The Diary of an Immortal (1945-1959)

by David J. Castello

THE DIARY OF AN IMMORTAL (1945–1959) is the story of twenty-one-year-old U.S. Army combat medic Steven Ronson, a man who escapes the constant inundation and threat of death in World War Two after he discovers an immortality formula designed for Adolf Hitler during the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp in April of 1945. Steven begins consuming the immortality formula and, after realizing that aging and death no longer control his life, travels to Manhattan to realize his childhood dream of becoming a jazz saxophonist on 52nd Street. The immortality formula gives him supernatural powers and fantastic musical abilities. His performance catches the attention of a disgraced British missionary and his adopted niece who knew the Buddhist monks in China that have guarded the original formula for thousands of years. After a series of disturbing and prophetic visions, Steven accepts an invitation from the ex-missionary to journey to Xian. In a mountain monastery outside of the city, Steven discovers the incredible truth about the formula and the monks, and the interstellar origins of Jesus Christ and the human race. But time is running out-the German occultists who helped bring Hitler to power in the 1930s have selected another Aryan messiah, and this time he has the formula. Steven cannot allow the nightmare he experienced in Germany to happen again.

316 pages, Paperback

Published October 17, 2016

Reviews

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have said it more than once, but I'm saying it again. "Holy crap on a cracker!"

I got a print copy of this book through Smith Publicity and I thought it sounded different so I gave it a try. I mean the blurb states an immortality drug designed for Adolf Hitler and that was all it took. How cray is that thought?



So the American medic named Steven Ronson was in Germany during World War Two. He and some of his mates go to the concentration camp 'Dachau' and well, find some atrocities as you can well imagine during that time. But he also found some pills and some notes from a doctor talking about them being an immortality drug. Steven decides to snag the whole lot and starts taking them. <--HELLO, who takes some pills from anywhere that you don't even - NEVERMIND!

It turns out they really are immortality drugs and they have a freaking history that goes back thousands of years.

Steven returns home and things happen with the family and he ends up moving away and becoming a sax player. But there are some magical things involved in his playing and other stuff going on and because of this he is found by a man and his niece. They know all about these immortal monks and they want Steven to go with them to meet one of them. I mean they had Steven all figured out and he told them all about his story so.... off they go to China.

Listen ya'll, this book is so out there. I don't even know how author's come up with this stuff. Well, okay so he researched a lot and so forth, but you know what I mean.

This book takes us through a story filled with evil monks, not so evil monks, people hibernating for years on end, monks old enough to have met Jesus, a planet called (Aldebaran that is a star sixty-five light years away), the Dalai Lama, and things that I can't even begin to explain.

The book was just bizarre enough for me to like because I love things that are bizarre. There were some sad things that happened in the book and some happy things, besides all of the weird stuff =) I liked some of the characters and I thought the ending was really good. One part of it was predictable but who cares. I also liked the author's writing style and I didn't get confused. I thought this was going to be one of those confusing books as I'm easily confused. I like repeating words. CONFUSED!

It's funny because I didn't think I would like this book at all for reasons, but when I got to that part it wasn't all that big of a deal and it moved right along so it's all good.

All in all I enjoyed it and it was a nice, weird ending to my 2016 reading schedule! =)

MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List

[Marta Tandori · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Second World War is drawing to an end and army medic, Steven Ronson, and his division are the first to arrive and begin liberation of the concentration camp, Dachau. Horrified at the depravity and human suffering that greets them, Steven and his fellow soldiers investigate the officers’ quarters at the camp. While looting the Kommandant’s safe, one of his buddys hands Steven a mahogany box containing two letters and bottles of pills which are purported to have been created for Hitler in order to give him immortality. Somewhat skeptical, Steven nevertheless holds on to the box containing the bottles of pills and it isn’t until the next day, when his best friend is shot in the streets of Munich, that Steven decides to defy the fate of death that surely awaits them all and takes one of the pills, which has about as much impact as taking an aspirin. His taking the pill, and one each day that follows, sets the stage for a journey of discovery that Steven will soon embark upon once he’s shipped back home after the war. Much has been written about Hitler and the horrors of his human experiments throughout the years and if you think this book is similar in vein, think again. Talented author David J. Castello creates a wonderful work of fiction in The Diary of an Immortal, combining real-life historical events with religious ideology and good, old-fashioned fantasy that will not only keep you entertained but will also force you to ponder the true meaning of life and your own mortality.

[Kara]

Such an unusual, creative book. It's not often that a book with paranormal elements makes you think and question your beliefs while at the same time entertaining the reader. This one does.

It's truly special. And yes, I helped edit it, but that's not why I am saying this. Even now the book and certain scenes are stuck in my head. I have a TERRIBLE memory due to medications that I am on, but for some reason I remember this, and that says something.

[Ron Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Author David J. Castello is well-known in my field. This review was published in an industry trade magazine that I am the editor and publisher of, located online at DNJournal.com).

I just returned from a nine-day holiday cruise that was made even more enjoyable by being able to sit by the pool and read The Diary of an Immortal with no distractions. It's a good thing nothing else needed my attention because the story was so engrossing I would had ignored it anyhow!

