(Cover picture courtesy of M.R. Gott’s Cutis Anserina.)

For years he dwelt apart. With his unique ability he invades and destroys their lives. Now, bored of the game he decides to enact a bloody last stand, but while preparing his plan in prison he discovers he’s not as unique as he once thought.

[Full disclosure: Michael Brookes sent me a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.]

Well, I certainly can’t accuse Michael Brookes of relying on clichés too much because just when I thought I knew how things were going to end, he changed everything up.  Yes, there was the whole villain reluctantly working for the good guys to save the world aspect, but there are so many twists on this trope that I can’t fault him for that.

The story starts off with our unnamed narrator in prison, feeling very smug about himself.  Through events at the prison and flashbacks (but never in the same chapter so it isn’t confusing!) we learn that he has incredible psychic powers.  He can control people’s minds and even kill people with just the power of his own mind, which he discovered on the night of his mother’s murder.  The flashbacks that happen every other chapter allow us to slowly realized what caused him to acquire his present smug, brilliantly evil attitude.  From a psychological standpoint, it’s fascinating.

I wasn’t really sure where Michael Brookes was going with this until he delved into the whole coming apocalypse angle.  That wasn’t that surprising or unique.  However, his approach to the apocalypse was in that the man trying to bring it about is one you’d never, ever think of on your own.  The best part about this scenario is that Michael Brookes presents it so that both readers who are familiar with the Bible and readers who aren’t can understand it.  You don’t have to be a theologian or even Christian to help piece together the puzzle.

My only real complaint about The Cult of Me was that things could have been proofread better.  There are times where quotation marks face the wrong way or shouldn’t be there and missing periods, which are more likely run-on sentences.  Still, I wasn’t so distracted that I didn’t enjoy the book and I think Michael Brookes has a great idea here going with The Cult of Me.  I can’t wait to see what the next book brings after that huge cliffhanger.

I give this book 4/5 stars.

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