Review: Wasted Potential
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 03 10, 2014
I gave 'In Search of the Sacred Word' two stars rather than just one because the premise was so interesting, and had the author been more adept, it could have been a tremendous book.Sadly, this story is a confusing, unnecessarily drawn out, mish-mash of odd events.It takes forever for the basis of the story to start to come to light, and even then the events are so jumbled, yet repetitive, that page after page of dialogue can be skimmed while waiting for the next relevant point.Some parts do have the ability to raise the hairs on the back of the reader's neck, but they quickly become hum-drum because there is so little forward movement or explanation as to what is going on.  I understand that this is the first book in a series, but to me this tale is the epitome of how NOT to draw readers into anticipating the upcoming books.It's as if the author just started writing with no outline or even a very clear idea of where he wanted to go with the story.The silly back and forth banter between some of the characters is off putting as well.  One moment you have a potentially horrifying scenario playing out and the next the reader is subjected to idiotic small talk.The unnecessarily in-depth description of the lead character's children is another irritating sticking point.Finally, I have a feeling that the subsequent books get even more preachy and religion centric...a definite turn off for me.If you want to read a masterful novel that deals with near death and something evil being brought back with the hapless victim, Dean Koontz' excellent 'Hideaway' is a much better and more satisfying choice than this book.