By Charles Martin
Release Date: May 5, 2020
Audiobook Available from WV Reads!
3 Stars - This exciting and thoughtful drama is fast paced but not a fast read. Maybe a touch wordy for the casual reader. But Martin writes the narrative with detail and some poetry that's rare in modern fiction. Murphy is an every day man hero that's easy to root for.
There's a little bit of everything in this book: action, romance, intrigue, and a touch of humor. At its core though, it's a heartfelt drama. It starts off with a bang. From the first page, I was drawn in. But I also was confused, I love first-person point of view but it doesn't always lend itself to audio well. Our hero Murph is well voiced but I don't think his perspective was always clear. He's got a mysterious past that kept me wondering about the specifics, but at the same time I really felt I enjoyed his personality. He's a rescuer while still being modest. Plus, he can do basically anything. As for those he rescues, some are more likable than others. But all the characters he meets (with the except of the dog of course) are just human and looking for comfort and inspiration for life.
I have also read Thunder and Rain. Martin's work has been described as similar to Nicolas Sparks and Christian Fiction. Fans of either will find much to like here, but I don't consider him that close to those descriptions. His work has a lot of violence. There's a human trafficking element to the story that adds an element of danger lurking to the story that I wasn't expecting. Romance is never at the center of story, even if there's couple getting to know each other. He often writes in one or two sympathetic child characters and relatable but damaged adults. Vivid settings is also a plus. Some will feel they don't need quite so much detail on the location but he paints a beautiful picture. Coincidences pile up fast, almost too many of them. And for the audio, the narrator does his best but some details and paragraphs seem to run together early on. It's tough to follow who is who at times. It's unlikely for a long novel have an exciting conclusion but this one does. I would say stick with this one if you start it. But beware, it ends on a cliffhanger.
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