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Touch #1
The Touch
Gabriel is a special boy, living in an orphanage his entire life with no memory of his parents. He is considered autistic by many. He is not. He appears autistic because he is hearing a voice. The voice is real, but it is a supernatural presence. What the voice gives him is a power that he can transfer by touch. Gabriel is the starting point for a change that is happening to many young people just like himself, all over the world. The change is wondrous and difficult at the same time. One thing is certain. The voice holds power beyond anything any of these young people could have ever imagined. This power is changing everyone, one beautiful child after another. The problem with this mysterious blessing is that Gabriel does not trust this voice completely. This distrust never leaves him, and for good reason, but Gabriel finds that the wonder of what he is experiencing is far too great for him to resist.
Below, Gabriel experiences the shock of “hearing” the voice for the first time.
“If only I could tell someone what this is like! God! What is wrong with me? What is wrong?” Gabriel was screaming with a tremendous power of his own, not with his voice, but with his mind. As soon as he screamed these thoughts, which he had done so many times through the years, he received the one thing he had always been very, very scared of, an actual answer. His body tensed to rigidity as the sound rose from within. As often as he had felt a communication with this presence, he had never had an interaction like this. Before today he had heard “voice” whisperings to his body, mind and soul, and these were very strong, but seemingly subconscious. What was happening now was completely new, and extremely unsettling. He was hearing now. To make it even more difficult for the boy to deal with, this was much more than just a voice, it was a sound of so much complexity that the richness of it made Gabriel senseless for a moment. It was the sound of the universe, every timbre of an orchestra, every harmonic of all the tones of every instrument in the world, buzzing together in something beyond harmony. This sound made extreme loudness seem quiet. It was all encompassing, crushing, like a freight train coming straight for you, the ground shaking, and a complete madness. Still, with all this, Gabriel could not resist it, because even with the unstoppable fear, he felt an absolute connection to it that could not be denied.
This book is an excellent read for all ages. It has many youthful characters, adult characters and supernatural characters, and each of them bristle with personality. The work also has a deeper meaning. The author has attempted to present the world condition in a truthful and hopeful way, which is designed to ignite imagination and possibility.
Below, Gabriel experiences the shock of “hearing” the voice for the first time.
“If only I could tell someone what this is like! God! What is wrong with me? What is wrong?” Gabriel was screaming with a tremendous power of his own, not with his voice, but with his mind. As soon as he screamed these thoughts, which he had done so many times through the years, he received the one thing he had always been very, very scared of, an actual answer. His body tensed to rigidity as the sound rose from within. As often as he had felt a communication with this presence, he had never had an interaction like this. Before today he had heard “voice” whisperings to his body, mind and soul, and these were very strong, but seemingly subconscious. What was happening now was completely new, and extremely unsettling. He was hearing now. To make it even more difficult for the boy to deal with, this was much more than just a voice, it was a sound of so much complexity that the richness of it made Gabriel senseless for a moment. It was the sound of the universe, every timbre of an orchestra, every harmonic of all the tones of every instrument in the world, buzzing together in something beyond harmony. This sound made extreme loudness seem quiet. It was all encompassing, crushing, like a freight train coming straight for you, the ground shaking, and a complete madness. Still, with all this, Gabriel could not resist it, because even with the unstoppable fear, he felt an absolute connection to it that could not be denied.
This book is an excellent read for all ages. It has many youthful characters, adult characters and supernatural characters, and each of them bristle with personality. The work also has a deeper meaning. The author has attempted to present the world condition in a truthful and hopeful way, which is designed to ignite imagination and possibility.
388 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 17, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
October 8, 2017
Thank you so much to booksgosocial via netgalley for sending me an ARC copy of the touch by Robert Flynn.
Gabriel is an orphan and considered autistic because he hears voices. He is not autistic...
The touch was thought provoking and a unique twist on Gabriel the angel.
You want to go into this book not knowing anything because we follow this seemingly useless child that turns out to be amazing.
Gabriel is an orphan and considered autistic because he hears voices. He is not autistic...
The touch was thought provoking and a unique twist on Gabriel the angel.
You want to go into this book not knowing anything because we follow this seemingly useless child that turns out to be amazing.
February 20, 2018
This story, as per the book's summary, is supposed to be about a boy named Gabriel who hears a voice/supernatural presence and sets out to do good in the world, along with his friend Josh. The problem with that summary is that that's only a part of the whole story. Gabriel is far from the main character; there are three other main stories that run alongside Gabriel's (Maral's, Anakim's, and Abdul's stories).
