Tap and Die by Lancelot Schaubert

Tap and Die Reviews

• 
  Viking Jam

  Awesome short story. I want a full novel or series of Black Jack!
• 
  Shivam Tiwari

  Tap and Die (⭐️2/5) by Lancelot Schaubert
  
  (I instinctively want to put a Sir in front of the author's name😅. Don't know if he was born with it or this is his pen name, I'm sure that story would be hillarious)
  
  Tap and Die is about an earthbound Cowboy who is invited to a political event where he was supposed to join his (ex)wife and daughter, but chaos ensues when the place is attacked by terrorists who take everyone hostage apart from our guy the cowboy. Now, it's up to him to save everyone. I'm not sure why, but he is also naked during the whole thing. Yep!
  
  So yeah, it's fantasy Die Hard. What's new is the world that the author is building with all the magical creatures (there are some supporting materials which you can check from the author's website). But it mostly falls flat. There were times when, due to limited knowledge of this world, I felt myself saying, "He goes WHERE summoning WHAT to do WHAT?!". After some time, I found myself ignoring some names, powers, potions, etc. to focus on the one thing I liked, which was the funny main character. Some parts were funny enough to keep you going, and it's not a long book, so that helped.
  
  Recommendation for: Folks who know the author's related work.
  The author has potential and will look forward to what he comes up with next, but this was not my cup of tea, and I've read my fair share of fantasy. Some folks say I even live in a fantasy world! Crazy!🙂
• 
  Mike

  This is clearly not a book which can act as an onramp for the series, at least not for me. By the time I gave up at about 32%, I still had no idea what was going on with the setting, what genre I was in, or what several of the characters were or did. Also, I tumbled at that point that it was a rip-off of Die Hard.
  
  No rating, because I didn't finish. I normally wouldn't post a review either, but the author has requested as many reviews as possible, even negative ones, so... here it is.
• 
  Callie Brown

  Thankyou to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
  
  I'm going to immediately say that this book was bad. Very bad. The writing, the plot, the characters, the world building, all of it bad. At the end of the book it did say something about it being connected to other books. I really don't have the effort to check this out, but this could mean that it would make more sense to a reader already used to the world this story takes place in. So many names were just random letters thrown together, and the whole thing was difficult to read, let alone understand. The writing was sloppy, to be fair, everything was very sloppy.
  
  I originally requested this ARC as the description sounded really fun and wacky. But it was just weird and confusing to actually read. The MC is naked for 90% of the story, for literally no reason. It brings nothing to the story. Why was the decision made for him to be naked? We shall never know...
  
  There's also one part where a horse dies for no reason?? It read as though the author has a personal vendetta against horses to be honest.
  
  Oh, and the characters use the word 'Author' in the same sense we use the word 'God'. Such as 'God help me', to them is 'Author help me'. Is the author of this book implying they see themselves as a God? Because I can assure them that they are not.
  
  The last weird thing I want to mention, is the piss magic. Yes, magic with urine. ??? I'm just as confused as you are. I think the MC makes a rope out of his piss??? I don't want to elaborate further on this, and would like to put it as far out of my mind as possible.
  
  Overall, a mess. I'd of DNF'd if it wasn't an ARC and I hadn't had a free afternoon to waste on it Unfortunately a big no from me, however I've given it 2 stars instead of 1, with hopes that if you've read the author's other works you'll understand this one a bit better.
• 
  April Heath

  I wanted to like this book so badly because the concept and the cover seemed so interesting. Some of the things I struggled with the most would be the writing style and the names of some of the characters. I felt that in some places, the author was very descriptive, and in others, would use five words to make a sentence. It made the flow of the writing a bit harder to process because it was a lot of back and forth. Also, some of the character names were impossible to even attempt to pronounce, which I felt like made the book harder to follow. I did like the short chapters that swapped between characters, which allowed me to see what was going on from multiple points of view at the same time, but on the same note, some of those chapters seemed super unnecessary to the plot. I also really enjoyed the idea of where the book was going. I just feel like it didn't quite get where it was supposed to go. At the end of the book, it did say that this book has other books connected to it, so that might help things make more sense, and maybe had I read some of the other books before this one, I wouldn't have been as lost the whole time, but this book just didn't quite do it for me.
• 
  Payal

  What happened here? I picked this book on various recommendations but couldn’t figure out head or tail of most of what was going on. The main character was annoying, and the whole thing had a rather macho wish-fulfilment thing going that I didn’t care for.
  
