Tag: Novels

Considering Gallimore

Title: Gallimore

Author: Michelle Griep

Published by Black Lyon Publishing

Year: 2009

Format Read: Kindle 

Pages: 227

Language: English 

ASIN: B002RHP56S

I am trying different authors and genres. I found this author on a blog; the blogger reviews a lot Christian fiction, and she was reviewing one of Griep’s books. I had a look at her books on Amazon, and I decided to read this one. This is probably the first time travel fiction novel that I have read since middle school. I really enjoyed this book! Although the opening chapter is sad, the rest of the story is extremely fun to read. The writing is both witty and profound, and the figures in the story have fantastic characterization. I am definitely interested in reading some of the author’s other writings.

In the acknowledgments, I love that Griep writes “To my own Captain of the Guard who will soon come for me. Rev.22:20”. The story emphasizes faith, God’s presence, God’s mysterious ways, burying grief, love, forgiveness, releasing pain. It’s interesting how the first chapter starts with Dan’s demise. Then, the story picks up with Jessica on a trip to England after the passing of her husband. She meets a stranger on the plane who gives her ideas for sightseeing. Eventually, she is caught in a storm while searching for Gallimore castle. She is “whisked away” to the 14th century. She meets several colorful characters including a forthright knight, the ancestor of the stranger on the plane, and his creepy villainous brother- the Earl who practices divination. Jessica’s exchanges with the characters are engaging! Some comments she makes about her dress, the foul odors, and treatment of the servants are realistic yet coated with humor. I was so caught up in the action that it was bittersweet when the storm came again and Jessica returned to the present. You know that she gets together with the guy from the plane and the miraculous event in her life is discussed in the epilogue. I love how the scenes are drawn and depicted.

Dates Read March 15 to March 26 2022

Thoughts on The Oath


Title: The Oath
Author: Frank Peretti
Published by Thomas Nelson
Language: English
Format Read: Kindle
Edition Year: 2011
Pages: 564
ASIN: B006IE7XQQ

I tried to read a book by Frank Peretti in high school, but I lost interest so I didn’t finish it. I decided to try reading something by him again because a lot of Christians have raved over his books, and I’m trying to read more modern Christian fiction. The Oath seemed like a good read so I went with this novel. There is suspense from the beginning. I like how the different characters are introduced in the first chapter. The entire novel is an easy to follow thriller. He describes the setting in great detail since it’s tremendously important to the story. To me, the setting felt like a rural Alaska town settled by pioneers with the golden days behind it yet still populated with roughneck people in close quarters.

Impressions and Assumptions with Some Spoilers (click)

The main characters are investigating crimes and fighting this mystery creature, known as the “dragon”. According to the introduction, this creature is the personification of sin. The novel’s theme is about sin controlling, consuming, and eventually destroying humans. However, I was not expecting the creature to be an actual dragon. The whole time up until near the end of the story, I thought that the creature was going to be revealed to be a group of people committing the crimes and behind the disappearances- a cult of hunters dressed in high tech armor who have perfected the art of illusion and waging war. No, It’s an actual supernatural creature- a real dragon. The marks on people’s chests are real and not a metaphor.

I’ve not yet read a lot of modern Christian authors writing Christian fiction. Before reading this novel, I assumed that if any romance, it would not go past passionate kissing. Reading this novel, I was a little surprised at some of the content at first, but then I realized maybe I shouldn’t be because lost people act lost, there has to be some adult situations, and the content advances the story elements. The two characters Steve and Tracy, who are actively trying to solve the mystery, fornicate but it’s not described in detail. They get marked on their chest, and this act does advance the plot. However, I was very shocked that Tracy was eaten by the dragon. I really thought they would both make it by the end because she was a major character in the novel.

Other Thoughts
I’m glad that the ending was satisfactory. I would consider reading other works by this author. I meditated on the seriousness of sin after reading this.

Dates Read March 1 to 13 2022

Thief of Corinth, A Review

Title: Thief of Corinth

Author(s): Tessa Afshar 

Published by Tyndale House Publishers 

Year: 2018

Pages: 379

Format Read: Kindle 

Language: English

ISBN: 9781496428677

I aimed to read a novel from the biblical fiction genre since, surprisingly, I don’t recall reading a novel from that genre. I found this book which is still considered biblical fiction, but most of the main characters are not known biblical characters. However, the setting is New Testament times and the story takes place mostly in Corinth. This is the first book I have read by this author. I read the novel’s blurb on Amazon, and the story sounded so intriguing. Ever since Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis, I have wanted to find another novel written in first person with an ancient world setting. 

This book is labeled Christian fiction; I expected Christian characters from the story’s beginning, but the Christians do not appear until probably the last 3rd of the book. The book mostly covers the main character Ariadne’s life after she escapes her grandfather’s home in Athens with her foster brother Theo to return to her father’s home in Corinth. Years prior, the mother divorced the father because of his secret,  and she took the kids with her to her father’s house. I thought the secret was that he became a Christian since they are pagans but no, it’s that she discovers he is a thief. This plays a huge part in the novel’s development. However, before the Christian faith is even introduced, there are actually times that I assumed that a character was secretly a Christian because they do something randomly virtuous or show lots of mercy like how Theo rescued Delia or when Justus stopped his steward from beating another servant. The plot demonstrates the characters’ development. Familial love, rejection, acceptance, honor, and faith are main themes.

