Powers: A Novel

Shade #2

by John B. Olson

“Bury me standing. I must be buried standing.” Powers , the follow-up to John Olson’s Shade (“a must-read for those who enjoy Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti” — Publishers Weekly ), introduces a sheltered Gypsy girl named Mariutza. Her grandfather utters a mysterious last request before dying in her arms after being shot by ten cloaked men.Those same men die before her eyes, but strange powers continue to pursue Mari through the swamps of southern Louisiana where she has always hidden from “the Badness.”The whole world seems to join in the chase—helicopters, soldiers, government agents, and the police are all trying to kill her. Mari’s only hope of survival is to find Jaazaniah the Prophet, the mythical hero of her grandfather’s bedtime stories. But she has never been outside the swamp or known other humans besides her grandfather and one teacher. How can this lone girl survive the bewildering world of men long enough to find a prophet who might not even exist?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Young Adult, Thriller

400 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2009

About the author

John B. Olson is a novelist who lives with his wife Amy and two children in the San Francisco Bay Area. John earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and did postdoctoral research at the University of California at San Francisco. His books have won several awards, including a Christy Award, a Christy finalist, a Silver Angel award, and placement on the New York Public Librarys Books for the Teen Age.

Reviews

[Sisi Emm · Rating 2 out of 5]

First things first: this is book 2. There's another that comes before it that I have not read. That having been said, I commend the author on making this approachable at least. I didn't experience any real bouts of confusion. I think you can easily read this without having read the first.

This book actually started off quite strong.
I wanted to know about Mariutza and what her grandfather had set into motion. The pacing was good, the characters were capable of attracting me and keep me turning pages, but this dissolves quite fast. I believe by page 100ish it simmers down to a more generic boy-meets-beautiful-foreign-girl-and-they-fight-monsters.

Speaking of beauty, I was rather put off by the character of Mari. She grew up in the swamps and has no knowledge of the city, which makes for amazing potential but this is never explored. Instead, we focus on how Mari manages to make everyone fall in love with her using her innocent wide eyes and drop-dead gorgeous looks despite rolling around in mud. And I mean everyone. Frankly, it comes off Mary Sue-ish. The fact that everyone remarks upon it constantly gets even more tiresome.

In addition, she is entirely dependent on...well, everyone. She can fight like a comic book hero and run fast (while still looking like a goddess) but that is about it. She is pretty and can fight (on occasion). I learned nothing beyond this during the course of the book. She doesn't grow at all. There is no internal movement. Mari starts off more self-conscious than King's Carrie and ends up...the same. She apologizes constantly and second guesses everything.

The secondary characters are actually far more sympathetic, but they're not fleshed out here. Maybe they were in the first book, I can't tell you.

I don't mind the religious overtones, my only complaint (other than the above) is that everything lines up and falls into place far too fast and far too neatly in the end and sometimes in ways that don't really make sense. Issues were raised that were then abandoned in favor of the teenage, puppy romance between Mari and Jazz. A case of does-he/does-she. It feels rushed to be honest, and the epilogue feels entirely unnecessary, except to once again hammer down how amazingly beautiful Mari is.

Interesting premise and strong start, but it falls apart. I think the author started with one really cool scene in mind and tried to expand from there, but it didn't carry through. The material is there for a great story, but the execution is lacking, as is character development. Even as part of a series it should be able to stand on its own in that regard. But it does not.

[Jill Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gypsy girl, Mariutza, was raised in the Louisiana swamps away from all modern conveniences. When “the Badness” kills her grandfather, Mariutza must go into the city and find the prophet, Jaazaniah, but Mari feels completely out of her element. She’s never even ridden in a car or tasted Sprite. Still, it’s what she trained all her life to do. Find Jaazaniah, the prophet.

Jaazaniah is a musician in a bar. He has a seizure of some kind and is convinced that someone spiked his drink. He goes home to find his apartment ransacked, and strange cloaked men start chasing him. Then he meets Mariutza, a beautiful girl whose religious ideas are a bit far-fetched. She claims he is some prophet and clearly has a few screws loose from growing up in the swamp. Still, she knows things about him that she can’t possibly know, and Jaazaniah is drawn to working with her to figure out what is going on.

