Book Review: The Cathari Treasure by Daniel Arthur Smith

I found this book by searching through my Twitter friends for a writer who recently published a book.  I read a handful of book blurbs and decided to give The Cathari Treasure a chance.  Following are my thoughts:

• Action packed novel that jumps right into the story on the first page.  Fast-paced writing style pushes the story forward.  The action sequences throughout are set up nicely and keep the reader turning pages. 

• Characters are defined by their actions.  Cameron Kincaid is an ex-Legionnaire, who fought covert missions for more than a decade before retiring and becoming a chef at his own restaurant.  The story takes place over a short period of time and is confined to a handful of situations, from which Cameron must escape.  The characterization is built upon his actions, and what he's able to do to help those under attack.  So, if you're looking for a character portrait, then this isn't for you.  But if you're looking for a couple of strong-armed, strong-willed, characters that are helping others through extremely dire circumstances, then you need to check out The Cathari Treasure.  I only had one issue with Characterization.  For a story like this, I prefer a strong villain.  Daniel Arthur Smith does a good job of hiding the true villain from us most of the journey.  But the payoff at the end lacked the strength and wickedness of a great villain.

• I found the setting of this book to be interesting because much of the story takes place in Canada, and that is a country I know little about.  Smith does a good job of tying in the history of the Cathari Treasure that began in France, and traveled to Canada, thus giving this story that takes place over a period of weeks a much grander feel.  

• The conflict builds to a grand confrontation that occurs in a grand cathedral.  The scene is developed well and builds to its ultimate climactic moment.  The prose was easy to read and flowed well throughout this part of the novel.  I liked it very much, but when it was over, I wanted a little more.  And I wanted more wickedness.  But the climax unfolds nicely and we coast into the resolution, and the eventual end of the story.  That's another thing I like about The Cathari Treasure.  There are more Cameron Kincaid novels, but this one holds its own as a self-contained story.