The creativity in this book is unmatched. Laszlor is so descriptive. With that being said, I'm not sure I knew what was going on...at any point? This was a very strange read.
thank you net galley, Laszlo, & the publisher for the arc!

There is a proverb that says: ‘he who grasps at too much loses everything', and I think it applies very well to this novel, which intrigued me at first, then unnerved me, and in the end dramatically bored me. The author does nothing but grasp at straws as he fills his prose with allegories that are very difficult to understand, and meanwhile loses the characters along the way after overloading them with excessive importance. One wishes that at some point the fire creature of omniscience would make a bonfire of everything, without of course forgetting the author.

From the first word I was very confused as to what was going on, why and who eveyone and eveything was. I couldn't get my head around the characters, wasn't sure what was being said, thought or did.

Though I cannot deny the creativity behind such a book was admirable I think I might have to read it again just so I could understand it from the start.

I found that reading this novel is like, Alice in Wonderland, where Fingal T. Smyth meets many bizarre characters and places trying to figure out his Theory about Plato, but sometimes I wonder if Smyth and some of the characters are just delusional because they act in the most unusual manner, and I was very flustered with the encounters. They see things that aren't there and have conversations that are just out of this world. And yes there is an entity that comes out of Fingal but the interaction with Fingal is just unrealistic.
I finished the story because you never know what will happen in the end and Fingal does discover what he's looking for but I found the story to bizarre for me.

I want to thank BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for an advance copy of this bizarre book.

Like many other reviewers here, I found this story a bit incomprehensible at times - the narrative style felt very serrated and blocky, and the use of other languages (eg, Fräulein) felt jarring and didn't merge well with the Scots being also used. I decided to DFN after the first couple of chapters.

sadly DNFed because for I did not have the time to read after my request got approved, but the portion I did get through made me see that the book was not for me personally, I found the writing hard to get by and the dialogue much too long for a conversation (at least to my taste).

Unfortunately I couldn't get into this book and DNF'd about 25% into it. I hate being unable to not finish a book, but this was not my type. I felt no warming towards any of the characters, and it felt very disjointed and muddling.

The premises- in a Scottish castle, a man, Fingal is trying to release the animal instincts in a girl, who is looked after by a German doctor.

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.

Before I begin this review, I want to thank Net Galley and Deadbolt Books for allowing me to access On the Threshold by M. Laszlo. The expected publication date is February 14, 2024, so check it when it is released!

Laszlo made an intriguing story of a mad scientist who goes too far when he creates the burning man—keen on manipulating and killing innocent people. While Laszlo has a writing style that perfectly sets up the setting and allows readers to delve deep into the characters' minds and their worlds, there are times when the story falls flat or is just too hard to read.

While I never got fully invested in the book and its characters, I still thought that the world and the character's endeavors were compelling and intriguing enough to keep me reading and pushing through.

The characters aren't bad, but they feel distant, making them feel flat and underdeveloped. However, they are still eccentric enough to make you want to learn more about them.

Fingal is a Scottish man who is obsessed with Plato's beliefs revolving around innate knowledge. He goes so far as to create another version of himself that manifests as a burning man. While Fingal is fun to read about, there were times when it was too difficult to completely understand his perspective or even the 'why' behind his actions.

Jean is another prominent character. She is an American woman who loves film. Honestly, I didn't care much for Jean, but I enjoyed seeing how she contrasted with other characters.

The most memorable character was Fraulein Wunderwaffe, a German girl who believed she would one day transform into a leopard. Fingal thought so much about this girl throughout the book that I thought eventually her character would come around again, and it would be a full circle moment, but that wasn't the case, which really was sort of a letdown.

As for the book's plot, it is essentially Fingal trying to capture the burning man and return him to where he belongs. There is constant talk throughout the book about how dangerous the burning man is. There is even a point in the story where the burning man supposedly convinced a man to light himself on fire. This part helps set up the dangers of the burning man, but as the story continues, the burning man starts to feel less dangerous and not that significant to the story as a whole.

Laszlo did a fantastic job setting up the story and detailing the settings through imagery, character dialect, and evidence of the passage of time. The setting varies throughout the story. The book starts in 1907 in Scotland and ends in 1967 in California. The way Laszlo presents the setting is my favorite part of the story. Readers really get a sense of Scotland through how Fingal speaks and thinks. Jean and the other characters really help show this contrast throughout the story. This is especially evident when reading about teenagers in California during the 1960s. Their dialects are different, so the environment and characters' actions feel different.

