BOOK REVIEW: Critical Reaction

 

I have not read Todd M. Johnson’s first book, but after enjoying “Critical Reaction”, I’ll be looking for it!  Although not a legal thriller per se, the courtroom plays a significant role, as the causes and effects of an explosion in a shuttered nuclear facility are gradually revealed.  Kieren Mullaney survived that blast, but both his family history and current poor health make him determined to pursue a lawsuit against the facility in order to discover whether or not he was exposed to radiation.  After encountering a number of roadblocks, including personal threats, uncooperative witnesses, and a last minute withdrawal by his lawyer, he calls an old friend to help him out; she persuades her estranged father to join the fight, knowing that they need his courtroom experience.   The team must work together in order to determine who is really telling the truth, who is using them for their own ends, and ultimately, who is responsible for what happened.

This book abounds with conspiracies and cover-ups; there are plenty of twists and turns as the investigation proceeds.   I enjoyed the sub-plot of the father-daughter relationship, and how it evolved during the book, as well as the father’s re-evaluation of his own involvement in the legal profession.  The additional storylines of others affected by the explosion add interest, particularly as they  play a role in the final discovery.

The only downfall, in my eyes, is that Johnson seemed to run out of steam at the end, which was almost anti-climactic after the drama of the investigation itself.  His denouement covered the basics, but – in my estimation – fell short of the standard of writing in the rest of the book, and left me asking myself, “That’s it?”  Overall, though, a great read! 

I received this book free of charge from Bethany House publishing, and was not required to write a positive review.

BOOK REVIEW: City on Fire by Tracy L. Higley

If you enjoy historical novels, may I recommend City on Fire?   Tracy L. Higley has obviously done some scrupulous research in preparation for writing this book.  She provides us with a number of memorable characters, including Cato, the politician turned winemaker, Ariella, the Jewish slave girl who becomes a gladiator, and Jeremiah, the Jewish rabbi who became a Christian servant.  Their stories are interwoven with others whose names can be found in the annals of history, and come alive against the backdrop of the last days of Pompeii, with Mount Vesuvius grumbling in the background.  The unrest beneath the mountain is mirrored in the political unrest of the day, with its corrupt politicians and growing persecution of both Jews and Christians. 

The main characters, Cato and Ariella, come from vastly different backgrounds , and live in vastly different circumstances, yet both are brought face to face with the same question:  what will they do with the Christ?  Their weighing of evidence, and the probable consequences of a decision for Him are well portrayed.

City on Fire was a great combination of history, adventure, and romance:  I enjoyed the read, and the twists and turns throughout the book.  The single warning note comes from the way the author carefully skirts around most of the immoral practices that were common in the day; some mention of them is integral to the story line, and specifics are almost entirely omitted, but there are some details which may be offensive.  For this reason, I would caution against providing this book to younger readers.

I received this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson Publishers, as part of their BookSneeze program, and was not required to write a positive review.

BOOK REVIEW: Chasing Francis

Chasing Francis follows Chase Falson on a journey of spiritual struggle.  Although he had himself founded an evangelical mega-church, and was serving as its pastor, the tale begins with Chase’s all too public loss of faith – in front of his entire congregation.  Chase feels like he no longer “knows” God; all his doctrine and theology no longer provide any comfort.  Forced to take a sabbatical, and struggling with his future, he is invited to join his uncle, a Franciscan priest, who persuades him to investigate the life of St. Francis of Assisi. 

The reader joins Chase as he learns about St. Francis, and begins to see how Francis revolutionized the church of his day.  The more Chase studies the way Francis lived, the more he begins to see that a mega-church catering to “tourists” of faith is vastly different from one which encourages pilgrims to make  a difference.  He develops a whole new basis for how a church should operate – the question is whether his current congregation will see things the same way.

I not only enjoyed the tale of this pilgrimage, I was challenged myself to take a hard look at how I view my life as a Christian, to re-think what God expects of me in my interactions with others.  How does the God of the Bible expect His people to serve and follow Him?  Am I complacent with my faith as is, or am I willing to examine how it can become more active, more effective where God has placed me? 

The bonus in this book is the “Further Reflections” section, which would enable the book to be used as a small group study, encouraging others to begin their own journey of faith growth.

I received this book free of charge through the “Booksneeze” program, and was not required to write a positive review.

Book Review: The Sky Beneath My Feet by Lisa Simon

I have to admit that it was more determination to finish what I had started than a deep interest in this book that kept me going to the end.  The plot  seemed to meander off in all direction, and even now I’m not sure of the intent of the book!  Was it to see a rather different way of handling a tough life choice?  To share the frustrations of dealing with recalcitrant teenagers?  To take us through the struggle of living by faith?  The author put a lot of effort into detailing the frustrations felt by the main protagonist, Beth, but the ending came so abruptly it left me feeling like she had lost interest in the story, and just wanted to finish it off as quickly as possible. 

