[tbrookside]

Another Amazon review:

"Jericho" is a whiplash-paced gem. At just 162 dead-tree pages, a thorough review could embarrass a lesser book, but sophomore author Thomas Brookside's pricing delivers at about a third of the cost per-page of the legacy authors. Buy, borrow, or download this book. You will not be better entertained in the necessary timeframe, or for a better price.

Overall, the svelte story is its own biggest enemy. Brookside's likable characters cry out for subplots -- most notably smirky Bensakal, ethereal Nahara, and the condescending Egyptian contingent -- and more than one passage hints at a whole world of intrigue (political, romantic, and otherwise) just beyond the narrator's perception. As deft as Brookside is at realistic dialogue and characters that act like human beings, I would have enjoyed seeing more of those stories play out. "Jericho" positively shines, however, as a supernatural historical thriller. Despite the frenetic pace, Brookside manages to draw the reader fully into a dense setting steeped in recognizable Biblical history, with a brilliantly enjoyable twist of perspective.

An author -- especially a self-published author -- can do a lot worse than to edit his work too well. And a reader can do much worse than to be left wishing there was more to read.