The Man of Legends

by Kenneth C. Johnson

“Johnson takes a big gamble by telling such a complex tale invoking every genre imaginable while juggling distinct and deep characterizations. The bet pays off, resulting in a story that will be popular with book clubs and fun to discuss.” —Associated Press

New York City, New Year’s weekend, 2001. Jillian Guthrie, a troubled young journalist, stumbles onto a tantalizing the same man, unaged, stands alongside Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, and Gandhi in three different photographs spanning eighty-five years of history.

In another part of town, Will—an enigmatic thirty-three-year-old of immense charm, wit, and intelligence—looks forward to the new year with hope and trepidation. Haunted by his secret past and shadowed by a dangerous stranger, he finds himself the object of an intense manhunt spearheaded by an ambitious Vatican emissary and an elderly former UN envoy named Hanna.

During the next forty-eight hours, a catastrophic event unites Will, Jillian, and Hanna—and puts them in the crosshairs of a centuries-old international conspiracy. Together, the three must unravel an ancient curse that stretches back two millennia and beyond, and face a primal evil that threatens their lives and thousands more.

Award-winning science-fiction mastermind Kenneth Johnson blends epic adventure, romance, and evocative drama into an intense supernatural thriller rooted in one of the great untold legends of human history.

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Urban Fantasy

428 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2017

About the author

Creator of V, The Incredible Hulk, Alien Nation, The Bionic Woman and other
Emmy Award Winning shows.

Director of numerous TV movies and the feature films Short Circuit 2, and Steel.

Winner of the prestigious Viewers for Quality Television Award, multiple Saturn
Awards, The Sci-Fi Universe Life Achievement Award, plus nominations for
Writers Guild and Mystery Writers of America Awards, among others.

Reviews

[Christine Quinn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Finished up to 73% in the book. Up to approx 60% I was only interested in the narrative of Will and glanced through the other characters. At first I was getting a bit annoyed about how he had influenced everyone--mark twain, Levi Strauss, the locomotive, Mary Shelley and Thoreau to name a few of the amazing things he had done--Come on enough already. Then the author decided to talk about his opinion of Christianity and how it should be an ethic not a religion because teachings and gospel have been distorted by those in power for their own ends(all true but that has been man since the dawn of time in all aspects of life). How about making a statement on all religions then bc essentially all religious doctrine has been written by man and used to influence the common man, it's not only Christianity. This is not a new idea and let's face it people believe in their religion (Christianity, Judaism etc) and use it for their needs. Some for power and proof that whatever they do is in the name of religion. Others look to it for solace in a world that to be honest sucks. I am not a religious person myself and I try to live my life as best I can. When I picked this book up I thought I was going to read a tale of someone who had lived for thousands of years and his travels. Not a book where he influenced all those writers inventors etc (it made it less and less believable) and then a discussion about religion. Currently I like to read books that take me away from my reality

[Kylie D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every now and then a book comes along that shakes you to your core. It doesn't happen very often, but this is one of those books. It is the tale of Will, an unwilling immortal seeking redemption. Set in New York around the New Year of 2001, Will's flashbacks of his long, eventful life finally lead to a showdown in an abandoned warehouse with his great nemesis. Beautifully told, it is a story of courage, love and redemption. This is a book you will never forget.

[Terynce · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an interesting book that would have been infinitely better were it at least 100 pages shorter. This is definitely one of those situations where addition by subtraction would have helped. Too many unnecessary perspectives. We get it, WJ/JW helped a lot of people. His influence was wide. But we don't need a blurb from every person he touched in the past 2000 years or so.

The jumping around through time and from person to person was confusing at first and for entirely too long. Once it clicked, it was cool, but still occurred too frequently. This was a really good idea that was taken such excess as to negate the level of awesomeness.

Like dessert. Brownies are awesome. Warm brownies with ice cream may even be more awesome. Let's add hot fudge, whipped cream, a cherry, caramel, toffee pieces, peanut butter, cinnamon, red velvet cake, crushed up Oreos, rainbow and chocolate sprinkles, and frosting. You no longer have a delicious dessert, you have a mess that's going to make you sick. That's what this book is -- it didn't stop with the ice cream.

