The Last Eucharist: A True War Story by Ian T. King is quite an engaging story that revolves around Thomas, who is old and crippled, and his meeting with pretty young thing, Sally Graham. It is a story that will strike a chord within the hearts of maimed soldiers, physically and psychologically, and will give them hope to survive. This psychological thriller spans many countries and throws profound wisdom on the enigma of our existence. Sally Graham meeting the amputee soldier, Thomas, or the characters of Bao, Tomaso or Billy Smith, Thomas's childhood friend; everything points toward a compelling story line that is interesting and unusual.

I found the story original. The blending of reality and illusion takes readers to another realm. Thomas is the main character in the story. Readers will sympathize with him. The focus in the book shifts between many characters. None of the characters are balanced and the story has a bit of humor and tragedy, reality and illusion woven into it. Sally Graham, who enters as Thomas's savior, takes the story to Vietnam and then back to the Arizona desert. The story has originality, a mysticism that makes readers ponder about humanity and its very existence, giving it another exciting dimension. On the whole, the book has interesting characters that make it come alive and some wonderful imagery as it spans continents. A very original plot that has many layers to it and will keep readers entertained.

The Last Eucharist by Ian King unfolds outside the Palais de Théâtre in Jackrabbit, Arizona, where an amputee performs a bizarre headstand, like a legless clown, to earn a living. Thomas, a Vietnam War veteran, finds a five dollar bill thrown to him by a sympathetic spectator after his performance. He treats himself to a double cheeseburger, French fries, and a large Dr. Pepper and is completely surprised when a young woman engages him in a conversation. Sally is a pastor’s daughter from Topeka who is drawn to Thomas in a strange way. As the story continues, reality and fantasy mixes together and Sally finds herself in Vietnam in her quest to unravel the mysteries in the life of a man that changed her life forever. As Thomas performs his last act in the form of a peculiar religious ritual, Sally’s journey is just starting.

The most unforgettable characteristics of The Last Eucharist by Ian King are its originality in writing style and the author’s brand of sarcasm that reminds me of Kurt Vonnegut’s ironical wit. With main protagonists Thomas and Sally shifting between reality and delusion in The Last Eucharist, one wonders if both of them are completely insane. It is in their perspectives that the reader is forced to view the world and this is a viewpoint which is sometimes funny and most times tragic. I will not be surprised if Ian King’s readers will feel pity, empathy, and at the same time exasperation and abhorrence for his characters. The plot, however, is not that simple as Sally, Thomas’ self-proclaimed savior, goes to Vietnam, ends up in Hesperia, California, and finally goes to heaven. This is a novel that will make you view the world in a way that is both funny and tragic!

In The Last Eucharist: A True War Story by Ian T. King, Thomas is a double amputee and makes a living by standing on his head for the money tourists leave for him. There were very few people around that afternoon. There was very little food left in his refrigerator so he decided to go to McDonald's for a burger and Dr. Pepper. That was where he met her. She took him by surprise because people usually ignored him. Her name was Sally. Her father, a minister, had sent her to Jackrabbit, Arizona, on a mission trip. What her father didn’t know was that she considered herself almost an atheist. Sally was captivated by Thomas and became his self-appointed savior.

In The Last Eucharist: A True War Story we meet Thomas and Sally and experience life through their point of view. At times, the reader will question whether both are insane for the tale moves between reality and hallucinations. Author Ian T. King leads readers through a gamut of emotions. One cannot help but feel sympathy and empathy for Thomas as he struggles each day to eke out enough money to survive on by doing handstands in front of the Palais de Théâtre. At the same time, there is humor in this tale. This is an intricate plot; it is like an onion with multiple layers that the reader must peel off one at a time. Author Ian King has a unique writing style. He is a master at description and characterization. This book will appeal to veterans and the disabled for Ian King understands their plight.

The Last Eucharist: A True War Story by Ian T. King highlights human shortcomings through the eyes of its equally eccentric characters, which are shaped by the Vietnam War and its repercussions. Thomas, an amputee soldier, greets readers with his unsympathetic persona and views of the world. His pessimism will both irritate and entertain you. His negativity is understandable though, and I do have my sympathy for this character and even share some of his depressing opinions. However, the gorgeous Sally Graham thinks there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the weathered and bitter war veteran. She considers Thomas as an enigmatic person, but to me she herself has an unfathomable quality that I could not quite figure out. A preacher’s daughter from Topeka, Kansas, Sally described herself as “pretty much an atheist”, aridly doing her missionary work in Jackrabbit, Arizona.

The story also takes readers to Saigon, Vietnam, where you meet street urchin Tomaso and his ‘elder brother’ Bao, an ex-Vietcong. Despite his military background, Bao cares about Tomaso and treasures their brotherly relationship. In terms of plot, it is not about the twists and turns, but how King cleverly injects the sardonic element into his writing, moving his novel into the world of political turmoil, psychological challenges, as well as idealistic statements about human nature. King effortlessly tackles a few of life’s larger moral questions through an intriguing story. He also created characters that are engagingly humans – easy for readers to relate to. Simply put, a great novel.