Speak up Saturday–Book Review–The Orphan King by Sigmund Brouwer

It’s been awhile since I posted any book reviews, really, so I’m going to try and get caught up. Because it’s not like I haven’t been reading them…just not posting my reviews :-)

From the publisher:

The future of the Immortals is in the hands of an orphan
My greatest fear was that they would find us and make of us a sacrifice beneath a full moon. Now you, Thomas, must help us destroy the circle of evil.
The last words of a dying woman would change the life of young Thomas. Raised behind monastery walls, he knows nothing of his mysterious past or imminent destiny. But now, in the heart of medieval England, a darkness threatens to strangle truth. An ancient order tightens their ghostly grip on power, creating fear and exiling those who would oppose them. Thomas is determined fulfill his calling and bring light into the mysterious world of the Druids and leaves the monastery on an important quest.
Thomas quickly finds himself in unfamiliar territory, as he must put his faith in unusual companions—a cryptic knight, a child thief, and the beautiful, silent woman whom may not be all she seems.  From the solitary life of an orphan, Thomas now finds himself tangled in the roots of both comradery and suspicion.
Can he trust those who would join his battle…or will his fears force him to go on alone?

I have read and reviewed two other books by this author, one I liked and one I did not, so I was a bit leery of reading this one, but I must say that I was pleasantly surprised.

This book is set in one of my favorite time periods, right around the time of King Arthur and the Knights of Camelot. It’s technically a bit after that, but it still has knights and castles and the like. The other reason I tend to like books set in this time period is because the dark ages were so full of the battle of good and evil, the church was in such turmoil, and the stories often could be categorized as “mystical realism”, which I just plain enjoy (almost as much as Science Fiction)

The Orphan King is book one in a series. I’m not sure how many books there will be, but book 2 is out already and book 3 will be released later this year. Also, I just found out that it is a revised version of a story collection that was previously released as Magnus.

I liked the story and the characters well enough, but it often felt like I was in the middle of the series instead of the beginning. There was a lot that went unexplained, which I’m hoping will be covered in the next two books. The mystery of it was interesting at the beginning, but after so much went unexplained still by the end of the book, it was a bit frustrating. 

This book is classified as Christian Fiction and is published by a Christian publisher, but I wouldn’t really classify it as such. Sure, there’s a bit about religion and a bit about the church of the time, but that’s not at all the focus of the book.

Overall, I liked this book, and I wouldn’t mind reading the others in the series, but it’s not a high priority to me.

~S

It would be a great help to me if you would please rate my review. I get the chance to review more books based on my rating, and there are cool contests and such. Thanks!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Speak Up Saturday–God Gave Us Love by Lisa Tawn Bergren

As Little Cub and Grampa Bear’s fishing adventure is interrupted by mischievous otters, the young polar bear begins to question why we must love others…even the seemingly unlovable.
“Any time we show love, Little Cub, we’re sharing a bit of his love.”
In a sturdy format, ideal for the littlest hands at storytime, bedtime, or anytime, God Gave Us You assures each child that he or she truly is a treasured gift from the Lord

When I pick up a kid’s book, I’m looking for a few things. The first thing is good illustrations. You can say all you want to, but small children aren’t going to care what it says if the pictures are off. Second is the content; is it interesting? age appropriate? do I agree with what the author is saying?

I think the best part about this book is the illustrations. They are fun, colorful, detailed, and go along appropriately with the words.

The content. Well, it meets one out of my three criteria. I definitely agree with her points. However, it’s a board book and I feel like the content is way above my preschooler’s head. Some of the concepts are even above my 1st grader’s head, I think. There’s just too much information in one little book. She covers different types of love and how you can feel all of them. Why not just focus on one at a time? Write more books with less words if you’re going for the preschool audience. I found the story interesting enough, but my kids did not.

You can tell how much my kids like a book based on how many times they request I read it. I think I’ve read this one to them just two times and we’ve had it for a few months (Yes, I’m behind on book reviews…oops)

Not a bad book, just not a great one either.

