Navigator by Cynus

[William King]

Published a couple of years ago, this is a very good read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Here is my review:

This book takes you on a road trip that is different from the usual type of story, because it is a journey to be read on many levels. Throw into the mix an adventure plot worthy of any detective novel, and altogether you have an exciting, emotional tale, and one which is full of insights and reflections.

We start this journey with the struggling musicians who befriend our protagonist as he joins them in moving from one gig to another. He becomes the navigator who shows them how to read a map and find their way. But Silas Drake is much more than a simple navigator, he is a boy cast adrift on his own journey of self-discovery and reconciliation. 

“He was hurt sometime in his past, I mean, of course he was or he wouldn’t be living on the streets, but it was more than that. He was hurt by people close to him, that he thought he could trust. He doesn’t know yet that every performance is different,” Those words express the struggle that Silas has with himself, a personal combat that spills over into the lives of those he meets.

There is the discovery of a terrible secret and the overwhelming need to help the friends, who like Silas himself, have their own history to come to terms with. A history that may only truly be resolved by taking some risks. This ultimately leads to the final climax at the end of the novel, where like all good thrillers, the different threads of the story come together.

If I have any criticisms, it would be that perhaps the character of the ‘bad guy’ – all good thrillers have their bad guy – is a little superficial. His actions are plainly laid out, but we never get any great insight into him. Then again, the book is not about him and his part is no more than a supporting role in the drama. I could easily recommend this book, it’s a great read.

https://www.castleroland.net/library/chapter/cynus/nav/nav_001