I don't want to spoil anything for you so I will just encapsulate the story in a couple of paragraphs and leave all of the twists and turns of the story for you to enjoy for yourself. Steven Ronson, a young soldier from Florida, found himself fighting the remnants of Hitler's forces in 1945 Germany when, during a raid on the Dachau concentration camp, he discovered a mysterious stash of pills that were meant to allow Hitler to live forever, but fortunately never made it to the Fuhrer. Ronson began consuming the pills and soon found they gave him extraordinary abilities including the power to heal from any injury - completely impervious to death.

Ronson moved to New York City after the war where, aided by the formula, be became a saxophone-playing phenom on the local jazz scene. One night after playing he met a disfigured former missionary (Albert) who recognized something familiar in Steven that he had seen before - immortality. Albert told Ronson that the immortality formula originally came from China where an order of secretive monks had been using it to live continuously for centuries.

Albert also had a beautiful niece, Jennifer, whom Steven fell in love with, so he jumped at the opportunity to accompany them to China (in the midst of that country's civil war which Steven was soon embroiled in) to learn more about the immortals and why he was destined to become one. With the guidance of Albert and 2,000 year old monk Chow Li Steven would get the answers he was looking for but the story does not end in the way we expect...and that is all I can tell you without spoiling it!

It is a terrific read (and I could see an epic movie made from this book). Castello is a long time history buff and an expert on World War II history in particular. That allowed him to fill the book with real people, places and events that allows the story to transcend fantasy and make you forget from time to time that you are reading fiction! I've written non-fiction practically my entire life and I have no doubt writing good fiction is much harder. How someone can create, solely from their imagination, engaging characters, dialog and a great story with so many moving parts that have to all be tied together in the end completely amazes me.

When I asked David how this process worked for him as he created his first novel he told me, "The book came to me in a series of dreams that seemed odd and disjointed. Luckily, I didn’t fight it and went with the flow because when it was completed I could see they all lined up. There is a part where Steven tells a music producer in New York City that (when playing his astounding other-worldly sax solos) he felt like a radio receiver to the cosmos. I wrote that because I was feeling that way! There is no way my book would have been created as it is if I hadn’t taken notes the instant I returned to consciousness. I would’ve only remembered the basic elements, it wouldn’t have made sense and my conscious mind would’ve taken control and steered me away to a different destination."

Thankfully, David's dreams (and his meticulous note taking with the pen and tablet he kept at his bedside) took him to the right place - a place you can arrive at too after taking the fast-paced 307-page journey through The Diary of an Immortal. If you need more incentive, the book ends with the ingredients in the immortality formula! Let me see you get that at Walgreen's for $2.99! :-)

[Chanda Shae Curry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastical

What a tale weaver. I've always been interested in immortality.But only stories of it has to do with vamps.An American soldier experiences the evil that was Hitler's and the atrocities of the death
camps. While there he discovers a secret weapon,one that could turn the outcome of the World if ever unleashed.Then he travels to New York becomes a sax player,who is out of this world.From there to China.His story continues well past descriptions.What and who he encounters on this journey is supernatural all in itself. The immortality of man is real,how does he know?He himself is immortal.That is what he found in the death camps. He travels defending those that know the powers of this one pill a day. He fights against those who has harnessed its power,and plan on using it for World Domination. He learns that it all came from a galaxy somewhere far away. The twists and turns in this sci-fi book,is what keeps you reading. Question remains if you could live forever would you,could you face watching loved ones come and go? Kinda makes you stop and think.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jade, cinnabar, ganoderma lucidum mushroom, shark liver extract - the recipe for the immortality formula

Tennessee author David J Castello, originally from the Bronx, makes an auspicious debut with a novel so unique that the promise of an important author arises. David is the Editor-in-Chief and COO for the CCIN network where he has written hundreds of articles on a variety of topics for Nashville.com, Whisky.com, PalmSprings.com, Bullion.com, Traveler.com and more. Reportage plays a role in his fascinating tale – a factor that makes this fantasy novel seem credible.

Narrated in the first person David opens his novel with a near-memoir feeling – a quality of writing that is too seldom found in books of this genre: ‘Death. I was so sick and tired of death. By April of 1945, I considered death, not the German Wehrmacht or the SS, to be my real enemy. I was a twenty-one-year old medic assigned to Rifle Company I, Third Battalion, 157th Regiment, 45th Division of the Seventh United States Army, and though it was obvious we were winning the war I did not count myself among its victors. My job was to save lives, not take them, and I failed many more times than I succeeded. On Saturday, April 28th, we were approximately thirty miles west of the Bavarian capitol of Munich. The Nazi war machine was convulsing in the final grip of its death throes and nearly every German man, woman, and child was fighting with suicidal desperation to defend what little was left of their precious Fatherland. And every day I bore witness to the desecration of one more law, ethic, or code of humanity as we journeyed one muddy step at a time into the depths of the abyss. That afternoon, the other company medic stumbled upon a wounded German boy. The child couldn’t have been more than twelve or thirteen and was huddled tightly on the frozen ground curled in the fetal position while clenching his stomach. This medic was fresh off an LST at Marseilles − six feet of smiling, buck-toothed, corn-fed Omaha farm boy. Full of idealistic fervor, he was quite vocal in his belief that we were all on a sacred crusade to save Europe from fascism.’ Fact or fiction – it doesn’t matter when an author is able to plant the seeds of his strange journey so succinctly.

