“After a disastrous evening playing slot machines, Ethan Caustin wonders how he's going to explain his massive loss to his wife and kids. As he tries to find his way out of the casino, sick to his stomach and filled with self-loathing, he's approached by a stranger who offers a solution to his problem. It's a simple game. A 99% chance for him to win ten thousand dollars. In the remote chance that he loses...well, he'll be strapped into a device that shatters his left arm. The odds are very much in his favor. But this is only the first round. As the game goes on, the prizes and penalties keep changing, along with his chances of winning. As the high stakes get out of control and Ethan desperately wants to quit, he'll learn that they've only offered him one means of escape: play the game to the very end... A thrilling novel of suspense from the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of PRESSURE and MY PRETTIES.”
Today's review is The Odds by Jeff Strand.
Ethan has made a mistake. Again. He doesn't want to come clean to his wife. He is ashamed and depressed. When he is offered the chance to make back the money and more how can he say no? He is a gambler after all...
At the beginning, I was screaming at him not to take the deal, to just walk away, but somewhere along the line I started falling for the same shit Ethan was. Like, the odds were less in his favour but the reward was so much higher. Life-alteringly high to be exact. I wanted so badly for him to come out on top, but I didn't have much hope because, as anyone who has ever gambled knows, the house always wins.
As the stakes climbed and the plot thickened, things became more convoluted and it was harder for Ethan to make decisions. The rules were constantly changing and he found himself unable to trust the game.
Without giving spoilers, it's hard for me to explain how I felt at the end. The story wraps up but I was left with more questions. I had theories on a sequel and where the story could go. I was so invested in my theories that I reached out to Mr. Strand personally. I asked him if there would be a sequel, and anyone who knows Jeff knows that he is epically busy and he regretfully informed me that the odds of a part two were not high...
I haven't given up and I plan on politely nudging him at random intervals for the rest of his life.
Go read it, see if you feel the same way as I did. And may the odds be ever in your favour.
Where to find The Odds by Jeff Strand: Amazon: https://a.co/d/i8pTINU
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