Wayward Son Book Review

This review has been revised and additional comments made. Please see the REVIEW section below for the revisions. 

SUMMARY:  A powerful tremor unearths an ancient secret.
     Buried near Italy's Mt. Vesuvius is a fortified observatory containing artifacts dating to the earliest record of human events. Only one person - the Getty Museum's Amanda James - can unlock the mysterious doors that guard the chamber.
     But once inside, Amanda is shocked to discover evidence left behind by a notorious Biblical killer - who long ago wandered off the pages of history.
     When a strange relic unveils the miraculous truth about this villian, Amanda must confront sinister forces intent on surpressing her stunning revelation - before it alters the destiny of millions.
     The first novel in a series, Wayward Son propels the reader back in time, where epic adventures in Egypt, Greece, China and Rome collide with modern-day intrigueand suspense.  Journey with Amanda and witness the extraordinary saga of the world's original Wayward Son!

REVIEW:  This review will be difficult for me to try to convey how wonderful, fabulous, remarkable, intriging, etc. this book is without giving away too much information regarding the main characters and the plot.  The summary above and hearing that the reviews for this book were raving about how good it is was enough for me to want to check it out.
     This is probably the best book I've read this year (and I've read a LOT of great books), if not ever.  The way the authors weave the story together is spell-binding.  It grabbed my attention within a few pages and has continued to keep me thinking about it.  It was difficult to put down and when I did, it was constantly in my thoughts.  My mind kept trying to figure out how the characters involved and the situations they were in were going to work out and how everything was related.  This book is the first in a series and I cannot wait until the the rest of the series is finished!!
     Now, it can be a little difficult to follow at times.  The story starts out in the present day and suddenly switches gears to the very ancient past where most of the book is set.  There are episodes where the reader is transported to the present day and sections to the recent past of a few characters. But, if you stick with the story, everything will make sense in the end and you will be greatly rewarded for your efforts.
     GO GET THIS BOOK AND PUT IT ON YOUR MUST READ LIST!!!  You will not be disappointed (except for having to wait for the next book - hehe).

    **After I posted this review, it dawned on me that I never mentioned what drew me into the book and what made it so good.  So hopefully, this addition to my review will make my first sentence make more sense.  Sorry for the confusion.

     The authors have written an excellent piece of fiction.  The two main characters, even though they live in completely different moments in history, are bound by time itself.  The authors do take liberty with the story of Cain but I think they do it in an excellent way, since the writer of Genesis was vague about what the mark of Cain was.  In this story, the mark is three-fold: immortality, regeneration/healing, and a perfect memory.  Cain has to figure out again and again how to hide his "secret" from everyone, including his wives and children.  Throughout his lifetime, he is involved with projects like creating boats for river travel on the Nile, Ramses II tomb, developing the Phoenician and Greek alphabets, helping Homer put the Odyssey in writing, working with the Library of Alexandria, creating silk paper, and other very well-known products.  His perfect memory works in helping him in learning languages but he also remembers in vivid detail his brother's murder.  Again and again, Satan tries to entice Cain to follow and worship him, but Cain never does.  Even though he turns his back on God over and over, he never truly gives up on trying to develop a relationship with his father's Creator.

     Seriously, give this book a try.  I don't think you will be disappointed.

This book was provided by Glass Road Public Relations for review without compensation.

Tom Pollack has a passion for sailing, which led him to a friendship with Roy Disney, and ultimately to the release of Walt Disney Pictures' critically acclaimed motion picture, Morning Light. The film is based on Tom's original idea of documenting the exploits of a group of college-aged sailors recruited to compete against seasoned pros in the Trans-Pacific race from Southern California to Hawaii.  Tom graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a bachelor's degree in political science. He resides in Dana Point with his wife, Jennifer, and their two children. Tom serves as President of the Mission Basilica School Foundation in San Juan Capistrano and the Chairman of ExplorOcean, Newport Beach's popular nautical museum.

Jim Alves recently completed a 25-year career in bond sales and trading. He graduated from The University of Massachusetts with a bachelor's degree in finance and economics. He currently is Chief Executive Officer of Prometheus Holdings, a financial consulting firm. Jim resides in San Clemente, California with his wife Jackie and their two young boys, having successfully launched two older sons from the nest.

John Loftus spent 23 years at Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO), where as a Managing Director he focused on new product development and marketing. A graduate of Stanford University and the Stanford Graduate School of Business, his writings have been published in various financial journals and textbooks. Now President of Cascada Productions, John is also active in philanthropy and the non-profit sector. An Ohio native, John resides in Newport Beach, California, with his wife, Lori. They have three grown children and two grandchildren.

You can learn more about Wayward Son, reviews, the authors' blog and author appearance dates at http://www.waywardsonnovel.com/.