The summary of this book sounds SO GOOD. But in reality this book is SO BAD. Oh, the first half is awesome–wandering around Mars, finding the aliens and such. Then he goes back to Earth and the story falls apart. The first crack I noticed is when a minor character who died earlier in the story is inexplicably alive again. Then when the villagers killed the monster with pitchforks and hoes–well, I was finished. I was laughing, actually.

Unfortunately, this excellent idea for a novel is mired by a slow, plodding start, an anemic protagonist and even flakier antagonists, and overall a lack of focus in its storytelling. Once Spence eventually leaves the station, everything picks up: he becomes a more fleshed-out character, the villains become truly menacing, and the actual plot really gets going. No surprise for this author of lore, Lawhead is at his best when dealing with elements of mysticism and cultural history. The part set on Earth is quite intriguing as Lawhead weaves the clues of past and present together. At the risk of… Read more »