"On This Day In Christian History" by Robert J. Morgan

I had very high hopes for this book.... I love inspiring stories of great Christians from all periods of history and find them to be fantastic encouragers in my own walk with God. Morgan's book didn't quite meet my expecations.
For the detailed information: this book contains 366 (thanks to leap year) one-page articles, each dated, that tells of a significant story that happened on that day. There is also a topical index at the back, which can be helpful. Many of the names and stories were brand new to me, so it was good to be exposed to them. Each day also had a Bible passage at the bottom. That's about all the positive things I can say about it; now for the negative....
This book seemed to focus mainly on Catholic monks and popes. Many of the stories feature martyrs, which is not a bad thing. However, most of the martyrs were killed by a different "brand" of Christianity (for example, Catholics persecute the Protestants, or vice-versa). I found it very disturbing how much violence was carried out under the encouragement of Catholic and Protestant churches and leaders. Not being Catholic or Protestant myself, I was disappointed that very few evangelical (and I'm very liberally including independent and Southern Baptists in the "evangelical" category) show up in the pages. I was also shocked that there were only a handful of references to sources of any kind.... If this is a book of historical information, you would think that there would be footnoted sources, or at LEAST a bibliography. Nope.
The biggest disappointment for me had to be the Bible passages. Morgan uses the Contemporary English Version of the Bible for his passages, and my personal opinion is that this is a horrible translation of Scripture. It has gone beyond interpretational translation (dynamic equivalence, where the MEANING of the phrase is given in a comparative way, as opposed to formal equivalence which strives to translate the WORDS literally as much as possible). In fact, it seems like some phrases are just too colloquial... But I could have lived with the abundance of Catholic stories, and I could have even lived with the CEV Bible passages.... however, some of the passages just seemed very randomly chosen.
All in all, I would still give this book 3 out of 5 stars. We can always learn so much from history, and the stories really can encourage us to be better Christians.
I received this book from the publisher as part of the Booksneeze Blogger Review program. I was not required to give a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.

"Bill Wallace of China" by Jesse C. Fletcher

Who would God choose to send to the people of Wuchow in China during the Japanese/Chinese leading up to World War II? Would he choose a thundering preacher? Would he choose a mighty theologian who could dismantle the false teachings of communism prevailing in China in the early 1900's? No, none of these.
In wisdom that only belongs to God, Bill Wallace was chosen. He was a quiet, mild-mannered, but highly skilled medical doctor. Bill Wallace was sent to Stout Memorial Hospital, and quickly developed a rapport with the Chinese people that allowed him to minister as an instrument of grace in the hands of the Healer, Jesus Christ. He never married, and he died at the hands of the communists in 1951 - buried in an unmarked grave.
I do not feel it necessary to critique this book on its literary merits. It is not meant to win awards, or paint a glorious picture of a saint. The writing is simple and tells a simple story.
My heart was deeply stirred by reading the story of this selfless man of God from the Southeast United States. The bravery in the face of danger that Bro. Wallace exhibited is extraordinary - shouldn't we all be bold in our witness for Christ? Bold enough to stand up to the sword that threatens to take our life? Bold enough to put the well-being of others before ourselves? Bold enough to stay when others flee?
Taking the Gospel into China has been the desire and calling of many men and women through the centuries, and Bill Wallace - humble as he was - stands tall among them. He succeeded in the most important task in life: that of giving himself completely to the Lord. May we all do the same. "To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

"The Unseen" by T. L. Hines

***WARNING! THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!
My first introduction to the writing of T. L. Hines is "The Unseen." After reading it, I must say that it was one of the most unique novels I have ever read. Partially, this can be attributed to the fact that the main character is an urban explorer. These people (and yes, there are people who really do this) pride themselves in "infiltrating" buildings and structures and areas that are usually off-limits. This could include condemned buildings, public utility structures, and many other places. This is a new subject for me, and I was quite fascinated by it.
The main character, Lucas, is an introverted man who has little or no recollections of his early childhood. He believes he grew up in an orphanage. The book basically details the adventures of Lucas and a lot of trouble he gets himself into. On top of that, people die - several of them - in the process.
I guess you could describe this book as a "page-turner," but it was more passive empathy for Lucas that kept me going. I really did find myself cheering him on and hoping he would become the hero. I would not personally label this one a "thriller," though. (Even though there were some very intense scenes...like when Lucas has a time-bomb strapped to his ankle!)
There was no Christian content to speak of... an abandoned church is the setting for a few scenes, and Lucas ALMOST prays one time.... but doesn't. But, the story is clean and the violence is not graphically described.
For the most part, though, the book was just kinda strange. No one was who you thought they were, but you never find out who they REALLY are... Which aggravates my need for closure. The book was also a little slow to start for my taste. Character development in the book isn't astounding. And I think I discovered a goof... In the early part of the book, Sarea tells Lucas that a man (later discovered to be Saul) asked her, "Is Lucas working today?" However, about 200 pages into the book, Saul dramatically reveals to Lucas that he knows his name is Lucas...and Lucas is surprised....even though he asked for him by name earlier....
Really, the story was pretty good, and the writing style held my interest. I'll probably read some more by this author to see if I have missed his greatest work. I'd give this book a 3 out of 5 stars.
**On a side note, in the "Acknowledgements" page, the author tells the reader that he had been diagnosed with and treated for cancer while writing this story. So, this book represents a period of intense personal difficulty. T. L. Hines is to be admired for enduring his affliction, and authoring this story in the process.

