Book Blurb
A child will die. You're afraid to live. Would you go to all lengths to save him? Darkness knows no bounds, as Alcott, an African American doctor sees all too well. The man is petrified by death. His fragile existence rests at the mercy of the universe. This fact is far too much for him to handle. From unyielding nightmares to elevator terrors, he's lost in paranoia. Assigned to look after an ill child, Alcott's horrors only heighten. Gari is a nine-year-old boy with a fatal disease. He will surely pass on within the year. Alcott bonds with him more and more each day. Part of him knows this grim fate just isn't right.
Alcott befriends a hospital patient. This lunatic forces him to lug home an ancient text on bringing back the dead. Despite the man's obvious dementia, Alcott attempts the scheme. Charging up a cliff, he recites the chant over ocean gusts.
A god woman glides in from the horizon. She instructs Alcott on the trials to save Gari's life. These fearsome Obstacles require true strength. From battling sharks to wielding a flail, he must prove fortitude against genuine danger. Alcott decides his fate at this moment.
Death's claws shall not grasp Gari's soul.
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Toot's Review by Stacy Sabala
Dr. Alcott is now a live-in doctor caring for a young boy named Gari. Dr. Alcott is prone to night terrors and fears death. One night when he goes to visit the hospital he has worked at in the past, he stops to talk to a well known patient named Mashilto. Mashilto is worried about young Gari and encourages Dr. Alcott to use the book Mashilto’s mother gave him. In it, he explains, is a way to raise the dead. The doctor is skeptical and agrees to take it and look at it. Once he has the book in his possession, he hears voices or he believes he is going insane. When his car is searched, the book is gone. Mashilto has no recollection of having a book like that. Dr. Alcott is shocked.
Gari’s latest visit is grave and he only has days left. After that terrible news is shared the book magically appears on Dr. Alcott’s bed. He panics in horror and fear. In the end he takes the book and completes the ritual. A Jauntla appears challenging him to give his own life for Gari’s life.
Once he agrees Dr. Alcott is a competitor in the obstacles. If he wins enough he earns the right to change fate. There are six total. Time is frozen until he wins at least three or loses four. He enters this adventure with four other people: Gretchen, Vitaly, Travis and Marya. Gretchen is trying to save her sister. Vitaly wants to save her father’s life. Travis is also trying to save his father’s life. No one knows why Marya is there. All they know is her story involves a drunk driver.
The obstacles are harrowing and dangerous. Alcott is thrust into his worst nightmares. If he fails Gari dies. If he succeeds he trades places with Gari and dies in his stead. It literally becomes the fight of his life.
The storyline for this book was very creative. I have never read anything remotely close. The idea of beating trials in order to save a loved one from death is interesting. As I read through the story I would ask myself what would I do in that situation.
However the main character Alcott seemed incredibly moody, or overly excited. His reactions to situations annoyed me. He came across as a very weak individual in the beginning. His confidence was extremely low which surprises me since he is a doctor. It takes a lot of drive and confidence to get to that point. So in my opinion there were a lot of conflicting details in the story that made for confusion in some places.
In others it felt like the author was trying too hard with his choice of words. The story didn’t flow as well as it should have. I can tell that the author is young. I give the story a 3 out of 5 for its creativity.
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