Don Cornelius' viewers rode his Soul Train for 39 seasons, but their feet remained firmly planted on Terra Firma. Most of the players in T. C. Husvar's Soul Train, on the other hand, have finished their time on Earth, and their souls are riding the train to the afterlife, good, bad, and indifferent.
This imaginative gem finds seventeen-year-old Joshua waking up at a train station with no idea how he got there. He does, however, have a ticket, so he gets on the train, uncertain of where he's going. By the time he realizes what's happening, it's too late to disembark. The only thing he can do is wait until he reaches his destination, wherever that is. With a motley crew of other passengers, many of them not what they seem, is there any hope for the teen?
I'm not usually a fan of protagonists suffering from amnesia, but the description for this tale took hold of me and wouldn't let go. And, like Joshua, once I stepped foot on my ride, I couldn't get off until I'd completed my whirlwind trip. Husvar delivered in all areas, from the world building (my favorite aspect) to the character profiles to just the right amount of suspense and discomfort. The soul train is overseen by conductor Teff, a pretty man whom Joshua can't quite get a bead on. I too had trouble figuring him out, and I thought this was a great ploy by the author. Other riders include transvestite Tiffany, influencer Madeline, and mysterious Jason. Joshua, being the lead, was the most multifaceted character, so I was best able to empathize with him, though Tiffany’s tale also had me grim-faced and shedding a tear.
As to the premise, I couldn't help but wonder if Husvar used Dante's classic Divine Comedy, which imagines Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory as having 9 circles each, as inspiration. I've never read the aforementioned, but now I may. I don’t want to give too much away, but I will note that I loved visiting each substation, as they were each unique and quite fitting, if a bit creepy. Station P, in particular, sent shivers up my spine, and I was captivated by Teff’s explanation after visiting this stop. Later in the tale, passenger Pedro further shed some light on things, giving me a light bulb moment.
As wonderful as the ride on this locomotive was, the grammar left much to be desired, as there were errors galore. I noted several issues with verb tenses, incorrect word usage, and a couple of misspellings. I would love for Soul Train to be a continuing series that I can board over and over again with the caveat that the stories be professionally edited. As for this trip, I have to rate it 3 out of 4 stars.
My other issue with this tome is that it left a few questions unanswered, so I still have a slight nagging in my brain. Still, I have no hesitation in recommending the journey to fans of Dante’s Inferno, readers who like visiting multiple worlds, and people who enjoy stories that star amnesiacs. Also, though the tale wasn’t full of profanity, there were a few instances of its usage, as well as mild violence, so readers should beware.
– Dante Alighieri, InfernoSoon you will be where your own eyes will see the source and cause and give you their own answer to the mystery.
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Soul Train
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