"Darien's Rise" by Paul McCusker

***WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!
"Darien's Rise" is the first book in the Adventures in Odyssey "Passages" series. I am so glad to see that Adventures in Odyssey is still providing great entertainment for young people! I have listened to DOZENS of the radio episodes in my lifetime. They have a very good reputation for emphasizing Biblical life-lessons in ways that are easily understood by young people. So, knowing that Paul McCusker had written some great material for the radio shows, I had high hopes for this book (even though it is for ages 10 and up, and I'm 26 years old). He did not disappoint me!
I borrowed this book from a kid in our church. He recommended it to me, knowing that I like to read. So, I dove into it, in between "big books." I must say, it holds up very well, even among other Christian Fiction titles I've read that are geared to adults. Paul McCusker is a very creative and talented man.
The story is basically about a pair of siblings who are miraculously transported from an old abandoned house to a different time and place. As the story unfolds, the reader will recognize that it is a re-telling of the Biblical story of David and King Saul. The parallels are very clever; and even though I knew how the story should end, I was still riveted to the book all the way through. Sure, the story is told in a way that appeals to young readers - and it is told from a young person's perspective. But that doesn't mean adults can't enjoy it!
One word of caution for parents: there is a minor amount of violence, but you should be aware of it. Near the end of the book, the character who represents "King Saul" in the story shoots himself in the head. (Remember, in the Bible Saul fell on his own sword so that he would not fall into the hands of the enemy.)
I highly recommend this book, especially for 10-14 year-olds. (And I'll be reading book #2 shortly!)

"The Twelfth Imam" by Joel Rosenberg

How much do you really know about Shia Eschatology? If you are like me and know pretty much nothing, you will learn a little bit by reading this book. The main character is a CIA operative who has been given the task of gathering information concerning Iran's nuclear development operations. While all of this is going on, the Twelfth Imam (an Islamic Messiah-type figure, also known as the "Mahdi", or the "Promised One") seems to have appeared and is rallying the Muslim world together. There is much more to the story, of course, but this hefty book (480+ pages) will keep you interested until the very end.
This book is a fairly sharp departure (in my opinion) in style and substance from the "Last Jihad" series. In fact, it is very heavy on emotional drama and relationships and very low on action, at least until the last 100 pages of the book (which are the best, by the way). The story starts very slowly, weaving the lives of different characters (across different decades, in different countries) into one unified tale. If you have read "The Last Jihad," you will remember that a plane was blown up by an RPG in like the first five pages of that book. Not so in "The Twelfth Imam"; it's much more mellow.
Impressively, Rosenberg utilizes a lot of real information - including actual article snippets and transcribed conversations that really happened. I'm a big fan of "spy" stories, and this book delivers big on that front. Rosenberg also makes it a point to uplift the name of Jesus Christ, and there are several characters in the book that give their hearts to Christ. Very moving scenes, almost bringing me to tears a few times.
Great book, but "The Last Jihad" still sits at the top of my list for Joel Rosenberg.

"The Pawn" by Steven James

**WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!
This book is the debut novel by Steven James, and the first work in the "Bowers' Files" series. We are introduced to the character of Patrick Bowers, a Special Agent with a knack for nabbing the bad guys. However, in this story, Bowers is pitted against a serial killer who seems to be able to stay one step ahead of the investigators.
Let me address some of the serious issues to begin with. If you were to read the reviews at http://www.christianbook.com/ for this book, you would notice that several people give it a one-star rating, saying that it is violent, graphic, and should not be read by Christians (or anyone, especially right before bedtime). Others said that there were no mentions of God or any redeeming aspect to the story at all. I disagree with that last observation. While the author did not attempt to give a clear presentation of the Gospel (like maybe Frank Peretti or Joel Rosenberg have done in their books), the protagonist does wrestle with his own faith. Well, he wrestles with his late wife's faith - and attempts to understand how she can be so devoted to a God who is seemingly destroying her body with disease. He also attempts to reconnect with his estranged step-daughter, which I find a very redeeming aspect of the story.
The other negative observations are mostly accurate. There is a good deal of violence, and graphic death scenes abound. (It is the story of a serial killer, after all). However, I do not think the author crossed the line of grotesque-ness. I, for one, was able to tolerate and even enjoy this book above some books by other authors (Ted Dekker and Robert Liparulo, for example, have disturbed me to the point of getting rid of some of their books***** SEE READER COMMENTS BELOW POST). On another note, reality is much harsher than fiction, and one only has to turn on the evening news to hear horrible stories just as graphic and see video footage just as disturbing. The Bible, also, gives some pretty gory details at times, but the Bible doesn't disturb me. It is only a matter of perspective and knowing your own tastes.
On the positive side, this book is a real nail-biter! The talent of the writer is obvious, and I am looking forward to reading more of his works and seeing his abilities develop. (To be perfectly honest...I read portions of this book at night while in bed, and...um...well........ let's just say that a few times I was tempted to leave the lamp on. "Thriller" is a very appropriate term to describe it). I look forward to reading the rest of the series.