The Benefactor by Floyd Simeon Root is the story of eighteen-year-old Davy. Losing his family and ending up in the streets, he finds himself in a dangerous situation. Just when everything seems hopeless, he is saved by Marti, a man who works for the wealthy and enigmatic Emerald Silverstone. Thus begins Davy’s new life as he comes to live in a luxurious estate together with Sarah and Travis, his new family. Davy has the biggest surprise in his life when Emerald informs him that he stands to inherit his enormous wealth and power. Emerald claims to have in his possession the Ark of Noah and the Throne of Nimrod. He also proclaims himself as the next savior of the world. Things, however, are not what they seem to be.

Floyd Simeon Root’s The Benefactor is a story that will keep you reading until the wee hours of the morning. This is a book that attempts to analyze the ills that our world is facing today. In a society where corrupt politicians, perverted religions, and greedy businessmen are calling the shots, the future of the human race is indeed very precarious. Tracing the history of the world, the author reveals the existence of the Babylonian Mystery religion founded by Nimrod, who also devised The System that has seemed to rule the world until now. It is a very interesting theory and it caught my attention. I feel, however, that the love story between Davy and Sarah is a bit contrived and the last few chapters of the book left me not quite satisfied.

While running for his life from a street gang, Davy Monday is rescued by a gentleman in a limo. He introduces himself as Emerald Silverstone’s right-hand man, supposedly the richest man in San Antone. Oddly, the mysterious and reclusive international banker wants to be Davy’s benefactor. He provides Davy with a top class education and a great position in his empire. Taken from the world of poverty and placed into a life of extravagant wealth, Davy soon discovers the horrifying truth about Silverstone and the ancient System of Nimrod. The Benefactor is a psychological literary fiction by Floyd Simeon Root.

Root instantly kicks off with an exhilarating start. The young protagonist, Davy, is trying to outrun the Satan’s Little Brothers, a juvenile street gang. The chase scene is fast-paced, coupled with brilliantly written back story of the character and vivid portrayals of the city. We quickly learn about Davy's surreal change of fate when he is welcomed to Silverstone’s grand estate and meets two other chosen ones, Travis and Sarah. From this point on, we are swept into the powerful world of mystic, ancient religion and perverse betrayals – all in the name of the ancient Nimrod. If something is too good to be true, it usually is.

As a theology and history enthusiast, I absolutely like Root’s writing approach. It has a distinct and strong literary style that perfectly fits the concept of the story. The sentence fluency boosts the intriguing psychological elements of The Benefactor from the beginning to the end. In-depth characterization and plot make it more enlightening to read. Overall, it is a bold and thought-provoking modern literary piece that reminds us of the twisted dark side of wealth, power, and mysticism. Even so, hope is always there. “The most glorious human accomplishment is victory over adversity.”

Can any form of hope, peace, or love come from a world full of corruption and evil? Davy Monday must discover this for himself as he struggles with violently different worlds in The Benefactor by Floyd Root. Having been snatched up out of the streets where he was an orphan and placed into the lap of luxury, Davy is suddenly on a predetermined path of the wealthy and powerful. He is taught by his benefactor, Emerald Silverstone, that The System is God and that the great Babylonian leader, Nimrod, had devised it in ancient times. Those who bow down to the system and serve it will prosper and those who don’t will get burned. Extravagant wealth and poverty, however, do have their price and Davy must struggle between the life to which he has fallen heir and his deeper sensibilities. With an unrequited love and a horrible betrayal haunting him, he must navigate his way through a world full of evil, death, and power.

Author Floyd Root takes on a deep and dark subject as he explores the edge of distinction between the corruption of wealth and power and the moral higher ground which often comes along with poverty. Through the eyes of Davy Monday, the reader is led on a fantastic journey which begins in poverty and takes a whirlwind tour through the world of wealth, power, and influence in a profound examination of how one might change under its control. The depth and intensity with which the reader is plunged into Emerald Silverstone’s “System” is very real and the struggle is equally real. Honest, thought provoking and inspiring; The Benefactor drops the reader into the lap of luxury and power, asks the hard questions, and proposes a profound answer.