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Facing the Son
A novel of Africa
American Matt Reiser travels to The Ivory Coast on a mission to locate his estranged son. His only guide is a three-year old postal address. Fighting cultural vertigo and disorientation at his arrival at the Abidjan airport, he relies on a glib and persistent limo driver who speaks just enough English to gain Matt's trust.
The next morning, Matt wakes up drugged, robbed, and dropped into a grim city slum. Without ID, without money, and with no idea where to turn, Matt forges unlikely alliances which take him on a perilous journey out of the city and through the backcountry as he strives to continue his search for his son.
Along the way, Matt reconsiders the life choices he made that launched him on this search. When he finds his son in an isolated desert village, he must face the consequences of those choices.
American Matt Reiser travels to The Ivory Coast on a mission to locate his estranged son. His only guide is a three-year old postal address. Fighting cultural vertigo and disorientation at his arrival at the Abidjan airport, he relies on a glib and persistent limo driver who speaks just enough English to gain Matt's trust.
The next morning, Matt wakes up drugged, robbed, and dropped into a grim city slum. Without ID, without money, and with no idea where to turn, Matt forges unlikely alliances which take him on a perilous journey out of the city and through the backcountry as he strives to continue his search for his son.
Along the way, Matt reconsiders the life choices he made that launched him on this search. When he finds his son in an isolated desert village, he must face the consequences of those choices.
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 2011
34 people are currently reading
282 people want to read
About the author
M.L. Rudolph
6 books96 followersM L Rudolph has worked for CNN and HBO among other American and International television companies around the world. He has written for general interest and trade publications, is a dual US/UK national, and lives in Pasadena, CA.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 15, 2012
This was a great book. From the very beginning the reader is grabbed and held in suspense. Matt Reiser has been sent on a mission to Africa to find a son who obviously doesn’t want to be found. It has been three years since Karl last communicated with his parents. His mother’s dying wish is to see her son before the cancer takes her life. When she contacts Matt, her ex-husband, and asks him to fly to Africa and track him down, he doesn’t want to. Matt and Karl have not had the best relationship for several years.
Matt steps off of the plane and into a corrupt world unlike anything he has ever seen. He is mugged, robbed of his money, passport, and the letter his ex-wife sent for their son. They even took his shoes. He doesn’t know who to trust. Then he meets Jean-Louis, the concierge at the hotel. What starts out seeming like help drives him deeper into the corrupt world around him.
This book is so much more than just a good read. In this book you are transported to places you may never see. You are thrown into a world we have only heard exists. You have to ask yourself if you would survive the ordeals the protagonist goes through. You will end up taking a look at all you hold dear, all you value and asking yourself if you have done all that you can for the people you love. You must read this book to see if he finds his son. You must read this book to take a look at the corruptness of a country we know so little about. You must read this book to find yourself.
I will most definitely recommend this book. I was unable to put it down from the minute I started it. It is not a really long book. However, it will grab you and hold you from the first pages. I had not heard of this author but I will most definitely look for more from him.
Matt steps off of the plane and into a corrupt world unlike anything he has ever seen. He is mugged, robbed of his money, passport, and the letter his ex-wife sent for their son. They even took his shoes. He doesn’t know who to trust. Then he meets Jean-Louis, the concierge at the hotel. What starts out seeming like help drives him deeper into the corrupt world around him.
This book is so much more than just a good read. In this book you are transported to places you may never see. You are thrown into a world we have only heard exists. You have to ask yourself if you would survive the ordeals the protagonist goes through. You will end up taking a look at all you hold dear, all you value and asking yourself if you have done all that you can for the people you love. You must read this book to see if he finds his son. You must read this book to take a look at the corruptness of a country we know so little about. You must read this book to find yourself.
I will most definitely recommend this book. I was unable to put it down from the minute I started it. It is not a really long book. However, it will grab you and hold you from the first pages. I had not heard of this author but I will most definitely look for more from him.
October 4, 2012
West Africa before cell phones...
Africa has always seemed a long way away to me, and a little intimidating for that reason. Facing the Son, which takes place in the late 1970s, does not gloss over the violence, corruption and dire poverty found on the continent. M.L. Rudolph writes from personal experience of the region to create a heart-warming story about an American father's attempt to reconnect with a son who has chosen to distance himself from his family by joining the Peace Corps and moving to Mali. The pace is quick and the plot keeps turning as frequently as the back roads traveled. Liked it so much, I read it twice!
Africa has always seemed a long way away to me, and a little intimidating for that reason. Facing the Son, which takes place in the late 1970s, does not gloss over the violence, corruption and dire poverty found on the continent. M.L. Rudolph writes from personal experience of the region to create a heart-warming story about an American father's attempt to reconnect with a son who has chosen to distance himself from his family by joining the Peace Corps and moving to Mali. The pace is quick and the plot keeps turning as frequently as the back roads traveled. Liked it so much, I read it twice!