Now, let's talk about the characters. There is absolutely no depth to ANY of the characters. I honestly didn't like a single one of them and there were FOUR MAIN CHARACTERS (along with 4 minor characters)! In my opinion, that's a huge problem. In all of the books I've read, there's always a character or two or more that I really like and don't want to see hurt, dead, or miserable; why else read a book if you're not vested in the characters, right? In this case, any one of the eight characters could have been hurt, killed or unhappy in the end and I wouldn't have cared.
In addition to not having any emotional attachment to the characters, I have no idea what they look like or how old they are. The author seemed to care more about describing the voice/presence and the scenery than in the characters themselves. When it came to the characters, his descriptions were very vague. He would describe them as "young" or "handsome and built," but I had no idea the color of their skin, hair, or eyes or even their height. He did, about a quarter or so through the book, give the age of Alabama and he mentioned Alabama's perceived height of Anakim. That's about it.
There were other little annoying things as well that were throughout the book. On top of the flat, featureless characters, the conversations all felt fake and/or stilted. As I'm reading them, I felt like the things being said aren't things that people would normally say to each other. Amidst those conversations, I felt like the author was trying to meet a word-limit on his story because he hardly ever used conjunctions. He would have these kids say something like "That is great that we are going out" as opposed to "That's great that we're going out." That's just an example, not verbatim text from the story. Another annoyance was that Gabe and Josh interchanged calling Alabama by her name and calling her mom. On one page Gabe would be calling Alabama by her name and then on the very next page call her "mom." It was very inconsistent. Lastly, the fact that all of the thoughts the characters had were in quotations annoyed me (though if the story were written better, I would've overlooked that minor detail).
In conclusion, I would absolutely NOT recommend this book. The summary is misleading, nothing really attention-getting throughout the book, and just generally not enjoyable. The idea behind the story was interesting and the sort-of-twist towards the middle/end was ok but the writing of the whole thing was just awful for me.
Now, let's talk about the characters. There is absolutely no depth to ANY of the characters. I honestly didn't like a single one of them and there were FOUR MAIN CHARACTERS (along with 4 minor characters)! In my opinion, that's a huge problem. In all of the books I've read, there's always a character or two or more that I really like and don't want to see hurt, dead, or miserable; why else read a book if you're not vested in the characters, right? In this case, any one of the eight characters could have been hurt, killed or unhappy in the end and I wouldn't have cared.
In addition to not having any emotional attachment to the characters, I have no idea what they look like or how old they are. The author seemed to care more about describing the voice/presence and the scenery than in the characters themselves. When it came to the characters, his descriptions were very vague. He would describe them as "young" or "handsome and built," but I had no idea the color of their skin, hair, or eyes or even their height. He did, about a quarter or so through the book, give the age of Alabama and he mentioned Alabama's perceived height of Anakim. That's about it.
There were other little annoying things as well that were throughout the book. On top of the flat, featureless characters, the conversations all felt fake and/or stilted. As I'm reading them, I felt like the things being said aren't things that people would normally say to each other. Amidst those conversations, I felt like the author was trying to meet a word-limit on his story because he hardly ever used conjunctions. He would have these kids say something like "That is great that we are going out" as opposed to "That's great that we're going out." That's just an example, not verbatim text from the story. Another annoyance was that Gabe and Josh interchanged calling Alabama by her name and calling her mom. On one page Gabe would be calling Alabama by her name and then on the very next page call her "mom." It was very inconsistent. Lastly, the fact that all of the thoughts the characters had were in quotations annoyed me (though if the story were written better, I would've overlooked that minor detail).
In conclusion, I would absolutely NOT recommend this book. The summary is misleading, nothing really attention-getting throughout the book, and just generally not enjoyable. The idea behind the story was interesting and the sort-of-twist towards the middle/end was ok but the writing of the whole thing was just awful for me.
April 4, 2018
What???
Couldn't finish this book. Very stilted dialogue, even childish at times, and poorly written. Characters are not developed and even unpleasant. Trying to read this was like having a bowl of Cheerios and eating one cheerio at a time. I would imagine it will come together at sometime but not for me.
