Customer Reviews

Dark to Mortal Eyes

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Christian fiction novels tend to have a cookie-cutter feel to them. Most stay away from certain areas, and you feel "safe" reading them. Then Eric Wilson comes along...

Describing Eric's storytelling style is a little difficult. The closest I could come to it would be to say reading this book is a lot like reading a Dean Koontz novel. The story is exciting, the descriptions good, and the plot is very deep. There are sections of the book that I got lost in, as a lot of what happens is taking place in the spiritual realm as well. That being the case, you may have to reread parts of the book to get it all. Again, this is because so many Christian fiction novels are similar that you kind of expect a certain formula to one. Once I got my mindset away from that theory, the book worked. This is another reason I compare Eric to Dean Koontz. Both authors can work in the "Is it really happening or not?" realm (see Koontz's "The Face" for a recent example). This is definitely not your momma's Christ Fict. I've heard him compared to Frank Peretti, but I honestly didn't see that. Frank's storytelling is very visual, while Eric's novel had an underlying current of evil running through it that kept you reading and allowed your imagination to do the scary stuff.

The only real trouble spot I saw was at the beginning. The first few chapters throw a dozen or so characters at you and it gets hard to keep them apart. Some have similar names or characteristics, and some are only mentioned briefly but then come in later with major parts. Take your time when you start the book or you'll get lost quickly. Also, as I said before, things happen on two realms here. That makes it kind of frustrating at times because you can't understand what's going on (it took me a while to figure out what a "rook" really was).

All in all this was a very enjoyable novel, and it sets the standard for a new level of fiction in the Christian market. Just as Shane Johnson gave us the first Christian horror novel last year with "Chayatocha", Eric takes that baton and runs about eight miles further with it. Now let's just see if the rest of the CBA market can keep up!

Highly recommended.

It's been a long time since I've read a Christian novel that I've wanted to rave about, and DARK TO MORTAL EYES has just shot to the top of my list. Not only is the pace kept to a breakneck speed, but we get character development too, which so many thriller writers tend to neglect.

Robert Whitlow (Christy award winning author of THE TRIAL & LIFE SUPPORT) had this to say about the book: "In DARK TO MORTAL EYES, Eric Wilson coils suspense as tight as a snake prepared to strike." An apt quote, considering some of the events that transpire, but I'll add no spoilers here. Take this as a hint of what's to come when you pick up this outstanding debut novel (which is the first in a series devoted to the five senses). But reader beware - don't expect to know right off the bat what's spiritual and what's natural. The lines between those realms blur in this story, but that's what makes it interesting. What IS reality? You'll have to read on to find out, which is exactly what I did, savoring every page.

I'll leave the plot summaries to others, but suffice it to say that ultimately good triumphs over evil, with one heck of a battle in between. Kudos, Eric, for making it gritty while keeping it clean. I also found it refreshing that the spiritual insights were unashamedly woven into the plot without compromising the suspense.

Highly recommended to all thriller fans, but especially those of Alton Gansky, Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker & James Pence. DARK TO MORTAL EYES is a keeper. Now get out there and buy this book! You won't regret it.

Awesome beginning for Mr. Wilson! This is his first published work, and leaves his readers breathless! He weaves a story of forgiveness, faith, action, along with some really good suspense. It has some really good twists in it. Join Josee Walker as her and her father team up to search for her mother, and so much more.

I loved the characters. I also liked the idea of his titling the chapters. When it came to that, they not only got your attention, but sometimes had an icy bite to them. I say icy as in cool and awesome, you don't want to miss anything! Chapters such as "Deadline" or "No Rest For the Wicked" or something such as "Games of Chance" or something haunting like "Sorceress" and when I say that, I give nothing away. Awesome chapter titles for an excellent read. And what a title for a book! Whew! Looks deep? Just wait until you read it!

You'll note that I said that this is a book of action, along with other words. Action has many meanings. As a Christian, the biggest action we can use is our faith, which Eric showed throughout this book. I can say already that we can put Eric up there with Ted Dekker and Randy Singer. One thing that I should add. Once you get into this book, and it is very easy to do so, you will probably think of this as a chess match. Pawn here, bishop there. Just kind of an afterthought. Awesome and unforgettable!

I am not a fiction reader. I don't enjoy wasting my time reading something that is not true, nor do I like to read books that seem far-fetched. I found this book to be neither a waste of time, nor far-fetched. Dark to Mortal Eyes is a true story, depicting the struggles of life on earth, as well as in the spiritual realm. I have been in Josee Walker's shoes, and felt the sting of the serpent. I also, like many of my peers in their 20's, came from a broken home. I rejected all things "church" for 20 years. I loved the book.

Everything happens for a reason. If you are reading this review, purchase this book. You will find the reason.

Thank you Eric Wilson!

Eric Wilson is going to make his mark on the fiction market with works like this.

I picked up this book after talking with the author on email. We share similar tastes in novels and both enjoy reading, although I am a light-weight compared to the volume he devours.

In this novel, the author takes the reader through twists and around corners, revealing only enough in each chapter to make you want to continue into the next chapter. The twists and turns, along with the sensationally descriptive imagery, kept my attention well into the night on more than one occassion. I had to make myself to go bed over the last nights, wishing that I could stay up and finish this book faster.

I am always good a guessing plot outcomes, and I did in fact guess 1-2 things in this novel, but the intensity and number of suprises provided an enjoyable revelation in the final chapters. Thoughtfully provoking and spiritually in-tune with the Word of God, this story takes the reader on a well-earned cruise through the imagination.

I can't wait to read Eric Wilson's next novel. I am a new fan. Writers like this should continue using the talents that are God given, and I look forward to enjoying that talents in the future.

