The Return by Carter Vance

Book Blurb:

The Return is a story of the modern day fulfillment of the Grail prophecy. The time has come for the prophesied return of Christ. Long thought extinct, the secret Order of Knights Templar battle the Dark Forces that fear His return.

At the center of this battle of good and evil is Sarah Davidson, an expectant mother, who has a unique heritage, and Peter Christos, her shipping magnate husband. The couple, who were married in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant, is confronted with a series of surreptitious schemes and attacks causing them to flee and seek a secure birthplace for their son.

They are aided in this endeavor by the Knights Templar, a clandestine organization that has, over the centuries, amassed enormous wealth and power and the organization to deliver it in anticipation of this day.

Ultimately, they engage in a grand battle for the prophesied birth.

A man named Geoff stumbles on a secret room inside his mentor's house where he is vacationing. He reads private documents not meant for his eyes and begins an obsessive search for the Knights Templar. We are soon introduced to Sarah and are told how important she is to this quest. Her blood line dates back to the time of Christ, and if she has a son she will be the future mother of His return.

The Return had a lot of telling rather than showing for me. Also, I know this is fiction, but I had a hard time with the thought of a Roman Catholic Cardinal employing Regina, who disguised as a nun is also a dominatrix, murderer, and the Vatican's private attorney for special matters, as well as there being a secret soundproof room in the Vatican used for evil rituals, eluded sexual romps, and the worship of dark forces. For those who like to take breaks at a chapter's end, this book provides ample opportunity to do that; there are 102 chapters in all.

The author seemed to squeeze too much into the story line and the love that Sarah and David had for each other read a little forced, we are told but never really feel it. But the author finds his voice for storytelling in the action. While the beginning contained impersonal dialogue between the characters, the end action made it worthwhile to keep reading. This is the first book of a series.

Book Info:

• The Return by Cater Vance
• 2010; Carter Vance

Disclosure: This book was provided by the author and any opinions are my own.