I did feel challenged myself by the way Lisa Simon handled taking Beth  outside of  her own comfort zone in relationships with others; how she came to see that people outside her own immediate circle had cares, concerns, and motives for their actions that were different from hers, but still had great merit.  Beth underwent a huge attitude change in the way she thought about those around her; all of us could benefit from a similar willingness to look below the obvious outward surface of strangers.  She moves from someone who resents the presence of a “Jesus fish” on her vehicle to someone who sees that practical Christianity in action is what is required of a true follower of Jesus Christ.

The character development in the book is well done; the reader can “see” the various people described.  If you enjoy a book of vignettes, and are not troubled by lack of a start-to-finish storyline, you will likely enjoy reading it.

This book was supplied to me free of charge by the publisher through the BookSneeze program; I was not required to write a positive review.

Bible Study Review: chase, by Jennie Allen

chase is a Bible study driven by short video sessions, but the true value is in the workbook.  Jennie Allen asks us to look at what drives us, what motivates us, and see where that differs from what God intends for us.  Based on the life of David, it  leads us to begin to chase after God as David did, developing our own “heart after God’s own heart”.  We are encouraged to face our fears, to resolve our doubts; to look at the beliefs we are holding of who God is, and what He expects of us, in light of what He tells us in His Word.

The kit includes question cards which may be used to stimulate discussion, along with a leader guide for a group presentation.  Some of the questions are very personal; the author is careful to emphasize the need for confidentiality among members of the group, as well as the need to refrain from group therapy.

I found chase to be a good tool for evaluating my own heart, seeing what is hindering my own head-long pursuit of God, so I can take steps to remove those things.  In my opinion, this study would be most useful for an individual, or for a small group where there is already a degree of trust between the participants. 

I received this study free of charge from Thomas Nelson Publishers, and was not required to write a positive review.

Book Review: The Reason by William Sirls

The Reason – a story of the impossible becoming real. Inhabitants of a small Michigan town are challenged to “only believe” as they face various obstacles: a lightning strike which destroys the cross in front of a small church, a life torn apart by a painful past, the devastation of a diagnosis of leukemia in an only child. The characters face their difficulties with varying levels of faith; at each crisis they are instructed anew to “only believe”, with the clear implication that through faith the obstacle will be overcome, will disappear.


This was an interesting read, but my skepticism grew rather than my faith, as I read it! A deer tragically dying being brought back to life? A cross shattered by lightning completely restored in minutes? As a work of fiction, the book was entertaining, but it’s necessary to bear in mind that it is fiction. It has a resemblance to The Shack, and I was bothered by both of them for much the same reasons: our God is an awesome God, able to perform miracles, able to display His power among the peoples, but He does not guarantee circumstantial happiness because of faith!

Although the author brings out several times that our difficulties may not be completely resolved until we are in heaven, the book sends a different message. Everyone gets a “happy ever after” on this earth, although some have to go through times of despair first. The implication is that if we only believe, if our faith is strong enough, God will come through for us. Let me state very strongly that I do believe God is sovereign over everything in this life. I do believe He hears His children’s prayers, and I do believe that He loves us with an unfathomable, never ending love. I have seen what seemed to be miracles in this day and age: health problems suddenly disappearing, money being provided just in time to meet a desperate need, a person’s character changing completely when they come to Christ. However, I have also seen giants of faith whose prayers have received a “no” answer: disease which is not cured, a wayward child refusing the beliefs they were taught, trials which are endured, but not eliminated.

Bottom line: don’t let this book convince you that a “no” answer is because of feeble faith!
I received this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson publishers via BookSneeze, and was not required to write a positive review.

Book Review: Running for My Life

I like to run for fun, but Lopez Lomong ran for his life! The story of his transformation from Sudanese “lost boy” to USA Olympic athlete is a moving one, marked throughout by his belief that God was for him. Kidnaped at the tender age of 6, and taken to a “camp” where boys were turned into rebel soldiers, Lopez met three “angels”, who helped him survive in the desperate situation, and took him with them during a daring escape when they literally ran for their lives for days on end.

Throughout the following 10 years in a Kenyan refugee camp, the selection process to go to America, and the huge changes that came with his adoption by an American family, Lopez’ faith in God’s provision never wavered. Time and again he testifies to God’s action in his life, giving God the glory for the choices he made at each step, from where to attend school, to the timing of his decision to turn “pro”. After becoming a US citizen in 2007, Lopez was eligible to run for the USA at the 2008 Olympics, and was elected as flagbearer by his peers. He continues to work hard to better conditions in his native Sudan, and those efforts are also detailed in the book.
This book challenged me: faced with the same dire circumstances Lopez encountered, would my faith be as simple or as strong? Even when his situation seemed to get worse instead of better, he continued to trust, and that trust was shown to be valid by his faithful God. We should aspire to that same level of belief in the God Who will meet all our needs.

I received this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson Publishers, and was not required to write a positive review.