This book is in a series of books by Lisa Tawn Bergren. You can see my review of God Gave Us Two here

~S

It would be a great help to me if you would please rate my review. I get the chance to review more books based on my rating, and there are cool contests and such. Thanks!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Speak Up Saturday–Book Review–Mercy Comes Morning by Lisa Tawn Bergren

There are no second chances. Or are there?
Krista Mueller is in a good place. She’s got a successful career as a professor of history; she’s respected and well-liked; and she lives hundreds of miles from her hometown and the distant mother she could never please. It’s been more than a decade since Alzheimer’s disease first claimed Charlotte Mueller’s mind, but Krista has dutifully kept her mother in a first-class nursing home.
Now Charlotte is dying of heart failure and, surprised by her own emotions, Krista rushes to Taos, New Mexico, to sit at her estranged mother’s side as she slips away. Battling feelings of loss, abandonment, and relief, Krista is also unsettled by her proximity to Dane McConnell, director of the nursing home—and, once upon a time, her first love. Dane’s kind and gentle spirit—and a surprising discovery about her mother—make Krista wonder if she can at last close the distance between her and her mother … and open the part of her heart she thought was lost forever.

I had a hard time getting into this book, but once I did, I really enjoyed it. The book is more, um, touchy-feely than I read. I would call this a good girly book, which is actually not what I usually enjoy. But, like I said, I did enjoy this book.

The book flips between Krista’s memories of growing up and the current time. It kept the book interesting and flowing well. However, I felt that the character development was a bit shallow. The story just jumped in and did not provide very much history to the powerful emotions that the characters were experiencing.

I enjoyed the ending and enjoyed the book. I felt like all ends were tied up, and it was not rushed.

I would recommend this book to others who enjoy a nice easy read, very relational in nature, but not too deep.

~S

It would be a great help to me if you would please rate my review. I get the chance to review more books based on my rating, and there are cool contests and such. Thanks!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Speak Up Saturday–The Corruptible by Mark Mynheir

From the Publisher:

How much money would it take for you to betray the truth?
Ex-homicide detective Ray Quinn never had glamorous thoughts of the life of a private investigator—but being cornered in a bathroom stall by the enraged philandering husband of a client? That’s something he could live without. Retired from homicide and living with a painful disability, Ray’s options are limited. Stick to the job, keep impetuous sidekick Crevis alive, and spend quiet evenings with trusted pal Jim Beam, that’s about the best he can hope for.
As a new client emerges, Ray finds himself in an impossibly large boardroom holding a check with enough zeros to finally lift him from his financial pit. The job seems easy enough: find Logan Ramsey, an ex-cop turned security officer who’s taken off with sensitive corporate information. But few things are easy in Ray’s world, regardless of the amount of zeros in the check.
In what should be an open-and-shut case, Ray stumbles across Logan Ramsey in a seedy motel room. Only Ray wasn’t the first to find him. Now Logan’s dead, the client’s information is nowhere to be found, and Ray’s employer is less than forthcoming with the details. Suddenly the line between the good guys and bad guys isn’t so clear. With a foot in both worlds and an illuminating look at an unhappy ending that could well be his own, which will Ray choose?

When I started this book, I really wasn’t sure I was going to like it. It took awhile for me to get into it honestly. It’s written in the first person, which is a departure from most books that I read. However, I kept reading, and I’m glad I did. The second half of the book picked up speed and was much better.

It’s a basic old fashion gumshoe novel, unraveling more than one problem one thread at a time. I thoroughly enjoyed the ending and the character development. So much so that I plan on reading more of his books, especially the first Ray Quinn novel, The Night Watchman.

If you like mysteries without romance, read this one!

~S

It would be a great help to me if you would please rate my review. I get the chance to review more books based on my rating, and there are cool contests and such. Thanks!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Speak Up Saturday–Book Review–Indelible by Kristen Heitzmann

From the Publisher:

In a clash of light and darkness, can courage prevail?

Rescuing a toddler from the jaws of a mountain lion, Trevor MacDaniel, a high-country outfitter, sets in motion events he can’t foresee. His act of bravery entwines his life with gifted sculptor Natalie Reeve—and attracts a grim admirer.
Trevor’s need to guard and protect is born of tragedy, prompting his decision to become a search and rescue volunteer. Natalie’s gift of sculpting comes from an unusual disability that seeks release through her creative hands. In each other they see strength and courage as they face an incomprehensible foe.
When a troubled soul views Trevor as archangel and adversary, Redford’s peaceful mountain community is threatened. Together with Police Chief Jonah Westfall, Trevor presses his limits to combat the menace who targets the most helpless and innocent.

