Title: The Fascination
Author: Bob Renterson
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1-7283-8721-5
Pages: 365
Genre: Fiction
Reviewer: Arthur Thares

Read Book Review

The Fascination is a unique book written in a unique way which may be polarizing to
some readers, but if you stick with it, you will surely enjoy it. What could be so polarizing
about a romance, action, espionage, thriller? More than just a few aspects of this book
could be described as polarizing. So, buckle up for what can only be described as an
experience.

It’s hard to say what this book is about because it has multiple intertwining stories that
weave in and out of each other. At the heart of the story is a bank takeover and how it
affects many lives, both of bank employees and people outside the bank. One couple is
on the run, trying to start a new life with money from the takeover while leaving their
pasts behind; another is an assassin who takes care of loose ends. Everyone has
something to gain or lose from the takeover, and few will make it out alive. It’s up to you,
as the reader, to decide if the good guys win – or if there were ever any good guys to
start.

Due to its unique nature, this story is anything but linear, and the chapters and
characters jump around a lot. To ease the transition, Bob Renterson titles each chapter
with the character’s name and their current location. While this is a bit unorthodox, it
helps immensely to keep all the characters and the story straight. One of the benefits of
the way the story is structured is that, while there is an overarching storyline, each
chapter is like a short story, which makes this book easy to pick up and put down when
you want. Because of the nature of the book, it is a bit longer, so it is nice to be able to
put it down and come back without having to reread the last few pages to remember
what is going on. One aspect of The Fascination which is sure to be polarizing is the
graphic sexual verbiage, especially outside of romantic scenes, which seems
unnecessary and doesn’t add anything to the story.

If you want a change-of-pace book, The Fascination is worth checking out. If you are
okay with the book’s sexual content, you will likely enjoy the rest of it. What really sets
this book apart is the mystery which is brewing right beneath the surface, which you
don’t even realize is there until it blindsides you. If money, power, greed, sex, fear, and
addiction are your thing, you are really going to love this book.