I loved John B. Olson’s Shade, so I couldn’t wait to read Powers. At first, I was disappointed to find all new characters. When I really want to read a sequel, it’s because of the characters in the first book. Still, I kept at it. Olson’s non-stop action gripped me and kept me turning the pages. His characters, Mari and Jaaz, were totally intriguing. Then some old characters popped up and things started to come together in a bizarre and exciting way. And then it was over, leaving quite a few questions hanging. Where Shade reads as a creepy vampire/monster novel, Powers reads as supernatural suspense. “The Badness” is always at the characters’ heels, but I never really knew why or saw much of it until the end. So…a really fun read. Entertaining and action-packed. But the ending left me wondering. Is there a book three? I hope so.

[Bridgit · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book was misrepresented. I expected fantasy book, bringing in supernatural powers, possibly occultism, but really, this was a christian fiction book. Realizing that part way through was off-putting. I dont think that I would have picked it up if I realized what it was.

But I continued to read it anyway. I didnt hate it, but it really didnt do much for me. Perhaps if I had read the prequel some of the "Standing" concepts would have made more sense. We never really learned why the Standing were being hunted - just becuase? That isnt enough of a reason for me. The two main characters, Mari and Jazz were both pretty weak and whiny. I think my favorite character was actually the girl that we werent supposed to really like, Hollis, though she too seemed completely unrealistic. "Hey - there's a terrorist cell, let me help them! Ooh, this girl I dont know got shot! Let me break the law and get a doctor over here that i pretend I'll sleep with for free medical care!"

And what the heck was the significance of the guitar. Jazz seems to think that is the MOST IMPORTANT THING EVER. and i refuse to believe that it is just so he can strum some Dave Matthews on the street corner.

Anyway, unless you are a Christian Fiction fan, I would not recommend. If you are, I actually would.

[Lorina Stephens · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were the makings of fascinating novel here: gypsy culture, the swamps of southern U.S., an unknown evil. Alas, none of these elements were ever truly explored. Instead the author takes us on a stumbling, frenetic rush through plot points and geography, so that by the end of the story we never really understand who or what are The Standing, The Badness, or myriad other details that would have been far more fascinating than the overt religious message.

[harlequin {Stephanie} · Rating 1 out of 5]

Got about 100 pages. Could not read on. The author had a few interesting ideas, but didn't seem to be getting anywhere. Characters had little to no development.

On top of that the story was very unbelievable. Just not my cup of tea. The cover was nice to look at.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting thrill ride! I look forward to more from this author.

[Tara Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

400 pages later, I'm left with a pile of loose ends asking what just happened. It seemed to be setting up for a sequel, but I am more exhausted than excited.

[Tom Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was more of a Ted Dekker or Erin Healy read, generating lots of excitement, and building momentum once characters were fully developed. Highly recommend.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

From the Publisher: "Bury me standing. I must be buried standing.”
Powers, the follow-up to John Olson’s Shade (“a must-read for those who enjoy Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti” —Publishers Weekly), introduces a sheltered Gypsy girl named Mariutza. Her grandfather utters a mysterious last request before dying in her arms after being shot by ten cloaked men.
Those same men die before her eyes, but strange powers continue to pursue Mari through the swamps of southern Louisiana where she has always hidden from “the Badness.”
The whole world seems to join in the chase—helicopters, soldiers, government agents, and the police are all trying to kill her. Mari’s only hope of survival is to find Jaazaniah the Prophet, the mythical hero of her grandfather’s bedtime stories. But she has never been outside the swamp or known other humans besides her grandfather and one teacher. How can this lone girl survive the bewildering world of men long enough to find a prophet who might not even exist?
I admit, I was one of the few who were surprised that this was considered Christian fiction, especially after reading the book summation by the publisher. I was further surprised because the main characters are Gypsies. Why? Well, because Gypsies, especially in the European countries, have been persecuted as witches. But, the world has changed (depending on where you are, I believe) so I put that bit of history aside and dove into the book.


