Aug 1, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
INVITATION: The Harbingers, Cycle One
Sigh.
Book Four.
I’ve been both really looking forward to this, and really dreading it.
Looking forward because my good friend and faux pa (see what I did there?) Alton Gansky wrote this one.
Dreading it because I don’t have the next Cycle yet, and because, well, my good friend Alton Gansky wrote this one. I mean, what if I give a bad review? What if, out of all four books, this is the one I like the least? Can I admit such a thing publicly?
We’ll find out . . .
Book Four, The Girl, is told from Tank’s perspective. It opens with him visiting his uncle, a sheriff in a small town area of Oregon.
“To tell the truth, I had enough ‘interesting’ stuff happen to last me a lifetime,
and I had a feeling more was coming.”
In Books One through Three, Andi has been my favorite character. It must be her love of numbers and ability to see patterns in everything. Yes, Andi’s brain attracts me. I wasn’t sure Tank could win me over.
Now, I’ve read other books Al has written. I’ve heard him speak on writing. Heck, we do the bi-weekly Firsts in Fiction Podcast together. So it’s not like I’m unaware of the man’s talent. But . . . wow. I mean, within the first two pages I was hooked. How could you not be, when an elderly man speaking with an east coast accent shows Tank and his Uncle Bart, the local sheriff, mysterious tracks in the snow?
I like that Bart expects real answers from Tank, not something dumb like others do. So Bart and Tank start to follow the tracks, definite impressions of a child’s bare feet. Mr. Weldon tells them what to look for: something to see at the fence line, and something to pay attention to at the barn.
The tracks don’t stop. They don’t shift, they don’t allow for climbing a fence or going around. They just continue as if this small person walked through the fence line. And at the barn? It’s as if the roof was raised up after the person tracked over it. The path leads right up to the eaves then on the eaves/roof, then back on the ground on the other side.
A police helo verifies that two miles down, the tracks just stop in the middle of an open field.
So who is the little tracker, and where did he or she . . . or it . . . go?
After searching the snowy field and surrounding woods, Tank wonders if he should share his perspective with Uncle Bart. Tank’s been through some stuff, y’know? But he keeps it to himself. Dispatch calls them back to town–the kid is there! A young girl, barefoot and in the middle of Main Street. She won’t let anyone get near her. Bart expresses his unease, and Tank agrees without telling him why.
The crowds gather, deputies and lookieloos alike, squeezing in on the girl until Bart orders everyone to back off. he tries to approach her, but she resists. Tank watches from a distance, wanting to help but unsure what to do.
Now, it doesn’t read like much here, because I want y’all to experience it firsthand, but there’s a tension in this scene that is nothing short of a suspense movie. The girl who can’t–or won’t–talk, Deputy Wad who tries to intervene and disregard Sheriff Bart’s orders, Tank on the sidelines, and people in the mix. It’s a recipe for a blow up, yes? Of course it is. And in a flash of drama and did-I-really-just-read-that action, the girl is here, gone, Wad is sliding on the snow, and she reappears to stare at Tank and suddenly he’s holding her.
She squeezes him with hugs he interprets as answers to his questions, and nicknames her Littlefoot. Back at the Sheriff’s station, the EMTs observe her as best they can. Normal. Normal temp. Normal blood pressure. No cuts, scrapes. Nothing to indicate abuse. One of the EMTs leaves after commenting about her baby blue eyes.
Tank looks at her. And her brown eyes.
Littlefoot holds a rolled up paper, protecting it like a scroll. She won’t let anyone take it except Tank. It’s gibberish. Pictures or letters or a combination. No one know what it means.
Without instigation, Tank receives a text from Andi. The gang is arriving tomorrow to help. He’s learned not to question how they know. He’s just happy to know they’re on the way.
And it gets weird again! They go to the break room for food, Wad brings in burgers and shakes, and Littlefoot’s eyes are now hazel. Reading Girl say what?!?!
CPS takes the girl away but the next day, there she is in the middle of Main Street, still barefoot. Tank picks her up again, her small body that’s getting smaller! His spirit and energy are being sucked from him and growls are emanating from nowhere.
