The Touch

A Supernatural Story - Part I

Fiction - Fantasy - Epic
388 Pages
Reviewed on 04/02/2019
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

− Robert E Flynn III is a software-developer, musician, living with his beautiful fiancée, Claudia, in San Antonio, Texas. He has two wonderful children, Caitlin and Zachary, who are grown and exploring their own fantastic lives. He has spent his entire life pursuing creative endeavors. Music was his first love and still is, and writing was always part of his life, but one college professor instilled the positive input that pushed him to create his first novel. While writing endless essays and research papers, this professor wrote something truly inspiring on every one of those works one semester. He simply wrote, “This was a pleasure to read!” This simple message inspired deeply. This is his first novel, but the story has been developing in his mind for two years. The book has a supernatural theme, but it is also a story of the condition of humanity.
− Robert also lived in Austin, Texas for many years and was part of the music scene in the city during that time. He was a member of several bands during those days and tremendously enjoyed playing live in many venues in the music rich area. He also lived in Denver, Colorado for several years when his children were young and then relocated back to San Antonio, Texas to be close to family.

    Book Review

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

The Touch: A Supernatural Story - Part I is a work of complex and contemporary fantasy fiction penned by author Robert Flynn III, which takes on the themes of angels and demons alongside good and evil. Written in the style of many modern fantasy thrillers that consider the nature of man and the powers of the supernatural, our hero here is Gabriel, a supposedly autistic boy who hears a powerful voice in his head. The ‘touch’ of the title comes when Gabriel discovers he can transfer power to others, and slowly he comes to bond with Joshua Fellows, who also lives at this orphanage. The two boys begin a journey to bring good to the world, but the presence of the voice is a mystery that they might turn out unwilling to solve.

Author Robert Flynn III writes beautifully and atmospherically to bring each scene of this work to life, from Gabriel’s early life and visitations of the voice right into the work that he and Joshua try to bring to the world. There is an expansive cast of characters to experience as the novel moves forward, and several plot strands which are reeled out but not fully reeled back in. Since this is only Part I of the tale, an incomplete plot suggests that those threads will return in a later book. These will hopefully encompass a fascinating overall thread of the pull of the supernatural and the very nature of good and evil. I would definitely recommend The Touch with the hope that there is more beautiful writing and a concrete plot resolution to come in future.

Lit Amri

Living in the orphanage, introspective young Gabriel Nunez is deemed autistic by others but the truth is he’s in constant distress. He hears a voice, a powerful presence, that controls him and gives him power that he can use by touch. Even though he fears and doesn’t trust this presence, he finds it hard to resist and wonders at the things that it has showed him so far. His roommate, Joshua Fellows, knows his secret and becomes his confidant. However, Gabriel is not the only special child as there are others like him with powers that are capable of changing the world.

The Touch (A Supernatural Story, Part I) by Robert E. Flynn III has a unique story premise with a fascinating biblical supernatural element. The good versus evil conflict leans towards the one that exists in humanity, reflecting the terrible happenings in the world today and how justice is achieved through the protagonists' actions. I gravitated towards Alabama, Gabriel, and Joshua right away. I’m also fascinated with Maral's and Abdul’s part of the story, where their hard lives in their own country and their efforts to seek a better future are realistically depicted. Even though I was only drawn to several main characters, I found their roles to be well developed. On the other hand, the way the dialogue is delivered and the twist in the plot may surprise some readers. The Touch is no doubt an intriguing read.

Christian Sia

The Touch: A Supernatural Story – Part I by Robert Flynn III is a beautifully written urban fantasy that will enthrall readers who enjoy characters with supernatural gifts. Gabriel has no recollection of his parents. Living in an orphanage in Austin, he exhibits signs of autism, but there is more to him that is hidden beneath the autism. He has never known love, but there is a presence in him that empowers him with unusual energy, one he can transmit through touch. While he doesn’t trust this presence, the voice that has spoken within him has been the only thing close to real love that he has ever known. He develops a connection with another orphan, Joshua Fellows, and their friendship helps Gabriel to grow his confidence, eventually accepting his gift. But where does it lead them?

While The Touch is a tale with supernatural happenings, it is skillfully written and filled with realism and humanity. Gabriel was, of course, my best character. One watches as he struggles with the presence that invades his life and feels compassion for him, but the young character eventually develops a connection with someone who seems to understand him. The narrative is emotionally rich and I enjoyed how the author developed the psychological aspects of the conflict. The characters are filled with humanity and the setting in an orphanage in Austin, Texas is well handled. The author uses this world to create characters that reflect the reality of orphans. There are other supporting and interesting characters like Clara and Big Jim that readers will want to know. Robert Flynn III keeps readers engaged from page to page with chapters filled with focused scenes and by ending each chapter with something intriguing that has the reader wanting more.

Ruffina Oserio

The Touch: A Supernatural Story — Part I by Robert Flynn III is a paranormal novel exploring what it means to be different. Gabriel is an orphan, with no memory of his parents. Now living in an orphanage in Austin, Texas, he experiences a strange, powerful presence that imbues him with great power, one that he can communicate through touch. But the experience is overwhelming, filling his heart with a deep sense of awe and excitement. While this presence can sometimes be a great companion in times of loneliness, it is also a cause for anxiety. Feigning autism doesn’t help much. When Gabriel develops a friendship with Joshua Fellows, a boy who hasn’t known much love in his life, they set out on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they harness this power and use it for the common good, to heal, or will it break them?

Robert Flynn III writes about very powerful themes, allowing readers to get to know the characters and gain powerful insights of what it feels like to be an orphan. The themes of loneliness and friendship are beautifully explored, and while there is a supernatural angle at the heart of the narrative, the author makes the characters believable. They are real in their anxiety, in their hidden pain, and in their quest for meaningful connections. The Touch: A Supernatural Story — Part I features beautiful prose and writing that is insightful and descriptive at the same time. Conflict is developed at multiple levels, but the psychological underpinnings of the novel, and the message that each of us are deeply loved in ways we don’t even understand, caught my attention. I enjoyed the transition that Gabriel makes from being a loner to finding friendship and to accepting a gift he barely understands.