Book Spotlight: The Maze by Jason Brannon

Happy Day Beardies!

‘Tis the season to be grateful and boy, oh boy, am I ever grateful. I have a fantastic family. I live in a picturesque location. I have a job that I usually enjoy. I have good friends. I’ve read lots of fantastic books. I’ve spent countless hours being entertained by good television. I’m feeling pretty lucky to be me. I love the month of November. That sort of in between time when fall turns into winter and where everyone tries their best to be upbeat and thankful. I’m happy to be here at The Bearded Scribe and sharing a new Book Spotlight with you lovely readers today. Let’s get to it, shall we?

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Premise:
Jaime Burroughs is your average guy. He has a wife, a small child and sells insurance for a living. Jaime experiences a near death experience that transports him to "The Maze"—a labyrinth where he must relive moments of his life and seek redemption for his past bad actions.

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Gems for Writers:
Atmosphere. I'm throwing this out early because I wish I had known before picking up the book. This is a Christian book. Every description I had read didn't spell that out for me. Christian books are not my thing. However, I did get through the book and the main reason I did was because of the description and feelings conveyed while Jamie was in the maze. The atmosphere was dark, intense and you could feel Jamie's pain and desperation. I liked the use of mythological creatures and overall tone during the time Jamie was battling with himself in the maze.

Plotting. This book has a clear storyline and plot. Man sins. Man has near death experience. Man faces his faults. Man chooses to be "reborn." Happiness for all involved. It's very clear-cut and straight-forward. I felt like the story itself flowed really nicely and was really easy to follow. I wasn't particularly attached to Jaime as a character, but I was sensitive to the journey he was taking and battles he faced in the maze and went along with it.

Rating:

Conclusion:
If Christian themed books are your thing, you will definitely give this book a higher rating than I did. I scanned Goodreads and it was more popular among people who enjoy that genre. The writing was good. The story was fine. It wasn't terrible or the worst book I've ever read by any stretch of the imagination. Christian-based fictional tales are just not my cup of tea; however, there was enough to keep me engaged and read through to the end. If you decide to pick it up and give it a read, let me know what you think.

Until next time...


***The Maze (2013), by Jason Brannon, is published by and copyright Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. It is available in stores, online (see above), and from your local public library.