The book, in the form of the plot, went very smoothly and it did seem to wrap up neatly in the end. All in all, it would have been a great book if it would have had better character development. I believe this is part of a series, so perhaps that will be rectified in the end, but with this book, it was not.

Jaazaniah, or Jazz, was the most developed of the characters and I was able to really get into his character and root for him to "win". He was from the city life and thrust into this strange world of psychic powers. His counterpart, Mariutza, or Mari, I did not have as much success in liking or getting into her character. Both her and the Grandfather who raised her lived in a swamp with very little access to the outside world. I had no problem with her marveling at the simplest things about city or just plain modern life. That was the part, I, in fact, enjoyed. My problem is how she was raised. She was not given the self-worth and ability to think for herself. In fact, it was quite the opposite. I found myself hating the fact that she couldn't think or do for herself. So much that I wanted to throw the book every time I read that "it's not my place". For someone having to help Jazz figure out who to trust, what to do and where to go, I did not find this believable. It became extremely annoying.

I also found the antagonist lacking. All you knew was bits and pieces about the "badness" but not really why they were after them. The lack of information did not make them more frightening, but less so. I would have liked more information on them other than a vague reference to vampirism. What was their motive and/or goals? How dangerous were they? Were they only a danger to "the standing"?

I have to give the book 2 out of 5 stars because of the lack of character development. I feel the plot was worthy, but not enough to carry the book all the way through.

[theduckthief · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The man let out a stream of words hot as coals as he struggled to his feet and glared down at her, eyes blazing. His face was a dark shade of purple-tinged red. He lunged toward her with clenched fists. Veins bulged at his neck."

Mariutza Glapion has been living in a swamp for as long as she can remember. One night she sneaks out to the road, a forbidden place and on her way home, senses something is wrong. She senses the Badness, hears a gunshot in the dark, finds her home empty, her grandfather missing. She finds him dying in a pool of blood and he makes a strange request. Forced to flee her home she encounters Jazz, a musician with strange powers of his own. Together they must solve the mystery her grandfather left for them to solve, all the while avoiding the Badness and the authorities.

I received this book as an Early Reviewer from LibraryThing and found the mythology of the world intriguing as Mari belongs to a small group of people called 'The Standing'. She has special skills and powers, is wary of cities and as a result, doesn't know how to survive inside one. Her dialogue has an earthy feel to it and her diction reveals her ignorance of technology and mordern society.

She's also very tactile when it comes to describing her world. Olson has some beautiful descriptinos that paint concrete images of the setting. "Smooth moonlight, soft and timid as a sleeping babe's breath, seeped through the forest canopy, painting Old Man Oak's mossy beard with twisting ribbons of silver and shadow."

Various terms and concepts associated with the mythology of Olson's world are introduced throughout the book but by the end I still wasn't sure what some of them meant. I only saw the 'Badness' as an amorphous blob and wasn't sure exactly how Mari's 'dikh' sight functioned. As well there were various references to the Bible which seemed contrary to a book I would classify as fantasy. Then I realized this book is classified under Christian Fiction and the core of the book relates to a story in the bible.

I found it difficult to orient myself at the start of the book. The combination of Mariutza's diction and the mythology of her world launch the reader straight into the unknown. It would have been easier to adjust had the POV not jumped into another character in chapter two. This jumping around occurs for the rest of the novel and included a POV for a character called Daniel Groves that seemed unneccessary. I didn't fully engage in the story until halfway through the book because at that point, the plot felt solid.

Also it was difficult to tell how old everyone was. At the beginning of the book I thought Mariutza was quite young but the farther the read the older she seemed to become. She acted like a child though that may only have been to show how apart from the world she really was. Then when she was with Jazz she seemed to age seven or eight years and appeared closer in age to him.

[Courts · Rating 2 out of 5]

Powers is simaultaneously gripping and difficult, bringing the reader along on an exciting - if David Lynch-esque - tale, all the while the reader hoping that more will be revealed on the next page. Nothing more actually is revealed. You know nearly the same things at the beginning that you do at the end. It leaves nothing to stew over, no social mores to consider, though the novel was ripe for them.

