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Echo Island
When four recent high school graduates return home from a weekend of camping, they expect to go back to life as usual. Instead, the boys discover empty streets, abandoned cars, and utter silence - everyone has disappeared. As the friends attempt to solve the mystery, they stumble upon more questions than answers. Why won’t the electronics work? Where did the wind go? What do the notebooks full of gibberish mean? With each new discovery, they learn that nothing was ever quite what it seemed on Echo Island and that a deep secret is drawing them in - if only they would surrender to it.
Join Bradley, Jason, Archer, and Tim on this exploration into myth and mystery. Uncover exactly what happened on Echo Island and what these four friends’ story has to do with God, the meaning of life, and the nature of reality.
Join Bradley, Jason, Archer, and Tim on this exploration into myth and mystery. Uncover exactly what happened on Echo Island and what these four friends’ story has to do with God, the meaning of life, and the nature of reality.
Audible Audio
Published October 20, 2020
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About the author
Jared C. Wilson
58 books940 followersJared C. Wilson is the Director of Content Strategy for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Managing Editor of For The Church (ftc.co), and Director of the Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri. He is the author of numerous books, including "Gospel Wakefulness," "The Prodigal Church," and, most recently, "The Imperfect Disciple." Wilson blogs regularly at gospeldrivenchurch.com, hosted by The Gospel Coalition and is a frequent speaker at conferences and churches around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
November 16, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley for letting me review an advanced readers copy of this book.
The idea of this book was very interesting and it pitched itself as somewhat of an apocalyptic story. However, it drastically changed to a whole different type of story that’s hard to even explain.
This book had one of the biggest plot twists I’ve ever read that made me question everything, but immediately after that plot twist, everything became a confusing mess and I had a hard time understanding what exactly was happening in the story. Pardon my language, but the confusing part was also a bit of mindfuckery. It messed with my mind and my conception of reality, which isn’t necessarily too much of a bad thing for some people but I personally didn’t enjoy the mindfuckery feeling that I got from the book.
Perhaps my biggest issues with the book were the writing style and the characters. The writing style was bland and didn’t draw me in. All the characters were also unlikeable. I didn’t feel myself connecting to any of the characters and I definitely didn’t care about what happened to the characters.
Another issue I have with this book is that there’s no diversity. The only female character doesn’t get introduced until about halfway through the book and all the other characters are white males. This book was published in 2020, so I expected more diversity. If the characters weren’t white, then that needed to be clarified because based on their names and descriptions, they appeared to be white. I just expect a lot from books because of how diverse and accepting our world has become, but I didn’t get that diversity in this book.
My final complaint is that the ending wasn’t satisfying. It felt like there was more to be told with this story or I just needed the story to be wrapped up a little better than what it was.
It might seem weird that I gave this book 2 stars instead of 1 since I’ve been bashing it so much in my review, but I genuinely liked the first 35% of this book. It felt like an apocalyptic book at first and had it followed down that path, I would’ve enjoyed the book even more.
One last thing I want to note is that this book is labeled as Christian fiction on goodreads. This book does talk about religion a little bit but not very much. If you’re interested in this book, but you don’t like religious books, don’t let the label of Christian fiction deter you from reading this book.
The idea of this book was very interesting and it pitched itself as somewhat of an apocalyptic story. However, it drastically changed to a whole different type of story that’s hard to even explain.
This book had one of the biggest plot twists I’ve ever read that made me question everything, but immediately after that plot twist, everything became a confusing mess and I had a hard time understanding what exactly was happening in the story. Pardon my language, but the confusing part was also a bit of mindfuckery. It messed with my mind and my conception of reality, which isn’t necessarily too much of a bad thing for some people but I personally didn’t enjoy the mindfuckery feeling that I got from the book.
Perhaps my biggest issues with the book were the writing style and the characters. The writing style was bland and didn’t draw me in. All the characters were also unlikeable. I didn’t feel myself connecting to any of the characters and I definitely didn’t care about what happened to the characters.
Another issue I have with this book is that there’s no diversity. The only female character doesn’t get introduced until about halfway through the book and all the other characters are white males. This book was published in 2020, so I expected more diversity. If the characters weren’t white, then that needed to be clarified because based on their names and descriptions, they appeared to be white. I just expect a lot from books because of how diverse and accepting our world has become, but I didn’t get that diversity in this book.
My final complaint is that the ending wasn’t satisfying. It felt like there was more to be told with this story or I just needed the story to be wrapped up a little better than what it was.
It might seem weird that I gave this book 2 stars instead of 1 since I’ve been bashing it so much in my review, but I genuinely liked the first 35% of this book. It felt like an apocalyptic book at first and had it followed down that path, I would’ve enjoyed the book even more.
One last thing I want to note is that this book is labeled as Christian fiction on goodreads. This book does talk about religion a little bit but not very much. If you’re interested in this book, but you don’t like religious books, don’t let the label of Christian fiction deter you from reading this book.
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February 3, 2023Note: This book confused me to no end. So I'm sorry if this review becomes confusing. :) I normally try to give both the good and the bad in my reviews, but this one's going to be mostly negative.
Characters: I had trouble relating to the characters. I believe this was due to the writing style (more on that later) and the inclusion of too many characters (more on that too).
Language: Clean.
Moral: The moral discussed in this book was the sovereignty of God. This is where things got really confusing to me. Basically, God's sovereignty was portrayed as the relationship between an author and his characters/story. Not only were no Bible verses discussed but also a bunch of myths (Greek/Roman/I don't know) were combined into the story.
To be honest, the whole thing left me confused (I know I've said that a lot already) and kind of uneasy. When you add a bunch of symbolism, analogies, and myths to biblical truth, things get bad.
This could easily turn into a rant, but I'm so, so sick of theologians making things so confusing and basically putting doubts in people's minds.
