Saturday, December 25, 2010

book review: Broken Angel by Sigmund Brouwer

In Broken Angel, Sigmund Brouwer has crossed the genres from Sci-Fi to Religious fiction to Thriller and back again.  What makes this novel special is that he does it so flawlessly.  The story is set somewhere in a non-descript future, in a new world.  A world divided between over the top, extreme, religious zealots and the outsiders they try to keep out of their new country known as Appalachia.  Not only do they try to keep the outsiders out, but they also want to keep the citizens of Appalachia in....and under their control. 
This brings us to Caitlyn.  Caitlyn is not your normal girl. But then again, this ain't your father's America.  Caitlyn is being pursued by not only the outsiders, but also the leaders of Appalachia, who will stop at nothing to gain control of what she possesses. Just what that is, and why she must not fall into their hands dead or alive, as her father told her, is shrouded in secrecy.  Secrets that Caitlyn's father, Jordan, can’t bring himself to tell her. Not what happened before she was born, or why she is the way she is. He says he just wants to save her life, and to give her a chance to live on the Outside and be free. Can she believe him? She has discovered that might not be the case.  So she sets out on a journey against time and man.  It is a race of life and death, and Caitlyn is all alone...or is she? Can she make it safely back Outside before the self-righteous leader of Appalachia has her in his grip?
This book is very well written.  The characters really make you want to learn more about them, and their back story, what makes them tick so to speak.  When it comes right down to it, that is the meat and bones of any good book.  That is exactly what Broken Angel is..a really good book.  It sort of takes a few pages to get into the flow, but after that it is a roller coaster ride.  The story moves at break-neck speed, motivating along to its thrilling conclusion.  Which, by the way, I found to be somewhat heart-wrenching..me being a father and all.
The only other books of Brouwer's that I have read before this one were, Out of the Shadows and The Last Disciple.  Both of those were very enjoyable reads in their own right, but they were also very different kinds of books than this.  Broken Angel is the first book in this saga.  And I can't wait to get my hands on the next one.

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