Couldn't finish this book. Very stilted dialogue, even childish at times, and poorly written. Characters are not developed and even unpleasant. Trying to read this was like having a bowl of Cheerios and eating one cheerio at a time. I would imagine it will come together at sometime but not for me.
May 24, 2018
Unfortunately I was unable to finish reading this. The idea behind the story was good but I just couldn't get into the story. It just seemed as if the same thing kept happening over and over again. By the time I was 80% into it i gave up on anything new happening. I may pick it up and continue reading it at a later time but I won't guarantee it.
June 21, 2018
I always appreciate the book giveaways on Goodreads. I recently won a Kindle copy of "The Touch: A Supernatural Story" and was very excited to read it. It started out amazing! I wasn't sure that I agreed with the "supernatural" label, as it seemed very steeped in religious principles. However, as I caution my composition students, a topic can be too broad to do it justice.
That is exactly what happened. It started out with children with special talents and abilities, then grew out of control. Not only are more people who have the "touch" coming forward, the whole world is becoming involved. Soon the cast of characters includes a President and First Lady, military people from several countries, more children, gigantic angels, and the devil himself (who says he can be trusted).
The concept was sound but too many characters spoiled the storyline. The battle scenes were so faced paced toward the end that they seemed to no longer matter. I feel disappointed that a creative and interesting concept lost control and fizzled out.
That is exactly what happened. It started out with children with special talents and abilities, then grew out of control. Not only are more people who have the "touch" coming forward, the whole world is becoming involved. Soon the cast of characters includes a President and First Lady, military people from several countries, more children, gigantic angels, and the devil himself (who says he can be trusted).
The concept was sound but too many characters spoiled the storyline. The battle scenes were so faced paced toward the end that they seemed to no longer matter. I feel disappointed that a creative and interesting concept lost control and fizzled out.
September 23, 2017
Atrocious
I tried and tried to get beyond half way but had to give up. Why is every character yelling at not only everyone they speak to but themselves as well? If I ever see another ! It'll be too soon 🤢
I tried and tried to get beyond half way but had to give up. Why is every character yelling at not only everyone they speak to but themselves as well? If I ever see another ! It'll be too soon 🤢
November 12, 2018
5 stars
I enjoyed this book very much. It's unique, I myself have never read anything quite like it. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking to read something a little different.
I enjoyed this book very much. It's unique, I myself have never read anything quite like it. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking to read something a little different.
July 26, 2018
I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for a review.
Unfortunately, I could tell pretty early in the book that this one wasn't for me. I signed up for the giveaway since this was under the supernatural genre and I'm always on the lookout for more strange books to read. This is a supernatural story but with Christian mythology as it's base. Christian mythos isn't my favorite but I've read books of the Christian supernatural genre before and have liked them. Part of the problem was that this book needs some editing. The writing and descriptions of the characters is really strange. Very little to no physical descriptions and the descriptions of character traits sometimes would contradict themselves. The dialog was also very choppy. Characters often spoke their thoughts out loud (or sometimes you weren't sure if they were saying something out loud to themselves or thinking it). Along with the lack of any contractions in anyone's speech (in Texas no less), it all led to very robotic seeming characters that I couldn't really relate to.
There's also some obvious plot-convenient happenings that are too unrealistic. (Example- in the first chapter or two, a patient at a hospital is found dead outside of his room next to an unconscious nurse. Instead of asking the nurse for an explanation or having to fill out any paperwork they just send the nurse home? And say 'oh let us know what happened tomorrow when you feel better'? what? That same nurse, earlier in the chapter, is shown rushing to work so she isn't late but when she sees some storm clouds she stops her car on the side of the road to watch the clouds. Who does this?). It just takes me out of the story and instead of getting into the cool supernatural bits I'm just left wondering is everyone if irresponsible and unobservant.
Unfortunately, I could tell pretty early in the book that this one wasn't for me. I signed up for the giveaway since this was under the supernatural genre and I'm always on the lookout for more strange books to read. This is a supernatural story but with Christian mythology as it's base. Christian mythos isn't my favorite but I've read books of the Christian supernatural genre before and have liked them. Part of the problem was that this book needs some editing. The writing and descriptions of the characters is really strange. Very little to no physical descriptions and the descriptions of character traits sometimes would contradict themselves. The dialog was also very choppy. Characters often spoke their thoughts out loud (or sometimes you weren't sure if they were saying something out loud to themselves or thinking it). Along with the lack of any contractions in anyone's speech (in Texas no less), it all led to very robotic seeming characters that I couldn't really relate to.
