Night of the Living Dead Christian

The newest book from Matt Mikalatos, Night of the Living Dead Christian is a comedic journey to discover what it really means to be a Christian. Is it enough to just say you believe? Or must your life actually be transformed by that belief?

I’ve always felt that it couldn’t possibly be enough to just say the words. If I really believe that Jesus is God become man to save us from sin, if I really believe in the things that he taught, then the way I live my life should reflect this. Jesus calls us to live in a radical way – to put Him first, to love our neighbor, to reject the false promises of the world. My life should be transformed as I seek to pick up my own cross and follow Him, even if the best I can do isn’t perfect (and believe me, it isn’t), even if I have to turn to Him day after day after day for help and forgiveness.

Matt tackles these questions in a unique way - through the medium of monsters. Zombies, werewolves, vampires, you name it. The story follows the main character, Matt himself, as he investigates strange happenings in his neighborhood that turn out to be caused by a variety of horrors. It’s an effective way to describe different traps that a Christian might fall into – the mindless acceptance of a particular person’s brand of Christianity, letting emotions rule or not letting them show at all, or being the one who has to fix everything. And in the process Matt not only gets to know some of his monster neighbors, but finds out a bit about himself as well.

The result is a fun, easy read that entertains while making you think – a good combination of laughing and pondering. And in the back of the book, Matt provides a convenient self-diagnosing monster guide. Are you a monster?

Don’t forget to visit the rest of the tour:

Gillian Adams - Julie Bihn - Red Bissell - Thomas Clayton Booher - Thomas Fletcher Booher - Keanan Brand - Beckie Burnham - Morgan L. Busse - Theresa Dunlap - Amber French - Tori Greene - Nikole Hahn - Ryan Heart - Bruce Hennigan - Janeen Ippolito - Becky Jesse - Jason Joyner - Carol Keen - Leighton - Shannon McDermott - Rebecca LuElla Miller - Nissa - Joan Nienhuis - John W. Otte - Crista Richey - Sarah Sawyer - Chawna Schroeder - Rachel Starr Thomson - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Shane Werlinger - Nicole White - Dave Wilson

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Realms Thereunder

“Ancient legend tells of an army of knights that will remain sleeping until the last days. The knights are waking up.”

Daniel and Freya, two pre-teens who share the same birthday, find themselves stumbling into the realm of legends when they discover an enchanted doorway in an old church. Years later, though they’ve since gone separate ways, they are thrown together again as strange events prove that the adventure they shared years before isn’t yet over.

The Realms Thereunder by Ross Lawhead is a story told in two different timelines, one following Daniel and Freya on their underground adventure as pre-teens, the other describing events from their present as young adults. I really enjoyed this mechanic, which allowed me as the reader to discover the past at the same time that the present was unfolding. It adds to the sense of mystery surrounding the strange happenings in Oxford and elsewhere, because while it’s obvious that the previous journey to the underground realm of Nidergeard shared by the two friends is somehow related to what is going on in their current lives, it isn’t clear how or why until you know how that adventure ends.

In the same vein, it’s interesting to see how the characters of Daniel and Freya develop throughout the story. In their past, Daniel had embraced the adventure not only as a way to escape from a world where he was unhappy, but because he felt it was his destiny. He is more than willing to take on the mission given by the inhabitants of Nidergeard. Freya, on the other hand, wanted only to return home to the comfort of the familiar, hesitation dogging her every move. Their different attitudes directly affect the outcome of their journey, and also how they look back on it as adults. So when strange things begin happening in Oxford, where both Daniel and Freya find themselves, Daniel is once again ready to embrace his destiny while Freya would rather flee.

The Realm of Nidergeard itself, hidden in great caverns and tunnels under England, has had a hand in much of the history of that great country. Lawhead uses what seems to be a comprehensive knowledge of Great Britain to spin a convincing tale in which the modern world meets the stuff of legends, all somehow connected to this ancient realm under the feet of the unsuspecting English. Having once lived briefly in Oxford, I can certainly appreciate it as one of the settings for the meeting of worlds.

Knights, wizards, dragons, elves, trolls, changelings and even a spiritual “Black Ops” officer – all have their place in the The Realms Thereunder. A fun fantasy adventure with a rich history, I would highly recommend this first installment of The Ancient Earth Trilogy, and I’ll be looking forward to the next installment later this year.

Gillian Adams - Red Bissell - Keanan Brand - Beckie Burnham - Melissa Carswell - Jeff Chapman - CSFF Blog Tour - Theresa Dunlap - Emmalyn Edwards - April Erwin - Victor Gentile - Tori Greene - Nikole Hahn - Ryan Heart - Bruce Hennigan - Timothy Hicks - Christopher Hopper - Jason Joyner - Carol Keen - Krystine Kercher - Rebekah Loper - Marzabeth - Shannon McDermott - Rebecca LuElla Miller - Mirriam Neal - Eve Nielsen - Nissa - John W. Otte - Donita K. Paul - Joan Nienhuis - Crista Richey - Sarah Sawyer - Chawna Schroeder - Kathleen Smith - Donna Swanson - Rachel Starr Thomson - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Dona Watson - Shane Werlinger - Nicole White - Rachel Wyant

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

CSFF: The Bone House

It’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to do a blog tour, but I knew I had to jump in on this one: The Bone House, by Stephen Lawhead. It’s the second in his Bright Empires series, and last year I reviewed the first installment, The Skin Map, here.

*Warning: Minor Spoilers Ahead*

This second installment begins where the first left off, following Kit’s unexpected rescue by his old flame, Mina. And like the first book, The Bone House definitely has a lot going on to keep the story moving. There are treasure hunts, desperate chases, amazing discoveries and, of course, subterfuge.