Plot: The plot was way too out-there for me. I'm a really literal person, and the whole scenario (which I'm not going to rehash) was just too much for me. Also, I don't understand why the author needed to start out with four characters, then conveniently remove two from the plot. I would've much rather had the book open with just two main characters.
Random comments: Fair warning, there are some spoilers in this section.
I didn't like that the characters were supposed to be dead and that they weren't in heaven or hell. They were in some middle state and didn't even know they had died. People who have died go to heaven or hell. They don't wander around.
I also didn't like how one character blamed another character's bad decision on the sovereignty of God. Just no.
And I didn't like how little the characters cared about their dead friend or their friend who went off the deep end.
Also, for this being a teen book, there was a lot of violence and some elements that got pretty creepy.
Romance: Basically nonexistent. Which I liked.
Writing: This was told in omniscient POV (you get to read about all the characters' thoughts in the same scene). This left me feeling detached from the characters.
Overall: I can't recommend this book to teenagers/young adults or really anyone. I feel like the weird mix of Bible truth and man-made myths is just confusing and would inspire doubts. Books should have a clear message solidly founded in biblical truth.
Characters: I had trouble relating to the characters. I believe this was due to the writing style (more on that later) and the inclusion of too many characters (more on that too).
Language: Clean.
Moral: The moral discussed in this book was the sovereignty of God. This is where things got really confusing to me. Basically, God's sovereignty was portrayed as the relationship between an author and his characters/story. Not only were no Bible verses discussed but also a bunch of myths (Greek/Roman/I don't know) were combined into the story.
To be honest, the whole thing left me confused (I know I've said that a lot already) and kind of uneasy. When you add a bunch of symbolism, analogies, and myths to biblical truth, things get bad.
This could easily turn into a rant, but I'm so, so sick of theologians making things so confusing and basically putting doubts in people's minds.
Plot: The plot was way too out-there for me. I'm a really literal person, and the whole scenario (which I'm not going to rehash) was just too much for me. Also, I don't understand why the author needed to start out with four characters, then conveniently remove two from the plot. I would've much rather had the book open with just two main characters.
Random comments: Fair warning, there are some spoilers in this section.
I didn't like that the characters were supposed to be dead and that they weren't in heaven or hell. They were in some middle state and didn't even know they had died. People who have died go to heaven or hell. They don't wander around.
I also didn't like how one character blamed another character's bad decision on the sovereignty of God. Just no.
And I didn't like how little the characters cared about their dead friend or their friend who went off the deep end.
Also, for this being a teen book, there was a lot of violence and some elements that got pretty creepy.
Romance: Basically nonexistent. Which I liked.
Writing: This was told in omniscient POV (you get to read about all the characters' thoughts in the same scene). This left me feeling detached from the characters.
Overall: I can't recommend this book to teenagers/young adults or really anyone. I feel like the weird mix of Bible truth and man-made myths is just confusing and would inspire doubts. Books should have a clear message solidly founded in biblical truth.
October 27, 2020
It's difficult to review this book. For the first half or more, I understood what was happening and saw the reveal coming. After we find out why the island is abandoned, the story became strange and I didn't know what was going on. I think there are some references to God being the writer of your story, but I wasn't sure what the point of the island was. To redeem yourself? To decide what kind of person you are and where you'll go from there?
There was no character development, we saw surface things about the boys and that's it. There's very little worldbuilding and no romance. There is a villain that they boys must battle, though I didn't understand why they had to fight him.
This had potential for sure, but it fell flat and needed more details to move the story along and clear up confusion about the purpose of Echo Island.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
There was no character development, we saw surface things about the boys and that's it. There's very little worldbuilding and no romance. There is a villain that they boys must battle, though I didn't understand why they had to fight him.
This had potential for sure, but it fell flat and needed more details to move the story along and clear up confusion about the purpose of Echo Island.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
December 12, 2024
2.75⭐️
So, as the premise suggests, this book started off super great, and I had high hopes. However, as the story unfolded it got more predictable, a bit boring, and also very confusing…
Premise: 4 teen boys who are slowly starting to drift from each other in terms of life choices, personalities and future paths, decide to go on one last camping trip on the island. Things are going great, until they head home. When they get home everyone is GONE. All animals and humans have disappeared, but there is no sign of distress or emergency evacuation or any signs of interrupted life.
The boys, confused and dumbfounded split into 2 pairs to see if they can find out what happened and where everyone went.
Spoilers below…
You’ve been warned….
Ok, so the biggest reason I was so confused and gave it a low rating was the ‘authorship’. I had 2 guesses early on, and one was that they were in a story being told (like the movie )…but when we got *some explanation on who was who, they say That while God definitely exists, God is not the author of this particular story, and yet all of the allusions and comments made make it seem like God IS the author. But if, in fact, God is not the author of this story, who was??? And what is Jake; the narrator?? #confused
So, as the premise suggests, this book started off super great, and I had high hopes. However, as the story unfolded it got more predictable, a bit boring, and also very confusing…
Premise: 4 teen boys who are slowly starting to drift from each other in terms of life choices, personalities and future paths, decide to go on one last camping trip on the island. Things are going great, until they head home. When they get home everyone is GONE. All animals and humans have disappeared, but there is no sign of distress or emergency evacuation or any signs of interrupted life.
The boys, confused and dumbfounded split into 2 pairs to see if they can find out what happened and where everyone went.
Spoilers below…
You’ve been warned….
Ok, so the biggest reason I was so confused and gave it a low rating was the ‘authorship’. I had 2 guesses early on, and one was that they were in a story being told (like the movie )…but when we got *some explanation on who was who, they say That while God definitely exists, God is not the author of this particular story, and yet all of the allusions and comments made make it seem like God IS the author. But if, in fact, God is not the author of this story, who was??? And what is Jake; the narrator?? #confused
October 19, 2020
I appreciate all of Jared's writing. This is the first fiction book of his I've read, and I liked it. I couldn't put it down, and the ending was profound.
