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Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Squeamish Caution


The Terminals by Michael F. Stewart is the subject of this book review.  I don’t know where to begin.  You wouldn’t believe it.  You won’t believe it.  I have never read anything like this before.  Dante’s Inferno comes to mind—maybe.  But Stewart’s gnostic hell is more graphic than Dante’s.  If you have a weak stomach then this book is not for you. 

In fact, nobody should eat or munch on any goodies while reading The Terminals.  Your stomach is guaranteed to turn.  That’s not saying that the story isn’t good, because it is.  I was hooked and kept on reading, in spite of my IBS.
 
The story revolves around Col. Christine Kurzow, who feels responsible for her troops who were blown up in Afghanistan.  She’s suicidal.  Actually, all the characters in this novel are suicidal, hence the title, The Terminals.  These people who are going to die are referred to as Terminals.  (I’m trying very hard not to give out spoilers.)  The Terminals descend into death to solve crimes.

If you don’t understand, good.  Read the book.  I can’t explain it.  Like the “Lovin Spoonful” say, “It’d be like trying to explain Rock n’ Roll.”

Christine becomes a handler of Charles Hackman, a monk who specializes in the gnostic religion.  Charles’ assignment is to find Hillar the Killer in gnostic hell.  Hillar is psycho and had kidnapped a school bus full of kids, then he was killed before he could reveal where he hid the kids.  Charles communicates the clues he’s garnered from Hillar (easier said than done) and Christine tries to locate the kids before they die. 

Even dead, Hillar is psycho.  His clues are worthless.  What else can I tell you?  It’s not a happy ending; not an unhappy ending.  It’s real.  “Ha!”  “Did I just say that?” 

The Terminals isn't like Michael F. Steward’s Assured Destruction series.  I’ve read those and liked them.  I like The Terminals, too, but this is nothing like Assured Destruction.  In fact, it’s like nothing I’ve ever read before.  The descriptive action is grotesque.  It’s disgusting.  It’s nauseating. 

“Oh, wait.”  It is hell, isn’t it? 
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I received a free e-copy of The Terminals by Michael F. Stewart, from Tribute Books.  No other compensation was received and my review is my honest evaluation.

Format:   ebook
Pages:      310 pages

I’d give you direct links to order this ebook, but it won’t be released until April 15, 2014.  But here’s Michael F. Stewart’s page on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Michael-F.-Stewart/e/B003GUK4X4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
And here’s Barnes and Nobles   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/michael-f-stewart  
Here are some links to learn more about the author:


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