3 out of 4 stars
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The Broadcast by Liam Fialkov is a mystery/thriller/sci-fi/paranormal novel that tells of a most unusual television broadcast and how it affects the lives of the people around it.
It is the story of Sarah, who was raped and made pregnant by an unknown assailant when she was sixteen. Her parents, unable to live with the shame, shipped her off to a convent to have the baby. When he was born, the boy was immediately ripped from Sarah’s arms and adopted out to another family. Sarah grew up longing to know that child and hoped that he would finally search out his birth mother so that they could reconnect. Now, she wants nothing more than to have a baby of her own and will go to great lengths to get pregnant again.
It is the story of Michael, that child, who, though living in a loving adopted family, longs to know who his birth parents are. He is a data checker for the TXB Television Network and hopes that one day he can find some information that will lead him back to them.
It is the story of Walter Lindsey, who produces the television program, simply called The Broadcast, for TXB. He’s the only person who knows the source of the films used in the show, and, sworn to secrecy, he can never reveal it.
Jonathon Lishinsky, Sarah’s husband and Walter’s brother, is searching for himself and for meaning in his life against a backdrop of an unfaithful wife, a mysterious place in the forest, and The Broadcast.
Stewart McPherson, a famed investigative reporter, believes The Broadcast is all a hoax and is out to prove it.
And finally, it is a story about The Broadcast itself, which started as a one-time show that claimed to solve the mystery behind one the most celebrated murders in Hollywood history by showing footage of the actual murder itself and the perpetrator of that murder. But it blossomed into a two-season regular series as more and more law enforcement departments asked for help with their unsolved cases. The Broadcast was even able to go back in history and show major events from World Wars I and II, the Civil War and back two thousand years, before technology was available to film them. How was it done? Deemed historically accurate by leading historians, who, or what, was the source of these amazing films?
Author Liam Fialkov weaves the storylines of these characters together with that of The Broadcast expertly, as the reader comes to know each one. Each character is richly rounded out. Each is believable, with strengths and foibles in equal amounts. I found the dialog to be realistic, within the context of the novel, and if the final denouement tends to be a bit out there, all it takes is a little suspension of disbelief. It certainly is not just another rehashing of old and tired plotlines. The twist at the end is surprising (the plot didn’t go anywhere that I thought it would) and refreshing in that it is not old and over-used.
This is a sophisticated novel, yet it is clear and easy to read. It’s divided into chapters, but it is also divided into subsections based on the characters’ actions. It’s told in a logical straight-line order, from one event to another, making it easy to follow.
If a novel is good, readers are a bit sad when it ends; they are sad to leave the world that they have enjoyed living in, and sad to say goodbye to characters that they have grown to know and love. That’s how I felt with this book. I would have liked it to go on, telling me what happened next, and next, and next. Perhaps there is a sequel on the horizon.
In any case, this book is a pleasure to read. It has an exciting, somewhat mysterious plotline, with an unexpected twist at the end. I highly recommend it to readers who like mysteries with a touch of the paranormal, a sprinkle of science fiction, and a dash of thriller.
It is suitable for readers of any age. There is no profanity or sex and no graphic violence. Children old enough to understand the concepts should enjoy the book as should adult readers. My hat’s off to Mr. Fialkov for this excellent work.
Unfortunately, there is one downside. The edition that I read (Kindle Unlimited) had several editing mistakes and typos. For this reason, I can’t give the book highest marks. I give this novel 3 out of 4 stars. Hopefully, the print edition has these errors corrected.
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The Broadcast
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