Rating: Summary: Dark, suspenseful, not to be missed! Review: A game of Chance. A game of Skill. A game of High Stakes.
Chess. A game masterfully played out and used as an intriguing backdrop to this extraordinary novel.
Twenty-two year old Josee Walker wants to meet the parents that gave her up for adoption at birth. She arranges to meet with her birth mother, Kara Addison, but before the meeting can take place Kara goes missing. Suspicion is cast upon Kara's husband, and Josee's reluctant birth father, Marsh Addison.
Josee is suddenly plunged into a game for which she is ill prepared.
As the novel twists and turns, no one is as they first appear. Secrets are uncovered, history unburied and the future doubtful. A bitter woman goes to extraordinary lengths to exact revenge, using, and then casting aside, any willing soul.
To be honest, I found this book very hard to initially get into. Because of that, it took me longer to read than any other novel, and I had to take breaks and read other books. Being a late night reader I prefer clear and concise writing. I found Eric Wilson's style baffling at times, and I had to re-read several passages for my mind to come to grips with what the author was trying to say. However, I was determined to finish the book, I owed the author that much, and I'm glad I did. By the time I was half way through I was accustomed to Wilson's style and truly hooked. I could no longer put the book down. It was a race to the finish. But for me, it didn't stop when I turned the last page. I kept reflecting on the theme for days after I put the book down. Eric Wilson is one of those rare finds ... an author that will entertain and enlighten.
DARK TO MORTAL EYES is a well-crafted novel with enough twists to keep the reader guessing throughout. Go grab yourself a copy and enter a supernatural tale of suspense.
Rating: Summary: Christian Fiction for an Intelligent Audience! Review: Although I am the author's Uncle, I can without reserve fully recommend this book to a Christian market that is starved for well written Christian Fiction, full of intrigue, and captivating as well. I am not a fast reader, but found myself eagerly awaiting each night spent in Eric's "Dark To Mortal Eyes", and am anxiously awaiting his next book. I also know Eric was raised in a good Christian home, and yet he writes with a knowledge of the world of the streets. Eric doesn't shy away from "telling it like it is" Using very real to life situations, Eric interjects his witness to the lost. I feel confident you are in for a surprise with this book.
Rating: Summary: Christian Fiction for an Intelligent Audience! Review: Although I am the author's Uncle, I can without reserve fully recommend this book to a Christian market that is starved for well written Christian Fiction, full of intrigue, and captivating as well. I am not a fast reader, but found myself eagerly awaiting each night spent in Eric's "Dark To Mortal Eyes", and am anxiously awaiting his next book. I also know Eric was raised in a good Christian home, and yet he writes with a knowledge of the world of the streets. Eric doesn't shy away from "telling it like it is" Using very real to life situations, Eric interjects his witness to the lost. I feel confident you are in for a surprise with this book.
Rating: Summary: Think of this as a chess match. Review: Awesome beginning for Mr. Wilson! This is his first published work, and leaves his readers breathless! He weaves a story of forgiveness, faith, action, along with some really good suspense. It has some really good twists in it. Join Josee Walker as her and her father team up to search for her mother, and so much more.I loved the characters. I also liked the idea of his titling the chapters. When it came to that, they not only got your attention, but sometimes had an icy bite to them. I say icy as in cool and awesome, you don't want to miss anything! Chapters such as "Deadline" or "No Rest For the Wicked" or something such as "Games of Chance" or something haunting like "Sorceress" and when I say that, I give nothing away. Awesome chapter titles for an excellent read. And what a title for a book! Whew! Looks deep? Just wait until you read it! You'll note that I said that this is a book of action, along with other words. Action has many meanings. As a Christian, the biggest action we can use is our faith, which Eric showed throughout this book. I can say already that we can put Eric up there with Ted Dekker and Randy Singer. One thing that I should add. Once you get into this book, and it is very easy to do so, you will probably think of this as a chess match. Pawn here, bishop there. Just kind of an afterthought. Awesome and unforgettable!
Rating: Summary: A great debut novel! Review: Christian fiction novels tend to have a cookie-cutter feel to them. Most stay away from certain areas, and you feel "safe" reading them. Then Eric Wilson comes along... Describing Eric's storytelling style is a little difficult. The closest I could come to it would be to say reading this book is a lot like reading a Dean Koontz novel. The story is exciting, the descriptions good, and the plot is very deep. There are sections of the book that I got lost in, as a lot of what happens is taking place in the spiritual realm as well. That being the case, you may have to reread parts of the book to get it all. Again, this is because so many Christian fiction novels are similar that you kind of expect a certain formula to one. Once I got my mindset away from that theory, the book worked. This is another reason I compare Eric to Dean Koontz. Both authors can work in the "Is it really happening or not?" realm (see Koontz's "The Face" for a recent example). This is definitely not your momma's Christ Fict. I've heard him compared to Frank Peretti, but I honestly didn't see that. Frank's storytelling is very visual, while Eric's novel had an underlying current of evil running through it that kept you reading and allowed your imagination to do the scary stuff. The only real trouble spot I saw was at the beginning. The first few chapters throw a dozen or so characters at you and it gets hard to keep them apart. Some have similar names or characteristics, and some are only mentioned briefly but then come in later with major parts. Take your time when you start the book or you'll get lost quickly. Also, as I said before, things happen on two realms here. That makes it kind of frustrating at times because you can't understand what's going on (it took me a while to figure out what a "rook" really was). All in all this was a very enjoyable novel, and it sets the standard for a new level of fiction in the Christian market. Just as Shane Johnson gave us the first Christian horror novel last year with "Chayatocha", Eric takes that baton and runs about eight miles further with it. Now let's just see if the rest of the CBA market can keep up! Highly recommended.
