Is This Book Dangerous?

          Prior to my Christmas trip I listed the books that I would be taking with me.  You can see the list here.   I have not finished all of these, but my intent is to review the ones I have already read or as I finish reading them in the near future.  In this post I will be reviewing The Shack by William P. Young.

           William P. Young's The Shack is a novel that has sold millions of copies, spent weeks on numerous bestseller lists, and been translated into many languages.  It is a phenomenon that has achieved immense popularity in the United States and throughout the world.  The book has generated much controversy as having been hailed as a highly spiritual reading experience as well as a dangerous book that has mislead millions with a deceptive interpretation of Christian belief.

           The novel tells the story of a tragic loss when a young girl is kidnapped during a family camping trip.  Evidence that she has been brutally murdered is found in a secluded mountain shack, but the body cannot be found.  The story opens four years later with the family still grieving over their loss.  The father receives a mysterious note from what may be God asking him to come back to the shack.  What follows is a life changing encounter with the three persons of the Holy Trinity.

         The story is mostly a dialogue between the very depressed father and God.  It is a book of philosophies, or more accurately, theological doctrine.  The ideas lovingly expressed here sound truly wonderful and I can understand why the book would be so appealing to many people.  However I couldn't help but feel a bit of uneasiness about this presentation.  It is not Christianity as I believe it.

         The Shack offers much for discussion and debate.   In that sense the book can be stimulating.  The storytelling is decent and the dialogue is entertaining.  The characters are well-drawn and in fact inspired by Young's own family.  I was let down by the trickery of the bad literary device used at the end.   It is not great literature, but it's better than average pop literature.  I wouldn't encourage anyone to buy the book, but if you have a chance you might enjoy reading it.

         Is it a dangerous book as some have said?  I guess the answer to that depends on your personal beliefs and the nature of the person reading it.  Yes, it is a potentially dangerous book in the sense that any book could be dangerous if used in the wrong way. 

         Have you read The Shack?  Do you think it is a dangerous book?  What are some other books that some have called dangerous?



***

Owen Fiddler: A Review

You can find this book on Amazon

            On October 28, 2010, I reviewed Marvin D. Wilson's Beware the Devil's Hug and generally liked it, but with some reservations due to graphic language and sex.   If this part doesn't bother you, then I recommend reading Hug. 

          After Marvin's blog tour I won a copy of Hug, but since I had already read that one I was sent another earlier book by him.  This book is Owen Fiddler.  This modern allegory is a short easy read of about 200 pages.  It comes with the same caveat as Beware the Devil's Hug--if you are easily offended by, or prefer not to read, some profanity or sex scenes you should be forewarned that this book contains both.  It is not excessively used, but it is there.

             If you're past that, then you're ready to delve into this earthy earthly morality tale that's got one eye heavenward bound and the other studying things here at home.   Owen Fiddler is a guy who feels misunderstood and may be misunderstood at times.   He feels that he has been dealt a bad hand in life so he doesn't feel compelled to play life's game by the rules. 

            Owen goes through life with one mistake leading to another.  Even when good things come his way he manages to screw things up.  When it looks like Owen's life has really started going down the toilet, an amazing series of events occur as fate, or perhaps even the hand of God, step in to confront Owen with the man he has been, the man he is now, and the man he can be.  Will he make the right decisions?    Can he become a truly changed man?

            The book brings up important issues in a sometimes controversial way.  The characters are much like people you know or live in your own neighborhood.  The incidents are like things that could really happen.  The story is nicely told with a fast pace that keeps things moving.  There were times when I wanted more details about certain things, but the author has wisely chosen to keep the story compact and focused on the message.

             And there is a message.  However, this message is delivered carefully and with affection.  The story leaves you with a smile and a ray of hope for all of us.  There were a few theological cringes in the telling of this tale, but nothing that detracted from the ultimate lesson that is being taught.

              In all, I liked the story.   It has stayed with me in a good way and it made me think.  I also liked the characters--even that scummy Owen Fiddler.   Marvin's portrayal of his main character shows what a dirtbag Owen can be, but also takes us into Owen's mind  far enough to feel empathy for what he is going through.  This book is a careful literary balancing act that left me satisfied with the reading experience.

