Customer Reviews

The Reckoning: A Novel

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

James Byron Huggins' thrillers are catered for the manly man. They are routinely explosive, tautly-paced, and laced with a supernatural element. The Reckoning lives up to his standards and, even though initially confusing, is a bonafide page-turner. His protagonist, Gage, is patentedly a superlative killing machine yet is spiritually conflicted. Even though The Reckoning is touted as a "Christian" thriller, it doesn't really get that preachy, which I appreciated.

Jonathan Gage is a man at odds with himself and with his murky past as a proficient, highly trained Delta Force operative. He's trying to change his ways, but it's proving to be a daunting task, as he is tasked by his friend Simon, a dying priest, to safeguard an ancient manuscript which foretells the advent and identity of the Anti-Christ. Shadowy forces stand in Gage's way, forces focused on bringing about the downfall of mankind. Gage, weary of violence but having no other recourse, must now muster all his old training and once again resume the ways of the killer. Because, ultimately, it falls on him and a few allies to keep darkness at bay and safeguard the future of humanity.

If that plot summary sounded overly dramatic, well, that's the vibe I got off reading The Reckoning. This book is one of James Byron Huggins's earlier works (published in 1994), and it shows. I found it initially hard to get into, which actually surprised me because I generally find his novels (Sorcerer, Cain, Hunter, Nightbringer) to be vastly entertaining stuff. But, in the Reckoning, I was thrown for a loop with the disconcertingly abrupt start, which throws the reader smack dab in the thick of the action. It left me with a lost feeling - as if I'd missed out on some key events which had gone on before page one. However, once I pressed on, the story rapidly became more involving and, in the end, proved to be an intense, adrenalin rush of a thriller. It is action-packed (believe me, brother!) to the max. The pace is hectic, as the protagonists seem to be assaulted or on the assault every few pages or so. The Reckoning is also colored with a supernatural Doomsday element. Anytime the Anti-Christ figures into the plot, you gotta think the stakes are raised just a tad more.

Gage is so daunting and self-sufficient a character that it's sometimes hard to empathize with him. Whenever he's in action, he simply becomes a killing automaton. It's a good thing Huggins infuses his hero with a conflicted persona, said conflict arising from his newly awakened moral compass, which goes at odds with his military-instilled, tightly honed instincts for mayhem. Also a good idea of Huggins is the introduction of a nemesis, Sato, who seems to be even more of a bad mo-fo than Gage. Their first encounter doesn't go well for our hero. But it does serve to humanize him more.

After Gage, the book has another intriguing character: the grizzled Nathaniel Kertzman, a civilian investigator assigned by Washington with unearthing a covert military faction steeped in illegal activities, of which investigation Gage is the prime suspect. Kertzman is uncompromising and honest to a fault, yet is comfortable with the greasy machinations and the double- and cross-dealings of Washington's upper-level power brokers. A fun character.

Then you have the baddies. There is a chain of command to these villains, with each elevated position of power seemingly providing a more callous and corrupt villain. The main Machiavellian mastermind is snaky cold and without scruples, while the deadly warrior Sato lives for the perfect kill.

At 473 pages, The Reckoning is a thick read. However, once you get into it, those pages'll fly by. I personally couldn't wait for Gage and Sato's final "dance." Huggins's research really shows thru as he ably engrosses the reader with a revealing depiction of the life and ways of an elite commando. Three and a half testosterone-filled stars.

Huggins does a masterful job of combining Christian truth with modern warfare. The hero realizes that in order to defeat evil, sometimes you must take up a "sword" and fight. I would highly recommend it.

If there was a way I could rate this book higher than 5, I definately would.

If you are a fan of incrediblely well written action, Christian themes, powerful topics, well-researched fighting techniques, and an all around good story... this is for you. Even if you dont' like action, you should get this.

One of the many reasons this book is so incredibly awesome is because on one character. Gage. He is the best of the best. The author researched every type of fighting to make this character. All the way from more-than-advanced knife techniques, to war tactics.