There's also some obvious plot-convenient happenings that are too unrealistic. (Example- in the first chapter or two, a patient at a hospital is found dead outside of his room next to an unconscious nurse. Instead of asking the nurse for an explanation or having to fill out any paperwork they just send the nurse home? And say 'oh let us know what happened tomorrow when you feel better'? what? That same nurse, earlier in the chapter, is shown rushing to work so she isn't late but when she sees some storm clouds she stops her car on the side of the road to watch the clouds. Who does this?). It just takes me out of the story and instead of getting into the cool supernatural bits I'm just left wondering is everyone if irresponsible and unobservant.
July 1, 2018
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. I can't recall why I requested it; maybe I went with the crowd (again) and went for the book many people wanted to read. From the literary point of view, it's quite a disaster. Do you think in complete sentences? I don't. But the characters in this book do. More than that, all the characters in this book think and talk in an absolutely unnatural, pretentious, and what's more, identical way. There's no way to distinguish between characters or thoughts from talk. There is also very little to go by when you try to decide if this book is fanatically religious or strongly anti-religious. Who would have thought that's even possible? It's certainly styled like a religious text, but the (hint of) ideas tells otherwise.
In any case, the blurb is very misleading. It's not a book about some struggling boy. It's more like a regular pandemic-themed book. A parasite spreads through the world; it's transmitted by touch; some people are more resistant than others, but it won't make a difference in the end. To better imagine this parasite think about ants and ant-controlling fungi that make them climb up to spread the spores. Just as those fungi, the parasite in question changes the behavior of its victims and creates multitudes of zombies. Pandemia, yay.
In any case, the blurb is very misleading. It's not a book about some struggling boy. It's more like a regular pandemic-themed book. A parasite spreads through the world; it's transmitted by touch; some people are more resistant than others, but it won't make a difference in the end. To better imagine this parasite think about ants and ant-controlling fungi that make them climb up to spread the spores. Just as those fungi, the parasite in question changes the behavior of its victims and creates multitudes of zombies. Pandemia, yay.
August 17, 2018
I received this book thru a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank the author and the publishing company.
In this book, there are several children who live in difficult situations are hearing a presence within their minds. These children live countries apart and this presence is guiding the children to seek out people and infect these people with a touch. Is this presence God and what are his plans?
This is classified as a supernatural story but the supernatural elements are religious and not your supernatural monsters like vampires. Immediately, I was absorbed with the plot of the story and the mystery of the presence. I am a sucker for the supernatural with a religious aspect and this was a great example of that type of story. After the first several chapters I was ready to give this a five star rating. What happened then? There wasn't enough forward momentum. We see many examples of basically the same scene over and over. The presence is a mystery and the children are seeking out less than desirable people to convert. I felt like we were getting nowhere close to any kind of payoff. When we finally do get a payoff there are scenes afterwards that seemed to come out of nowhere. The last two chapters we are introduced to new characters and new settings. This threw me for a loop and they seemed like they should have been the opening for the next book and not the closing one for this novel.
Even with its flaws I still enjoyed this book. I liked the premise and I am really interested in the actual story and how it progresses. If the author can tighten up his storytelling this has the makings of a really interesting story that I would devour.
In this book, there are several children who live in difficult situations are hearing a presence within their minds. These children live countries apart and this presence is guiding the children to seek out people and infect these people with a touch. Is this presence God and what are his plans?
This is classified as a supernatural story but the supernatural elements are religious and not your supernatural monsters like vampires. Immediately, I was absorbed with the plot of the story and the mystery of the presence. I am a sucker for the supernatural with a religious aspect and this was a great example of that type of story. After the first several chapters I was ready to give this a five star rating. What happened then? There wasn't enough forward momentum. We see many examples of basically the same scene over and over. The presence is a mystery and the children are seeking out less than desirable people to convert. I felt like we were getting nowhere close to any kind of payoff. When we finally do get a payoff there are scenes afterwards that seemed to come out of nowhere. The last two chapters we are introduced to new characters and new settings. This threw me for a loop and they seemed like they should have been the opening for the next book and not the closing one for this novel.
Even with its flaws I still enjoyed this book. I liked the premise and I am really interested in the actual story and how it progresses. If the author can tighten up his storytelling this has the makings of a really interesting story that I would devour.
