Book Review: Powers by John B. Olson

3.5/5 stars. Powers is the action packed sequel to Shade that will keep you on the edge of your seat as members of The Standing continue to fight The Badness.

A gypsy girl named Mariutza “Mari” suddenly finds that she is all alone in the world after her grandfather, a great prophet and healer of The Standing, is killed. Although Mari has trained for this day all her life, she is full of apprehension and doubt as she puts on her traveling clothes and leaves the swamp behind. Mari finds the outside world to be intimidating, and the innocent girl is confused by all of the things we take for granted: cars, bottled water, buildings and more. She must learn to overcome her fears and focus on searching for the fabled prophet Jaazaniah.

Meanwhile, Jaazaniah or Jazz, a worldly, guitar playing con-artist, suddenly finds himself having strange visions and being pursued by men in hooded cloaks. As he and his friend Hollis are being chased, Jazz learns of his grandfather’s passing and the inheritance that is hidden and waiting for him. However, The Badness is always close behind having convinced the FBI that the members of The Standing are a terrorist group.

The race is on as Jazz and Mari begin the search for Jazz’s inheritance, which he believes to be treasure. Eventually they meet up with Melchi and Hailey from Shade to fight The Badness. But can they defeat the evil in time to find Jazz’s inheritance and fulfill the prophecy?

The Bottom Line: Powers is non-stop action. While the writing can be a bit flowery at times and the characters a bit shallow, the action keeps the story moving. Recommended for teens and adults who enjoy Christian suspense fiction with a supernatural theme and a hint of romance. Some of the terminology can be a little confusing; therefore, to fully enjoy and appreciate Powers, read Shade first.

Details: Powers by John B. Olson. Published by B&H Books in 2009. ISBN: 978-0-8054-4735-4

NOTE: MiniBookBytes received Powers as a complimentary copy from B&H Publishing in exchange for a review. This was made possible by the Early Reviewer Program at LibraryThing.