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Reviewed by Hilary Hawkes for Readers' Favorite
Calling Days by Jeff Christopher Leonard is a wonderfully gruesome and thought-provoking science fiction story. It’s the turn of the century and post WW III days. Mac Dreggar, Detective Homicide Division, is investigating the deaths of Will Harpy, Funeral Director, and Jude Mollins. As horrors concerning human cannibalism, brain eating rituals of the True Order and unnerving happenings at the crematorium are uncovered, Mac also reflects on events that led to his present situation. As a teenager, set on a career as a priest, he had befriended and defended mutant Tammy and, as a result of this and his killing one of the bullies in self-defence, his family and friends were killed in an act of revenge. Mac is determined to uncover the secrets of the True Order. But who is really involved and will he fall victim to their macabre evil himself?
Jeff Christopher Leonard’s Calling Days is a well-written and carefully plotted story that unfolds at a good pace. Told mainly from first person point of view, it alternates between Mac’s present day to his reflections of the past. This results in a rounded story where the reader is able to piece together the consequences of previous events and their eventual impact on later happenings. I loved the idea of sky clippers (flying cars) and anti-gravity boots – just the kind of thing you’d expect in a future world. The characters are strong and well depicted, Mac’s motivations being particularly believable. For fans of gruesome horror there are the brutal and sordid rituals of The Ritual of the Scraping, leaving us in no doubt that, nearly one century on, humankind has not yet reached a peaceful and enlightened way of life.
A futuristic and character led story, the book explores the relationship between religious belief and scientific understanding, and how Mac’s experiences change him from a believer to an independent thinking atheist. His conclusion being that: “If one never questions one never thinks for himself.” All in all, a good, well-written and fast-paced story that will appeal to those who enjoy science fiction with plenty of mystery and human conflict. While entertaining, the author’s themes also leave the reader with much on which to reflect.
