A Season of Mysteries by Rusty Whitener

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Can the events of one year impact our lives twenty or thirty years down the road? For Professor Richard Powell and his group of childhood friends, the answer is undoubtedly yes. In 1971, he and his friends named their group the Fellowship of the Rock in order to honor the bond between them forged by their friendship with a fallen friend as well as their conversions to Christ.

In 1976, the faith of those within the Fellowship will be tested as a new battle looms on the horizon. Richard and his comrades come face to face with what could very well be a demon on a mission to find something, an item it has been hunting for twenty-five years. Will the Fellowship stay strong as it is tested? Will their faith falter in the face of adversity? What will it all mean for those involved years later?
 
Review:
I won this book from a giveaway at Goodreads.com and was drawn in by the blurb used to describe the book. At the time, I didn't know that the subject matter was so heavy but when I dove into the book, it truly didn't matter. The story moved at a pretty good pace that the weight of the words didn't have time to bear down on the reader's shoulders for too long before moving onto the next subject.

This book is the second in a series that began with A Season of Miracles, where we're introduced to Richard and his band of brothers as they face some pretty grownup situations and come together in the way that tragedy and triumph can connect others. I was very pleased to learn that it also is a great stand-alone read. While some of the plot is impacted by events in the first book, the author does a good job of letting the reader know the necessary information without completely rehashing the first book.

For me, the book did start off a little slow but began to pick up the pace quickly as the main plot presented itself. I was drawn into the book by the characters. Each of them were distinctly written and enjoyable to read. It was easy to envision myself among the Fellowship of the Rock as they went about their adventures. At times I found myself cheering, anxious and angry - signs that the author did his job well, in my opinion. Though the thread of finding salvation is woven into the the story, it's not beating the reader upside the head on a constant basis. Yes, there are moments where characters are compelled to convert but it's not the central theme of the story though it plays a vital part. If you are looking for a captivating, eccentric and enjoyable read, I recommend both this book and its predecessor, A Season of Miracles.

A Season of Mysteries by Rusty Whitener is available in various forms including paperback and Kindle. The book was originally released in April 2013 and published by Kregel Publications. It can be purchased at Amazon.com by clicking the link below.
A Season of Mysteries by Rusty Whitener