After eight years in a Mexican prison, and the last two years spent getting his life back, Jess Claiborn didn’t want much more in life. He wanted the restaurant he worked at to find its way out of the hole it was in. He wanted his relationship with his roommate, Sierra, to move to the next level. What he didn’t want was the bizarre inheritance he received when his Uncle Truman died. A box that would grant your every wish? Who believed in that garbage?

Apparently a purposefully vague branch of the government did. And they would stop at nothing to ensure Jess’ complete cooperation. Sierra Price had loved Jess since she was a little girl. He had been her brother’s best friend, and she had grown up around his family. When she showed up on his doorstep asking to stay for “a while,” it seemed natural for that arrangement to continue indefinitely, and to finally end up where she most wanted to be—in Jess’ bed. When the box arrived from Truman, Sierra was more inclined to take it seriously than Jess was. So far, it had passed each of the small tests they had given it. But she never expected things to become so terrifying.

When Kate Guthrie, head of the organization that wanted to unlock the secrets of the box, had Jess kidnapped, she withheld basic necessities, like clothes and toilet paper, as punishment for his fearlessness and bravado. But even being forced to go around naked, without so much as a square of toilet paper, didn’t induce Jess’ goodwill. When he discovered that Guthrie had Sierra as well however, he was ready to agree to anything. And when a cruel card game by a sadistic guard ended with his eye being cut out, Jess would have given every secret he had to the devil himself to keep Sierra safe.

THE INHERITANCE is a remarkable story that must get its inspiration from Aladdin’s magical lamp. The amount of greed expressed and the lengths one person was willing to go to achieve complete control were staggering. Jesse’s resilience and yes—sometimes stupidity—was amazing, as was the strength of the love between him and Sierra. Christopher Stires did a phenomenal job showcasing so many facets of the human response to something as awesome as directing destiny. The greed, hatred, blind obedience, passion, and even regret could all be felt among the myriad of characters and personalities Mr. Stires’ imagination gave birth to.

THE INHERITANCE was surprising and a bit melodramatic, but I enjoyed every word of it! It was certainly a far cry from the stereotypical Romance novel. And yet it seems able to touch a chord in everyone who reads it, and puts a new spin on the old adage “Be careful what you wish for.” But I have to admit, I’ll be wishing to read it again!

Reviewed by Tracy Atencio
© September 2004