October 26, 2025
I'm sorry but I didn't really love this book. It was a meh for me. I liked the concept and the plot but everything just spiraled towards the end into a pit of madness and confusion.
There are spoilers so beware before you read this
Four boys go on a camping trip on the mainland to celebrate their graduation. When they go back to their home, Echo island, they find all life has disappeared. Now they must figure out the mystery and try to bring everybody back.
I thought this was an interesting plot. The only problem is the ending sucked. The big plot twist was that they were actually in a story and there is an author writing their entire lives. Again, sounds like a great concept. I love the movie Neverending Story, but this book just didn't deliver like that movie did.
Basically there is an Author writing a book and these kids are in that book that the Author is writing. I like that idea, yeah it makes me go insane because my concept of reality just goes in the trash, but I like books that make me think that way. So these kids go back to Echo Island to find that everyone disappeared, first plot twist is the reason everyone is gone is because the kids got in a car accident and they are actually dead so everyone didn't disappear, the kids are the ones who disappeared and went into an afterlife of some kind. Second plot twist like I said earlier, all of these events are written by the Author and they are actually in a book. Again I like that. The reason I didn't like it was more because of the details and the ending. I'm so sorry if none of this makes sense, I'm horrible at explaining stuff.
Another person we meet that also died and went into this Echo Island afterlife is Beatrice. I like her because of how mysterious she is. But I really don't understand her father. Her father is abusive and he was the one that killed her, but he's not dead so how the heck is he in this afterlife too? He was like the main villain of the story and he was insane and tried to kill all the kids. 1. Why? Why did he try and kill a bunch of kids he didn't know? There was no reason, he just walked around and saw a kid and was like 'I want to kill you' 2. Like I said, how is he there with the kids? This was a kind of afterlife and it never said he died.
What the heck is this afterlife, its not called anything, its not heaven or hell and there's no explanation as to what its called. The character Jack, a guide to the characters and explaining the whole thing to them, said that they crossed the river Styx to get to the afterlife but its not heaven or hell and when asked whether or not there is a heaven or hell he says yes there is but this isn't it. That part has me confused. If there's heaven and hell then what is this afterlife they found themselves in. Then Jack says they are in the Authors imagination and then further tells them they are in a story. He never really explains the afterlife thing. I don't think it has anything to do with Greek mythology but then why did they mention Styx??
How can they die if they're already dead? Tim dies, howwww??? They are in the afterlife??? I'm so confused??? Also there's not enough grieving for Tim. He dies and everyone's like 'oh no, I'm sad he's gone but lets move on with the Author's story' Like your friend just died and you're not mourning??
They just leave Archer behind? After everything's done and the abusive dad is defeated, Bradley, Jason, and Beatrice leave the island to start a new life somewhere else and they leave Archer behind... Jack just says 'He's really confused about this whole story thing so until he recovers from his insanity I think its best if you just leave without him' Bro who does that? Just leaves their friend alone on an island. Archer is the only relatable guy when it comes to that, I would go insane too if I learned I'm just living in a book.
After everyone learns they're dead and they'll never see their family again they're just ok with it. At the beginning everyone was freaking out and sad that their family is gone but after learning the truth they don't care anymore. Bro how can you not freak out over that??!!
The characters... So 2-D and no personality whatsoever. I couldn't connect with any of them, I didn't care when Tim died, didn't care when they got injured, it didn't feel like they were people. I liked Beatrice a little bit because of how she's a mysterious girl lol but I still felt she had no real personality.
The writing and the dialogue was so bland, I just couldn't get into the story. I would have liked it more if the whole plot was done a bit better but it wasn't so... and the bland writing just makes the plot even worse.
This is supposed to be a christian fiction but... I did not see Jesus or God mentioned at all. The whole time I was like Jesus where you at? Yeah they mentioned the rapture once to explain the whole island's disappearance but I wouldn't call that Christian fiction. They also said Jason was into Jesus but never did he talk about Christianity once. I would not call this a Christian fiction, was it clean, yes it was, was it Christian, no it wasn't.
I'm sorry but I didn't really like this book. I liked the beginning but everything went downhill once we got to the plot twists. I'm gonna be nice and give this 2.5 stars instead of 2. I like the beginning, that's the only reason its getting a 2.5
There are spoilers so beware before you read this
Four boys go on a camping trip on the mainland to celebrate their graduation. When they go back to their home, Echo island, they find all life has disappeared. Now they must figure out the mystery and try to bring everybody back.
I thought this was an interesting plot. The only problem is the ending sucked. The big plot twist was that they were actually in a story and there is an author writing their entire lives. Again, sounds like a great concept. I love the movie Neverending Story, but this book just didn't deliver like that movie did.
Basically there is an Author writing a book and these kids are in that book that the Author is writing. I like that idea, yeah it makes me go insane because my concept of reality just goes in the trash, but I like books that make me think that way. So these kids go back to Echo Island to find that everyone disappeared, first plot twist is the reason everyone is gone is because the kids got in a car accident and they are actually dead so everyone didn't disappear, the kids are the ones who disappeared and went into an afterlife of some kind. Second plot twist like I said earlier, all of these events are written by the Author and they are actually in a book. Again I like that. The reason I didn't like it was more because of the details and the ending. I'm so sorry if none of this makes sense, I'm horrible at explaining stuff.
Another person we meet that also died and went into this Echo Island afterlife is Beatrice. I like her because of how mysterious she is. But I really don't understand her father. Her father is abusive and he was the one that killed her, but he's not dead so how the heck is he in this afterlife too? He was like the main villain of the story and he was insane and tried to kill all the kids. 1. Why? Why did he try and kill a bunch of kids he didn't know? There was no reason, he just walked around and saw a kid and was like 'I want to kill you' 2. Like I said, how is he there with the kids? This was a kind of afterlife and it never said he died.