  (Review copy from NetGalley)
• 
  Violet Springs

  Lance Schaubert's historical fiction book "Tap and Die" transports readers to a vivid and turbulent time in American history. Schaubert creates a gripping and thought-provoking read with his vividly rendered characters, dramatic setting, and fascinating narration.
  "Tap and Die" brings readers to the early 20th century, a period of social upheaval, economic advancement, and the hardships of the working class. The narrative follows the competent mechanic Jack who works in a factory, as they deal with the difficulties of their line of work, face injustice, and look for their place in a world that is changing quickly. Jack is a compelling and complex figure who symbolises the aspirations, difficulties, and working class people of that time. The supporting cast, which includes friends, rivals, and other factory workers, gives the story depth and diversity and sheds light on a variety of facets of the society at the time.
  The evocative and descriptive writing of Schaubert transports readers to the industrial settings and the grim realities of the characters' existence. The environment is brought to life in the novel by the author's careful study and attention to historical accuracy. The story is interesting and well-paced, which enables readers to completely believe in the protagonist's journey and the difficulties they encounter.
  In addition, "Tap and Die" examines issues of class conflict, social injustice, and the resiliency of the human spirit in the face of difficulty. Schaubert goes deeply into the moral choices the characters must make, the costs they bear, and their quest for a better life. The book sheds light on the social problems and hardships of the working class at that time while providing insights into the historical setting.
  Although "Tap and Die" is a gripping work of historical fiction, some readers might feel that some plot points should have been extended or explored more thoroughly. The speed can also change at times, with slower narrative and reflective pauses. Any minor flaws are made up for, though, by the beautifully rendered characters, the moody location, and the examination of societal themes.
  I would recommend "Tap and Die" to readers who love getting transported to a bygone era of industrial advancement and social upheaval through its compelling and thought-provoking historical fiction. This novel is an absorbing and satisfying read thanks to the skilled narrative of Lance Schaubert, the thoroughly researched location, and the compelling characters. "Tap and Die" is a book that will stay with you if you like historical fiction that examines the difficulties and victories of regular people under unusual circumstances.
• 
  Angie ~aka Reading Machine~

  What a wild ride for the mix of cowboys and fantasy. I loved every minute of it from first page to last page! Who knew cowboys could in fantasy but they really do so much fun. Until next time Happy Reading!
• 
  Lynne Hendricks

  Loved this book. The excitement and the characters were absolutely outstanding. The writer left you wanting more. I can’t wait to read more of their books.
• 
  Blandrea

  Is your life missing a fantasy Die Hard retelling featuring a magic weilding cowboy? I'm not sure mine was, nevertheless here we are.
  
  All the main beats of Die Hard are present, a Law Enforcement type guy (Jack) is visiting his wife, an ambassador using her maiden name, at an event in an upside down spire when Bad Guy attack. For Reasons. Jack, now naked (again, for magic reasons) must try to outsmart the bad guys and save his wife and kid.
  
  It is realistic to expect that a fantasy/ Sci fi world would have names and words that are all weird spelling and phonetic alphabet and Wing Dings, but it does make it hard to read. It got so convoluted, that it made it hard to stay focused and engaged in the story.
  
  While the delivery fell a bit flat for me, the idea was engaging and the world building had clearly been the result of significant effort and planning.
• 
  The Honest Book Reviewer

  2.5 stars. Mainly because I'd prefer more world building, so it is a bit of personal bias. It actually feels like a snippet from a longer novel.
  
  This novella had an amazing blurb and cover, which is the reason I wanted to read with ARC. It sounded exciting and fascinating. What it turned to be felt like a fantasy Die Hard. I thought the action and the magic were good. I'd have preferred more world building, which basically does not happen in this book. You're thrown into the middle of a story, and then you have to catch up as the story unfolds. And it unfolds at a fast pace. There's not time to catch your breath with this story, which is just was well given it's very short.
  
