New Feature!

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Some of you may already have noticed, but there's a new widget on the blog. Halfway down on the left side is a Shelfari bookshelf with those books I have lined up for my next reviews. Mouse-over the cover and you'll get a synopsis of the story. There are also navigation buttons at the bottom of the bookshelf to page ahead to additional covers.

If you have a work of Christian fiction you'd like me to review, please feel free to leave a comment at any time. Thanks!

A Love for Eternity, Janice Braswell (OakTara)

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(Click cover for more information)

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In A Love for Eternity, Janice Braswell crafts a warm story of redemption, self-discovery and love. Drawing from her own family experience of homelessness, abandonment and abuse, Ms. Braswell imbues her writing with an intensity of pathos that permeates every scene, every page, every heartfelt struggle of her heroine--and those who reach out to her.

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Jayden Arman is a veteran of the foster-care system. Growing up in Odessa, Texas, in the home of an abusive man and his alcoholic wife, Jayden counts the moments until her eighteenth birthday when she can escape "the system" to forge her own way in the world. Tethered to her past by her devotion to Emma, a special-needs child who shared Jayden's foster home, she struggles to develop her own identity and capture some sense of self worth.

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Unbeknown to Jayden, Jonathan Baxter, the youth pastor at the church Emma attends, discovers his own tether--a growing attraction for the girl who picks up Emma every Sunday, but refuses to darken the door of the church herself. His pastoral desire for her spiritual need for Christ and his concern for her emotional well being complement, then conflict with, his attraction for the lovely Jayden.

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Jayden moves to San Antonio and stumbles into the life of Daniel Taylor, son of a local landscaper, but, more importantly, a committed Christian with a deep love for mission work--especially in Africa, where he spent a year among the people of a small village near the Zambisi River. He falls for Jayden, too, but would she ever share his zeal for mission work on the Dark Continent?

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Here we go. You ready? Jonathan moves to San Antonio to assume a church pastorate not far from the boarding house where Jayden lives. Uh huh, you see it coming, right? Daniel? Jonathan? Jayden's own search for redemption from an abused childhood and her quest to discover her father's part in her mother's murder, which put her into foster care in the first place? Yeah, I didn't tell you about that, did I? Collision time.

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Oh, you'll want to read this, 'cuz that's all I'm giving you.

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Bravo, Ms. Braswell. Well done!

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Debut of Shiloh Winter May

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Jeannie and I now have enough grandchildren for a football penalty.

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Shiloh made her appearance at 11:10 am on Sunday, November 1st, measuring 20 inches and weighing in at 8 lb. 5 oz. Remember that, as I expect this is the last time she'll ever let me publicize her weight again.

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Number-nine granddaughter/number-twelve grandchild is home and lookin' good, as is her mom. Her dad looks a little haggard, but, oh well. Okay, that may sound harsh, but I'm supposed to be hard on the guy who stole...er, married my daughter.

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The scorecard now stands at:

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Tom & Kim May - 4 girls and a boy

Neal & Janice Judisch - 3 girls and a boy

Collin & Janelle McCann - 2 girls and a boy

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(Is it just me, or does anyone else spot a trend?)

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Bruce & Jeannie Judisch - 3 dogs and a cat

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Who's winning is a highly subjective call; however, Bruce & Jeannie don't get up for two o'clock feedings. :-)

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Welcome to the family, Shiloh. Love you! - Grammie & Papa

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Wisdom Hunter, by Randall Arthur (Multnomah)

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(Click cover for more information)

Some novels are character driven, others plot driven. Wisdom Hunter is unabashedly agenda driven.

Agenda. In Wisdom Hunter, Mr. Arthur pounces on and wrestles to the ground a modern American evangelistic model that replaces the joy and compassion of Christ-centered, Biblically focused Christianity with suffocating legalism and contrived tradition. Thought-provoking, in spots controversial, Wisdom Hunter takes on a rigid institutionalism that bears no resemblance to the example or the teachings of the Christ it purports to emulate. Not surprisingly, Mr. Arthur draws the parallel between Jesus and the Pharisees of His day.

Character. In the story, the Reverend Jason Faircloth is a mega-church pastor who has built his empire--North Metro Church of the Bible--on religious dogmatism and the strength of his own unbending will. North Metro is so far to the right on the religious spectrum, even Rush Limbaugh would raise an eyebrow. Strict dress code, no rock music, no dancing--the stereotypical litany of "no's," but especially no questioning the pastor's decisions. Dubbed "The General" by the media and his own congregation, Rev. Faircloth runs North Metro and his household in like manner.

Plot. North Metro statistically "thrives" under The General's leadership. But his household collapses, when his only daughter, Hannah, runs away to escape his domestic tyranny, and his wife, Lorena, dies of a broken heart. Jason's faith is shattered that God did not dutifully honor his petitions for Hannah's return and his wife's recovery, and he crumbles. He resigns the pastorship and embarks on a dual-focused journey of self discovery and searching for a granddaughter he has never met. The pedulum swings to the other extreme and Jason samples the 'greener pastures' of worldliness. His travels take him across the States and overseas, still in search of himself, his granddaughter, and, ultimately, his God.