The one problem I had was determining where all of the excitement was supposed to be leading to. I know ultimately that there is a search for the Well of Souls, and that finding the pieces of the Skin Map are the key, but it wasn’t always clear to me how the various events in the book were leading towards these ends. And the title object, the Bone House, didn’t even come into being until late in the story. As I reflected on the issue, I decided it was probably more a result of this being the second installment in a series – and therefore far from a resolution – than any flaw in the story or writing. The writing was certainly as good as in The Skin Map.

I would definitely recommend reading The Bone House, as long as you’ve read The Skin Map first. I’ll be looking forward to the rest of the series as well.

Check out the rest of the tour:

Noah Arsenault - Red Bissell - Thomas Clayton Booher - Beckie Burnham - Morgan L. Busse - CSFF Blog Tour - Jeff Chapman - Carol Bruce Collett - Karri Compton - D. G. D. Davidson - Theresa Dunlap - April Erwin - Victor Gentile - Tori Greene - Ryan Heart - Bruce Hennigan - Timothy Hicks - Christopher Hopper - Janeen Ippolito - Becca Johnson - Jason Joyner - Julie - Carol Keen - Krystine Kercher - Marzabeth - Katie McCurdy - Shannon McDermott - Rebecca LuElla Miller - Joan Nienhuis - Chawna Schroeder - Kathleen Smith - Donna Swanson - Rachel Starr Thomson - Robert Treskillard - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Phyllis Wheeler - Nicole White - Rachel Wyant

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

CSFF: The Strange Man

A gripping supernatural thriller, The Strange Man takes place in Greensboro, a town whose dark history has unleashed the wrath of a powerful and vengeful demon. The first of a series, this volume features Dras, the immature, washout son of a local pastor, who  has fallen away from his faith. When the demon threatens his best friend, Dras realizes what he’s been missing in his seemingly carefree lifestyle. But can he convince Rosalyn of the truth before she becomes the demon’s next victim?

Greg Mitchell weaves a tale full of suspense that grabs hold and doesn’t let go until the very last page. Overall, I really enjoyed it. The bogeyman was creepy, just as he should be. The characters were convincing, though some may have been a bit stereotypical. And Mr. Mitchell is a fine writer. However, I did come away from the book feeling a bit unsatisfied. Part of that may be the cliffhanger ending, which left me unsure of what exactly just happened – and wanting to know what comes next! But I think it was a little more than just that.

I found myself slightly disturbed throughout the book at the ease with which the demon was able to affect the physical world – namely, in committing murders. I’ve heard this book compared to Frank Peretti’s This Present Darkness, but unless my memory deceives me – which it might, it’s been a while – the mechanism from that book involved demons working through people, without crossing the physical barrier. I guess that’s more how I imagine spiritual warfare to work (not that I’m an expert or anything). So a demon who is able to cross the physical barrier into our world and murder people bothers me a bit.

But, like I said, I did enjoy the book and would recommend it to anyone looking for some good suspense without all the baggage that normally goes along with the mainstream horror genre.

Check out the rest of the tour: Noah Arsenault - Red Bissell - Kathy Brasby - Grace Bridges - Beckie Burnham - CSFF Blog Tour - Amber French - Tori Greene - Katie Hart - Bruce Hennigan Timothy Hicks - Jason Joyner - Carol Keen - Inae Kyo - Emily LaVigne - Shannon McDermott - Matt Mikalatos - Rebecca LuElla Miller - Gavin Patchett - Andrea Schultz - Kathleen Smith - Donna Swanson - Jessica Thomas - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Dona Watson - Phyllis Wheeler

CSFF Blog Tour: The Resurrection

This month, the CSFF Blog Tour is featuring The Resurrection by Mike Duran:

In the graveyard, overlooking the city of Stonetree, a petrified oak broods. It’s a monstrous thing, not just because of its size, but because of who was murdered there.

When Ruby Case limped into church that spring morning, she was not thinking about haunted graveyards. The handicapped mother of two young boys prays faithfully for God’s visitation upon the city. Yet when she inexplicably raises a boy from the dead, Ruby gets more than she bargained for.

Reverend Ian Clark does not believe in miracles. He is resigning from the ministry and has no interest in the city’s spiritual climate, much less its urban legends. Dogged by demons, both past and present, Clark is being unwittingly drawn into a secret religious order—one that threatens his very life. But he’s about to get a wake-up call.

The resurrection creates uproar in the quiet coastal town, turning Ruby into both a celebrity and a scapegoat, and forcing Clark to reconsider his growing agnosticism. Together, Ruby and Reverend Clark are thrust into a search for answers… and a collision with unspeakable darkness. For behind the quaint tourist shops and artist colonies lies a history of deceit. And a presence more malignant than anything they can imagine. Yet a battle is brewing, the resurrection is the first volley… and the unlikely duo are the only ones who can save them.

But can they overcome their own brokenness in time to stop the evil, or will they be its next victim?

For a great overview, check out this post by Fred Warren. And, as always, Becky Miller keeps track of all the postings here.

This is definitely a book that I’m interested in, just didn’t have the time to do it justice right now. Be sure to read what others have said about it, and check it out yourself!

