"The Unseen" by T. L. Hines

***WARNING! THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!
My first introduction to the writing of T. L. Hines is "The Unseen." After reading it, I must say that it was one of the most unique novels I have ever read. Partially, this can be attributed to the fact that the main character is an urban explorer. These people (and yes, there are people who really do this) pride themselves in "infiltrating" buildings and structures and areas that are usually off-limits. This could include condemned buildings, public utility structures, and many other places. This is a new subject for me, and I was quite fascinated by it.
The main character, Lucas, is an introverted man who has little or no recollections of his early childhood. He believes he grew up in an orphanage. The book basically details the adventures of Lucas and a lot of trouble he gets himself into. On top of that, people die - several of them - in the process.
I guess you could describe this book as a "page-turner," but it was more passive empathy for Lucas that kept me going. I really did find myself cheering him on and hoping he would become the hero. I would not personally label this one a "thriller," though. (Even though there were some very intense scenes...like when Lucas has a time-bomb strapped to his ankle!)
There was no Christian content to speak of... an abandoned church is the setting for a few scenes, and Lucas ALMOST prays one time.... but doesn't. But, the story is clean and the violence is not graphically described.
For the most part, though, the book was just kinda strange. No one was who you thought they were, but you never find out who they REALLY are... Which aggravates my need for closure. The book was also a little slow to start for my taste. Character development in the book isn't astounding. And I think I discovered a goof... In the early part of the book, Sarea tells Lucas that a man (later discovered to be Saul) asked her, "Is Lucas working today?" However, about 200 pages into the book, Saul dramatically reveals to Lucas that he knows his name is Lucas...and Lucas is surprised....even though he asked for him by name earlier....
Really, the story was pretty good, and the writing style held my interest. I'll probably read some more by this author to see if I have missed his greatest work. I'd give this book a 3 out of 5 stars.
**On a side note, in the "Acknowledgements" page, the author tells the reader that he had been diagnosed with and treated for cancer while writing this story. So, this book represents a period of intense personal difficulty. T. L. Hines is to be admired for enduring his affliction, and authoring this story in the process.