The Testimony by James Smythe
When almost the entire population all hears the same noise at exactly the same time across the planet they all stop to listen. Whether in planes, underground or just having a regular day at work the static style sound got to everyone and stopped them in their tracks. Then it just disappeared, leaving the world to wonder, gossip, panic or pray. The second time the static is heard so are the words ‘My children..’ and later ‘do not be afraid.’ Religions turn against each other as most people believe the Catholic idea of God is speaking to them. Governments rush to placate the panicking public but with no real information, their words mean nothing. As society starts to crumble things go from bad to worse, a terrorist releases a video to warn the USA to stop with their false representations of God or there would explosive consequences.
This novel is written from numerous perspectives in short bite-size statements ranging from a couple of lines to a few pages. From an unemployed American and a Scottish lawyer to news anchors and The White House Chief of Staff, varying points of view are written to create a truly immersive environment and one that’s overwhelmingly realistic. The twists are turns are all extreme but completely logical, making the progression of the story even scarier. The personalised experiences of deaths, bombings and fear create such an intense and claustrophobic story at points you often have to put the novel down just to process it all.
I am struggling to find words for how much I enjoyed this novel. The ideas, the progression, the characters, it all works so perfectly. The mix of drama, religion, philosophical ideas and politics all together create a beautiful 10 out of 10 novel. Read it, read it now!