The gang shows up and now Tank’s dreaming about an IT Beast, but he’s not the only one. Uncle Bart dreamed it. Brenda tattooed it and sketched it. So you know the real danger’s just about to start.
Oh, peeps. How I want to share the rest of the story with you. How I want to tell y’all how it ends. But I can’t. I just can’t. You simply have to experience this adventure for yourself.
I can tell you, Littlefoot has some strange physical attributes. Like changing eye colors and physicality. But why wouldn’t she? If she were an ordinary little girl, she wouldn’t need the Harbingers, would she?
Pick up a copy and find out what happens next.
TWEET THIS: INVITATION: Harbingers, Cycle One, Book Four @RealMojo68 @altongansky #amreading #harbingers
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Jul 26, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
INVITATION: Harbingers, Cycle One
Book Three is no less exciting than Books One or Two. In fact, in my opinion, it’s better. It’s better because — Oh, wait.
Not sure you want to know the spoilers.
So we’re gonna do this again. Yup, I’m gonna type random notes so you don’t see anything you don’t want to unless you actively click and scroll.
That’s right. You have to decide. Do you want to know the next episode from Andi’s POV? [Sorry, Mom. That’s writer speak for Point of View.]
I’ll tell ya a non-spoiler. Andi was raised in Florida by Jewish grandparents. And author Angela Hunt presents them both remarkably well. I feel like I’m in a Florida storm, listening to Andi’s Safta (Grandma) talk of how she’s smart but needs a good, Jewish husband.
Right of the bat, and I mean BAM! Front Page News kind of excitement- this weird thing happens. Andi has a premonition. Now, she’s always good at visualizing patterns, but notsomuch the other stuff. But it happens. And the wildlife starts to die off. Rapidly. But–super creepy here–with no eyes. Oh, yeah. That’s right. Fish wash ashore and birds drop from the sky with holes where their sightseers used to be.
It’s like Signs and The Birds and other creepy movies all rolled into one. And this is just Chapter Two!
As Andi researches mass animal deaths, she discovers another pattern. The pattern. Phi. Now, being the nerd geek life student that I am, I looked up Phi. It hurt my head. So much information! And I wanted to get back to the book. So, let’s just call up a cursory memory of mathematics. Remember the TV Show NUMB3RS? “Everything is numbers.” [Side note: NUMB3RS is currently not on TV reruns or Netflix. Not to toot my horn, but I told y’all Why DVDs are still important, didn’t I?] Okay, but don’t let that scare you. You don’t have to be some awkward Big Bang Theory adult to get this. Just know that there are patterns everywhere, and Andi’s your girl for figuring them out.
“Something was out of kilter in the universe.”
Andi decides it’s time to get the band back together, and sends Sabba’s (Grandpa’s) jet to pick up the peeps. Not understanding the dynamics of this conversation, Safta and Sabba have left for their vacation home in Manhattan and soon the rest are having dinner together.
Remember the little boy, Daniel? He connects with Andi’s dog in a way only he can. As the group sits on the porch, something invisible–not Daniel’s friend from Book Two–startles the pair and Abby the Labrador runs off and disappears.
Meanwhile the University Hazmat team and local Aquarium doctor reach out to Andi and the Professor with their explanations, which really don’t explain a thing.
Of course there’s a Sherlock Holmes reference, the good detective’s take on Occam’s Razor. So I’m pretty much in love with the book for this passage alone.
I wanna say, “Now here’s where it gets good,” like the stuff I’ve read so far hasn’t been. There’s doubt and floating orbs and evil and things only a drunk can see and then there’s . . . more. A demon? An alien? A hallucination? And what becomes of it? Where is Andi’s dog? Why does Daniel see and sense things the others can’t?
I held my breath through most of the book, putting it down only to make notes. And here’s the thing, the most remarkable thing for me: I read it all in one sitting.
Folks, that’s just not something I do. But I needed to know what happened.
And you do, too. You know you do!
So this blog post is over. It’s time for y’all to get yourself a copy and see what happens next. And next week, I get to read Al Gansky’s contribution. Y’all know that makes me happy. I owe that man a coffee. After reading his book, I may just buy him two.
