Review: quite enjoyable
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 30, 2013
4.5I generally thought this was an entertaining story with a number of interesting, seemingly independent threads that eventually wind together into a neat little package. There were some interesting characters. I particularly liked Libby, Gabriel, Rose and Lars (as we're supposed to). It was also interesting to see, what would otherwise be considered bad guys, fighting on the side of good. That seems to be a sub-theme (is there such a thing?) of the book. Actions alone aren't enough to judge the shade of one's soul. I never could decide if it's supposed to be religious fiction or not. But if it's so subtle that I can't decide, then it's not obvious enough to bother me.While most of the many twist were wonderful, there were occasionally some that were unbelievable. One in particular, the second hospital scene, almost ruined the book for me. Not just because it pushed the envelope of credibility, but also because it came out of no where (When did everyone have time to plan this?), and because the whole book changed tone and direction after it. It really felt to me that there was a perceivable breach in the plot-line and that series of scenes is the epicentre of the rupture. A lot must have happened behind-the-scenes, because a number of characters suddenly started acting out of character all of a sudden and kept it up until the end.At end the reader is left with questions. I don't mean loose threads. The characters are left with the same questions. There are just some thing--like what Gabriel actually is, or what Shinar did to be pursued, or what led Shinar to hunt the stone--that no one learns the answer to with any certainty. The reader can guess, but has no way of know if they are right.Lastly, though not a criticism by any means, if you're looking for a steamy PNR, this isn't it. There are no sex scenes. There is love, of sorts, but no real romance. That's not the point here.All-in-all, I really enjoyed The Sleeping Warrior and would be up for reading more of Ms. Bain's work.