Took too long to explain who he was and the end was anti-climatic. Wonderful build up (...it all changed that day in the warehouse...) that fell flat. "Hey! I'm going to tempt you like I have been over the years. What? You still say no? Oh ok, see ya! I'll try again soon!" I'm also big and scary looking when I'm not being beautiful because I'm an angel ... well, a fallen angel at this point.

Cut out 100-150 pages, some extraneous people, and have the reveal happen sooner and this becomes a stellar book instead of just about average. Alas, the author may have fought too much with his editor on this one.

[Melinda · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I first began this book I wasn't sure whether I really hated it or if it was intriguing enough to continue. So I kept going. It was intriguing. Not the sort of story I normally would stick with because it was a little too Armageddon-y but the main character was interesting.

But then I started noticing something that is a huge pit-fall for authors who deal with time slips or immortality.

{SPOILER ALERT}
If you have a character who is either a time traveler or someone who is apparently immortal do not and I repeat absolutely do NOT have them encounter and assist every single famous person you can think of from history ala Forest Gump. Seriously. It barely worked in that movie and it absolutely won't work in your novel. Not even halfway through the novel and this dude had already met and inspired Galileo, Gandhi, Roosevelt, Mark Twain, Einstein and multiple artists of note whose names escape me at the moment. Seriously? I'm willing to go with you on the immortality, that's interesting, but don't do this. Most people go their entire lives without rubbing elbows with someone famous; just because the dude can't die for some reason doesn't suddenly mean that he's in the exact right place at the exact right time to have access to all these folks. No, Okay? Just...No.

{2nd SPOILER ALERT}
Another thing you shouldn't do: Withhold important information from your readers and repeatedly tease them with it. As mentioned above, this novel features an immortal character. At midpoint of the novel, it's still not explained WHY this guy is immortal. If you're going to break the laws of the universe, you absolutely need to explain what the new parameters are. At first I was willing to give this story the benefit of the doubt and figured it would be explained fairly early, but it wasn't. So you have a character who either doesn't know or isn't telling why he's immortal and an institution tracking him down (Catholic church--because of COURSE) but the reader doesn't know why that's happening either. After a while it just starts to feel gimmicky and it got extremely irritating.

I generally don't quit books--even ones I have issues with. I understand how difficult writing a compelling novel is (since my own is still sitting unfinished on my hard drive) but I admit that I finally just put this one down without finishing it. There were just too many things that kept it from being an enjoyable read and life is too short for that. Pass this one by.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Kenneth Johnson, 47North, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Before I started this book I checked the reviews of others and was stunned by what I saw. Now that I have read the book I can address those reviewers: you weren’t smart enough for this book! Johnson wrote a deep, meaningful story full of cultural and intellectual references. It was the perfect length to tell this tortured soul’s story. I watched his life unfold through the citizens’ eyes, the people he aided during their last hopes. He was chased by the Church for being a miracle, but damned for eternity.
This was a both a heartbreaking and heartwarming tale. Johnson wove together what it means to love, to shame, and to save. Kudos for a job well done.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

Best book I've read in a while! Very cool premise to weave in history with fantasy. I highly recommend it!

[Azlin Bloor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Brilliant Read!

I completely lost myself in this book. Fact and fiction, history and legend, all coming together seamlessly into a truly memorable adventure.
I shan't go into the plot at all, as to do so runs a huge risk of spoiling the fun for you. If you like the Dan Brown type of story, this will knock your socks off, it's about 10 times deeper and more profound!
The author's prose may be a little too flowery for some but to me, it just added to the whole atmosphere and themes of the book. Story telling as it should be, not the cut and dried sentences you get from far too many writers these days.

