On the Risingshadow.net website, Seregil of Rhiminee has written a 5-star review of The Janus Cycle by Tej Turner. Seregil writes that it is “an intriguing and insightful speculative fiction novel that is in equal parts literary fiction, speculative fiction and surrealism” that “stands out due to its wonderfully vivid and vibrant story and colourful characters”.
Saying that The Janus Cycle will be enjoyed by readers who like different, well-written and thought-provoking stories, Seregil says it is “an intriguing novel that is difficult to put down once you’ve started to read it. It pulls you in and doesn’t let go, because the author writes captivatingly about the lives of the different characters who visit the nightclub Janus. The author fluently blends literary fiction with speculative fiction and takes the reader on a wild and rewarding journey.”
Seregil compliments Tej’s writing, saying that the “characterization is exceptionally fluent” and that he “offers fantastic glimpses into the lives of the characters. He writes boldly, fluently and fascinatingly about their lives and how they intertwine”. He goes on to say that Tej “seems to have a good understanding of what makes us human, because he writes well about the characters’ individual personalities, traits and faults”. In Seregil’s opinion “Tej Turner is one of the most observant new authors, because he has a talent for writing about our modern way of life in a realistic way (he fluently writes what’s going on). He doesn’t get stuck on boring details […] and doesn’t overanalyze”.
He says that sex is “handled admirably” because “not many authors have courage to write about different kind of sexuality. He shows that people are different and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect no matter who or what they are. He writes extremely well about these difficult issues and themes.”
Seregil concludes by giving The Janus Cycle “full five stars for its mesmerizing story and bold contents. It was a pleasure to read this novel” and finishes by saying “In my honest opinion The Janus Cycle is one of the most rewarding and most thought-provoking novels I’ve read during the last couple of years, because it gives readers something to think about.” He suggests that “Tej Turner has a bright future ahead of him as a speculative fiction author, because he doesn’t shy away from difficult material and is capable of creating a captivating story.”
You can read Seregil’s full review here.