February 13, 2023
Fiction, beginning just too obscure to enjoy, people are deprived of free will in an evil way but it is sort of made to be a blessing by the author. DNF. finished the first third of the book perhaps. Obtained for free from Amazon on June 12, 2019.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2019
DNF
The premise sounded interesting, the book was anything but that though. I started out reading the first few pages thoroughly, then just skimming until I was halfway through. At that point I was skipping whole pages and only reading bits and pieces until I finally gave up. Just could not bring myself to finish it. So many parts dragged on and on and on. Then there were parts that really didn't do anything for the plot and could have easily been left out of the book. A complete mess.
The premise sounded interesting, the book was anything but that though. I started out reading the first few pages thoroughly, then just skimming until I was halfway through. At that point I was skipping whole pages and only reading bits and pieces until I finally gave up. Just could not bring myself to finish it. So many parts dragged on and on and on. Then there were parts that really didn't do anything for the plot and could have easily been left out of the book. A complete mess.
June 8, 2019
Don't publish rough drafts. Don't publish first drafts.
My reaction to just about every paragraph: Show, don't tell.
This doesn't even seem like a critique group has looked at it. I feel like giving a ton of feedback, but no, this is a published ebook, not a manuscript someone shared in a critique group, so I have to stop reading it.
It's a pity, because if this were revised, it would probably be a good book. I like the supernatural. Alabama is an interesting character.
My reaction to just about every paragraph: Show, don't tell.
This doesn't even seem like a critique group has looked at it. I feel like giving a ton of feedback, but no, this is a published ebook, not a manuscript someone shared in a critique group, so I have to stop reading it.
It's a pity, because if this were revised, it would probably be a good book. I like the supernatural. Alabama is an interesting character.
July 11, 2019
I received this book from a Goodreads Giveaway so I decided to give it a try. I am not one to give up on books, but I nearly did here. While I like the idea of the biblical story, I thought that the characters, dialogue, and plot were underdeveloped. Throughout the first half of the book, "instinct" goes from mysterious and interesting to a crutch used to explain everything.
May 8, 2018
I really did not like this book. The way it is written just didn't sit right with me. The author inserts comments that do not have anything to do with the story. I didn't actually finish it, I got tired of it.
December 18, 2017
Draggy
Could not finish. Plot would start to weave and then, off to another different story. The editing left much to be desired, but that has become normal. A shame.
Could not finish. Plot would start to weave and then, off to another different story. The editing left much to be desired, but that has become normal. A shame.
February 14, 2019
Shannon Baxter (2nd-shift Oncology nurse), Ms. Alabama (2nd-shift Oncology nurse mgr.) were making their rounds checking on Sam (58, terminal lung cancer patient), & Clara (terminal lymph node cancer patient).
Clara had mentioned someone (ghost) had been in her room.
Sam also claimed he had seen a phosphorescent blue glow in his room.
Sam had had enough & yanked out his IV. He was at the nursing station sending out emails to his family.
Jim (security guard) had Dr. Kelton examine Ms. Alabama. He sent her home.
Sam had died.
Now Clara was running around lose. She was in pediatrics admiring the babies. Clara hadn’t walked since her admission.
There was that phosphorescent blue glow again in the room.
Joyce (maternity ward nurse) checked on both to see if they were alright.
Gabriel (orphan, Autistic) was heading home.
There were 50 boys/girls that lived where he did.
Austin, TX County orphanage. Joshua “Josh” Fellows (orphan) BMF Gabriel “Gabe” Nunez would be up by now.
As Gabriel watched Josh lying in his bed there was a phosphorescent blue glow that surrounded him.
Ms. Alabama Oxendine having morning coffee had written down 2 names on a piece of paper.
She had worked with Mother Mary Adoptive Services (MMAS) to adopt a child.
Alabama (60, Cherokee) called Shelley Thompson (MMAS) to give it another try.
Shelley called Charles Temple (County orphanage mgr.).
He went to talk with Josh, & Gabriel “Gabe” (pervasive developmental D/O).
Afghanistan, Central Asia. Feraidun Mohammadi met with Aadela (mother), Maral (daughter/sister), & Ghaazi (5, son/brother).
Maral was giving to him.
Feraidun, & Maral met with Hares, & Rashid (business partner).
What happened next was beyond all belief.
What did Abdul-Khaaliq (boy) remind Feraidun he had to do every month?
