Book Review: 'The Fourth Fisherman'

The Fourth Fisherman

            Hollywood’s elite are known for erratic lifestyles. Only a select few really keep it together. Joe Kissack fell into the latter category. On the surface, he was enviable. Like so many others, it was a façade. Self-medicating with Xanax & alcohol, his life of excess began a downward spiral.

            With things swinging out of control, he realizes rock bottom is on the way. Coffee with a friend leads to an epiphany from God. Taking healing steps, he takes a job in publishing; this begins a chain of events that are life changing.

            Three Mexican fishermen become lost at sea. Through grueling circumstances, they survive & become instant media phenomenon. Joe hears of their courage & begins a quest to secure the rights to their story. The journey he takes is the story of ‘The Fourth Fisherman’.

            Our author’s testimony of conversion & the fishermen’s heroics are both magnificent. Any conversion story usually brings up emotions in fellow Christians. It always hits home. Our 3 heroes showed extraordinary grace & valor in handling their circumstances. They’re truly inspirational.

            Truth be told, some elements of their survival are hard to stomach. Raw turtle & shark would make most folks queasy. Honestly, I don’t believe I could hydrate myself with anything’s blood.

            Childhood memories can build an effective case in an autobiography. But, the author may have made a better choice in grouping it together instead of intermixing it (every other chapter) with the tale of the sea.

            Several parts just felt incomplete. Almost as if the author had lost his train of thought & regained it too far forward. I’m not sure if his intention was auto-biographical or full blown biography. We’d have been better suited one way or the other. Somewhere, the fishermen’s story seemed to get lost. There’s a significant timeframe where they’re not mentioned.

            Intentions toward inspiration are admirable. But, ‘The Fourth Fisherman’ just missed the boat. Hopefully, though, readers will focus on Joe’s conversion & the fishermen’s bravery. Lacking a ‘wow’ factor, I hand it 3 of 5 stars. More info is available through the publisher www.waterbrookmultnomah.com.

            I received 1 print & 1 eBook copy of the book to write the review. No other compensation was provided.