Having already read Expiration Date, which had a number of loose ends or unexplainable subplots, I was a bit hesitant to read Mr. Wilson's first novel, but I did.
I found this novel to have some of the same unsettling defects as Expiration Date. The overall plot is intriguing, though far-fetched. He loses me in the spiritual symbolism that permeates the book--is this a bioterror book or a spiritual warfare book or what? Unlike Peretti's books and other books dealing with spiritual warfare, this one is too vague in its symbolism.
Beyond that, he is somewhat loose with medical issues. Authors who fail to take the time to get technical imformation accurate (one cannot enter a coma while under general anesthesia) rob the audience of the comfort of having a credible story. To some extent that is an editor's problem and should have been corrected after initial drafts.
I wanted to finish the book to see what happened...he can tell a good story....but there are so many loose ends and technical inconsitencies that I did not finish the book with the feeling of satisfaction that a more complete story provides.
Hopefully, with experience he will learn to 1) not be so vague as to make the audience guess what he's thinking when it comes to symbolism and 2) research topics for technical accuracy.

I am a voracious reader of Christian fiction, and it was the plug on the cover by Ted Dekker that piqued my interest in this book. However, this is far from being the best "first novel" I've read.

I actually made it to page 194 before giving up. I found the plot, though interesting, to be unconvicing, analogies/metaphors bizarre and annoying, the characters monotonous (none of them are actually capable of forming complete sentences), and the conversations between characters long and mostly meaningless (as they continually re-hash events and engage in some kind of banter that is full of constant sarcasm and one-liners - "Join the club", "Choose your poison", "I'm a big girl", "You're packing lead", "All in a day's work", "Oh, very cryptic", "Ain't life funny", "That's messed up", "Give it to me straight", "Got that right", "That's rich", "Fat chance", "Know the feeling", "Just trying to help", "I'll play along", "Don't hold out on me", "Trying to put two and two together", "Cut me some slack", "Like I care", "Heck if I know", "Don't brush me off", "Been called worse", "That'll work", "Got it under control", "No argument from me", "I don't get it", "You lost me", "he's no glutton for punishment", "That's the long and short of it", "Been there, done that", "We all have our demons to fight", "You've got to fight", "Now there's a plan", "Your call", "Tell me I haven't misjudged you", "You get what you pay for", "Very manly of you", "A cheap thrill", etc. - making for very stilted and awkward dialogue.

The author also uses different styles of speech to distinguish characters, which seems contrived (the spanish speaking nurse/angel, the lawyer-lady who follows every line up with some inconsequential french tag, the "Sarge" who uses so many "ya's" and "-in's" and "o's" that you'd think he grew up in the deep south instead of Oregon). And then you have the rich business man/vineyard owner using improbable phrases such as "You need a place to sack out" to his elderly housekeeper.

Anyway, I find that Christians are often hesitant to offer honest criticism in regard to another Christian's work for fear of hurting their feelings. I obviously don't have that problem! ;-D

**So, if you're looking for good Christian supernatural suspense stuff (and you've already read all of Ted Dekker), try new author Melanie Wells!**

Eric Wilson's Dark to Mortal Eyes is a heart stopping, roller-coaster ride, spiritual thriller. This is a story that spans 3 generations, starting with a WWII veteran and his ties to a German chemist, and ends with a young woman finding her faith in God again and her family.

It takes the reader though the dark mind of a German chemist who is intent on destroying the world then, and now. The Professor, as the chemist is now known, hatched a plan that takes 60 years to come to fruition. Josee Walker happens to be the key to this destruction, but will she comply and be the pawn that the Professor wants.

While searching for the parents that gave her up for adoption, Josee is thrown into this battle. She is days from meeting her mother, Kara, only to think that she was abandoned again. Her father wants nothing to do with her, yet due to a twist of fate, joins Josee to search for Kara, and come to terms with his own past.

Dark to Mortal Eyes uses the game of Chess to press the story onward. It is filled with chess strategy, but in no way makes the book a bore. Also filled with spiritual imagery and Biblical Truth, Eric weaves a tale of beauty and grace in the midst of evil.

I will have to say that this book is one of my favorites - and I am an avid reader. My personal book collection numbers in the thousands. This is a new beginning for CBA Fiction and I am very glad to see this change.

I usually read novels within the sci-fi/fantasy genres, but I'd heard a lot of good things about this book, so I gave it a try. Man, am I glad I did, as this is one of the best suspense novels I have ever read! Mr. Wilson weaves the many plot elements together as the novel progresses, ultimately blending them into a final, united whole. As a novelist myself, I realize how difficult this is to do. In this book it was done beautifully. You will feel like a detective trying to piece together a masterful puzzle, never sure exactly where the pieces fit. I won't go into detail on the plot and characters, as others have done that already. Let's just say that the book drags you from one page to the other -- you just have to know what is going to happen next. For anyone even remotely interested in a suspenseful read, do not miss this book! It is honest, emotional, powerful, and spiritually on the mark. What are you waiting for -- buy it now! You won't be sorry!

Although I am the author's Uncle, I can without reserve fully recommend this book to a Christian market that is starved for well written Christian Fiction, full of intrigue, and captivating as well. I am not a fast reader, but found myself eagerly awaiting each night spent in Eric's "Dark To Mortal Eyes", and am anxiously awaiting his next book.
I also know Eric was raised in a good Christian home, and yet he writes with a knowledge of the world of the streets. Eric doesn't shy away from "telling it like it is" Using very real to life situations, Eric interjects his witness to the lost. I feel confident you are in for a surprise with this book.