Abdul-Khaaliq in the crowd listened as Mr. Wahab Samim (Herat Agriculture Dept. Chapter president) gave his speech & then introduced the Provincial Governor Hareef Badour.
Abdul-Khaaliq could not contain himself & verbally lashed out at Provincial Governor Hareef Badour.
Anakim Kaufman (son) introduced himself to Gabriel, Abdul, Josh, & Maral.
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC. What did the supernatural epiphany have planned for the President & the 1st Lady?
What was Naomi’s (daughter) future?
Autistic 1 of my favorite children’s clientele to work with. I had 2 sets of boy twins & 1 set of boy triplets.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. Wow, a very well written supernatural book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great supernatural movie, an animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. This was different! A very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Goodreads; MakingConnections; Making Connections discussion group talk; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Clara had mentioned someone (ghost) had been in her room.
Sam also claimed he had seen a phosphorescent blue glow in his room.
Sam had had enough & yanked out his IV. He was at the nursing station sending out emails to his family.
Jim (security guard) had Dr. Kelton examine Ms. Alabama. He sent her home.
Sam had died.
Now Clara was running around lose. She was in pediatrics admiring the babies. Clara hadn’t walked since her admission.
There was that phosphorescent blue glow again in the room.
Joyce (maternity ward nurse) checked on both to see if they were alright.
Gabriel (orphan, Autistic) was heading home.
There were 50 boys/girls that lived where he did.
Austin, TX County orphanage. Joshua “Josh” Fellows (orphan) BMF Gabriel “Gabe” Nunez would be up by now.
As Gabriel watched Josh lying in his bed there was a phosphorescent blue glow that surrounded him.
Ms. Alabama Oxendine having morning coffee had written down 2 names on a piece of paper.
She had worked with Mother Mary Adoptive Services (MMAS) to adopt a child.
Alabama (60, Cherokee) called Shelley Thompson (MMAS) to give it another try.
Shelley called Charles Temple (County orphanage mgr.).
He went to talk with Josh, & Gabriel “Gabe” (pervasive developmental D/O).
Afghanistan, Central Asia. Feraidun Mohammadi met with Aadela (mother), Maral (daughter/sister), & Ghaazi (5, son/brother).
Maral was giving to him.
Feraidun, & Maral met with Hares, & Rashid (business partner).
What happened next was beyond all belief.
What did Abdul-Khaaliq (boy) remind Feraidun he had to do every month?
Abdul-Khaaliq in the crowd listened as Mr. Wahab Samim (Herat Agriculture Dept. Chapter president) gave his speech & then introduced the Provincial Governor Hareef Badour.
Abdul-Khaaliq could not contain himself & verbally lashed out at Provincial Governor Hareef Badour.
Anakim Kaufman (son) introduced himself to Gabriel, Abdul, Josh, & Maral.
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC. What did the supernatural epiphany have planned for the President & the 1st Lady?
What was Naomi’s (daughter) future?
Autistic 1 of my favorite children’s clientele to work with. I had 2 sets of boy twins & 1 set of boy triplets.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. Wow, a very well written supernatural book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great supernatural movie, an animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. This was different! A very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Goodreads; MakingConnections; Making Connections discussion group talk; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
September 10, 2017
There were many things I enjoyed about this book. It was so original that I found it somewhat indescribable. At first the omniscient viewpoint threw me a bit, but it soon became obvious how appropriate it was as you ponder who is telling the tale. The author's narrative voice is outstanding. It's as if you can hear the narrator speaking in a somewhat archaic speech that totally works. The characters were real and engaging. I loved Alabama, Gabriel, and Josh as well as the others who joined in as the tale progressed. The premise and supernatural angle is unique and shows the author has a strong grasp on Biblical and Apocryphal descriptions of angels, yet adds a few interpretations of his own.
The plot is intriguing, suspenseful, and keeps you turning the pages. Clearly the world's sorry situation is reflected and gives you pause what might be going on in other dimensions with regard to the host of wayward and evil humans at large on our planet.
I was somewhat disappointed by the ending, however. Not so much because the story is clearly part of a serial, but because the main characters were seemingly abandoned as new twists were introduced to the story line. I think the author could have handled it better, perhaps by including the characters in which I'd invested interest throughout the rest of the book more directly in the final chapters while still including teasers with regard to the next episode. It felt as if they simply dropped out of existence as a whole new story angle took shape, which would have been a great way to start the next volume as opposed to ending this one. I was planning on giving this unique tale five stars until the ending, which I found unsatisfying and not as skillfully rendered as the rest of the book.
