“Devil’s Pass” by Sigmund Brouwer

Sigmund Brouwer is one of my favorite authors, and he has not disappointed me with this book.  Action-packed and well-written, this adventure novel is sure to keep readers guessing what will happen next.  This book is part of a series.  The other books in the series are written by different authors and focus on different characters.  Reading this book, it never felt as if there were details left out of that it was necessary to read the other books in the series.  This book focuses on Jim Webb, who likes to just be called Webb.  When his grandfather passes away, he leaves Jim a cryptic set of directions.  Desperate to fulfill his late grandfather’s wishes, Webb sets out on his adventure.  He meets friends and foes—mostly foes.  Webb is in the wilderness and encounters wild animals, harsh climate, and many more deterrents.  The style of this book goes back and forth between the past and the present.  This gives the reader enough detail to have some fun but not so much as to leave everything predetermined or obvious.  This book has nothing inappropriate in it, so it may be suited for younger readers.  There is a violent stepfather and an unearthed corpse in the book, but the details are not graphic; readers may use discretion.  While Webb comes off as a little rough-around-the-edges, Brouwer paints him as a truly good guy who has kindness in his heart.  Throughout the book, Webb pushes aside his hatred for his life’s circumstances to find that kindness.  Overall, this is a great read full of both thrill and emotion; it has depth.