Olson has a commanding use of language, his prose beautiful and nuanced, dancing the reader from one page to the next. Unfortunately, his descriptive style doesn't extend to characterization as the two main characters. Jaazaniah "Jazz" Rechabson is a down-and-out musician, content to live a simple existence as long as he can play the piano and the guitar, until one evening he is tossed, rather violently, down the rabbit hole with painful visions. His struggles with accepting the supernatural elements of the story provides many of the 'emotional' aspects of the novel, though his disbelief becomes tedious rather quickly. Likewise, Mariutza, a young woman thrust into the city after a lifetime spent in the swamp with her grandfather, leaves a lot to be desired. Though she is supposed to be naive, having had very few life experiences, she comes across as deeply stupid.

The Badness, the ubiquitous "villain" of the story is never fully explained and, in the end, it leaves the reader with a sense of frustration. The characters spend the entire novel running from shadowy bad guys who can be anyone yet there is no terror. The reader is always left with the sense that instead of being the only ones correct, our heroic characters are instead on a shared acid trip. It makes about as much sense. There are many other loose ends that are not fleshed out or explained and they stand out mightily when one comes across them in the story. For example Powers includes two or three brief passages narrated by neither Jazz nor Mari, instead by another character by the name of Daniel Groves. These passages are highly irrelevant, contributing next to nothing to the overall story and likely should have been edited out completely.

There are some serious flaws in the novel but it is still enjoyable, especially for those who prefer to leave a lot to the imagination and don't mind some Christian rhetoric being shoved in at the end. Powers is much like eating popcorn, you enjoy it as you go but forget about it soon after.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best thing about this book was the nonstop action

The worst thing about this book is the lack of justification


That sums it up pretty well! The novel starts immediately, without any real preamble. This is both a positive and a negative thing for me--I had no idea this was the second in a series, so I was totally blindsided by the religious element, and had no idea how it all tied together.

Despite that though, I was curious the whole way through to find out what was going to happen. This was partially due to my cluelessness with the storyline, but also because it was just so damn fast paced!

I wasn't a terribly huge fan of Mari's total dunderheaded-ness, so that got a bit tiresome. But the flip side of that is I absolutely loved her little phrases, like "she was getting too big for her britches" or "the city women with their clickety-clack shoes" and "she made the curtsy" and the like. It was mildly entertaining, the way it is when you listen to someone with an accent different from your own speak.

Jazz was a little more my speed, if nothing else but because he was a little more down to earth. Whereas Mari felt very Luna Lovegood-y, Jazz was more realistic. He seemed a little too one-track mind with a couple things, like his guitar and the buried treasure. But since it led to more action, I can't complain too much--so much running and driving and shooting and helicopters!

I just really didn't get why they were being hunted. I would've liked a little more information about that, because I honestly had no clue why they were all being tracked by the police and being shot on sight. There wasn't any explanation, except a vague reference to black (funerary?) gowns that they all donned before surrounding the good guys to shoot and kill. It was this that detracted from the story for me, because I spent far too much time trying to figure out whether the book really hadn't told me why there was a chase or if I was just too dense to figure it out.

Despite that, though, I did enjoy the book!

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would include a plot summary here, but I'm not even sure where to begin. What the back cover suggests and what the story turns out to be are two completely different things. Which brings me to my next point: this book is not being marketed as Christian fiction, but it really is. Sneaky sneaky, B&H Publishing Group. Sneaky sneaky.

Olson seems to run pell-mell through the plot, almost in a race to a finish line that never appears. The book doesn't really have a beginning, middle, and end -- it just sort of happens. It feels almost like a NaNoWriMo novel that was published without any revision or second thought. This is great if you want a light read, without having to think about it. Not so great if you want to book to have an evident message or moral.

