Fish of Souls [Paperback]

Gary Williams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 28, 2002

The skeleton of a bizarre fish is found hidden inside the powder magazine of the 300 year-old Spanish fort in St. Augustine, Florida. Now, as a friend turns up mutilated along the shore, Scott Seymour and Curt Lockes discover an amazing, yet terrifying, archeological connection between the fish, the Old Testament and Florida’s early settlers. But time is running out. On the horizon, a deadly hurricane is bearing down on the coast and evil is amassing in force. Soon the fish will be beyond human control and only a few know the truth. But none know how to stop it.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gary Williams is a senior manager at a Fortune 500 Company in Jacksonville, Florida where he lives with his wife and children. He has a degree in business marketing from the University of North Florida. His hobbies include reading, writing, fishing, history and travel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 377 pages
• Publisher: Infinity Publishing (PA); 2 edition (May 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 074141144X
• ISBN-13: 978-0741411440
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,271,319 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Suspenseful, February 19, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Fish of Souls (Paperback)

I found the Fish of Souls very captivating reading.The Fish of Souls makes you feel like you are in the book, you can feel the excitement of the charecters and the suspense of what will happen. I truley can say I enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading more books from this author.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Combination of Suspense and History, June 2, 2006

By 

Evelyn Sears (Washington, DC, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fish of Souls (Paperback)

It's September 1999. Curt Lockes has recently purchased a tantalizing 400-year-old manuscript on e-bay. On the morning after Curt is shaken by a horrifying nightmare, Scott Seymour spies a bizarre cloud on the horizon. Following the clues divulged in the manuscript, Curt and Scott set out to uncover its secrets, as well as the meanings of the nightmare and the cloud. They will soon learn that the ultimate secret connecting all of these things is rooted in the Old Testament book of Genesis.

As Curt and Scott set out on their quest they visit some of Florida's enticing historical venues: the Castillo de San Marcos, Fort Caroline and Fort Matanzas. Their exploration of these sites is enriched by the manuscript's revelations and their discovery of an odd skeleton. But the skeleton's secrets are deadly. When a friend is brutally murdered, Curt and Scott realize that sinister events are unfolding, events they must forestall if they are going to save their own, and hundreds of other, lives. To make matters worse, time is running out quickly because a hurricane is bearing down on the east coast of Florida. As family and friends evacuate the region, Scott and Curt stay behind to rid the world of the skeleton and its malicious effects.

Their adventure strains Scott's family life but strengthens his friendship with Curt. It includes deadly encounters with sword-yielding Huguenots, a ferocious fish, and a vindictive Timucua Indian. It includes the loss of friends and the initiation of new relationships (including a love interest for Curt). And, no surprise here, it results in the dramatic triumph of good over evil.

Gary Williams, a native of Florida, has skillfully woven together disparate threads from St. Augustine's history, biblical archaeology and contemporary hurricane tracking and evacuation procedures into a compelling suspense novel. The book's primary weakness is that it should have been more carefully edited. There are a few (but not many) errors in grammar and word selection that should have been corrected before the book went to press. On the other hand, the book has several strong points. Williams writes graphically yet avoids gore. He provides historical and scholarly information yet avoids slipping into the styles of either a textbook or tourist brochure. His characters are flawed but likeable; in other words, they're like real people. He discusses religious ideas yet avoids being either preachy or disdainful; in other words, he displays respect for religion without descending into fanaticism. Overall, these strengths far outweigh the editorial weakness and I found it hard to put the book down until I reached the final page. This book is the first in a series and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. Readers who enjoy suspense stories laced with history will enjoy this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MESMERIZING, March 14, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Fish of Souls (Paperback)

Fish of souls is unquestionably the most unusual and eclectic suspense story that I have read in some time.
Author Gary Williams succeeds in capturing and bringing alive the long and rich history of St.Augustine.
The well-drawn characters leap from the pages, and the action is compelling and nonstop in this thriller.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!