What the heck is this afterlife, its not called anything, its not heaven or hell and there's no explanation as to what its called. The character Jack, a guide to the characters and explaining the whole thing to them, said that they crossed the river Styx to get to the afterlife but its not heaven or hell and when asked whether or not there is a heaven or hell he says yes there is but this isn't it. That part has me confused. If there's heaven and hell then what is this afterlife they found themselves in. Then Jack says they are in the Authors imagination and then further tells them they are in a story. He never really explains the afterlife thing. I don't think it has anything to do with Greek mythology but then why did they mention Styx??
How can they die if they're already dead? Tim dies, howwww??? They are in the afterlife??? I'm so confused??? Also there's not enough grieving for Tim. He dies and everyone's like 'oh no, I'm sad he's gone but lets move on with the Author's story' Like your friend just died and you're not mourning??
They just leave Archer behind? After everything's done and the abusive dad is defeated, Bradley, Jason, and Beatrice leave the island to start a new life somewhere else and they leave Archer behind... Jack just says 'He's really confused about this whole story thing so until he recovers from his insanity I think its best if you just leave without him' Bro who does that? Just leaves their friend alone on an island. Archer is the only relatable guy when it comes to that, I would go insane too if I learned I'm just living in a book.
After everyone learns they're dead and they'll never see their family again they're just ok with it. At the beginning everyone was freaking out and sad that their family is gone but after learning the truth they don't care anymore. Bro how can you not freak out over that??!!
The characters... So 2-D and no personality whatsoever. I couldn't connect with any of them, I didn't care when Tim died, didn't care when they got injured, it didn't feel like they were people. I liked Beatrice a little bit because of how she's a mysterious girl lol but I still felt she had no real personality.
The writing and the dialogue was so bland, I just couldn't get into the story. I would have liked it more if the whole plot was done a bit better but it wasn't so... and the bland writing just makes the plot even worse.
This is supposed to be a christian fiction but... I did not see Jesus or God mentioned at all. The whole time I was like Jesus where you at? Yeah they mentioned the rapture once to explain the whole island's disappearance but I wouldn't call that Christian fiction. They also said Jason was into Jesus but never did he talk about Christianity once. I would not call this a Christian fiction, was it clean, yes it was, was it Christian, no it wasn't.
I'm sorry but I didn't really like this book. I liked the beginning but everything went downhill once we got to the plot twists. I'm gonna be nice and give this 2.5 stars instead of 2. I like the beginning, that's the only reason its getting a 2.5
November 15, 2020
C.S. Lewis wrote a remix of Stranger Things.
Honestly though, great book. Wilson does a great job with his first fiction book. It’s a page-turner the whole way through. For fans of C.S. Lewis, you will like the way Wilson puts his writings to work in this book. It’s a fun story that doesn’t take all the turns you might expect. Great read!
Honestly though, great book. Wilson does a great job with his first fiction book. It’s a page-turner the whole way through. For fans of C.S. Lewis, you will like the way Wilson puts his writings to work in this book. It’s a fun story that doesn’t take all the turns you might expect. Great read!
April 14, 2025
Didn't really enjoy it. The beginning was good, seemed like it was really going somewhere. Sadly, it didn't, kind of meandering and boring throughout.
January 16, 2022
There is very little great Christian fiction out there. Most of it is Amish love stories and wildly exaggerated tales of the coming apocalypse. But you won't find that here. Jared's book is smart, fun, and has a way of sneaking up on you.
Not going to lie this book wrecked my day. But in a very good way. This book has been traveling for almost fifteen years to get to us and I am thankful that it was finally made available. If this is your first time reading Jared's fiction then you will be most definitely impressed. This book is a mix of Greek Myth, "Stranger than Fiction" (the movie), "Stand By Me", C.S. Lewis, and The Bible.
This book moves slow, but that's not a bad thing. It's like a simmering sauce, the more you stir it the more the notes of flavors begin to pop and comingle with one another to create an aromatic dream. Jared's prose is complimentary to his love of great fiction. He has peppered throughout the book callbacks to other classic novels, and for the astute reader you will pick up on them as you come to them.
This story is like many other great stories that have come before it. It draws you in. It's like the story that God is writing of our own existence beckons and calls us to be inserted into it. This story will grip you and bring you into its pages. In a very real sense without you knowing a certain "guide" breaks the fourth wall and allows us into the story.
If you are familiar with some of the classics, then there is a moment when it all clicks. for me, it was the entrance of a haunting young lady and a "guide" who finally sheds light on it all.
This is a brilliant read, Jared blew my mind.
Not going to lie this book wrecked my day. But in a very good way. This book has been traveling for almost fifteen years to get to us and I am thankful that it was finally made available. If this is your first time reading Jared's fiction then you will be most definitely impressed. This book is a mix of Greek Myth, "Stranger than Fiction" (the movie), "Stand By Me", C.S. Lewis, and The Bible.
This book moves slow, but that's not a bad thing. It's like a simmering sauce, the more you stir it the more the notes of flavors begin to pop and comingle with one another to create an aromatic dream. Jared's prose is complimentary to his love of great fiction. He has peppered throughout the book callbacks to other classic novels, and for the astute reader you will pick up on them as you come to them.
This story is like many other great stories that have come before it. It draws you in. It's like the story that God is writing of our own existence beckons and calls us to be inserted into it. This story will grip you and bring you into its pages. In a very real sense without you knowing a certain "guide" breaks the fourth wall and allows us into the story.
If you are familiar with some of the classics, then there is a moment when it all clicks. for me, it was the entrance of a haunting young lady and a "guide" who finally sheds light on it all.
This is a brilliant read, Jared blew my mind.
November 12, 2020
I rarely read fiction. But both of Jared’s fiction books have been excellent. He is a wonderful story-teller. I was able to finish this book in 48 hours, and that is rare for me. Stories are meant to be told like this. I hope he writes more.