Noah Arsenault - Brandon Barr - Red Bissell - Book Reviews By Molly - Keanan Brand - Kathy Brasby - Grace Bridges - Beckie Burnham - Melissa Carswell - Jeff Chapman - Christian Fiction Book Reviews - Carol Bruce Collett - Valerie Comer - Karri Compton - Wanda Costinak - Amy Cruson - CSFF Blog Tour - Janey DeMeo - Cynthia Dyer - Tori Greene - Nikole Hahn - Katie Hart - Joleen Howell - Bruce Hennigan - Becky Jesse - Cris Jesse - Jason Joyner - Carol Keen - Emily LaVigne - Shannon McNear - Matt Mikalatos - Rebecca LuElla Miller - Mirtika - Joan Nienhuis - Nissa - John W. Otte - Gavin Patchett - Sarah Sawyer - Andrea Schultz - Tammy Shelnut - Kathleen Smith - Donna Swanson - Jessica Thomas - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Dona Watson - Phyllis Wheeler - Nicole White - Dave Wilson

CSFF: The God Hater, Day 3

**Warning: There are SPOILERS in this post**

It’s the final day of the blog tour featuring The God Hater by Bill Myers. Since the book came with discussion questions at the end, I wanted to tackle a couple of those today. I’m not following the numbering as in the book, just keeping them separated clearly here.

1. In his preface, Bill says that allegories are slippery and can never fully capture the truth of a situation. What truths does the story successfully capture? What truths slip away?

The story certainly captured the need of our world for a savior. Our fallen nature didn’t allow us simply to follow the law as God gave us in the Old Testament. So Jesus offered his life on the cross for our salvation. In the same way, the artificial people in Travis’ world aren’t able to simply follow the law of Programmer, especially after the introduction of the virus. They also need a savior, a role which Nicholas must ultimately fill.

Which brings us to one point where this particular allegory breaks down. In the book, the savior is a digital “copy” of Nicholas who eventually develops his own patterns of thought and action, separate from those of real-world Nicholas because ultimately he is another being. Obviously that is not the case with Jesus, the Son of God who is one with the Father, and both human and Divine. When Jesus came to Earth, there wasn’t a different Jesus in heaven watching the life of Earth-Jesus unfold. I’m not going to go too deep into the theology of it all but I could see in this particular story it would have been difficult to hit closer to the mark.

2. With that in mind, what area of The God Hater helped you more fully appreciate an aspect of the original story?

When digital Nicholas is on the Grid, wracked with unbearable pain, he lives through each and every digital person’s sins over and over again. It’s something that I guess I had never really considered that closely before, though on some level I knew it. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and He knows each and every one of them. How likely am I to continue doing something I know is wrong if I imagine the agony that it caused Jesus? That was a great addition to the book.

3. What emotional force drives Mackenzie to make many of his decisions in the story?

That is a good question. I think there are many – sometimes conflicting – emotions that shape Nicholas’ decisions, but the one that stood out to me the most was guilt. He obviously feels tremendous guilt over what happened to his son, and though I may be reading too much into his character, I definitely get the impression that guilt is what makes him turn on God. He can’t forgive himself for what happened, even if it was just an accident, and so convinces himself that God isn’t real and those who believe in Him are not only wrong, but also stupid. Additionally, it’s obvious that the love he still feels for his son plus the guilt over his death ultimately lead him to the decision to help Travis. Alpha 11 is modeled on his son, and he just can’t bear to let him be destroyed.

There are more questions in the back of the book, and indeed many more points that could be discussed about the story, but I think I’ll leave it there. A great book on so many levels, and one I would highly recommend.

Don’t forget to visit the rest of the tour:

Noah Arsenault - Red Bissell - Thomas Clayton Booher - Keanan Brand - Kathy Brasby - Rachel Briard - Beckie Burnham - Morgan L. Busse - Carol Bruce Collett - Valerie Comer - Karri Compton - CSFF Blog Tour - April Erwin - Amber French - Andrea Graham - Tori Greene - Katie Hart - Ryan Heart - Joleen Howell - Bruce Hennigan - Becky Jesse - Cris Jesse - Becca Johnson - Jason Joyner - Carol Keen - Emily LaVigne - Shannon McDermott - Matt Mikalatos - Rebecca LuElla Miller - Mirtika MollyBuuklvr81 - John W. Otte - Sarah Sawyer - Chawna Schroeder - Andrea Schultz - Tammy Shelnut - Kathleen Smith - James Somers - Donna Swanson - Jessica Thomas - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Dona Watson - Nicole White - Dave Wilson

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

CSFF: The God Hater, Day 2

**Warning: There are SPOILERS in this post**

I was intrigued by the premise of The God Hater from the start. An atheist involved in a large-scale artificial intelligence project comes to the inescapable conclusion that the virtual world he has helped to influence needs not only a law introduced from it’s creators, but eventually a savior as well. The only other option is total destruction of the artificial world at the hands of it’s own inhabitants. An obvious allegory, but with some new and exciting twists.

The book begins with Dr. Nicholas Mackenzie, a vocally atheist philosophy professor, involved in his favorite past-time – tearing down religion. The opening chapters give a good picture of just how much Nicholas disdains God and religion both, though it doesn’t stop him from being friends with co-worker Annie – professor of microbiology and believer – and her young son. Though some have said they felt Nicholas was too stereotypical, the arguments he makes and the attitude he presents are certainly ones that I’ve seen time and again in modern society and certainly represent the position well.

The idea of corporate espionage threatening the project added an element of danger that kept the story moving along nicely. The action begins right away, as Nicholas is kidnapped and threatened by shady characters looking for his brother, Travis. And no sooner does said brother enter the scene than the story is complicated by high-speed chases, hidden high-tech labs and deadly battles.

