Book Review: Cloak of the Light {Multnomah}

This post contains *affiliate links. See Disclosure/Policies.

Cloak of the Light by Chuck Black*

ISBN: 9781601425027

Paperback, 306 pages

Publisher: Multnomah

Retail: $11.99

About the Book: 

Drew is caught in a world of light - just inches away from the dark.

What if...there was a world beyond our vision, a world just fingertips beyond our reach? What if...our world wasn’t beyond their influence?

Tragedy and heartache seem to be waiting for Drew Carter at every turn, but college offers Drew a chance to start over—until an accident during a physics experiment leaves him blind and his genius friend, Benjamin Berg, missing.

As his sight miraculously returns, Drew discovers that the accident has heightened his neuron activity, giving him skills and sight beyond the normal man. When he begins to observe fierce invaders that no one else can see, he questions his own sanity, and so do others. But is he insane or do the invaders truly exist?

With help from Sydney Carlyle, a mysterious and elusive girl who offers encouragement through her faith, Drew searches for his missing friend, Ben, who seems to hold the key to unlocking this mystery. As the dark invaders close in, will he find the truth in time?- 

Click here to download chapter one of Cloak of the Light.

About the Author: CHUCK BLACK, a former F-16 fighter pilot and tactical combat communications engineer, is the author of thirteen novels, including the popular Kingdom Series and The Knights of Arrethtrae series. Chuck and his wife, Andrea, have six children and live in North Dakota.

My thoughts:

The main characters are Drew Carter, Ben Berg, and Sydney Carlyle. Other characters include Drew's mother, Drew's father's best friend who's watched over Drew and his mother since his father's death, some high schoolers, Mr/Master Lee, and Reverend Ray and his family. A bunch of nonbelievers but for Sydney and then Rev. Ray. 

Essentially starting when Drew is 12 at his father's funeral, his life is full of hardship and not much good, with the exception of a few bits here and there. Drew is strong and smart, sometimes excelling in football and academics; and then not. An up-and-down life. He keeps a pretty positive outlook for the most part.

Up until about chapter 9, I wished I'd not chosen the book. There is a lot of talk of football and physics- neither do I know much about nor have an active interest in. It was mostly Drew's back-story, and I forgot that this is the first in a trilogy. Once I remembered that, I could struggle through a little better. Also at chapter 9 is where it gets interesting. I don't think this book is like Black's other book, perhaps because it is set in modern times?

Many of the scenes were totally unrealistic in the sense that you'd see them in an action movie (or to quote a line from the book, "like a scene out of some bizarre science-fiction body-snatcher movie.")

"What does spiritual warfare look like? The Wars of the Realm trilogy is a speculative work of fiction that I've written, not to contradict Scripture in any way but rather to inspire and challenge you to consider the reality of spiritual warfare in a whole new way...the story is intense and the liberties taken in regard to speculation are vast..." -A note from Chuck Black at the back of the book

The Reader's Guide at the back of the book shows the theme of each chapter with corresponding verses and comments by Chuck Black. 

I didn't think I would get through the book with a positive view but as mentioned, past a point the book gets better and I'd like to read the others in the trilogy. 

This is a fairly decent book but there is mention of underage drinking in chapter 4, and an accident that kills a high school student. And of course there is a lot of violence. It isn't that graphic but for the descriptions of the moves in the fighting, and mention of blood in a few places. 

***Disclaimer: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah for the purpose of this review. No compensation was given. All opinions stated are my own. See Disclosure/Policies.***