  However, fantasy like this, where the author is creating a different universe, requires world building. It requires explanation. There is a note at the end from the author that there are other short stories out there set in same universe. I haven't read theme, but I would hope they shape the world more. Still, even if they do, this is a separate story on offer. We need something to help readers. Even a glossary. I get that the author wants this to be fast paced. He wants the story to be about the terrorist attack and nothing else, so he's chosen to exclude world building that would halt the action. That's apparent. But it does not give the reader a clear entrance into this world, and that is the most disappointing thing about the story.
  
  I didn't mind the unique forms of magic in this story. It's the author's world, he can do what he wants. I wonder about the intent behind it though. Is it meant to be a farce, serious, tongue-in-cheek? That I am not sure on, and I don't know if I will ever be.
  
  If you want something quick to read that is full of actions, and a little weird, then this will be for you. I hope that one day the author creates something longer, with more world building. He's shown that he can write action and movement, that he has developed a magic system. It would be great to have the world described in more details, and get to know the characters more. Some of the characters seem fascinating, and I'd like to know more.
  
  Thank you to the publisher, the author, and Netgalley for providing a free copy of this story for an honest review. All comments are my own.
• 
  Heena Rathore Pardeshi

  Tap and Die by Lancelot Schaubert is a Western fiction parody that is both unique in its own way and entertaining as hell. This makes this book a completely polarising read—you'd either love it or not like it at all. So it's better to know what the book is actually about before you start reading it instead of feeling let down due to unreasonable expectations (as I've witnessed in most reviews for this book—know your genres, people!)
  
  Anyway, I loved it. It made me laugh more than I cared to count and it left me in comparatively good spirits when I actually began reading it so I have no reason to complain. I loved how the author referred to the "author" as God and had stuff going on for no apparent reason because that's how most Western fiction books are; the author promised a parody, and that's exactly what he delivered.
  
  I would recommend this book to all the fans of Western fiction readers and Cowboy fans as they would definitely get it (no offence to the ones who didn't :D)
  _______________________
  
  You can also read this review on my Book Blog:
  www.thereadingbud.com
• 
  Fatima Irfan

  Thank you to NetGalley for providing this free ARC in exchange for a review.
  
  I have never read a book worse written than this. It took me more than a month to finish it. I am not one to DNF a book, because of several reasons, but this one made me rethink exactly that.
  
  The book just dove headfirst into it from the first page. I could not understand what they were talking about throughout the whole thing. I don't know what language was used to write this book besides English. Like, come on. I had a vague idea that it was fantasy but a little bit of explaining, a little bit of description in all of that chaos of a book, would've been so much better.
  
  Diving headfirst into a fantasy like this one will only result in one thing: the reader not understanding a single thing going on. And that's exactly what happened.
  
  Moreover, I could not develop my interest in this, was painfully trudging through the whole book. Would not recommend this book to anyone
• 
  David Guerrero

  This book has certainly an alluring cover and an intriguing premise. The story is a fast-paced action-fantasy, featuring a unique amalgamation of magic and technology. While the writing style is compelling, I felt that the story lacked character development and world-building. The pace moves at lightning speed, leaving scant room for exposition or backstory, making it an adrenaline-fueled read. The eccentric and bizarre magic forms held my attention, leaving me uncertain whether the author intended it to be satirical or serious.
  
  All in all, the work is a thrilling and enjoyable read, perfect for those seeking a quick, action-packed adventure. However, I hope that in future works, the author expands on the universe and characters. The potential is immense, and with additional character depth and a more detailed backstory, the story could be an outstanding read.
• 
  Didi

  Lancelot Schaubert's "Tap and Die" is a collection of short stories about the lives of individuals in a tiny Midwestern town. The book is written in a straightforward and uncomplicated manner, with short chapters that make it a quick read.
  
  I enjoyed how exciting the stories were and how they had me on the edge of my seat. Each chapter focuses on a different character or event, and the author does an excellent job of connecting the events and making the people appear to be in the right place at the right time.
  