One small complaint I have is that the virtual world of Alpha 11 and his fellows doesn’t always feel real to me. Which seems like a funny thing to say, but the point of it was to accurately represent how a population might react in the real world. But the characters aren’t always very convincing to me. There is also the claim by Travis that this is their “last chance” to get it right. Maybe I misunderstood, but haven’t they run the program many times already? And can’t they essentially “fast-forward” to play out the entire world in very small real-world time? So I guess I don’t understand exactly why they couldn’t just start over again and introduce the law of Programmer from the beginning. Maybe someone smarter could clarify. It’s a minor quibble and I’m sure it wouldn’t have mattered anyway, as the introduction of the virus meant the world needed a savior regardless.

Overall, I really enjoyed The God Hater. I found it to be engaging on not only an intellectual and imaginative level, but an emotional one as well. In fact, the last few words of the book had me in tears. Which some might argue is not hard to do for this emotional mother of two, but there you have it.

Look for another post tomorrow, where I plan to tackle some of the discussion questions in the back of the book!

And don’t forget the rest of the tour:

Noah Arsenault - Red Bissell - Thomas Clayton Booher - Keanan Brand - Kathy Brasby - Rachel Briard - Beckie Burnham - Morgan L. Busse - Carol Bruce Collett - Valerie Comer - Karri Compton - CSFF Blog Tour - April Erwin - Amber French - Andrea Graham - Tori Greene - Katie Hart - Ryan Heart - Joleen Howell - Bruce Hennigan - Becky Jesse - Cris Jesse - Becca Johnson - Jason Joyner - Carol Keen - Emily LaVigne - Shannon McDermott - Matt Mikalatos - Rebecca LuElla Miller - Mirtika MollyBuuklvr81 - John W. Otte - Sarah Sawyer - Chawna Schroeder - Andrea Schultz - Tammy Shelnut - Kathleen Smith - James Somers - Donna Swanson - Jessica Thomas - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Dona Watson - Nicole White - Dave Wilson

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

CSFF: The God Hater, Day 1

I’m jumping back into the blog tour this month with a great book by Bill Myers, The God Hater. No, no, no.  Bill Myers is not a God-hater. That’s the name of the book.

In fact, after reading a bit about him on his website, I’d say that Bill Myers is exactly the opposite. It must have taken a great amount of love, not to mention trust, for him to completely change his career path in order to follow God’s call. But he did, and the world of Christian media is the better for it.

Who else remembers watching McGee and Me as a kid? And I spent many a morning carpool listening to Adventures in Odyssey, in which he was also involved. Classic.

Read more about Bill Myers and his work on his website and blog, and check out his Facebook page, too.

And now, the book! A philosophy professor who is also an extremely vocal atheist is commissioned to help keep a computer-generated world from dissolving into anarchy. But the philosophical models he introduces to the population ultimately fail, and he is forced to admit that a system of law given from the outside is the only solution. Complicated by corporate espionage, a damaging virus and a legal system gone awry, this artificial world needs a savior, and the professor may be the only one who can fill that role. Stay tuned over the next couple of days for more on The God Hater.

And don’t forget to visit the rest of the tour:

Noah Arsenault - Red Bissell - Thomas Clayton Booher - Keanan Brand - Kathy Brasby - Rachel Briard - Beckie Burnham - Morgan L. Busse - Carol Bruce Collett - Valerie Comer - Karri Compton - CSFF Blog Tour - April Erwin - Amber French - Andrea Graham - Tori Greene - Katie Hart - Ryan Heart - Joleen Howell - Bruce Hennigan - Becky Jesse - Cris Jesse - Becca Johnson - Jason Joyner - Carol Keen - Emily LaVigne - Shannon McDermott - Matt Mikalatos - Rebecca LuElla Miller - Mirtika MollyBuuklvr81 - John W. Otte - Sarah Sawyer - Chawna Schroeder - Andrea Schultz - Tammy Shelnut - Kathleen Smith - James Somers - Donna Swanson - Jessica Thomas - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Dona Watson - Nicole White - Dave Wilson

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

CSFF: The Charlatan’s Boy

When the offer came for a review copy of The Charlatan’s Boy by Jonathan Rogers, I decided not to take it. I knew December would be a busy month with the holidays approaching, and I didn’t want to commit to a review when I wasn’t sure I’d have time to do the book justice. I was certainly right about December being busy, but…but…after reading just a few of the other blog tour posts for this month I wish I had managed to squeeze it in. It sounds fantastic!

To start, check out Rebecca Miller’s blog where she keeps track of everyone who has posted. She also points out some highlights in yesterday’s post. The author, Jonathan Rogers, has also participated in the tour, which is always fun. It’s definitely worth reading the entries of long-time fan Sally Apokedak (though I skipped out on reading the spoilers for now). And for fun, Matt Mikalatos (author of one of my favorite books we’ve done so far, Imaginary Jesus), writes about a real-life charlatan from American history.

I’ll definitely be reading this book when things slow down a little here. And I may in fact take advantage of the author’s offer of free shipping on signed books to fill in a few holes in my Christmas gift list.

Ok, I admit it. For myself, too.