The plot is intriguing, suspenseful, and keeps you turning the pages. Clearly the world's sorry situation is reflected and gives you pause what might be going on in other dimensions with regard to the host of wayward and evil humans at large on our planet.
I was somewhat disappointed by the ending, however. Not so much because the story is clearly part of a serial, but because the main characters were seemingly abandoned as new twists were introduced to the story line. I think the author could have handled it better, perhaps by including the characters in which I'd invested interest throughout the rest of the book more directly in the final chapters while still including teasers with regard to the next episode. It felt as if they simply dropped out of existence as a whole new story angle took shape, which would have been a great way to start the next volume as opposed to ending this one. I was planning on giving this unique tale five stars until the ending, which I found unsatisfying and not as skillfully rendered as the rest of the book.
September 24, 2018
Gabriel is a remarkable boy. Whilst those in the orphanage believe he is autistic, he actually has a special ability that allows him to hear the voice of a mysterious supernatural presence. Joining forces with a similar boy at the orphanage, Gabriel aims to discover the owner of the mysterious voice and what their intentions are. Can they use their special gifts for the greater good, or are there some sinister sources at work?
'The Touch' does have a slightly complicated plot, but I did not find this a problem. It allowed me to slow down and take my time with the book so I could absorb everything. Abely written and very exciting and enjoyable. If you are a fan of supernatural fiction, I urge you to give Robert Flynn's novel a try, it has the potential to be a really great series of books, with an appeal to a wide audience.
'The Touch' does have a slightly complicated plot, but I did not find this a problem. It allowed me to slow down and take my time with the book so I could absorb everything. Abely written and very exciting and enjoyable. If you are a fan of supernatural fiction, I urge you to give Robert Flynn's novel a try, it has the potential to be a really great series of books, with an appeal to a wide audience.
July 31, 2019
In junior high, I had a required reading of Stephen Crane's book the Red Badge of Courage. I thought that would be an easy assignment as I enjoyed reading Westerns and Civil War books at the time. I almost failed the assignment. I simply could not force myself to read more than a page at a time and it literally put me to sleep.
I tried extremely hard to like this book, but I simply could not. I believe the story itself may be a good one, but the writing style was to stiff and formal. Especially for the conversations. I don't know of any 10 year old boys who speak so formally and precisely. It just is not realistic and prevents the story from having a "flow". As it is, I read at least 3 other books while trying to read this one, but only managed to get about half way through the book before finally giving up.
Perhaps if they make a movie of this book I can enjoy it (as I did the Red Badge of Courage).
I tried extremely hard to like this book, but I simply could not. I believe the story itself may be a good one, but the writing style was to stiff and formal. Especially for the conversations. I don't know of any 10 year old boys who speak so formally and precisely. It just is not realistic and prevents the story from having a "flow". As it is, I read at least 3 other books while trying to read this one, but only managed to get about half way through the book before finally giving up.
Perhaps if they make a movie of this book I can enjoy it (as I did the Red Badge of Courage).
July 1, 2021
This one was a bit hard to get through. It wasn't terrible, but the writing style made it difficult for me to keep interest. The characters, which I wanted to like, just didn't give me enough to hold onto them. They were just okay; I wanted more details, more something from them.
Overall, the story could have been good I think, but it just wasn't something that kept my attention well at all. I found the writing style difficult to read. Difficult may not be the correct work to describe how I felt about the writing, but I'm not sure how to describe it I guess. Maybe choppy, broken? I don't know, but it just wasn't a smooth, easy read for me.
I love character development and this just didn't do it for me. I didn't feel like there was much character development at all. I knew who they were and a little bit about them, but that was pretty much it. I want more depth to my characters. I want to see them grow, evolve and I want to learn more about them as the story goes on. This didn't really give me that.
I think some people will enjoy this story. It was just a difficult read for me. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.
Overall, the story could have been good I think, but it just wasn't something that kept my attention well at all. I found the writing style difficult to read. Difficult may not be the correct work to describe how I felt about the writing, but I'm not sure how to describe it I guess. Maybe choppy, broken? I don't know, but it just wasn't a smooth, easy read for me.
