Dark Star by Creston Mapes

ENDORA CRYSTAL WAS MY ROCK . . .

As I staggered through the chaos of rock 'n' roll fame - the drugs and alcohol, the selfishness and turmoil - Endora was the gentle voice in my ear telling me I was special. Telling me I was adored. She was my personal psychic. And she said I had a unique purpose, a calling to give my fans happiness.

To be their God.

My band, DeathStroke, dominated the work of rock. Yet strife ruled our inner circle. My family didn't know me. I love no one but myself.

And yet Karen Bayliss was praying for me. That I would come to know her Jesus. She was not a fan. Didn't care for my music. Just my lost soul.

Now Endora is dead and I've been charged with first-degree murder.

This is my story.

My Review:
I stood at the marked-down table, picking up and putting down books. When I picked up the next, nothing about the cover nor the back page appealed much to me. However, I noticed the author's name: Creston Mapes. I had read Nobody and thought it a good read. So, with that thought in mind, I bought this dark looking book. I took it home and put it into the pile of books to be read one day. A few months later, I picked it up again.

From the first sentence, I was hooked. "It was a glorious blaze, the fire we set." Oh, this author can write!

A rock star moves deeper into the darkness as he gains fame and fortune--everything that most people dream would make them happy. But he's not happy; something's missing. The protagonist, Everett Lester, the lead singer from DeathStroke is quite believable. His actions offend me, and then my heart begins to soften. I ache when I read about his childhood. How could anyone survive? Yet he did; people do.

When Everett makes a connection with psychic Endora Crystal, I hold my breath. It's easy to see that she is pure evil. The downward slide is predictable, but the story moves along and never drags.

It's written in first person in a flip-flop style as the young singer finds enormous success, and then flips to the trial where he faces Murder One for the death of his psychic. I find it a gripping read, because I want to discover not only what happens next, but how did it come about?

This is not typical Christian Fiction. It's an edgy, gritty tale of today's rock bands. I heartily recommend it to all ages, whether of not you listen to rock!