Rating: Summary: Excellent Intensity and Revealing Surprise Review: Eric Wilson is going to make his mark on the fiction market with works like this. I picked up this book after talking with the author on email. We share similar tastes in novels and both enjoy reading, although I am a light-weight compared to the volume he devours. In this novel, the author takes the reader through twists and around corners, revealing only enough in each chapter to make you want to continue into the next chapter. The twists and turns, along with the sensationally descriptive imagery, kept my attention well into the night on more than one occassion. I had to make myself to go bed over the last nights, wishing that I could stay up and finish this book faster. I am always good a guessing plot outcomes, and I did in fact guess 1-2 things in this novel, but the intensity and number of suprises provided an enjoyable revelation in the final chapters. Thoughtfully provoking and spiritually in-tune with the Word of God, this story takes the reader on a well-earned cruise through the imagination. I can't wait to read Eric Wilson's next novel. I am a new fan. Writers like this should continue using the talents that are God given, and I look forward to enjoying that talents in the future.
Rating: Summary: Excellent Intensity and Revealing Surprise Review: Eric Wilson is going to make his mark on the fiction market with works like this. I picked up this book after talking with the author on email. We share similar tastes in novels and both enjoy reading, although I am a light-weight compared to the volume he devours. In this novel, the author takes the reader through twists and around corners, revealing only enough in each chapter to make you want to continue into the next chapter. The twists and turns, along with the sensationally descriptive imagery, kept my attention well into the night on more than one occassion. I had to make myself to go bed over the last nights, wishing that I could stay up and finish this book faster. I am always good a guessing plot outcomes, and I did in fact guess 1-2 things in this novel, but the intensity and number of suprises provided an enjoyable revelation in the final chapters. Thoughtfully provoking and spiritually in-tune with the Word of God, this story takes the reader on a well-earned cruise through the imagination. I can't wait to read Eric Wilson's next novel. I am a new fan. Writers like this should continue using the talents that are God given, and I look forward to enjoying that talents in the future.
Rating: Summary: tense dark with a glimmer of light suspense thriller Review: Her wealthy parents Kara and Marsh Addison dumped Josee Walker for adoption because her father did not want to deal with the emotion of loving a kid. Two decades plus later, twenty-three years old Josee has become a cynic, clearly reflected in her work as an artist and poet. She cares little if any about other people. Still Josee needs to know why her biological parents dumped her. She returns to her birth home in Oregon, but Marsh refuses to meet with her while Kara desperately wants to see the child she gave up though she loved her with all her heart. While walking in the Willamette Valley, Josee finds a canister containing a poison that can destroy the body and the soul. Marsh's mother warns her that she has found something evil and soon a malevolent being begins to creep out of the shadows with plans to destroy the Addisons and their rejected daughter. Knowing she must find a way to defeat this malicious foe that she does not understand, Josee needs to find the faith that she lost when her parents dumped her because she needs a miracle to succeed. This intriguing complex thriller grips readers from the moment Josee finds the canister until she shows off her latest tattoo. The story line is action-packed, and the plot twists in ways that constantly surprise the audience so casual readers beware. Though hints and clues are interspersed throughout the tale, fans will not fully realize what is happening until the final showdown. Readers will appreciate this dark with a glimmer of light suspenseful novel. Harriet Klausner
Rating: Summary: A roller-coaster ride of well-weaved suspense! Review: I usually read novels within the genre in which my own novels are written, namely, science fiction and fantasy. I have read a lot of good things about this book, so I gave it a try. Man, am I glad I did, as this is one of the best suspense novels I have ever read! Mr. Wilson weaves the many plot elements together as the novel progresses, ultimately blending them into a final, united whole. As a novelist myself, I realize how difficult this is to do. In this book it was done beautifully. You will feel like a detective trying to piece together a masterful puzzle, never sure exactly where the pieces fit. I won't go into detail on the plot and characters, as others have done that already. Let's just say that the book drags you from one page to the other -- you just have to know what is going to happen next. For anyone even remotely interested in a suspenseful read, do not miss this book! It is honest, emotional, powerful, and spiritually on the mark. What are you waiting for -- buy it now! You won't be sorry!
D.S.Burton
Rating: Summary: In a word? Wow. Review: It's been a long time since I've read a Christian novel that I've wanted to rave about, and DARK TO MORTAL EYES has just shot to the top of my list. Not only is the pace kept to a breakneck speed, but we get character development too, which so many thriller writers tend to neglect.
Robert Whitlow (Christy award winning author of THE TRIAL & LIFE SUPPORT) had this to say about the book: "In DARK TO MORTAL EYES, Eric Wilson coils suspense as tight as a snake prepared to strike." An apt quote, considering some of the events that transpire, but I'll add no spoilers here. Take this as a hint of what's to come when you pick up this outstanding debut novel (which is the first in a series devoted to the five senses). But reader beware - don't expect to know right off the bat what's spiritual and what's natural. The lines between those realms blur in this story, but that's what makes it interesting. What IS reality? You'll have to read on to find out, which is exactly what I did, savoring every page.
I'll leave the plot summaries to others, but suffice it to say that ultimately good triumphs over evil, with one heck of a battle in between. Kudos, Eric, for making it gritty while keeping it clean. I also found it refreshing that the spiritual insights were unashamedly woven into the plot without compromising the suspense.
Highly recommended to all thriller fans, but especially those of Alton Gansky, Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker & James Pence. DARK TO MORTAL EYES is a keeper. Now get out there and buy this book! You won't regret it.
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