September 27, 2024
I have been waiting to read this book for five years. Was the wait worth it? Not really. I liked it and was very happy with the whole them knowing there characters in a book thing. But it’s not how I would have done it and it’s not the best thing I have ever read sooo ya read it if you want but ya
October 31, 2020
This book for me was surprisingly well done. I say “surprisingly” only because for some reason I had initially pegged it as a Frank Peretti knockoff, and it is far more intellectually and classically developed than that genre, while remaining no less evangelically relevant. It has a couple of very interesting twists in it, including a rather mind-bending implicit thought challenge for the reader which I have never encountered in a novel before. If there was no category for Reformed philosophical fiction before, there is now; and as the (singularly well rendered) ending appears to leave it wide open for a sequel, I will look forward to another one
November 11, 2020
I read the entire novel over the course of an evening and a morning. I invested maybe four hours; it's a quick read.
The plot follows four boys (Jason, Archer, Bradley and Tim) as they search for the cause of a mysterious disappearance. The boys live on Echo Island, a mid sized piece of land home to five thousand people in the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of Washington State. They return from a camping trip to find that everyone is gone and that no electrical devices work, no matter their power source.
I knew the plot twist within the first ten pages. Seriously, I set down the book when I reached page eleven, and told my wife what it was and what the author was doing. The author reveals the twist somewhere around page 160 and then takes the plot exactly where I thought it would go.
I think any moderately engaged reader will figure out the plot twist as quickly as I did. The rest might not be so obvious. Why?
I used to be a minister in a Christian church and I received a classical education in high school and college. By classical- I mean lots of dead white European males like Shakespeare, Dante, Milton, and so on. I've also read a fair amount of theology and philosophy.
The first part of the novel is a straight up mystery story. It presents the mystery well, although the characters are left mostly undeveloped.
The second part, after the twist, is a theological and philosophical exploration of Christian theodicy, also known as ,"If God is good, then why does evil exist?"
If you've read any theology then you'll catch what he's doing in the second part as fast as you caught the plot twist in the first part.
I don't think this is a novel. It's really a theology treatise. There's minimal character development. The plot that's set up in the first ten pages ends at the twist. And there's no real ending. Depending on how you read it, it could also be a classical morality play. But it's not a novel.
If you come to this book expecting a mystery story like I did, you will be disappointed. If you like Christian theology and theodicies, then you might like this book.
I have some further thoughts, which are massive spoilers. Consider yourself warned, should you choose to click and read:
The plot follows four boys (Jason, Archer, Bradley and Tim) as they search for the cause of a mysterious disappearance. The boys live on Echo Island, a mid sized piece of land home to five thousand people in the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of Washington State. They return from a camping trip to find that everyone is gone and that no electrical devices work, no matter their power source.
I knew the plot twist within the first ten pages. Seriously, I set down the book when I reached page eleven, and told my wife what it was and what the author was doing. The author reveals the twist somewhere around page 160 and then takes the plot exactly where I thought it would go.
I think any moderately engaged reader will figure out the plot twist as quickly as I did. The rest might not be so obvious. Why?
I used to be a minister in a Christian church and I received a classical education in high school and college. By classical- I mean lots of dead white European males like Shakespeare, Dante, Milton, and so on. I've also read a fair amount of theology and philosophy.
The first part of the novel is a straight up mystery story. It presents the mystery well, although the characters are left mostly undeveloped.
The second part, after the twist, is a theological and philosophical exploration of Christian theodicy, also known as ,"If God is good, then why does evil exist?"
If you've read any theology then you'll catch what he's doing in the second part as fast as you caught the plot twist in the first part.
I don't think this is a novel. It's really a theology treatise. There's minimal character development. The plot that's set up in the first ten pages ends at the twist. And there's no real ending. Depending on how you read it, it could also be a classical morality play. But it's not a novel.
If you come to this book expecting a mystery story like I did, you will be disappointed. If you like Christian theology and theodicies, then you might like this book.
I have some further thoughts, which are massive spoilers. Consider yourself warned, should you choose to click and read:
August 2, 2025
Echo Island was a book that started off with so much promise, but then the book took a turn and got SO confusing.
I had hoped what was happening in the book was because of a certain thing, but when we found out the real reason, it just left me confused...and I'm not even sure a definitive answer was given.
The characters were okay, but none of them stood out as favorites. All in all, Echo Island was not a book for me. I wonder if there will be a sequel, as the ending did not give me enough closure.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
I had hoped what was happening in the book was because of a certain thing, but when we found out the real reason, it just left me confused...and I'm not even sure a definitive answer was given.
The characters were okay, but none of them stood out as favorites. All in all, Echo Island was not a book for me. I wonder if there will be a sequel, as the ending did not give me enough closure.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
August 20, 2020
Four high school boys return home to their Island from a camping trip only to find out that everyone on the island has disappeared, not even animals remain, or even air. Now, it is up to the four friends to find out the mystery behind it all. But is it something that can be solved? Or is it something far beyond even their wildest imaginations.
Oof, this is something so unlike I’ve ever read before, after Alice’s adventures in Wonderland that is. It comes halfway through but the ideas and the writing get just as mad as that and I so loved it. It’s so well written, you wouldn’t think you’d find four young boys talking amongst themselves interesting enough to carry on reading, but this was so well written. Even though there isn’t much about the backgrounds of the characters, but you can easily imagine their personalities by just the way their dialogues are written, soo good!
It's a good mix of horror, and thriller, filled with creepy vibes all the way. The story gets a bit fantastical towards the end, with mythical stories and direct hints to spirituality thrown throughout the book, not something I’m a fan of, but it was an amazing read and I found myself pondering over some of the words and ideas. The ending is kind of abrupt and open-ended, and it kinda irked me ‘cause I was looking for something solid, but I loved it anyway, it all makes sense if you keep the spirituality angle in view, and I think it was beautiful, but it sure asks for more.
Thanks to Netgalley, author, and publishers for the review copy.
