Border Son

by Samuel Parker

It's been years since Edward Kazmierski has seen his wayward son. In fact, it's been years since he has allowed thoughts of Tyler to even enter his mind. The last place he knew Tyler to be was in an El Paso jail six years ago. Then, in one day, he receives a cryptic phone call telling him that his son needs him in Mexico, another from a federal agent searching for Tyler, and a visit from two men he hopes to never meet again.

South of the border, the chain of events set into motion by an impulsive act will almost certainly lead to death--for Tyler and for those who try to help him. But before Ed can recover his son, he will have to tear down the wall that has been built up between them.

With insight and artistry, Samuel Parker brings the dusty and dangerous streets of a Mexican border town into sharp focus in this suspenseful reimagining of the Prodigal Son story.

Genres: Fiction, Christian Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary, Christian, Thriller Suspense

320 pages, Paperback

First published March 5, 2019

About the author

Samuel Parker was born in the Michigan boondocks but was raised on a never-ending road trip through the U.S. Besides writing, he is a process junkie and the ex-guitarist for several metal bands you've never heard of. He lives in West Michigan with his wife and twin sons.

Reviews

[Amy Bruestle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through a giveaway in exchange for an honest review....

Wow-zeeee! This was way better than I had expected! The only reason it didn’t get five stars is because of a few different personal preferences in plot. But writing quality wise, this book is wonderful and totally captivating! I even passed it on to my Dad to read who is extremely picky when deciding on what book to read versus what book to skip altogether. He is currently reading this one, so it passed stage one (giving the book a chance) lol! I will definitely be checking out the other books by this author as well!

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great action novel about the bond between parent and child!

In Border Son, Ed has moved on with his life in Kansas with little thought about his estranged son Tyler. Tyler chose to go down a path that Ed didn't support. They had had no communication for six years. Then Ed receives a phone call to pick up Tyler in Mexico.

Their journey is filled with border crossings, drug cartels and violence. On the softer side there are characters with heart and hope underlying the rough exteriors. I especially love priest Felipe that has a pivotal role in the novel. His advice to Ed was so heart warming. The ending was perfect.

I loved Purgatory Road and found Cold Water a miss. Border Son was his best yet and I look forward to more from the author.

My gratitude to publisher Revell for a complimentary NetGalley copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and the opinions expressed are my own.

[Eva-Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I requested Border Son for review because it was marketed as a retelling of the Prodigal Son story from the Bible. However, except for themes of estrangement between two different sons and their parents, there was very little resemblance to the original story. This didn't much ruin my enjoyment of Border Son, but it's something I felt I should mention.

WHAT I LIKED:

-Felipe was my favorite character. He was an island of calm in the middle of drug wars and betrayals.
-Learning more about Mexican culture through various characters was incredibly interesting. I always love discovering new things about different countries through fiction and Border Son certainly delivered.
-The plot moved quickly (not rushed, though) and it definitely held my interest.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

-Besides Felipe, I didn't really connect with the characters.
-Sometimes the writing was a bit clunky.
-The beginning confused me because I had no real idea of what was going on and several characters were introduced really quickly. But I did orient myself pretty quickly after that.
-This was supposed to be a Christian book (I think) but it was basically a cleaned up secular book in my opinion.

Overall, I'd recommend Border Son to people who enjoy clean thrillers with human connections.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing through Interviews & Reviews.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why I chose to read this book, I don't know. Why I continued reading it, even with all the horrible violence - which I hate - is even more puzzling.
But this was an amazing educational look inside the lower levels of the Mexican drug cartels. How these "good kids" get roped into a short life of crime; how a young American man who had lost his way, became involed; and why this vicious cycle may never end are all explored in this fictional work.
While I abhored the violence, this book will stay with me for a long time.

[Becka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would agree with other reviewers that calling this a re-imagining of the Prodigal Son isn’t exactly accurate, but that didn’t keep me from enjoying this fast-paced story. The action just kept coming right up until the end! I also appreciated that the story is free of foul language.

[Chris Jager · Rating 4 out of 5]

How far would you go to save your rebellious child. Would you willingly walk into the lion ‘s den? How often to you forgive your wayward child? These and more questions you will be finding yourself asking as you read This gritty book about forgiveness and love.

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Bordon Son" is my favourite Samuel Parker book yet! The plot crackles with tension, and the action-packed scenes are balanced by some surprisingly emotional moments as well.