The rest of the tour:

Sally Apokedak - Amy Bissell - Red Bissell - Jennifer Bogart - Thomas Clayton Booher - Keanan Brand - Beckie Burnham - Jeff Chapman - Christian Fiction Book Reviews - Valerie Comer - CSFF Blog Tour - D. G. D. Davidson - April Erwin - Andrea Graham - Tori Greene - Katie Hart - Bruce Hennigan - Christopher Hopper - Becky Jesse - Cris Jesse - Jason Joyner - Julie - Carol Keen - Shannon McDermott - Allen McGraw - Matt Mikalatos - Rebecca LuElla Miller - Nissa - Donita K. Paul - SarahFlan - Sarah Sawyer - Chawna Schroeder - Tammy Shelnut - Kathleen Smith - James Somers - Donna Swanson - Robert Treskillard - Fred Warren - Phyllis Wheeler - Nicole White - Elizabeth Williams - Dave Wilson

CSFF: The Skin Map, Day 3

Talk about waiting until the last minute! I finally was able to finish the book last night, so here is my review. In three words: I loved it! From the very beginning I found the book exciting, engaging and very well written. It was a treat to read and I am eagerly looking forward to the next.

As soon as I began reading The Skin Map, it drew me in. The action started right away with Kit’s series of unfortunate delays on his way across London. It continued throughout the story, and even though some parts were slower than others, there was always something happening to drive the story forward. While it’s easy to keep momentum going through exciting chases, fights and the like, sometimes it can be difficult when there isn’t as much physical movement. But Stephen Lawhead keeps the story moving very well, and I found it all exciting from the conversations between Kit and his grandfather to the shrewd negotiations of Mina as she acclimated to the new world she found herself in.

In the moments that I had to set the book down, I was always looking forward impatiently to when I could pick it up again. This was true from the very first line. Like John Otte said in his post yesterday, The Skin Map has an opening that immediately grabs the reader and draws them in. And then it doesn’t let go. The momentum is part of that, but I also found myself invested in the characters and where they were going to end up. It’s difficult for me to read books in which I don’t care much for the characters, but I had no problem here. I especially liked how both Kit and Mina begin feeling that they are in a dead-end relationship – and each thinks that the other is definitely the cause – but develop throughout the story to become better people. Finally, being a science nerd my entire life, I really liked the incorporation of ley lines into something science fictiony like time travel. I think it turned out to be a great vehicle for explanation of how the characters are able to pass from one universe to another.

While there are many other things I liked about the book, the final thing I want to touch upon is the quality of Stephen Lawhead’s writing. In the midst of the great story I continually found myself pleased with word choice, phrasing and the like. There can be a fine line between overly simplistic and needlessly complicated, and while for some it may seem trivial amidst an exciting story, writing quality does make a difference in how much I enjoy a book. How can you enjoy the action if you don’t understand what’s going on? And on the other side, I definitely get distracted if the same words and phrases are used over and over again. The Skin Map finds the happy medium between the two ends of the spectrum.

I would highly recommend this book, and in fact I plan on giving this book as a gift at Christmas. And I’ll definitely be reading the next when it is available.

Check out what others are talking about:

Red Bissell - Thomas Clayton Booher - Keanan Brand - Grace Bridges - Beckie Burnham - Morgan L. Busse - Jeff Chapman - Christian Fiction Book Reviews - Valerie Comer - Karri Compton - Amy Cruson - CSFF Blog Tour - Stacey Dale - D. G. D. Davidson - George Duncan - April Erwin - Tori Greene - Ryan Heart - Bruce Hennigan - Timothy Hicks - Christopher Hopper - Becky Jesse - Cris Jesse - Becca Johnson - Jason Joyner - Julie - Carol Keen - Krystine Kercher - Shannon McDermott - Allen McGraw - Matt Mikalatos - Rebecca LuElla Miller - Nissa - John W. Otte - Gavin Patchett - Sarah Sawyer - Chawna Schroeder - Kathleen Smith - Rachel Starr Thomson - Donna Swanson - Robert Treskillard - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Dona Watson - Phyllis Wheeler - Nicole White - Elizabeth Williams - Dave Wilson

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

CSFF: The Skin Map, Day 2

Well life has thwarted my attempts at finishing the book yet again. My older child caught the bug that the baby had over the weekend, which made the day less fun than it could have been. I’m so  close to being finished…but I don’t think I’ll still have time to write a review tonight. And I’m going to keep this short so I can get back to the book! Like I said, so close. I’m excited to finish!

Check out the rest of the tour:

Red Bissell - Thomas Clayton Booher - Keanan Brand - Grace Bridges - Beckie Burnham - Morgan L. Busse - Jeff Chapman - Christian Fiction Book Reviews - Valerie Comer - Karri Compton - Amy Cruson - CSFF Blog Tour - Stacey Dale - D. G. D. Davidson - George Duncan - April Erwin - Tori Greene - Ryan Heart - Bruce Hennigan - Timothy Hicks - Christopher Hopper - Becky Jesse - Cris Jesse - Becca Johnson - Jason Joyner - Julie - Carol Keen - Krystine Kercher - Shannon McDermott - Allen McGraw - Matt Mikalatos - Rebecca LuElla Miller - Nissa - John W. Otte - Gavin Patchett - Sarah Sawyer - Chawna Schroeder - Kathleen Smith - Rachel Starr Thomson - Donna Swanson - Robert Treskillard - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Dona Watson - Phyllis Wheeler - Nicole White - Elizabeth Williams - Dave Wilson -

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

CSFF: The Skin Map, Day 1

A weekend full of events, family in town and a sick baby means I haven’t quite finished reading Stephen Lawhead’s The Skin Map yet. But I certainly love what I’ve read so far. Exciting from the start, this engaging story about time travel has drawn me in and I am looking forward to curling up on the couch today to finish the book. Until then, see what everyone else is blogging about:

Red Bissell - Thomas Clayton Booher - Keanan Brand - Grace Bridges - Beckie Burnham - Morgan L. Busse - Jeff Chapman - Christian Fiction Book Reviews - Valerie Comer - Karri Compton - Amy Cruson - CSFF Blog Tour - Stacey Dale - D. G. D. Davidson - George Duncan - April Erwin - Tori Greene - Ryan Heart - Bruce Hennigan - Timothy Hicks - Christopher Hopper - Becky Jesse - Cris Jesse - Becca Johnson - Jason Joyner - Julie - Carol Keen - Krystine Kercher - Shannon McDermott - Allen McGraw - Matt Mikalatos - Rebecca LuElla Miller - Nissa - John W. Otte - Gavin Patchett - Sarah Sawyer - Chawna Schroeder - Kathleen Smith - Rachel Starr Thomson - Donna Swanson - Robert Treskillard - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Dona Watson - Phyllis Wheeler - Nicole White - Elizabeth Williams - Dave Wilson -

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

CSFF: Venom and Song, Day 3

Many times when I finish a good book, I find myself at a bit of a loss. After being immersed in the world that the author has spun, it feels strange to leave it behind. As I got up for my jog this morning that was definitely the case. I found myself missing the characters from Venom and Song, and wondering what will happen to them next. I hope that Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper have more planned for the Lords of Berinfell.

I haven’t had a chance to read through all the other posts on the tour yet, but be sure to visit the other blogs! They never disappoint:

Angela - Brandon Barr - Keanan Brand - Amy Browning - Beckie Burnham - Morgan L. Busse - Melissa Carswell - Jeff Chapman - Valerie Comer - Amy Cruson - CSFF Blog Tour - D. G. D. Davidson - April Erwin - Tori Greene - Ryan Heart - Bruce Hennigan - Timothy Hicks - Becky Jesse - Cris Jesse - Jason Joyner - Julie - Carol Keen - Krystine Kercher - Dawn King - Leighton - Rebecca LuElla Miller - John W. Otte - Donita K. Paul - Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Chawna Schroeder - Tammy Shelnut - James Somers - Kathleen Smith - Rachel Starr Thomson - Robert Treskillard - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Jason Waguespac - Dona Watson - Phyllis Wheeler - Jill Williamson

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF blog tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

CSFF: Venom and Song, Day 2

***Warning: There are SPOILERS in this post***

If you’re wondering whether or not I managed to finish the book last night – I did! My husband and two-year-old gladly ate leftovers for dinner so that I would have more time to read. And more time for reading is always a good thing.

Because I read the first book, The Curse of the Spider King, right before reading Venom and Song, it’s difficult for me to separate the two books. So my review will probably include some thoughts about both.

Firstly, I love the story that is woven through these two books. Classic with a new angle. I’ve always been a fan of the teenager-discovers-special-powers type of stories, and I couldn’t remember why this story felt so familiar until some of the other bloggers mentioned the X-Men. “Aha!” I thought, “That’s it!” Like X-Men, with a fantasy spin and a positive message. What’s not to like?

I felt pretty engaged with The Curse of the Spider King from the beginning, and I loved the books that come to life as a mechanism to introduce the characters to their true nature. When I read it often feels like the same happens to me – er, the book coming to life, not discovering I’m really an elf.

Venom and Song took a little longer for me to get into. I found the training hall sequences a little boring, and those took up a good portion of the first half of the book. But once Tommy and Kat discovered the complete history of Berinfell, then I got pulled along as they all continued on their adventure. It was definitely easier to follow the characters in the second book, maybe because I was already familiar with them, or maybe because there were simply less of them. Either way, it was fun to follow the progress of the teenagers as they shifted from seven individuals into one team.

Teamwork is definitely a strong theme in Venom and Song. While the first book was more the process of each teenager discovering not only that they are really elves, but the leaders of the elves gifted with special talents, Venom and Song is all about how they learn to use those talents together to overcome the evil of the Spider King. It’s clear from the discoveries they make that they have always been intended to work together, which reveals another theme – God loves each person and has a plan for their life. I think this is most strongly seen in Jimmy, who of all the children felt that he was the one who was most expendable. His realization that he is loved and cherished, not only as part of the team but in himself, is a poignant reminder that we, too, are loved by our God. It is important for me to remember that while I am part of the greater whole of Christ’s body on earth, He still would have died on the cross even if I was the only one who needed saving. And that goes for each of us.

Venom and Song seemed to end kind of abruptly, I presume because the story isn’t over yet. I think the shift of scene at the end – I won’t go into detail so as not to give it away - caught me a little off guard, so I’ll be interested to see where the story goes from here.

I would definitely recommend this book as a fun and wholesome read. Check it out!

And visit the rest of the tour:

Angela - Brandon Barr - Keanan Brand - Amy Browning - Beckie Burnham - Morgan L. Busse - Melissa Carswell - Jeff Chapman - Valerie Comer - Amy Cruson - CSFF Blog Tour - D. G. D. Davidson - April Erwin - Tori Greene - Ryan Heart - Bruce Hennigan - Timothy Hicks - Becky Jesse - Cris Jesse - Jason Joyner - Julie - Carol Keen - Krystine Kercher - Dawn King - Leighton - Rebecca LuElla Miller - John W. Otte - Donita K. Paul - Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Chawna Schroeder - Tammy Shelnut - James Somers - Kathleen Smith - Rachel Starr Thomson - Robert Treskillard - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Jason Waguespac - Dona Watson - Phyllis Wheeler - Jill Williamson

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF blog tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

CSFF: Venom and Song, Day 1

This month’s blog tour features the young adult fantasy Venom and Song by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper. Book Two of The Berinfell Prophecies, Venom and Song follows the seven elven teenagers introduced in the first book, The Curse of the Spider King, as they try to gain control over their new-found talents and understand their role in a strange new place.

