Book of Days: A Novel [Paperback]

James L. Rubart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2011

"… in Your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being." —Psalm 139:16

Young Cameron Vaux’s mind is slipping. Memories of his wife, killed two years earlier in a car accident, are vanishing just as his dad predicted they would. Memories he knows he has to remember.

His father tells Cameron that to save his mind he must find "the book with all days in it" —the past and future record of every soul on earth.

When an obscure clue leads Cameron to a small central Oregon town, he meets enigmatic Taylor Stone, a possible guide to finding the book who seems to carry secrets far deeper than anyone imagines. Local hotshot TV personality Ann Bannister thinks the legend of the book is a farce, but she has her reasons to join Cameron’s search anyway. Finally, there is fanatical New Age guru Jason Judah, who will stop at nothing to find the book of days before Cameron does.

Acclaim for Book of Days:

"I devoured Book of Days in one sitting. It is an exciting but poignant novel about how truly important our memories and choices are to who we become. It's still resonating in my heart."

Colleen Coble, best-selling author of The Lightkeeper's Bride

"Book of Days is actually better than Rubart's best-selling debut, Rooms . . . a terrific story that is equal parts fast-paced thriller, thought-provoking allegory, and moving drama."

Rick Acker, author of When the Devil Whistles

"James L. Rubart is officially now one of my favorite writers. Book of Days is a great read, why people buy novels."

Dan Walsh, award-winning author of The Unfinished Gift

"Rubart has created a page-turner."

Publishers Weekly

"Well crafted and full of plot twists and turns. It will appeal to fans of Ted Dekker."

Library Journal

"Rubart is one of my favorite new authors . . . a master storyteller with his second release as good as or better than Rooms, his debut release."

Examiner.com (Seattle)

"Rubart is one of my favorite new authors. His writing is poignant, his characterizations skillful, and his plotting incredible."

The Suspense Zone

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

James L. Rubart is a professional marketer, speaker, and writer. He serves on the board of the Northwest Christian Writers Association and lives with his wife and sons in Seattle, Washington.

Product Details

• Paperback: 381 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books; Original edition (January 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433671514
• ISBN-13: 978-1433671517
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 1.1 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #324,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've been a professional marketer since 1994 through my company Barefoot Marketing, but my passion is writing fiction.

I'm also a photographer, guitarist, professional speaker, golfer, and semi-pro magician. I live in the Northwest with the world's most perfect wife and my two almost-perfect sons. No, I don't sleep much. You can catch up more with me at www.jimrubart.com or www.barefootmarketing.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Supernatural Suspense at Its Best December 15, 2010

By Cara Putman VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Book of Days is a page-turner from James Rubart. With some authors it's hard to sustain the success of a first novel. But with this book, the author has exceeded the skill he showed with his debut release.

Cameron Vaux's losing his mind. Each day it feels like his memories are slipping farther and farther away. In a desperate effort to restore them and avoid the end his father faced, he makes a desperate bid to find the Book of Days, a mysterious volume that both his father and his wife made him promise to find before they died. The search takes him to a small town in Oregon that is filled with secrets and hidden agendas. If his plight weren't so desperate, it would be easy to give up but he can't.

He is helped on his search by his reluctant friend Ann Bannister, who has her own reasons for being in town. And her presence adds a touch of romance to the book.

The plot hurtles through twists just like a rock climber who's slipped in their climb. The result is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed and couldn't put down. One aspect that I loved the most is that I did not identify the person behind the suspense thread. In many books lately, I've been able to do that, so it was a welcome relief to have a book that surprised me at the end. This book is perfect for those who like suspense with a twist. This time that twist is what if people thought the book of days really existed...here on earth?

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Well-written and full of twists and turns, but just not my cup of tea December 15, 2010

By K. L. Haschke

Format:Paperback

I recently had the opportunity to review Book of Days, James Rubart's upcoming novel. The book draws from Mr. Rubart's personal experience as his father, who passed away during the writing, dealt with Alzheimer's disease.

About the book:

Cameron Vaux's mind is slipping. Memories of his wife, killed two years earlier, are vanishing, just as his dying father said they would. So Cameron goes on a quest to find "the book with all the days in it" that both his father and his wife had mentioned to him. He enlists the help of his late wife Jessie's best friend, Ann, an investigative reporter who believes the book is a farce, but in spite of herself is drawn into the search. It quickly becomes apparent that others with evil motivations are also searching for this mysterious book, and are even willing to kill for it.

My thoughts:

I wanted to like this book. I enjoyed the writing and felt that the characters were well-developed and believable. But the plot? Not so much. It did keep my attention with many twists and turns...I can see that Mr. Rubart doesn't write the type of mystery that you have figured out after reading the first couple of chapters. But the entire premise was just, well, strange. An actual mysterious "book" written by God with all the days of our lives written in it? Maybe so, but not where we can physically locate it. I appreciated the point Mr. Rubart was trying to make...that God does "keep all our days"...but I just didn't enjoy the plotline he used to attempt to communicate that. Still, I felt that the book was well-written and the characters were likable. I wouldn't mind reading more by Mr. Rubart in the future.

Book of Days releases January 1, 2011.

Julie Gwinn at B&H Publishing provided my advance copy, but all opinions are my own.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant supernatural thriller! December 23, 2010

By Ane Mulligan

Format:Paperback

Wow! Fast paced and well-crafted, I couldn't put this thriller down. I love it when I find an allegorical thread woven beneath the surface of an exciting book. Like Rooms, Book of Days robbed me of a night's sleep. James Rubart is a Master Storyteller. Novel Journey and I highly recommend Book of Days--it's a 5 star read!