I’ve always leaned toward traditional publishing practices when it comes to beta and ARC readers, so my circle of readers is small — but their feedback is invaluable. The insights I’ve received so far have been thoughtful, detailed, and deeply encouraging. Here’s a glimpse of what a couple of my early readers had to say about The Life of Phi : One reader described the experience like this: "I wasn’t expecting The Life of Phi to hit me the way it did. What drew me in wasn’t just the worldbuilding or the plot — it was the writing itself. The language is lyrical, almost hypnotic, especially in the sections narrated by the water itself. Those passages felt like poetry — fluid, unpredictable, and powerful." They went on to highlight the symbolic use of water as both a life force and a destroyer — a metaphor that deepened the novel’s tension. As Quinn reflects on the AI’s growing influence, the weight of those water metaphors builds. Sahara’s destructive path mirrors a raging ri...