To state it simply: Get this book.

This is probably my all-time favorite Christian novel. Huggins, who is now retired from law enforcement, is also an award-winning journalist. This is the story of a man who sought redemption and tried to leave his old life behind. This book is action-packed, gripping and spellbinding. It will pierce you to your very soul.

Gage, our hero, is an exile in his own land, abandoned on a military mission by his own country. He is rescued by a priest and an archeologist, who smuggle him back into the states and who helps him see a different way of life. Then a secret society kills the priest and Gage must take up the guns that he had forsworn, to protect those most dear and near to him.

Can Gage come out of retirement and take on some of the best assassins in the world? Can he save his friends? Can he stop a great evil from taking place? You will have to read The Reckoning to find out.

This is probably my all-time favorite Christian novel. Huggins, who is now retired from law enforcement, is also an award-winning journalist. This is the story of a man who sought redemption and tried to leave his old life behind. This book is action-packed, gripping and spellbinding. It will pierce you to your very soul.

Gage, our hero, is an exile in his own land, abandoned on a military mission by his own country. He is rescued by a priest and an archeologist, who smuggle him back into the states and who helps him see a different way of life. Then a secret society kills the priest and Gage must take up the guns that he had forsworn, to protect those most dear and near to him.

Can Gage come out of retirement and take on some of the best assassins in the world? Can he save his friends? Can he stop a great evil from taking place? You will have to read The Reckoning to find out.

The Reckoning makes a fun summmertime read; something exciting and involving without being too heavy. Huggins seems to know what he's talking about when describing Special Forces tactics, weapons, survival training, etc. I'd give it five stars, but the Christian content is fairly shallow (the characters are fighting over a manuscript that contains the name of the prophesied antichrist), as well as requiring a healthy suspension of disbelief. After all, since Satan isn't omniscient, how could he know the name of someone thousands of years in the future? Still, I enjoyed the book, and found The Reckoning to be a tense and well-written thriller.

This is my 3rd novel that I have read by this author and he hasn't let me down yet in giving an enjoyable read. Gage is a heroic character that is double-crossed by his own people, but with the help of a few friends he exacts his reckoning. Sato the knife-weilding bad guy is Gage's main nemesis in terms of fighting and surviving abilities, when they meet sparks and flames fly! The story moves along in Huggins style with good, solid characters and intense action. A must read for Clancy-like fans, but this is better than Clancy in my opinion. Can't wait for this guy's next novel.

Although James Huggins's occaisionally chopped writing style was a little difficult to get used to, once I began reading this book I couldn't put it down. As well as being full of action, it is filled with the engaging conflict of one man attempting to separate himself from the darkness of his past and shape his life for the future. Gage's struggle to find his own identity and inner strength to continue the battle with evil is riveting! Mr. Huggins has done an excellent job of integrating action and emotional conflict, in a terrifyingly realistic plot.

"The Reckoning" is by far my favorite Huggins book. He creates a cast of memorable characters, both good and bad. Especially wonderful is the main character Gage, an ex-Delta Force operative. Huggins has a unique way of blending together Gage's past as an elite soldier and his current struggle to reconcile his faith with his need to protect those around him from the forces of evil. Despite Huggin's writing weaknesses, including overuse of adverbs and conversational indicators, the plot and action carry the story well enough for me to give it the highest rating possible. His descriptions of Special Forces training and his action sequences are superb and well-researched. The ending ties up the story plots while leaving room for a sequel. Let's hope that Huggins will consider writing one!

Previously, I have read Cain, and I just finished The Reckoning, and one thing is for sure...I am a new James Byron Huggins fan! His work is page-turning, edge-of-your seat action, with thrills that keep you wanting more. I loved this one, more than Cain, and I plan to read all 6 of his novels.

Mr. Huggins, if you read reviews on Amazon, PLEASE....write another one! GREAT JOB!!