Book Review by Tamara Rose Blodgett – Stephen T. Harper's – King's X

WoW…just wow. Harper really understands language. King of dialogue! I *believed* what all his characters were saying, both out loud and in their respective internal monologues. The men thought like men and he didn’t do too bad with the chicks either (a few times I wanted to check the cover and make sure it was a male author; he had some uncanny insights into the feminine psyche.)

Book is a 1960’s detective on the police force driven by integrity and some gritty past circumstances that have molded him into the man he’s become. Ghosted by a haunting death in his past that he can’t shake, and misunderstanding the root of it, it dogs him into adulthood. Despite challenging circumstances in his childhood, he rises above it magnificently. I was rooting for Wendell Book from the beginning; I dug who he was and thought he sounded pretty hot too! His life changes drastically when he meets Molly, a girl “awoken” to discover she is not who she believed she was. Pieces of her past fall together in a slow mudslide of chunks, with Book intricately entwined in the memories she possesses. I loved Book’s POV, but the switch to the Christian Templar time told in third person from the perspectives of Broussard and Kahli were amazing as well. Steeped in history, the passages give a fascinating slice into life at that time,and the bravery and human motivation therein. It is the classic tale of good versus evil but it’s never stale. Never. If you’re a reader that digs fast paced action, intrigue, highly-detailed scene description, etc. This is the novel for you.

If you can survive the ending. Harper completely turned me upside down with his twist and I was pleased over the surprise of it. It made sense, it was complicated and gave me the “ah-huh” that I love to get nailed with at the end of a great read. Bravo!

A caveat: this is not a genre I’m usually nuts over. It’s a thinker: dummies need not apply (joking…kinda). A novel like this keeps you on your toes, there’s a lot going on that must be assimilated and connected by the reader, not the least of which is the history that is cleverly paced within the book. It’s a full-meal-deal. If you’re looking for dessert, skip this. It’s too satisfying by far, completely engaging from beginning to end.