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Cracks Of Light (The Cracks Of Light Series) Paperback – February 6, 2021

by John Charles Reedburg (Author)

3.8 47 ratings

Book 1 of 1: The Cracks Of Light Series

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Growing up in a broken home will always be a rough ride for any child caught in the crossfire. Naturally, when The Light speaks to nine-year-old Demetrius, he is too afraid to tell his bipolar mother what he has seen…

However, after young Demetrius develops a secret friendship with The Light, he is taken to “The Other Side,” a metaphysical realm where he meets his ancestors and learns about coping with childhood trauma, domestic abuse, and mental illness.

Acclaimed screenwriter John Charles Reedburg presents his latest novel, Cracks of Light, an urban fantasy horror that fuses drama, poetry, and testimony with the spirit world. This book is the first in a series of novels that center around human relationships with the supernatural and appeals to older fans of young adult fiction and genre readers alike.

“Raw and lyrical, harrowing, funny, and deeply human, Cracks of Light is a spellbinding novel, a riveting meditation on identity and ancestry. Reedburg is a natural born storyteller, vividly moving back and forth from early 90's South Los Angeles to other dimensions. He confidently takes on a complex plot of mental illness, abuse and addiction, deftly weaving in themes of religion and the supernatural. His voice is a mashup of Stephen King, Walter Mosley, and Charles Dickens, yet distinctly his own, fearlessly telling us Afrofuturist stories that haven’t yet been told.” ––Alistair McCartney, author of The Disintegrations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

★ "Raw, heartbreaking, and uncompromisingly brutal, Cracks of Light is a thought-provoking and powerful exploration of child abuse and its role in deteriorating one's mental health. John Charles Reedburg's harrowing tale primely showcases the life-long consequences and deep psychological scars inflicted upon people when subjected to long-term abuse at a young age. John Charles Reedburg utilizes unreliable narrators to a flawless degree to create a fascinating narrative that is as absorbing to read as it is disturbing. The surreal nature of the plot amplifies the dark tone of the narrative, leaving you with a story that somehow feels whimsical and realistic in equal measure. Overall, I felt mesmerized by Cracks of Light. I highly recommend it." -- Pikasho Deka, Reader's Favorite (5-star review)

"Raw and lyrical, harrowing, funny, and deeply human, Cracks of Light is a spellbinding novel, a riveting meditation on identity and ancestry. Reedburg is a natural born storyteller, vividly moving back and forth from early 90's South Los Angeles to other dimensions. He confidently takes on a complex plot of mental illness, abuse and addiction, deftly weaving in themes of religion and the supernatural. His voice is a mashup of Stephen King, Walter Mosley, and Charles Dickens, yet distinctly his own, fearlessly telling us Afrofuturist stories that haven't yet been told." --Alistair McCartney, author of The Disintegrations.

★ "Reedburg skillfully blends poetic lines with the human experiences of trauma and psychological escape, with elements of the supernatural and religion...This author is an entertaining writer that reaches deep into the psyche to tell this story. Fans of unsettling works like Get Out, Precious, and Requiem for a Dream will appreciate Cracks Of Light (The Cracks Of Light Series) by John Reedburg." -- Tammy Ruggles, Readers' Favorite (5-star review)

About the Author

John Charles Reedburg received his MFA in Fiction from Antioch University of Los Angeles, and his MFA in Screenwriting and Directing from Chapman University in Orange, CA. He enjoys visiting boutique coffee shops and playing video games on his PC laptop when he's not writing.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Valorous Books (February 6, 2021)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 193 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1736553593
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1736553596
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 - 18 years
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.2 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.49 x 9 inches

Customer Reviews:
3.8 47 ratings

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John Reedburg

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John Charles Reedburg is a talented producer, author, screenwriter, and award-winning filmmaker with almost 15 years in the entertainment industry. He is an alumnus of the prestigious Guy Hanks and Marvin Miller Screenwriting Fellowship Program at the University of Southern California.

He holds an MFA in Fiction from Antioch University Los Angeles, an MFA in Screenwriting and Directing from Chapman University, and undergraduate degrees in Communications and Journalism from California State University and El Camino College.

In 2004, he was one out of three winning filmmakers chosen out of 2,000 applicants to make a film for the Dodge Fellowship Grant Award at Chapman University. His thesis film "Rib Shack" won several festival awards.