March 5, 2012
I was engrossed in this story from beginning to end. The plot is multi-layered, with mystery, suspense, drama and adventure. The characters are unique and have many dimensions. They made me care and I wanted to crawl inside the story with them. The dialogue is realistic. The ease of the descriptions immersed me in African countries and cultures. I did not simply read this story. I experienced it.
April 29, 2012
The unthinkable has happened. Matt Reiser's ex wife has stage four lung cancer. Her one wish is to have their son, Karl, come home and be with her before she dies. The only problem is neither has spoken to or seen Karl in years. Melanie, Matt's ex wife, asks that he go to Africa and bring their son home for her. Despite his uncertainty of leaving Melanie alone, Matt agrees. They plan the trip right down to the minute. Funny though plans have a way of being changed unexpectedly. The trip to Africa becomes more of an adventure than Matt bargained for. From the moment he steps off the plane in Africa things go wrong. He's mugged. He's unable to understand the language. He finds himself in a very poor village, alone, and all his money and affects gone. With a little help, Matt soon finds his hotel and his adventure takes another turn. He gets mixed up with local petty criminals in an effort to regain his personal belongings. Now, he's found Karl, but will his son come home and will they make it in time.
This moving story hits right in the heart! I promise you'll need tissues for this one. I thought this story was wonderfully written and reminds us we have no idea when our time will be up, so make the most of life. I found Matt Reiser to be a character you want to help at times and others you want to smack him for his unsophisticated ways. The characters are well developed, at least Matt and Melanie are. Karl seems to be just a sketch really. The locals are every bit as colorful as you'd expect in a country where the extremes are the norm. I loved the details about the surroundings because you felt as if you were right there seeing them yourself. This book is one you'll share with everyone!
The only issue I saw was, as I said, Karl seemed to be a sketch and not a fully developed character. He's talked about throughout the book, but you don't learn to much about him as a person.
I gave this one 5 out of 5 books because I truly empathized with the characters.
This moving story hits right in the heart! I promise you'll need tissues for this one. I thought this story was wonderfully written and reminds us we have no idea when our time will be up, so make the most of life. I found Matt Reiser to be a character you want to help at times and others you want to smack him for his unsophisticated ways. The characters are well developed, at least Matt and Melanie are. Karl seems to be just a sketch really. The locals are every bit as colorful as you'd expect in a country where the extremes are the norm. I loved the details about the surroundings because you felt as if you were right there seeing them yourself. This book is one you'll share with everyone!
The only issue I saw was, as I said, Karl seemed to be a sketch and not a fully developed character. He's talked about throughout the book, but you don't learn to much about him as a person.
I gave this one 5 out of 5 books because I truly empathized with the characters.
July 29, 2011
In 1979, when American Matt Reiser lands in Africa to search for his son, he quickly finds himself beaten and robbed of everything from his passport to his shoes. Haunted by regrets, Matt is on a quest for redemption and the robbery triggers a chain of events that takes Matt on a dangerous journey across international boundaries without a valid passport. A dubious hotel concierge and his street-smart niece seem to want to help Matt, but their lives collide in a pivotal moment that sends Matt running from thugs and government officials through urban and rural Africa in a life-changing adventure. Surprising twists hurl strong characters through colorful sights, smells and sounds of a time gone by. “Facing the Son” delivers a great roller coaster ride that is a testament to a father’s love for his son and his son’s mother in a story is that is compelling, heartwarming and bittersweet.
August 8, 2012
SPOILERS CONTAINED HEREIN! I had high hopes when reading this novel, thinking it would be a touching story about a family members reconnecting with each other. It is, to a point. But it is largely about the adventures the father goes through in searching for his son and how it changes him.
My disappointment is my own fault, due to my own preconceived notions. And it is only the ending that disappointed me. It's a perfectly reasonable ending, most likely what would happen in the real world. I was just thinking it would be more of a "happily ever after" type of conclusion.
But the ending's slight ambiguity actually makes the book more memorable due to its realism.
And I thought it was extremely cool that the author personally thanked me through Goodreads for rating it here.
My disappointment is my own fault, due to my own preconceived notions. And it is only the ending that disappointed me. It's a perfectly reasonable ending, most likely what would happen in the real world. I was just thinking it would be more of a "happily ever after" type of conclusion.
But the ending's slight ambiguity actually makes the book more memorable due to its realism.
And I thought it was extremely cool that the author personally thanked me through Goodreads for rating it here.
July 12, 2011
This book was of interest to me for many reasons. I have not read many books based in Africa and particularly not Africa in the 1970s. I found the descriptions of the country real, almost as if I was seeing the country myself. The story became more fast paced as the book moved into Matt's quest of finding his son. Any parent who has ever felt either emotionally or physically distant from their child can understand the pain that Matt is experiencing. I finished the book in about 1 week. Once I got to the last few pages, I could hardly put it down.
