BOOK REVIEW + Gift Card and eBook GIVE AWAY - The Journey by Mark T. Rasmussen
Literary fiction (with Adventure; Family)
Date Published: 11-28-2022
Publisher: By The Pure Sea Books
“The journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step.” ~ Lao Tzu
Raiden, an emotionally troubled 40-something guy, is at a major turning point in his life. Rather than choose to face it head on, he undertakes an epic road trip adventure across North America, all with the aim of escaping the single most transformative event of his life – imminent fatherhood.
Searching for solutions in all the wrong places and faces, Raiden is forced to turn the mirror back on himself and shine the harsh light of reality not only on his quest, but into the very depths of his soul, in order to discover what it is he truly seeks.
While he does his best to find the answer, the impactful events he experiences along the way will reveal more about Raiden and his nature than the strange assortment of characters he meets on his overland odyssey.
Ultimately, The Journey is a story that no matter how far you run, your demons always follow.
“Mark T. Rasmussen rewards readers with a fascinating tale of transformation. 5-stars!” – K.C. Finn (Readers’ Favorite)
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Mark Rasmussen and RABT Books Tours and PR. I'm excited to be a part of this tour.
The Journey is an intriguing debut that will have you
engaged from start to finish. In this book we meet an emotionally troubled
40-something guy who is at a major turning point in his life. Rather than face
it head on, he embarks on an epic road trip adventure across North America.
Written in the first person, this book takes us into the mind
of an ordinary Joe who has hit rock bottom and must make a serious look at himself
to move forward and have a better life. The book is well written, and the
accompanying play list truly brings this book to life. The writing style is
easy to follow and suspenseful. I found myself empathizing at times and wanting
to hold the mirror up at other times. The book is an accurate portrayal of work
that goes into soul searching and its importance when we find ourselves at a crossroad.
This is a brilliant debut and I look forward to reading more from this author!
Overall Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Excerpt
10
Night Demons
The night is a restless one. Beside me,
I have this naked, near perfect female form, that even as she sleeps,
captivates me. While in my head, I hear the shrieks from my demons, all who
cast their long, dark shadows, screaming for me to reach out and touch
her.
My demons take on many forms. There are the ones who are
howling the loudest right now, the deviant, sexually
charged, always-on-for-sex regardless of the repercussions or damage they
inflict. There’s the selfish ones, the self-fulfilling prophecy ones, the
downright mean and negative ones. I also have the subtler, though much more
dangerous, tormenting ones. They are the demons who are all too willing to
point out my weaknesses and flaws, then exploit them, forever reminding me just
how weak and defective I am.
They’ve been the hardest to gain control of, let alone even
slay. For now, they relentlessly remind me about the pregnant female body I lay
up against only a few nights before.
Even though I behaved impeccably and managed to keep my
hands to myself–and my demons and their sexual urges at bay–I’m at constant war with myself. As I lie here dead still, on
the furthest edge of the bed I share with Brianna, for most of the night, I’ve
been besieged by their battle cries and screams.
‘Reach out, touch her, taste her, kiss
her… have her’. It is unrelenting. Despite the
growing chorus, I’m also being sounded out by the lone, barely audible, soft
voice of the woman I left behind. It’s much fainter and harder to hear, drowned
out by the ravenous choir of the dark demons and their carnal desires for their
hunger to be fed.
It all becomes too much and I have to get up out of bed. I
look over at the illuminated, digital green clock. The time 2:41am blinks back
at me. I slink into the bathroom to splash water on my face. The restless sleep
evident in my eyes. I sit on the toilet and stare back at my own reflection to
ponder. ‘What the hell are you doing?’ I don't get any answers, not that I was
expecting to, and definitely none that make any discernible sense. Discounting
the devil voices that just want me to jump Brianna
and have my wicked way with her, I’m haunted by far deeper thoughts than those
of where I have failed as a partner… a father. No, the thought that tortures me
the most in these long, slow hours before dawn–I am nothing more than a shitty
man.
MARK T. RASMUSSEN is an Australian author born by the sea, cultivated in the city, formed via the world. Previously a professional journalist and editor, Mark now writes evocative, thought provoking subject matter for his adult novels and screenplays, and fun, captivating, thoughtful books for children. An avid adventurer, he currently lives in a remote Mexican seaside-jungle village with his beautiful & brilliant, author wife, and youngest son, finding it an idyllic piece of paradise to read, write, and love. For more info visit: MarkTRasmussen.com
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Thanks for not only hosting me and my novel, but also the great review, Kristin. I really hope your loyal fans & followers are keen to dive in and discover more of my book on the back of it. Cheers, Mark T. Rasmussen
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great excerpt. The book sounds very intriguing. Great cover!
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