               You can visit Marvin D. Wilson's blog at The Old Silly.   Stop in and tell him hello and let him know that you saw this review.   Thanks for reading!
              

---
I won this book as a prize during a blog tour.  I have decided to review this book on my own accord and what I say here is my opinion.     --AB

Stephen Tremp's "BREAKTHROUGH": A Review

           When I first started blogging in September of 2009, one of the earliest blogs I came across and began following was that of Stephen Tremp, the author of Breakthrough.  Stephen often referred to his novel in his blog posts and discussed some of the technology that appears in the novel.  I was intrigued by the subject matter that Stephen discussed on his blog and about the concept of the story presented in Breakthrough.  And besides that, Stephen Tremp came across as one heck of a nice guy.

           Stephen has been valiantly promoting Breakthrough on mostly his own efforts, which takes some creative ingenuity and a strong positive attitude.  He has not only shown both, but took a rather incredible one step further when earlier this year he took the original version of Breakthrough off the market and released an improved revised version of the book.  This shows some real dedication to his craft and to his audience and he should be admired for that.

             In August I was one of the fortunate winners of a book give-away that Stephen held on his blog.  With the new version of Breakthrough in hand, I was now able to read this book that I had been reading so much about.  I will be honest.  I had no idea what to expect and my expectations were rather low.  Boy! was I ever wrong, and in this review I'll tell you why.

             In a nutshell, the story concerns quantum physics professor/adventurer Chase Manhattan who becomes involved in a quest to recover and destroy stolen technology that is to be used for nefarious purposes by a treacherous enemy group and to clear the technology's innovator, an MIT professor and researcher, who has been charged with a murder.  In a fast-paced story the action rapidly shifts back and forth between Boston, which is in the grip of a major snowstorm, and sunny Southern California. 

            A well drawn cast of characters drew me into the story.  Chase and his friends are likeable, with intelligence and humor.  They are not superheroes by any means and are flawed by weaknesses and bad judgment.  They are characters who seemed very real.  Likewise, the bad guys are villainous, but we see their very human qualities as well.

            The story is very well researched.   The settings are so well drawn that I felt like I was right there in the middle of the story.  The action scenes are so vividly written that I felt like I was watching instead of reading.  Cinematic is the best way I can describe Stephen's writing--the reading experience was almost like watching a movie.

            One good thing about this novel is that it is more of an amalgam of genres then strictly one specific genre.   Breakthrough would primarily fit in the action adventure category, but it also has elements of science fiction, suspense thriller, and romance.  Science fiction fans will enjoy the theoretical concepts of travelling through worm holes, but those who don't care for sci-fi will be pleased that the book does not become bogged down with complex technologies and theories.   The story takes place in today's world with ideas that have actually been studied by scientists.  

           There is enough action and romance to keep fans of those genres pleased.  Stephen also adds enough humor to keep the reader entertained.  In fact, the pacing of the novel is something that made the book such a pleasurable reading experience.  The chapters are short and the writing is succinct.  The reader is fueled with exciting doses of action, and then brought down for a breather that leads to the next action packed sequence.  The book has good writing by an author who demonstrates that he knows the formula for producing best-seller caliber writing.

           Breakthrough is a book that will please just about any audience.  There is very little profanity in the book and what does appear seems appropriate and not gratuitous.  Likewise with sex scenes, there is nothing graphic, but only very tastefully written sequences that are integral to the story.  There was nothing in the book that I can recall being offensive in any way.  I could recommend this book to anyone.

            Allowing that the book is part of a trilogy, I can accept the somewhat abrupt ending as the lead-in to the next novel, Opening, which I hope is not too long in coming--I am anxious to see where this story is going next.  Stephen gives us a preview of Opening at the end of Breakthrough.    Reading this sample filled me with anticipation about book number two.  It sounds like there are some very intriguing concepts still to come.

           My recommendation is buy this book!   It would also make a great gift for the book-lovers on your Christmas and birthday lists.  

Available from:

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Visit Stephen Tremp's blog for additional information about electronic editions of the book and other details about the author and his work.

Stephen Tremp will be my guest on Tossing It Out on Tuesday November 9, 2010.

Tomorrow I will be starting my focus for the remainder of the week on Marvin (The Old Silly) Wilson and his new book Beware the Devil's Hug.  On Wednesday Marvin will join me on his tour for an interview.  On Thursday I will offer my review of his book.

