Sons of Cain: Review

Reviewing Sons of Cain by Val Bianco, much like reading the book itself, is a challenging task for me.  When it hits its stride, Sons of Cain is an enjoyable thrill ride of action and intrigue.  Other times it feels like reading several academic biographies, full of detail but at times a bit dry and academic.  Overall I found Sons of Cain to have great potential with a winning scenario but at times a bit difficult to stay focused.

The story is a tale of conspiracy at the highest levels of the U.S. government and the war for the souls of mankind.   Our hero, Nick Rieper, is a billionaire ex-Seal turned modern-day Knight Templar who with his fellow Knights attempt to thwart the Sons of Cain, an evil cabal of Satanists who are also the movers and shakers of Western Society.  The story touches on many issues of Faith and the relationship between our daily battle with Satan, both for our own soul and the souls of others.

If you are looking for nuance or ambiguity, this is not the story for you.  Sons of Cain draws very clear lines between good and evil, and is better for it.  The obviousness of the struggle for souls is brought home in very direct terms, and the Church is right where she belongs, holding humanity from the brink of destruction at the hands of the Evil One.  It is a refreshingly direct affair, and one that like a good action movie is easy to read when it is hitting the right notes.

The book is suitably titled as the Sons of Cain are  some of the most interesting characters in the book.  The interactions with others, the motivations, even the sheer insanity of allying with evil are depicted in an imaginative and enthralling way.  Of particular note is the prologue, which while rooted in a historical vision of God and Hell, is depicted in a rich and disturbing fashion.  There are some conversations and events that would make C. S. Lewis smile in admiration.

One cannot fail to appreciate Mr. Bianco’s extensive research.  From locations in the story to military techniques used by our heroes, Sons of Cain does an excellent job of using the real world to weave a tale.  I had fun looking up some of the more outrageous “truths” in the book only to find they were more true than I was comfortable with.  Like any good conspiracy story, Sons of Cain puts a delightfully subversive spin on a variety of historical events and figures, and weaves a fantastic yet plausible threat to the world.

The book hits its stride best during its actions scenes.  These sequences are well written and fast paced, and do get the adrenaline going.  The narrative style conveys just enough details while leaving the rest to the imagination.  Without revealing too much hopefully, the climatic battle at the end is an excellent blend of modern and ancient warfare.  These scenes are the page turners and to me the most enjoyable parts of the book .

So that’s all cool.  Though I would be remiss if I did not share what I felt presented me with some difficulty.  While evil is depicted with vivid and intense imagery that is quite haunting, our heroes seem to me at times distant and a bit difficult to connect with.

My personal issue with Bianco’s treatment of his protagonists is that the primary method of describing his characters’ virtue is to tell us how virtuous they are.  A good amount of time is spent giving us background and detailed information about Reiper and his Knights.  This is not to say that the heroes are cardboard cutouts.  Bianco has put a great deal of time into crafting his characters and it shows in their descriptions.  It’s clear from the story that Bianco admires their virtue and that they are the epitome of a modern soldier for Christ.  But it is disappointing that we don’t get to see this virtue firsthand, but more is there to hope for in future works.

I do have a few other concerns, such as what I feel are heavy-handed allusions to modern political and cultural figures.  While those of a particular political persuasion made find it humorous, I see it as an unecessary barrier to a wider audience.  But these are of a minor concern.

Bianco has created an interesting universe with a lot of potential.  The plot hits the right notes and is grounded in enough reality to keep it plausible.  The action is intense and evil is truly evil.  There is room for allowing the characters to grow, and my hope is future works in this world will allow these interesting heroes to breathe.  All in all, Sons of Cain is an imaginative ride, and a good book to curl up with at the end of the day when one looks to unwind.  Here’s hoping for more.

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://ignitumtoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Colin-Gormley-e1313149728861.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Colin Gormley is a 30 something Catholic who is married. By day he is a software developer for the state of Texas. By night, or whenever he’s trapped with his wife in her biology lab, he blogs about the Catholic faith from an apologetics perspective. He often strays into politics given the current debates in the country, but he tries to see all issues with the eyes of the Church. His website is Signs and Shadows.[/author_info] [/author]