The Voice

An unlikely premise propels Myers's latest novel, which is long on car chases and shoot- 'em-up action and short on execution, especially since the first 50 pages leave readers confused rather than intrigued. Emotionally withdrawn former Special Forces Op agent Charlie Madison's deaf adolescent niece, Jazmin Lutzer, shows up in his California music store with a pack of gunmen at her heels. He's immediately catapulted into mysterious events that will span the globe, which involve FBI agent Lisa Harmon, an Islamic terrorist cell, the Mossad, and some Catholic priests. Key to the plotline is ""the Program,"" a means of using sound vibrations to capture the ""voiceprint"" of God from ancient rocks, but its presence-and absence-may threaten various religious beliefs. In the wrong hands, it could also destroy the world. Myers, the author of more than 80 books, is also a screenwriter, which may explain the action-fueled plot and dialogue-heavy pages. Jazmin's point of view is unsuccessful, some phrases seem odd (""With a rage greater than any diarrhea...""), and the contrived ending raises questions (if so many people have been healed by the voice, why is Jazmin still deaf?). Faith fiction aficionados may find the concept interesting, but its rendering lacks subtlety or depth.