David provides a fine synopsis of this at times convoluted plot: ‘Twenty-one-year-old U.S. Army combat medic Steven Ronson, a man escapes the constant inundation and threat of death in World War Two after he discovers an immortality formula designed for Adolf Hitler during the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp in April of 1945. Steven begins consuming the immortality formula and, after realizing that aging and death no longer control his life, travels to Manhattan to realize his childhood dream of becoming a jazz saxophonist on 52nd Street. The immortality formula gives him supernatural powers and fantastic musical abilities. His performance catches the attention of a disgraced British missionary and his adopted niece who knew the Buddhist monks in China that have guarded the original formula for thousands of years. After a series of disturbing and prophetic visions, Steven accepts an invitation from the ex-missionary to journey to Xian. In a mountain monastery outside of the city, Steven discovers the incredible truth about the formula and the monks, and the interstellar origins of Jesus Christ and the human race. But time is running out − the German occultists who helped bring Hitler to power in the 1930s have selected another Aryan messiah, and this time he has the formula. Steven cannot allow the nightmare he experienced in Germany to happen again.’

Keen characterizations with enough of the bizarre elements suggest this is fodder for a screenplay. A very fine debut from an obviously gifted new author.

[Bob D'Angelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you could achieve immortality, would you do it? What would you do with that gift? Follow your dreams? Travel to exotic places? Or perhaps, protect civilization from an evil immortal hell-bent on taking over the world?
Those are some of the themes explored by David J. Castello in his interesting debut novel, The Diary of an Immortal (1945-1959). This book would fit in the category of magical realism (think The Green Mile by Stephen King), and Castello has done his homework to present an improbable — but plausible — story line. If you use your imagination, this book will be an entertaining read.
Castello tells the story of Steven Ronson, an Army combat medic during World War II who had seen more than his share of death. He has seen 19-year-old soldiers believe they were invincible, even immortal — until their faces are transformed into utter disbelief as bullets cut them down and they realize they are dying.
Terrifying.
When Ronson’s outfit liberates the notorious concentration camp at Dachau in April 1945, the young medic makes an incredible discovery — a box of bottled pills that is a 50-year supply of an immortality formula intended for Adolf Hitler.
Ronson takes the pills, consumes them and then embarks on a journey to find himself. He returns to his Florida home after the war ends but soon travels to New York. Suddenly comfortable among the jazz elite in Manhattan, Ronson excels on the saxophone, playing notes that even established stars like Charlie Parker are astounded to hear. He becomes friends with a former British missionary who talks about Buddhist monks in China who have guarded the original immortality formula for centuries. Ronson has a casual interest in that, but is much more enthralled by the missionary’s adopted niece.
The musical subplot in Diary of an Immortal shows Castello’s knowledge of the industry and is an informative read. Sharp-eyed readers might chuckle at the use of Ronson as a last name for the main character, as it appears to be a nod toward the late English guitarist Mick Ronson, who worked with David Bowie during the 1970s.
What is striking about Diary of an Immortal is the character development. Steven Ronson is a believable figure, and so are his supporting characters. Jennifer Harrison is a beautiful, sassy, petulant woman who drives her uncle Albert to distraction but has Ronson charmed. Hines Winston is a brassy impresario who wants to hit it big with a band and sees Ronson as his meal ticket.
The characters Ronson encounters in China are interesting, too. A pair of immortals, Chow Li and Chang Sou, provides the tension in the second half of the book. Chow Li is the pacifist teacher, while Chang Sou seeks to dominate the world.
How does one defeat an immortal? Castello presents an interesting scenario, filled with tension and sadness. But the final twist of the book, which is foreshadowed in the opening chapters, is a satisfying finish.
Castello’s research is solid and he presents the reader with some good history about China’s struggles during the 1940s and ’50s.
In Diary of an Immortal. Castello starts off slowly and picks up the pace as the book moves forward. There are some key moments where the reader might stop and think, “Whoa …” — but that’s the mark of a good writer.
Immortality can be a gift, or it could be a curse. Castello shows the reader both sides of that eternal equation.

[Anne Monteith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike most books with an immortal this does not have vampires, but it does have other evil characters besides Nazis and I found the story very entertaining. While I didn’t particularly care for the author’s take on Jesus it was something that I was able to read, dismiss and forget; this is something I’ve done in the past and as long as the writer doesn’t fill the book with this I’ll do the same.

I really enjoyed the character of Steven and hope that as he continues on his immortal path he will retain has humanity. He isn’t perfect, but he’s a much better character than the best immortal in the book, Chow Li. I was really disappointed that after centuries in which he has see the depth of depravity and viciousness Chang Sou and his followers have sunk he cannot destroy them even when he realizes that soon the protection that has kept them as virtual prisoners is failing. He should have suspected that Chan Sou was lying and had another nefarious reason for wanting to meet with Steven in the monastery.

