Author: Clay Jacobsen
I have to confess from the start that I don’t like reality shows at all. When I first received this book I wasn’t sure I wanted to even read it. But from the moment the helicopter landed on the 50 yard line that coach Jack Forrest’s perspective team had just left, I was hooked. Especially when he was shot with a tranquilizer gun in the net and carried away….rather a dramatic way to start a book! The excitement didn’t end until the final word on the final page.
Zeke Roberts is the producer of “The Ultimate Reality Show.”
Contestants are chosen in secret. Vince, the host of the show, goes to their place of business with a TV crew and they’re given on minute to decide if they want to be on the show or not. The decision was a hard one for Jack because his job at the school was in jeopardy. There was to be a board meeting in several days that would decide his fate. The vice principal, Kathryn Williams, had been talking to Jack when the helicopter had landed. She thought it might be better for him to leave for a few days (he would be gone for a week) to let things cool down. She promised to cover for him at the meeting.
The moment he agreed to do the show and signed the paper he felt a pain in his neck and quickly collapsed as the effects of the dart hit him. When he woke up he was in a cargo plane with the rest of the contestants. He didn’t have much time to recover from the effects of the dart when he was attached to a man in a parachute and was propelled out of the back of the plane. When he hit the sand the game was on.
As the book unfolds it becomes very clear that there’s more to this game than meets the eye. Jack’s mother, Amanda, turns pale when Kathryn tells her who is producing the show. She refuses to tell Kathryn what’s wrong, but from that point on tries everything she can to get word to Jack and is in fear of his safety. As the book unfolds it becomes very clear that Jack’s very beliefs are under fire on two fronts: his job, and how he plays the game. He is tempted on all sides to deny his Savior.
The book takes many twists and turns. I thought I had some things figured out when the author threw another curve ball into the mix. He fooled me many times.
If you love reality shows you’ll love this book and actually get to read about the workings behind the scenes (although I’m not sure how close to the truth it really is). If you don’t like reality shows, don’t let that stop you from reading the book. It is more a book about tests of faith. Most of the main characters have their faith tested in ways that they never imagined they would.
I would recommend this book for everyone. It is exciting, unpredictable, and shows what’s really important in life.
Reviewed by Lynn Worley
Recent Comments