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Note from the blogger: While I will be ending the series of book reviews, I will continue to post Recent Reads along with other blogs.

Sometimes as a writer, it’s easy for me to focus my reading in the genre I’m writing, suspense fiction. It can be good to wander off the reservation and actually read in another genre of fiction. I chose to read Transgression: A Time Travel Suspense Novel (City of God Book 1) by Randy Ingermanson, which falls into the Time Travel/Suspense genres. How did I wind up reading this book? Ingermanson taught at the writers’ conference I attended, and since I learned so much from him, I decided to check out his writing.

Transgression presents an interesting concept. What would happen if two people wandered through a wormhole (a physics phenomenon) that connected modern-day Jerusalem to ancient Jerusalem in AD 57? More than that, what would happen if someone intent on murdering the Apostle Paul and changing history slipped through the wormhole as well? That, in a nutshell, presents the premise for Transgression.

Overall, the book is well written. The leading man and leading lady are solid characters with plenty of tension between them in terms of their different faiths, romance, and opinions on how to stop the assassination. I found the setting fascinating. Why? We all have our opinions of what ancient Jerusalem looks like. However, based upon the way Ingermanson describes the scenery, the ancient city of Jerusalem, what the citizens wore, and the way they spoke are very different than what many of us may think. It’s clear that Ingermanson did his homework in developing the setting.

The difficulty I encountered is more associated with the genre than anything else. Portions of the book go into details related to the theoretical physics behind time travel. Though I was a physics major in college, I had great difficulty in comprehending that and at times either felt lost or wanted to move beyond that portion of the novel to something I could understand.

Overall, the book has been a good read. I’m almost finished with it. The characters and plot have kept me reading to find out what happens. The genre itself has been the most difficult. I’ve discovered that most likely, I’ll be more an occasional reader in the time travel genre rather than a regular visitor.

I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”