This is not a well written book. Olson does not seem to concern himself with many of the elements that make for good writing (e.g., character development, cohesive plot line, resolution of loose ends, etc.). I was really quite intrigued by the various Biblical characters that seem to make an appearance in this book, and I wish Olson had taken the time to develop those characters. Instead, the writing hops from one scene to the next, and back and forth between cliche and utter nonsense, so quickly as to lose the reader in a mire of mixed messaged and missed morals.

This could have been a great book, filled with allegory and allusion, but instead it's just a collection of ideas that don't really go anywhere. It could have been great. Instead it's just a sloppy mess. I hope most Christian fiction is better written than this, or Christian readers are really getting shafted.

[Brenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book. When I picked it up and read the back cover, I thought it sounded really interesting with an almost Anansi Boys' feel to it. The setting sounded really goth and cool the characters seemed interesting too. But then I started reading it, and sure at first I understand the characters not knowing what exactly was happening and had a lot of questions, but more than 60% through the book all the characters kept saying was... "What's happening?!" "Don't you know?" "No! What's going on!?" "You should know what's happening!" "I don't know what's happening? Who are these guys? What do they want?!" "What do you mean, you don't know?!" etc. etc. etc. and so it went on that way and I never really got any answers except vague descriptions and the continued insistance that the main male character should know what was happening, though he continued to deny it. It was very frustrating for me as the reader.

Oh, and one of the secondary characters suddenly develops a southern accent which she didn't have earlier and then it vanishes later. I got a bunch of "ya'll's" and then it was GONE. That was very obvious and disconcerting to read.

This could've been a really cool book, but it fell flat as the characters were not developed in any way other than their basic descriptions. I wanted to know them more, I needed more of the book to slow down and let me get to know how they were feeling besides bewildered, constantly. sigh. The setting was wasted and the love story was not developed hardly at all, either. I was very disappointed.

The fact that it was a "Christian" book didn't bother me so much as what I outlined above.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Powers, written by John B. Olson, is a novel that features a gypsy girl named Mariutuza. Mariutuza is not just an ordinary gypsy, she has powers, powers of light. Strange and mysterious cloaked men want her dead and her power, they are called "the Badness." She has always been able to hide from them with the help of her grandfather and her teacher. These same men killed her grandfather, her grandfather's last mysterious request was to be buried standing. Mari, raised in the swamps of Louisiana, sheltered from the world must now find Jaazaniah the Prophet, the mythical hero in her grandfather's stories. Finding him is her only chance for survival. But how can a girl, sheltered from the world and has only known two people, now must leave the swamp she has only ever known, find a prophet who might not even exist? In the heart of New Orleans, lives another soul with this power of light, a musician named Jazz. He is also haunted by these cloaked men called "the Badness." What do they want with him and who is this girl haunting him in his dreams? Can these two strangers, raised in totally different environments, come together and beat this so called Badness.? Read Powers and find out. Step into Mari's and Jazz's world and watch their story unfold. Ride along on their thrilling journey to fight for their lives and unmask the evil that lurks upon them at every turn.

You should read this book if you enjoy reading mysteries and thrillers. There is a twist at every turn in this book. It makes you want to keep reading to find out the truth. You will never be bored while reading this book, it is a must read.

[Christy Trever · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powers by John B. Olson is the sequel to Shade, but you don't need to read that volume to be completely hooked by this compelling thriller. Mariutza has been raised in seclusion by her grandfather, taught to fight, to use her mental abilities to outwit the enemy, and to fear the outside world. But when he is killed by mysterious hooded figures, she flees from the swamp that has been her only home to the city of New Orleans to seek the mysterious prophet Jaazaniah. Jazz Rechabson is just trying to make enough money to make the rent playing piano at a music club when he has a vision of a man surrounded and killed by strange beings. When he comes to, he finds himself being pursued by those same beings and the emergence of strange abilities he has no idea how to control or use. The two must pair up to find out the secret that binds them both and just may hold the key to their survival. The first 50-75 pages were a bit of a rough read for me. While the action was intense, I couldn't figure out if this was our world or a world similar to ours and just what was going on. Then I relaxed and just let the story flow, and pretty soon the hours flew by, and I couldn't put it down. The reader is much like Mariutza : in a strange world, disoriented, with no grasp of the circumstances. Olson dribbles out the information in enticing tidbits that keep the pages turning. A sure-fire hit with fans of urban fantasy or the supernatural, as well as regular thrillers, this weird, astonishing read is a true treat.