Also, this novel is a coming of age story for Ariadne and covers her life from around 16 to early 20s. She is a cool, witty, active first person narrator who gives historical or background information in a helpful way that is not too technical or long-winded. Reading the book is like a diary of her thoughts and feelings. There are mysteries and twists in the plot which make the storyline somewhat unpredictable. We have a sense she will accept Christ, but her life continues afterwards, and it is dramatic, full of weighty decisions and tests of faith. She’s very reflective on her life before and after she becomes a Christian, perceiving God’s sovereignty and his mercy and grace and how she fell short. 

Several New Testament characters are mentioned and/or introduced in the novel such as Lydia, Priscilla and Aquila. If I’m not mistaken, the author also has Christian fiction books about these characters and others. Paul and some traveling companions such as Timothy are eventually introduced;  it’s very charming, historical, and biblical how the author does it.  Ariadne’s brother, the stoic philosopher, is the first to be introduced to Paul’s speaking. I really liked Paul’s characterization, but when I think about it, this may be the only book I’ve read with a fictionalization of Paul’s life. I wrote a play in Creative Writing in high school about some events in the book of Acts, but it’s fantastic  to read another characterization. Anyway, most of the main characters become Christians by the end of the book. This could be considered young adult fiction. I would probably give this book hard PG, light PG-13 due to some of the topics, mild violence and romance. It is a satisfying read.

Dates Read November 25 to  December 21 2021

Thoughts on That Printer of Udell’s

Title: That Printer of Udell’s: A Story of the Middle West

First Published in 1903

Author: Harold Bell Wright

Edition: Free version with blue/gray cover on IBooks App

Pages: 362

IBooks

English

This book is also known by the title: The Least of These My Brothers

I have a few slight spoilers. 

I first heard about TPOU on BBN radio station. A lady narrates a Christian Classic book for about half an hour each day. I walked by the radio a few years ago, and I heard her narrating this book. It seemed interesting; I knew that I wanted to read it some day.

The author is very descriptive, writes good dialogue, and adds some touches of wit and dry humor into narration and characters. It’s a Christian novel, but it does not come off as preachy. It moralizes when needed and the doctrine of Christ completes the novel. The year is not stated but I’m pretty sure it’s the early 20th century going by the descriptions of the places that the book depicts. The main thrust of the book takes place over about a three year period. The setting is mainly Boyd City but also different midwestern states in the USA.

The main theme of the novel is Christianity and the Church’ s place in society, social justice, and the hearts of people. The main character who has had some rough times in his life, stumbles into town out of work but willing to work. He has a hard time finding employment; he is shown a lot of contempt by people although he wants to work! They judge him and make narrow minded comments. He seeks help from church but he is met with cold indifference and/or criticism. Eventually, he does find a job, and the plot takes off from there.

The book exposes a lot of the hypocrisy and folly of humans, whether they be infidels or church folk. The book also expresses the wisdom and virtue that humans, whether believer or none, can have as well. You have the characters that want to see the church doing more to help the fellow man before they will follow Christ. You have the characters who don’t want to be affiliated with church at all, and just want to drink or gamble. You have the characters who go to church because they are rich and well known and it’s the thing for aristocrats to do. You have the characters who earnestly follow Christ and are trying to get the church more involved in helping the downtrodden.

Throughout the novel, there is a dichotomy between Cultural/Nominal Christianity and Real/Active Christianity. The main character realizes that there are devout, real Christians and eventually becomes a Christian after seeing the positive in church people. Jerusalem Church’s young people along with Dick (Richard), the main character, actively seek societal reform in the name of Christ. The guy who hired him in the beginning, Udell, an infidel pragmatist, eventually becomes a Christian after witnessing such strong acts of love and social justice from the church.

Clara is George Udell’s love interest. They are engaged after Udell eventually becomes a Christian. Udell is the only one that hires Richard. Clara’s mother seems very contemptuous and critical towards everything, even her daughter being so involved in her youth group. It would have been great if the mother would have become a Christian by the end of the book. Amy is a society girl with class obsessed parents and brother. Her father especially mirrors the Pharaoh from Exodus in the Bible a bit too closely. His pride, criticism, and arrogance eventually drives Amy from the house. Amy is down on her luck and met with contempt in another city (similar to what happened with Dick). It’s soooo sad that the only person who shows her kindness is a brothel mother! Amy goes through a bit of a transformation as well as she begins to feel more useful, and she sees the emptiness of just being a society girl. Sadly, her father and brother never seem to change, Her brother is so contemptuous and dies a miserable death at the end.

There are other characters like Cameron the good hearted preacher whom the church elite is annoyed with for wanting to be so involved with the poor. His death was not something that I saw coming. I disliked that so much. Something else I disliked was how the black men were portrayed in this novel. I really wish that Wright would have just left out the black people from this novel if he was going to rely on one dimensional straw man caricatures. He mentioned there being Negroes in the city as part of the description. That’s fine, but the two characters he made a part of the story were like dense slapstick thugs. It didn’t fit in with a novel about helping people. Wright doesn’t use the notorious N word  in his narration. However,  some characters near the end use it in their dialogue, but they aren’t super likeable or sketched out characters anyway. None of the main characters that you are supposed to like use it. I know this is a novel from 1903; what should you expect right? So, I wonder what BBN did when they got to these parts. I only heard some of the book on the radio that day.

Overall, this book was a good read with intriguing drama. I like how the youth are portrayed as a driving force behind the church’s action. It’s nice to read a book like this with all the millennial bashing going on nowadays.

Dates Read: February 15 to February 22 2019

Another book similar to this that I would recommend is In HIs Steps by Charles M. Sheldon