I thought the author did a wonderful job with both the character building and the story as a whole. The fact that these immortals seem to gather more powers as time passes but it’s hard to believe they are able to lie dormant for extended periods and remain alive without taking the pills with no effect. Since this novel was set during and after WW2 and considering where Steven found his supply of the pills I enjoyed the fact that Chang Sou was modeled on Thor, except he his immoral and doesn’t have a hammer, but when you are “possibly the missing link that Himmler’s German Ancestral Heritage Organization was seeking; a blonde, blue-eyed giant almost 7” tall, muscular, very broad shoulders and hands the size of catcher mitts” you don’t need a hammer.

4.5/5 Stars: **I want to thank the author and/or publisher for providing me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are mine.**

[Sanjin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy, would this be a cool movie. This book has so much packed in that I don't know where to start. There is no point in writing the plot here because I don't want to spoil something and also because it is all over the place. There is World War II, Hitler, Nazis, immortality formula, soldier that becomes world class jazz saxophonist, monks, Buddhists, China, more Nazis, spirituality, Jesus Christ… Yeah, that is the same book I am talking about. Luckily, the author obviously has skills to take this bunch of awesome ideas and mold it into coherent plot that is so interesting and just plain crazy in all the right ways that I couldn't put the book down.
This really isn't the kind of book that you see often, and if you come across something like this, it is usually pile of ideas thrown together that ultimately come to trashy fan-fiction-like story. I am really glad that this plot came into the mind of this particular author and that he managed to make an entertaining as hell novel. Don't miss it.

[Jody Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

A medic involved in the liberation of Dachau concentration camp discovers a cache of pills with the astonishing claim that, taken daily, they will confer immortality.
Steven begins taking pills as a panacea to the brutal reality of war and the camps.
From Germany to New York to to China and Tibet, Diary of an Immortal takes us on a greatest-hits tour of many of the major historical happening post WW2, as the protagonist seeks first the truth behind the immortality formula and its origin, and then to stop the forces that seek to use it to unleash another evil messiah unto the world.
Early on the novel asks "How does it change one's perspective and reality to become immortal?" and a connection between music and extra-sensory states of awareness is postulated, but these fertile novelistic questions are soon abandoned for what is essentially a cops-n-robbers tale with an overlay of eastern mysticism.
The author is a talented writer and the storytelling compelling enough, but I was disappointed by the theme tease: 3 out of 5 stars.
-Mary Whealen

[Payal Sinha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Diary of an Immortal is a fascinating tale that mixes facts and fiction in an incredible manner. The book compels to read on from page 1 and unfolds a number of exciting events. There are variety of historical events that are presented in highly realistic manner. I have read many books on Hitler and his atrocities, his fame, his popularity, etc., but the part when Hitler was losing and the whole of Germany - (whether man, woman or child) were engaging in a suicidal mission was new to me. It showed how young boys did not care for their lives and sacrificed themselves for Hitler whom the whole world hated. Again, the part about Tibet's history, and its popular religions were well used to make an exciting segment of the story. This depicts the hard work of the writer who researched a lot to present a very believable, exciting and fascinating story. Bravo!

[RR.Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow – this book is a mindblowingly awesome tale carved from a dark time in history. I came across this book by accident in the Kindle marketplace. I just love an original plot and refreshingly different concept and this is exactly what this book, The Diary of an Immortal (1945-1959), provided with a capital P! I loved the story and I loved where it went. The story at its core intrigued me and I just had to read it to find out where it went. The initial idea of the protagonist moving forward from the war and realising his dream as a musician, we knew would not work out well for him. I loved the true path he followed however, once he discovered that he was meant for greater things. I really loved this book and I can really see this as a film. It is just so original. I loved it and would look out for more by this author.

[Valery · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a WWII expert and history buff writes a novel about a life-changing chemical formula that promises immortality, prepare yourself. With the first person narration of Steven Ronson, the author David Castello creates a mesmerizing tale of war, the future, and a magic formula that allows it's users to live forever. Steven seems destined to discover exactly what this magical formula is, where it originates and if it really works. With graphically written details about Steven's time on the battlefield as a medic to his playing the sax in New York City and beyond, the writing is impeccable, engrossing and leaves the reader wanting to move on through the story. Highly recommend for fans of history and fantasy as well.

[Emma Sterner-Radley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I reviewed this book for StarryMag (through NetGalley) and so had to keep as neutral as I could while reading. I found plenty of things to enjoy in the book thanks to the imagination and the research that has gone into this project. Less positive was some of the unnecessary cruelty and the portrayal of female characters to name a couple of things. (I suggest reading my review for details but I'm not sure I'm allowed to link to it here?) This book is a thought provoking and thrilling read and I'm giving it four stars.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

David J. Castello must be one heck of a dinner party guest. His ability to spin a compelling story, so spellbinding I was enthralled to the last page, puts me in mind of Stephen King (think "The Green Mile"). The Diary of an Immortal is meticulously researched, facts interwoven with believable and compelling characters and narratives. If you're a fan of historical nonfiction or fiction, magical realism, detective fiction or science fiction—or just a damn good story—do yourself a favor and pick up this book.

[Virginia Winfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually don't read books that have immortals in them but this one intrigued me. This is about a guy that finds an immortality drug during WWll. He takes it but isn't sure whether it is working at first. He meets many interesting people during the time of this book. He has many weird and terrifying adventures. I enjoyed reading this a lot. I hope to read many more books by this author. I received a copy of this book from Smith Publicity for a fair and honest opinion.

