If you want a blend thrills, action, history, anthropology, and chills then look no further, The Summoner by Layton Green. I really enjoyed reading this book because it had such a great mix of characters, you have the bad guys, a woman with a past, a deeply damaged, but redeemable protagonist. Layton brings these set of characters together, throw some mysterious religious cult and a professor — eat your heart out Dan Brown. The story and the dialogue will keep you entrained so get ready to get on this wild ride of a journey. I couldn’t put this down and believe when I tell you. Green will shock and awe you with this book. It’s a must read for fiction readers who love action and thrillers.
The Summoner
Layton Green
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Book Blurb:
A United States diplomat disappears in front of hundreds of onlookers while attending a religious ceremony in the bushveld of Zimbabwe.
Dominic Grey, Diplomatic Security special agent, product of a violent childhood and a worn passport, is assigned to investigate. Aiding the investigation is Professor Viktor Radek, religious phenomenologist and expert on cults, and Nya Mashumba, the local government liaison.
What Grey uncovers is a terrifying cult older than Western civilization, the harsh underbelly of a country in despair, a priest seemingly able to perform impossibilities, and the identity of the newest target.
Himself . . .
Interview:
Where are you from? Tell us a little about yourself!
I have moved around a lot, and have visited more than fifty countries and lived in quite a few. I currently live in Miami, but have spent most of the past decade in Atlanta.
Tell us about your book? How did it get started?
I study Japanese Jujitsu, and love to write about religion and travel, so I had the idea to marry those three loves in a series. I want to take Grey and Viktor around the world, exploring new cultures and new religions or cults with each novel. My wife is Zimbabwean, so that led to the first novel being set in Zimbabwe.
How do you create your characters?
I do draw on real-life people; I envy novelists that don’t have to do that! However, I think the trick is making sure the character is not the real-life person, but a whole new fictional persona, with characteristics from one and usually more real people.
What inspires you to write?
So many things: the mysteries of life and death, beautiful and ugly places, interesting people, new cultures, the pure pleasure of exploration.
What do you like to read?
I read a pretty wide variety, as long as it’s good. I just finished Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned by Walter Moseley, which is amazing and humbling. Walter Moseley is a great author. I also love Dennis Lehane, Michael Gruber, Charlie Huston, James Lee Burke, to name a few.
What would your advice be for authors or aspiring in regards to writing?
Read. Write. Edit. Repeat. It ain’t easy, but I think great fiction is one of the most beautiful things humans have come up with, and pursuing the ideal is to me a worthy goal.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Thanks so much to the Pen & Muse!