[Ellz Readz · Rating 3 out of 5]

My thoughts...This is book two in the series. I have not read the first book, so initially I was really confused as to what was going on. You begin by reading the POV of several characters. They are all experiencing intense situations such as being chased, attacked and feeling intense pain. The beginning of the book left me dizzy, but I was still intrigued enough to keep reading. About 100 pages or so into the story, the characters come together and the plot begins to make more sense. Mari is an odd heroine. She was raised in the swamplands by an old man she believed to be her Grandfather. He is murdered and she goes on a mission to find the prophet she has been learning of her whole life. Jazz, the prophet, is a musician who has not clue that he has been the object of legends and fairy tales. Mari is a child of God, she has strong belief. Jazz however, has none. The pair, along with some new acquaintances are being chased by the FBI, the police, and something purely evil.

Powers provides non-stop action. It is very easy to get swept into this world of mysterious cloaked figures, cops and robbers, and fairy tale romance. It was very hard for me to put down. The story contained a subtle religious undertone, but I did not feel like a was reading a Christian novel. The end wrapped up nicely, but left room for another adventure. Overall, I think it was a very unique storyline that would entice readers from a variety of genres. I enjoyed this book and I would read other books in this series.

[guiltlessreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: “Bury me standing. I must be buried standing.” Powers, the follow-up to John Olson’s Shade (“a must-read for those who enjoy Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti” —Publishers Weekly), introduces a sheltered Gypsy girl named Mariutza. Her grandfather utters a mysterious last request before dying in her arms after being shot by ten cloaked men.

Those same men die before her eyes, but strange powers continue to pursue Mari through the swamps of southern Louisiana where she has always hidden from “the Badness.”

The whole world seems to join in the chase—helicopters, soldiers, government agents, and the police are all trying to kill her. Mari’s only hope of survival is to find Jaazaniah the Prophet, the mythical hero of her grandfather’s bedtime stories. But she has never been outside the swamp or known other humans besides her grandfather and one teacher. How can this lone girl survive the bewildering world of men long enough to find a prophet who might not even exist?

My take: Very well-written suspense novel about a gypsy girl and her search for a prophet. It's a quick read, as the suspense builds up slowly and you want to find out what happens next.

A little confusing in its use of gypsy words -- with no glossary or explanation (e.g. dikh sight, The Badness). But then maybe because this is the sequel ... I didn't read the first book!

I was given this book through the LibraryThing Early Bird Reviewers.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up on a suggestion with no foreknowledge of the author or his other works, so I went in with an open mind. I tried, ended up trudging through it, and I finished it but was left wanting.

About halfway in, I learned that this is Christian Fiction, but I didn't feel much of the condescending preachiness (I hate that with a passion!) all-too-often underlining stories in the sub-genre. Which is ironic, since the Christian worldview is important to the genre and that's actually what I liked best about the story: the "world" was set up well, with faith-based magical powers and all. But it wasn't described in anywhere near enough detail for my tastes. I wanted to know more, why things were, more history, you name it.

Most of the secondary characters (Melchi, Hailey and Groves) felt more interesting than the main ones (Jazz and Mari) even though they're barely in the story. I thought the secondaries gave a better perspective on things than the main characters, who were a frustrating jumble of conflicting emotions and actions, until Jazz all-of-a-sudden buys into it and "poof!" grows. Or, perhaps more appropriately, becomes born-again. Yeah, sure.

I don't want to sound like I hated it, because I didn't, but I certainly wanted something more out of the story, and for it to lead somewhere more substantial. Give me some stronger characters and a little more "oomph" in the story and you'll have me, Mr. Olson.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mariutza was raised and lives deep in the swamps of southern Louisanna with the man who took her in as a child,calls him grandfather, She has been trained in the ways of a type of people known as The Standing. The unthinkable happens and as her grandfather is dying he tells her to find Jazzaniah. The great Prophet hero that her grandfather has told her about in bedtime stories. She must leave the swamp, the only place that she has ever known, and go into the city of New Orleans in order to find the prophet.