[Duane Gosser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well paced book with interesting protagonist. Ending was a bit muddled but overall a fun read.

[Ronald Keeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Diary of an Immortal by David J. Castello is a book I found through OnLineBookClub. It is a Book of the Month for February 2017 on their site and members are encouraged to submit thoughts for discussion as they receive point rewards for submission of posts. To enter, I had to read the sample. From that point on, I was hooked by the story; I couldn't put it down. This will not be true for all readers. There is history, historical fiction, mysticism, hints of the supernatural, and explorations of the tenets of Buddhism. For me, the book was a fit. I would have given it 5 stars if not for the ending. The novel was great down to the last few pages and then the author presented an ending which I found totally unacceptable. That was quite a feat considering all the various genre we had passed through so well.

This is a 350-page book available on Amazon for USD 2.51. I am one of those who takes advantage of KU whenever possible. This novel was not available from KU but the sample was so good I purchased the full version. It would be easy to get the wrong impression of what the book is about from the sample. Steven is a medic in WWII and is a part of the US forces that liberated Dachau. His description of what was seen inside the camps, the actions of Kripos, the desperation of the liberated to adjust their stomachs to accept food, the actions of US forces toward German troops who surrendered and his feelings observing all these events may be eye-opening to a generation far removed from those events. As a person born in Germany during those years, I accepted what the author wrote as factual and normal. Except for the immortality pills, and that is where the book takes off to establish its own niche.

I am confident the author managed to shock readers with some of the scenes of children fanatically accepting death in the final days of attempting to save the homeland. One very important subject was barely touched on; the universal guilt of the German population. Vestiges of that remain today and later generations are resentful of it. Perhaps the author was wise to tread lightly on this one or we would have never got on with the rest of the book. What is widely accepted from a base that mixes anecdotal evidence with objective, documented evidence, is that during the final days of the Reich there was a flailing about of all kinds of attempts at saving the Reich. There were hints at experiments with jets, nuclear power, and getting aid from the occult. Enter Steven as he finds a box with not only immortality pills; they also come with instructions.

Because Steven was a medic, he wanted to find medical evidence for how this combination of chemicals came about. Luckily he ran into Erika Orsic, a beautiful, stunning (who will write about the ugly people) German who knew a person who knew a person who had been involved with medical experiments at Dachau, where Steven had found the pills. And that final person in the food chain was known to Erika; he owned a coffee shop nearby. Erika offered to take Steven to the coffee shop and Steven accepted. He trusted her because in an earlier happenstance meeting she had described to Steven a shortcut they could take into the village when they were invading it. The shortcut bridge had been mined and blew up when the allied forces tried to use it; Erica had neglected to mention the mines but she explained she hadn't known that. Steven believed her; she was beautiful and stunning. At a meeting in a coffee shop, Steven learns enough that he decides to take the pills, one per day and, due to the available supply, he not only will live forever but his body would do all kinds of neat things like regenerate lost parts and heal wounds. As the meeting at the coffee shop concludes, Steven goes off with Erika to spend the night in what will become the best night of his life and he will think of her forever. Literally, because he is immortal and she is beautiful and stunning.

Immediately after WWII, at the time of Steven and Erika's meeting, there were laws about fraternization between allied troops and Germans. Steven could have gone to jail but he didn't. Instead, he was shipped home, the war was over, and Steven accepted the idea he would never meet Erika again. But a guy could dream and Steven did. Steven went home a changed person. His family was not a stranger to him but things had changed. His father was dying and Steven saw an opportunity. He would share the pills with his father. His father refused, choosing instead to commit suicide. There was nothing for Steven to remain home for and he embarked on a series of travels and experiments with music in an effort to build a postwar meaningful life. It would be a long one as he continued to take the pills. And the pills affected his music. Steven would go into a trance and produce music no one had ever heard before. It was a mix of contemporary music with hints of Chinese overtones. While playing innovative music two people showed up at a performance who wanted to talk to him about his music. Albert had been a missionary in China but was presently defrocked due to an "incident." Albert was accompanied by his niece Jennifer who acted as a caretaker for Albert. She was stunning and beautiful.

In conversations with Albert and Jennifer Steven describes some of the visions he has in a trance while playing his music. He sees two prominent monks, Chow Li and Chang Sou, and is able to describe them in such detail that Albert and Jennifer recognize them. Albert associates them with the incidents that caused him his problems with and expulsion from the church. Albert knows that both monks are in a deadly fight with each other. Chow Li is a force for good, Chang Sou is a force for evil, and both of them are immortal. The visions Steven sees when playing music are something called the Akashic Record which is tenuously linked to a portal to a different world. The world can be connected to telepathically, the immortality pills provide a method to see the records. Clearly, a road trip is necessary for Steven, Albert, and Jennifer to find the monks Steven has seen in trances and Albert has met in person. The idea of immortality will be explored. The conflict between Chow Li and Chang Sou will be resolved. The immortality pills with the associated powers that brought Hitler to power will never again be used for evil.