  However, this is a disadvantage because the story focuses on a single incident from various points of view rather than being part of a bigger story. I would be glad if the book can be developed more. But overall, I still enjoyed reading the book and thought it was well-written.
  
  Personal rating, 3.5 stars
• 
  Kate

  I saw many positive reviews of this book, so I thought I would give it a go. I was underwhelmed by a predictable storyline reminiscent of the Die Hard film. Every single element of the tale was included, with the addition of a daughter and some other tiny differences. Black Jack Dawes made a decent John McClane, but I felt that Tayfye (Hans Gruber) was utterly forgettable.
  
  The fantasy setting was well portrayed and I loved learning about the lore behind the story. The book was well written.
  
  If you like fantasy-style books with good lore then you would be the perfect reader for this book
• 
  Jennifer Jones

  This was absolutely the most confusing, hard to read piece I have picked up in awhile. While it was interesting, and the writer did their best, it was hard to get into it. I thank Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to give it a go, but it was rough. I understand the reasoning for the names that he chose, but then they would get a different western name in some cases, but then would be referred by the other one as well. The book jumps around a lot, and some of the chapters are so incredibly short. This is a quick read, but buckle up for it.
• 
  Donald Firesmith

  I don't like giving bad reviews and rarely do, but this book really did not live up to its potential. I finally gave up after reading the first 80%. The
  story was a poor fantasy retelling of Die Hard with Bruce Willis. Some of the writing was awkward enough to be jarring. The world building seemed incomplete, and the magic inadequately explained. Perhaps if I had read more books in the same universe, I would have had more background, and it would have made more sense. As it was, it did not stand up on its own.
• 
  Kelsey Rhodes

  3.25/5 stars! I think this is the type of book that was created for a very specific type of audience. This book is quirky, weird, and hilarious in equal measure. I did find portions of the story to have poor writing, but overall I felt the story had a lot of potential. Van Helsing meets cowboy blues! I'm interested to see what's next for this author.
  
  I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
• 
  Syndi

  What the heck did I just read!
  
  This is possibly the strangest book I’ve ever read, I spent most of my time confused and trying desperately to follow the story. It sounded amazing but sadly, for me, didn’t live up to the blurb.
  
  Thank you to NetGallery for the book in exchange for an honest opinion
• 
  Cat Treadwell

  Sadly this was a DNF because I simply couldn’t get on with the writing style. The plot synopsis was interesting, things started well… but the chapters are ridiculously short and it’s hard to keep up with what’s happening. If this was a TV show, the editing would be ridiculous as we swap between characters so fast that my head was spinning.
  
  Sadly not for me.
• 
  Dan Lawson

  This book was an epic read and flawless reading. The story was fun and filled with great thrills. Everything about this book was perfect and i really had a great time reading it. I glad the author trusted me enough to read and review the book. This book is a must have.
• 
  Ross Thompson

  This fantasy/Western re-telling of the first Die Hard film was a strange book to read. We are given very little explanation of the world building and the reader is left to fend for themselves to work out what on earth is going on. I think this is mostly successful as the context is generally sufficient to be able to understand, but at times the world is so very strange that it takes some time to grasp.
  The near scene-by-scene rewrite of everyone's favourite christmas film is quite clever and gives the book a good level of pace and humour as we meet a version of John McLane from the other side of the universe, who has not only taken off his shows and shirt to overcome the jet lag.
  This was a good silly, fun read as long as the reader has the ability to move on without detailed magic systems and world building (picture the opposite of Sanderson/Jordan).
• 
  Neil

  I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
  
  I have to admit this reminded me of Die Hard.
  
  That is no bad thing.
  
  For a short story this had just about everything going for it.
  
  Great characters and plenty of action.
  
  Thoroughly enjoyed this.
• 
  Lexi

  What if the setting for Die Hard was in a magical world? What would it look like? This book. It’s not a Christmas book.
• 
  Demyana ꆛ ☾ ’

  The writing style was weird and I couldn't understand anything, felt confused about who is who and couldn't continue any further.