HEAR THE CALLING.
No one would guess by looking at Tom Nash that he’s extraordinary, and that’s just fine with him. A tall, broad-shouldered jack-of-all-trades from Sawyer, Pennsylvania, Tom has a knack for fixing things. He also hides a secret talent: he hears people’s prayers. Stranger still, he answers them. Maybe it’s because he’s a handyman, but Tom feels compelled to fix people’s problems. Which is all well and good — until the soul-shattering plea of a terrified girl sends him on the darkest journey of his life…
SEEK THE TRUTH.
Heeding the call and leaving his home for New York City, Tom discovers a secret world beyond the range of mortal perception — a world of angels and demons and those who serve them. With the guidance of a knowing stranger named Erin, Tom learns that he himself is one of The Called, born with a divine purpose and a daunting task: to help the powers of Heaven in the war against the agents of Hell, an army of fallen angels known as the Scorned. Thrust into an epic battle of the sacred and the profane, Tom Nash must find the girl who prayed for his help — because her fate will determine whether humanity deserves to be saved, or damned for all eternity…
My Review:
Since I’m attempting to draw more blog readers upon my forum; I’ve taken the initiative to shorten my reviews. Concise reviews tend to attract more readers anyways and also your points are emphasized better. As longer reviews tend to muddle the details when trying to extend one’s review for a few words too long.
Unlike with other books I’ve read this summer, David Mack immediately hooks his readers by allowing us to enter the action immediately. Usually with books, an author begins the book with character walking alone within a nondescript woods. Thus we’re forced to notice the words of the page rather than experience the emotions of the characters. As result we become detached from the action of the book rather than immersed within the story. David Mack luckily separates himself from those writers and overwhelms us in a positive manner.
David Mack’s story begins with a gun fight between characters of whom we’ve never encountered. We’re unaware of whether they’re good or bad. And it’s these questions that beg us to continue reading and discover more about these two opposing forces and their true motives. David Mack also transitions to a scene where an anonymous girl’s kidnapped for inexplicable reasons. Then quickly he moves to the introduction of the main protagonist of the story and his special abilities. Throughout all this, I read with bated breath, awaiting more details surrounding the two opposing forces, introduced towards the beginning of the story.
David Mack’s gripping beginning though does not extend throughout the book as certain generic plot elements detract from the effectiveness of the story. This disappointed me to a degree since upon reading this; I had expected something different from the norm. Something that would greatly intrigue me as a reader and have me begging for the sequel. But the character’s seemed replicated from stories which were told with greater strength. Nothing towards the end of story raised my heart rate or had me flipping the pages as much as the beginning,where plot pieces were unfolded slowly. With this, I progressed hurriedly in order to attain more knowledge of the shrouded mysteries of the plot. David Mack can adeptly devise an enthralling beginning sequence that catches the reader’s attention, from the onset. But he’s unable to carry that heightened interest throughout the story as the story’s stale elements come to light.
Overall, I applaud the author for his finesse with beginnings and his ability to write gripping action sequences. But perhaps more effort should have been put towards writing something a bit more creative and unconventional. David Mack is surely able to write with exemplary tact but seems unable to separate himself from the dozen other spiritual warfare stories written before it.With these problems aside, I hope David Mack writes something a tad bit more daring. Because with that, his next book might truly be memorable.
About the Author
David Mack is the national bestselling author of more than a dozen books, including Wildfire, Harbinger, Reap the Whirlwind, Road of Bones, and the Star Trek Destiny trilogy — Gods of Night, Mere Mortals, and Lost Souls. His first original novel, the supernatural thriller The Calling, debuted in July 2009 to critical acclaim.
In addition to novels, Mack’s diverse writing credits span several media, including television (for episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), film, short fiction, magazines, newspapers, comic books, computer games, radio, and the Internet.
Upcoming novels in 2009 by David Mack include The 4400: Promises Broken, Star Trek Vanguard: Precipice, and an expanded edition of his Mirror Universe tale The Sorrows of Empire. Coming in 2010 are More Beautiful Than Death, an adventure inspired by the 2009 feature film Star Trek; and Zero Sum Game, the second book of the Star Trek: Typhon Pact miniseries.
Mack has been to shows in every Rush concert tour since 1982, and he finally met two-thirds of the band in 2007. He currently resides in New York City with his wife, Kara.
For More Information about the book and it’s author.
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A Bibliophile's Reverie 