One of the people who could have explained a lot about the immortality pills was Maria Orsic. She had helped Hitler come to power by using her telepathic powers to communicate with her home at Aldebaran, about sixty-five light years away from earth. That had resulted in the immortality pills. She, other than being stunning, beautiful, and the sister of Erika, had gone home to Aldebaran. There was nothing left for our heroes Steven, Albert, and Jennifer to do but go to Tibet and visit the monks of Steven's trance. In Tibet, the leader will learn some of the tenets of Buddhism and Taoism. The reader will learn of conflicts between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese. And the reader will witness life and death struggles between Chow Li and Chang Sou, a struggle our three heroes must participate in. Steven is necessary to the struggle because Steven can kill. Chow Li can't kill due to religious beliefs. And some people need killing.

The struggle will continue to an end I really didn't like. But the rest of the book was fantastic and I wouldn't give up the pleasure of reading the book even if I had known the ending before I started reading. Other readers may approve of the ending. That is why there is a discussion in the forums of the site that introduced me to the book.

This is a safe book for those offended by rough language. There is no gratuitous sex and little of any other kind. Readers who can suspend beliefs and accept a bit of the occult will like this. It is also good historical fiction as it encompasses the struggles of Mao, the Dalai Lama, Chiang Kai Shek, and the final days of the Germans in WWII.

This is a worthwhile and entertaining book I highly recommend. Despite the ending.

[Ruth Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Favorite quote: “There’s a timelessness I love about the ocean. Waves are born as a wind induced ripple before building into a towering crescendo crashing onto the beach in all of their explosive glory and humbly receding back in a continuous motion of life, death and rebirth.”

This review does contain spoilers.
Overall, it’s a decently written book (why I have two stars) that I absolutely disliked. The author has new and fresh ideas, can describe things well, but the story telling a bit lacking overall. Would I read again? No. Would I recommend? No.
This book took a lot of forcing to continue reading. It is not a fantasy romance like Fourth Wing and it’s not as fantastical as Lord of the Rings. It’s a historical science fiction book with immortality, aliens, vampires, and magic.

It is a book clearly written by a man. It starts off with an American soldier, Steven Ronson, who is a medic at the tail end of WWII. He stumbles upon some immortality pills and begins taking them. The author later explains why he took them, but there is no logic in it when you first hear about him taking the pills or after you find out why he did. Actually, there’s no logic to practically any of his decisions. It seems like he just does what feels right because he’s mentally suffering from war. See a random barely legal beautiful German girl? Bang her. Come home and your hot ex girlfriend throws herself after you reject her? Bang her. At this point in the story I’m just annoyed. This doesn’t further the plot and it’s not romantic in any way shape or form. It’s basically there to say, Steven is a player and he’s so cool. The author is talented with words (high five author), but I think this first part is a bit rough. Outside of the crap romance, the first part included a freeing of a Nazi camp where everyone in the camp was either tortured and starved to death or the brink of. Somehow these “prisoners were horribly emaciated” and “so physically weak that their hands felt like feathers brushing against our faces. Even their voices sounded avian, their sinus cavities deteriorated so badly they sounded like high-pitched, raspy birds.” YET, somehow, “Traitorous inmates… were tossed screaming in terror above the crowd like human beach balls before being pulled down and torn limb from limb.” So let’s ignore logic, stop nitpicking, and dive into the story. The author decides to kill off the dad, that move doesn’t make any sense to me, but let’s keep going.

There were quite a few inconsistencies and contradictions in the book like:
How can a pill that heals injuries very quickly not stop him from alcohol poisoning aka drunkenness? Or, Chang is subdued in this monastery, but wait until I take him out of it because he’s too powerful here.

The whole book for me was drudgery, but it did get easier to read after the alley scene with Jennifer and gang members. Overall, it’s fast paced but not immersive. I think if you’re Christian you should avoid this one since it takes biblical narratives and mocks them. “Chow Li charged into the tunnel with all the fire and brimstone intensity of a Southern Baptist tent revivalist ...”

[Scarlett Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Evil is selfishness to the point of destruction.” This quote is from Albert Harrison, the English Christian missionary who was expelled from a monastery in Eastern Sian west of Shangai in 1940 and fled to Tibet during the Nazi war time, where he came to know about:

• Tibetan history, Buddism, Tibetan life, rituals and customs relating to the Bon religion.
• Dalai Lama’s teachings, war against Christianity.
• The monk’s gift of prophecy.

We have a story of violence war, unarmed soldiers, gunfire and a would healing power of a immortality formula. We see how the fear of death and pain affect the events. We have dramatic death descriptions, corpses and concentration camps. The question is posed of why the fighting: Is it for the good or evil of mankind? Does good over evil triumph?

This a crazy monastery tale, revolves around Harrison who departs for America in 1946 and meets the protagonist of the story, Steven Ronson, a medic and soldier in the American military that fought in Nazi Germany. He was fresh off an LST at Marseilles−six feet of smiling, buck-toothed, corn-fed Omaha farm boy. Full of idealistic fervor, he was quite vocal in his belief that they were all on a sacred crusade to save Europe from fascism.

This is a story of crude awakening when the reader meets boy in pain on the battlefield. The innocence naturally native to the child’s eyes, had slowly transformed into a cold, calculating stare. And that stare was now fixed upon Steven with a boiling ferocity.