July 21, 2011
What a great book. From the outset the reader is put in suspense with what has got to be any travelers worst nightmare – and then in a country as foreign as one can imagine. This book has a lot to offer including understanding the challenging conditions in Africa, a traveler put completely outside his comfort zone, and a father’s struggle with his broken relationship with his son. The story continues throughout to take new unexpected turns and one quickly gets to a point where you cannot put it down until completed.
March 29, 2012
Being a traveler I liked this book a lot. Mr. Rudolph did a wonderful job of showing the true life of the back-country of Africa, and the differences between the rich and the poor.
His reason for travel made me shed a tear or two, but his adventure to finding his son made me smile many times.
Well written Mr. Rudolph!
His reason for travel made me shed a tear or two, but his adventure to finding his son made me smile many times.
Well written Mr. Rudolph!
October 3, 2016
Gripping, deeply moving story
This is a story about finding oneself in the most unlikely of places. A story about facing the past and finding out what you're made of. Beautifully written and so richly detailed that I feel as if I've taken that journey myself. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
This is a story about finding oneself in the most unlikely of places. A story about facing the past and finding out what you're made of. Beautifully written and so richly detailed that I feel as if I've taken that journey myself. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
March 27, 2018
Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa by M.L. Rudolph.... A walk into the way of Africa, the author has explicitly defined the difficulties faced by a traveller to the continent - Africa. Coupled with this trauma finding the whereabouts of a person lost in the Africa adds to the thrilling plot... A great read.
February 14, 2012
The obstacles the father must overcome to find his son are sometimes overwhelming. I remember getting stiffed by a cabbie in NYC, but what this man goes through is horrendous. Rudolph gives readers a stark view of how quickly things can go bad in a third-world country.
November 9, 2013
this book was good from the first word. the journey and hardships this man had to go through to find his son was tremendous from day one. he is way out of his element and yet he manages to bumble his way from one situation to another with a little help from his new African friends.
April 10, 2012
Enjoyed this book very much. Well written and made you reflect on how your decision and actions usually effect others as well.
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May 2, 2012I Cannot wait to try to read this book!!!!
February 1, 2023
Interesting story with unexpected twists and turns.
December 14, 2012
I don’t know how to rate or review this book. For most of its content I was very skeptical about the characters and about all the wrong turns they take. Matt is a man who is traveling for the first time to Africa, in search of his son who he hasn’t spoken to in 9 years, to bring him a letter from his dying mother.
I felt most of the central male characters to the story were painted in a bad light: Matt the irresponsible traveler and bad parent, Jean-Louis a crook, the diplomats that Matt goes to for help are sneaky and devious, and then the main bad guys are rapists and all-around criminals. There are a few wonderful exceptions that Matt meets along the road though.
The women are the opposite, all strong and righteous. Melanie, Sally and Sally’s grandmother are all great women. I liked their characters but I couldn’t stop feeling that the men were being treated unfairly somehow.
During Matt’s trip from Ivory Coast, to Mali, and then to Upper Volta (Burkina Faso now) I came to like him more. My initial impression of him being a naïve, dumb man got better throughout the book. Ultimately, the way things ended with his son didn’t really satisfy me, probably because I also didn’t like his son. What’s with all these men that can’t talk to each other? Really, and this is where the spoiler comes, if you’re living in the middle of the poorest country in Africa for 9 years and haven’t spoken to your parents in that long, and suddenly they appear there, do you really greet them with “what are you doing here”? I understand Karl had a bad relationship with Matt, but holding a grudge for 9 years!!! Obviously his time in Africa didn’t afford him any soul searching.
But the trip itself is great. And even though this book takes place in the 70s, it was fun imagining all that Matt was going through and all the people he was meeting. And Jean-Louis rants really eventually start making sense about what Europeans, in general, have done un Africa.
I felt most of the central male characters to the story were painted in a bad light: Matt the irresponsible traveler and bad parent, Jean-Louis a crook, the diplomats that Matt goes to for help are sneaky and devious, and then the main bad guys are rapists and all-around criminals. There are a few wonderful exceptions that Matt meets along the road though.
The women are the opposite, all strong and righteous. Melanie, Sally and Sally’s grandmother are all great women. I liked their characters but I couldn’t stop feeling that the men were being treated unfairly somehow.
During Matt’s trip from Ivory Coast, to Mali, and then to Upper Volta (Burkina Faso now) I came to like him more. My initial impression of him being a naïve, dumb man got better throughout the book. Ultimately, the way things ended with his son didn’t really satisfy me, probably because I also didn’t like his son. What’s with all these men that can’t talk to each other? Really, and this is where the spoiler comes, if you’re living in the middle of the poorest country in Africa for 9 years and haven’t spoken to your parents in that long, and suddenly they appear there, do you really greet them with “what are you doing here”? I understand Karl had a bad relationship with Matt, but holding a grudge for 9 years!!! Obviously his time in Africa didn’t afford him any soul searching.