[LadyTechie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Man of Legends is an adventure. I know it might seem a bit far-fetched in some areas, but, I found it to be a bit tongue-in-cheek in some areas and had a good laugh at all the things he inspired throughout history. I also found the way the mystery of his life was written engaging and the big reveal for why he was cursed was very well done and I even let out a big gasp when I read it as it was not what I was expecting. I had in my mind how things happened and I was close but, at the same time, I was way off the mark. One of things that made the read exciting is this person was cursed but in many ways he was just an ordinary man who felt pain the same as everyone else, over and over and over.

[Jim · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm often forgiving of books - I'm not sure I've given a 1 star review ever. However, this book definitely falls under the "how the heck is it getting rated so highly?!" category. It is *by far* the worst book I've read not only in 2017, but in years. Spoilers ahead...

Like a trite country song that overplays the hook 100 times too many, this book absolutely wears out the "wise immortal man miraculously appearing as the real power behind nearly every major human advancement in an aw-shucks kind of way" plot device. It backfired for me quickly, to the point to where anytime a flashback started, my eyes were rolling...."another one...who is it this time? The grandfather of Hitler? You've *GOT* to be kidding me...". I felt like I was watching a rat in a BF Skinner experiment where every press of the lever delivered yet another installment of "how Will was behind everything amazing, like using the steam from the first steam engine to produce the world's first cappuccino".

Running a close second to the overused plot device is how phenomenally stereotypical every character was. Self-righteously vain catholic priest? Check. Extremely-racist-but-obviously-on-a-warm-and-fuzzy-redemption-arc reporter? Check. Slang-throwing (though, not accurately) monet-level-diamond-in-the-rough street tagger? Check. Washed up country musician - replete with a guitar named "Betsy", and a moment where he dons his "stetson"? You bet.

What started out with great potential, quickly turned into something that not only failed to differentiate itself from other attempts (Highlander, Casca, Vampire Lestat, Cloud Atlas, etc.), but it became a didactic exploration of what, according to the author, Christianity should have been. The narrative inconsistencies of borrowing key elements from Christianity, basing critical plot devices on them, while simultaneously undermining their very meaning made the last third of the book feel like a thinly veiled essay on the author's dislike of the catholic church (or, if not dislike, then a worn out repetition of 'catholics as the bad guys'....note: I'm not catholic). Many parts in the narrative related to this felt as if the author didn't do the requisite research to understand doctrine, the history around it (and the process via which the important historical documents are verified, etc.). Without having studied many of these things earlier in life, I could have perhaps enjoyed the plot a bit more.

As a kid, I loved the original V mini series, and many other things Johnson has been involved with - and I'll continue to respect his work in those areas. This book, unfortunately, does not deserve the hype & praise. Other reviewers saying that readers who didn't like it "weren't smart enough for this book" elicits almost as much of a sardonic chuckle as the paint-by-numbers approach taken to create caricatures, I mean racially diverse characters, in the book. Don't waste your time - life is too short to read bad books.

[Andy Coleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A SIMPLE MAN'S REVIEW:

A story about a man, living through the centuries, all while being hunted? No, it is not a reboot of Highlander, although that would have been sweet. This, instead, is the story of a cursed man and the lives he shaped.

First the good: I really liked the idea for the book. It reminded me of The Man from Earth in its attempt to describe what a person might do if they were basically immortal. What would you do and learn?

But, now the bad: The style of the book is written from various perspectives and the author tries to give each character their own "voice" but it does not work. It actually get ridiculous in some parts. Plus the backstory for each person is simplistic and doesn't add anything to the overall tale.

The story also goes overboard with the amount of influence Will has throughout his life. It was like Forrest Gump on steroids! He invented blue jeans, the microscope, the steam engine, etc. Really?!

So it breaks down like this: the good parts - 4 stars; the bad parts - 2 stars; and the scene in the warehouse is original enough to bump it up one star.

This might be a fun summer read (if you skim a few parts towards the end). And if you are into new-age Christianity, you might like the theme - read it! If not, stick with The Man from Earth.

[Kat]

You know what, never mind. This had an interesting start, and the writing didn't make me immediately reach for my editorial red pencil of doom, but the incessant head-hopping wore me out, the titular legendary guy was eye-rollingly perfect, and THEN we had (of course) an Eeeeeeevul Catholic Priest, and the first of I suspect many digs against organized religion. So, I'm done. Thanks but no thanks.

[elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dear god. This book was not good.

Like, pretty much on any level. Except if the main character the book is about were real, that would be cool, I guess.

The writing is not good. And the fact the author chooses to write ethnic characters with weird stereotypical slang and accents felt really gross.

So, that's a thing I read so you don't have to.

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great concept, lots of potential, perfect grist for a big budget movie or a viral mini-series, but ... not as good a book as it should/could have been. If you're of the generation that was riveted by the iconic TV series, V, you probably need to read this, just to satisfy your curiosity. (That was plenty for me to vault this straight to the top of my reading list.)

As for the story line, Forest Gump meets The Bible,, with shades of the Vampire Lestat, Cloud Atlas, and Tuck Everlasting thrown in? No, that's not exactly it, but ... there's some pretty grand ambition at play, and there's a lot (OK, too much) going on here... As a result, to this reader, the author (or, more appropriately, his editors) just couldn't fully deliver on the scope of the promise.

Is the book entertaining? No doubt.
Is there plenty to think about - in terms of questioning assumptions - to justify the book's length? Probably.
But ... oh ... how much potential was squandered due to what appeared to be a laissez-faire editorial light touch. Or, I dunno - maybe a co-author was what was needed - someone who, although lacking the creative genius to conceive this story - treats writing as a craft, appreciates the wonder of vocabulary, and revels in hearing one's prose sing.... But, alas...

To be clear, I'm not primarily complaining about the book's length, although - at 250 pages, rather than 400+ - the book would/could have been dramatically improved. But the inconsistency, the lack of discipline in terms of voice, and the preference for the bludgeon-rather-than-the-scalpel refusal to embrace subtlety and reliance on a sledge hammer leeches much of the joy out of the story, particularly once the stage has been set, and the play bogs down in the final third of the book.

OK, OK, some readers won't mind the over-the-top stereotypes, the character flaws that the author introduces but must make absolutely clear - yes, the reporter is (unnecessarily) bigoted (and, no, her childhood experience doesn't justify the breadth of her relentless racism); yes, the Vatican's obsessed minion suffers from vanity run amok; yes, the romantic interest displays an incandescent spirit - I figured that out the first time it was pointed out to me. After that, however, a little more show and a little less tell would have made the repetition of the blatantly obvious less irritating (nay, maddening).

Still - a fun read - if a tad wearing (nay, exhausting) towards the end. When the TV miniseries comes out, my guess is I'll binge-watch it.

[Elizabeth Hanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read!!! When I finally got to sit down and read it, I loved it!! To some it might be a little long winded, in some places it was repetitive, but I the story was so good I couldn’t put it down. Very imaginative and creative!

[Anicius · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review is a spoiler. Don't read it unless you want to see an outline of the plot of The Man of Legends.

This is an imaginative novel (I read the Kindle edition) based on a denial of Christ's divinity (the Arian heresy). In the book, Christ is a good guy, not divine, but good enough that he is a "conduit" for an unnamed higher supernatural power.

Will, a Roman military officer in Pilate's service, witnesses Christ carrying his cross to Golgotha and strikes him when he embarrasses Will by collapsing in front of Will's house. Somehow, the encounter results in what Will believes is a curse - Will stops aging, is unable to die, and lives into the present. The curse requires him to move (at least 3000 feet) to another location every third day and prevents him from returning to a previous location for 333 years. He is forced to become a nomad.

Will believes that by doing good things, or stopping bad things, in his nomadic wanderings he can gain redemption, but he is disappointed when each millennium comes and there no "new beginning" for the world. His travels are dogged by a strange but friendly young man who apparently also does not age, and various hostile officials of the Catholic Church. The church is filled with greedy people who concocted Christ's divinity to establish and maintain their own power - they see him as a threat because he knows Christ isn't divine and they pursue him across the ages, hoping to imprison him.

