Into the Fire

*Special thanks to Tim George for gifting me with a Kindle copy of The Tenth Crusader by Kirk Outerbridge, published by Marcher Lord Press.

Once again Kirk Outerbridge reunites us with the future world of partial and full cyborg bodies, neural nets plugged into neck ports, miracle treatments to retain youth, and the hero, former General Rick Macey who's 120 years young – or is he 112? No matter. He's an old man by our standards, but he's obviously a handsome and virile hunk in his reassembled body.

Rick Macey loves and is married to a shrew named Sheila who doesn't share Rick's Christian faith. She's the CEO of Miracle Treatment and possesses the worldly definition and personality of the female corporate type. When Rick must once again postpone their honeymoon to investigate a political assassination in the Philippines, Sheila shows him no mercy in her all out rant, and he departs without further contact with his wife. He assigns Bobby, his young friend and computer geek-extraordinaire assistant to look after her while he's gone.

What he doesn't share with either of them is his intimate history with the individual who's committed the assassination of the female speaker for the big event in the Islamic hotbed of the Philippines which is going to unite all of its religions under the IAO which stands for Islamic Alliance of Oceania in a big celebration in just a few days. So far the woman's death has been hushed up, the powers-that-be counting on Macey to resolve the situation.

Hooking up with a female Muslim police detective, "Salim", and an overweight Latino coroner, Macey does his best to get along, but there's resentment toward him calling the shots since Salim was pulled off an important case to assist him. 

The Tenth Crusader is an ambitious novel with multi-level plotting, high-action cyber war, religious conflicts, and amazing imaginative constructs. With a reference to Woody Allen by Macey in a shocking revelation amid scenes with cyborg ladyboys, the story presents all kinds of conflict, confusion, and conviction.

Kirk Outerbridge has written another entertaining futuristic novel leaving the door wide open for further Macey books in the final scene. I'm all for them because Kirk is able to give Macey that vulnerable hero complex who doubts his abilities as a Christian and a husband. He wrestles with the façades that must stay in place for him to do his job effectively. He struggles with his past, his faith, even lust. His convictions are nearly shattered in this story.

I have a few minor complaints. The multi-level plotting is its own worst enemy at times. So much is going on that when the scenes switch to yet another situation, it can be difficult to catch up or return to previous circumstances and character connections. There are several "messages" within this story, but as valid as some of them are, it's a bit hard to decipher them because at times the points dart back and forth with seeming sympathies for both sides of important and opposite issues. Sometimes when we authors try to do too much, we fail to do enough to make our main objectives clear. Also, Macey becomes an uncharacteristic wuss around his totally unlikable wife. His repeated confusion about his conduct doesn't always fit with his age factor. Finally in a late scene where there is blood evident and an assured death, it's later learned there was no "biological material" in the found corpses. If so, why was there blood present when every indication was given that the individual had died? If not, that particular scene was misleading.

In spite of my problems with parts of the novel, I found Kirk Outerbridge's The Tenth Crusader a strong followup to his original Eternity Falls where we were first introduced to Rick Macey. As far removed as the genre is from my preferences, Kirk has proved himself a worthy and enticing storyteller. I will gladly read another Rick Macey story. Kudos to the cover designer for such a fitting and striking cover on The Tenth Crusader.

Father, I pray your abundant blessings over Kirk and his family. Please continue to supply his imagination with the original stories you've given him to tell. Watch over him and may he honor you in all he does. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.