...not to read this book.
Last year I had the opportunity to read my first Jon Athan title, Do Not Disturb. I liked it enough to want to read more of the author, so I decided on A Boy Possessed. I'm thankful that this was not mu first read by the author, otherwise it would more than likely would have been my last read. Yeah, it's that bad.
The title is self-explanatory in that the book is about a boy possessed by a demon, and if you've read other novels about demonic possession, you pretty much know what you're in for, as the book doesn't offer up anything new. What follows is widower Jamie Cruz trying to get the help his son needs. The main players are Jamie Cruz and his son, Casey, a parapsychologist by the name of Wilson Clark, and a disgraced, homeless ex-priest, Father Fabian Fernando, who still happens to wear his backward collar. The relationships between these characters are the book's first failing. Jamie is supposed to love his son, but nothing in their interaction makes us believe that. Clark has a grudge against Cruz because of something Cruz did in the past to further his own career. Strike 1, against Cruz. He set out to ruin a man for his own personal gain. Likewise, there's no love lost between Clark and Fabian, as Clark exploited Fabian to further his own career. Strike 2, against Clark. So if either of these men die during the course of the story, you don't really care. Father Fernando's shame is a failed exorcism. And, if the demon is to be believed, he's also a pedophile, something which the priest vehemently denies (methinks the lady doth protest too much), so the priest's character is drawn into question. And you never really get to know Casey, so there's no emotional investment there, either. It's not gonna be a blow to the gut if the kid dies. And all these characters who harbor grudges against other characters seem far too willing to let bygones be bygones, when nothing believable has been said or done to make you believe they've been swayed into helping. Part of the reason for that is because the dialogue comes across as stilted and lacks a natural flow.
It also felt as though the author failed to do any research, and instead relied on films like The Exorcist for his knowledge. As a result, when Jamie runs the medical gamut to find out what's wrong with Casey, it doesn't feel real, as the tests and all the results are glossed over, and all the interactions with the medical practitioners is summarized rather than relayed. Did the author feel as though all the technical aspects would only sere to bog down the story? Possibly. It certainly feels that way.
The other issue I had is the pacing of the book. It's a slow read, and that seems to be because the author was more concerned with what happens next and nothing else. There's zero suspense, no nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat moments where you need to push through to find out what happens next. Sadly, the ending doesn't come nearly fast enough.
I'm not going to let this one read determine the fate of the author in my TBR list. Everybody is entitled to an "off day." But if you are in the market for a possession story, let the power of Christ compel you to pass this one by and look for something else.
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