.

LOST MISSION: A Review

        Prior to beginning my blog in September of 2009, I was only marginally aware of Christian literature.  I was certainly familiar with the LEFT BEHIND series and I knew about C.S. Lewis and Tolkein, but I had never read much fiction that was filed under the Christian label.  After coming across a number of blogs by Christian writers and those others who are associated with Christian authors I started getting my education about Christian fiction.

            Recently I read LOST MISSION by Athol Dickson and the book blew me away. Here was a book that dealt with tough issues and made me think.  The focus is not overt in-your-face Bible thumping or theological analysis.  This book is good story telling with well-drawn realistic characters who will stay with you. Before I started reading the book I had seen Dickson compared to one of my favorite authors, Flannery O'Conner.  I can certainly see that comparison, as well as the elements of  magical realism that often crop up in the story.  Athol Dickson also effectively surprises the reader with a juxtapositon of characters and cultures that creates a dramatic tension and drives the suspense of the story.

          LOST MISSION actually deals with two parallelling main story lines that span two centuries.  The first concerns Spaniards who enter into what is later to become California in order to establish a mission.  This story centers around Fray Alejandro, a Franciscan friar who finds himself torn between his obeisance to his church and his faithfulness to his real mission to show compassion to the indigenous pagan tribes whom he is trying to reach.  He becomes tormented by his assigned task to complete a painting of the crucifixion for the church sanctuary.

            Over two hundred years later, this unfinished painting ends up in the hands of Lupe de la Garza, a poor shopkeeper in a small town in Mexico. She becomes convinced through what she sees in magazines and on television that the United States is a pagan nation that needs to be saved.  With Fray Alejandro's unfinished painting as the only possession that she carries, she travels the route of the illegal immigrants to make her way to Southern California.  Here she becomes involved with an assortment of fascinating and tragic characters who all become affected by Fray Alejandro and his unfinshed painting.

             In the book we meet a Mexican man who has illegally gone north to make a better life for his family, a minister who feels called to help those in the barrio but becomes misguided in his love for a woman, and an immensely wealthy man whose vengefully grandiose plans lead to horrifying consequences.  The book is filled with fateful romance, suspenseful action, and an apocalypic climax.

           I was somewhat confused as the story started, but  I was quickly hooked as I began to understand what was happening.  Also there was the initial distraction of the author's intrusion into the story.  Each chapter begins with Fray Alejandro's story in the late 1700's, then transitions into present time where most of the chapters take place.  This transition is achieved in the author's voice which distracted me at first, but after the second chapter I became used to this technique and actually Dickson uses the technique so skillfully that I rather liked it.  I'm not sure how these transitions could have been done better.

        Athol Dickson is a masterful writer.  The way he creates his characters allows the reader to become very close to all of them, especially Lupe and Alejandro--I absolutely fell in love with their simple faith and their desire to do what is right. The sense of place is vivid.  Dickson created places I could see clearly in my mind and I felt as though they were places where I had been before. The story is creative, striking, and imaginative.  The entire concept of the way the stories distanced centuries apart were woven together was ingenious and despite what could be construed as coincidence, I found to be acceptably believable.

         The story is rooted in history, but with issues that are relevant to us today. These characters have stories much like those I read about in the paper and hear about on the news.  There is some thought-provoking controversy that may make you rethink some of your previously held notions. The book will entertain you, but will also stay with you long after you have finished reading it.

          I would strongly recommend LOST MISSION to consider for any of the serious readers on your Christmas list.  There is nothing offensive that would make this book inappropriate for mature younger readers.  Also, non-Christians could find this to be very good reading and to relegate the novel strictly to the Christian fiction section is doing it a great injustice.  And by all means, don't forget to pick up a copy of LOST MISSION for yourself.  If you haven't read anything by Athol Dickson before, you, like me, may be looking forward to reading another one of his highly acclaimed novels.

          Be sure to read my interview with Athol Dickson in this blog tomorrow.  I asked him some of the things that came to my mind about LOST MISSION as well as other questions about writing.

LOST MISSION
Product Details

Howard Books, September 2009
Trade Paperback, 368 pages
ISBN-10: 1416583475
ISBN-13: 9781416583479