But the trip itself is great. And even though this book takes place in the 70s, it was fun imagining all that Matt was going through and all the people he was meeting. And Jean-Louis rants really eventually start making sense about what Europeans, in general, have done un Africa.
May 28, 2012
Author: M. L. Rudolph
Published By: M L Rudolph
Age Recommend: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Raven Rating: 5
Blog Review For: Great Minds Think Aloud
Review:
Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa" by M L Rudoph was really a suspenseful and wonderful read. I really enjoyed being able to feel like I was traveling in Africa along as I was reading....and what a ride! This was definitely one travelers worst nightmares and one I couldn't put down until I had finished with ...'Facing the Son.' This was basically a story of a father seeking redemption...looking for his estranged son to deliver a letter from his dying mother.
The ex wife (Melanie) of Matt Reiser had stage four lung cancer and her one wish was to have their son, Karl, come to her before she dies....and that meant Matt would have to travel to The Ivory Coast in Africa. Matt Reiser was on a mission in Africa in search for his son...he finds himself in a horrible situation where he is beaten and robbed of everything...down to his passport and even his shoes his was a dropped in a slum....what a horrendous ride....definitely you can see how things did go wrong in this third world country...Africa. Now, how Matt gets out of this mess is really a mystery and lots of suspenseful settings. Reiser is found to be running from not only thugs but government officials...in this urban and rural Africa. There are so many twist that come along in the read. Just who could be trusted? You will just have to pick up this wonderful read to find out how this all turns out.
The author did a wonderful job keeping you on a roller coaster ride until the end. "Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa" was truly a wonderful novel that is well written... with good plots ...and a heart stopper ending! If you are in for some mystery, suspense, drama and adventure then I would recommend "Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa" as a excellent read.
Published By: M L Rudolph
Age Recommend: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Raven Rating: 5
Blog Review For: Great Minds Think Aloud
Review:
Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa" by M L Rudoph was really a suspenseful and wonderful read. I really enjoyed being able to feel like I was traveling in Africa along as I was reading....and what a ride! This was definitely one travelers worst nightmares and one I couldn't put down until I had finished with ...'Facing the Son.' This was basically a story of a father seeking redemption...looking for his estranged son to deliver a letter from his dying mother.
The ex wife (Melanie) of Matt Reiser had stage four lung cancer and her one wish was to have their son, Karl, come to her before she dies....and that meant Matt would have to travel to The Ivory Coast in Africa. Matt Reiser was on a mission in Africa in search for his son...he finds himself in a horrible situation where he is beaten and robbed of everything...down to his passport and even his shoes his was a dropped in a slum....what a horrendous ride....definitely you can see how things did go wrong in this third world country...Africa. Now, how Matt gets out of this mess is really a mystery and lots of suspenseful settings. Reiser is found to be running from not only thugs but government officials...in this urban and rural Africa. There are so many twist that come along in the read. Just who could be trusted? You will just have to pick up this wonderful read to find out how this all turns out.
The author did a wonderful job keeping you on a roller coaster ride until the end. "Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa" was truly a wonderful novel that is well written... with good plots ...and a heart stopper ending! If you are in for some mystery, suspense, drama and adventure then I would recommend "Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa" as a excellent read.
May 30, 2015
I read this story a while back and it left an image in my mind of the mid-east that feels real. The people, the arrid lands, and the politics. And although this isn't a genre that I would normally read, the book was free and luckily it didn't disappoint. It was well written with many details that could only come from someone that was there. Very believable and emotion provoking.
February 1, 2016
I rate this book a 3 because I read it for a challenge representing a country that I would like to travel to--in this case, Africa. In that regard, I enjoyed the parts of the book that described the people, their surroundings and the local plants and animals. I did not think that the book was very well written although it did have a good premise.
November 30, 2012
An engaging story about a man who, having spent his whole life in Indiana, travels to the dark continent to find his son. Shows the difference between two cultures, and the similarity.
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February 25, 2016kindle 299 (africa)
June 21, 2012
This was a really good book.
December 14, 2012
If I could give this book no stars, I would. The writing is atrocious and the story line is abominable. This is probably the worst book I have ever read.
November 18, 2012
I liked this book. It was full of adventure and twists and turns. Well written with a nice story.
February 10, 2016
Could have been good .....good story ....relatiionships . Developing countries. However one of the characters in the middle of the book had a nasty mouth. Ruined it! !
June 11, 2012
An engaging narrative, easy to read.
September 22, 2012
If only I could give this book zero stars.....terrible in every way.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews