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Review: The Runner by A. Wayne Gill
The Runner
written by A. Wayne Gill
published by Iron Pillar Media Group, Inc.
find it here: Amazon, iBooks, Smashwords, Goodreads
Why did I pick this book: I was asked by the publicist for Mr. Gill to review this book. (I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
Did I enjoy this book: I did.
This book consists of three major characters and their stories. First, we have Michael, whom everyone expects to follow in the footsteps of his father and become a Baptist Preacher. But he has other plans. Michael stuns his family and community when he unexpectedly leaves the sleepy small town of Ozark Hills, Missouri to go to law school in the Big Apple. Then we have his bad-boy brother-in-law, Ramon, who lives down to everyone’s expectations when he gets sucked into a life filled with crime and cash working as an international gangster. And finally, we have God, who plays a consistently prominent role in all the character’s lives.
So there you have it: the lawyer, the crook, and the Big Guy himself. As unlikely as it seems, Gill skillfully integrates these three characters and their stories to create an entertaining drama.
So why only four stars? I thought the story lacked character development. There are lots of characters in this story. Many ranged from unbelievable to annoying. The small, overly religious setting and its cast had me expecting Kevin Bacon to jump off the page and start performing dance routines from the 1984 movie Footloose. No kidding. I couldn’t get the song out of my head. I believe Mr. Gill must have been heavily influenced (or if you’re an artist – inspired) by the movie when he chose the setting and characters. And anyone who gets me humming to the tune of, “Now I gotta cut loose, footloose. Kick off the Sunday shoes . . .” for two days straight definitely deserves to have at least one star knocked off. (Lyrics from Footloose complements of www.azlyrics.com)
Would I recommend it: Yes, especially if you like Christian-based literature or you’re a big fan of the soundtrack to Footloose.
Will I read it again: I will not.
About the book: What happens when a brilliant attorney combines his legal knowledge with his insight into relationship? Well, imagine Nicholas Sparks and John Grisham got together and decided to write a novel. Wayne Gill’s The Runner is the story of a preacher’s son who foregoes a path to the pulpit for law school in the city.
Michael Knight has the perfect life – a perfect family, a perfect relationship and a perfect future. Groomed to follow in his father’s footsteps, Michael’s career as a preacher is laid out before him. But he has a secret that will take him from being a small town preacher’s kid to the heart of the big city, where everything seems golden, glittery and glamorous. When he gets the opportunity of a lifetime, Michael glimpses a future of power, influence and wealth. The whole world is his for the taking, but at what cost? Will he trade in all he has been for all he could become?
About the author: A. Wayne Gill is the Managing Partner and CEO of the Gill Law Firm. which has offices in Florida and Georgia. throughout the United States. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the South Florida Minority Supplier Development Council (SFMSDC), the Black Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County, Inc., and the Oasis Compassion Agency, which he co-founded with his wife Sharon, in 2002.
He obtained an English degree from Trinity College in Hartford Connecticut and his law degree from George Washington University in Washington DC. There, among other things, he served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Arthur L. Burnett, Sr. of the DC Trial Court and in the Office of the Corporation Counsel for the District of Columbia, Civil Division. He is also a graduate of the Advanced Minority Executive Program at the Kellogg School of Business, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