Jazz is a musician who is constantly moving around doing short gigs in clubs here and there. Then suddenly one night everything changed. He finds himself being chased by strange hooded men. He goes to the police just to find out that everyone is out to get him, the poilce, the hooded men and federal agents. Even more strangely Jazz recieves in the mail the last will of his grandfather, one that he was told as a young child was dead. A will that leaves clues to some kind of treasure.

Mariutza has to teach Jazz the ways of their people and to belive in God. Along the way they make allies. Allies that Jazz begins to mistrust. Together they all must dicover the meaning of the clues that lead to the treasure and survive the evil forces of the enemy.

Quite entertaining with a loveable cast of characters.

[Wrighty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have really struggled with this review. I've started it over and over again and I'm not exactly sure why. The book was interesting but it was also confusing. The early chapters jumped into the action as Mari's grandfather died in her arms and she is forced to go on the run. She had been sheltered her whole life and never lived outside the swamps but now she must find Jaazaniah the Prophet. He is the hero of the bedtime stories that she listened to as a child. Jazz is a musician who plays his music wherever he can earn a paycheck. He has no idea that he in the mysterious prophet.

As more characters are introduced the chapters are told from their points of view. Again, there is plenty of action and suspense but it felt like the story splintered with each narrator and they weren't fully developed. It was an interesting plot but not very cohesive. I still had questions at the end but perhaps that was to allow for a sequel.

I also didn't realize this was Christian fiction which may have led to some of my confusion as well. I wasn't familiar with all of the references and bible passages although I thought they were incorporated into the story well and faith was one of the most important elements. Overall this was an intriguing story, it just wasn't for me.

Thank you to LibraryThing Early Reviewers who provided me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Hsudonym]

I received this book as part of early reviewers. I must say beforehand that I have not read the first book, Shade, so perhaps I am missing something.[return]I really am not sure what is going on in this book, nor where it intended to take the reader. The writing appears to be deliberately lyrical, at times quite forced. The characters had some merit, however, they were no very plausible. Jazz continually returns to Hollis, and she continues to help him, even though he has caused her a whole lot of trouble. Mari is far more interesting, and more developed. Unfortunately, she has the simplicity of a 12 year old. I still ca not figure out Groves part of the story. [return]An unusual and unnecessary amount of time is spent running in and out of the swamps, back to New Orleans, out to the swamp, in to New Orleans, Out to the swamp. My brain felt like it was developing swamp rot. I assume the author was attempting to show the reader how easy it is to get lost in the swamps. [return]The "bad guys" had no real definition, I assumed they were bad because they were Authority figures, and poisoned by the devil. [return]I can not recommend this book for most readers. Perhaps for teenagers, it may hold some interest.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mariutza blames herself when her grand father dies in her arms, because of The Badness. She was no where near him when The Badness came. Mariutza must find Jaazaniah the Prophet to help save her from The Badness. The problem is that Jaazaniah is a fictional character from her grandfather’s stories.

Jazz is a musician. Recently he has started experiencing visions and he has no explanation as to why. Jazz’s life changes when he meets Mariutza. Can Jazz and Mariutza fight The Badness or will The Badness consume them.

I have to admit that I had mixed feelings about this book. On one hand it had potential but on the other hand, I found that I never really could connect with the story or the characters. There were a lot of things happening all at the same time, which made it a little difficult to follow at first. What did make me keep reading this book is that I wanted to know what The Badness really was…a man or myth? I thought that Jazz and Mariutza didn’t balance out each other that well. Mariutza was the stronger of the two. Overall, I thought this was an ok novel.

[dorolerium · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I liked the story as a whole, and it’s an interesting topic considering most of the paranormal reading I do is either flat out obvious vampires or angels. But the flip side is that I had a really hard time with the presentation. Don’t get me wrong, it was written okay, just not exactly my style.

