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Colossus
Pietro is a gifted sculptor who is asked to create a work of art which his partners intend to be used for less-than-noble purposes. But then Pietro remembers something from his deep, dark past which changes the stakes. Who will break the ancient sculpture’s code first and uncover the true meaning? Innocent lives hang in the balance, and only a handful of people know the truth.
300 pages, Paperback
First published October 25, 2020
5 people want to read
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September 5, 2022
There’s so much one could say about Craig Thompson’s clever little global thriller, Colossus. It has so many layers, and is so complex, that I couldn’t possibly cover all of its nuances in one review. Be that as it may, I will do my best to give a thorough assessment.
The story ------ Colossus is a story which spans the globe, from the USA to Italy to the Mediterranean Sea. It chronicles the lives of several characters, each residing in one of those three places. They’re all very different, and yet they have something in common: the fight against evil. Each character warrants his or her own subplot. As the story takes flight, Thompson masterfully weaves said subplots together, forming a cohesive bond between seemingly unrelated events. The story as a whole oozes originality. Indeed, I’ve never run across a tale as unique as Colossus. It was perfectly paced and flowed like a wild river. It held my attention from beginning to end; not once did I grow bored or frustrated with it. I’d say the story is the novel’s strongest feature.
Now for the characters ------ As I mentioned, the story switches back and forth between a handful of characters who are drawn together and unified in their quest for vengeance upon corruption in high places. Some of them were more developed than others, but each had sufficient backstory, drive, and liveliness. I came to commiserate and even connect with them on various levels. However, their dialogue was sometimes off-key. A few characters sounded an awful lot alike, and lacked a distinct voice of their own—and sometimes they didn’t talk like a human being would talk. Such instances were not common, thankfully.
The themes ------- Colossus deals with some difficult subjects, such as human trafficking, murder, suicide, and so on. Basically, Thompson has written down the fantasies of every outraged patriot around the globe, fantasies of justice served, of retribution attained, and of the innocent reclaiming their voice. I loved watching the villainous elites squirm as they watched their power being stripped away one piece at a time. I must say, the protagonists concoct a most brilliant scheme to trick their adversaries! Real-life freedom fighters would do well to study what Thompson has dreamt up in the realm of fiction. Of course, God and His Son come heavily into play once the action gets going. It was awesome to see the characters depending on Him to help them fight their battles. The technological tidbits were also a delight.
Lastly, the writing ------ I’ve read several small press offerings throughout my life, and to be honest, most of them were terrible. Colossus is far better than most, there’s no question, but it still could’ve been a tad better. At times, Thompson’s writing is almost poetic, and worthy of underlining. I underlined a few passages myself, in fact. But there are a few spots where the writing is somewhat weak. The largest flaw is that Thompson switches between character POVs (points-of-view) mid-prose. One paragraph, you’re in the head of a reporter, the next, you’re in the head of the person the reporter’s talking to. Not a glaring mistake, but definitely something to improve upon. Otherwise, a job well done!
In closing, I consider Colossus to be well worth any reader’s time, if not just for enjoyment, but to learn a thing or two. This novel will challenge you to be open-minded, no doubt about it. I’m looking forward to the sequel very much!
The story ------ Colossus is a story which spans the globe, from the USA to Italy to the Mediterranean Sea. It chronicles the lives of several characters, each residing in one of those three places. They’re all very different, and yet they have something in common: the fight against evil. Each character warrants his or her own subplot. As the story takes flight, Thompson masterfully weaves said subplots together, forming a cohesive bond between seemingly unrelated events. The story as a whole oozes originality. Indeed, I’ve never run across a tale as unique as Colossus. It was perfectly paced and flowed like a wild river. It held my attention from beginning to end; not once did I grow bored or frustrated with it. I’d say the story is the novel’s strongest feature.
Now for the characters ------ As I mentioned, the story switches back and forth between a handful of characters who are drawn together and unified in their quest for vengeance upon corruption in high places. Some of them were more developed than others, but each had sufficient backstory, drive, and liveliness. I came to commiserate and even connect with them on various levels. However, their dialogue was sometimes off-key. A few characters sounded an awful lot alike, and lacked a distinct voice of their own—and sometimes they didn’t talk like a human being would talk. Such instances were not common, thankfully.
The themes ------- Colossus deals with some difficult subjects, such as human trafficking, murder, suicide, and so on. Basically, Thompson has written down the fantasies of every outraged patriot around the globe, fantasies of justice served, of retribution attained, and of the innocent reclaiming their voice. I loved watching the villainous elites squirm as they watched their power being stripped away one piece at a time. I must say, the protagonists concoct a most brilliant scheme to trick their adversaries! Real-life freedom fighters would do well to study what Thompson has dreamt up in the realm of fiction. Of course, God and His Son come heavily into play once the action gets going. It was awesome to see the characters depending on Him to help them fight their battles. The technological tidbits were also a delight.
Lastly, the writing ------ I’ve read several small press offerings throughout my life, and to be honest, most of them were terrible. Colossus is far better than most, there’s no question, but it still could’ve been a tad better. At times, Thompson’s writing is almost poetic, and worthy of underlining. I underlined a few passages myself, in fact. But there are a few spots where the writing is somewhat weak. The largest flaw is that Thompson switches between character POVs (points-of-view) mid-prose. One paragraph, you’re in the head of a reporter, the next, you’re in the head of the person the reporter’s talking to. Not a glaring mistake, but definitely something to improve upon. Otherwise, a job well done!
In closing, I consider Colossus to be well worth any reader’s time, if not just for enjoyment, but to learn a thing or two. This novel will challenge you to be open-minded, no doubt about it. I’m looking forward to the sequel very much!
Displaying 1 of 1 review