M. Laszlo uses character dialogue, language, and scenery to capture the setting and culture in which his characters are from or where they live. His writing captures the viewpoints and dialogue of each character exceptionally well. It doesn't take much to know who spoke or whose perspective a chapter is in! Even as the periods shift, seeing how an old southern American like Jean compares to a teenager from California in the sixties is interesting. With these things said, the writing is redundant. The story is also hard to follow because of the flowery language. But some of these things may have been on purpose, considering the story's era.

Overall, the writing style and setting of the book are impeccable in that Laszlo did a great job of establishing the characters, settings, and cultural differences in the book. The plot and characters felt underdeveloped, and the flowery language used throughout the book is not for everyone. I recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction, especially one involving science.

This review will be posted on my blog on Friday, December 22, 2023.

i stopped reading after the first chapter. i think this book isn't really for me. it had interesting vibes and characters though! liked the Scottish MC

DNF at 51%

Unfortunately this just wasn't for me, I really struggled to gel with the story, what I did read I did enjoy but not enough for me to carry on and attempt to finish this book. The world building and the characters were great, what i saw of them. I cannot see myself visiting this to try again before the end of the year. I may possibly reattempt sometime during 2024.

Unfortunately as well the format of this ebook was not pleasing to the eye as there were no real visible gaps between paragraphs and this was something I really struggled with as I struggled to break down the large chunks of text.

I have left this review off of Goodreads for now in case I try to reattempt this title in the future. Sorry!

The premise of On the Threshold had me instantly captivated. As a reader with a strong STEM background, I was hooked on the prospect of a novel that focused on solving the riddle of the universe, the cosmos, and the meaning of life.

Unfortunately, this novel fell short for me.

From the beginning, I found it difficult to get into. The story was disjointed and hard to follow, the pacing was inconsistent, and the characters felt two dimensional. For as interesting an idea as this was, I was never invested and, as a result, did not care for the story.

That being said, I still believe the idea behind this novel is incredible. It’s evident that there is so much thought put into the concepts that surround it, and the story holds immense promise.

This book presents an intriguing premise centered around Fingal T. Smyth's relentless pursuit of knowledge and the unintended consequences he faces. However, despite its promising concept, the book ultimately falls short in delivering a satisfying reading experience.

While the author explores Plato's ideas and the exploration of the unconscious mind, the execution leaves much to be desired. The narrative lacks clarity, with disjointed storytelling that makes it difficult to fully engage with the plot. The transitions between Fingal's studies in Plato's philosophy and the manifestation of the fiery avatar feel abrupt and disjointed, leaving readers feeling disconnected from the story's progression.

One of the primary issues with "On the Threshold" is its lack of well-developed characters. Fingal T. Smyth, the protagonist, lacks depth and fails to evoke much sympathy or interest. Other characters remain two-dimensional and fail to contribute meaningfully to the narrative. This lack of character development hinders emotional investment and makes it challenging to feel immersed in the events unfolding.

Furthermore, the pacing of the novel is inconsistent. The story alternates between slow and ponderous philosophical discussions and rushed action sequences, resulting in an uneven flow. This lack of a cohesive pace makes it difficult to maintain interest and invest in the plot's progression.

Additionally, the resolution of the central conflict feels rushed and unsatisfying. The resolution lacks depth and fails to address the underlying themes or provide a significant payoff for the reader. It leaves unanswered questions and ultimately leaves the reader feeling unfulfilled.

Despite these flaws, it must be acknowledged that the concept behind "On the Threshold" is intriguing and has the potential to captivate readers. The exploration of Platonic ideas and the dangers of the unconscious mind provide a solid foundation for an engaging story. Unfortunately, the execution fails to live up to the initial promise, resulting in a disappointing reading experience.

In conclusion, this novel falls short of its potential with disjointed storytelling, underdeveloped characters, inconsistent pacing, and an unsatisfying resolution. While the concept holds promise, the execution fails to deliver a compelling and cohesive narrative. This 2-star review reflects the lackluster reading experience that this novel offers.

I really tried to get into this book but it is just so bad and hard to understand. Could reading 4 chapters was like pulling teeth I can’t bare to read anymore.