We see how this American soldier, that day in the spring of 1945, who rushed through the smoking haze of cordite to find the child sprawled flat on his back with that twisted look of shock etched across his face.

The rousing ideals that had previously sustained him, the siren’s song of patriotism, bravado and glory were now all cast aside in a desperate struggle to preserve what little life was pumping through his veins. And it was at that moment the child would look up at him with the eyes of a lost and lonely child, and always whisper the same last word: “Please.”

This is a story of conflict, war, violence, pain and death, and how humanity is desperate in a struggle to preserve of what little life is pumping through one’s veins.

“Do you know what the face of a nineteen-year-old boy looks like when he knows he’s about to die? It’s one of absolute disbelief. For regardless of the bullets whizzing by his ears, the mortars exploding around his head and the bombs shaking the ground beneath his feet, a nineteen-year-old truly believes he is invincible. He truly believes he is immortal. For youth is the great deceiver.”

Steven heard hundreds of dying men beg for mercy in a voice that claws at every fiber of your soul, but he’d never heard a human sound like a voice long devoid of hope; the voice of a man echoing from the bottom of an abyss.

Steven was so sick and tired of death. By April of 1945, he considered death, not the German Wehrmacht or the SS, to be his real enemy. He was a twenty-one-year old medic assigned to Rifle Company I, Third Battalion, 157th Regiment, 45th Division of the Seventh United States Army, and though it was obvious America was winning the war, but he did not count himself among its victors.

My job was to save lives, not take them, and I failed many more times than I succeeded. On Saturday, April 28th, we were approximately thirty miles west of the Bavarian capital of Munich. The Nazi war machine was convulsing in the final grip of its death throes and nearly every German man, woman, and child was fighting with suicidal desperation to defend what little was left of their precious Fatherland. And every day I bore witness to the desecration of one more law, ethic, or code of humanity as we journeyed one muddy step at a time into the depths of the abyss.

Harrison says:

“Steven, I’m going to be honest with you and say what’s on my mind. I believe you’re holding something back from me. You’ll never convince me it’s simply a coincidence that in addition to the music you create, you now have another supernatural trait in common with those Buddhist monks I knew in China.”

If you like stories about local folklore and superstition, and then disprove them using a combination of philosophy, science and the word of God, and a person, like Harrison what you would call a Theosophist, this book is for you.

We also have a tale of monks:

“Because the other monks have become corrupted. Like Chow Li, they possess an ancient immortality formula that prevents them from aging and seems to have other miraculous properties, but they have long abused those powers for their own selfish and immoral purposes. Chow Li told (Harrison) that he originally concocted this immortality formula so that monks and other holy men who had strayed from the path of righteousness would be forced to continue their penance on earth without the glory and rewards of death.” Pills were originally created as a form of punishment.

Jennifer Harrison, is Albert Harrison’s niece, with whom Steven falls in love. She has secret knowledge and says: “Well, the answer to your question about punishment is yes. However, the monks of this monastery abused its original intent. They had succumbed to every pleasure of the flesh and the most evil is their leader.”

Steven’s thinking:

“Was this the kind of joy that immortality would ultimately bring him? The formula was originally created to force humans to stay on this plane of existence. Back then, people didn’t want to stay here, they wanted to move on. Somewhere over the past two thousand years the priorities had been reversed. I now found it ironic that even with the promise of heaven most people would do anything to prolong their earthly existence.”

Jennifer’s biological father is Otto Krueger. Who and where is he? It is a secret. He would be prosecuted as a Nazi, but he is innocent. The reason he left Dachau, the concentration camp near Munich, was because he became aware of the sadistic treatment of the prisoners and the human medical experiments. He was in hiding and had the last of his supply of the immortality formula.

Are the monks who possess strange powers, like Chow Li, an old man superstitious, immortal? They seek converts for the army of immortals. Is the immortality formula safe? Will it prevail?
Humanity needs to denounce evil and return to the path of spiritual enlightenment. Enjoy the wisdoms of this visionary author.

Scarlett Jensen
19 January 2017

[Christina Winstead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Immortal

I found this book very fascinating and interesting. I find that Steven as a medic in the war was very empathetic and hated the war. When the prisoner camp was liberated and the immortality pills discovered I understand after his friend dying in his arms he wanted to survive the war. Meeting Eliza was great for him but alas not meant to be. Finding out at the end that Eliza had his son Charlie who also played alto saxophone was a great discovery for him also finding Chow li gave him the immortality recipe meant he could decide what he wanted to do with it. He fought Chang and won but lost Chow Li who sacrifices his life. He also lost his love Jennifer and her father Alfred. He had a hard life starting with his father killing himself after he came home from the war being only surviving member of his team. He left for New York and started playing Saxophone with a band. He played like a man possessed and had visions while playing. Left with Alfred and Jennifer when he was to sign a recording contract to go to China find Chow Li. He slept nine years which Jennifer married another a supporter of Chang he he ended killing her husband
Jennifer was supposed to take the immortality pills but did not

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my preferred genre but

This book is not my preferred genre but I came across it and decided to give it a read. The world war 2 descriptions held emotional heartbreak I found the author was good at capturing and the historical aspect was good. Overall I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The loss of stars was that the concept of immortality and aliens made it cliche for me.

