Book Review: The Summoner

A United States diplomat disappears in front of hundreds of onlookers while attending a religious ceremony in the bushveld of Zimbabwe. Dominic Grey, Diplomatic Security special agent, product of a violent childhood and a worn passport, is assigned to investigate. Aiding the investigation is Professor Viktor Radek, religious phenomenologist and expert on cults, and Nya Mashumba, the local government liaison. What Grey uncovers is a terrifying cult older than Western civilization, the harsh underbelly of a country in despair, a priest seemingly able to perform impossibilities, and the identity of the newest target. Himself. The first work in a globe-hopping series whose protagonists investigate the world’s most bizarre and dangerous cults, The Summoner is a stylish, haunting novel of mystery and suspense that will linger long after the last page is turned.

The Summoner (Dominic Grey #1) by Layton Green
ebook, 332 pages
Published at December 2010 by FirstWard Publishing

REVIEW:
Summoner literally made my week. I was trying to read another book for 2nd time, and it was going really bad and i was in bad mood too. So i stopped and picked up the Summoner. From the 1st chapter i was so into it that i was reading and reading without noticing the time!


Layton Green's descriptions of Zimbabwe were fantastic! I haven't been there but he helped me see the place how the characters were seeing it. The people, the places, the culture and the life there..you can see them like you are there too. Then we have a story full of action, suspense and mystery with religion and belief as the main subjects. I loved how even though it includes so much information on everything the way it was presented neither tired me or made me have memory loss of events lately. It has it's calmer parts, the educational ones and some more thrilling ones.

Plus, a big variety of characters. From the protagonists to the secondary characters you see a multiple characteristics in their actions, the way they talk, etc which they remind you people from your life. If i have a negative is that i didn't connect as much as i wanted with the protagonists. Even though i know their back stories something was missing at times and i didn't feel them close to me. 


Another nice break from fantasy for me with an amazing thriller which made me want to get immediately the next installment (The Egyptian to be released at Aug.27th, 2011). Layton Green wrote without using the Hollywood style of that genre (ex. explosions or world domination or without any excessive events ) and created a great mystery/action book.


Thanks Layton Green for providing a digital copy for review.