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The Manhattan Prophet Reviewed By Fran Lewis of Bookpleasures.com
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Fran Lewis

Reviewer Fran Lewis: Fran worked in the NYC Public Schools as the Reading and Writing Staff Developer for over 36 years. She has three masters degrees and a PD in Supervision and Administration. Currently. She is a member of Who's Who of America's Teachers and Who's Who of America's Executives from Cambridge. In addition, she is the author of three children's books and a fourth Alzheimer’s book is Memories are Precious: Alzheimer’s Journey: Ruth’s story in honor of her mom. Fran hopes to create more awareness for a cure of Alzheimer.
She was also the musical director for shows in her school and ran the school's newspaper. Fran writes reviews for authors upon request and for several other sites. You can read some of my reviews on Ezine.com and on ijustfinished under the name Gabina. Follow Here To Listen to Fran's Radio Show and Here

 
By Fran Lewis
Published on September 10, 2009
 

Author: Jake Packard
Publisher: Bascom Hill Publishing Group          
ISBN: 978-1935-098058

A novel so unique-so far unparalleled and so frightening and thought provoking, the Manhattan Prophet by Jake Packard


Author: Jake Packard
Publisher: Bascom Hill Publishing Group          
ISBN: 978-1935-098058

Click Here To Purchase The Manhattan Prophet

How far will mankind fall before it is obliterated and destroyed beyond return? What earthly and human barriers will be broken and eliminated before there is total annihilation and nothing left for testing, killing, to replenish and rebuild. Economic destruction, epidemics, diseases beyond proportion that spreads world wide, global warming and over population and worse: a nuclear blast that occurs and destroys our city and more leading to a chain of events that spreads throughout the word. This brings me to my review of a novel so unique-so far unparalleled and so frightening and thought provoking, the Manhattan Prophet by Jake Packard.

The book opens in the year 2069 with a silver haired man emerging from the forest, opening his laptop and communicating with a young man. He begins to recount events that occurred during a four-day period 22 years before. Events that change the complexion of our world and what he states were “those four glorious days.” Next the author brings us back to Riker’s Island on December 21, 2047 where a young man named Salem Jones is being released not only from prison but also into what is left of society and into the throes of life after being incarcerated at birth. Salem Jones-our Prophet, the savior of this book is being released from a life that he was forced to live because the world thought that he was infected at birth by his mother with the Aid’s virus and more and would not last more than a short time.

Intertwining events from the past and the present the author presents a really fatalistic and graphic picture of the destruction inflicted on humans by humans. A single nuclear blast and New York City is destroyed. One more blast and more retaliations and countries throughout the world have the same catastrophic results-chain reactions-more blasts and what is left is sick, diseased, mutilated, decapitated people and countries that are beyond the realm of medical attention, which no longer exists for the most part, and will take a major miracle to restore as it once was.

General, a man of power, who does not want peace, will do anything to eradicate the good that might come from the words of this Prophet John Kennedy Storm the Mayor had other ideas and he did not believe that Salem Jones was evil. He did not want to go along with the violence. Two powerful men, each with their own agenda and each with their own formula for how they see the world and what the future will be.

Maria and Herbie and Jamal who get caught in this web of terror and fear as part of the news team that the government threatens if they do not assist them in their goals. Using flashbacks in the lives of all of the characters to explain their pasts and how they became who they are in the present and to what lengths they will go to protect each other, their families and others.

Will the General win out in the end or will Salem Jones’s words change what people think make them understand his words?  Salem reminds everyone that they were born and given all that they need to help themselves live and grow. He reminds them of how they turned their back on creation and worshipped false gods. Choosing between money, pleasure, power or fame as their favorite gods.

The ending will astound the reader and remind us that hate is a terrible word read the book to decide what you belief, 

Finally confronting the General and all that he claims to stand for he tells the world that it is him and his ideals that have forced upon the people modern idolatry and those who oppose will live under the threat of death.

Can you live in a world where you every thought is controlled and your words are not heard? Can you live in fear for your life and with the threat of death if you go against what others think? Can you live in a world where you have no rights and the government controls what you see on and hear from the media and the streets are filled with killers who are programmed to eradicate any one who opposes them?

No democracy, no beautiful world, gangs ruling the streets and underground in Shantypark and your basic needs controlled by others. What will happen to our world and what does happen is in the hands of this groundbreaking author who has given the reader pause for thought in this mind stimulating, thought provoking novel of one man’s journey for redemption for the world and its people.  

Do you stand with the General, the gangs and the Alliance, or do you stand with Salem Jones and the good he is trying to inspire and instill in all of us. Remember: Nothing stays the same as we learned by the events in this book and the outcome: everything you will learn is interconnected: no one knows what will happen next as you will learn: and finally: there are no limits to the glory and the grace of God. This is truly and thought provoking and mind stimulating book that will profound the reader. This is a definite must read.

Click Here To Purchase The Manhattan Prophet