I like reading things that are out of my normal comfort zone, but the problem with that is sometimes I end up reading something that makes me think “ugh, I wish I was reading some historical fiction instead”. But see, I’m a woman, so I would say to an extent, the things I normally read are written more for a female audience. With Powers, it seems like the book was written more for a male audience. Which in itself is an interesting concept, that just being of a different gender means subject matter and the way it’s written is more or less appealing to us.

To read the rest of my review, please visit:
http://www.dorolerium.com/?p=1119

[TJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book. It was a little frustrating to read though. It starts out with clear & present danger for the gypsy girl & her grandfather but you have no idea what the danger is- it's just called the badness. Ok, I can get into some mystery & intrigue because I know it will be revealed later in the book. Wrong. Basically, this book consisted of the main characters being vague about their enemy, the badness, running from the badness, talking about the badness, but no one ever asks,"what exactly is the badness?" Also, What exactly is their powers? I understand the connection the author tries to make in the end to explain but why were those specific people chosen to have these gifts? As you can see there were a lot of questions left unanswered, I'm sure setting up for the sequel. I'm fine with a little set up, but seriously to go through a whole book constantly saying to yourself,"what is the deal?" only to get no answers in the end was frustrating.
But- I must say that this book intrigued me & I'll probably read the sequel.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mariutza's grandfather, Purodad, and beloved teacher, Miss Caralee were murdered while Mariutza stayed helplessly hidden. Before her grandfather died in her arms, he told Mariutza what she must do. She had been kept hidden in the swamp and cared for by her grandfather, but now she was alone, and being chased by the Badness. She had to get out of the swamp and find Jaazaniah the Prophet. He was the only one that could help her now.

As soon as the book arrived, I was eager to start reading. Between the cover art and the blurb on the back, it looked like a fantastic read. I was not disappointed. From the first few paragraphs, I was drawn in, and had a hard time putting it down. I loved the characters of Mari (Mariutza) and Jazz (Jaazaniah) and found myself cheering them on. This is truly a page turner full of suspense and surprises, twists and turns, and even some conspiracy thrown in. This was one great read!

The book is catagorized as Christian Fiction.

[Monica · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, this book is supposedly classified as mystery fiction and Christian fiction...which makes no sense because there are Christian themes as well as Bible passages found through out the book and gypsy magic. The last time I looked Christianity doesn't play well with the supernatural, but what do I know. *rolls eyes* The plot was pretty good in its self but I often found I didn't know what was going on so I would have to go back a few pages and re-read, that got frustrating after a little bit. I also had no idea what was with some of the characters, they were just ok, the author doesn't really provide support and development to form them to the good and evil we are supposed to see. Eh...just didn't care for it this one much.

[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure what to say about this book. It was very difficult keeping up with the Badness, the FBI and the Standing. For this reason, it took me about 1-2 weeks reading it. I usually read only a book at time but I just HAD to put this one down and read another one before finishing this one.
I was surprised that I remembered what was going on in the book during that intermission. Suppose that says positively about the story. I did not read any of the reviews before reading this book so I was surprised that most people gave it a 2.88 rating. Now, I don't feel so bad about not appreciating this author.

[Stephanie Moore · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was downright awful. The story was all over the place and nothing was ever explained. What was "The Badness"? Who were " The Standing?"

The characters themselves left a ton to be desired. They were always having "aha!" moments that left the reader in the dark and very few of their decisions made any sort of sense. Mari caused things to get worse in some situations with her failure to listen to Jazz (oh no! the buildings are baaaad!") and Jazz did the same in others.

The prayer thing was also annoying as well. At first I thought it was supposed to be a fictional semi-magical story but then the characters started bringing up prayer and Badness with no explanations.

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading the advance copy of this book. I have to say it was hard to get into at first but as I got further along I really got more into the story and enjoyed the innocent romance, the adventure and the many unexpected twists in the plot. I will certainly read the other books in this series by John Olson. :)