Hop on over to get your copy of INVITATION: Harbingers, Cycle One.
TWEET THIS: Frankly, My Dear . . . : INVITATION: Harbingers, Cycle One, Book Three. @RealMojo68 @angiehunt #harbingers #sentinel
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Save
Save
Jul 18, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
INVITATION: Harbingers, Cycle One
This week I read Book Two: The Haunted, by Frank Peretti.
SPOILER ALERT: Do not read any further unless you want to know how the story goes.
Are you sure?
You’re still reading.
I’m giving you enough screen scrolling to avoid it.
Okay, you’re still here.
All right, folks. Strap yourselves in. This one is a wild ride.
Okay, for starters, can I just say I love a book that stays with you even when you’re not reading it. I’m not talking like, “Oh, yeah. It’s on the coffee table.” or “Of course. It’s in my backpack.” No, no, no. I think you know I mean the kind of reading that stays with you mentally. Emotionally.
Frank Peretti has a style of writing that always grips me, and this is no exception.
This book is told from the Professor’s perspective. The fallen Priest-turned-pragmatist. He no longer believes in God, and will go out of his way to prove that everything has a logical explanation.
Through a myriad of, well, invitations, our heroes finding themselves together on a plane to Seattle.
Aww, Seattle . . .
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Sea-Tac Airport
They think they have separate reasons, but of course they don’t. The professor meets with his old friend, AJ Van Epps, who tells him of a strange, reappearing house. As if a house can vanish and reappear at will! But Van Epps has data to sustain his theories. Two unseemly townsfolk have died recently, and he knows the house has something to do with it. The House seems to always know all about its inhabitants. He talks the professor into joining his investigation. The professor agrees and heads into town where he inexplicably runs into Brenda, the tattoo artist, speaking with a psychic.
Brenda and the professor go in for a reading, not expecting any truth to be revealed. Earthsong, as she’s called, tells them about a boy, a prisoner set free, and other nonsense. Days pass with little adventure, until the professor is followed by what he can only describe as a specter. He’s being followed by a ghost! The professor braces himself and watches as the specter walks past him toward a house that wasn’t there before. The House.
Two-story Victorian, dull purple, richly detailed, turreted, with a covered porch and sleepy front windows.
The professor enlists the aid of the others, including Van Epps who agrees to stay outside the house with his video camera. The professor, Andi, Brenda, and Tank enter the house. It’s nearly night and there are no lights. It’s as if the house expects them. They take to individual rooms upstairs, using only their cell phones for intermittent light. But when all goes dark, three of the four have nightmarish experiences too real to be a dream. Tank is the only one spared the dark evils of their own minds, and he brings them out of it with his large laugh. Where the others had glimpses of their hells, Tank had a glimpse of heaven. Then, at the end of the hall, in the shadow of the moonlit window, is a young boy who promptly disappears.
It’s all too much, and they leave the house. Van Epps is furious; they need more data! They need to find out how the house does what it does, so they can harness its power and use it. The professor and the girls return the next day, to find Tank is already there. With a young boy. The same boy from last night. The same young boy tattooed on his arm.
His name is Daniel, and he has a friend. A big, strong, invisible friend who may or may not be imaginary. But where did Daniel come from? They’re distracted by something outside. Van Epps is mowing the lawn. His argument is if he does something nice to the house, perhaps the house won’t hurt him like it’s hurt so many others.
Okay, I’ve recounted enough. Except to say there’s some fighting. A locked door. An imprisoned child. A murder. And a tall, strong being who helps Daniel even as the winds of hell suck Van Epps and the professor toward its door. Will they be taken? Will they be safe? Who is this Daniel kid? Why does the house always know everything?
For the last week, whether watching TV or cleaning house or driving, I found myself worried about the characters. I forgot they’re not real. I needed to find out what happens next. And I needed that House to stop reappearing at every corner.
I think you need to pick up INVITATION and find out for yourself what shadows can do.
TWEET THIS: Frankly, My Dear . . . : The Harbingers, C1B2: The Haunted, by Frank Peretti. @RealMojo68 #harbingers #amreading
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Save
Jul 10, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
INVITATION: Harbingers, Cycle One
One of the perks of knowing the people I know, is every so often, I get asked to read books. For no other reason than to read them. And, you know, tell others [that would be you] what I think.