Oof, this is something so unlike I’ve ever read before, after Alice’s adventures in Wonderland that is. It comes halfway through but the ideas and the writing get just as mad as that and I so loved it. It’s so well written, you wouldn’t think you’d find four young boys talking amongst themselves interesting enough to carry on reading, but this was so well written. Even though there isn’t much about the backgrounds of the characters, but you can easily imagine their personalities by just the way their dialogues are written, soo good!
It's a good mix of horror, and thriller, filled with creepy vibes all the way. The story gets a bit fantastical towards the end, with mythical stories and direct hints to spirituality thrown throughout the book, not something I’m a fan of, but it was an amazing read and I found myself pondering over some of the words and ideas. The ending is kind of abrupt and open-ended, and it kinda irked me ‘cause I was looking for something solid, but I loved it anyway, it all makes sense if you keep the spirituality angle in view, and I think it was beautiful, but it sure asks for more.
Thanks to Netgalley, author, and publishers for the review copy.
July 23, 2021
One of the best books I’ve ever read. Had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
Don’t read the negative comments! 😉
Don’t read the negative comments! 😉
December 11, 2023
The first half of this book was AMAZING then at chapter 12 it became horrible. The writer could have made such a good ending but the way he did it was terrible and boring
March 28, 2025
This had the potential to be a good story, but wtf was the last half of this book.
March 3, 2023
-Hii everyone, Its Christopher the reader, The book we are here to talk about tonight is (Drum roll) Echo Island. This was my first read of 'Jared C. Wilson's work. I first read this story in March, of this year (2023), it took me a day to finish reading. I say that it may be more appropriate for older children and young adults due to its themes and subject matter of the book. 'Echo Island' was first published on the 20th of October in the year 2020. The book was told using third person with it following the four boys point of view (Jason, Bradley, archer and Tim.) Which had 17 chapters. all together the story had 251 pages.
- I thought that the book had some good character detail. To my surprise, this story did turn out to be different from what I initially expected when I picked it up and started reading. Admittedly, I had not read the full summary beforehand. Although I was pleased to find that the book retained some elements of an apocalyptic story, I couldn't help but feel that it had the potential for me, to be even more enjoyable if it had fully embraced in that direction. I must say Jared C. Wilson's depictions of the Island I found were really captivating, as he skilfully weaved together vivid details that I feel transported me right into the heart of the book. I found the plot engaging which kept me hooked from beginning to end. I think 'Jared C. Wilson' did an excellent job of creating suspense and mystery within the story.
In my opinion, I do feel like the book incorporates a powerful Christian message into its plot without being overly preachy. However, I appreciate that it didn't excessively dwell on religious themes, which adds to its overall appeal for me. I appreciate the opportunity to get acquainted with the characters throughout the story. However, I believe that further character development would have enhanced my personal connection with them. I think if it had some flashbacks of their friend group throughout the book could have helped that a bit. In my opinion, the inclusion of actual movies alongside the fictional stories in the book, added a pleasant element that I feel can enabled readers to completely engage themselves in the experience.
The story's ability to introduce a few new faces throughout its pages was a highlight for me, as I feel like it kept me engaged and invested more with the book. I found the small artwork featured in the section breaks to be a nice addition, which effectively signalled a shift in perspective within the book. I found it Interesting that when the characters in the story were reading things that it was shown to us in different texts, which allowed us the reader to uncover additional information without it blending into the main story. I was delighted to discover that this book had its own audible, particularly because there was a few sections in the text that featured cursive writing, which I find to be quite challenging to read. At certain points, I found the pace of the story to be a bit sluggish.
As I got into the book, its began to evoked memories of "Thirst by Jill Williamson," and as I continued reading, it brought to mind the captivating essence of TV shows like "The Sparticle Mystery" and "Nowhere Boys."
- I appreciated the plot twists, and while I saw one of the twists coming, I still wasn't that disappointed when it was revealed. In my opinion, I feel like the story could have benefited from a more of a conclusive ending as the book finished. I would like to see this story get turned into a TV Show. If it ever does I would definitely go and watch it.
For each book that I read, I rate it out of 10 so for this am going to give it a 7. Remember this was what I thought about the story personally and I suggest that you give it a go for yourself.
- I thought that the book had some good character detail. To my surprise, this story did turn out to be different from what I initially expected when I picked it up and started reading. Admittedly, I had not read the full summary beforehand. Although I was pleased to find that the book retained some elements of an apocalyptic story, I couldn't help but feel that it had the potential for me, to be even more enjoyable if it had fully embraced in that direction. I must say Jared C. Wilson's depictions of the Island I found were really captivating, as he skilfully weaved together vivid details that I feel transported me right into the heart of the book. I found the plot engaging which kept me hooked from beginning to end. I think 'Jared C. Wilson' did an excellent job of creating suspense and mystery within the story.
In my opinion, I do feel like the book incorporates a powerful Christian message into its plot without being overly preachy. However, I appreciate that it didn't excessively dwell on religious themes, which adds to its overall appeal for me. I appreciate the opportunity to get acquainted with the characters throughout the story. However, I believe that further character development would have enhanced my personal connection with them. I think if it had some flashbacks of their friend group throughout the book could have helped that a bit. In my opinion, the inclusion of actual movies alongside the fictional stories in the book, added a pleasant element that I feel can enabled readers to completely engage themselves in the experience.
The story's ability to introduce a few new faces throughout its pages was a highlight for me, as I feel like it kept me engaged and invested more with the book. I found the small artwork featured in the section breaks to be a nice addition, which effectively signalled a shift in perspective within the book. I found it Interesting that when the characters in the story were reading things that it was shown to us in different texts, which allowed us the reader to uncover additional information without it blending into the main story. I was delighted to discover that this book had its own audible, particularly because there was a few sections in the text that featured cursive writing, which I find to be quite challenging to read. At certain points, I found the pace of the story to be a bit sluggish.
