Anthony Bellaleigh's novel, Firebird, is written unlike any other I have read; 10 minutes after I had started reading, I knew it would be a page-turner. I knew that reading this book would cause me to lose a lot of sleep if I didn't plan my evenings carefully. Little did I realize I would lose sleep despite my most diligent plans.
I entered a world far removed from the legal thrillers and Christian authors I've been used to reading. I could never have anticipated this story even if I stretched the limits of my imagination until the end of time.
Firebird was different but engaging. It was inspired by a myth, yet I felt I was center stage watching everything unfold. Sometimes it made me laugh. It also made me gasp and shed a tear as, in my bed, I would witness unimaginable events taking place within the confines of this amazing, fantastic plot-driven story.
If I had to summarize the book, it would go something like this:
Military personel are trying to unravel the mystery of what seems to be a merciless other-worldly creature - a creature which cannot be seen by the human eye under ordinary circumstances. As a result, it sneaks upon cattle and humans to satiate its appetite, leaving countries in despair as they seem helpless in their defense.
Surprisingly, in the midst of the horror, emerges an empathy for the creature as a personality is revealed. Is it really merciless as everyone believes or is it merely doing its best to survive, the only way it can, as it tries to fulfill its destiny?
Though I could never imagine watching such a movie on television, I must admit that, for someone outside of Firebird's target audience, Anthony Bellaleigh has created a riveting read.
If you would like to learn more about this book, take a look at the book's page on Amazon.
If you would like to read the interview I had with Firebird's author, Anthony Bellaleigh, click here.