BookOpinion

BOOKOPINION REVIEW: It feels like years that I have been eagerly awaiting the second in this fascinating series by Wendy Alec. And Book 2 is every bit as intriguing, inspiring and fascinating as the first. I literally could not put it down. For those of you not familiar with Book 1, the story revolves around the suggestion that Lucifer, Michael and Gabriel were originally angelic brothers and covers the agony of the break away into his own realm by Lucifer.

“Messiah - The First Judgment” picks up where Book 1 left off…namely, after the fall of Lucifer and the approaching birth of the Jewish Messiah. We travel through the early years of Jesus while Lucifer, being fully aware that his adversary, the Nazarene, is the only one capable of undoing his evil machinations. Confrontation of brothers is followed by repeated confrontations serving merely to enhance the rebellious attitude of the fallen one into an uncontrolled fury.

One of the more moving scenes illustrated so beautifully by Wendy Alec is the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. Lucifer asserts his rights by deed that Jesus is to be driven into the barren lands for forty days without food or drink…thus He is weak, faint from hunger and exhaustion. But the encounter between the two does not quite meet the evil expectations of the tempter. Enraged and defeated, Lucifer is thrown violently into the desert and the Nazarene is ministered to by Michael and legions of angels who, with bated breath, have witnessed the entire event.

And if you have never completely understood the significance of the willingness of Jesus to die on the Cross, you will after reading the chapter revealing the mystery and divine will of God regarding this event that changed history forever. In the words of Jether the Just, imperial angelic monarch and ruler of the twenty-four ancient kings of Yehovah, “He takes the place of the murderers, paeodophiles, adulterers, all that enact the darkened deeds of the Race of Men…that those of the Race of Men who would accept His sacrifice may go free.”

Several of the descriptions by Ms. Alec are incredibly horrific…one in particular caught my attention immediately. The following is an excerpt:

“Moloch’s barbarous satanic vandals wrenched Jesus of Nazareth’s spirit from the bruised and battered body on the cross. Instantly it took on the same form as the body it had inhabited, though it was of a different, more ethereal substance. Otherwise, it was identical. Moloch’s fallen host manacled Jesus’ wrists and ankles with heavy iron fetters that ripped cruelly into His tortured flesh. ‘Your sorceries are spent, Nazarene!’ Moloch leered. ‘Bind His mouth!’ he commanded. The butchers bound Jesus’ mouth with filthy cloth soaked in deadly nightshade, then brutishly hauled Him onto their shoulders, seizing Him in a vice-like grip. Moloch raised his whip. Instantly, they were sucked violently downward as though by some ferocious centrifugal force. Downwards..downwards, thousands of miles downward, towards the molten core of the Earth, the party of the damned descended. Down through the mouths of seething volcanoes. Through boiling seas of molten lava, until they emerged into the strange, churning violent world of floating continents and upside-down mountains that raged at 11,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The blast furnace that was the outskirts of hell.”

What follows is a scenario that many of us are already familiar with. However, “Messiah - The First Judgment” loses nothing in the telling and this fictionalized account of the fall of angels and redemption of men is nothing short of beautiful. I cannot recommend highly enough this engaging sequel by Wendy Alec to anyone who is interested in this genre of literature.

– Elizabeth Channery

BOOKOPINION REVIEW: Robert Whitlow has written several excellent novels in the past and I eagerly awaited the publication of his latest book, “Mountain Top.” I was expecting to be enthralled, moved and completely engaged in this latest work. However, this book is a bit disappointing. It is well written, contains great characters and has a decent plot…it just felt, well, flat.

The primary character, Reverend Michael James Andrews, ex-lawyer, is the pastor at Little Creek Church. The church has experienced a healthy surge of growth since Mike has been ministering there and he feels quite content in his new profession. His lovely and supportive wife, Peg, accepting his change of careers, has settled in to the community and continues her love of painting, portraying everything from the local scenery to older people to a series of watercolors depicting children in various forms of play. Nice, quiet, idyllic.

But, of course, that is about to change. When Mike is contacted by Muriel Miller, an elderly woman concerned about the arrest of her husband, Mike is flabbergasted. He informs her that he no longer practices law but Muriel is insistent that her husband, Samuel, requested that she contact only Mike. Realizing that he has never even met Samuel, he questions Muriel regarding Sam’s odd plea for assistance…

“Muriel lowered her eyes and spoke in a soft voice, ‘He had a dream Saturday night and saw you coming to see him at the jail. When I visited him on Sunday, he told me to get in touch with you here at the church.’”

Obviously, Mike is startled. He explains again that he no longer practices law, discovers that Sam has been arrested for embezzlement and recommends that Muriel contact another lawyer. But she merely reminds him to not forget the dream.