I haven’t actually finished the book quite yet, but I am hoping that a reading marathon this afternoon will do it. If it’s anything like The Curse of the Spider King, then it’s going to be great!

Tune in tomorrow for more, but in the mean time, see what others have written:

Angela - Brandon Barr - Keanan Brand - Amy Browning - Beckie Burnham - Morgan L. Busse - Melissa Carswell - Jeff Chapman - Valerie Comer - Amy Cruson - CSFF Blog Tour - D. G. D. Davidson - April Erwin - Tori Greene - Ryan Heart - Bruce Hennigan - Timothy Hicks - Becky Jesse - Cris Jesse - Jason Joyner - Julie - Carol Keen - Krystine Kercher - Dawn King - Leighton - Rebecca LuElla Miller - John W. Otte - Donita K. Paul - Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Sarah Sawyer -Chawna Schroeder - Tammy Shelnut - James Somers - Kathleen Smith - Rachel Starr Thomson - Robert Treskillard - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Jason Waguespac - Dona Watson - Phyllis Wheeler - Jill Williamson

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF blog tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

CSFF Blog Tour: My Favorite

This month we don’t have a book to review, and though I never turn away an opportunity to read a new book, I must say I am a little relieved. August has been so busy that if we did have a book to read, I don’t think I would have finished it in time! So instead, for August we get to write about our favorite Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy instead! Yay!

I went back and forth on what to post for this. Part of me wants to have some hidden gem to reveal and wow the masses with. But I don’t. And even though I expect to see this book in a lot of the blogs over the next few days, I’m going to write about my favorite anyway because, well, it’s my favorite!

Maybe it’s the epic heroism of the characters, or the completeness of the world and it’s history, or maybe it’s just because it’s a great story of good triumphing over evil, but ever since I read The Lord of the Rings I have never found another book I’ve loved so much.

It all started back when I was in elementary school. My family used to do an annual camping trip with some friends of ours, and sitting around the campfire one night my friend’s dad started telling us a story. An epic adventure involving a small person (what the heck is a hobbit anyway?), a bunch of dwarves (I knew what those were), a wizard (of the big nose, pointy hat variety), various dastardly villains (trolls, goblins and spiders, oh my!), riddles in the dark (gollum) and ultimately a dragon. It was a much abbreviated version of The Hobbit, but when my 6th grade teacher read it aloud to the class several years later I immediately recognized it. I honestly don’t remember if she finished by the end of the school year, and since I don’t do very well with auditory comprehension anyway, I decided I needed to read it myself. If you are thinking right now, “I thought she said The Lord of the Rings was her favorite, but she’s talking about The Hobbit!” - patience, my friends, I’m getting to that.

Needless to say, I loved The Hobbit even more when I got to read it myself, and when several years later I found out that there were more books by this Tolkien person, I immediately went to the library for them. I checked out The Fellowship of the Ring and brought it with me on vacation to visit my grandparents. I devoured it in a feat of reading that some would think impressive, and others just silly (my mom falls in to the latter category, probably as a result of me always bringing books to the dinner table). As I approached the end of the book it dawned on me that there was no way the story could be wrapped up before I finished the scant pages left. And me with a whole week of vacation before I could get to the library again! There was no way to stretch it out at that point, so I had to wait until I got home to get the following two volumes.

My love of fantasy must have originally sprung from these books, and I keep coming back to them again and again. Middle Earth seems like a real place to me, Tolkien did such an incredible amount of work developing it. I love the maps, the languages, the rich history that coats every page. And I love the characters - the villains are conflicted, the heroes are admirable, and I may or may not have had a huge crush on Aragorn at some point in my life. Every time I read The Lord of the Rings, I find myself enjoying not only the over-arching story, but also all the little details that add to it as well. Like Sam’s poem about Tom and the troll, and Frodo singing an expanded version of Hey, Diddle, Diddle. My favorite quote of all time was said by Gandalf: “Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.”

But it’s influenced more than just my fiction genre of choice. Homemade Halloween costumes have sprung from it, and no you can’t see the pictures of my husband’s awful elf wig. Though the costumes themselves turned out awesome, if I may say so myself. My recreation time is often spent playing Lord of the Rings Online, where I can live out my fantasy of being a hobbit and eating as much as I want. Oh, and saving the innocent from orcs and goblins and all that. And since it is an MMO, my husband and I can explore the beauties of Middle Earth together.

While there are many books that I have enjoyed and loved over the years, The Lord of the Rings will always remain special and separate to me. I’ve now had my turn at telling hobbit tales around the campfire, and seen a love of Tolkien and other fantasy fiction bloom in some of my younger siblings. And I can’t wait to share with my daughters as well. As a parent I sometimes wonder if my kids will be interested in the same things that I am, but in Veronica’s case at least I am confident Tolkien will be in her future. At two years old, she already likes dragons. And from dragons it’s only a small step to hobbits and beyond.

 

So I totally forgot to post the links! Oops! Check out more favorite books:

Brandon Barr - Thomas Clayton Booher - Keanan Brand - Grace Bridges - Beckie Burnham - Morgan L. Busse - Jeff Chapman - CSFF Blog Tour - Stacey Dale - D. G. D. Davidson - Jeff Draper - George Duncan - April Erwin - Andrea Graham - Tori Greene - Ryan Heart - Timothy Hicks - Becky Jesse - Jason Joyner - Julie - Carol Keen - Krystine Kercher - Mike Lynch - Rebecca LuElla Miller - New Authors Fellowship - John W. Otte - Donita K. Paul - Sarah Sawyer - Chawna Schroeder - James Somers - Speculative Faith - Rachel Starr Thomson - Steve Trower - Jason Waguespac - Fred Warren - Dona Watson - Phyllis Wheeler - KM Wilsher

CSFF Blog Tour, Starlighter, Day 3

***Warning: There are (minor) SPOILERS in this post***

It’s the final day of the tour, and I have just a couple things to wrap up.

