Book Reviews
"The Dagger" by Timothy George
The Harrington Review
Timothy George’s 2016 novel, The Dagger, should come with a warning to all readers: “Fasten your seatbelts”. The fast-paced thriller is a sequel to the author’s 2012 Awaken, a novel that kept Timothy George on the Top 30 Bestselling Author list of the African American Literature Book Club for eight consecutive times (aalbc.com).
During the first scene of The Dagger, the author reintroduces Thomas Jet, an investment banker and main character in the previous book. Jet seems to be coming out of a coma: his face and hands bandaged and stitched. As his memory is returning, the readers receive a summary of his circumstances and previous adventures. We learn about the Brotherhood, a secret society, with centuries-old roots reaching back to ancient African kingdoms and a mission of preserving African history and reviving the entire continent.
It turns out that Jet underwent plastic surgery "to make his final transformation as the new leader of the Brotherhood's intelligence section". And thus Thomas Jet's new life and adventures begin.
The action, of course, revolves around the dagger, which appears in chapter three: a beautiful, mysterious, medieval weapon that will undoubtedly change the world and the lives of all the eccentric characters in the novel. It also propels Thomas Jet to establish and prove his leadership in the Brotherhood by coordinating a quest for the mystical, priceless dagger while fending off ruthless and greedy pursuers and rescuing his lover, who was kidnapped and held for ransom for the weapon and its secret power.
An unquestionably extensive international, geographical, and historical research, a blockbuster storyline, and a unique message support the success of this novel.
By Hedi Harrington
Judge, 24th Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards
Review
The well-designed cover picture of a beautiful, ornate dagger stuck in a wood surface promises mystery and intrigue. That is what the reader will find from the first pages, as investment banker Thomas Jet awakens from a strange procedure whereby plastic surgery has changed his face and removed his fingerprints. His description becomes more arresting as I read that Jet and his lover Miss Erd have psychic power intriguing.
I liked the international setting to this fast-paced thriller reminiscent of James Bond. I liked the fresh aspect of the mystery surrounding a secret African society called the Brotherhood, whose ultimate mission is not only preserving history but Africa to greatness. I liked the mystical, paranormal aspect of the story, as when the reader is told about Akin, a famed warrior who appears and disappears in African history. I liked the trips through wormholes and the effects of those—fascinating to contemplate—such as the seismic wave recorded by NASA (page 155). I liked Dr. McLeay’s assistant, Kaiya, and felt sorry for her when she was kidnapped. My pity dissolved as I discovered what a good fighter she was: she and Erd made a strong pair.
By Judge 33
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