John's literary work has featured in the Fictional Cafe.

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3.8 out of 5

47 global ratings

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RoseKay55

Raw, complex and brilliant

Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2021

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It's almost amazing to me how many complexities can be woven and how many emotions can be wrought in the telling of a single, tragic story. With startling realism, John Charles Reedburg masterfully tackles such issues as mental illness, child abuse, addiction and poverty, then he sprinkles in religion and wraps it all up in the supernatural. Cracks of Light may seem extreme and perhaps be difficult to understand for someone never subjected to any of the aforementioned horrors, but I imagine anyone who's either personally, or watched someone they love, live through such issues, will see the brilliance in the author's writing. Yes, there's a lot of vulgarity but that, too, is unfortunately a very real by-product of D's circumstances. I literally cried for Demetrius, knowing his character tragically represents an untold number of unnamed faces and inknown lives. I can't recommend this book highly enough, but the weak of heart should be forewarned. It's raw and gritty and some of the most realistic fiction you're likely to ever read.

3 people found this helpful

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Autumn

Different but definitely fantastic

Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2021

Verified Purchase

Was looking for something new to jump into as a break from the research books I've been reading over lately and a friend had mentioned this one anyway so I figured I'd give it a shot as it wasn't super long. Glad I checked it out. It's super raw and may tug on your heart. There is quite a bit of vulgarity and I understand why though at the same time I don't feel like it was 100% necessary either.

That being said, I'm glad I checked this out and will keep tabs on this author for sure!

4 people found this helpful

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BLKREADER

Unique and intriguing. Can't wait for part 2

Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2021

Verified Purchase

When I started to read this book I wasn't sure what I was going to find. It was a unique experience from its characters , format and contents. I suggest no matter how weird you find it just to follow it to the end. It really takes shape and I'm excited to see where it goes.

Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2021

Interesting reading, I enjoyed it.

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Sam Toka

Strange but in a good way

Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2021

Verified Purchase

It was different from what I expect when I picked up this story; the horror part is not "scary" but "shocking" with all the different sides covered in this novel. So many feelings as I went over the different chapters

One person found this helpful

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anonymous

This story is crazy, can't make any sense of any part of it. Full of profanity and vulgarity.

Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2021

Crazy characters, crazy dialogue, crazy disjointed plot (or lack thereof) - I thought it might get better but it just got crazier. I can't think of another word to describe it. The farther into the story the worse it got - full of very offensive language - nonstop profanity and vulgarity, like every sentence except when it was the little boy's episodes. Had to give up and go to the end to see if it made any sense of the story, with any redeeming tie-ups to the storyline - it wasn't any better and had one of those abrupt last sentences like a door slammed in your face. And you think WHAT??? What was the point of this story?? Worst book I ever tried to read - made my brain feel crazy too! I'm sorry I wasted an hour hoping for it to get better or start making some sense.

5 people found this helpful

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Book Dragon 🐉

Not your typical fantasy book, this book will bring you the reality of life.

Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2021

It is one of a kind book! While reading this book, my heart is breaking, Demetrius the main character does not deserve what he went through his whole childhood. Once you start reading each page you won’t stop reading it till the end because you will truly feel the story, the pain, suffering, all the misfortunes that happen to the main character is shocking.

I feel sad about what happened to this poor child and at the same time angry about what other people do to him. I want to read the next series to know what will happen to Demetrius’s character. I highly recommend this book to all young adults and all parents out there.

Not your typical fantasy book, this book will bring you the reality of life. That the world we live in is not a fair world but at the same time, this book will make you realize that we can choose whom we become and our behavior decides who stays in our life.

Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2021

Cracks of Light is an enthralling account of a young boy's life. Mental illness, abuse, and poverty are the norms that impact him and sway his view of the world and himself. John Charles Reedburg does a phenomenal job of taking you into the world in which Demetrius lives, eliciting understanding, compassion, concern, empathy, anger, and a range of other emotions. You can't read this story and remain detached. I also found myself unable to judge his mother, Olivia/Lydia, as her life experiences molded her mind and soul. I did find the end of the book a bit frightening and realized that happily ever after is often not the reality of life. This story was definitely eye-opening, and the characters so real that you feel them and feel for them.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

2 people found this helpful

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