Review: Sliding Beneath the Surface by Doug Dillon

Series?: The St. Augustine Trilogy #1
Pages: 293 (ebook)
Release Date: September 2, 2011 by St. Augustine Productions
Source: Author for review, thank you!

Just as Jeff Golden is about to start classes at St. Augustine High, he finds himself up to his eyeballs in paranormal experiences that are rooted in one of
Floridas most important historical events. Scared out of his wits, he relies on his friend, Carla Rodriguez, and Lobo, an old Native American shaman, for help. Despite this guidance, things get even worse, making Jeff realize he is in danger of losing his sanity and even his life. Finally, forces he doesnt fully understand push him to leap headlong into the unknown in order to save himself. In doing so though, Jeff risks something even more valuable to him than his own existence...Goodreads

Review
Sliding Beneath the Surface is a book chock full of supernatural elements, which is what first drew me to want to read it. It follows Jeff Golden in the historic city of St. Augustine, Florida, and he's been experiencing the strangest dreams lately. He confides in his friend Carla who brings him to Lobo, a shaman, for some answers. What they discover leads them on a frantic and exciting journey.

The first half of the book was a bit of a flurry of activity and discoveries. From meeting a very intimidating Lobo to learning about dream worlds and ghosts, I was as confused as Jeff. Jeff's reluctance to accept Lobo's help, or even acknowledge what he was trying to tell him was also a bit frustrating, and I felt his stubbornness slowed the progression of the story more than it should've. The entire events of the book also happen quickly, but in a way it made the book feel longer because a lot of details were included that might've otherwise been excluded or unnecessary.

Fortunately the second half of the book picked up for me quite a bit. The mystery of Jeff''s strange dreams was beginning to be revealed and his acceptance of what was happening also lifted the story for me. The trio begins to work together to help Jeff and a steady bond forms between them. Carla was the smart go-getter with an eagerness to help while Lobo was most definitely a strong, silent type. Beneath his tough exterior though was still a man concerned about the lives of the two teens. To top it all off, there was clearly a lot of research that went into this book and the history of St. Augustine and the real battle that took place there is  richly re-imagined to fit into the plot. Everything from describing the iconic cemetery monuments to the traditional battalion uniforms. It was pretty close to actually being there.

Bottom Line
Sliding Beneath the Surface is a book that easily melded supernatural ideas like ghosts and alternate dimensions with the present day. The characters are great and ready to jump into helping each other and while the first half of the story was a little wordy, the second half definitely took the action and stakes up a notch. Check this one out if you can!

Rating