It took many attempts to read ‘Solitary Drum’. Initially, I was invested. The first chapter had me engrossed and excited to see what happened next. It was short lived when I realised how brief each chapter was and how they jumped between plot lines that didn’t make sense until much later in the book. Too many shallow characters, too many vague sub-plots, and gaping holes of information necessary for continuity of the story. It meant returning to previous chapters and reacquainting myself with characters and events. ‘Solitary Drum’ was not a novel to relax with, nor one suitable for development as a series if left as it is. There are only three characters that remain memorable from the novel and it’s a shame they weren’t explored further. It had so much potential to become a fantastic novel and with a thorough rewrite and edit could become a great read. The positive outlook, if this is done, would be the opportunity to continue the first book into a series. The author has left enough loose ends for this to occur. ‘Solitary Drum’ is still a diamond in the rough that needs extensive work to become a serious contender as a standalone novel or the first in a series. ( )