In the present, Will, hospitalized after saving a child from a burning building, is confined to an intensive care room where his enemies and friends descend on him as he speedily recovers from burns that should have killed him. His friends snatch him from impending capture by a mildly mad Catholic priest who is under Papal orders and assisted by the constabulary. Everyone winds up in a warehouse where the strange but friendly young man, who urges Will to join him, is revealed to be Lucifer. When Will tries to help Lucifer, Lucifer loses it and, after appropriate fireworks, disappears into the floor. Will escapes capture and starts considering the possibility that the good guy, Christ, tagged him to pursue and convert Lucifer and thus start the "new beginning". I assume there are, or will be sequels.

It's an interesting read. Will shows up in various places during his two-mellennia sojourn, usually to provide critical advice to well-known scientific and political figures. He's responsible for the rivets in your blue jeans, the assassination plot against Hitler, the rediscovery of Roman concrete, and various other scientific and technological marvels. The story is told by Will and by his friends and enemies in their own words. The narrative is a bit uneven and the character personalities, and especially the character dialects, seem a little thin, but the plot moves along pretty quickly.

I was initially pleased with the possibilities - the story reminded me of the movie Highlander. I was seriously distracted, however, by my personal Christian views, and by my understanding of the history covered by the tale. Christian doctrine, the church, and many historical events are depicted shallowly and often without understanding. The author has condemned Will to earn his salvation by works, not the Church.

It's an clever tale, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone I know. There's a lot of misinformation in it.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

The Man of Legends by Kenneth C. Johnson is a case of being just a little too ambitious. I loved parts of this story about a man who lives through out our history. There was some very good story telling and twists using history and historical figures as the backdrop. My problem was there was simply too much and too many which meant that I really lost all interest.

I skimmed through the last quarter of this book. I wanted it to be about more and have a better conclusion but it did not.

Disappointing overall. There is a great deal to like here but just too much.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Author wrote this book to keep it a page turner and me wanting more. I do not believe in organized religion and that gained my interest to where I could relate to Will and his beliefs. The different characters he was personally involved with beginning with the drowning event were very interesting people that were influential and able to help him when he was discouraged near the end of the book. Him giving ideas to people who became famous throughout time did not bother me as some reviewers have written, as it showed his unselfish desire to make the world a better place.

[Debbie Boley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary concept for an amazing story

Few books touch our souls and cause us to consider our purpose. Mr. Johnson wove magic throughout this tale and yet left us facing reality. The characters are as real as people I know. The emotions build to the final crescendo and leave you breathless. I feel like I've been on a journey through time but with a completely different perspective and the future is very brilliant.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing book. I first thought it was a time-traveling novel, but realized it is the story of an immortal! Warning: it is very critical of the Catholic Church. This didn't bother me, as I am a recovering Catholic.
Reader will enjoy the history and the supernatural and spiritual messages!!

[Rachel the Page-Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two thousand years. Twenty centuries. That’s how long “Will” has been walking the Earth, awaiting redemption for a crime against forces that are much greater than him. Condemned to stay the age of 33, and move his location every three days, he lives a life of loneliness mixed with dedication to making the world a better place.

For millennia, he wandered, and in that time he helped shape people, history and the world as a whole. He died many times, but was always healed within three days so he could move on to his next location. Suicide was also attempted many times, but was futile, so Will finds himself wondering about his curse and how he can rid himself of it. He continues doing his best to make his mark on the world as positive as possible, in hopes of finding an end to this life of suffering.

His life weaves its way through time, like an ancient Forrest Gump, as he changes and influences things everywhere he goes. He also enjoyed art, and through time made several paintings, centuries apart (but signed the same, oops!). Someone who is involved in so many world events will eventually get attention, and the Catholic Church is after him - has been since the crucifixion of Jesus (which Will happened to have witnessed in his own horrifying way) and finding out that Will found an extra chapter to the Bible that changes everything we know about Christianity. It’s hard to find someone who moves on every three days, though...