Another book read on my Kindle. The formatting was a little strange, but I managed to figure it out anyway.

I liked this book, but there were several things that I did not like, dragging my overall rating down to a three out of five. I liked the idea and individual character traits of each of the characters, but for a book this length, there were too many characters that the author tried to give depth to. The author has an interesting, almost poetic, writing style, but the sections written from the adversary’s point of view were extremely confusing and did not make any sense at all. That could have been the goal, but it was really hard to tell. The ending, ah the ending! If a book doesn’t have a good ending, it ruins the rest of the book for me. This book had a decent ending, but it was rushed and and left a lot of details hanging instead of tying them up nice and pretty. There was only one chapter after the climax, and I felt like there could have been a lot more said.

Would I read it again? Nah. Would I recommend it? Only if you really like to read, and like to read fast. Otherwise, don’t bother. There are so many better books to choose from.

~S

It would be a great help to me if you would please rate my review. I get the chance to review more books based on my rating, and there are cool contests and such. Thanks!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Speak Up Saturday–Book Review- God Gave Us Two by Lisa Tawn Bergren

It’s Speak Up Saturday!

Now that Mama polar bear has another baby in her tummy, Little Cub is bursting with curiosity. “Why do we need a new baby?” she asks. “If we don’t like the new baby, can we send it back?”
“Will you forget me when the new baby comes?”
Gently and lovingly, Mama and Papa assure their firstborn that the new baby is a gift from God they want very much, just as Little Cub was–and still is.
“God gave us you. Now he’s given us two!”
The winsome sequel to God Gave Us You, God Gave Us Two playfully affirms a child’s uniqueness and place in the family and helps little ones accept, appreciate, and love their new siblings.

I initially got this book for Nate, who is 2.5 and doesn’t understand at. all. that there’s a baby in my tummy and it’s going to come out and then he’ll be a big brother. For him, though, this book was a little long and wordy.

Kahlen, however, *loves* it! And really, I like it a lot too. It focuses on how things will change but how things will still be the same too. The illustrations are sweet and the words are positive and affirming, but real too in the changes that will come with a new sibling.

I would recommend this book to anyone adding to their family!

~S

It would be a great help to me if you would please rate my review. I get the chance to review more books based on my rating, and there are cool contests and such. Thanks!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Speak up Saturday Book Review–The Canary List by Sigmund Brouwer

It’s Speak Up, um, Tuesday? I’m going to tag all my reviews with Speak Up Saturday, I just got behind this week…

From the Publisher:

Protected by the dark of night, Jaimie Piper runs. But is anywhere safe when Evil is hunting you?

She’s just a twelve year-old girl, bumped around between foster homes and relegated to school classes for challenged kids, those lagging in their test scores or with behavioral issues. But her real problem is that she can sense something the other kids can’t—something dark. Something compelling her to run for her life.

All Crockett Grey wants is to mark the anniversary of his daughter’s death alone.

But when his student Jaimie comes to him, terrified, her need for protection collides with his grief, and a tangled web of bizarre events sends them both spiraling toward destruction.
Crockett’s one hope of getting his life back is to uncover the mysterious secrets of Jaimie’s past and her strange gift. It isn’t long before his discoveries lead him to a darker conspiracy, secrets guarded by the highest seat of power in the world—the Vatican.

I really wanted to like this book. Really. I liked the last book of Sigmund Brouwer’s that I read. I still like his writing style. A lot. This book just didn’t do it for me.

Here’s the thing: the ending was a major let down. But let me back up, start at the beginning and all that.

The book starts out slow, it takes awhile to figure out what the point of the story is, but that’s okay because things are still happening, still moving along. You get the idea that there is a bigger story building than just the individual events that are happening.

The character development is good; there is depth to the main character, Crockett Grey, early on and only gets better from there. The story has twists and supporting characters that kept me reading, late into the night, to get to the end.

BUT, that leads me to the end. It was very disappointing. The loose ends were all tied up, the story came to a conclusion, just not one that I liked. Without giving too much away, it ended on a very un-Christian note. I read the book because it is Christian fiction, and I don’t like being led astray like that.

