You know a book is a good one when no matter how bulky it seemed or how unending the storyline, you still find yourself unable to drop it till you get to the very last page. This was exactly how I felt reading the book 'I Am Pilgrim'.
Since I got to know about e-books, I always found it easier using my phone to read but still I never let go of my love for paperbacks. I got this book about two months ago from a friend and I was skeptical about reading it. Because of its size, I didn't want to invest my time in a boos so huge and yet not getting any satisfaction from it.
So, about two weeks ago, on a boring Saturday afternoon, all my devices were dead, I finally picked up this book and settled on reading it. Although the cover looked really really boring, I wasn't expecting the book to turn out the way it did. I think the saying 'Don't judge a book by its cover' originated from the first reader of this book. Lol.
The book 'I am Pilgrim' is a 624 paged book written by Terry Hayes and it tells the story of Pilgrim, an American former intelligence agent who because of the confidential nature of his job has so many identities. The book opens with the murder of an anonymous woman in a cheap hotel. The killer who dissolved all genetic traits from the body by throwing the victim into a bath filled with acid also went as far as removing all tooth from the victim. The only connection between Pilgrim and the murderer being that she frequented a library to read his book on forensic pathology. He then becomes the investigator in the crime scene.
There's also the Saracen, who's father was beheaded publicly when he was just a little boy. He is a member of the radical Islam and is bent on destroying the United States. As a medical doctor, in order to finalize his plan to destroy the United States, he single-handedly creates a virus more deadlier than smallpox. A vaccine resistant virus. During his experiment to ensure the virus is vaccine-resistant, he brutally murders a director in order to get the smallpox vaccine just so he can ensure his virus is as effective as he envisaged. He tests the virus on three hostages gotten for him by the people he knew before in Afghanistan. After ensuring the effectiveness of the vaccine on the hostages, he flees to Germany after almost getting caught by armed forces.
However, evidence of his virus remains in the environment and then the information reaches the US president who discreetly sets up a search for him. Pilgrim being the best and sole agent for the search. The only evidence Pilgrim is given is a phone call the Saracen made to someone in Turkey.
I found the whole storyline of the book amazing as it all revolved around crime. Every crime had a link to the another. I was in awe of Hayes's creativity in this particular novel.
This is one book where you find yourself pausing to pace around and trying to bring yourself back into reality because you're lost in how horrifying the crimes that take place in the book are.
I totally loved this book notwithstanding the fact that it quickly dived into scenes where if I was given a headstart on, I'll definitely stop for a while to prepare myself mentally for whatever shocking scene I was about to experience.
'I am Pilgrim' is a book that's totally worth the read. I'm glad the book surpassed my expectations and I'll totally recommend it to anyone looking for a book that is sure to keep them on their toes all the while they're reading it. Most especially those that haven't read a crime novel in a while. The length of the novel aside, it's a perfect book for my fellow readers out there. Do check it out. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.