In 2001, after there was again no rapture or redemption, Will was once more left feeling punished for his centuries-old crime. Around this same time, a tabloid reporter notices pictures of Will with many historical figures - who all lived in very different time periods. She begins to research who this man could be, but soon she’ll find out that the Vatican is heading in the same direction that she is.

The book is written from the perspectives of a few, including:

Will, aka W.J./J.W., and thousands of other names through time, the Man of Legends himself

Jillian, a tabloid reporter with dreams of becoming a serious journalist

Hanna, an old friend/love of Will’s who is trying to find him before her Alzheimer’s takes further hold

Father St. Jacques, appointed by the pope himself to find Will and bring him back to Rome for justice

Tito, a young and disadvantaged boy who gains an appreciation for art after an encounter with Will, and

Maria, whose mother started a fire with her crack pipe and left her little girl an orphan in danger of being pulled into the same prostitution ring she was in.

These characters all have different perspectives and motives, and the book does a great job of bringing them together at the ending, which I of course would not spoil! I’d never read a book by this author, and after reading a bit about him, it’s because his main work is in television. He should give that up and keep writing, because he definitely has a talent here.

This story has a little bit of everything and a little bit for everyone. I will say, I was not hooked right in so I set it aside for a couple days then came back to it. I’m so glad I did...I’d have missed out on an epic tale if I hadn’t!

[David Berkowitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

My three stars is a bit stingy. 3.5 would be more accurate.

Kenneth C. Johnson is well known for some the films and TV he has written and produced. He is largely responsible for things that were popular in the 1980s like The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman. And most relevant for this review, The Incredible Hulk.

Will, the protagonist in this book, immediately brought David (Bruce) Banner to mind while I was reading. (One character literally says "Don't make me angry; you wouldn't like me when I'm angry.") He has a secret he wishes to keep to himself that forces him to move from place to place while being chased. Instead of an investigative reporter, Will is being chased by a priest working for the Vatican. But he is also being chased by a reporter in the primary location in which this book is set (Manhattan right at the turn of the millennium.) But Will has been on the move for much longer than Banner. He has been moving around the world for almost 2000 years. He is a man that cannot die.

I don't want to say too much more about the plot because people who are not familiar with this sub-genre of science fiction will be delighted when they finally "get" what is going on here. I have read a few books that run along this theme (particularly Barry Sadler's "Casca" series) so I was way ahead of the storytelling, almost to the minutest detail. And the familiarity hurt the book for me and kept this from being a full 4 star review.

I suspect that Johnson wrote this novel with the idea that it would be turned into a show for Netflix or Amazon. In fact, Amazon Publishing gets a not in the afterward so I'm guessing the latter is the target. All of the makings are there for a series that could be around for several seasons. The book is loaded with flashbacks to earlier times in Will's life where he meets and helps many historical characters. Those parts of the book have a strong resemblance to the series Quantum Leap (or maybe Highlander is a closer match.) There are so many of these that they bogged down the pace of the book - but they sure would delight a show runner. Other parts of the book are a bit over-written which has the same get-in-the-way effect but would make for excellent stage direction and aids for set design.

When/if this does become a series I will likely watch it as it hits a lot of the buttons that make we want to watch a show.

Recommended for people who like time travel stories if you don't mind that the time travel is done the hard way - always forward and one day at a time.

[Aaron Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new perspective on Christianity, good, and evil

I grew up in the Christian faith and have always believed, however; I find myself trying to reconcile those nagging details that don't seem to align with typical Christianity. The beauty of this book was that it actually got me thinking in simpler terms. What if it isn't God vs. Satan but rather that Satan was a victim of free will? What if Jesus wasn't trying to inspire a religion but rather a new attitude toward your fellow man? What if many people's misconceptions regarding Christianity were born of man's interpretations of God's actions and Jesus's teachings?
This is almost a treatise on religious philosophy with an amazing story encompassing it so that it appeals to any level of believer or even non-believer.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was not great literature or written in beautiful language. However, I found it to be a hopeful story about the influence one humble person can have in the world. I found the mystery of Will to be intriguing, although I had a pretty good idea where Johnson was going with that aspect. I expected the book to end in a big bang showdown between good and evil. There was a little showdown, but it really was more on a human scale, not world shaking. I don't really get why (how) all the people showed up to help, but then didn't do anything but serve as witnesses. For anyone who remembers Johnson's TV Incredible Hulk series, this book has a lot of the same themes and tones. Will could easily be David Banner walking down the road alone at the end of each episode.

