Voice of Conscience reviewed Martha Jette

Revenge consumes the Soul in Voice of Conscience, July 14, 2008
By Martha Jette - See all my reviews

Thoughts of revenge can infest the brain, tear open the heart and consume the soul. Such is the case for 45-year-old Ramzi Ozcomert in Behcet Kaya's book "Voice of Conscience." Vivid memories and horrid dreams constantly took him back to a night of terror when he was just 14. His father, mother and soon-to-be-wed sister were so full of life one minute and then suddenly and brutally, were slain in their beds - victims of an age-old conflict between two Turkish families.

Voice of Conscience follows a young, innocent Ramzi into adulthood as he finds love and a seemingly successful life with everything he could have ever dreamed of, but nothing satisfies his aching soul. Driven by an insatiable desire to obtain justice for the family he'd lost so long ago, the middle-aged Ramzi leaves everything he's built up behind - a thriving business, and a beautiful wife and daughter - to find and slaughter the men who stormed their home that terrible night. However this journey leaves him even more devastated than he could ever have imagined.

This captivating tale is a study of human nature as it explores both the depths of hatred and love that can be felt in one's heart. It also touches on the desire to regain honor and dignity as a human being - but at what cost?

Behcet Kaya has planned out his story well and the characters are vivid throughout. As readers, we come to care about this man who is so torn inside himself. But be prepared for the unexpected twist that fate has in store for him and all who are driven to revenge. Enter into Ramiz's world, where the soul is consumed by the dark clouds of a painful and unforgettable past - where nothing can soothe the savage beast within.