After finishing chapter one, I instantly knew it would would be a book that made a lasting impression. This is the second book I've read by Ray Dacolias. I really enjoyed reading The Tragedy of Woman and it was the reason I was so excited to read The Searcher.

I would describe this book as being descriptive and wordy, but for the most part, it wasn't too bad. He really knows how to describe things in a way without being excessive or redundant. There were some times where I came across a description surroundings, that would go on for a few pages, but I thought that it was fastidiously intended.

There is a great amount of back story with each of the characters, including the villains. The reader will fall in love with the heroes, and anticipate the downfall of the villains. Everyone is so adequately described, there's no sense of confusion on who the characters are, or what their purpose is to the plot.

Along side the plot, there are plenty of controversial topics and philosophical questions, which made this a book I spread over a few days as I found myself pondering quite often. I got a sense that the author might be considerably religious.

Overall, I would categorize this book as a mystery, but since there is so philosophy and other musings, I found I was initially torn by which direction I wanted the book wanted to go in, but ended up just going for the fusion the author intended.

The Searcher will infiltrate your mind with philosophical thoughts and vivid imagery, definitely worth a 5/5! ( )

fter a tragic accident a cop can't forgive himself and becomes the town recluse. He witnesses a bank robbery and his instincts kick in. He attempts to foil their escape and they take a hostage . . . his niece. He promises to rescue her and becomes one with nature while he looks for the girl.

Sounds like a five star plot right? It might have been if it were not for the author's penchant for describing every thing in excruciating detail. To be honest it reminded me of the old MASH episode where Radar decides to become an author. Sentences seemed to go on for ever. I counted 257 words in one sentence. It detracted from the plot in my opinion.

Having said that descriptions were breathtakingly beautiful. It was very easy to visualize the scenes the author was describing. The problem I had was that there were too many of them.
So we have a good book, a talented author with the ability to paint beautiful word pictures, but that skill is what made the book very tedious to read. It was easy to lose the plot in the descriptions.

I received this book for free in exchange for this honest review. ( )

Never before have I been unable to read through a book. There have been a few that were a struggle to read, but nothing compares to this. While there may be a very good story in here I just can not get past the near constant run on sentences and the over usage of description. If I were the editor for this manuscript I would have sent it back with a huge NO followed by an explanation of why and perhaps a book on English grammar.



I received this book through a goodreads giveaway. My thanks to the author for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Joaquin, a police officer 5 years previous to the story, killed his daughter while trying to stop a kidnapper from abducting his child and wife. His wife was killed by the kidnapper. Joaquin was totally destroyed, left the force and lived as a beggar, walking the streets of his town, mentally and physically punishing himself every day for, in his mind, killing his wife and daughter. He was close to insanity when a similar bank robbery took place right in front of him. They shot the mother, leaving her on the street, and grabbed her daughter. The situation was so similar to what happened those 5 years past that it brought Joaquin out of his stupor. He went to the woman on the ground and told her to live and promised her he would return her daughter. The search began.

Juanita had strong faith. She believed in Joaquin for he was not a mere man. She regained her health healing from the bullet wound and prayed faithfully for the return of her daughter. Her other children gave up hope for her return. Even after 3 years of waiting she never gave up.
Sylvia, the young girl who was kidnapped learned to adapt to her situation and remain alive. She lived in the forest going from different secret hide away cabins located in several different states. She had learned from her mother about prayer and faith, so she prayed for herself, for the other girls and for the kidnappers, never giving up that she would be rescued. She knew Joaquin was searching for her and knew he wouldn’t give up the search until he found her.

The writer’s use of words is extraordinary. Joaquin searched for Sylvia but through the process he searched and found himself. The writer weaves a story with his words that places the reader at the scene, feeling what Joaquin feels, smelling what he smells and seeing what he sees. Much of the story is centered in rugged terrain pursuing the kidnapper, the very man who had taken his own wife and daughter. Joaquin’s search became very personable – revenge on his mind. Joaquin, through this journey changes from a man tormented to one at peace. The searching is his journey to that end. I highly recommend reading this book. ( )

I can only imagine the sheer pain and torment a person goes through when they watch a loved one be butchered in front of their eyes. A piece of their spirit is killed along with their other half and something is permanently broken for all time. This story is about a person that was broken five years ago one dreaded day. His name is Joaquin Bridger. A cop that specializes in hunting down humanity's trash and cleaning the streets of its filth. On one typical day Joaquin gets called in to take down a deranged conman that has taken a woman and her child hostage. Not knowing who the hostages are Joaquin prepares to kill his prey. Once he reaches his destination he realizes that it is his wife and daughter that are the hostages and it is his task to get them away from the killer. What happens is a sad piece of history that forever scares Joaquin. While firing his shot he strikes his daughter and the conman kills his wife. In the chaos surrounding the shooting, the human garbage escapes in to the wilderness. Knowing that he killed his own daughter and prevented his wife's death, he turns toward madness for comfort. His guilt eats him alive and transforms him into a broken man that is looked at as a member of the walking dead.

One day while Joaquin is making his typical rounds of self pity throughout town he stumbles up on a familiar scene. A scene where a woman and a daughter are held captive by a deranged lunatic. In the chaos that surrounds the scene the bank robber makes off with the child while the mother is left in tears. While witnessing the kidnapping Joaquin recognizes the human trash that killed his wife and a spark of life begins to reignite in him. The guilt that has been festering in his soul turns into rage and he promises the mother and the police he will hunt the animal down and return the daughter. The story then follows the minds of several twisted souls and shows how a broken man can slowly put himself back together again. This book was a very interesting piece of literature. On one hand I was a little taken back by the descriptive monologues that took place throughout the book, but I also respected the author's depth in his beliefs. This book was very difficult to read at times since it had a tendency to run on and on. However, I did enjoy the story and appreciated the author's language, emotions, and passion for his character. I must thank both Goodreads and the author for allowing me to review this book. It was very enjoyable and it was something new for me. ( )