I love character development and this just didn't do it for me. I didn't feel like there was much character development at all. I knew who they were and a little bit about them, but that was pretty much it. I want more depth to my characters. I want to see them grow, evolve and I want to learn more about them as the story goes on. This didn't really give me that.
I think some people will enjoy this story. It was just a difficult read for me. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.
January 11, 2019
Thank you to the author and Goodreads !!!! Won on Goodreads!!! Yahhhh first book I’ve won. This book had my interest in the beginning and I was really excited to see where it was headed. After chapter 5 I kept saying to myself “This better start picking up soon”. Unfortunately it didn’t pick up enough for me and I started losing interest. Found myself skimming through.
November 12, 2018
I found the topic of the book interesting - a boy who can hear voices and is misdiagnosed as having autism - but the writing style made it difficult. I found the book to be written very simply, as if for a child. Maybe it was intentionally set to be from a child's perspective, which would make more sense since the protagonist is young, but it took a while for me to adjust to it.
November 6, 2020
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
Strange things are going on. A kid appears to be autistic, but he's really talking to what might be angels.
Okay. Doesn't have the dread that the best inspirational horror books have.
Strange things are going on. A kid appears to be autistic, but he's really talking to what might be angels.
Okay. Doesn't have the dread that the best inspirational horror books have.
February 2, 2020
Free for an honest review from Good Reads.
I'm usually a fan of horror and supernatural, but this had me fooled until the end. I gave 4 stars only because I felt there was a tremendous amount of build up with a very short ending. Overall though a very good plot.
I'm usually a fan of horror and supernatural, but this had me fooled until the end. I gave 4 stars only because I felt there was a tremendous amount of build up with a very short ending. Overall though a very good plot.
October 1, 2019
I am halfway through the book but it definitely grabs you from the start. I believe this voice isnt going to be a good thing so I cannot wait to see what it is.
July 20, 2020
(Won this book on Goodreads) A story of Good vs Bad with a twist. Where two little boys are introduced to other people just like them and how they each differ on what their missions are. A good and easy read with varying emotional moments. I enjoyed the characters, who were easy to relate to and fun to learn about.
November 7, 2018
This is an interesting one for me. I have read different versions of this same nephilim like topic but none with this type of cadence. This book took me longer than normal to read, but I did enjoy it. The flow and cadence do take some getting used to, but once that happens it goes smoothly.
September 6, 2018
Gabriel lives in an orphanage and suffers from what is thought to be autism, but is really just the way his body reacts to his powers. His character’s duality (how he is perceived vs. how he really is) and that he hears the Voice really gives Gabriel a dynamic that makes him stand out in a crowd.
Flynn weaves a great story here and does well crafting a behemoth of a plot and keeping it on the rails.
The story starts off strong, the characters are strong, and it’s easy to find yourself hooked at the beginning. The plot gets a bit hard to follow a little under ¾ in, but the author manages to navigate the storyline well enough. Overall this book is entertaining and is worth the read.
Flynn weaves a great story here and does well crafting a behemoth of a plot and keeping it on the rails.
The story starts off strong, the characters are strong, and it’s easy to find yourself hooked at the beginning. The plot gets a bit hard to follow a little under ¾ in, but the author manages to navigate the storyline well enough. Overall this book is entertaining and is worth the read.
July 4, 2019
I recently won a Kindle copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway, for which I'd like to thank the publisher and author.
This book instantly caught my attention with its great beginning. As the story unfolded, I realized that while the label "supernatural," wasn't wrong, it was more of a spiritual/religious bent opposed to what I think of as supernatural (vampires, werewolves, zombies, etc.)
At first the story started with one character, then three, then six and, I must admit, I started getting confused as to who were the main characters and who were secondary. New characters were introduced toward the end of the book (such as a reporter, who didn't appear outside of that chapter) which added to the confusion.
This was an interesting idea but I wish that it had been executed better.
This book instantly caught my attention with its great beginning. As the story unfolded, I realized that while the label "supernatural," wasn't wrong, it was more of a spiritual/religious bent opposed to what I think of as supernatural (vampires, werewolves, zombies, etc.)
At first the story started with one character, then three, then six and, I must admit, I started getting confused as to who were the main characters and who were secondary. New characters were introduced toward the end of the book (such as a reporter, who didn't appear outside of that chapter) which added to the confusion.
This was an interesting idea but I wish that it had been executed better.
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