But circumstances intervene and the Reverend Michael James Andrews ends up at the local jail to interview Samuel Miller. He listens intently as Sam tells his story and is convinced of the man’s innocence but still refuses to represent him. Rising to leave, Mike informs Sam that he will contact the courthouse and ask someone to appoint a lawyer for him. However, before Mike can leave the room, Sam makes a rather unique statement. “Tell your wife that Isaac is on the way.”

Confused about the odd comment, Mike leaves the jail and heads back to the church, reflecting that neither he nor Peg know anyone named Isaac. At the end of the day, Mike returns home and is perplexed to see Peg, wiping tears from her eyes and gently handling a small sliver of paper with a blue circle quite apparent. After fifteen years of marriage, Peg and Mike are going to become parents.

Against his will, Mike is drawn into the embezzlement case against Sam…but this turns out to be anything but an ordinary trial. Warned against involvement by his prior law firm, Mike is bewildered…nothing makes sense. And although Mike continues to pastor at Little Creek Church, he senses undercurrents that could be dangerous. And then the situation turns very ugly. And why is this sequence of events occurring simply because Mike agreed to defend Samuel Miller?

From this point on, the reader is drawn into a plot that is horrifying, murderous and downright evil. Is Sam really guilty of embezzlement? Is he just another religious nut? Will Mike ever discover the truth about the tragic situation? And will any of them survive the circumstances in which they find themselves?

“Mountain Top” is worth reading. It is intriguing and the twisted, involved plot is well conceived. This novel meets all the criteria of a well written book. But before picking this one up, I suggest you start with either the first Whitlow novel, “Life Support” or pick up my personal favorite, “The Trial.” Robert Whitlow can definitely write and write well…but somehow, “Mountain Top” failed to make it to the top of my must read list.

– Elizabeth Channery

BOOKOPINION REVIEW: “God is a Verb” – Buckminster Fuller.

“Raw” is the first instinctive definition that appeals to me when I try to characterize my feelings about “The Shack” by William P. Young. And not just raw in the traditional sense…raw emotions, raw pain, etc. But ruthlessly honest, words honed to a fine point somewhere beyond what one is capable of reasoning.

This intriguing story opens with a camping trip involving Mack, his son Josh, daughter Kate and the beautiful little six year old, Missy. But when Mack momentarily turns his back on Missy to rescue his son from drowning in an overturned canoe, Missy is silently abducted and, being unfound by a massive search, finally assumed brutally murdered by a serial killer. This tragedy throws Mack into a downward spiral of what he refers to as “The Great Sadness” and his constant companion, “if only, if only.” Eventually, the family begins, in some measure, to cope with the situation and appears to move forward. Nan, Mack’s wife, whose relationship with God is her constant source of comfort, actually even refers to Him lovingly as “Papa.” But Mack is different. His relationship with God is broken and bitter and he functions merely because it is a necessity to do so. And then, suddenly, everything changes.

Mack receives a note….from Papa, instructing Mack to meet Him at the shack where Missy had been murdered. And now, reason flees from Mack. God wrote a note? Was this someone’s idea of a really horrible, sadistic joke? Since when does God write letters? And without realizing it, Mack has made a decision…he will go. He doesn’t wish to disclose to Nan what has occurred and, fortuitously, she decides to take Josh and Kate to visit her sister and extend spring break by a week.

As soon as Nan and the children have left, Mack begins making plans for the trip. He then packs up a four wheel drive Jeep and heads out for northeastern Oregon, the last place on earth he wishes to revisit. But when he arrives, he doesn’t find exactly what he expects. As he begins the climb to the cabin, winter begins to disappear. Instead of ice and snow and leaden skies, there are summer wildflowers blossoming everywhere. And the shack has now become a beautiful little log cabin, surrounded by pungent herbs and fragrant flowers. Mack now suspects he is having a psychotic break.

The front door opens and Mack is confronted by a large, African-American woman who immediately lifts him off his feet, spins him around and professes her delight in seeing him. Within seconds, Mack meets a fragile looking, Asian woman and a middle eastern man dressed like a laborer. Who are these people? They obviously expected to see Mack, they know him, seemingly quite well, but he is a bit overwhelmed and questions are gathering in his mind.

When the large black woman introduces herself as “Elousia” Mack is bewildered. Then she tells Mack to just call her what Nan does. This is “Papa?” And the laborer? He tells Mack to call Him Jesus if he likes or even Yeshua. And the Asian woman indentifies herself as Sarayu, keeper of the gardens. When Mack is finally able to ask “Which one of you is God”, all three respond in unison, “I am”.