One thing I failed to mention in my review yesterday is that the persuasiveness of the dragon prince is very well done. I could hear his slimy, syrupy voice in my head (at least, I imagine it to be syrupy) as he tries to convince Koren that it is better for her to be forced to love him than never love him at all. Red flag! That is exactly the opposite of what a loving Creator would (and in our case, does) ask of his subjects, and Koren seems to know this. I’m interested to see how things develop with the prince.

There are a lot of great posts this tour, but I really liked this interview with Bryan Davis by Jill Williamson. This two part review by Fred Warren is also great (part 1 and part 2). And Rebecca Miller has a thoughtful post about betrayal and the abuse of power here.

It was a great tour! I love that even people’s criticisms are given in a respectful manner. Even though this book didn’t quite wow me, I am still looking forward to reading more, and I would definitely recommend it as a fun and wholesome read.

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF blog tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Don’t forget to see what others have to say about the book:

Brandon Barr - Beckie Burnham - Jeff Chapman - R. L. Copple - CSFF Blog Tour - Stacey Dale - D. G. D. Davidson - Jeff Draper - April Erwin - Andrea Graham - Tori Greene - Nikole Hahn - Ryan Heart - Becky Jesse - Cris Jesse - Jason Joyner - Julie Carol Keen - Krystine Kercher - Dawn King – Leighton - Jane Maritz - Rebecca LuElla Miller - John W. Otte - Donita K. Paul - Crista Richey – SarahFlan - Chawna Schroeder - Rachel Starr Thomson - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Dona Watson - Phyllis Wheeler - Jill Williamson - KM Wilsher

CSFF Blog Tour, Starlighter, Day 2

***Warning: There are SPOILERS in this post***

I’ve discovered that reviewing books is not easy for me. Sure, my husband and I may have lengthy discussions about this book or that book that we’ve read – what we liked, didn’t like, etc. I definitely don’t pull my punches in those conversations. But when it comes to putting my thoughts on paper (or the computer screen in this case), I become a little hesitant. I just really don’t like the idea of saying something negative out in the open where anyone (read: the author) might read it.

At the same time, I definitely believe in honesty, so honesty is what you’ll get.

I liked Starlighter. Really, I did. But I didn’t love it. The story was intriguing, the characters were admirable (at least, those that were meant to be), the action was fast-paced, but it just didn’t grab me the way my favorite books do.

I really loved the idea of two different worlds, both with legends about the other, connected by a mysterious portal. Additionally, the search for (and hopefully, rescue of) the slaves that used to call Major Four their home makes for a great plot. While the first chapter drew me in, I definitely felt like something was missing at times. It was kind of back and forth between being intrigued, and waiting to be intrigued again.

One of the things that seemed lacking was the character development. I like well-developed and three dimensional characters, and I just didn’t feel that I knew most of the characters very well at all. It was hard to guess at their motivations at times, and so some of their actions and decisions seemed staged.

Koren, however, was an exception to this. I think that the opportunity she had to tell her background story did a lot to help me understand where she was coming from. It was easy to see why she would be so eager to help her fellow slaves after all she had been through and witnessed, and her strong belief in a loving Creator gave credibility to the trust she had that all would work out in the end. She is heroic and self-sacrificing, but also flawed, as shown by her threat to end the life of the dragon prince, even if her motivation was to help Jason. She is a character that I care about, and I want to know what happens to her.

Of course, at the same time I found Arxad’s character interesting because I didn’t know much about his motivations. But I think that works well for a supporting character. It throws a little mystery in there. And I do like a little mystery.

Another difficult point for me, as other participants have mentioned, is the presence of both magical and technological elements in the story. While I don’t think magic and technology are mutually exclusive, they didn’t seem to mesh well in this case. It might just be my own hang up of needing to know how things work (magic, tech or otherwise). I was satisfied by the explanation that extane is the fuel for the glowing energy channels, but there are so many other things in the story that go unexplained. How do the people of Mesolantrum possess things like courier tubes and photo guns, and how was Uriel Blackstone able to construct the portal and the complicated mechanisms surrounding it? And what is the Reflections Crystal, and how does it tell if someone is lying? I hope we will find out more in the books to come.

While Starlighter wasn’t quite as gripping as I’d hoped it would be, I am definitely still interested in the story and I intend to read the rest of the series as it is published. More to come tomorrow!

Disclaimer: In conjunction with the CSFF blog tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

See what the other participants have to say about the book:

Brandon Barr - Beckie Burnham - Jeff Chapman - R. L. Copple - CSFF Blog Tour - Stacey Dale - D. G. D. Davidson - Jeff Draper - April Erwin - Andrea Graham - Tori Greene - Nikole Hahn - Ryan Heart - Becky Jesse - Cris Jesse - Jason Joyner - Julie Carol Keen - Krystine Kercher - Dawn King – Leighton - Jane Maritz - Rebecca LuElla Miller - John W. Otte - Donita K. Paul - Crista Richey – SarahFlan - Chawna Schroeder - Rachel Starr Thomson - Steve Trower - Fred Warren - Dona Watson - Phyllis Wheeler - Jill Williamson - KM Wilsher