To tell his tale, Mr. Arthur selected the third-person omniscient view, in which the narrator has, as the term implies, omniscience over the entire story and can convey to the reader insights irrespective of chronology or focal character. This allows him to describe and interpret the thoughts, actions and reactions of his characters rather than (or in addition to) the characters acting and speaking for themselves (see this review for similar commentary). The style has the potential of allowing the narrator's voice to rise above those of his actors and his thoughts to overshadow theirs. And, although the characters in Wisdom Hunter are strong enough to carry the plot (although somewhat two-dimensional; i.e., the heroes--human and institutional--appear faultless and the villains lack any redeeming trait whatsoever), the plot itself occasionally becomes transparent against the backdrop of the agenda. There is a strong finish, though, and you'll be satisfied with the story, even if you're not absolutely sold on the agenda.

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Wisdom Hunter will prompt you to examine your Christianity as it is designed to do, no mistake. Just in that, it is well worth the read.

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Note: Wisdom Hunter was provided free of charge by Multnomah for this review.

"Katia" to be Contracted by OakTara!

Heard from my publisher today. Looks like they're going to pick up the option on my fourth book, Katia. :-)

In case you missed the synopsis from my earlier post, here it is.
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Centurion, by L.D. Alford (OakTara)

(Click cover for more information)

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Okay, now we're talkin'! I bet you all thought I'd gone soft with all the romance reviews. Well, my guy card raced gleefully back into my wallet with this one.

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L.D. Alford has outdone himself, in my estimation. Centurion has it all: captivating storyline, impeccable research, plenty of action, and a great balance between the harsh realities of 1st-century AD everyday life and the ideals of a radical fledgling faith. Oh, okay, and there's some romance, too, but it didn't intimidate me.

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Abenadar is a half-breed bastard (literally) of a Galilian mother and a Roman sire. I say "sire" instead of "father" because there's more to being a father than simply siring a child--and Abenadar had no father. His mother, an outcast living on the outskirts of Nazareth, finds her only friend in Mary, the mother of Christ--also an outcast. Abenadar and Yeshua become friends during their formative years. And before Abenadar leaves to seek his future as a Roman soldier, Yeshua exhorts him not to forget his God--Adonai.

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Abenadar finds his calling in the austere life of the Roman camp. His military acumen and prowess are quickly revealed--and tested. In battle after battle, Abenadar distinguishes himself, accumulating honors and accolades that advance him to the unexpected rank of Centurion--a position normally reserved for only those of full Roman blood. But inside, he is a man caught between two worlds; fully a Roman warrior, but fully a child of Galilee, who adheres to the precepts of his God, Adonai.

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He is posted to Jerusalem, where he rescues Ruth, a woman of the streets, from an abusive client. Captivated by her beauty, he seeks her out and rescues her from her life of forced harlotry. The stigma he carries as half-Roman, and hers as a Judean whore, bring them together against a world that accepts neither one of them.

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Yeshua enters the picture once again, and Abenadar's and Ruth's respective worlds collide in the draw of this unlikely prophet. How does the love of a Roman soldier, bound to his oath to Caesar, and a Jewess, bound to her faith in God and the promise of His Messiah, survive through the passion of the King of Kings? The answer lies in the pages of Centurion.

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L.D. Alford delivers an extremely well written and meticulously researched story that won't let you go. Steeped in Roman martial lore, you'll learn more about the Empire's military organization, weapons and battle tactics than you ever realized existed. But the learning never comes at the expense of the story. If fairness still exists anywhere in this world, Centurion is destined to become a classic in Christian literature--it's got to.

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Rocky Mountain Oasis, by Lynnette Bonner (OakTara)

(Click cover for more information)

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Confession: At first, I was fearful this was going to be just another Wild West saga nestled into the dusty piles of rustic romances filling the shelves at the local bookstore. Then I read the first chapter. Many thanks, Ms. Bonner, for allaying my fear.

In Rocky Mountain Oasis, Lynnette spins a tale with a unique twist that keeps your attention from the front cover to the back. Brooke Baker is on her way west, a mail-order bride escaping an abusive past, but with little hope of a less abusive future. And her lack of hope would have been justified, but for Divine intervention through the initiative of one Skylar Jordan of Pierce City, Idaho.

Sky discovers the slovenly Jason Jordan has bought himself a bride. Pricked at the thought of any woman left at the hands of his sot of a cousin, Sky buys the rights to her during one of Jason’s drunken stupors. He meets his unseen, newly betrothed with the chivalrous intention of protecting her from local men less genteel than himself through the coming winter, then granting her the freedom to return east in the spring. But the moment the beautiful girl alights from the stagecoach, his world changes.

Brooke holds the ruggedly handsome Sky—and her own heart—at arm’s length, convinced that all men are like her cruel Uncle Jackson and brutal ex-fiancé, Hank. Fighting her own emotions, and the draw of the kind and thoughtful Sky, she struggles to escape a past that refuses to let her go. The question is, can Sky’s patience and prayers heal the wounds on Brooke’s heart? It’s slow going, and, at times, becomes as agonizing for the reader, it seems, as it is for Sky. But the story is worth the agony.

Ms. Bonner captures the smell of the towering pines and the chill of the mountain air on every page of Rocky Mountain Oasis. She also brings home the power of righteous prayer in purging the dregs of human tragedy. The story is well conceived, and will linger with you long after you’ve read the last line and began researching when Lynnette’s next book is scheduled for release.

By the way, Rocky Mountain Oasis is based upon actual events, people and places. As an added treat, pull up Google Maps on your computer and type in “Pierce, ID” as a keyword. Select the satellite view, zoom out, and you’ll get a great visual of what Ms. Bonner does such a fine job of describing. You can feel the trip from Pierce City westward to Lewiston almost as Sky and Brooke did as they wound down mountain paths and forded rocky river beds. Neat story!

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