What follows must surely be pure fantasy. Or is it? Is Mack having a complete breakdown? Or could this be true that God is responding to the pain in Mack’s heart? And how is Mack going to be healed if this is truth? What will this journey cost him? And what will be the gain?

“The Shack” is well written, evenly paced and frankly, shocking. The characters are well drawn, the humor is fantastic and the story breaks your heart. I think William P. Young stepped outside of himself when he wrote this book and wanted to see God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, whatever you want to call it, in a new light. He definitely succeeded. It’s not quite like any other book I’ve ever read…at times I would think, “Aha, C.S. Lewis” and then turn the page and retract that conviction.

I think everyone who reads “The Shack” will come away with something unique for themselves alone, something very personal. If you choose to read it, please don’t skip. Every word is alive with meaning, every expression, enlightening. Do I recommend it? Absolutely!

– Elizabeth Channery

BOOKOPINION REVIEW: When my daughter kindly gifted me with “The Yada Yada Prayer Group” by Neta Jackson, I wasn’t quite sure what to think. Our tastes differ tremendously so I approached it rather warily, nodding to it casually as it lay next to my computer. But an unread book is rather like fasting from chocolate…it cannot be done! So, last night I picked it up with a certain amount of apprehension. I need not have worried. This book is a treasure!

The story opens with a quick intro to the Baxter family: Jodi and Denny and their two teenage children, Josh and Amanda, who have recently moved from their comfortable suburban neighborhood to a duplex on Chicago’s north side. When Jodi, who teaches third grade at Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary, is invited by Avis Johnson, the school principal, to attend a women’s conference sponsored by a coalition of Chicago area churches, Jodi jumps in feet first. A good way to meet others and perhaps make some friends, she thinks.

Although the situation doesn’t turn out quite as Jodi expects, she does end up in a prayer circle with eleven other women, all very different, all unsure as to how to proceed. But unforeseen events occur and something unusual begins to happen with these extremely diverse women…they begin to bond, to pray for each other, to open up.

When the conference ends, they agree to exchange email addresses and phone numbers and not just casually keep in touch, but genuinely support each other. And Yo-Yo (Yolanda) arrives at the name, The Yada Yada Prayer Group, a title that seems to perfectly fit this unrelated, hodge podge selection of black, white, Asian and Spanish women. But none of them are aware that they are placed together for a larger purpose, a divine purpose, if you will, that is going to test their commitment and their faith in a surprising way.

Written in the first person, Jodi becomes the one about whom we have the most information. But exposure comes with every trial and the personalities and characters of the twelve women are revealed as they join together in their determination to triumph through their various situations.

This is a truly sweet story, not syrupy sweet, just honest, kind and open. I loved every one of these women, the quirkiness, the laughter in the face of disaster, the bravado with which they faced their problems. I found myself yearning for the same type of relationship with a group of women where we could just “simply be”.

I don’t think ‘The Yada Yada Prayer Group’ is a book that would appeal to many men and this is definitely a Christ centered story. So, some may not feel that it is a read that would appeal to your taste. But if you enjoy a well written story with great, well rounded characters and don’t mind having certain aspects of your own shortcomings identified, then you are going to thoroughly enjoy “The Yada Yada Prayer Group.” I liked it so well that I immediately ordered all the sequels and am looking forward to several hours of alternating between tears and laughter.

– Elizabeth Channery

BOOKOPINION REVIEW: Sue Grafton is one of those authors who has me running to the bookstore the very day her latest offering goes on sale. I have not yet been disappointed at my haste, and not yet been able to stop reading one of her new books until it’s done. So it was yesterday at precisely 12:09 a.m. that I reluctantly closed the book on the 20th installment of Grafton’s alphabet mystery series, “T is for Trespass.”

For those not in the know, the books detail the life and cases of private investigator Kinsey Millhone. In this latest book, Kinsey investigates a private nurse who has been hired to care for a cranky octagenarian neighbor after he has had a bad fall. Initially all seems well, but Kinsey and her landlord/friend Henry Pitts become convinced that something sinister is happening. The novel deals with not only elder abuse, but also identity theft. “T is for Trespass” is Kinsey at her best — absolutely out for justice and kicking … well, you know what.

There are a lot of disturbing characters in this novel, some frustrating and some just evil. The novel jumps back between first person (narrated by Kinsey) and third person (describing the behind-the-scenes action of the main antagonist, a thoroughly wretched character).

I don’t want to give away a lot of plot details, but this one is a page-turner. I was not totally satisfied by the ending, it seemed to close up too quickly or maybe the plot device was lacking. In general, though, this is a great addition to my Kinsey Millhone collection.

Grafton’s writing just never really disappoints. Now I will have to start counting the days until the next book. U is for Umbrella? Unitarian? Ubiquitous?

