American Omens by Travis Thrasher: Review

Sometimes, I have a book in my TBR pile that I just know I cannot read until I am in the mood for that exact type of read. Speculative and Sci-fi tend to fall in that category for me. And I’m glad when I wait to read those until the right mood hits because I enjoy the story that much more. That, my friends, is my excuse for the wait for this review!

About the Book

In this taut thriller that depicts a future where belief is dangerous, faith is deemed hatred, and a group of powerful elite keeps watch, the Reckoner has come to wake up America.

The year is 2038 and Cheyenne Burne is a brilliant young programmer working for Acatour, the world’s top technology firm. Her father converts to Christianity, and he suddenly disappears without a trace. When a stranger hands Cheyenne a coded message that sends her on a collision course with a clandestine group of believers, she must put her life in the hands of those following a man known only as the Reckoner. He claims he wants to bring back true faith in Christ to America and also reveal the forces behind the disappearances of the many renowned people who publicly declared their Christian faith.

Operating in the shadows and living off the grid, this mysterious prophet assembles a ragtag team–including a former bookseller whose store was shut down for selling prohibited books–to help him take the battle for transparency to the top. With a ruthless FBI agent closing in, can Cheyenne and the others expose the truth and lead a return to God in America before it’s too late?

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In My Opinion

Travis Thrasher’s American Omens fits in many genre categories. It’s part suspense, part sci-fi, part speculative, but wholly entertaining (and maybe even disturbingly plausible).

In 2038, powerhouse names like Amazon, Google, Apple, and Facebook are no more. But technology has advanced in ways that are hard to imagine today from automatically driven vehicles (autovehs) to AI assistants that do everything from connecting you with others, selecting music, and offering advise based on the information the computer has for the individual, the potential for manipulation is great. And Christians are now the criminals as their conversations of faith are viewed as hate crimes.

Thrasher dangles three story threads in front of readers, inviting them to follow along until they all collide in a massive undertaking. From a programmer (it’s much more complicated than that, but I’m going to simplify it for time’s sake), a bookstore owner, and a man hired to get the job done no matter the method, the build up to the climax is gradual but steep, keeping you focused on what’s to come.

I have to say I appreciated the ending of this story. While it is satisfying, there are still questions because not everything is wrapped up in a neat little bow. Not everyone responds as the group expects, and even some in the group are still searching for their own answers.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.