[Jonas Saul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Words cannot describe how good this novel actually was. I haven't read something this well done in quite a long time. I mean, other novels are fabulous reads as well, but this one was a unique literary piece of magic. I absolutely loved the multiple POVs. I loved the unique voice of each and every character, and I loved the subject matter. The author was able to weave the entire masterpiece together into a tight-knit bow. I laughed, I cried, and I sat shocked, at times - literally - on the edge of my seat.

This is a must-read book. I will place this in hardcover on my shelf and recommend it for years to come. It was a journey, a delight, a wonder, and an eye-opener.

[Misty Heringer raup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read

I enjoyed this book as it had a very intriguing plot and many twists. I liked the historical aspects of the story, as well as the bit of supernatural. It makes you think about how small acts of kindness can truly make a difference.

[Karen E Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique travel through history

Complex story full of wonderful characters & unique views of world history. It is at once a mystery / adventure with supernatural overturns & romance & compassion. Hated to put it down or see it end. My kind of story , loved it

[Christopher Everest · Rating 5 out of 5]

A difficult book to describe. A very easy read. Most importantly it makes you think. For anyone brought up (even marginally) within the Judaeo/Christian religion this book will carry a tremendous impact. For others it can be read I suppose in a more generalist philosophical way but personally I found it very moving. Of course the premise of an individual doomed to live forever is not a new idea but in this book there are no samurai swords, no lightning from the sky and windows exploding. There is not any sense that Will (the Central Character) had ever wanted such an outcome as immortality - it is he accepts a penance, a punishment, and he is dealing with that fact. It is therefore in a sense a book about redemption and salvation. Will is aware that he is fundamentally to be forever alone, and moving location every 3 days and whilst loving different individuals Will and the reader can feel, can share, the emotional pain having to deal with losing those loved ones whilst he remains untouched outwardly by the passage of time and the seeds of decay. But there is an effect on him and on us (the readers). For me this book carries a small measure of hope, a sense that perhaps there might be order and reason in the world out there. It is of course fiction but for anybody out there who needs to find meaning in their existence this book envisages one way to deal with life. It is a traditional way and the chasm between faith and belief and reality is still there with the reader when the book is closed. But it would be so so wonderful to know, and to be confident that there was after all, a grand plan. I really would like a sequel as well.

[Bob6003 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A provocative literary work

My general rule is to read a book before scanning the reviews. By page 100 I found my self unable to focus on the book. I thought I might've been finished at that time so I stopped and checked out the reviews. After reading the scathing 2star review I realized I was approaching the read in the wrong frame of mind. After another hour of reading I was totally caught up in the story and enjoyed the read immensely.

I believe the writing is weak n the beginning but with perseverance the reader will be rewarded with a satisfying read.

[Lamis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is haaaard to rate, and review, it’s probably more a 3.5, but not a 4, you know what I mean?

I will start by saying that this author is very brave, this is a courageous book, the idea, the execution, the back and fourth stories. Wow! I am not surprised that the majority of the reviews are either raving 5 stars or totally hating it.

I love time travel, my main problem here was that the part we spent getting to know Will’s stories ( spanning two thousand years) was too long, a little confusing in how it jumped back and fourth with no particular order AND preceeded the part where we got to know how and why Will is cursed. So we were in the dark for about 70% of the book and spent almost of that reading about Will’s encounters with every famous person we ever studied 😂 ( Einstein, Mark Twain, Mary Shelley, etc…)


I also appreciate a book who is trying to make me think, even when I don’t agree with everything it had to say.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow. That was... really terrible. Interesting story for a while, but there are a lot of other book with the same idea that do it better.