Title: Pilgrims Passage: Darkness to Light
Author: Joe Buda
Publisher: XlibrisUS
Pages: 312
ISBN: 9781543428353
Genre: Action & Adventure
Reviewed by: Sam McCullough
Pacific Book Review Star
Awarded to Books of Excellent Merit
Author Joe Buda weaves plots together about people discovering the truth about their greedy leaders. The book follows a married couple, Claudia and Paul, while they watch the changes the other characters go through. The other characters are forced to go through monumental transformations, while they make life-or-death decisions. This book highlights how far people will go to gain power, never considering the people they step over to gain it. It begs the reader to ask themselves a complicated question – how far would you go to be at the top?
The writing style is stylistic, while still moving the story at a steady pace. Although the book features multiple characters, each going through different scenarios, the story blends together without getting confusing. As a reader, you find yourself deeply invested in the lives of the characters, rooting for some while yelling against others. It’s a testament to how opinions of political leaders can rapidly shift and change. When you’re opinion of a leader changes from positive to negative, what do you do? Do you continue to blindly follow them or do you rage against the machine?
These tales of political intrigue may just seem like a straightforward political novel, but it actually contains elements from many other genres. It’s both a sci-fi novel and a horror tale, both a thriller and an inside look into a futuristic world, and both a character study and a coming-of-age tale. It has elements that any avid reader will love, while it’s a good enough book to keep the attention of those who only read a few books a year. Everyone, from your 20-year-old cousin to your 87-year-old Grandma, will find something they like in this story. While reading, Pilgrims Passage reminded me of one of the most famous political novels ever, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Although this book and series, deal with different things, they both expose how dark politicians can be.
If you want to read a book which will make you angry, sad and happy, read this book. If you want to read a book you can read over and over again, finding something new each time, read this book. If you want to read a book that fits into many different genres, read this book. Author Joe Buda worked hard to create a world in which we can lose ourselves for a few hours, forgetting our problems while reading about other people’s problems.
