The Father Loves the Son (©2002) not rated

Theo has lived through my worst nightmare, the loss of a child. Not a sudden separation, but a long drawn out withering and dying of a loved one. Such an experience in unimaginable to me. With The Father Loves the Son, Theo allows the reader in to his private thoughts, the joy, the hell, and the certainty that all things are part of a larger whole.

The story unfolds from September 2000 to May of 2001. At just under fifty pages this isn't so much a book as it is a reminder to people not to overlook the little things in life. You have to live each day, not just mark the hours or wait for things to happen. You have to make things happen. The book leans heavily on the faith that Theo and his son shared as a matter of fact. The danger in a book such as this is that the simple story of a father's love for his son could be overshadowed by the proselytizing nature of the narrative. Not here. The faith is held, cherished, doubted, and ultimately treasured. There has to be a happy ending in this somewhere, and what is faith for?

There are tears here, lots of them. My wife read this in bed, and the next day her eyes were red rimmed and swollen. One can't read a story such as this and not feel anything. Unless you're the Tin Man and are still waiting for your heart.

This isn't widely available, but you can snag a copy from the charity founded for Theo's son. It's a simple story, and one that bears repeating.

Reviewed December 2003

The Earth Remembers (©1989 TSR Books)

This book was better than I expected. The blurb on the back called it a Tex-Mex futuristic Western. So I wasn't sure if I was getting Clint Eastwood versus Buck Rogers. But what the heck, this book was part of my infamous haul of 25 cent novels, it looked interesting enough to take a chance on. The basic premise is that there are some bad people, and a bunch of good people. There are talking lizards, Indians, friendly Sasquatches, and nuclear weapons. I won't spoil the book by telling you which side wins. All in all a pretty interesting read, and not like a lot of other books I've read.

Reviewed May 23, 2000

The Devil's Footprint

Plain old adventure.  This is the third novel from Victor.  Another well researched novel, and excellently paced.  While this is a highly recommended read, it didn't transport me into the world of terrorism as much as its predecessors.  This book, felt and read like a high caliber action romp.  Classy guy too.  I wrote him a letter, he wrote me back.