Obsolete

Information

Status

Completed

Year

2024

Author

Kaleb Zale

• Chapter 1 - One-to-one
  Oct 31, 2024

Reviews

Community Reviews(5)

• Ayela ArcanaRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Obsolete  should really be getting a lot of readers because it is exactly what you want to dive into at the end of a bad day. The one-liners are constant. I mean, it’s so funny, I can’t even tell you all the great things about it because I’d just be gushing on repeat. So, do yourself a favor and start turning the pages right now.
  Ben goes ape s**** on the phone, and it’s the best thing in the world! Well, except for Ben. It makes his life get worse and worse, but that’s sorta the point.
  That’s how you forget everything that made your day suck.
• Celladora_StRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  A thrilling, tense and intriguing tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the whole thing. I can't really say much about the plot without spoiling the experience, only to say that it will probably be nothing like you imagined! It starts out as mild paranoia but then gradually builds into something much more unsettling and mind-boggling, until it hits you in the face with a crescendo that turns the whole world upside down.
  This story is a unique experience and the payoff is highly satisfying. The main character, Ben, is a very relatable, at-first-glance average guy - until strange things start happening to him. We follow his journey as his world slowly unravels and he discovers his true purpose. The supporting characters are all excellent and memorable (especially Greg. Greg is the best), and the dialogue is sharp and entertaining.
  The writing style is very crisp and concise, no fluff or filler here, all words serving the single purpose of moving the story forwards and conveying the tense and fast-paced vibe. And it's also very smooth and easy to read.
  Really, I'm struggling to name a single thing about this story that I didn't like... Nope, can't think of anything. Do yourself a favor and read this little gem!
• RGreyRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  I had no idea where this was going but I was hooked from the blurb alone and the story did not disappoint!
  Ben is immediately endearing. We relate with Ben. Ben is tired, is not rewarded by his job despite being one of the most prolific workers of his company. He's not in a great place. But what he lives next is nothing compared to what he had. The good days are over now.
  All of the characters are unique in a perfect way. It isn't wise to feel strong emotions for them because in this story, nothing is set in stone. It is a perpetual rollercoaster, and when you think yourself safe, the Support Section is right there with you.
  The style balances between humor and suspense. The downfall is slow, insinuous, vicious, but very real. And it is with guilty pleasure that we follow Ben become completely mental, in more ways than one. It is done with much mastery that it is quick to grab you by the throat and not let go!
  Among the very complex and stuffed universes of fantasy or sci-fi out there, this is a breath of fresh air. While the story in itself transform quickly into something much deeper, the writing style provides the ups and downs such experience needs. We lounge with Ben. We think with Ben. We eat with Ben. And sometimes, we lose it completely with Ben.
  It is impossible to abandon this read. There's no need for many descriptions, there's no need to set the scene for ages, it is only about finding out what is happening. The dialogues are as hilarious as infuriating.
  This is a great- great- piece and I can only recommend!
• SamenwerferRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  I decided to do something I hadn’t before, and write a review as I went. So here it is, my impressions, chapter by chapter, of Obsolete by Kaleb Zale (I’ll try my best to avoid any spoilers).
  -First things first: I gotta say that the jacket blurb is fucking great. That’s what hooked me, I might have to start commissioning Kaleb Zale to write my blurbs for me…
  -Ch 1: the work-from-home environment and bottom-line-focused “performance review” at the onset really struck a chord with me. Reminded me of a far less enjoyable time in my own life. In the few short minutes that I’ve seen him, I’ve come to feel for the protagonist. At chapter’s close I am left wondering how central the emphasis on bureaucratic hell will be to this narrative. Also, what did [character-I-will-not-dox] mean when he said that he was “retrained”, is the intended implication as ominous as I am taking it? I’m excited to see…
  -Ch 2: Protag’s elastic temperament “stunned him into inaction”, that was a funny line. Kaleb also manages to really convey the feel of real lfe situations, from the awkwardness of the phone call with a friend-who-is-really-just-an-acquaintence-that-you-need-something-from, to a call from a bill collector that reminds you of how shit your situation is. This all serves to set a realistically bleak tone. Excellent descriptive language use as well: “His voice bounced happily around so-and-so” and “so-and-so frowned and his bottom lip eased out”.
  Wasn’t expecting the chapter to end on an optimistic tone. I wonder if it’ll last…
  -Ch 3: Really liking the pacing of the dialogue. It’s to the point and gives the info you need and sets the tone adequately without becoming endless drivel.
  And by now I’m starting to realize that stopping after each chapter to write is breaking up the pace of my reading too much. So I must abort that idea. I’ll just read to the end of what’s currently published (ch. 11) before reviewing, but thus far the writing is very engaging, the formatting is great and
• StoryTellerA.DRoyal Road

  ★★★★★ 5.0

  Amazing story this is so good and the author has you hooked. I would recommend this book to anyone of my readers. Because for me I feel like this book is one of the best books I've read in a while and I don't read a lot on websites anymore