As I got into the book, its began to evoked memories of "Thirst by Jill Williamson," and as I continued reading, it brought to mind the captivating essence of TV shows like "The Sparticle Mystery" and "Nowhere Boys."
- I appreciated the plot twists, and while I saw one of the twists coming, I still wasn't that disappointed when it was revealed. In my opinion, I feel like the story could have benefited from a more of a conclusive ending as the book finished. I would like to see this story get turned into a TV Show. If it ever does I would definitely go and watch it.
For each book that I read, I rate it out of 10 so for this am going to give it a 7. Remember this was what I thought about the story personally and I suggest that you give it a go for yourself.
September 15, 2020
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Echo Island is about four boys who go to the mainland for a camping trip and return to their island home to find that all residents, including animals, have vanished. The power is out, electronics aren't working... even the wind is gone. They search the island for clues but don't find anything to explain why their world has been turned upside-down.
I'm not really sure where to start with this one, so I'll just dive right in... I had a lot of little problems with this book, but nothing that was too big to keep me from finishing it. For example, the book started off a bit slow for me, but at the same time, I was curious enough about the premise that I kept reading. And while I wasn't a huge fan of any of the main characters, the setting and plot were enough to pull me through. I really appreciated the plot twists, and while I saw one of the twists coming, I still wasn't disappointed when it was revealed.
The one thing that I had to keep reminding myself was that this was a YA book and that I (37-year-old female librarian) was not the intended audience. I do strongly believe that this book will be very well received by teen boys... the dialogue and tone the MCs took when speaking with each other was a bit much for me, but I think it will really hit home with actual teens.
I found some bits to be slightly repetitive. It seemed, especially toward the beginning, that our MCs were having the same conversation over and over. The writing itself was well done, and the descriptions of the landscape and atmosphere were amazing, which made the repetition in the dialogue much more tolerable.
I will definitely be ordering this book for my library's YA collection. I would recommend this book to all teens, but especially boys and anyone who believes in God (or another higher power). It was advertised as a thriller and it definitely didn't disappoint in that area. I would also recommend this book to anyone who doesn't like a book filled with romance. It's sometimes hard to find anything in the YA genre that avoids romance, but Echo Island was definitely devoid of all things mushy-gushy.
My conclusion: A spooky thriller for fans of Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl and Ten by Gretchen McNeil. Perfect read for a dark and stormy night this fall!
Echo Island is about four boys who go to the mainland for a camping trip and return to their island home to find that all residents, including animals, have vanished. The power is out, electronics aren't working... even the wind is gone. They search the island for clues but don't find anything to explain why their world has been turned upside-down.
I'm not really sure where to start with this one, so I'll just dive right in... I had a lot of little problems with this book, but nothing that was too big to keep me from finishing it. For example, the book started off a bit slow for me, but at the same time, I was curious enough about the premise that I kept reading. And while I wasn't a huge fan of any of the main characters, the setting and plot were enough to pull me through. I really appreciated the plot twists, and while I saw one of the twists coming, I still wasn't disappointed when it was revealed.
The one thing that I had to keep reminding myself was that this was a YA book and that I (37-year-old female librarian) was not the intended audience. I do strongly believe that this book will be very well received by teen boys... the dialogue and tone the MCs took when speaking with each other was a bit much for me, but I think it will really hit home with actual teens.
I found some bits to be slightly repetitive. It seemed, especially toward the beginning, that our MCs were having the same conversation over and over. The writing itself was well done, and the descriptions of the landscape and atmosphere were amazing, which made the repetition in the dialogue much more tolerable.
I will definitely be ordering this book for my library's YA collection. I would recommend this book to all teens, but especially boys and anyone who believes in God (or another higher power). It was advertised as a thriller and it definitely didn't disappoint in that area. I would also recommend this book to anyone who doesn't like a book filled with romance. It's sometimes hard to find anything in the YA genre that avoids romance, but Echo Island was definitely devoid of all things mushy-gushy.
My conclusion: A spooky thriller for fans of Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl and Ten by Gretchen McNeil. Perfect read for a dark and stormy night this fall!
March 12, 2023
After finishing Echo Island I have a lot of good to say. I loved the unique plot twist, the idea that the characters we had been following were literily in a story a book yet to be finished. while i was reading some reviews to hep me format this review i saw some people didnt like the characters they thought they were more normal.Thats kinda the point they are not surposed to be likeable they are surposed to be normal and most normal people are not all that likable. I liked the character of archer in the book i like how he while he was smart he wasn't some really overly importent character like most smart charaters are in books he had his flaws, for what the book was his flaw was pretty good too. I also liked the character of beatrice i think that while her father was abusive and i dont think that anyone could hold innocence after that I liked her purity and wonder her want to be free. i would recomend this book to guys from 14-19. I think that there are a lot of literary devices that you can see after a second read through so ill proably read it again just to try to find them all.
I thought that the characters could have used a bit more development but that kinda it for the more general information i thought the book could use. there are many little things i could talk about but over all i liked much more then i disliked.
In echo island there are two main themes that clash with each other throught the book. The Idea's of independence and sovereignty. sovereneignty is the main theme if you could call it that. the idea that some higher power you can't really understand has authority over all life, well thats what the sovereneignty in the book is. This is presented through the notebooks some otherworldy books that write what the main characters do and think the moment that they do them. When these charaters find out about these books they feel mostly powerless, but after some thought they get back on track to defeat the boss. this boss also is quite the repersentation because he is basically evil while most people are logic persuaded by emotion the boss is emotion pursuaded to logic he is mostly an abusive dad who probably killed his wife and had a very weird relationship with his daughter which might have been more then the average bond. with that there is the other theme of free choice. this is shown through the books being written when the chacter are doign things they still have to decide what to do they still have to act. they have to take the freedon given to them by being born and use it to save themselves.This is displayed through the notebooks being written it is always showen in the book that with freewill come sovereignty and that with sovereignty come freewill.
