Numb by John Otte Review

Save the girl...or his soul?
Crusader is numb. He feels neither emotion nor pain, a divine gift that allows him to be the Ministrix's best assassin. Whether it's heretics from within or heathen from without, Crusader is the sword in the True Church's hand. And if he remains obedient to his superiors, he will be able to let go of his guilt.

But then he's ordered to kill Isolda Westin. It shouldn't be a problem. A target is a target. When Crusader sees Isolda's image, though, something strange happens. He experiences a moment of panic, a wave of emotions, the first he's felt in as long as he can remember.

In that moment, he realizes he can't fulfill his mission. He can't kill Isolda Westin, even if it means he'll be condemned as an enemy of the Ministrix.

Soon Crusader and Isolda are on the run. Will they be able to learn why the Ministrix wants Isolda dead? Or will they both face the harsh justice of the "True Church"?


My Review: 
I could not put this book down. It followed me everywhere. It reminded me of The DaVinci code. There is a group of people in charge that use their power to twist the Bible into their own "religion" They kill people that interfere and go against their rules. I loved that this book was set in the future and at one point they "traveled" past Earth. There was also a lot of technology and I would love to see what a parrot looks like. This book met my mystery goals for a book and my science fiction goals. There is so much more to the book. At it's core it is about a man that feels nothing and does not remember his past. He has no idea who he was, or why he is who he is. The action in the book was also really descriptive and I could imagine the bullets and weapons as they were used. 
Isolda changes Crusader (he doesn't even know his own name). She makes him feel something, and she looks strangely familiar. They are on the run trying to escape the Ministrix and their peons. However it is a battle of wills and the need for survival make people do anything. Friends become enemies, and strangers become comrades. I could not believe who back stabbed them and I could not believe who Crusader was and why he became the Crusader. The author uses a lot of background to fill in the gaps, but it is told by a third party and I felt like I was hearing it with the characters. I was as shocked as them. I am giving this book a 5/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own. I highly recommend this book. I can not wait to read more from this author.