When I first registered for a Kindle account, I still wasn't ready to foray into the world of ebook reading. I still preferred to read printed books and I was a couple of years away from discovering how ebooks made reading while taking care of a baby easier. So, the account was idle for a while, until I realized that finding ebook copies would actually be a great solution for those hard to find titles in the local bookstores.
There was also the chance of scoring free ebooks, particularly from authors who want to entice new readers by offering the first of their book series for free. Sure, there's the pitfall of ending up with duds (Origin was close to being one for me), but there's also the chance that you might end up with decent reading material to enjoy. The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching might not end up becoming a favorite of mine, but it was a good read nonetheless.
Jacob Lau should have died after a car crash. The accident was so traumatic that his memories are messed up. His recollection of a monster that couldn't possibly exist is exacerbated by the fact that his mother is missing, and everyone is pretty much presuming that she is dead. And his plans to look for her is hindered by the fact that his uncle John Laudner, who he has never met nor known of before, has become his guardian and taken him to live with his family thousands of miles away. In the small town, Jacob encounters racism and isolation both at home and at school. Their next door neighbor, Dr. Abigail Silva, is strangely creepy and curious about him. The only good thing to look forward to every day is spending time with new friend Malini Gupta.
It took me a few chapters to warm up to The Soulkeepers, though that's probably because I wasn't satisfied with the reading material that preceded it. It's also probably because G.P. Ching made such a good job of conveying Paris, Illinois to be a boring place, particularly for someone who lived in Hawaii all his life, and it doesn't help that the small town's citizens were backwards in their thinking when it comes to those who are different from them.
The book picked up its pace when Jacob's path finally crosses with Dr. Silva and her rather obvious strangeness is proven to be a cause of concern as much as curiosity. It is through Dr. Silva that Jacob learns of Soulkeepers, Watchers, and the waging of eternal war between God's chosen and those cast out of Heaven. I have to admit that it was a surprise that The Soulkeeper actually featured a religious theme. Thankfully, though, author G.P. Ching wasn't heavy handed with actual religion, ensuring that the book isn't preachy about readers adhering to a specific faith.
When dealing with book series, there's always the chance that world building or character development might be lacking in the initial installment, and such is the case in The Soulkeepers. It takes a while to finally flesh out Jacob and his new role, and we only get a glimpse of how Soulkeepers and Watchers wage war. But if the last third of the book is any indication, G.P. Ching at least knows how to keep readers on their toes once the weapons and claws come out. And the revelations she offers in the end are great preludes to what could be a more than decent fantasy series.
The Soulkeepers turned out to be a pretty good read, and it's not just because I kept my expectations low. The premise is interesting and the potential for world building is something to look forward to. And it helps a lot that G.P. Ching is pretty adept at writing exciting fight scenes and suspenseful moments.
Reading the rest of The Soulkeepers Series isn't a priority, mostly because I'm a bit old for its intended audience, but it's definitely worth revisiting at a later time.
Happy reading!!Labels: Action, Adventure, Book Series, Books, Fantasy, Fiction, G.P. Ching, Reading List, The Soulkeepers, The Soulkeepers Series