Interesting? Yes. Attention-keeping? Definitely. Would I recommend? No, no, and nope. *Sigh* Hopefully the next book I read will not leave such a bad taste in my mouth…

~S

It would be a great help to me if you would please rate my review. I get the chance to review more books based on my rating, and there are cool contests and such. Thanks!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Book Review–The Scroll by Grant R. Jeffrey and Alton L. Gansky

From The Publisher:

One last dig.  One final descent into the twisted tunnels of ancient Jerusalem.  Will the truth be fund among the treasures that lie beneath the holy city?

   Dr. David Chambers, leading archaeologist, has spent his professional career uncovering the facts in the artifacts. His work sets the standard for biblical research in the Holy Land. But surrounded by the evidence, David has sunk into an abyss of doubt. A painful experience with a seemingly unresponsive God has left him without hope.  The Old Testament scriptures that used to fill his mind with wonder now drive him to frustration. His unanswered questions have ripped him from both his academic pursuits and the love of his life, his fiancée, Amber.
   An old friend and mentor reaches out to David, enticing him with the riches described in the enigmatic Copper Scroll. Losing ground with his peers, his love, and his faith, David Chambers has a choice to make. Will he undertake one final dig to unlock a secret that could alter the course of history? Do the mysteries of the Old Testament hold the key to the political turmoil of the Middle East?
  In a world where faith has been eclipsed by the allure of doubt, The Scroll offers a different journey: a gripping adventure to find truth worth dying for.

I love this type of story, biblical archaeological fiction, so I was very excited to receive this book from Blogging for Books. The book did not let me down. It was an excellent read. I enjoyed the pace, the characters, and the content.

For a book of this genre to be good, it has to be believable. You have to really believe that the scenario could happen. This story was definitely that. I did not see any inconsistencies with it compared to the Bible or the true archaeological record. The story was well thought out from beginning to end.

The characters had depth and developed over the course of the story, which I also appreciated. The only quasi-negative thing about the characters was that it wasn’t very hard to figure out who the “bad guy” was. However, that did not really detract from the story, only the supposed mystery of who was creating the conflict.

The epilogue was also interesting and well-thought out. It was a realistic view of what would happen should the riches described in the fictional scroll ever be found.

I give this book 4 stars. I plan on reading it again sometime, which says something given the sheer volume of books that I have on my “to read” list :)

 

~S

It would be a great help to me if you would please rate my review. I get the chance to review more books based on my rating, and there are cool contests and such. Thanks!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Book Review – Breath of Angel by Karyn Henley

From the Publisher

The stranger’s cloak had fallen back, and with it, a long, white, blood-stained wing.

When Melaia, a young priestess, witnesses the gruesome murder of a stranger in the temple courtyard, age-old legends recited in song suddenly come to life. She discovers wings on the stranger, and the murderer takes the shape of both a hawk and a man.
Angels. Shape-shifters. Myths and stories—until now.
Melaia finds herself in the middle of a blood feud between two immortal brothers who destroyed the stairway to heaven, stranding angels in the earthly realm. When Melaia becomes a target, she finds refuge with a band of angels attempting to restore the stairway. But the restoration is impossible without settling an ancient debt—the “breath of angel, blood of man,” a payment that involves Melaia’s heart, soul, and destiny.

I was excited when I received this book because I generally love this type of story. Fantasy. Young Adult. First in a series. This book did not disappoint. From the opening chapter, described in the publisher’s synopsis, to the end the book moved at a good pace, not too slow and not too fast. There was plenty of details to build this world and it’s characters for this book and future ones.

The book opens with a map of the world and a cast of characters, which was very helpful because there are a lot of characters. The characters were easy to differentiate, though, and woven together skillfully so I rarely had to refer to the cast after I had started reading the story.

The main character, Melaia, has a strong personality but not in a forced manner. I feel like some authors, in an attempt to create a more “feminist” story, create unbelievable character traits in their female characters. Not so with this one. She is out of her comfort zone and makes mistakes just like a real person would. She also shows courage and determination to accomplish her mission.

The supporting characters were also well developed. One in particular had mystery and intrigue built in to his character development which made for an interesting subplot.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and am eagerly anticipating the release of book two, Eye of the Sword, in Spring 2012.

