Summary:

The Special Master, who is at the top of his game, runs into a challenge that he wasn’t quite ready to face when the Chief Justice orders him to kill all men who look like himself. Dredging through the disgusting alternate world of the United States, The Special Master will find himself remembering his youth and finding out secrets he would have wished to remain free of. 

Book Cover:

The cover has a nice feel. I liked the jolly roger where the field of stars usually goes because that supported the author’s synopsis. For me, the cover gave a sense of ruggedness that comes along with the book. It also slightly prepares you for the jarring differences in the Alternate History of The Devil’s Dictum. 

The Story:

Prepare your minds. The Devil’s Dictum is not an ordinary book and doesn’t advertise as one. However, I don’t think that I prepared myself well enough for what came in the first few chapters. The Devil’s Dictum is heavy in its satirical nature, challenging the concept of politics, religion, and society. I found it hard to connect with the Special Master, the main character until the author began to show more of who the Special Master was before. I would say that I was thrown and struggled to read some sections of the book. With such a different societal construct, I found it hard to resonate with any of the characters. There was some dedication put into the storyline’s worldbuilding portion, though it came heavy-handed at times. 

Conclusion:

The Devil’s Dictum by Frederick Gero Heimbach targets a niche community. If you like Alternate History Fiction Novels with a satirical tone, then this is the book for you. If you don’t like those kinds of books, it may not be the book to branch you out into that genre. It’s not one of my favorite books I’ve read this year, but I did learn a lot from observing the world-building and what happens when you don’t give your main character a real name until later on in the book. In the end, I give this book 3/5 nuggets in a bag.

As always, stay fresh, my Nugs.