"Drago explores salvation from a contemporary perspective..."

• ASIN: ‎ B0B859V35H
• Publisher: ‎ Gold Avenue Press (July 29, 2022)
• Publication date: ‎ July 29, 2022
• Language: ‎ English
• Print length: ‎ 395 pages
• Genre: Dystopian Fiction

The BookViral Review:

It is always refreshing to review something a little different and with the intriguing title “The Gospels of Peter Star” Drago certainly delivers! 

Drago is no stranger to crafting succinct and well-paced plots that quickly get to the crux of his novels. He fields a colourfully dynamic and visual imagination that seldom lets up and this is certainly true of The Gospels of Peter Star which creatively marks something of a step change from previous releases.

Dystopia with a difference, Drago gives us an intricately constructed world of Proto-humans and strange Mythological creatures, where strange measures of time and distance make for an unfamiliar setting in which to give birth to his twisted tale of biblical endeavour. Gripping all the way, it’s one of those rare reads that leave you feeling emotionally drained but mysteriously moved by its tightly wired narrative and powerful theme. 

Written in the style of a biblical gospel, Drago’s contemporary treatment of the Messiah theme employs weirdly wonderful ethereal imagery, as he constructs a world with concepts both familiar and alien.

In true Biblical style, Motor River, a proto-human captive as his fathers before him, is blessed with the promise of a child from his barren wife, Ava, and then struck dumb in a sense removing miracle similar to that of the Apostle Paul. In a mind-bending twist, Ava is subsequently tempted by a Devil, as she gives birth to Horse Whisper, a loose representation of John the Baptist, who is born to prepare the way for Peter Star, the saviour who is to redeem the world from the ‘Hard Times’, with music. Complete with an angelic visit in full Virgin Mary style, the scene is set for a roller coaster tale of human corruption versus flawless liberator, as Drago plays with present perceptions of faith and religion.

Drago writes with such directness and such a good ear for dialogue that his characters seem real and plausible after only a few words. All of them uniformly strong without a hint of cliché as a mosaic of images gradually resolve themselves into a story that explores salvation from a contemporary perspective.

Highly original and a must-read for fans of Dystopian Fiction The Gospels of Peter Star is an unreservedly recommended 5-star read.