Amazon J.L. Maning's Books Category:  Crime Publisher: Publish America ISBN-10:  1607491400 Type: Fiction Pages: 197 Copyright: May 30, 2009 ISBN-13: 9781607491408 The Night Watchman takes place in any city where there is street crime, street racing, and underground fighting. There is a young man that was in a car accident as a child and was left with physical limitations. Over these years a speech impairment and self-doubt because of how people now saw him left him lonely. A technology that he found did help him gain abilities that he never had and he wanted to use these abilities to help out his city. The abilities that he gained improved and the side effects gave him abilities that he was learning to take advantage of. He started to investigate a criminal that he had found that got him involved in some tight spots. He gained the most unlikely of friends that got him involved with underground activities. His confidence grew, but when the time comes will he do the right thing? This story takes place in any city where there is street crime, street racing, and underground fighting. There is a young man that was in a car accident as a child of 12 and was left with physical limitations. As a teen and young man this man went through years of physical therapy and self determination to gain back what he lost in that accident. Over these years he was lonely because of a speech impairment and self withdrawal because of how people now saw him. Over the years John Smith has searched for ways to better himself with medicines that he didn’t like and therapies that he didn’t enjoy. John did find things that did improve his limitations but he all ways saw himself how the most judgmental people saw him. John found a technology that he thought would help him get better and when he used this technology he found that there were some side effects.  This technology did help John gain abilities that he never had and he wanted to use these abilities to help out this city. John started going out at night with these new abilities to fight the street crime of the city he lived in. The disabilities that he had lessened and the side effects gave John abilities that he was learning to take advantage of. At first these abilities just were available when this technology was in use, so John started using this technology more often than not. John lived just outside of center city in a office building condominium where he kept to himself mostly. There was an older married lady friend that he has said hi to, but with the new confidence that John has gained he was talking more. This relationship with this lady grew and they started spending time together, but John had to keep reminding himself that she is married. John wanted to make a bigger change to the city then just stopping the nightly hoodlums. He started to investigate a criminal that he has found, and hoped that stopping this criminal would cause great change.  This criminal that John was investigating got John involved in to some tight spots that grew into what John never imagined. In this venture John gained the most unlikely of friends that got him involved with underground activities. All of these things helped with John’s confidence but when the time comes to abandon his new friends and turn them in to the police, can he, will he, do the right thing.

By Glenda Davis
J.L. Manning portrays the struggles of the disabled very well in this must read. All his characters are very realistic but as a mother of a disabled child I could really relate with the characters of John and Ray. Through reading this I have come to realize yet again that anything is possible. Thank you JL for this four star book.

FullMoonBites
We meet, John Smith. When John was twelve years old he was in a car accident that caused damage to his motor functions.


After years of being lonely and self-conscious of how people saw him he finds a technology that helps him gain abilities that he hadn't had before. With these new abilities ...John wanted to help out and begins fighting and investigating crime in his city.


I found John to be a very strong character and very inspirational as well. How he over came his limits and made friends in very unlikely places and basically started his life.


I did have a couple of problems with the book which is why I only gave it three stars. One was things in the book, with John did seem to happen a little to fast, like there should have been more detail about what was happening. Another was that I have never been that into cars and though it isn't what the whole book is about it is incorporated a lot in the book.


Other than that I really liked it, we really see John being to grow, in more ways than one, in confidence, as a person, but with his physical abilities as well. The book also has exciting and interesting parts as well as some light suspense.


This is my second book by J.L. Manning and of the two I have read, the author really make it so a reader of any genre will be able to enjoy and learn something from these books. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes an inspirational read.