On the Threshold by M Laszlo is based on an intriguing topic. It is a fictional discussion of an explanation for human existence on the planet. Someone has been thinking about how we got here and looking into past thinkers like Plato. Plato had a theory that our souls hold the answers to our existence, but the answers are not accessible to us. Enter Fingal Smyth, Scottish Highlander, who unfortunately uses colloquialisms that are hard to understand. Fingal is a philosophical fellow who wants answers so badly that he creates a machine to separate his innate knowledge from his body. Fingal does not think ahead to how it may manifest itself and chaos ensues.

Fingal's entity immediately becomes problematic when he convinces a few people to set themselves on fire, successfully killing themselves and Fingal needs to follow it around to try to minimize the damage. He tries to put the entity in a bottle, so to speak, with varying levels of success.

The language in the book is flowery and old-fashioned, but the story is set at the turn of the 20th century, so it may be purposeful. However, it can be difficult at times to get the meaning Laszlo is trying to convey. The characters seem to have enough money to spend most of their time on vague philosophical pursuits. Although, when Fingal is ousted from his home, which was a very large estate, he sells it and leaves town, presumably with a large sum of money.

If you enjoy thinking about the purpose of humanity and why we are here, you may enjoy reading On the Threshold, The author seeks answers by setting thoughts on paper through the characters in the story.

The premise sounded great, but the book didn't deliver. The idea was great, but I didn't get immersed and didn't feel anything for the characters. I was very lost since the beginning of the book and didn't really know what was going on. There was a lot of quoting and mentioning some texts which made no sense in the context for me. When the female PoV started, that was when I got somewhat grounded, but even then I just grasped a small bit what was going on. The afterword was great though!

I was so intrigued by the concept and the cover here, unfortunately once I started reading I had absolutely no idea what was going on and I was completely and utterly lost. I tend to prefer a more traditional narrative style, and often struggle with things that are more free flowing and freeform. This was definitely that. I could not figure out what was going on or why and the use of language, well artistic and interesting in that regard, didn't lend itself to a progressive narrative in a way that I found either entertaining or engaging. This was not a good fit for me...

Fingal T. Smyth resides in the Scottish Highlands and is obsessed with proving Plato's theory of innate knowledge. Using a mysterious machine of his invention he sets loose his own innate knowledge from deep within his unconscious mind and it takes the form of a burning man. This burning man is far from cooperative and instead of answering Fingal’s questions concerning the origins of the universe he sets off to manipulate people into immolating themselves. Fingal follows him across the world trying to contain him before he destroys mankind. Along the way he has the help of his friend Jean Selwyn, who helps rebuild and refine his invention in hopes of containing his malicious burning man.
This is probably one of the strangest books I have ever read! I felt a bit like I’d gone down the rabbit hole with a strange cast of characters and what felt like random events that made it hard for me to get into the narrative. It was probably well into part three before I really felt like there was a storyline. Much of the book read like a dreamscape in that there were such odd details the author focused on such as how things smelled (very descriptive) and the taste that was left in one’s mouth at any given time… small things that you wouldn’t notice while awake but might become significant in a dream sequence. There were also strange children, lots of cats, weird aural hallucinations, strange lighting and other odd details thrown into the mix. Oddest of all perhaps was Fingal, but that is what I most liked about the book. His “Scottish” dialect is entertaining and I laughed out loud sometimes at the outlandish things he said! His self talk was probably my favorite thing about him! Jean is also an interesting character and quite odd in her own right but the two of them played well off each other. I wish the conclusion tied up loose ends as some of the early characters are absent in the second half of the book. I also felt the burning man was supposed to be so dangerous to human kind but he didn’t seem to convince many people to light themselves up.
I believe this book might be enjoyed by readers of historical science fiction. It covered several decades with interesting historical references and the over all feel of the book is far fetched yet real.

The premise was intriguing and i wanted to like ir but just didnt hooked me . It took me awhile to get into the story .

I'm sure this will be a fine book, but I definitely will not have time to get to the story before the archive date happens, in which case I will not be able to give my feedback. That would negatively impact my response ratio, which is not good, as I already missed out on giving feedback on so many books because this year has been so absolutely busy and stressful that I have not had the time nor mental capacity to get to many of these books before they are gone forever! It is as upsetting for both sides. I apologize, but I will do better for the future! I am appreciative that I have been giving access to so many great new releases.