Facing the Son, A Novel of Africa

 (18 customer reviews)

This was a great book. From the very beginning the reader is grabbed and held in suspense. Matt Reiser has been sent on a mission to Africa to find a son who obviously doesn't want to be found. It has been three years since Karl last communicated with his parents. His mother's dying wish is to see her son before the cancer takes her life. When she contacts Matt, her ex-husband, and asks him to fly to Africa and track him down, he doesn't want to. Matt and Karl have not had the best relationship for several years.

Matt steps off of the plane and into a corrupt world unlike anything he has ever seen. He is mugged, robbed of his money, passport, and the letter his ex-wife sent for their son. They even took his shoes. He doesn't know who to trust. Then he meets Jean-Louis, the concierge at the hotel. What starts out seeming like help drives him deeper into the corrupt world around him.

This book is so much more than just a good read. In this book you are...Read more

What a great book. From the outset the reader is put in suspense with what has got to be any travelers worst nightmare - and then in a country as foreign as one can imagine. This book has a lot to offer including understanding the challenging conditions in Africa, a traveler put completely outside his comfort zone, and a father's struggle with his broken relationship with his son. The story continues throughout to take new unexpected turns and one quickly gets to a point where you cannot put it down until completed.

In 1979, when American Matt Reiser lands in Africa to search for his son, he quickly finds himself beaten and robbed of everything from his passport to his shoes. Haunted by regrets, Matt is on a quest for redemption and the robbery triggers a chain of events that takes Matt on a dangerous journey across international boundaries without a valid passport. A dubious hotel concierge and his street-smart niece seem to want to help Matt, but their lives collide in a pivotal moment that sends Matt running from thugs and government officials through urban and rural Africa in a life-changing adventure. Surprising twists hurl strong characters through colorful sights, smells and sounds of a time gone by. "Facing the Son" delivers a great roller coaster ride that is a testament to a father's love for his son and his son's mother in a story is that is compelling, heartwarming and bittersweet.