November 10, 2010 / Leslie

Review: The Unwanted Trilogy – Book One

Adventure, Book Review, Christian, Science Fiction

The Unwanted by Daniel L. Carter

Genre: Science Fiction
Published: August 2010
Rating: 4 of 5

Two young nurses working at a clinic overhear a plot to murder them and the five newborn babies they are caring for. They flee into the night taking the infants with them to safety. Fourteen months earlier FBI Agents investigating a spree of crime scenes in which five babies are always among the casualties close in on a suspect only to watch him get away. Moments later there is an explosion of smoke and flames and more dead bodies. A brilliant but evil scientist has been conducting genetic experiments and things have been going horribly wrong.

We learn all of this in the first few pages. I enjoy a book that starts out fast and drops the reader right into the middle of a thrilling adventure. As I was reading the first few chapters I was already asking myself questions: what was happening, who was doing this, how would they resolve this? I was hooked.

Janet, one of the nurses, knows a place they can take the babies where no one will find them. Her uncle, Leigh, has a ranch in Oklahoma with a cabin where they can stay. This is a difficult decision for Janet as she and her uncle have not communicated in years and there was an unpleasant scene when they last spoke. Leigh, however, is a devout Christian and is more than willing to forgive, provide shelter and offer his help.

As they settle in and begin caring for the infants it quickly becomes apparent that these are not normal children. They are growing rapidly and look and act twice their age. As the years pass they manage to stay hidden and out of view of the public. Each of the children have begun to display impossible superhuman abilities. Soon it proves difficult to hide them from the authorities and more importantly from the bad guys they escaped from years ago. They have become a family now and protecting the children and each other is a priority.

This is a blend of action, adventure and science fiction with a Christian theme. Don’t run off it you don’t read Christian books. The religion is subtle; the author does not hit you over the head with it or preach at you. Through a series of events in her past Janet has lost her faith. The children and her uncle help her rediscover what she has lost. This theme is essential to her character’s development and to understanding the children and their fight for good against evil.

This is part one of a trilogy. The ending left me wanting for more while at the same time resolving enough of the story in book one to keep me happy. I recommend The Unwanted to readers of all ages.
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Source: Review Copy provided by the author.
More information about the book on The Unwanted Trilogy web page.
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