[Thomas Brailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is interesting. Goes in directions I wouldn’t have expected, all against the backdrop of parts of history that don’t get attention in the West. Likable characters, fairly fast paced story. All in all, quite fun!

[Charnetta Simmons Abuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remarkable experience for the reader

The immortal is a classic hood vs evil with a twist. I liked the love interest and the interesting ending to the novel. In all it was a great story that I would read again I really enjoyed the writing style and adventure.

[Brooke Otis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sensational!

If you like alternate history then I highly recommend this book. The main character's inner struggle regarding immortality speaks to the heart of why anyone would want to live forever and what that would do to a person over time.

[Amara Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book!

This book was fantastic. I loved the historical fiction aspect as well as the fantasy aspect. I thought that it was very well written.

[Tracie A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope there is a follow-up

This book held my attention from the first page to the last . I would classify this as a sci-fi historical fiction, that immediately sucks you.

[Marinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is the Online Book Club.org February Book of the Month.
Let me start this review by saying I'm torn writing this, there were aspects of this book I liked and aspects of it I didn't like. There's immortals in this book and they're not vampires!! But of course there's evil in the form of Nazis and believe it or not Buddhist monks.
This is the story of Steven Ronson. He's a 21 year old medic during WWII. He's in the group of soldiers that arrive to liberate the POW camp at Dachau. Now if you know your history, to you know what happened at Dachau, human experiment's. These experiments were both physical and medical and the POWs were used as guinea pigs. When Steven and the others arrive at the camp they find some of the most horrific sights that no one should ever see. While searching the Kammandant's quarters a beautiful mahogany box is found and handed to Steven as his share of the spoils. What he finds inside will change his life forever. There are two letters about discovering the key to immortality and vials upon vials of these pills that according to the letters are the immortality pills.
Why he starts taking the pills even though he doesn't believe that they're real is his best friend Private Douglas “Lucky” Morrison, was killed in action right in front of him two days short of his twenty-first birthday.Steven is hoping the pills will help him stay alive long enough to make it back home to Miami. He makes it home but realises two things, he's not the same Steven he was when he left and the pills are working, so he decided to leave Miami. He heads for New York to try to become a professional jazz sax player and try to reclaim the two years he lost during the war.
While in New York he meets a man who knows all about the immortality pills and where they came from. He figures out Steven is taking them and they end up going to China to face an evil and immortal Buddhist monk who wants to rule the world. Now the rest of the monks don't believe in violence so they hope Steven will do their dirty work for them.
Now I enjoyed a lot of the history part of this book and thought the idea of immortality was interesting but this book seemed to drag on in parts, going even further in depth than I felt was necessary. I hate reading a book where I skim over parts because I'm bored and that's what happened a few times with this story. Don't get me wrong the premise was interesting but I feel it could of been told in a shorter version. The further in this book I got the more I asked myself "what if?" What if I was in Steven's place? Would I contemplate the repercussions of taking the pills or just go for it like Ronson did? Of course Steven didn't realise what he was getting his self into, but if he did would he still of taken them? There's a lot of moral questions in this book and it really makes you think.
Independent reviewer for Romance Authors That Rock

[Suzanne Odom · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story begins during the height of World War II. Twenty-one-year-old U.S. Army combat medic Steven Ronson, describes his weariness of the death that’s all around him. For him it is especially difficult when his company is the first to liberate the Nazi Concentration Camp, Dachau. While exploring the camp along with some other soldiers, they enter the cottage of a commander of the German military. Inside they find a lavishly decorated room with beautiful paintings and fine furniture. Behind one of the paintings, a wall safe is discovered. It contains German cash, jewelry and a large, mahogany box which is given to Steven. Thinking that it may consist of medical instruments, he opens it and finds two envelopes and a sizable stash of bottled pills. Thus begins his dalliance with immortality.

The letters explain a doctor’s discovery of a formula designed for Adolf Hitler to give him immortality. After seeing so much death, Steven decides to take the pills and develops amazing, superhuman abilities. For one, his body is able to heal itself of any injuries.

Once he realizes that death no longer rules his life, Steven travels to New York City to fulfill his dream of becoming a jazz saxophonist. His new abilities allow him to play music that is both magical and beautiful. Music that very few have heard before. His performance is noticed by a former missionary and his lovely niece who knew Buddhist monks in China that have guarded the secret of the immortality formula for centuries.

Soon he joins the former missionary and his niece on a trip to Xian where they travel to a monastery located in the mountains outside the city. He learns the truth about the formula and becomes involved in the Chinese Communist Revolution embarking on a mission to vanish a foe.

Castello weaves a tale filled with an intriguing plot, and the curious concept of immortality. His choice to change what we know of history and religion, yet still keep enough factual details, kept me reading. I found Steven’s character to be fascinating, especially in how he viewed the world and his desire to become immortal. Also the interactions between himself and the other main characters were riveting.

The book shows that a lot of research and hard work went into this debut novel, and I look forward to reading future Castello novels. Perhaps there will be a sequel to this one for it certainly appears as if there will be.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story

Kept me captivated for a while. Was a good read overall. Lost me a little in the middle but recaptured my attention. Truly enjoyed it.