Parker's unique take on the story of the Prodigal Son is fascinating to read, as not only do we get a glimpse of what the son encounters, but we meet a father who makes grave mistakes but is given the chance at redemption himself. Of course, our Heavenly Father makes no mistakes and so in that sense the story may make a departure from the Biblical parable. But as a dad myself I certainly could relate with some of Edward's challenges and this made the story all the richer. If you are anything like me, Parker's novel will certainly leave you with much to think about!

It is easy for me to read about Mexico and the border in the media and get a one-sided portrayal that casts only a negative light on the situation in the south. But as I was swept up in the story of these characters, I came to appreciate the complexity of the situation, the tough choices that parents must make as their children are caught up into gangs or drugs or perhaps even the inner circle of the Cartel. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for these parents to find hope as their children seem all but lost. And of course the story of Tyler reveals that the decisions are equally tough for the parents and children on the American side of the border as those in Mexico, revealing that we are all, of course, people more similar than different, no matter where we live!

I highly recommend Samuel Parker's latest novel, especially for those looking for a well-written suspenseful novel that will not only entertain but linger on your mind. I award the novel 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Samuel Parker is a new author for me and I'm so happy that I read this book!
This is a wonderful story about a father and son, estranged, and neither one really sure where they stand with each other.
The Story takes place just across the border into Mexico and although it may sound a bit cliche' that the story involves drug cartels and danger and all of the horrible things we hear about happening in Mexico, Samuel Parker does a brilliant job of weaving this story together, respectfully, with strong passionate characters that you will absolutely love.
The story is action packed, emotionally charged and a true page turner. It's a book that you will not be able to put down until you reach the final page!
I was so caught up with every character in this book and especially with Edward Kazmierski. My heart felt what he was going through with incredible intensity.

Thank you Samuel Parker for writing such a wonderful book! Thank you to the publisher, Fleming H. Revell Company and thank you to Goodreads. I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway and this is my honest review.

[Gee Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first time reading a book by Samuel Parker. I was unsure if I was going to get interested in the story as it was real slow at the beginning. About 10 chapters in, which are very short chapters I did not want to put it down. I needed to know what happens next and then next and so on. My favorite character was Edward Kazmierski, the father of Tyler. He was my hero in all this along with the character Roberto Ibanez, which he grew on me. Once this story picked up it was a page turner.

Book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing through Interviews and Reviews. 5 stars.

[R.J. Rodda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

I really liked this moving story of an estranged father coming to help his criminal son. A prodigal son story with also a loser father who repents of his rejection of his kid. Also, lots of action and violence in this, if that’s your thing.

[Jennifer Robb · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars (some review sites make me pick a whole number of stars, so it may differ).

At its heart, it is a story about parents and children. Like another reviewer, I noted a bit of a parallel with the Biblical story "The Prodigal Son" though this is set in the world of Mexican drug cartels and gangs.

Ed lives in Kansas and hasn't seen his son, Tyler, for many years. The last he knew, Tyler was in an El Paso jail on a drug related charge.

Camilla lives in Mexico but crosses the border into the U.S. for work each day. She has a son, Roberto, who is involved with Los Diablos (a gang as best I can tell). Though the gang is not involved in the drug transporting, the local cartel leader often farms out dirty jobs (like killing those who defy him) to the gang members.

Roberto met Tyler in the El Paso jail when Tyler took a shiv meant for him. Roberto feels an obligation to Tyler for this--so when he's ordered to kill Tyler, he fakes the killing and makes arrangements to get Tyler away from the cartel. These arrangements include his mother, his uncle (Felipe, a priest), and Tyler's father.

Camilla helps because she is glad that Roberto is doing something noble instead of the gang related stuff. Tyler is surprised that his father is willing to come, given their long estrangement.

It ends up being a lot of people looking over their shoulders waiting for the other shoe to drop. Tyler knows if Salazar's men find out he is alive, they will kill him. Roberto realizes his actions have been found out when Felipe is killed and figures he's next. No one knows who to trust because so many people have been bought off by the cartel.

A nice side note is that Camilla and Ed appear to bond over their love for their respective children and their desire to keep the children safe and over their losses. The ending seems to provide a bit of hope in that the government appears to find the drugs Tyler stashed (possibly with Tyler's help) and Tyler appears to have changed from the drug junkie he was at the beginning of the book and seems to desire renewing a relationship with his dad.

Note: I received an ARC from LibraryThing Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.

[John Sheehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing, exciting, and captivating

Is the Border Son as you journey down this dark path of a hidden world of death and danger of a man lost in this underworld of drugs and money making his way out of this dangerous world will not be easy but with the love of a Father so reminiscent of what Jesus spoke of in Luke 15:11-32.

The twist and turns from beginning to end keeps the reader involved as if you are right beside this cast of characters with spell bounding intrigue jumping from one danger to the next as lives become interwoven setting free the prodigal border son with a love so grand at any cost teaching the value of 1st John 3:16.

Well done Samuel Parker, well done!

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prodigal son story as you’ve never seen it before, Parker’s modern reimagining of the familiar Biblical account will leave readers breathless at the journey and hold their attention from disturbing start to powerful end. Revolving around the center of the Mexican drug cartel, with all the violence and intimidation one might expect, at the same time the novel focuses on the strength of a parent’s love for their child which adds a surprising dimension of warmth to offset some of the more brutal edges. Compelling and vividly-drawn characters linger in the heart, as does the impossible-to-put-down plot.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this because of the use of the last name "Kazmierski" of the main characters. More violent than I thought for a Christian Fiction novel. Especially the murder of the priest.

Mixed feelings???

[Deon]

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[Doreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story about hard times, sacrifices, unconditional love, and reconciliation. It paints a scary picture of life for those in or who do business with the Mexican cartel as well as for their loved ones.
Camilla knows her son Roberto is involved in bad things. Yet she loves him no matter what. She prays for him to do the right thing. When he makes one tiny step in the right direction, she vows to help him whatever the cost. She has no idea of the consequences of that one action. She is an amazing woman and mother.
Edward has not been such a great parent. But when three different things happen on the same day that tell him his estranged son, Tyler, is in trouble. He feels compelled to check things out. He comes a long way in learning how to love his son and how to be a father to a grown son.
As a parent, I was really drawn to their stories and growth but Roberto’s story is equally fascinating. He faces unrelenting danger. It’s a hard book to put down once you get a few chapters in and things start heating up. I’d recommend it.
Thank you to Revell for providing me with an e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Jessica Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of the Prodigal Son continues in a turn that will leave readers’ emotions spinning after the very last page.

When Edward Kazmierski receives a phone call saying his son needs him in Mexico, he isn’t sure he wants to go. It has been years since he has even thought about Tyler. They haven’t had the best relationship and Tyler hasn’t been one to reach out to his father either. After the initial phone call, he receives another from a federal agent wanting information on Tyler and two men show up at his house wanting to know if he knows where his son is. All this leads Ed to head south of the border where his son has started a chain reaction with one decision that causes a ripple effect of pain and destruction for everyone involved. Even though Ed is going to rescue his son, he is first going to have to prove to Tyler that he still loves him and wants to help him out of the mess he has found himself in and try and get them both out alive.

Samuel Parker has a unique way of taking a story we are all familiar with, such as the Prodigal Son, and reforming it as a suspenseful page turner. The story is one of redemption and self-sacrifice. Ed must be willing to sacrifice everything to try and save his son who needs the redemption himself to try and turn his life around. The dynamic between father and son played out well; even though Tyler knows he needs his father’s help he is hesitant to accept it after feeling abandoned for so many years. Now that they are stuck together and have to rely on each other to find a way out to safety they find that even though they haven’t been close in years, there is still a connection that can never be broken. With short chapters that go back and forth on viewpoints, the story reads quickly and clearly, more so than if it had been from one solitary point of view. I am really enjoying books that go in this multiple point of view format because it gives so much more of the story and keeps the pages turning much quicker. There is a true feeling of fatherly love throughout the story with not only Ed trying to help his son but also Roberto feeling the need to help this young man who had once helped him. Each character brought their own sense of need to the story in how they interacted and helped the other for their own reasons. Fans of Parker’s other novels will be sure to enjoy Border Son. And if you haven’t read anything by Samuel parker I highly recommend picking up a copy today!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

[Alex Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Nuevo Negaldo, Mexico, a Border Town with El Paso , this is a tale about the drug Cartels and a young American , Tyler Kazmierski, who is caught up working with them.

Tyler’s dad Edward Kazmierski , estranged from his son for over 6 years receives a mysterious phone call, “come to Mexico to save your son “ , having not seen ot heard from Tyler and his last known knowledge of him being In a prison in El Paso, Ed has turned his back on his son, but this strange call has woken his fatherly instinct

Ed is then assaulted in his own shop by 2 thugs looking for Tyler? What’s going on?

The Tension builds and Ed decides to pack up and take the long trip to Mexico and get to source of the strange call and find his son and if so help him. I felt genuine intrigue and excitement around this point

In the meantime , Roberto, a cartel member is telling his side of the story, he appears to be trying to help Tyler at his own very dangerous risk, Why? Roberto’s story also revolves around his mother , Camilla and his need to protect her from his environment

A truck containing a load of drugs has gone missing and the cartel want to know where it is, they want their goods back at any cost.

A crazed Cartel hitmen is loose, a corrupted FBI agent is on the prowl, missing drugs, cartels and philosopher priests are all abound in this tale

Ed’s struggles and fears in a dark part of Mexico where he has no friends and doesn’t know where he is, or who to turn to.

What this book doesnt have is any type of humour , this a straight shooting book, it’s not here to make you laugh.

Short , sharp punchy chapters , there is no unnecessary filling of chapters , extremely well written, this book easily flows along is action packed and delivers punch after punch and you want to turn page after page.

This is a cut above other cartel type stories and told from a very different angle , almost a rehash of the prodigal son.

I didn’t want to put it down.

It’s an outstanding piece of work and it’s a 5 star ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you to Net Galley for my free review copy, as ever this has not influenced my review score at all.

[Prairie Sky Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

“A suspenseful retelling of the Prodigal Son story like you have never heard before.” With this phrase my attention was captured, and I was eager to give new-to-me author Samuel Parker’s latest release from Revell Publishers a try. “Border Son” is a thrilling suspense novel that brings the dangerous world of Mexico’s underground drug trade to life with chilling vividness.

I enjoyed the deeper themes of redemption, forgiveness, sacrifice, and honor that were the foundations of “Border Son”. The story of a father and a son who are offered a second chance at a relationship was very well done, and really makes you think about the Prodigal Son in challenging new ways. However, and this is a big caveat... the amount and level of detail about harsh violence in this book is absolutely horrific. There are over 80 (short) chapters, and a large percentage of them contained a death (or multiple deaths) of some kind, usually with a lot of description. Hired assassins, torture, betrayal, shooting, stabbing, the list goes on and on of different types of murders portrayed in this book. I understand that maybe this inhuman brutality can be an accurate picture of some places and circumstances in the world, but I was really not expecting a Christian suspense novel to contain quite this level of gore and violence.

I do not want to say this book is all bad, because it isn’t. It is thought-provoking and intense, and brings characters to life that you really can’t help but sympathize with, despite their unwise choices in the past. While it wasn’t a book I would read again or recommend to friends due to the violence, I think readers who are prepared for a challenging (and at times brutal) novel will find “Border Son” to be a book they will not soon forget.

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.”

[Joel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book deals with middle-aged midwesterner Edward Kazmierski who receives a phone call telling him his estranged son, Tyler, is in trouble in Mexico and needs his help. Tyler has been involved with drug-running for a cartel and has made a series of questionable life choices that have put him in danger.

While there were some interesting musings on the nature of relationships between parents and sons, there was a lot of the book that just didn't hold up. It was irritating to me that Mexican characters would speak English when alone together with the exception of an occasional "padre" or "gringo" thrown in to remind the reader that they were, in fact, Spanish-speaking natives. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was racist, but I definitely believe smarter narrative choices could and should have been made.

Also some weird references to the dad's libido. "Hi, I'm in danger because of my son's poor choices, but you're kind of hot and I'm in my 40s, but not dead, so I'm thinking you might be a good lay if we happen to survive." Umm, okay.

Plot was kind of generic. I doubt I'll remember the characters by the end of the year. I hope I forget about the dad being inexplicably horny at the weirdest times.

2 out of 5 stars.

[Thelma Fountain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book in a Librarything giveaway. This book is about drug cartels, the problems along the Mexican border and corrupt law enforcement & border agents but there are other themes that I found interesting in this story. The theme of parental love that doesn't fail even with years of estrangement or when a child is making choices that breaks the parents heart. The parents love is true, not perfect but it's there it doesn't quit. Ed and Tyler did not have a relationship really but the love was still there it did not die. Ed still dropped everything and headed to the border to find his son. Camilla and Roberto loved one another even though they did not agree on how Roberto lived his life or the choices he made. I found this to be a beautiful thread woven inside a tale of ugly crime.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick easy, and relatively enjoyable read about two parents and their sons who get embroiled in drug trafficking.

