The Wicked (Righteous Series #3) [Kindle Edition]

Michael Wallace (Author)

Book Description

Growing up in a conservative polygamous community, Eliza Christianson was a young woman of faith who could never quite wrap her mind around the fundamentalist aspects of her religion. Thanks to her older brother Jacob, she managed to survive adolescence unmarried, even enrolling in classes at the University of Utah. Eliza always suspected God had more in store for her than just to be some man’s third or fourth wife; nonetheless, she is surprised when Allison Caliari seeks her out for help. Allison’s daughter Madeline has been recruited by a doomsday cult led by a cruel man known only as the Disciple, and she wants Eliza’s help to get the girl back. One of the few leads Allison can offer is a fateful one: Jacob and Eliza’s brother David, a “lost boy” shunned by the church. Eliza sets out to convince David to help her infiltrate the cult, and she ventures to an abandoned dumping ground in the Las Vegas desert to rescue Madeline. The third installment of Michael Wallace’s enthralling Righteous series, The Wicked tears off the veil of religious fanaticism as seen through the eyes of an extraordinary heroine.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for The Righteous:

"Deeply engrossing! Michael Wallace delivers the thinking man's thriller while establishing one of the freshest male leads in crime fiction--Jacob Christianson, an aspiring doctor and cult elder's favored son."

Lisa Gardner, New York Times bestselling author of Live to Tell

About the Author

Michael Wallace was born in California and raised in a small religious community in Utah, eventually heading east to live in New England. An experienced world traveler, he has trekked through the Andes, ventured into the Sahara on a camel, and traveled through Thailand by elephant. In addition to working as a literary agent and innkeeper, he previously worked as a software engineer for a Department of Defense contractor, programming simulators for nuclear submarines.

The Righteous Series will continue from Thomas & Mercer in Fall 2012.

Product Details

• File Size: 423 KB
• Print Length: 310 pages
• Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (February 21, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005J61DM4
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #26,099 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Michael Wallace has hit another home run! June 2, 2011

By Kristie Leigh Maguire

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Michael Wallace has hit another home run, knocking it out of the ball park with The Wicked from The Righteous series. This time the focus is on Eliza and yet another of the Kimball sons, Caleb Kimball, who calls himself The Disciple. The Disciple gathers his flock of followers around him in the desert outside of Las Vegas where he prepares his Chosen Ones for the end of the world.

I can't seem to get enough of this series. Thank goodness Michael has left the door open for a possible 4th book in the series with the ending of The Wicked. One can only hope this is the case.

I love Michael's writing style. The only way I can see that he hasn't been picked up by one of the Big 6 publishing houses is by his choice. It certainly isn't from lack of skill and story telling. Michael, you rock!

Kristie Leigh Maguire, author of Desert Heat and other titles

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Five stars in one respect, one star in others April 8, 2012

By Shanagan

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've read the first three of these books, and have finally decided that though they are well-written (those reviewers who mention typos & grammar issues must've picked up on something I missed, as I think I recall one typo in all three books) overall, I simply do not like them. While they do drag in areas, for the most part the author has done a good bit of very nice writing. I'd love to see the author ditch this series and focus on non-religious fiction. This is very much a split review, I know.

So, good writing aside, I do feel that the author is trying to straddle a line between being "factual" and titillating (both in a traditional sense and in an almost equally prurient "outsider peeking into a closed society" sense) but the books are filled with subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) mainstream LDS proselytizing. If that's your cuppa, great, enjoy. But considering these are not filed under a religious category, it is frankly pretty annoying to be hit over the head with some of the subject matter that is written as fact (w/out any spoilers, I'm just saying that the whole David storyline was deeply irritating).

In short, as we get to know the characters better, the less I liked - or related to - any of them. Perhaps that is my own prejudice showing, perhaps it is the author's intent for whatever reason. Perhaps because I am not LDS, fundamentalist Morman or a member of a Judeo-Christian organized religion I simply can't get into that groove. So, I appreciate Amazon's .99 cent special for the first three in the series, but I wouldn't recommend them to any of my friends for any more, or less, than that.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I Loved this book! June 6, 2011

By Tonia Chaney

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I had to work this weekend and had a hard time reading in between, but I was hooked. I love these books can't wait for the next one. I had a hard time putting this book down once I started. I am so glad I found his book The righeous. It was worth it. I love that you get to see more of Eliza and the brother David in this one. Most of the characters were back that were in the other two.

More About the Author

I've trekked across the Sahara on a camel, ridden an elephant through a tiger preserve in Southeast Asia, eaten fried guinea pig, and been licked on the head by a skunk. In a previous stage of life I programmed nuclear war simulations, smuggled refugees out of a war zone, and milked cobras for their venom. I speak Spanish and French and grew up in a religious community in the desert.

Would you like an alert when the next book is published? Sign up for Michael's email list at michaelwallaceauthor.com and receive a free Kindle copy of The Righteous novella "Trial by Fury." This list is used to announce new releases and occasional offers of free advance copies, not for any other purpose.

I also welcome email from readers at m.wallace23(at)yahoo(dot)com.