– Jane Leisteiner

Sue Grafton, my most favorite mystery author ever, has released the 20th book in her wonderful Kinsey Millhone/alphabet series (T is for Trespass). I love Kinsey Millhone. I love her because she’s smart, she’s funny, down-to-earth, and loves food almost as much as I do. I love Sue Grafton because everytime she offers readers a new book, we know it will build upon the last one. Kinsey keeps maturing as a character, not just a rehash of the same old stuff everytime.

I could mention some mystery authors who need to kick it up a notch, but out of politeness I will refrain. Instead, I offer to you my top 10 Kinsey Millhone books, in alphabetical order.

• A is for Alibi - The first one. A great introduction. It’s a quick, fast-paced story with terrific characters.
• C is for Corpse - This was actually the first Kinsey book I ever read. My mother (Thank You, Mommy) handed over her copy when I was about 19. I have re-read it probably three dozen times. I can practically read the entire book in my head from start to finish. This book opened up the world of mysteries for me. I remember thinking that Kinsey was pretty old (she was 32!) when I read it. Now that I am a wee past 32, I have a slightly different perspective.
• E is for Evidence - The characters in this one have me hooked. Grafton is great at creating some twisted dysfunctional families.
• F is for Fugitive - I love the stories where Kinsey has to reconstruct a crime from years ago. (S is for Silence and Q is for Quarry have similar plots.)
• G is for Gumshoe - The coolest story. This one is more about Kinsey than the actual mystery she solves, hence the gumshoe in the title. This one is my favorite in the series.
• I is for Innocent - Is David Barney innocent or guilty of killing his wife? Well, you don’t find out until the end, but you won’t like him either way. In fact, I didn’t really like the victim, but I love this book.
• K is for Killer - Again great story and characters combine to make a terrific read.
• M is for Malice - Another great story. I love the character of Guy Malek.
• O is for Outlaw - I like this one for the glimpse the reader gets into Kinsey’s past.
• Q is for Quarry - This one has an interesting spin. The mystery is a cold case brought to her by two local cops. Kinsey has to reconstruct a crime. This fictional book is inspired by an actual cold case from the late 1960s.

This was a tough list to create, I really wanted to add B is for Burglar and H is for Homicide, too. And L is for Lawless is good, too. Oh, just go out and read all of them, you won’t be disappointed.

I plan to hit the bookstore bright and early on December 4 to pick up my copy of T is for Trespass. Maybe it will replace one of my Top 10 picks.

– Jane Leisteiner

BOOKOPINION REVIEW: I have read many Dean Koontz books, and none have left me feeling as tormented as the author’s latest novel, “The Darkest Evening of the Year“. Koontz offers up an array of hideous antagonists, the worst of which made me literally sick to my stomach. Part of the torment comes from his graphic descriptions of dog abuse and child abuse. Koontz’s beloved dog, Trixie, passed away recently, and that sorrow is obvious throughout the book. Having lost my own beloved dog recently, I thoroughly empathize.

Dogs, specifically Golden Retrievers, are some of the most vivid characters of the novel, which centers mainly on the life of Amy Redwing, whose life revolves around rescuing dogs. The novel opens as Amy and her boyfriend, Brian, are in rescue mode, attempting to save a dog from a wife/child beater who doubles as the killer of the family pets. After saving both the family and the dog, Amy takes the dog in to live with her other beloved Goldens, but Nickie, this new dog, is special, forming unusual bonds and connections with both people and other dogs.

The novel flips back and forth between the protaganists’ (Amy and Brian) story and the villains, an unsavory cast of lowlife private detectivies, hitmen, and two others who will make your skin crawl. I enjoyed getting to know Amy, but I never felt like Brian became a full character. I didn’t feel the sympathy for him that Amy and several others garnered. Some of the book felt a little rushed, unusual for a Koontz book, which can sometimes be a bit overburdened with detail.

This is a dark book, darker still if you are a true dog lover. Anyone who can read this book and not want to rush down to the nearest animal shelter and bring home a couple dogs (or a cat) to love, has a heart of stone. The thing to love about Dean Koontz is that he has no illusion that the world is not a dark and evil place, yet he always offers to the reader protagonists that defy the darkness and manage to find hope and peace. “The Darkest Evening of the Year” is no exception.

I still say “Life Expectancy” (which I just reread for the fourth time) is his greatest work, but any true Koontz fan should enjoy this latest book. Now that I have devoured this latest, I will try to patiently await the release of the next Odd Thomas book, which is scheduled for April, 2008. In the meantime, I will try to convince my husband that we need to make a trip to the local animal shelter in the near future.

– Jane Leisteiner