Wayward Son - Tom Pollack, Jim Alves, & John Loftus

THE BOOK:

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 villain, Amanda must confront sinister forces intent on suppressing 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 intrigue and suspense. Journey with Amanda and witness the extraordinary saga of the world's original Wayward Son!

MY REVIEW:

Star Rating: ***

Journey with Amanda James in Wayward Son as she uncovers a vast amount of artifacts hidden away and that, eventually, leads her to the story of Cain. Yes, Cain—the first man born on earth and the first man to murder. This was an interesting character to pick to follow throughout history, but these three authors take the idea that part of Cain’s curse was longevity, and spun that into this masterful adventure that will please many history lovers.

Amanda James was so much fun to get to know, that I must admit I was really sad and confused when, not long into the book, she disappeared from the pages of this story as Cain took the front seat. The authors portrayed Cain in a very different light then what, I think, people normally view him as. To put it simply, they showed how human Cain really was. Which I thought very neat. The idea that Cain survived so many centuries was a little far-fetched for me (especially that he was able to stow away on board the Ark), but, hey, its fiction. Just gotta stretch your imagination a bit more for this one.

There are a few bad words, and since Cain has such a long lifespan, he marries several women over the ages. Once or twice sleeping with a woman given to him, but who's not his wife. Not much detail is given in the scenes, though, so I didn't have any problem with them.

I guess what didn’t hit off so well with me in Wayward Son was that the whole plot wasn’t really what I was expecting. The continual jumping back and forth from historic times, to modern day, to days in Amanda's past was very abrupt and, honestly, confusing. It wasn’t until toward the end of the book that I finally figured out why they kept jumping back and forth. I think I would’ve rather liked to read this book as a biblical read, strictly from Cain’s perspective, instead of the modern day wove in. But, that’s just me!

The writing was good, details on the lifestyle, artifacts, and people very minute. Maybe too much at times—at least for me. This book spans a very long time, and through the courses of its pages, really makes you think. Even though I am not crazy about the book, I did enjoy reading it. And while I won’t read it again, I do recommend it to other readers. If you enjoy a mild-paced adventure with a twist on the Bible that takes you back in time and through the ages with Cain, I encourage you to try Wayward Son.

I reviewed this book for GlassRoad PR. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

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