This post contains affiliate links.
No Less Days by Amanda G. Stevens - David Galloway is a somewhat reclusive bookseller in a small town, but the careful distance he keeps from others is because he is already well over one hundred years old - and doesn't look a day over thirty-five. He can't die. And the loneliness and grief of watching those he cares for die has led him to live a quiet and solitary life. His bookstore assistant, Tiana, has become a good friend, and he wants more with her, but pursuing a relationship is too big a risk.
A new story about a daredevil named Zachary Wilson catches David's attention. David watched the news footage as Zac fell from a tightrope into a canyon - obviously a deadly fall - and yet somehow Zac was still alive, and completely unharmed. David knows no one mortal could survive such a fall, so he takes off to Arizona to find Zac and hopefully find some answers. When he tracks him down, he is shocked to discover that not only is Zac another man who can't die, but there are others like them as well. David finally starts to feel a sense of belonging and kinship as he's pulled into the close group of the four other people who are like him.
But there's a cost. David and his new friends know they cannot risk anyone finding out that they are essentially immortal. When a deranged fan threatens Zac, Tiana is in danger, and their secrets are at risk of being exposed too. David has risked telling Tiana the truth, but when he finds out that at least one of his immortal friends is also a killer, the choices before him are terrifying. How can justice be done and what is David's role and purpose in carrying it out? Is he strong enough to do what is needed, and courageous enough to carry on living when he doesn't know if his days will ever come to an end?
Although I don't often read contemporary setting fiction, the premise of this story intrigued me, and I was drawn into the fast-moving story within the first couple of pages. Stevens gets to the action quickly, and gives background information in bits and pieces as the characters meet and interact with each other. It's easy to sympathize with David right from the start, and his character portrays well the dilemmas that an immortal living among mortals might face. He is full of conflicting emotions and his melancholy makes him a likeable and fairly trustworthy narrator. As the other longevites (as they call themselves) are introduced, they also reveal the pain and loneliness of living without aging. The almost impossible choice they face when confronted with the fact that one of their own has deceived them and killed more than once is surprising and yet logical. The decisions made and the way the various characters cope with their reality is thought-provoking and somewhat haunting. I wondered how the author would be able to handle the immortality of characters within a Christian worldview, but overall I thought it was deftly managed. I definitely recommend this novel for readers of contemporary fantasy.
by Amanda G. Stevens - David Galloway is a somewhat reclusive bookseller in a small town, but the careful distance he keeps from others is because he is already well over one hundred years old - and doesn't look a day over thirty-five. He can't die. And the loneliness and grief of watching those he cares for die has led him to live a quiet and solitary life. His bookstore assistant, Tiana, has become a good friend, and he wants more with her, but pursuing a relationship is too big a risk.A new story about a daredevil named Zachary Wilson catches David's attention. David watched the news footage as Zac fell from a tightrope into a canyon - obviously a deadly fall - and yet somehow Zac was still alive, and completely unharmed. David knows no one mortal could survive such a fall, so he takes off to Arizona to find Zac and hopefully find some answers. When he tracks him down, he is shocked to discover that not only is Zac another man who can't die, but there are others like them as well. David finally starts to feel a sense of belonging and kinship as he's pulled into the close group of the four other people who are like him.
But there's a cost. David and his new friends know they cannot risk anyone finding out that they are essentially immortal. When a deranged fan threatens Zac, Tiana is in danger, and their secrets are at risk of being exposed too. David has risked telling Tiana the truth, but when he finds out that at least one of his immortal friends is also a killer, the choices before him are terrifying. How can justice be done and what is David's role and purpose in carrying it out? Is he strong enough to do what is needed, and courageous enough to carry on living when he doesn't know if his days will ever come to an end?
Although I don't often read contemporary setting fiction, the premise of this story intrigued me, and I was drawn into the fast-moving story within the first couple of pages. Stevens gets to the action quickly, and gives background information in bits and pieces as the characters meet and interact with each other. It's easy to sympathize with David right from the start, and his character portrays well the dilemmas that an immortal living among mortals might face. He is full of conflicting emotions and his melancholy makes him a likeable and fairly trustworthy narrator. As the other longevites (as they call themselves) are introduced, they also reveal the pain and loneliness of living without aging. The almost impossible choice they face when confronted with the fact that one of their own has deceived them and killed more than once is surprising and yet logical. The decisions made and the way the various characters cope with their reality is thought-provoking and somewhat haunting. I wondered how the author would be able to handle the immortality of characters within a Christian worldview, but overall I thought it was deftly managed. I definitely recommend this novel for readers of contemporary fantasy.
From the publisher:
David Galloway can't die.
How many lifetimes can God expect one man to live? Over a century old, David Galloway isolates himself from the mortal humans who die or desert him by making a quiet life as a used bookstore owner in Northern Michigan. But then he spots a news article about a man who, like him, should be dead.
Daredevil celebrity Zachary Wilson walked away unscathed from what should have been a deadly fall. David tracks the man down, needing answers. Soon David discovers a close-knit group of individuals as old as he is who offers the sort of kinship and community he hasn't experienced for decades--but at what cost?
David finds himself keeping secrets other than his own . . . protecting more than himself alone. He'll have to decide what's worth the most to him--security or community. When crimes come to light that are older than any mortal, he fears the pressure is more than he can stand. What does God require of him, and is David strong enough to see it through?
How many lifetimes can God expect one man to live? Over a century old, David Galloway isolates himself from the mortal humans who die or desert him by making a quiet life as a used bookstore owner in Northern Michigan. But then he spots a news article about a man who, like him, should be dead.
Daredevil celebrity Zachary Wilson walked away unscathed from what should have been a deadly fall. David tracks the man down, needing answers. Soon David discovers a close-knit group of individuals as old as he is who offers the sort of kinship and community he hasn't experienced for decades--but at what cost?
David finds himself keeping secrets other than his own . . . protecting more than himself alone. He'll have to decide what's worth the most to him--security or community. When crimes come to light that are older than any mortal, he fears the pressure is more than he can stand. What does God require of him, and is David strong enough to see it through?
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
This book is Setting in a Library or Bookshop for the Full House Reading Challenge 2018 hosted by The Book Date.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please take just a second to leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you.