Caleb Allard is dying of cancer. Out of options, he prepares to end his life through medically induced suicide. While his daughter, Irene, is in town to help make arrangements, a voice speaks to Caleb, prompting him to seek out a child in Texas with miraculous healing abilities. Knowing Irene would never entertain the notion of such a quest, Caleb enlists the help of his son, Wes, a recovering addict who is days out of his most recent stint in rehab. Wes and Caleb set out on what they believe is a crusade to save Caleb’s life—and the rest of the world—but things are not as they seem.

Jim Christopher’s debut novel, SEASON OF WAITING, focuses on the weight of one’s choices and how seemingly insignificant decisions can have cataclysmic effects. The mysterious voice in Caleb’s ear takes him through several out of body experiences in which he can see every choice ever made laid out before him as an infinite web of possibilities.

The seemingly omniscient voice that Caleb converses with periodically remains mysterious and vague. It is unclear if the voice can control people or not, and this apparent inconsistency makes the voice harder for readers to buy into than if its role and abilities were more clearly defined. Some may also find it difficult to draw a clear connection between the powers of the voice and those of Emerson, the child in Texas. Both elements are interesting but feel disjointed alongside each other as if two separate universes are colliding.

As Wes and Caleb travel from New Mexico to Texas, they encounter numerous obstacles, each compounding the strain on their relationship. With every choice Wes and Caleb make along the way, readers are driven to view them in a different light. Each choice pushes the limits of Caleb’s moral code, causing him to doubt the rationality and validity of their quest, while Wes offers blind encouragement and determined optimism as he seeks redemption for his past mistakes.

The cast of characters in SEASON OF WAITING is relatable and easy to invest in. Their depth is put on display when old wounds are torn open, and each character must confront his or her demons. The vividly descriptive prose flows beautifully, though readers who prefer quickly-paced stories may have difficulty buying in or following along, especially through the first half. While the ever-shifting viewpoints help keep the story feeling active and further demonstrate the impact one person’s choices can have on others, the pace is on the slower side for a thriller, and the changes make the action hard to follow from character to character at times.

SEASON OF WAITING by Jim Christopher is a thoughtful thriller imbued with attention-grabbing other-worldly elements and emotive characters whose stories are skillfully intertwined to keep readers invested to the end.

~Katherine Ripley for IndieReader