 

~S

It would be a great help to me if you would please rate my review. I get the chance to review more books based on my rating, and there are cool contests and such. Thanks!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Book Review – Radical by David Platt

About This Book

WHAT IS JESUS WORTH TO YOU?
“Do you believe that Jesus is worth abandoning everything for? Do you believe him enough to obey him and to follow him wherever he leads, even when the crowds in our culture -maybe even our churches- turn the other way?”

It's easy for American Christians to forget how Jesus said his followers would actually live, what their new lifestyle would actually look like. They would, he said, leave behind security, money, convenience, even family for him. They would abandon everything for the gospel. They would take up their crosses daily...

BUT WHO DO YOU KNOW WHO LIVES LIKE THAT? DO YOU?
In Radical, David Platt challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple--then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard. And he tells the dramatic story of what is happening as a "successful" suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus.
Finally, he urges you to join in The Radical Experiment --a one-year journey in authentic discipleship that will transform how you live in a world that desperately needs the Good News Jesus came to bring.

Before I received this book for review, I had a few friends who were jazzed about reading it too, and they had me watch this video about it. I agree what another friend of mine said about it here, that the way Platt presents himself can be, well, radical. He tends to slip so far off from where we are in “following the American dream” that it’s hard to reconcile his mindset with the one we already have. Add that to the fact that my church, which is the only one I’ve attended as a believer, tends not to have some of the problems of allowing us to ignore needs around us and just provide a fluffy gospel with no real substance to it.

That said, I really did like this book. The points that he brings up, especially in living the American Christian dream versus following the true Gospel, are very eye opening and make me think about where I am spending myself. Am I heartbroken over the poor and dying, as Jesus was? Am I willing to do what it takes, not just give out of my surplus, to help those who need it? We, as the Church, are the plan, there is no plan b in reaching others for the Gospel. How many people die every day not knowing our Savior because we as the Church are too comfortable in our stuff to do anything about it?

So, for me, then, the struggle lies in the balance of using my resources radically for the Gospel and being wise about appreciating what God has provided for me here in my life in the United States of America. Platt addresses this at the very end of the book, which I greatly appreciated. “Though we have much to learn from our persecuted brothers and sisters in lands where there is no freedom, and though we have much to learn from impoverished brothers and sisters where there are few resources, I am grateful to God for the freedom and resources he has given us in the United States. These gifts from God have certainly not been without cost, and if we did not have such freedoms and resources, many of the opportunities we have to take the gospel to the nations would simply not exist.”

The book concludes with the Radical Experiment, a one-year 5-part challenge, which is the culmination of everything the book talks about. I would love to participate in this challenge, but my husband has to be on board first, because it will impact our lives in large and small ways. In the meantime, I see choices that I make differently now than I did before I read this book. Am I about spreading the true Word of God or am I about making myself comfortable and our family “successful”?

~S

It would be a great help to me if you would please rate my review. I get the chance to review more books based on my rating, and there are cool contests and such. Thanks!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Book Review - The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari

When we first read this story, The Dragon and the Turtle Go On Safari by Donita K Paul and Evangeline Denmark, I honestly didn’t like it that much. However, we’ve read it several times since then AND loaned it to a friend, and it has grown on me.

The story is about two friends, Padrig the Dragon and Roger the Turtle who are having a campout in their backyard-I-mean-Mount Sillymanborrow. The boys imagine wild animals for every noise and speak as if they’re English explorers. In the end, they overcome their fears and help a poor kitten-er-leopard who got stuck in a tree.

The things that I liked about this story were the imagination that they both showed and the courage it took to face their fears in the middle of the night. The pictures are well illustrated and the use of language is fun.

Really, I think the reason I didn’t love the book at first was because it’s a little above my four-year-old’s head at the moment. She doesn’t play pretend like that yet, but I think she will in another year or two.

I also felt like the ending was rather abrupt. After all that, their adventures are just over. It’s morning, they succeeded in their quest to spend the night outside. The End. Could have been smoother, in my opinion.

At the back of the book, there were two additional things. The first was another shorter story entitled “The legend of Mount Sillymanborrow” which was cute too. The second was more practical; a discussion guide for the book relating to the biblical truth in Deuteronomy 31:6 - “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid…God goes with you; he will never leave you.” Using this verse and the discussion questions was very helpful in connecting the story with real life for us.

