Book Review: The Coming
The Coming, Dan Coffman. Covenant Books, Murrells Inlet, SC, September 1, 2020, Paperback and Kindle, 320 pages.
Reviewed by Andrew Reynolds.
Dan Coffman has written numerous novels that center on the idea that the world we live in is not as it appears. Many of these stories take the form of fables, and through them, Coffman explores the idea that forces unseen steer the course of humanity. Are these forces spiritual, be they demons or angels? Or are they extraterrestrials whose visits have morphed into the legends we tell ourselves about the mystic creatures we regard as sent from our gods?
The Coming is the most recent incarnation of this storytelling continuum. Coffman posits a real-world struggle that is being fought behind the scenes between the governments of the world and shadowy forces inside the world’s religions. All the parties have one goal: to suppress the knowledge that aliens have been visiting the Earth for most of humanity’s history.
Why they seek to keep this information secret varies. Many of the religions hope to maintain their hold over humanity by hiding the fact that humanity is far from the special creation of a supreme being. On the other hand, governments hope to use the alien technology they’ve accumulated over time to gain power in the world.
Shane Reid, a man who’s made a name for himself as a debunker of claims of alien visitations, is contacted by an old nemesis. Brad Shelton is a firm believer in UFOs who becomes friends with Shane over their shared interest in understanding the few alien encounter claims that can’t easily be explained away. Phoebe Braham, a genius freelance cipher sleuth, brings together this unlikely trio.
As you can imagine, the people who want to keep alien encounters secret are not going to sit idly by as they begin to examine the evidence they have. From the novel’s opening scene—Reid engaging in a high-speed chase through the streets of Chicago—they are under constant threat.
Coffman keeps the story moving with his protagonists striving to understand what’s happening while doing everything they can to keep things from getting worse. He gives them enough close calls to make the reader wonder if they aren’t under some form of divine protection. And perhaps it is that aspect of the novel that bothers me. At many points in the story, the protagonists should have failed. They shouldn’t have made the miraculous escape. They wouldn’t conveniently know someone who could answer the question that has them stumped. And the bad guys wouldn’t fail to take advantage of their superior resources, be it in intelligence about the situation or wealth, to bring about the end they desire.
There are several instances of deus ex machina in the story, which may not appeal to all readers, but those who like diving into a good conspiracy will enjoy this sci-fi thriller.