Star Passage by Clark Rich Burbidge - REVIEWED

About the Book:
Teenagers Tim and Martie are desperate to end their parents’ downward spiral. Between their father’s PTSD and their mother’s depression, their family has reached a breaking point.

Then an ancient Christmas ornament reveals its secrets, sending the siblings across the centuries on a search for hope. But Tim and Martie aren’t the only ones hunting through time. They’re being watched by dark figures—Trackers doomed to haunt history. These Trackers believe the teens’ ornament is their key to freedom, and they will do whatever it takes to steal it.

What begins as an exciting adventure becomes a deadly race. Can Tim and Martie find the answers they seek before their enemy finds them?


My Thoughts:

“Maybe God is more interested in the choices we make and how we behave during times of trial or when something bad happens. Maybe it’s the tough times that bring us closed to Him if we keep our heads on straight.” (p. 73)

There aren’t many authors who are able to write a young adult novel filled with nail-biting, Indiana Jones type adventure AND the truth of the gospel all at the same time!  BUT Clark Burbidge is one such author.  I have read previous work, and Star Passage just  topped that!!  This is truly an adventure from the very first pages, and the adventure is set in a very realistic family struggle that many families will relate to on several different levels!  Truly, this is a young adult novel that needs to be in every family library!

The Carson family is caught in the ugly aftermath of their Dad’s war wounds and the depression that surfaces in their mom’s life as she wearies from the relentless assault of PTSD.  The tension is real, the brokenness is realistic, and the teens are coping the best they can in the middle of the storm.  When they start seeking answers, what they find is a series of choices laid before them that asks them to come together as a family and fight for each other.

I love the way the author chooses to highlight a particular gift – the love of history, the thrill of searching for treasures in old junk stores – as a door to healing for each family member.  As the adventure unfolds, each member of the Clark family is called to make the choice to sacrifice for one another in order to restore what has been taken from their family.  In doing this, they each come face to face with their Creator God and are prompted to turn to Him in faith for their very survival! 

This is a great read, and the beginning of what promises to be a series of even greater adventures!  I am thrilled and very pleased to recommend this book to everyone!

About the Author:
Clark Burbidge was born and raised in the mountain valleys of the Rockies. He earned an MBA from the University of Southern California and a BS from the University of Utah. Clark and his wife, Leah, live near Salt Lake City, Utah, where they enjoy their blended family of ten children and five grandchildren. StarPassage is Clark’s seventh book. His award-winning works include the Giants in the Land trilogy and A Piece of Silver: A Story of Christ.