After reading it many many times now and really thinking about it, I give this book 4 stars. I think that the story line was good, the underlying message a great one to discuss with littles, and the pictures held my daughter’s attention (not to mention that of her friend who begged to borrow it. He’s almost 5). A nice addition to our library!

~S

It would be a great help to me if you would please rate my review. I get the chance to review more books based on my rating, and there are cool contests and such. Thanks!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Book Review – God Loves Me More Than That

From the Publisher:

How much love does God have for me?
More than the letters between A and Z. More than the bumbles in a bumble bee.
God loves me more than that!
As your child revels in each lively rhyme and engaging illustration from this delightful picture book, they’ll learn that God loves them deeper than a wishing well, wider than a semi-truck, louder than thunder, and softer than a kitten’s sneeze.
Each question, presented with charming child-like faith will help your child grasp the great love of God through comparisons and descriptions they can easily understand. In short, they’ll discover that His love is bigger, wider, higher, and deeper than anything they could imagine!

I got the book God Loves Me More Than That by Dandi Daley Mackall in the mail two days ago, and my 4-year-old doesn’t want to put it down. As soon as she got up from her nap, she was drawn to it because of the beautiful cover (that and she loves new books). She asked me nicely informed me that I had to read it to her right away. We both loved the great illustrations and the simple yet engaging rhymes.

The book flowed very well and really showed the aspects of God’s love for us. Her favorite rhyme is “Is God’s love soft? Won’t you tell me, please?…Much, much softer than a kitten’s sneeze.” My favorite part is the illustrations. They have just the right level of detail to convey the point without being overwhelming.

Having an emerging reader, I appreciated the level of the words. I think soon she’ll be reading it to me!

~S

It would be a great help to me if you would please rate my review. I get the chance to review more books based on my rating, and there are cool contests and such. Thanks!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review – Flight of Shadows by Sigmund Brouwer

From the publisher:

Her genetic secret could change humanity forever.
Her DNA grants her the ultimate power. 
But all she wants is to disappear. 

Looming buildings rise into the sky of a near-future America, shadowing the desperate poverty of the soovie parks, death doctors, and fear bombs. In this world of walled cities, where status matters most, Caitlyn Brown is desperate to remain invisible, wrongly believing what she needs to hide is the deformity on her back. The powerful want her for so much more.
She’s forced to take flight again, relying on the help of Razor, a street-smart illusionist she can’t trust. Her only hope is to reach friends already tracked by government.
With a twisted bounty hunter in full pursuit, she and Razor begin to learn the unthinkable about her past and the unique gifts of her DNA. It leads Caitlyn to a choice between the two men who love her, and whether to keep her freedom or sacrifice herself to change human destiny.
In this lightning-fast chase through an all-too-plausible future, best-selling author Sigmund  Brouwer is at his best.  Flight of Shadows is a terrifying ride into the heart of compelling moral questions about science and society. 

I love science fiction. When Christ found me over 10 years ago, I had a really hard time letting go of some of my old favorite books because they no longer fit with my world view. So, when I come across “Christian” science fiction, I do a little happy dance.

This book, Flight of Shadows, lived up to my expectations, mostly. I did not know going into it that it was the second in a series. I have the first one now checked out from the library and plan on starting in on it this week. Lucky for me, the way that this book is written, it doesn’t matter (much) that I haven’t read the first one. I think that the character development in the first part of the book would have been a lot easier to follow had I read Broken Angel first, but I was still able to get the plot and the characters without it.

The near-future world that Brouwer has created is fascinating. It makes you think about the state of the nation without being obnoxious about it. The explanations of the elements of the world are just that, explanations, without being preachy about what we’re doing wrong.

The characters in the book are well developed and consistent. The plot is a little challenging to get into at first, but it’s well worth it. The overall writing style is tight, staying within the correct perspective of each character and providing just enough detail. My only complaint is that I would have liked to see more where the character’s beliefs lie, but I think that may be more expressed in the first book. I give this book four stars and can’t wait to read more by Sigmund Brouwer. Thank you to WaterBrook Press for sending me this book for review.

~S

It would be a great help to me if you would please rate my review. I get the chance to review more books based on my rating, and there are cool contests and such. Thanks!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”