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Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite
Forecast by Aaron Ryan is an enthralling thriller that follows one man with extraordinary abilities and his struggle with responsibility. Roland Bishop is a weatherman who gains the unsettling power to preview impending tragedies and glimpses of the future after a lightning strike. His visions, however, bring a sense of foreboding and profound guilt when he fails to prevent disasters he has witnessed in his mind’s eye. Roland’s tumultuous journey is one of trying to make sense of his newfound ability while navigating personal conflicts, including his disintegrating marriage to Jenette. The couple’s relationship, strained by distance and misunderstanding, reflects Roland's internal chaos. As he begins to intervene in violent situations, including domestic abuse and potential terrorist plots, the conflict intensifies, both externally and within himself. Can his powers be used to save lives, or will he lose himself in trying to control it?
Aaron Ryan delivers a spellbinding tale in Forecast, offering nuanced characters, a twisty plot, and genuine relationships. Watching Roland struggle to make sense of his newfound abilities is interesting. The characters around him, including the supportive psychiatrist Dr. Penny Eggers and the antagonistic detective Roxanne Byers, represent various facets of support and scrutiny Roland must contend with in his quest for clarity and redemption. The relationship with his wife offers a backdrop against which many things happen in the narrative. Roland’s visions are intelligently interlaced with his emotional turmoil and moral dilemmas, and the author deftly explores themes such as the ethics of intervention and the heavy burden of foreknowledge. The conflicts encapsulate a mixture of psychological tension, societal fears about terrorism, and domestic violence. The writing is exquisite, and the dialogues sparkle. The first-person narrative voice creates a sense of intimacy, making readers feel like they are there with the characters.