The book is hindered slightly by writing that's a touch over-the-top at times, especially when describing the thoughts of the main characters. One early example: "Tyler was scared. And what he was scared of was finding out that in this, his most desperate hour he had ever been in, his father wouldn't show up. That was his fear. That was his pain." Unfortunately, these melodramatic passages are all throughout.

The actual plot is fun, but has a tendency to oscillate between a world where the drug cartel is omniscient and basically unstoppable, and one where they are reckless and vulnerable.

None of these flaws make the book unreadable or unenjoyable, but they do keep it from being an exceptional book.

[Paula Galvan]

Border Son is an action-packed story of violence and betrayal in the world of the Mexican Cartels. But there’s an underlying message of family ties, loyalty, and redemption. It also provides some insight into Mexican culture. I found the plot exciting and entertaining. Ed Kazmierski lives a quiet life in Jennison, Kansas, until he is roughed up by two men from Nuevo Negaldo, Mexico, looking for his estranged son, Tyler. Not knowing what he’s getting into, Ed travels to Mexico, hoping he’s not too late to help a son he hasn’t seen in years. Once there, he’s threatened, forced to cross the harsh desert with his wounded son to escape killers, then captured and tortured. Tyler seems indifferent throughout, but the author offers him a small window of hope at the end.

[Erik · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really didn't go for this book. It was technically written well, and Parker clearly is not a hack. But the plot just really let me down. The story was something we have read and seen in movies dozens of time before. Delinquent son gets in trouble with bad men, plain spoken Midwest father goes to his aid. Stock drug villains, corrupt government officials, etc. Parker includes a caveat in a authors note saying he respects Mexican culture and hopes he hasn't offended anyone, yet almost all the Mexican characters are "bad hombres" or suffering peasants. Nothing really terrible here, but nothing very original either.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Border Son is a story about the bond between father and his estranged son. Ed Kazmierski hasn’t seen or spoken to his son Tyler for some time. Not since the time Tyler called from an El Paso jail. He hasn’t given up on him but cannot keep fixing his mistakes. Tyler is now involved with a Mexican Cartel and although shot and left for dead, his life is spared and with the help of a priest, he needs to escape back to the US. There is where Ed comes in and the two of them struggle to survive and one never knows when a miracle could happen. I found the story captivating and although there is much bloodshed, It is more of a story of relationships. I enjoyed reading this one.

[Ellen Nicholas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written in third person narration, so there were different personalities and perspectives.

The primary setting was the Mexico/US border and the story highlights the chaos and violence that the drug cartels have inflicted on the area, while telling the story of one man's search for his son that was pulled into the violence.

The major subplot is the regret and second-guessing that comes to a parent when their child goes sideways, and the doubt that they will be able to repair the relationship and questioning what that will look like going forward.

The book came through my feed as "Christian Fiction" - but the Christian part was so subtle it is not noticed.

[Connie Quarles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first time I read anything by Samuel Parker. I was browsing in new books listed at the library and placed it on hold.

It’s a story about the strained relationship between a father and son. The unusual circumstances that brings them back together.

It involves drug trafficking, the Cartel, unlikely alliances, and the struggle to save a son.

It also gives you a glimpse in the perilous journey trying to cross the border illegally and reasons why some risk their lives to create.

[Corey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect from this book and was pleasantly surprised. It was a simple story but one that resonates with many people....how far does a parent go for a child that has wandered off life's path. The book demonstrates the real struggle of a parent facing that decision in critical circumstances. On top of that it is not a half bad action story on top of it. I would recommend this book.

[Jill Rey · Rating 2 out of 5]

An introspective look at the southern border and the relationship dynamics of families. Author, Samuel Parker, put significant research into making the border and drug trade portrayed within accurate, however, the action was slow to develop and the characters failed to grip and connect with the reader.

*Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[J.L. Slipak · Rating 3 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

If you like riveting stories about parent/child relationships, rebellious children who get into trouble, quests to save a wayward child, lots of adventures, trials and tribulations, drug cartels, father/son conflicts and strong characters, character driven plots and gritty writing, then this book is for you.