I’m always intrigued by an author that has the guts to make none of his characters likeable.

That’s exactly what Alan Weisz does in ‘Finals,’ the story of Wayne York – a college student with a sinister side.

What’s interesting about ‘Finals’ is that Wayne – who is the narrator of the story – tells you he committed a murder in the first chapter, and yet you’re still interested in his story.

Wayne is an interesting protagonist because he is entirely unlikeable. This is not a kid you would have wanted to hang around with in college

Wayne mimes being a “normal” college kid by surrounding himself with friends – and even an ex-girlfriend – but he shows no real empathy or emotion for them.

That’s not to say the classmate that he murders didn’t have it coming – because that kid was another sociopath.  The problem is, as rotten as that kid is, as a reader you never quite come to the conclusion that he deserves death.

None of the characters in ‘Finals’ are likeable. I wasn’t actively rooting for anybody – and yet I kept reading. The story is fascinating on a philosophical level. The problem is, despite the deep tone of the book, you don’t end up learning anything from it in the end.

As a reader, I think you need to approach ‘Finals’ as an experiment in understanding different people – because none of these people are individuals that I think most readers can identify with. Still, the story is poignant and interesting – so I recommend giving it a try.

Weisz does a good job trapping the reader in his world – and relentlessly holding on to him – even if the outcome isn’t what you expect.

The book is pretty well written – although typos and grammar become an increasing problem throughout the book. I’m pretty forgiving with typos – but they get really flagrant with this book at certain points. This book would be really good with a solid editor going over it.

My only quibble is that, in the end, I never got a feeling for why Wayne was doing what he was doing. There were hints. There were allusions. There was nothing I could grasp as truth, though, as far as motivation goes.

In the end, I would recommend ‘Finals’ to anyone that likes rich character studies. There’s not a lot of frivolity in the book – or mindless laughs – so if you embark on the journey be prepared for a bumpy ride.

‘Finals’ is available for $2.99 on Amazon.