Product Description

Grant Borrows' life has just taken a drastic left turn. There's another man in the world wearing his face and living his life. What's more, the man he sees in the mirror is a stranger.

Somehow, he's been Shifted -- his whole life fundamentally altered, in the space of a single breath. But the changes don't stop at skin-level. Inexplicably, he's able to affect objects around him by simply thinking about them. And as he soon learns, he's become the central figure in a vast web of intrigue that stretches from an underground global conspiracy to a prophecy dating back over seven thousand years, that tells of his coming. Enemies and allies find him at every turn, but one thing they all learn very quickly is that you don't want to push Grant Borrows too far...

Can destiny be undone?

The players are ready. The game is in motion. And the pace is Relentless.

In the allegorical tradition of Tolkien and Lewis comes a powerful new myth for a new generation.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #99259 in Books
• Published on: 2006-07-01
• Released on: 2006-07-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 448 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780764202216
• Condition: USED - VERY GOOD
• Notes:
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Booklist
Parrish's latest opens upon a world so tilted--people are "shifted" into new bodies, while their old bodies and personalities proceed--that it brings Philip K. Dick to mind. Gradually, the Dick-like paranoia itself shifts into flourishes of sword-and-sorcery and a cast of characters rather like X-Men. Psychokinesis is the theme, and Parrish makes it seem plausible, as his reluctant hero, Collin Boyd/Grant Borrows, discovers his powers in a kind of spiritual journey. The cliff-hanging plot mostly holds up, and the pace is, well, relentless. It's almost as though Parrish has too much talent and can't quite bring it under control. Nonetheless, another of Bethany's sf writers, Randall Ingermanson comes to mind, and Parrish is every bit as skilled. John Mort
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"...excellent, different approach to a murder mystery... has my endorsement for this... very imaginative foray into a difficult genre." -- Alan Paul Curtis, who-dunnit.com

"If you are a fan of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Ted Dekker or Frank Peretti... this book is a must." -- Jeff Holton, 1340mag.com

"If you enjoyed Ted Dekker's Three, or Frank Peretti's Monster, you will love this book." -- Marty Medley, armchairinterviews.com

"If you were unsatisfied with this summer's big superhero movies, you need to read this book." -- Tim Frankovich, christianfictionreview.com

"Parrish writes with the verve and attitude of a New York City cab driver..." -- Bookpage, Oct. 2006

"Rather than being a great "Christian novel," Relentless is a great novel by a very talented Christian writer." -- Jenn Wright, hollywoodjesus.com

"Relentless is a mystery/ action novel like you've never read." -- Shane Werlinger, buddyhollywood.com

"Relentless will quicken your pulse, send shivers of fear through your body, and change the way you look at life." -- Joyce Handzo, Christian Book Previews.com

From the Back Cover
"There's enough heart-stopping moments in Relentless to merit a trip to the cardiologist! Author Robin Parrish smartly provides more than just spine-tingling action, intricately weaving his tale around the universal questions of truth and purpose." --Matt Bronleewe, award-winning music producer, author of forthcoming Illuminated

"Relentless drew me relentlessly into the story... Never has the hero's journey been so tangled with conspiracies, secret organizations, age-old mysteries and sword wielding assassins." --H. Michael Brewer, author of Who Needs a Superhero? and Lessons From the Carpenter

"Robin Parrish is the kind of writer who understands how to entertain from the word go. His stories are sure to shape fiction for years to come." --Ted Dekker, bestselling author of Showdown

Customer Reviews

A Unique Mix
With high expectations, but very little advance knowledge of the plot, I opened "Relentless"--and held on for the ride.

The world of young man is completely Shifted when he stands on one side of the street and sees himself walking along the other. He has switched identities, or jumped bodies, or entered a parallel universe...He's not sure which. Soon after, he discovers his new name is Grant Borrows, he is wearing a ring which cannot be removed, and he is running for his life while trying to make sense of the mayhem swirling around him.

While wholly original, "Relentless" starts with a Phillip K. Dick type opening, then draws inspiration from "X-Men" and "The Lord of the Rings." These elements are both strengths and weaknesses. The setting starts in the real streets of L.A., then moves into a realm of swordmen, villains, and superhuman skills. Sometimes, it seems the story is trying to accomplish too much--hurried romances and belief-stretching escapes from speeding cars. Throughout, I kept thinking this would make a fantastic graphic novel.

Parrish is a skilled writer, using strong verbs and prose to convey his tale. Although some of the relational aspects seemed to need more depth, he unfolds the story with great mastery and presents more than one surprise, while unveiling a uniquely spiritual premise. At its core, the story is one an identity crisis: Who am I? Deep down, in my soul, who am I really? And what is my purpose?

This is one of the better amalgams I've seen of suspense and fantasy. And it's only the first in a trilogy, which means we have more great stories to come.

Interesting Premise
The concept of a synchronized "shift" of two peoples' consciousness is fascinating. The initial third of the book details the resulting confusion well. Then . . . ? The book "shifts" into a reluctant superhero story. The third act finally heats things up, but the ending felt rushed and unsatisfying. While this is the first book of a trilogy, there is too little explaination for the appearance and motivation of the "bad guy".

I wish I could rate this higher, but based on the description I expected more of thriller than a fantasy.

True rating about 4.5 stars
Relentless is almost ridiculously addicting. I obsessed over it until I read the last page. Then I found out there will be two more books AND they are coming out in 2007 and 2008. Sheesh, I almost wish I had waited to read it now. I'm not one for delayed gratification (being American, and all that.) However, I do love a book I can burn through in very little time because it keeps my attention. I despise a boring story. The characters in Relentless were beat up and nearly pummeled to death so often that it was almost funny (in a twisted way), and like a soap opera, some of the characters refused to die or came back though you thought they were dead. I'd say that the violence was one of the things that made the story so vivid, yet it was a bit much for me in regards to description. I can still envision some of the stuff in the story and it ain't purty. It reminds me of a chop-chop flick with the near constant fighting, but at least there was a purpose for it in Relentless. Almost everyone wanted someone else dead. Sometimes the bad guys were actually the good guys and sometimes the good guys did bad things. All around it was a five for entertainment value except for the gore, which tempts me to rate it lower, however, in all fairness it was still riveting. Great plot, wacko scenes, cliff hanger moments, and even some heart tugging emotion are packed into this story. I'm thinking that Parrish and Dekker must be friends because they think alike in regards to depth and intrigue.