I thought that the characters could have used a bit more development but that kinda it for the more general information i thought the book could use. there are many little things i could talk about but over all i liked much more then i disliked.
In echo island there are two main themes that clash with each other throught the book. The Idea's of independence and sovereignty. sovereneignty is the main theme if you could call it that. the idea that some higher power you can't really understand has authority over all life, well thats what the sovereneignty in the book is. This is presented through the notebooks some otherworldy books that write what the main characters do and think the moment that they do them. When these charaters find out about these books they feel mostly powerless, but after some thought they get back on track to defeat the boss. this boss also is quite the repersentation because he is basically evil while most people are logic persuaded by emotion the boss is emotion pursuaded to logic he is mostly an abusive dad who probably killed his wife and had a very weird relationship with his daughter which might have been more then the average bond. with that there is the other theme of free choice. this is shown through the books being written when the chacter are doign things they still have to decide what to do they still have to act. they have to take the freedon given to them by being born and use it to save themselves.This is displayed through the notebooks being written it is always showen in the book that with freewill come sovereignty and that with sovereignty come freewill.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2020
This storyline is a little bit out there, but I thought it was memorable. It's a creepy plot, where 4 high school kids go camping off the coast of Washington state, and when they return to the island in which they live, all other people have disappeared.
The author does a great job of helping the reader picture the creepy setting of the story. While the plot becomes a bit fantastical, I could get behind it- it was a unique concept and easy to follow if you are willing to suspend your disbelief.
My one nit was that I didn't really understand the characters or their friendship- I wish the author had gone deeper into their personalities in the beginning, though they began to come together as the book went on.
Overall, this is a quick and unique read and I'd recommend it to those that like the horror genre and the abandoned town situation. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The author does a great job of helping the reader picture the creepy setting of the story. While the plot becomes a bit fantastical, I could get behind it- it was a unique concept and easy to follow if you are willing to suspend your disbelief.
My one nit was that I didn't really understand the characters or their friendship- I wish the author had gone deeper into their personalities in the beginning, though they began to come together as the book went on.
Overall, this is a quick and unique read and I'd recommend it to those that like the horror genre and the abandoned town situation. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2021
I appreciate Jared C. Wilson as a theologian/writer so much, and thought this fiction was well-done. Knowing it is inspired by some of CS Lewis’s writing and mythos is helpful to understanding it. If you try to make it sci fi, or dystopian fiction, or even stereotypical Christian bookstore fiction, you’re probably going to be disappointed. Read it like you would read The Great Divorce and it makes much more sense.
My main criticism is that plot twists are just hard to do well. You really have to lead the reader along solidly in one direction, throw the wrench in, and then help the reader connect the dots about everything up til that point. That was a little clumsy in this story. But not a failure by any means. I think it’s a story that would become richer with a second reading, knowing the twist and knowing the thematic direction it’s going in. I can see this being a fun book club novel. Lots to discuss!
My main criticism is that plot twists are just hard to do well. You really have to lead the reader along solidly in one direction, throw the wrench in, and then help the reader connect the dots about everything up til that point. That was a little clumsy in this story. But not a failure by any means. I think it’s a story that would become richer with a second reading, knowing the twist and knowing the thematic direction it’s going in. I can see this being a fun book club novel. Lots to discuss!
November 1, 2020
My son already read this. While he manages to find plenty of words to share his excitement about some things, he seems to be more reticent about the books he reads. But he devoured Echo Island in a day and I think he's already re-reading it.
When I asked him how he liked it he just shrugged and smiled. That means he liked it a lot. When I asked how he would rate it with stars, he said it's a solid 4 star.
It's in my TBR queue.
When I asked him how he liked it he just shrugged and smiled. That means he liked it a lot. When I asked how he would rate it with stars, he said it's a solid 4 star.
It's in my TBR queue.
May 18, 2023
This story made me cry. Especially when I found out Archie and Tim weren't going back in the end (Not telling you why no spoilers!) please make a second (2nd) book, where AT LEAST Archie can get back. Other than that it was a well written, heart warming, kind of thrilling mystery book, which mentions strange dream theories and more. Read it it is very good. (My new favourite book probably) I love that it mentions God and that he actually exists (People reading my review- God does exist!) SO I just wanna say, don't let the tiny bit of christianity make you stop reading it, Instead feel like reading it more. (To discover a little more of our religion though it doesn't mention much anyway) It is good story regardless. Read some of the first review of this book- the last paragraph (By Shawna Finnigan)
March 19, 2024
At first the characters feel one-dimensional and hard to relate too. But, that is part of the story that becomes more clear as the book continues. So if you feel this way about the characters early, let the story carry you and the characters will pay off.
I don’t want to give spoilers, but this book handles a couple of themes extraordinarily well. I look forward to reading this with my kids when they are old enough.
I don’t want to give spoilers, but this book handles a couple of themes extraordinarily well. I look forward to reading this with my kids when they are old enough.
April 12, 2025
I don’t know if I liked this book or not. I don’t really think so. I would give the writing style two stars max. But the plot line and the actual story… Maybe four or five stars. I appreciate the esoteric and spiritual undertones, and I’ll definitely give The plot twist an extra push because I didn’t see that coming. But good Lord… The writing was just so…Meh.
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June 19, 2022The storyline initially drew me in, but this was a strange one without a particularly satisfying or enjoyable conclusion. I won’t ruin it for those who might read it, but it’s not one I plan to re-read, and I don’t think it’s a great loss if one reads something else.
July 2, 2024
Not necessarily a book I would pick out but when the Falconers recommend a book and lend it to you, you read it. I liked it! Interesting to read a YA novel written by a guy who mostly writes nonfiction but whose favorite authors are Dante and C.S. Lewis.
January 9, 2021
This is the first fiction book I’ve read in about a year and a half. It was good to get back into it. Jared Wilson is a great writer and gives me CS Lewis vibes with the way he puts you in the story.
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