I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A creature that is the first of its kind discovers self-awareness and a passion for art in author Mathias B. Freese’s “In the Throes”.

The Synopsis

In the Throes explores the awakening of intelligence and the coming into awareness of an evolutionary mishap on a forbidding apocalyptic planet.

The story follows eponymic Gruff, the first linguistic/metaphysical awakener of his species, as he navigates identity, mentation, and ontology in relation to the Gruff’s natural prey: humankind.

Combining the writings of Freud and the spiritual truths of Krishnamurti, author Mathias B. Freese depicts the Gruff as an evolutionary dark creature—disfigured, maimed, instinct-driven, and grotesque—until he attains self-awareness and transforms into a self of artistic expression and wisdom.

As the title suggests, the reader identifies with self-struggle as it surges toward awakening and is moved by the apotheosis that closes the book. The nuanced theme: each one of us is an artist if only we take our selves in hand and construct a life of artistic expression. The closing chapters sing to us of Isak Dinesen’s observation that an artist is never poor.

A metaphor of the evolutionary self, In the Throes is a time-processed journey into awareness—our destiny as a species.

The Review

This was one of the most thought-provoking and philosophical sci-fi novels I’ve enjoyed reading. The rich blend of world-building, mythology, and philosophy allows the reader to get lost in this distant world. The story’s natural progression evenly matched the development of Gruff both as a character and as a specimen of his kind, exploring the development of sentient creatures overall in an entertaining yet thoughtful way.

Yet, it was Gruff’s evolution that stood out in this novel. Gruff’s way of thinking, the philosophical debate of instinct versus free will, and his awareness of himself and others around him made this story come to life on the page. The natural drive to create and be expressive was a fascinating approach to mankind’s creative voice, and how artists of one kind or another often dwell within us all spoke to the reader as they delved further and further into the story.

The Verdict

Remarkable, thoughtful, and engaging author Mathias B. Freese’s “In the Throes” is a must-read sci-fi and philosophy novel. The vivid imagery of this harsh landscape and alien world, mixed with the detailed look at Gruff and his species as a whole and the inner evolution that speaks to mankind’s evolution on Earth, helps illustrate how even the most lumbering, bestial creature can have the heart of a poet or storytelling waiting to be uncovered over time. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

MATHIAS B. FREESE is a writer, teacher, and psychotherapist who has authored eight books. After his first novel, ‘The i Tetralogy’ on the Holocaust, his second work, ‘I Truly Lament: Working Through the Holocaust’, won the Beverly Hills Book Award, Reader’s Favorite Book Award, and was a finalist in the Indie Excellence Book Awards, the Paris Book Festival, and the Amsterdam Book Festival. In 2016 ‘Tesserae: A Memoir of Two Summers’, his first memoir, received seven awards. The following year his second memoir appeared, ‘And Then I Am Gone’.

https://www.mathiasbfreese.com