, acordei no meio da noite devido a um pesadelo. Anram!!!) Esse livro é indicado para pessoas que gostem de livros de fantasia, ou que tenham um gosto literário eclético, e um público mais maduro. Se tivesse que compará-lo a algo, diria que é uma mistura de O Labirinto do Fauno, Advogado do Diabo, Constantine, História Sem Fim, Senhor dos Anéis e afins. Infelizmente ele está disponível apenas em inglês (e já adianto que é uma leitura difícil e complexa) e sem previsão de lançamento no Brasil, apesar de verdadeiramente acreditar que ele deveria ter seus direitos adquiridos. Precisamos de mais histórias originais como essa!Obs.2: Não concordo que esse livro seja uma blasfêmia, pois não se trata de uma declaração de fé, mas sim de uma das mais magnificas obras de ficção que já tive o prazer de ler. Não senti em nenhum momento nenhuma intenção de desrespeito a fé de qualquer pessoa, e tenho capacidade intelectual suficiente para distinguir ficção de realidade.Obs.3: Tirando Entre o Agora e o Nunca, cheguei ao ponto de não ser mais capaz de apontar dentro os livros de J. A. Redmerski qual seja o melhor. Cada um é único e traz a tona uma qualidade a mais dela como autora.Definitivamente um livro que recomendo e que está dentre meus preferidos.