So, some time ago I was given a copy of the aforementioned book by podcast cohost, Alton Gansky. Being the ridiculously slow reader that I am, I didn’t pick the book up until a few weeks later. But once I got into it, I really got into it.
I actually pack it in my bag each day.
That’s something I don’t do, folks! I don’t read in public. I get too distracted. Or I have too many errands to do. But lately, I’ve forgone those pesky errands and planted myself during lunch at the local Starbucks just so I can read what happens next.
Now, Harbingers is unique for several reasons, and I’m gonna tell you why.
FIRST It started out with four authors, each writing a section, or “book”, from the perspective of their own character. That is, Book One was written by Bill Myers in the voice of his character, Brenda. Frank Peretti (later Jeff Gerke), Angie Hunt, and Al Gansky each take a spin for the following sections.
SECOND The first twelve books have been picked up to be published in “cycles”. The first four are in INVITATION.
THIRD It is a very quick read. Well, for most folks. I tend to not dive into a book until I can really commit to it, but this one reads so fast even I was pleasantly surprised. Each book was written to be read in just a day or two. That’s great for people like me. It’s also not great, because when I was done with the first book I just wanted to plow right in to the second one but this thing call housework and another thing called job got in the way.
FOURTH What a joy to read a book that doesn’t take the reader out of the story. As an editor, I naturally find myself critical of writing styles and search subconsciously for errors. I can happily say I was disappointed. Or, not disappointed. Or . . . I just mean the book made me forget I was an editor. That’s hard to do, and highly appreciated.
FIFTH I ain’t gonna lie to you here, the draw for me is I know or have at least met each of the authors except Frank Peretti. Now, when you’re a newbie in the Christian writing world, these are some pretty great names to know. But that’s just my little thing to hold on to.
So let me give you the rundown report on Book One: The Call by Bill Myers.
*WHOOT! WHOOT!* Wait a minute, folks. That’s the spoiler alarm going off! If you don’t want to know about the storyline, best to stop reading here and get yourself a copy of the book. But if you’ve already read it and want to see if my review compares to yours, then by all means, please continue.
SYNOPSIS: Brenda is a “street-hustling tattoo artist who sees images of the future.” Her clients think it’s a game when she tattoos what she sees on them. Two guys bring a drunk friend (“Tank”) and leave him there. The same friend she’s been seeing in her visions. After she works her magic, she’s ready to leave for the night but Tank’s friends don’t return. She’s not the kind to leave him passed out on the sidewalk so she gets him into her car.
Before she can start driving, a low-flying plane, on fire, shoots overhead. Brenda drives to follow it and finds the Professor and Andi have survived the crash. Tank recognizes they are all in the new tattoo on his arm. Whether they like it or not, their paths have brought them together. They discover The Institute: A location known for mysterious events and promoting students with quite a bit of, shall we say, psychic activity.
They meet Sridhar, an unwilling student, and Dr. Trenton, the man in charge. But even now things aren’t what they seem. A terrible energy field controls and amplifies the worst fears of those who enter it. Chants and smoke contribute to the graduation induction ceremony for students as they prepare to go into world with the skills they’ve developed, and the spirit guides they’ve received.
It seems our four are the only ones who recognize Sridhar’s apprehension, and understand they must rescue him. And so they try. But how can four unarmed strangers unite in a game plan against security guards and strong, dark energy?
That, my friends, is why you must by this book. Because I won’t tell you the rest.
A well-written, easy to read, fast paced story that has depth of character, backstory, suspense, conflict. All the things you want in a book. With enough realism to gnaw at the back of your neck as you read about spirits and demons, but enough fabrication to let you sleep at night . . . maybe.
Book One: The Call by Bill Myers is just the beginning. Stay tuned for reports on the rest of INVITATION.
TWEET THIS: Frankly, My Dear . . .: The Harbingers, C1B1: The Call by Bill Myers. @realmojo68 #harbingers #amreading
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Save
Save
Save
