Official Review: Fourhaven by Fred Witzgall
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Official Review: Fourhaven by Fred Witzgall
The world is a mess, and there’s no saving it. But the good news is that there’s a fourth-dimensional being looking to start a new one for us. He has the power and a plan; now all he needs is a prophet.
Sitting alone in a jail cell in Texas awaiting sentencing for a laundry list of petty and not-so-petty crimes, ex-preacher Jeremiah Freehorn is pretty sure his adventure is at an end. But when he is miraculously abducted, transported to a surreal paradise called Fourhaven, and enlisted by its god to serve as a prophet and ambassador, Jeremiah gets a chance to start over. He can finally have everything he ever wanted: power, fame, money, and even his high school sweetheart, the only woman he ever truly loved, by his side. All he has to do is use his evangelical training to recruit other humans to join his peaceful, utopian sanctuary. It’ll be easy!
At least, it would be easy if the supernatural being in charge was at all what he claimed to be. As Fourhaven’s population grows, factions emerge and the paradise’s pretense begins to crumble. To top it off, malicious creatures so nasty that not even Fourhaven’s god is able to handle them begin to ooze out of the woodwork. In the face of hostile forces beyond their wildest imaginings, it’s up to Jeremiah and his small band of human rebels to find a way to save themselves, save their species, and – if they’re very, very lucky – find a way back home.
Fourhaven, written by Fred Witzgall, is an adventure novel set in the present day that blurs the line between fantasy and science fiction. It centers on a group of unlikely heroes, including a con man, a restaurant manager, several police officers, a pop star, and a cat. Each of these characters is written beautifully and fleshed out to a satisfying but not overwhelming degree. One of the author’s greatest strengths, in my opinion, is the believability and dynamism of his characters; despite their many eccentricities, each feels grounded in truth, and most of them can be seen developing over the course of the story in ways that feel organic.
The book is paced well and has been thoroughly edited. The story contains references to elements of religion, history, and mathematics, but a reader does not need to be an expert on any of these subjects to fully appreciate the story, as all the relevant pieces are sufficiently explained. There is also violence and profanity, but not enough of either to bar older teenage readers from enjoying the content. Lastly, a few veiled references to sex are present; in my opinion, readers worldly enough to catch these references will also be mature enough to handle their meaning.
Fourhaven earns a score of 4 out of 4 for its thrilling storyline, vivid characters, and imaginative, unconventional fantasy world. Overall, I would recommend the book most strongly to young adult and adult readers who are fans of science fiction and are looking for a masterfully written adventure. I cannot think of a single aspect of this book that I did not enjoy, and I heartily look forward to reading more of Witzgall’s work in the future.
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Fourhaven
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