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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Thus feels like a first draft and the author did reread and cut all the unnecessary stuff and tighten up the story.
This book made me think and examine things from angles I wouldn't normally examine them from. Your opinion of the book will likely vary wildly depending on whether or not you accept the Bible as the Word of God.
It is set in the small anytown, USA of Ashton. We follow a focused newspaperman as he works to uncover a conspiracy, and a small church pastor who is struggling to hold his congregation together. Their stories continue in parallel without touching until near the end, two sides of the same coin. The backdrop of this is a coming battle between the forces of Heaven and Hell.
The story is competently told, although not all of the dialogue rings true to me, and there are a few points where the plot is moved along quickly so the reader doesn't have time to stop and think. What I like about it is that it takes spiritual truths and illustrates them in the medium of fiction. It is so easy in today's hyper-busy world, where distractions exist by the multitude, to forget that there is a spiritual war going on around us.
What I didn't like is the black and white of the argument presented. There was no attempt to understand how or why people might be drawn in by "pagan" practices or "Eastern mysticism", they simply were, and were bad. I would have appreciated more insight into how some characters fall into this, and their process of being brought back to God. Even in the context of a novel, the process felt too "neat".
It is set in the small anytown, USA of Ashton. We follow a focused newspaperman as he works to uncover a conspiracy, and a small church pastor who is struggling to hold his congregation together. Their stories continue in parallel without touching until near the end, two sides of the same coin. The backdrop of this is a coming battle between the forces of Heaven and Hell.
The story is competently told, although not all of the dialogue rings true to me, and there are a few points where the plot is moved along quickly so the reader doesn't have time to stop and think. What I like about it is that it takes spiritual truths and illustrates them in the medium of fiction. It is so easy in today's hyper-busy world, where distractions exist by the multitude, to forget that there is a spiritual war going on around us.
What I didn't like is the black and white of the argument presented. There was no attempt to understand how or why people might be drawn in by "pagan" practices or "Eastern mysticism", they simply were, and were bad. I would have appreciated more insight into how some characters fall into this, and their process of being brought back to God. Even in the context of a novel, the process felt too "neat".
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow. The last third of the book was so action-packed. I loved it!
I read this book on my way to Scotland for vacation from the Caribbean. Using this long flight I read this book and I am sure glad I did. I just could not put it down. It was an eye opener to better understand the spiritual world and how it operates. This book is fiction but definitely written under the guidance of the spirit. Thsi is a must have for every christians library.
Anti-intellectual, bigoted, religious propaganda that also somehow seeks to discredit victims of sexual abuse. 0/5 stars. Yikes.
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
a cool read. i have known about this book a while, just got around to reading it, and i was pleased. i love the narrative that encourages prayer and broadens one’s perspective on the spiritual realm
I love this book so much. It’s definitely a very sobering book, and I think anybody who is Christian, interested in becoming a Christian, or a non-believer should read or listen to this book. I’m thinking about making this book a yearly read.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have read this book before and enjoyed it, but this time I just can’t get through it. I have listened to a quarter of the audio version (Crossways Audio) and I just can’t stand to listen to any more. The problem is the background music. It is very annoying if you listen to the audio at anything faster than normal speed, but the author reads so slowly that my mind wanders if I don’t speed it up. I have listened to over a hundred audio books this year, and this one is easily the worst. Most books have a few seconds to a few minutes of background music at the beginning, but then it fades out. This one has background music throughout the whole book. I am guessing that it was recorded before the technology to speed up audio books was common. I wish that my library had a better recording of it.