Road to Siran: Erin’s Story

By: Behcet Kaya
Publisher: CreateSpace
Publication Date: February 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4954-8464-3
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Date: April 2015

For those who are unaware, this is the sequel to the outstanding book Voice of Conscience,which first introduced this family to the literary world. And although there is a lot in regards to getting back to one’s roots in Erin’s Story, the author also offers up a full package of romance, drama and suspense.

Erin is a young woman who is headed – for the first time – to her father’s birthplace. But she is not only going there in order to take a look around; she is also going there because her father has a true mystery in his background that she wishes to investigate. Not only will she end up learning far more about him, but she will also learn about her own background and the way life exists far away from what she knows and understands.

We begin right away with Erin on the plane headed to Turkey, to her eventual arrival at the small village where her father, Ramzi Ozcomert, Jr., came from. Atamkoy is the village; however, in this village, Erin is more than a bit anxious to uncover the stories and perhaps truths about her father that have been kept quiet. She doesn’t know much regarding these mysteries. What she does know is the fact that people have said her father actually witnessed the violent murder of his own family members in his past. But those are doors that also open on the power of revenge, with a true family unit using vengeance in order to bring about justice.

The world Erin lands in is almost too amazing to behold. This is a girl who has graduated from UCLA, so seeing a mad rush is not exactly a big thing for her; L.A. is certainly no small town in Maine. But her first impression when landing in Turkey is total chaos. Side streets are filled with market stalls and people walk the streets dressed in some of the brightest and most beautiful wardrobes possible. Modern day Turkey certainly offers her modern amenities, but Erin finds it incredible (as will the reader) to note that she’s standing in a place where the most important civilizations of all time (Greeks, Romans, the Ottoman Empire and more), played a very important role.

The author delves a bit into modern-day politics and life there, but the true thrill is when Erin faces such a new climate. And when she receives the diary/journal of her grandmother, the old “ways” and the traditions (some good, others bad), come to light. Stumbling across one of her very own professors in Turkey (one she truly finds dreamy), Erin gets wrapped up in a love that she hopes will grow. But as Erin discovers more and more about the tragedies and mysteries in her father’s past, she soon learns of the fact that this archaeology professor may somehow be intertwined in the whole mystery.

With each step, Erin is led into a world she most definitely does not understand, and as she puts pieces together regarding the past, the story becomes one that grips the reader and will not let go.

Quill says: The beauty of the scenery, the darkness of the past, and the mystery tied up with the romance…all of these facets come together to create an unforgettable read.

For more information on Road to Siran: Erin’s Story, please visit the author's website at: www.behcetkaya.com