Book Review!

Fathers & Sons by Steven Novak

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Meet the Jarvis brothers. As if losing their mother to cancer at an early age wasn't a horrifying-enough thing to endure, they now have to put up with bullies, confusing friendships and alliances, and one of the worst family betrayals anyone can think of.

Then things get bad.

The Jarvis brothers, along with one of the afore-mentioned bullies and another school pseudo-friend, are pulled out of the world that's familiar and are taken to a new place, a completely alien and strange world called Fillagrou. There they learn they're the objects of an ancient prophecy, that they're supposed to save the world. That's a lot of responsibility to put on a kid. It's really no wonder that these kids balk at first, especially when confronted with the very obvious truth that there's nothing special about any of them.

Or is there?

If you like magic, fantasy, coming-of-age stories, adventures, or underdog stories, you'll love this book. And really, who doesn't like at least one of those things?

But wait, there's more!

I bet you thought this review would sit back on its laurels, content with delivering just another rote reason to buy this book. Everything I've said so far is true -- but it's not the total story of what makes this book special. Yes, there are really kick-@$$ characters and situations. There are surprising tests of courage and resolve. There's even quite a bit of torture, blood and guts, and graphic warfare.

What you don't expect are those singing moments of poetry, of beauty, and the life lessons woven behind every chapter. Novak isn't just trying to tell you a fantastic adventure story. Novak is trying to teach you something about himself, and, by extension, something about you. There's a hero in each of us. Will you stand up and answer the call?



View all my reviews