Books that are intended to launch a series have pitfalls to avoid--you want enough closure to sleep at night, but you also need to want more as the series carries on. Into this, A.L. Shields (or Stephen L. Carter, I'm not sure why you would choose a pseudonym and immediately reveal it) drops a series about two secretive societies battling for the future of human souls.
The Church Builder races forward after one mysterious death, and keeps thundering through action sequences. The FBI gets involved in the life of struggling small-town lawyer Bethany, and closing in on both sides are secret societies The Garden and The Wilderness.
At times, it is just too much for one book. It is definitely laying a foundation for multiple follow-ups, with more information sure to develop on each of these. Further, there are some characters that get a quick introduction but not much afterwards.
Overall, the plot of The Church Builder was just short of too confusing. It was intricate and involving. Not a quick read, but a good one.
I find this one a good start to what promises to be an interesting series of books.
Oh--and it's got nothing to do with architecture or general contracting.
(I received a copy of this book from BookLook in exchange for the review.)
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